Ellis County Rural Fire crews were called to three separate wheat field fires Wednesday.
Crews were called to the first fire at 11:40 a.m. Wednesday in the area of 2300 Buckeye Road. When crews arrived on scene, the fire line was almost a quarter-mile wide, according to firefighters on scene.
Ellis County Public Works used a motor grader in the area to help put on the fire. Rural Fire Director Darin Myers said about 20 to 25 acres of the field were burned in the fire.
Crews were able to get farm equipment out of the field in time, according to Myers.
Two other fires were reported within a mile of each other, just after 5 p.m. — south of Hays at 270th and Munjor Road and 270th and Mount Pleasant Road.
Myers said all three fires were caused by equipment failure on combines. None of the combines sustained serious damage, he said.
Approximately 8 acres were destroyed by the fire at 270th and Munjor Road. About 4 acres were burned at 270th and Mount Pleasant Road.
As they prepare to return to the state capital for a special session Thursday, two local lawmakers say allowing the courts to keep schools closed after June 30 is not an option.
Earlier this month, Kansas Gov. Sam Brownback called the state Legislature back to Topeka for a special session on June 23 in response to the state Supreme Court ruling that a portion of the Legislature’s school finance formula was unconstitutional.
Boldra
The court has warned that schools will not be allowed to open after June 30 if lawmakers don’t approve additional fixes.
District 111th State Rep. Sue Boldra, R-Hays, said when the governor announced the recall she “was looking forward to it” and is hopeful that everyone can work together to address the issue.
40th District State Sen. Ralph Ostmeyer, R-Grinnell, called the situation “unfortunate” but was adamant that the Legislature will not shut schools down.
“We can’t afford to take that chance,” Ostmeyer said.
Neither Boldra nor Ostmeyer are members of their respective judiciary committees that have been working in the weeks leading up to the session on a plan to satisfy the courts, but they believe the two sides are not that far apart. They expect the state will have to come up with between $30 million and $50 million.
Alan Rupe, attorney for the four school districts suing the state said Kansas will have to boost education funding by nearly $30 million for the 2016-17 school year to comply with a state Supreme Court order.
Boldra said she was hopeful the courts would have kept schools open under the current formula and allowed legislators to fix in the next session.
Ostmeyer
“We already have marching orders that we have to have a finance formula ready for the 2017-18 school year,” Boldra said, “So we knew that we were going to have to do something and we would have to get it done quickly.”
Ostmeyer said the courts are overstepping their authority.
“The power of the purse is with the Legislature, not with the courts,” said Ostmeyer, adding he believes if the battle over school funding were to go before the U.S. Supreme Court, the Kansas courts would lose the battle over funding.
“Let our local officials say we haven’t got the money, we’re going to have to shut our school down. Don’t let the courts step in and have to do that,” said Ostmeyer.
But he added, “I’m not going up there with the idea to tell the court to go to hell, we’re going to shut the schools down.”
Boldra also said she does not believe the courts should tell lawmakers how to set the budgets but said she has faith in leadership and added if they can get everyone to agree, they will avoid shutting down schools.
“Shutting down the schools in rural Kansas would really destroy communities, destroy towns because so much of the economic base of communities is vested in their public schools,” said Boldra.
Keeping the schools closed after June 30 would be an unpopular move, according to Ostmeyer, because “it affects so many people.”
“Brownback is totally disdained by the public,” said Ostemeyer. “It’s total hatred out there and what bothers me, he’s a good person.”
Ostmeyer announced in May he will not seek re-election and said if he has one misgiving about not running again is the negativity surrounding state government.
“There’s two sides to every story,” said Ostmeyer.
Republican legislative leaders said Wednesday they are close to an agreement with Kansas school districts on a plan aimed at satisfying a court mandate to help poorer schools.
Senate Ways and Means Committee Chairman Ty Masterson said Wednesday that he’s optimistic about a deal on a $38 million proposal.
House Appropriations Committee Chairman Ron Ryckman Jr. said the plan is likely to shift some existing education dollars to poor districts to provide extra aid.
WASHINGTON -On Wednesday, Congressman Tim Huelskamp (KS-01) chaired a Small Business Subcommittee hearing entitled “Audits and Attitudes: Is the IRS Helping or Hurting Small Businesses?”
“In the administration of the tax code, the IRS has dual roles: collection and enforcement,” said Subcommittee on Economic Growth, Tax and Capital Access Chairman Tim Huelskamp (R-KS) in his opening remarks. “Small businesses have a right to be treated fairly on both counts. Unfortunately, that is often not what happens.”
“To this day, taxpayers and advisers continue to report on troublesome developments in IRS audits that range from isolated cases to broader policies,” testified Pete Sepp, the President of the National Taxpayers Union (NTU).
Based on National Taxpayers Union’s review of research literature, statistical analysis, oversight reports and hundreds of anecdotes, Pete Sepp pointed to “uncertainty” in the tax collection and enforcement and “intimidation tactics” by the IRS.
Huelskamp commented after the hearing, “It’s evident that the IRS is a plague to small businesses. Because small businesses don’t have armies of lawyers and tax professionals to bargain with the IRS on their behalf, audits can be a great burden for them. I’ll keep fighting to protect small businesses from the heavy hand of the IRS.”
Frank Ervin Morgan, age 68, passed away at Via Christi St. Frances Hospital, Wichita, Tuesday, June 21, 2016.
He was born November 20, 1947 in Hoxie, KS, the son of Ervin Albert and Lora Ellen Wooton Morgan.
He married Melody Ellis on August 8, 1970. They had three sons, Scott, Phillip, and Walter, all of Ness City.
Frank served in the United States Air Force from July 1966 to May 1970. He was a mechanic servicing C130 cargo planes. He served a year in Vietnam in The Ranch Hands.
He worked in the oil fields for over 40 years. He was a pulling unit operator for years, then went to water truck driving the rest of his years until he retired.
He is survived by his wife; sons; a very special niece that was like a daughter to him, Patty Barfield, Alton, KS; grandchildren, Craig, Mia, and Colten Morgan; three very special great nieces that called him grandpa; sister, Alta Ann (Larry) West, Longmont, CO; sisters-in-law, Betty Morgan, Topeka, and Mary Morgan, OK; and lots of nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his parents, and brothers, Ed and Max Morgan.
Cremation has taken place as per the family wishes.
Graveside memorial service will be Thursday, July 7, 10:00 A.M. at the WaKeeney Veterans Cemetery, WaKeeney, KS.
Memorials contributions may be given to Heartland Cancer Center, Great Bend.
Alma Betz, 94, died June 21, 2016 at the Great Bend Health and Rehabilitation Center.
She was born June 23, 1921, at Bazine, KS, the daughter of Jacob and Anna Hemel Funk. She had been a longtime Ness County resident and moved to Great Bend in 1994.
On February 7, 1942, she married Harold Betz, at Larned. He died December 5, 2000.
She was preceded in death by seven brothers and four sisters. Survivors include nieces and nephews.
Graveside service will be Friday, June 24, 2016 at Bazine Cemetery, Bazine, KS.
Memorials may be given to Alzheimer’s Association, or a charity of the donor’s choice.
Bill R. Lovitt, age 78, passed away at Kansas University Medical Center on June 21, 2016.
Friends may sign the guest book Saturday June 25, 9:00 A.M. – 9:00 P.M. and Sunday, June 26, 10:00 A.M. – 9:00 P.M. at the funeral home, with a rosary and wake service, Sunday, 6:00 P.M. at the funeral home.
Mass of Christian Burial will be at St. Mary’s Catholic Church, McCracken, Monday, June 27, 2016 at 10:00 A.M.
BRIT was the only group to make a bid. The quote is $196,220, a 4.9 percent increase.
In other business, an update of conservation incentive and rebate programs for 2016 will be given by Johnny O’Connor, director of utilities and Jason Riegel, water conservation specialist.
The meeting starts at 6:30 p.m. Thursday in Hays City Hall, 1507 Main Street. The complete agenda is available here.
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The 22nd annual Wild West Festival in Hays is scheduled for June 30 to July 4.
Hays Post is partnering with the Wild West Festival committee to offer a sneak peak at the performers taking the stage this year.
Nashville recording artist Rusty Rierson is a native of south-central Kansas (Leon). Rusty got into music when he was 14 years old. He started singing in church and soon it became a passion. He learned guitar when his father, Roger, suggested that they take lessons together.
In 2005, Rierson won the statewide “YF&R talent find contest” hosted by Farm Bureau and performed at the Kansas State fair where he is annually invited back. In 2007, Rusty won the “Colgate Country Showdown” at the state level and placed in the top 15 nationally. He competed again at state in 2008, 2010 and 2011, before signing with his first record label.
Rusty has played all over the US (including Alaska). He has toured abroad in Canada, Mexico, Central America, Scotland and in London. Rusty has opened for and shared the stage and worked with artists such as Sawyer Brown, John Berry, Michael Martin Murphy, Dustin Lynch, T. G. Sheppard, Billy Dean, Love & Theft, Collin Raye, Suzy Bogguss, Logan Mize, Craig Campbell, Joe Diffie, Don Williams & many more.
In 2012, Rusty released his single “Souvenirs”, a project recorded in Nashville with producer Richie Owens. Owens has produced albums for acts like Dolly Parton and Vince Gill. It went Number 1 for 4 straight weeks on Europe’s Country Music Chart, and held off country superstar Toby Keith to the 2nd position the whole time. In 2015, Rusty charted another single, “Hey Hey Hello”. In addition, he has released multiple Christmas singles to radio over the past few years.
In early 2016, Rusty started a new project with the development of his own record label, The Record Ranch. He is coming out in April with his first single, “Something About You.” This is a song Don Williams gave him when he visited Williams along with his sister about a year and a half ago. In addition, Charlie Daniels has committed to being on the song titled “What Happened to My Country,” which is a political project and something Rierson hopes will be noticed by the presidential campaigns.
Rusty Rierson & Forever Young take the stage June 30.
Check HaysPost.com for more acts in the coming days.
Starting in late June, the Kansas Department of Transportation will begin work on a pair of chip seal projects in Russell County. The projects will take place on a 13-mile portion of K-18 from the east U.S. 281 junction to the Lincoln County line and a 9-mile portion K-232 from the K-18 junction to the Lincoln County line.
Traffic will be reduced to one lane in the construction zones and controlled by flaggers and a pilot car during daylight hours. Minor delays, not exceeding 15 minutes, can be expected. Motorists are encouraged to slow down, obey the warning signs and “Give ‘em a Brake!” when approaching and driving through work zones. The project is expected to be completed by the end of July, weather permitting.
Mid America Road Builders Inc. is the primary contractor for the project with a total contract cost of $613,000. The project is funded by T-WORKS, the transportation program passed by the Kansas legislature in May 2010. Find out more about this and other T-WORKS projects at https://kdotapp.ksdot.org/TWORKS.
WELLINGTON, Kan. – Devlin Granberg hit a three-run home run with two outs in the top of the ninth inning but it wasn’t enough to finish off the comeback as the Hays Larks lost 6-5 to the Wellington Heat Wednesday night at Hibbs-Hooten Stadium in Wellington.
The Heat (11-9, 7-7 Jayhawk League) broke a 2-2 tie with two runs in the seventh and two more in the eighth.
Jax Biggers doubled and scored on an Austin O’Brien single in the top of the first to give the Larks (16-2, 12-2 Jayhawk League) the early lead. Connor Ross doubled and drove in Ty Redington in the second to push the lead to 2-0.
Metro State’s Ryan Baca went the distance for the Heat, holding the Larks to the five runs despite giving up 14 hits. Baca struck out 10 and walked one.
Layne Downing (1-1) gave up two runs on two hits over an inning of relief and suffered the loss.
The Larks still lead the Jayhawk League by three games over Dodge City, who lost 13-3 in Liberal Wednesday.
The Larks close out the series Thursday night before returning home for three with Derby on Friday.
LOGAN COUNTY – A Colby man was injured in an accident just before 1a.m. on Thursday in Logan County
The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2003 Mercury Sable driven by Curtis T. Powers, 49, was westbound on U.S. 40 at the unincorporated Logan County community of Page City.
The Sable collided with a semi that was turning left from Logan County Road 280 onto U.S. 40.
Powers was entrapped, according to the KHP.
He was transported to Logan County Hospital and then air lifted to Via Christi in Wichita.
The semi driver Eric Lynn Peterson, 42, Monument, was not injured.
Peterson was not wearing a seat belt, according to the KHP.
A convective storm system overnight will continue to slowly weaken by sunrise, however with just a little bit of heating by late morning, it will likely regenerate thunderstorm activity near the remnant low which will be moving slowly east across southwest Kansas. This will have an impact on temperatures today. Some areas will not see the forecast highs of lower 90s with all the convective cloud debris and regeneration of thunderstorm activity. The severe weather risk is quite low, given the very poor wind shear environment.
Today A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly after noon. Partly sunny, with a high near 90. Northeast wind 7 to 13 mph becoming east southeast in the afternoon.
Tonight Showers and thunderstorms likely, mainly between 10pm and 3am. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 70. East southeast wind 8 to 15 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%. New rainfall amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible.
Friday A chance of showers and thunderstorms before noon, then a slight chance of showers and thunderstorms after 2pm. Partly sunny, with a high near 95. Breezy, with a south wind 8 to 13 mph increasing to 16 to 21 mph in the afternoon. Chance of precipitation is 30%.
Friday Night A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly cloudy, with a low around 72. Breezy, with a south wind 15 to 21 mph.
Saturday A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly after 1pm. Mostly sunny, with a high near 96. South wind 13 to 16 mph.
Saturday Night A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 68.
Sunday A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly sunny, with a high near 92.
Submitted
By BECKY KISER
Today A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly after noon. Partly sunny, with a high near 90. Northeast wind 7 to 13 mph becoming east southeast in the afternoon.