LARNED, Kan. (AP) — Internal reports show that employees at one of Kansas’ state mental hospitals have racked up significant overtime hours.
The Topeka Capital-Journal obtained four weeks of overtime data for the hospital’s nursing department covering much of December. The paper says its analysis shows that in recent weeks more than half of all employees in Larned State Hospital’s nursing department have worked overtime. Hundreds of workers have accumulated more than eight hours of overtime during a single week. And some have logged more than 40 hours of overtime in that span.
The new leader of the Kansas Department of Aging and Disability Services — which oversees state hospitals — told employees this past week that he wants to cut nursing vacancies in half. The agency says it’s taking steps to improve.
LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — An association that operates a historic railroad in northeast Kansas has suffered tens of thousands of dollars in damages from vandals and other intruders over the past several years.
The Lawrence Journal-World reports that the Midland Railroad Historical Association hauls around 25,000 passengers between Baldwin City and Ottawa each year. It also showcases multiple historic pieces of train equipment.
General Manager Allen Kinsley says that last week, a passenger car built in 1916 was vandalized yet again. The car was taken out of service years ago and sidelined until some wheel work could be done.
Since it’s been out of service, the car has been frequently visited by vandals and thieves looking for scrap copper.
He says damage estimates exceed the insurance policy maximum of $30,000.
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Fort Hays State’s Paige Lunsford and Missouri Western’s Sarafina Handy have been named the MIAA Co-Women’s Basketball Athletes of the Week.
Lunsford nearly averaged a double-double in a pair of wins for FHSU over Northeastern State and Central Oklahoma. She averaged 18.0 points, 9.0 rebounds, 3.0 assists, and 2.0 steals per game for the week, while recording the first double-double of her career. She picked up the double-double in the 68-47 win over Northeastern State with 14 points and 13 rebounds, while adding a team-high four assists.
The 13 rebounds set a new career high for Lunsford.
In a 59-56 overtime win over Central Oklahoma, she scored a career-high 22 points and pulled down five rebounds, while adding three steals and two assists. She scored a go-ahead layup for FHSU with just over a minute left in regulation after the Tigers trailed by 14 with 6:10 to go in the third quarter. She hit a pair of key free-throws under a minute remaining in overtime to help keep FHSU in front for good.
Handy was clutch, making key baskets as the Griffon Women won on the road at Washburn and Emporia State this week, two places the program had not won since the 2003-04 season.
Republican Rep. Jim Kelly represents Independence, the southeast Kansas community that recently lost its only hospital. Kelly was named Wednesday to Gov. Sam Brownback’s new rural health care working group. KHI NEWS SERVICE
A key member of Gov. Sam Brownback’s new rural health working group says he hopes the initiative is a serious effort to address problems facing rural providers, not an attempt to divert attention from a renewed push to expand the state’s Medicaid program.
Republican Rep. Jim Kelly represents Independence, the southeast Kansas community that recently lost its only hospital due to budget problems exacerbated by federal reductions in Medicare reimbursement rates and the state’s rejection of Medicaid expansion.
Kelly supports Medicaid expansion. But he said continuing opposition from Brownback and Republican legislative leaders makes it unlikely that expansion advocates will win approval of a plan this session to draw down millions of additional federal dollars and provide health coverage to more poor adults, many of whom are now uninsured.
Still, he’s hopeful that the working group can stimulate a meaningful discussion about what else the state can do to help both providers and rural Kansans struggling to get health care.
“I hope it (the working group) is a serious effort to try to come up with a way to address the situation before another one, two or three hospitals close and we have other communities experiencing the same thing that I’ve lived through the last six months,” Kelly said.
Lt. Gov. Jeff Colyer, who will head the nine-member working group, said it was formed to address the problems of health care delivery in rural Kansas.
“As a fifth-generation rural Kansan and a physician, I understand that rural hospitals are often the lifeblood of their community,” Colyer said in a news release issued by the governor’s office. “We must continue to form Kansas solutions to sustain rural health care.”
Colyer, a plastic surgeon, grew up in Hays but now lives in Overland Park.
Brownback announced the formation of the group Tuesday in his State of the State speech immediately after charging that the Affordable Care Act, which he referred to as Obamacare, was responsible for the increased financial pressures on rural providers.
“We should not expand Obamacare to solve the problem,” he said, reasserting his opposition to Medicaid expansion.
Despite what is certain to be an uphill battle, the Kansas Hospital Association is preparing to renew its push for an expansion plan modeled after those adopted in other red states headed by Republican governors generally opposed to the ACA.
The proposal, which could be introduced next week as a bill, is expected to resemble a so-called consumer-driven plan adopted in Indiana that requires beneficiaries to contribute to the cost of their care and penalizes those who don’t pay their premiums on time.
Cindy Samuelson, a KHA spokesperson, said the association’s focus on expansion doesn’t mean its members aren’t also open to ideas generated by the governor’s working group.
“Expanding KanCare is just one opportunity we have to help rural providers,” Samuelson said. “We hope the new group would add a sense of urgency to the issues facing the delivery of health care in rural Kansas.”
KanCare is the name given to Kansas’ Medicaid program when it was privatized in 2013.
The working group includes four legislators, all Republicans. In addition to Kelly they are Sen. Mitch Holmes, of St. John, and the chairs of the House and Senate health committees: Rep. Dan Hawkins, of Wichita, and Sen. Mary Pilcher-Cook, of Olathe.
Also serving are Susan Mosier, secretary of the Kansas Department of Health and Environment, and Kari Bruffett, a former secretary of the Kansas Department for Aging and Disability Services who now directs policy at the Kansas Health Institute, parent organization of the editorially independent KHI News Service.
Two rural health care providers round out the group’s members: Linda Stalcup, CEO of Stevens County Hospital in Hugoton, and Dr. Jenifer Cook.
No date has been set for the working group’s first meeting, but Colyer said it would occur during the 2016 legislative session, which started this week and is scheduled to end in May.
Brownback has given the group a year to finish its work.
Jim McLean is executive editor of KHI News Service in Topeka, a partner in the Heartland Health Monitor team.
Elon Musk has posted a video on his Instagram account of the moment SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket landed on a floating ocean barge, toppled over and exploded into pieces.
The rocket made the hard landing Sunday after launching from Vandenberg Air Force Base, northwest of Los Angeles, and successfully delivering an ocean-monitoring satellite into orbit.
Musk tweeted that the lockout collet on one of the rocket’s four legs didn’t latch, causing it to tip over after landing. He said the “root cause may have been ice buildup due to condensation from heavy fog at liftoff.”
The failed landing was a setback for the Hawthorne, California, company’s plan to reduce launch costs by reusing rockets rather than having them fall into the ocean.
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2:15 p.m.
SpaceX says its Falcon 9 rocket toppled over upon landing on a floating ocean barge because one of its support legs didn’t lock as planned.
The California company said on Twitter Sunday that data now show that the rocket’s first stage landed softly within 1.3 meters of the center of the 300-by-170 foot landing pad.
Founder Elon Musk tweeted that the rocket’s speed at touchdown was OK, “but a leg lockout didn’t latch, so it tipped over after landing.” Officials previously said the support leg broke.
The rocket successfully delivered an ocean-monitoring satellite into orbit after launching from Vandenberg Air Force Base, northwest of Los Angeles.
SpaceX hopes to reduce launch costs by reusing rockets rather than having them fall into the ocean.
NASA says the U.S.-European Jason-3 satellite is in orbit and “ready for science operations.”
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11:45 a.m.
The first stage of a SpaceX rocket that delivered an ocean-monitoring satellite into orbit made a hard landing on an ocean barge and broke a support leg.
SpaceX announcers said the Falcon 9 was not upright after reaching the 300-by-170 foot landing pad west of San Diego on Sunday morning. No further details were immediately available.
The rocket launched as planned at 10:42 a.m. from Vandenberg Air Force Base, northwest of Los Angeles, sending its second stage and a Jason-3 satellite into orbit.
The failed landing is a blow to the California-based company’s plan to reduce launch costs by reusing rockets rather than having them fall into the ocean.
The mission of Jason-3 is to continue an unbroken record of more than two decades of sea level measurements from orbit.
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11 a.m.
An ocean-monitoring satellite that launched from the California coast has separated from its SpaceX rocket and been sent toward orbit.
With the Falcon 9 rocket’s second stage and the Jason-3 satellite continuing toward orbit, SpaceX will now try to land its first stage on a floating barge in the Pacific Ocean.
Liftoff occurred as planned at 10:42 a.m. Sunday from Vandenberg Air Force Base, northwest of Los Angeles.
The mission of the Jason-3 satellite is to continue an unbroken record of more than two decades of sea level measurements from orbit.
California-based SpaceX hopes to reduce launch costs by reusing rockets rather than having them fall into the ocean.
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10:45 a.m.
A U.S.-European satellite designed to detect and measure ocean phenomena has launched aboard a SpaceX rocket under mostly cloudy skies from the California coast.
Liftoff occurred as planned at 10:42 a.m. Sunday from Vandenberg Air Force Base, northwest of Los Angeles.
After sending the Jason-3 satellite into orbit the Falcon 9 rocket will attempt to land its discarded first stage on a floating barge in the Pacific Ocean.
The mission of Jason-3 is to continue an unbroken record of more than two decades of sea level measurements from orbit.
Like its predecessors, Jason-3 is equipped with radar altimeter to bounce microwave energy off the ocean and a GPS system to identify the satellite’s precise location.
The cost of the mission, including five years of operation, was put at $180 million.
The Hays Police Department and Chief Don Scheibler have announced another promotion and the graduation of two new recruits from the Kansas Law Enforcement Training Center in Hutchinson.
HPD Sgt. Clayton Hill
Clayton Hill was promoted Friday, Jan. 15, to the rank of patrol sergeant. Hill has been a member of the department since 2006, previous serving as a patrol corporal.
During his tenure with HPD, Hill has served as a patrol investigator, a member of the bike patrol, a field training officer and assistant team leader for the Special Situation Response Team.
New HPD Officers Nolan Weiser and Samantha Nielsen
Officer Nolan Weiser and Officer Samantha Nielsen graduated Friday with the Kansas Law Enforcement Training Center’s 237th Basic Training Class.
Because the only thing that the Legislature absolutely, positively has to do this session is adopt a budget that leaves at least $1 in the state treasury on July 1, you’d figure this year might be simple.
Except, that the budget Gov. Sam Brownback presented to the Legislature is based on the shifting sands of state revenues, and already legislators are dubious that if they adopted it, say, at the end of the week, it would hold up.
And, they are having that feeling that the real work of balancing the budget as revenues continue to drop below expectations is going to be on them…just months before they stand for re-election.
Besides that giant problem, you’ll be glad to know that the first week of the 2016 session—well, four days because they took Friday off—was accomplished with no apparent (compensable) injuries and some interesting bills introduced that will make nice distractions for the next few months.
…Say that little bill that will raise from 75 mph to 80 mph the speed limit on four-lane divided highways where we spend much of our travel lifetimes. And, if nobody gets too finicky, that boost means that practically, you probably aren’t going to be pulled over until you are clocked at 74 or 75 mph, and even then, it’s going to be 90 mph before the speeding ticket becomes a moving violation, which will spike your auto insurance premiums.
Or, the unusual bill that essentially marries you to a firearms or ammunition dealer? Huh?
Yes, the measure called the “Kansas firearms industry nondiscrimination act” says that you can’t refuse to do business with, or quit doing business with, any legally licensed firearms or ammunition seller. Not sure where that goes. If your local store, say, moves the gun rack to the front of the store, so that you have to walk to the back to get your ice cream and it starts to melt as you are standing in the checkout line, well, you may have discriminated against the Kansas firearms industry…or maybe not. Someone thought that was a good idea, and it might take a public hearing to get it explained.
Because bills dealing with guns always bring a crowd to the Statehouse, we’re wondering also about a bill that would make it a criminal offense for a gun dealer to sell guns to “anyone on a watch list.” Now, that appears to make sense, if people on federal watch lists—who can’t board airplanes—are people we want to have guns, anyway. But, it appears that even if those folks on watch lists can’t buy guns, well, they might be able to drive 80 mph.
Yes, there are lots of things to keep lawmakers busy, or at least distracted, during the session, and some of those bills might make headlines.
There are, of course, more serious issues facing lawmakers—financing K-12 education at a constitutional level; but that is likely to be put on hold while the Kansas Supreme Court decides just how much money is necessary to provide every child in the state the same chance to get a good education so they can take care of us grownups.
Don’t look for school finance to get solved this session, and also, don’t look for the Supreme Court to make a ruling with dramatic budget consequences this spring while lawmakers are in session. At this point a majority of legislators believed they know how to finance public education and the courts ought to stay out of it. Five of the nine justices of the Kansas Supreme Court stand for retention election this year, and they might just be mindful of whether they want to stir up legislative angst before the election.
And…they might just want to keep things quiet so they can drive 80 mph this summer…
Syndicated by Hawver News Company LLC of Topeka; Martin Hawver is publisher of Hawver’s Capitol Report—to learn more about this nonpartisan statewide political news service, visit the website at www.hawvernews.com.
The Hays Police Department responded to 3 animal calls and 26 traffic stops Friday, Jan. 15, 2016, according to the HPD Activity Log.
Driving Under the Influence–600 block Fort St, Hays; 12:55 AM;
Minor in Possession of CMB/LIQ–300 block W 8th St, Hays; 1:14 AM
Battery – simple–500 block W 7th St, Hays; 1:16 AM; 1:20 AM
Overdose–800 block E 8TH ST, Hays; 2:49 AM
Driving While Suspended/Revoked–1000 block E 27th St, Hays; 8:24 AM
Civil Dispute–700 block E 6th St, Hays; 10:16 AM
Abandoned Vehicle–400 block W 12th St, Hays; 11:40 AM
Theft (general)–2700 block Epworth St, Hays; 12:01 PM
Warrant Service (Fail to Appear)–200 block W 4th St, Hays; 3:34 PM
Drug Offenses–500 block Vine St, Hays; 3:40 PM
Theft (general)–400 block S Santa Fe, Salina; 3:53 PM
MV Accident-Private Property–3400 block Vine St, Hays; 4:22 PM
Welfare Check–300 block W 6th St, Hays; 4:56 PM
Shoplifting–1900 block Vine St, Hays; 5 PM
Warrant Service (Fail to Appear)–3000 block New Way, Hays; 5:13 PM
Warrant Service (Fail to Appear)–2700 block Epworth St, Hays; 6:46 PM
Aggravated Assault–2500 block Vine St, Hays; 6:30 PM; 7:09 PM
Warrant Service (Fail to Appear)–2000 block E 8th St, Hays; 10:32 PM
The Hays Police Department responded to 2 animal calls and 13 traffic stops Sat., Jan. 16, 2016, according to the HPD Activity Log.
Driving Under the Influence–800 block Ash St, Hays; 12:21 AM
Suspicious Activity–700 block E 6th St, Hays; 1:18 AM
Battery – simple–500 block W 7th St, Hays; 1:47 AM
Driving While Suspended/Revoked–500 block W 14th St, Hays; 2:50 AM
Driving While Suspended/Revoked–500 block E 5th St, Hays; 3:19 AM
Criminal Damage to Property–9th and Oak, Hays; 12 AM; 3:58 AM
Criminal Damage to Property–10th and Oak, Hays; 12 AM; 3:39 AM
Criminal Damage to Property–11th and Oak, Hays; 12 AM; 3:59 AM
MV Accident-Private Property–2900 block Vine St, Hays; 2:36 PM
Criminal Damage to Property–700 block E 6th St, Hays; 3:23 PM
Animal At Large–1000 block Reservation Rd, Hays; 4:28 PM
Civil Dispute–1200 block Donald Dr, Hays; 4:56 PM
Intoxicated Subject–2000 block Hall St, Hays; 6:11 PM
Criminal Trespass–2000 block Hall St, Hays; 7:10 PM
Driving Under the Influence–1000 block E 13th St, Hays; 7:45 PM
Drug Offenses–400 block W 5th St, Hays; 10:54 PM
The Hays Police Department responded to 2 animal calls and 6 traffic stops Sunday, Jan. 17, 2016, according to the HPD Activity Log.
Driving Under the Influence–1100 block Ash St, Hays; 1:22 AM
Suicidal Subject–1700 block Agnes Dr, Hays; 1:51 AM
Driving Under the Influence–1300 block Main St, Hays; 2:10 AM
Animal At Large–200 block E 25th St Terr, Hays; 8:57 AM
Welfare Check–300 block W 16th St, Hays; 11:03 AM
Disturbance – Noise–2700 block Epworth St, Hays; 12:42 PM
Animal Cruelty/Neglect–1300 block Felten Dr, Hays; 3:39 PM
Civil Dispute–1400 block E 29th St, Hays; 4:03 PM
MV Accident-City Street/Alley–2700 block Vine St, Hays; 5:05 PM
Found/Lost Property–300 block W 16th St, Hays; 5:20 PM
Driving Under the Influence–500 block E 12th St, Hays; 11:35 PM
Civil Dispute–700 block E 6th St, Hays; 6/4/15; 6/23/15
Cumulative number of earthquakes with a magnitude of 3.0 or larger in the central and eastern United States, 1973-2015. The rate of earthquakes began to increase starting around 2009 and accelerated in 2013-2014-USGS image CLICK to ENLARGE
SETH BORENSTEIN, Associated Press
KELLY P. KISSEL, Associated Press
SEAN MURPHY, Associated Press
OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Oklahoma and Kansas changed their drilling regulations amid a rise in the number of earthquakes last year, but only Kansas has seen a marked drop in the number of temblors.
An Associated Press analysis shows that between late 2014 and late 2015, the number of Kansas quakes fell by 60 percent. Oklahoma’s rose 10 percent over the same period.
Kansas regulated how much wastewater could be injected into the earth after its use in oil and gas drilling. Oklahoma initially put limits on how deep the water could go.
Scientists say it is too early to reach firm conclusions, but fear that Oklahoma’s trend of having more, smaller earthquakes could be setting a course for the big one. Earthquakes two weeks ago knocked out power in an Oklahoma City suburb.
HOUSTON, Texas – Fort Hays State’s Cory Keehn qualified for the USA Olympic Team Trials in the half-marathon on Sunday in the Chevron Houston Marathon. He finished with a time of 1:04:26.
Keehn hit the 1:05:00 standard to qualify for the USA Olympic Team Trials in the half marathon in February. He finished 29th in the race and 19th among competitors from the United States. Keehn kept an impressive 4-minute, 55-second pace per mile over the 13.1-mile race.
The winning time in the race on Sunday was 1:00:37 by Lelisa Desisa of Ethiopa. The top runner from the U.S. finished fourth, that being Luke Puskedra from Oregon in 1:01.29.
The USA Olympic Team Trials for marathon and half-marathon are in Los Angeles, Calif., on February 13, 2016.
ELLIS–Although it’s a federal holiday, the Ellis City Council will still meet in its regularly scheduled session this evening at 7:30 p.m. in Ellis City Hall.
Agenda items include an update on the waterline improvement project from Driggs Design Group. Council members will also consider a resolution calling for a sales tax election and have an introduction of the Tourism Task Force.
The complete Jan. 18 agenda follows.
AGENDA
January 18, 2016
REGULAR MEETING OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF ELLIS
City Hall – Council Meeting Room
BILLS ORDINANCE REVIEW WORK SESSION BEGINS AT 7:00 P.M.
ROLL CALL AND MEETING CALL TO ORDER AT 7:30 P.M.
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
AMENDMENTS TO AGENDA (if needed)
1) CONSENT AGENDA
a) Minutes from Regular Meeting on January 4, 2016
b) Bills Ordinance #1989
(Council will review for approval under one motion under the consent agenda. By majority vote of the governing body, any item may be removed from the consent agenda and considered separately)
PUBLIC COMMENTS
(Each speaker will be limited to five minutes. If several people from the group wish to speak on same subject, the group must appoint a spokesperson. ALL comments from public on agenda items must be during Public Comment. Once council begins their business meeting, no more comments from public will be allowed.)
2) PRESENTATIONS OF AWARDS, PROCLAMATIONS, REQUESTS & PETITIONS (HEARINGS)
3) SPECIAL ORDER
a) Fire Department Monthly Report – Chief Denis Vine
b) Tourism Task Force Introduction
4) UNFINISHED BUSINESS
a) Update on Waterline Improvement Project – Buck Driggs, Driggs Design Group
b) Consider Resolution Calling for Sales Tax Election
c) Consider Revised Ordinance Amending Court Costs
d) Discuss Costs for Additional Street Rehabilitation Projects
e) Discuss Alley Drainage in 800 Block Washington Street
5) NEW BUSINESS
a) Consider Resolution Updating Authorized Representative with the Kansas Department of Health and Environment
6) REPORTS FROM CITY OFFICIALS
a) Administrative
1) Public Works
(1) Consider Approval of Department Employee
(2) Inspection Report on Water Treatment Plant
(3) Comparative Water Report
(4) Department Update
2) Police
(1) Department Update
3) City Clerk
(1) Consider Approval of Department Employee
(2) Public Hearing Notice for Re-Zoning Property
(3) Health Insurance Monthly Summary
(4) Unofficial Committee Meeting Minutes
(5) Annual Safety Report
(6) Annual City Car Savings Report
(7) Catastrophic Sick Leave Bank Annual Report
(8) Department Update
4) Attorney
5) Mayor Update and Announcements
(1) Reminder of Work Session with Trades Board
(2) Reminder of Local Government Day
(3) Sample Evaluation Forms and Job Descriptions
EXECUTIVE SESSIONS
7) ADJOURNMENT
