DICKINSON COUNTY – Law enforcement authorities in Dickinson County are investigating a suspect in connection with the death of a 13-month-old.
Just after 10p.m. on Monday, personnel at Abilene Memorial Hospital notified sheriff deputies after a 13-month-old child was brought into the emergency room, according to Dickinson County Sheriff Gareth Hoffman
Family members brought the baby to the hospital from a residence in Enterprise, according to Hoffman.
The baby was unresponsive upon arrival at the hospital and died a short time later.
The Dickinson County Sheriff’s Department determined the child’s death was suspicious in nature and immediately opened an investigation.
Hoffman said several interviews were conducted and an autopsy was performed.
Based on evidence obtain through the investigation, the child’s mother Jessica Stinnett, 29, Enterprise, was arrested and booked into the Dickinson County Jail on requested charges of first-degree murder and child abuse.
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Gov. Sam Brownback has vetoed a bill that included provisions prompted by a multi-million dollar tax dispute with pizza magnate Gene Bicknell.
The Lawrence Journal-World reports that the bill that Gov. Sam Brownback vetoed on Tuesday was designed to help taxpayers challenge rulings of the Board of Tax Appeals. Under the ruling, taxpayers would be allowed to appeal decisions from the governor-appointed board to district court, where they could present new evidence.
Bicknell supported the measure. He once owned the largest number of Pizza Hut franchises in the nation.
The bill would not directly affect Bicknell’s tax dispute either way because it is currently being reviewed by the Kansas Supreme Court. Tens of millions of dollars are at stake.
Hays Regional Airport has teamed with Fort Hays State University Informatics Capstone students to give its website a new look and feel to serve flyers better.
Along with the changes to the website, Hays Regional Airport is receiving a variety of videos that include a few commercials and testimonial pieces. These commercials and testimonial videos focus on promoting the convenience and ease of flying out of Hays Regional Airport, while also stressing the cost of customer’s time saving while using the airports services.
Ian Blankinship, Fort Hays State University senior and leader of the Capstone team, first was referenced to the Hays Regional Airport website project by City Manager Toby Dougherty, who put Blankinship in contact with Rick Rekoske, director of Hays Convention and Visitor Bureau.
“I was excited and eager to get the opportunity to work on a project for the city. Knowing that I would be able to give back to the city before I left was good motivation for the effort we put into the project,” said Blankinship.
One of the Hays Regional Airport’s major requests for the updated website was to focus on their True Cost Calculator, which is displayed on the home page. The old website’s True Cost Calculator was a stable image that presented the average round trip ticket prices and other fees that correlate with traveling to other airports instead of flying out of Hays Regional Airports. The new True Cost Calculator has become interactive and allows the user to input ticket prices of competing airports and automatically calculates others fees in order to more accurately show the price difference between flying local or elsewhere.
“I think it works a lot better than the old site and is more accurate in figuring out the cost savings of flying out of Hays Regional Airport,” said Blankinship. “It really shows the difference in time and money that you save by flying out of Hays.”
Another major change to the website is how it is viewed on mobile device. The new website is now mobile-friendly and can be easily used on all mobile devices.
The commercials and testimonials videos will be available on the website and on the Hays Regional Airports social media platforms.
The students involved with the project include Ian Blankiship, Wichita senior, Aaron Wondra, Wichita senior, Maggie Walters, Galva senior, and Yanira Ojeda, Salina senior.
HARVEY COUNTY- Two people were injured in an accident just after 9p.m. on Tuesday in Harvey County.
The Harvey County Sheriff Department reported an ATV driven by a 39-year-old man from Nickerson was accelerating up a hill on private property near North Burmac Road and Northwest 12th Street when it rolled.
Air ambulance flew the 40-year-old male passenger and ATV owner from Hutchinson to Wesley Medical Center in Wichita.
A private vehicle transported the driver to Wesley Medical Center.
Alcohol may have played a part in the accident, according to the sheriff’s department.
Names of the victims have not been released as the accident remains under investigation.
OTTAWA, Kan. (AP) — A man convicted of killing two men, a woman and her 18-month-old daughter on a Kansas farm three years ago has been sentenced to death.
Victims’ relatives applauded Wednesday when Franklin County District Judge Eric Godderz announced the sentences against 30-year-old Kyle Flack, of Ottawa.
Jurors convicted Flack of capital murder in the deaths of 21-year-old Kaylie Bailey and her daughter, Lana, at a farmhouse about 50 miles south of Kansas City. They convicted him of first-degree murder in the death of 30-year-old Andrew Stout and second-degree murder in the death of 31-year-old Steven White.
Investigators believe Flack killed Stout around April 20, 2013, and killed the other three a little more than a week later.
Kansas hasn’t executed anyone since it reinstated capital punishment in 1994.
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OTTAWA, Kan. (AP) — A man is about to learn whether he will be sentenced to death for fatally shooting three adults and an 18-month-old girl on an eastern Kansas farm in 2013.
Jurors have recommended the death sentence for 30-year-old Kyle Flack. A Franklin County judge will announce whether he will follow the recommendation at a sentencing hearing Wednesday.
Flack was convicted in March of capital murder in the deaths of 21-year-old Kaylie Bailey and her 18-month-old daughter, Lana. Flack also was convicted in the deaths of Bailey’s boyfriend, 31-year-old Andrew Stout, and his roommate, 31-year-old Steven White, who lived in a rural farmhouse where Flack sometimes stayed in Ottawa, about 50 miles southwest of Kansas City.
Kansas hasn’t executed anyone since it reinstated capital punishment in 1994.
COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — More than 4 million U.S. workers will become newly eligible for overtime pay under rules issued Wednesday by the Obama administration.
The policy changes are intended to counter an erosion in overtime protections, which date from the 1930s and require employers to pay 1 ½ times a worker’s regular salary for any work past 40 hours a week.
Vice President Joe Biden announced the changes at Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams in Columbus, Ohio.
In the fast food and retail industries in particular, many employees are deemed “managers,” work long hours, but are barely paid more than the people they supervise.
Under the new rules, first released in draft form last summer, the annual salary threshold at which companies can deny overtime pay will be doubled from $23,660 to nearly $47,500.
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WASHINGTON (AP) — More than 4 million U.S. workers will become newly eligible for overtime pay under rules to be issued Wednesday by the Obama administration.
The policy changes are intended to counter an erosion in overtime protections, which date from the 1930s and require employers to pay 1 ½ times a worker’s regular salary for any work past 40 hours a week.
In the fast food and retail industries in particular, many employees are deemed “managers,” work long hours, but are barely paid more than the people they supervise.
Under the new rules, first released in draft form last summer, the annual salary threshold at which companies can deny overtime pay will be doubled from $23,660 to nearly $47,500.
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) honored fallen Kansas City, Kan., Detective Brad Lancaster on the U.S. Senate Floor this week.
Sen. Moran sponsored the Fallen Heroes Flag Act (S. 2755) – introduced by U.S. Senator Roy Blunt (R-Mo.) – which was signed into law on Monday. Under the new law, Congress shall provide the immediate family members of fallen first responders with American flags flown over the United States Capitol. Fallen detective Brad Lancaster’s family will be the first to receive this symbolic gesture of the nation’s respect and appreciation.
In his remarks, Sen. Moran also encouraged passage of a bipartisan congressional resolution (S. Res. 468) to establish this week as National Police Week. Passed by the Senate just hours later, the resolution pays respect to the 123 law enforcement officers killed in the line of duty last year and honors them and their families for their tireless efforts to make our communities safer.
Lancaster was killed in the line of duty on May 9, 2016. His friends, family and neighbors remember Brad Lancaster’s commitment to community and its extension beyond his nine years of service to the Kansas City, Kansas Police Department. Before joining the police department, Brad served in the U.S. Air Force and completed two tours of duty abroad, including one in Kuwait during Desert Shield.
Brad Rahe will be interviewing for the position of superintendent with the board of education on Tuesday evening.
Rahe is the second of four candidates that USD 489 Hays board of education will be interviewing. Candidates were selected for interviews based on their fit with desired characteristics that were developed with input from focus groups that were utilized throughout the search process.
Rahe is currently serving as the USD 463 Mulvane superintendent. Rahe has served in his current position since 2009. Rahe has also served as superintendent of USD 336 Holton and USD 258 Humboldt. Rahe has also served as a middle school principal in Wellington and Valley Center and an assistant middle school principal at Independence, Rahe began his career as a seventh-grade language arts teacher in Great Bend.
Brad Rahe Schedule
May 18, 2016
9:30 a.m. Arrive at Rockwell Administration Center.
9:45 a.m. – 10:00 a.m. Meet with Superintendent Katt for coffee. Receive schedule for day and information prepared by clerk for all candidates.
10:15 a.m. – 10:45 a.m. Roosevelt Elementary School – facility tour and meet and greet
11:00a.m. – 11:45 a.m. Hays Middle School – facility tour and meet and greet
12:00 p.m. – 1:15 p.m. Lunch with building administrators
1:30 p.m. – 2:15 p.m. Hays High School – facility tour and meet and greet
2:30 p.m. – 3:15 p.m. Rockwell Administration Center – facility tour and meet and greet
3:30 p.m. – 4:30 p.m. Community and Parent meet and greet – Toepfer Board Room
4:30 p.m. – 5:30 p.m. Free time for the candidate (the district will provide transportation to and from the motel for the candidate and/or guest.
KANSAS CITY – A Kansas City man was sentenced in federal court Tuesday for the armed robbery of Pancho’s Mexican Food, according to Tammy Dickinson, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri.
Jamane J. Smith, 31, of Kansas City, was sentenced by U.S. Chief District Judge Greg Kays to 25 years in federal prison without parole.
On Nov. 18, 2015, Smith pleaded guilty to one count of robbery and one count of using a firearm during a crime of violence. Smith admitted that he robbed Pancho’s Mexican Food, 3540 Main St., Kansas City, Mo., on Feb. 2, 2014. Smith admitted that he used and carried a handgun during the commission of the robbery.
According to court documents, Smith ordered a meal at Pancho’s and attempted to pay with a counterfeit $20 bill. When told the counterfeit bill would not be accepted, Smith pulled a gun hanging from his waist, pointed it at the Pancho’s employee and stated, “Give me the money.” The employee handed him $200 and Smith left the restaurant.
The Goodman Energy Center in Hays recently underwent a $30 million, year-long expansion. Three new electrical generating engines were added, indicated by the three taller exhaust stacks.
Elected officials, Midwest Energy employees, contractors and friends gathered Monday for the dedication of the expansion at the Goodman Energy Center in Hays.
The $30 million expansion began in spring 2015, increasing the number of electric generating engines at the plant from nine to twelve, while increasing capacity from 76 Megawatts to 102 Megawatts, enough to power more than 15,000 homes.
The expansion involved removing a wall on the facility’s north end, and adding hundreds of cubic yards of concrete to support the massive 150-ton generating engines. The engines were moved in place in September 2015, followed by months of tuning and testing. The plant expansion entered commercial service on April 1, 2016.
Marc Goodman, left, and Daniel Goodman stand next to a portrait of the late Jack Goodman, former Midwest Energy president and general manager, for whom the Goodman Energy Center in Hays is named. Marc and Daniel are Jack’s son and grandson, respectively.
“The continued development of the regional energy market in the Southwest Power Pool places a premium on owning gas-fired generation that is both flexible and reliable,” said Bill Dowling, Midwest Energy’s vice president for engineering and energy supply.
Dowling noted that if the rest of the electric grid were to experience a major disruption, the Goodman plant could generate enough energy to supply Hays and some of the surrounding area.
When the Goodman facility was built in 2008, it was constructed to allow for future expansion should the need arise. With the rapid growth of wind energy in northwest Kansas, expanding the Goodman facility proved the most economical and practical way to ensure electric reliability in the region.
The Goodman Energy Facility is named in honor of Jack Goodman, who served as President and General Manager of Central Kansas Electric Cooperative, which became Midwest Energy in 1981. After 42 years of service, Goodman retired in 1992 and passed away in June 1998.
Earnie Lehman, president and general manager of Midwest Energy, talks with Ellis County Administrator Phillip Smith-Hanes and Ellis County Commissioner Barbara Wasinger, following the dedication of the Goodman Energy Center.
USD 489 Superintendent candidate John Thissen speaks with area residents during his interview day Monday.
The first of four candidates for the superintendent position at USD 489 spent Monday meeting staff and residents, along with a formal interview with the Board of Education.
John Thissen currently serves as the Herington USD 487 superintendent, a district of about 450 students southeast of Salina.
During his meeting with community members, he spoke about how his experience – especially a series of bond issue elections – could suit the Hays district.
“At Herington, when I was hired there nine years ago, they were in the process of studying (a bond issue),” Thissen said.
There were three bond elections in 18 months, ultimately securing $15 million in funding for a new elementary school, he said.
“It was fun. It really was,” he said, but acknowledged how challenging a bond issue is.
Thissen had positive things to say about the Hays school district, calling it “really amazing.”
“I knew that Hays had a very good district, that was where the interest was,” he said.
While Thissen has never lived in Hays, he said he is familiar with the area, as many of his family members graduated from Fort Hays State University, including his wife, Kelli, who also works in education as a physical education teacher in Junction City.
Thissen also served as a principal at Great Bend Middle School.
During his community session, he also spoke about the success his district has had with putting graduates on track for good-paying jobs, even without a four-year college degree.
“There’s so many of them, they’re not going to go four years in college, they’re not going to go six years in college and we changed our plan,” he said, “(to) courses after high school that allows you to get a job. If it’s 12 months, if it’s 18 months, if it’s an electrician, a plumber, but the idea is getting them a job and a good one,”
He said Hays is well-geared for those types of programs, as well.
The second candidate will interview with the district is set for Wednesday, with a community session again planned for 3:30 p.m. in the Rockwell Administration Center, 323 W. 12th St.
Check Hays Post for more on superintendent candidates as details are released by the district.
