Month: July 2016
Smoky Hill-Saline Regional Advisory Committee meeting in Hays
Kansas Water Office
The Kansas Water Office’s Smoky Hill-Saline Regional Advisory Committee will hold a meeting to discuss current water issues affecting the region as well as the state.
The meeting will be held Tuesday, July 19 at 10 a.m. in the Hays City Commission Chambers, 1507 Main, Hays, Kansas. The main focus of the meeting will be continued regional action plan discussion and development within the Smoky Hill-Saline Region for the Vision of Future Water Supply in Kansas.
The agenda and meeting materials will be available at www.kwo.org or you may request copies by calling (785) 296-3185 or toll-free at (888) KAN-WATER (526-9283).
If accommodations are needed for a person with disabilities, please notify the Kansas Water Office at 900 SW Jackson Street, Suite 404, Topeka, KS 66611-1249 or call (785) 296-3185 at least five working days prior to the meeting.
• • •
As the state’s water office, KWO conducts water planning, policy coordination and water marketing as well as facilitates public input throughout the state.
The agency prepares the KANSAS WATER PLAN, a plan for water resources development, management and conservation. KWO also reviews all water laws and makes recommendations to the Governor and Legislature for needed legislation.
Fort Hays Department of Criminal Justice receives No. 1 ranking in U.S.
By RANDY GONZALES
FHSU University Relations
“Best Degree Programs” has honored another department at Fort Hays State University with a top ranking. FHSU’s Department of Criminal Justice is ranked No. 1 in the nation in best online Bachelor’s of Criminal Justice programs in 2016.
“Best Degree Programs” recently released the top 30 colleges in the nation for online undergraduate degree programs in criminal justice. The ranking was created by reviewing school rankings by Forbes Magazine, the Princeton Review, and U.S. News and World Report. An important component was undergraduate tuition cost.
“It is always an honor to have our program recognized by national publications,” said Dr. John Raacke, chair of the Department of Criminal Justice. “We pride ourselves on providing a quality education to students both on campus and virtually.
“Our faculty have worked hard to structure our courses and programs so that students can be successful inside and outside of the classroom,” he added. “And, we are excited that our departmental efforts have been recognized nationally again.”
According to “Best Degree Programs,” FHSU’s criminal justice program is designed to prepare students to enter various careers related to criminal justice, court administration or government agencies. The program is also designed to equip students with the skills and knowledge necessary to enter FHSU’s master’s degree program in criminal justice. Course requirements include criminology, introduction to criminal justice, justice in the information age, police systems and practices, and workshops in justice studies.
Recently, FHSU’s Department of Political Science was also ranked No. 1 in the United States by “Best Degree Programs” for best online undergraduate degree program in that field.
To learn more about FHSU’s criminal justice program, visit www.fhsu.edu/jus.
This weekend’s Hays-area garage sales
Hays-area garage sales
Scroll to the bottom for a map of garage sale locations. Hays Post offers FREE garage sale listings weekly. Having a sale next weekend? Click HERE for details.
Address: 2223 Felten Drive, Hays
7-14 Thursday 6-8pm. 7-15 Friday 8am-8pm. 7-16 Saturday 8am-12 pm
Items for sale: Holy Family Pants and shorts
Girls clothes 6-6x
Glass top picnic table
John Deere Wind Mill
Stepping Stones
Ceiling Fan with remote
Womens Sperry sz 10
Girls bikes
Pool items
Life jackets
The list goes on and on! Come see us!
———————
Address: 513 West 31st Street, Hays
10:00 am – 6:00 pm. Friday July 15th.
Items for sale: Adult and children’s clothing, home decor, kitchen items,framed cork board, deck stain, tool box, Hallmark, Longaberger and Pampered Chef items, HFE jacket, wedding items.
———————
Address: 3415 Summer Lane, Hays
Saturday, July 16 8:30 AM-Noon
Items for sale: This garage sale has us cleaning out our basement storage. Items include treadmill, Precor exercise bike, new and gently used picture frames, student desk chair, Yamaha electronic keyboard, shelving units, comforters and numerous other items. CASH only.
———————
Address: 602 Vine, Hays, KS
Friday, July15th 5pm – 8pm, Saturday July 16th 8am – 12pm
Items for sale: Radio controlled gas airplane & train parts, Lots of boys cloths ranging from preemie to Toddler size 5T. Nursing Scrubs Tops and Pants. Lots of Toys. Range, changing table. shoes, Dishes, Lots of misc.
If you don’t like the price, make us an offer!!
Mostly sunny, warm Saturday
The upper level and surface patterns will change starting today. An upper level ridge of high pressure over southern New Mexico today is expected to build into the central plains and Midwest by Monday. A warm front will develop over the southern plains today and then become stationary to the north of Kansas by Monday. High temperatures will warm into the 90’s today and upper 90’s by Sunday and then remain hot through next week. A few places will likely reach or exceed 100 degrees by Thursday and Friday.
In dry summers, this type of upper level pattern would result in temperatures well over 100 degrees. But due to the previous rains this spring and summer and lush vegetation, extremely hot readings of 105 degrees or higher are not expected through Friday. There are very small chances for thunderstorms over central and west central Kansas on Sunday along the warm front. Any thunderstorms Monday will probably stay north of Interstate 70 closer to the frontal boundary.
Today: Mostly sunny, with a high near 91. Breezy, with an east northeast wind 5 to 10 mph becoming south 17 to 22 mph in the morning.
Tonight: Partly cloudy, with a low around 73. Breezy, with a south wind 13 to 22 mph.
Sunday: Sunny, with a high near 99. South wind 9 to 16 mph becoming northwest in the afternoon.
Sunday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly cloudy, with a low around 71. South southeast wind 8 to 14 mph becoming northeast after midnight.
Monday: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly sunny, with a high near 97. Southeast wind 8 to 11 mph.
Two-Tiered Kansas voting system will impact thousands
By Stephen Koranda
STEPHEN KORANDA
With little advance notice of the hearing, a state panel this week approved a temporary election rule that will have some Kansans vote with provisional ballots, but only their votes in federal races will be counted. Votes for state and local races will be tossed out.
Republican Secretary of State Kris Kobach proposed the rule. The Kansas Rules and Regulations Board approved it Tuesday morning after notice of the meeting was sent out Monday afternoon.
The change will affect around 17,000 Kansans who registered to vote at the DMVbut didn’t turn in a citizenship document required under state law. The rule change comes after a federal court said those suspended voters should be allowed to vote, at least in federal races.
Bryan Brown, an attorney in the secretary of state’s office, said despite an ongoing legal battle, the state needs to continue enforcing election security measures in the SAFE Act.
“It has been passed by the Legislature. It has been signed by the governor. It is the law of Kansas. That is all the secretary of state is trying to do here,” said Brown.
During a tense meeting, some members of the panel raised concerns. Republican Sen. Vicki Schmidt criticized the secretary of state’s staff for not bringing the proposal to lawmakers before the end of the legislative session.
“Why was it not brought before the Legislature on sine die or during the special session to allow the entire Legislature the opportunity to weigh in on such an important issue?” asked Schmidt.
Kobach’s staff members responded that the issue was under appeal while the Legislature was meeting, but Schmidt pointed out that the issue was also still under appeal while they considered the rule change.
Schmidt said this regulation would affect her race, so she abstained from voting. She said she asked to be replaced on the panel, but with the short notice before the meeting that wasn’t possible.
Republican Rep. Sharon Schwartz supported the regulation, noting that she’s not running for re-election. Schwartz would have preferred the regulation went through the normal process, which allows for public comment and gives officials more time to consider the impact.
“It would have given us time to have had legal counsel somewhere along the line help us out,” said Schwartz.
CREDIT STEPHEN KORANDA
An attorney in one of the lawsuits challenging Kansas voting rules, Mark Johnson, called the speedy process a “circus.” Johnson, who’s also a law professor at KU, said something of this significance deserves a full hearing before the public.
“I tell my students that it’s important to honor the process. This dishonors the process,” said Johnson.
Johnson pointed out that a state court has said Kobach can’t create this type of two-tiered voting system. Kobach’s office has appealed that decision.
The process was a backroom deal aimed at impacting the upcoming elections, according to Democratic Rep. Jim Ward.
“I think these people are trying to interfere in a highly competitive election. You look around this state in the next three weeks there are going to be a dozen races decided in this state by 100 votes,” said Ward.
Kobach’s elections director, Bryan Caskey, fired back at Ward’s assertion.
“I unequivocally state that I want every single person who is eligible to vote under the laws of the state of Kansas to vote,” said Caskey.
Caskey said the short timeframe for the meeting was because the proposed regulation wasn’t approved by the attorney general’s office and Department of Administration until Friday. Caskey said the rule needed to be in place by Wednesday, when early voting starts.
“We found out after 5 (p.m.) on Friday. Quite frankly, that’s as fast as we could possibly have a hearing,” said Caskey.
Stephen Koranda is the Statehouse Bureau Chief for Kansas Public Radio, a partner with KCUR in a statewide collaboration covering elections in Kansas. Follow Stephen on Twitter @kprkoranda.
KNOLL: The forgotten facts
Correction! The facts I want to talk about in this letter weren’t actually forgotten, they were deliberately ignored by mainstream media.
True, as pointed out by liberal press, Hillary won’t be reprimanded or indicted on two scandals. She escaped any legal repercussions in the Benghazi scandal and her use of a private unsecured email server as secretary of state.
That’s all liberal media wanted readers to know. Small wonder an illegal felon has a higher favorability rating than does today’s press, reporters, etc. that will do anything to put another Democrat in the White House.
The narrative our not so free press wasn’t about to cover is what Democrats did regarding Benghazi and the Hillary email scandal. What was left out in the news reports may not be legal bombshells, but are political bombshells!
Liberal media likes to talk about how much was spent by the Benghazi congressional committee. No way will it point out that the Obama and Hillary State Department stonewalled requests for information by the committee to get to the bottom of what happened in Benghazi, Libya as four Americans were killed. Those delays added to costs.
Since when do Democrats care how taxpayer’s money is spent as per our 19 trillion dollar national debt? The government spends that much on nonsensical stuff as “the mating habits of gerbils.” If it was a Republican scandal there would be no problem adding another trillion to our debt and driving it into the ground for years.
The final Benghazi report proved that, instead of an administration concerned about four American lives, pure politics kicked in. It is a fact some guy’s video “did not” cause the attack on the American compound. It is a fact that Obama, Hillary, and Susan Rice lied through their teeth about a video being responsible. Hillary’s emails prove she knew it was a planned terrorist attack and not a video.
There were lies on TV by all three even the big lie during a United Nations speech by Obama. Hillary even lied to the families of the deceased that it was a video then even had the gall to lie she ever said that. All of the families said she told them it was the video.
With some 50 days before Obama’s 2012 re-election the narrative was a video in order for Obama and Hillary not to look bad about their utter failure in dealing with the country of Libya that was supposed to be an American ally following the overthrow of the Gaddafi government. Libya became a total mess back then and still is.
Another bombshell in the final report showed that no support was sent during the eight hours that Benghazi was under siege. The four Americans were left high and dry to die by our government. Kansas congressman Mike Pompeo, a member of the committee, said no action was taken to save the four Americans in order to protect a president’s political legacy. And, that is a fact!
The political fallout on Hillary’s emails needs to be covered in some other letter. True, she escaped indictment, however, her total incompetence with her emails, her lies galore about them, and putting lives at risk by compromising national security with unsecured emails is appalling.
Liberal media and most Democrats would love to have this whole thing go away, but stay tuned. There’s far too much at stake. The email scandal will not go away any time soon as a major issue in choosing our next president.
The way FBI Director James Comey spelled out her carelessness (and lies) should cause anybody with concern for the country to never ever vote for such a person whether Democrat or Republican, black or white, male or female.
Les Knoll lives in Victoria and Gilbert, Ariz.
Kansas man dies in Gyrocopter crash
BUTLER COUNTY – A Kansas man died in a an accident just after 7p.m. on Friday in Butler County.
The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2015 Gyrocopter piloted by James L. Toevs, 61, Whitewater, was flying northeast of Whitewater.
The rotorcraft was observed making a steep climb. It pitched over and then crashed.
Toevs was pronounced dead at the scene and transported to the Sedgwick County Forensics Center.
The accident remains under investigation.
Norton woman, 3 others hospitalized after driver falls asleep on I-70
SALINE COUNTY – Four people were injured in an accident just after 10:30p.m. on Friday in Saline County.
The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2014 Volkswagen Jetta driven by Nicholas, J. Kee, 32, Flagstaff, AZ., was westbound on Interstate 70 just east of Ohio Street.
The driver fell asleep and rear-ended a 2006 GMC Acadia driven by Colorado L. Norton, 34, Heber Springs, AR., that was traveling in the right hand lane at 20 mph with emergency flashers on.
Norton and passengers in the Acadia Brian K. Sumler, 35, Heber Springs, AR.; Rachel M. VanPetten, 35, Norton, Kansas and a passenger in the Jettta Ryan B. Christensen, 43, Holbrook, AZ, were transported to Salina Regional Medical Center.
Kee was not injured.
Christiansen was not wearing a seat belt, according to the KHP.
5 hospitalized after 3-vehicle head-on crash
DOUGLAS COUNTY – Five people were injured in an accident just after 10p.m. on Friday in Douglas County.
The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2003 Jeep Grand Cherokee driven by Gregory D. McTaggart, 46, Kansas City, was eastbound on Kansas 10 just east of 1600 Road.
The Jeep struck an eastbound Nissan Sentra driven by Jefferson R. Garrison, 55, Ottawa, then crossed the median and struck a 2008 Toyota Corolla driven by Puyin Bai, 26, Lawrence, head-on.
McTaggart, Bai and passengers in the Toyota Joanna Bai, 25, Lawrence and Jinfan Bai, 21, and Congmeng Jia, 52, both residents of China, were transported to the hospital in Lawrence.
Garrison was not injured.
Jinfan Bai was not wearing a seat belt, according to the KHP.
Ross, Mioduszewski home runs lead Larks to comeback win
HAYS – Connor Ross and Mike Mioduszewski both homered to help the Hays Larks rally from a 4-0 deficit and beat the Wellington Heat 7-4 in the opening game of their four-game series Friday night at Larks Park. Ross, who missed the last four games with a groin injury, hit a two-run blast in the fourth inning to pull the Larks (25-8, 22-7 JL) within a run at 4-3. Mioduszewski’s solo shot an inning later tied the game 4-4. Austin O’Brien gave the Larks the lead for good with a two-out seventh inning double that scored Ross and Ty Redington.
Starting pitcher Stephen Yancey (3-2) allowed all four runs on eight hits with four strikeouts and three walks over six innings for the win. Graylon Brown pitched a scoreless ninth for his first save.
Ross and O’Brien both had three of the Larks nine hits.
The Larks and Heat will play a doubleheader on Saturday beginning at 6 pm. The first game is a makeup from a rainout in Wellington earlier this season. Free admission courtesy of Freddy’s Frozen Custard and Insurance Planning. It’s also Pack the Pantry Night with all fans encouraged to bring a non-perishable food item for the Community Assistance Center.
Tigers score 3 in 7th, rally to beat Royals
By NOAH TRISTER
AP Baseball Writer
DETROIT (AP) — Victor Martinez drove in two runs with a tiebreaking infield single in the seventh inning, and the Detroit Tigers took advantage of that fluky hit, holding on for a 4-2 victory over the Kansas City Royals on Friday night.
With the bases loaded and two outs, Martinez’s comebacker deflected off reliever Joakim Soria and rolled to the area between first and second. With the second baseman playing deep, there was no chance to retire Martinez, and two runs came home on the play.
Detroit’s Tyler Collins hit a solo homer earlier in the inning off Luke Hochevar (1-2) to tie the game at 2. Ian Kinsler also homered for the Tigers.
Justin Verlander (9-6) allowed one earned run and four hits in seven innings. He struck out 10 and walked two.
Justin Wilson pitched the eighth and Francisco Rodriguez finished for his 25th save in 27 chances.
White House: Budget deficit to rise to $600B
WASHINGTON (AP) — The White House is predicting the government’s budget deficit for the soon-to-close fiscal year will hit $600 billion. That’s an increase of $162 billion over last year’s tally and a reversal of a steady trend of large but improving deficits on President Barack Obama’s watch.
The disappointing figures, while expected, come after the deficit has steadily declined since the huge $1.4 trillion deficit Obama inherited after the deep 2007-2009 recession and the associated fiscal crisis.
According to many economists, the improving economy, tax increases on higher-income earners and cuts to annual agency budgets have helped close the gap but the longer-term picture is troubling.
Neither Hillary Clinton nor Donald Trump has focused much on deficits and debt, but the rising figures may lend more urgency to the issue.