TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas delegates to the GOP National Convention say Donald Trump’s decision to pick Indiana’s governor as his running mate will help him with Republicans who remain wary of him.
State Treasurer Ron Estes said Friday that Indiana Gov. Mike Pence is a good choice because Pence is a former congressman and is seen as having a strong economic record in his state.
Estes said there’s a “general, positive vibe” about Pence. Estes is a delegate for Florida Sen. Marco Rubio.
Prominent Trump supporter and Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach said picking Pence should help Trump with conservative evangelicals and establishment Republicans.
And 1st Congressional District GOP Chairman Randy Duncan noted that Pence previously backed Texas Sen. Ted Cruz, so the pick is a signal to Cruz backers.
WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — Supporters are planning to flock to a Mediterranean restaurant in Wichita after a diner posted on Facebook that the eatery should be avoided because the owner is Muslim. See the support site here.
The Wichita Eagle reports that the post was shared and re-shared before it was removed from the social media site. Now, a group of Le Monde supporters have planned a meetup next week at the restaurant.
One of the event organizers, Ty Hostetler, says he’s a fan of local businesses but not of bigotry.
Le Monde is owned by Mohamad Krichati, an engineer who now lives in San Diego. It’s run by Krichati’s brother, Ghassan Hajeh, who moved to the United States from Syria in the 1980s.
Hajeh said he’s alarmed by the tone of the conversation in the country of late.
WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — The leader of the fundamentalist Christian group behind the Summer of Mercy anniversary in Wichita says it plans no violence or civil disobedience during the July 16-23 anti-abortion event.
Rev. Rusty Thomas, director of Operation Save America, told reporters Friday the goal is not to go to jail or be arrested. He says they are not going to “physically” block entrances to abortion clinics.
Thousands of anti-abortion activists gathered in Wichita in 1991 for the Summer of Mercy, sparking tumultuous mass protests that led to nearly 2,700 arrests outside local clinics.
Thomas says he wants to alleviate fears his group is coming to Wichita to do harm, saying they are coming to pray.
The Feminist Majority Foundation has been running ads locally warning about some of the abortion opponents coming.
KANSAS CITY, Kan. (AP) — A $30 million lawsuit has been filed against Chesapeake Energy Corp., formerly headed by Oklahoma energy executive Aubrey McClendon, and another company alleging a conspiracy led to a third party’s sale of oil and gas leasehold interests for artificially depressed prices.
The Kansas City Star reports that Chisholm Partners LLC filed the lawsuit in Kansas City. Chisholm sold the interests to Chesapeake Energy.
According to the lawsuit, Chesapeake and SandRidge Energy were active bidders for oil and gas leasehold interests in the Anadarko Basin Region in Kansas and Oklahoma in 2011 and 2012.
The lawsuit says Chesapeake and SandRidge illegally divided up the area in Kansas and agreed to not compete and drive up prices for the leasehold interests there.
McClendon died in a fiery one-car crash the day after he was indicted by a federal grand jury in March.
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Gov. Sam Brownback says the state plans to appeal a decision by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services that says Kansas must repay $11.9 million in federal welfare funds it received.
Kansas Department of Administration spokesman John Milburn tells the Lawrence Journal-World that the department was notified in June about the funds related to child support collection administrative costs from fiscal year 2003 through 2010. Milburn says the amount includes overpayment of federal funds and interest.
The HHS began auditing Kansas and the way it charges its administration fees for the collection of child support in 2013. At that time, the state was ordered to repay about $2 million in overpayments and interest for fiscal years 2011 and 2012.
More recently, the HHS has been auditing years that predate the Brownback administration.
DHDC members listen to the city’s requirements for the pavilion proposal.
By BECKY KISER Hays Post
Although there are several stipulations that must be met first, the proposed downtown Hays pavilion proposal got a nod of approval from Hays city commissioners Thursday night. The vote was four to one, with Commissioner Lance Jones opposed.
“If the city can come up with a lease agreement with Union Pacific railroad, I’d like to see the project move forward,” said Vice-Mayor Shaun Musil. The pavilion is a joint project of the Downtown Hays Development Center and Fort Hays State University.
The entire process hinges on reaching that lease agreement for the property at the east edge of Union Pacific Railroad Park, 10th and Main.
Downtown pavilion site design by FHSU
DHDC would pay for the pavilion and restroom materials, including a sidewalk, safety fencing and landscaping. The city would provide in-kind labor, and pay for water and sewer lines, using guest tax monies from the Convention and Visitors Bureau (CVB). Similar to how the Hays Dog Park was financed, Musil said the DHDC monies must be in place first before the project would begin.
Requiring DHDC to pay for the pavilion side walk may be a sticking point for the group, according to DHDC Exec. Dir. Sara Bloom.
DHDC Executive Director Sara Bloom thanked commissioners for addressing and voting on the the project.
“Anything you agree to tonight, we’ll, of course bring back to our board and make sure they are in agreement with any of the changes as well,” she told the commission.
Commission James Meier asked Bloom if there was anything specific in the motion DHDC would have trouble achieving.
“The sidewalk, maybe,” Bloom replied. “We know that’s at least a $10,000 expense that we would have to add to our budget. That may be a sticking point for the board.”
DHDC is a non-profit group funded by donations and grants.
The total project cost is estimated at about $192,000.
For the second year in a row, UnitedHealthcare reported no lobbying expenses during the Kansas legislative session.
The insurance company remained the outlier among the three under contract to administer KanCare, the privatized form of Medicaid that Kansas adopted in 2013.
Amerigroup reported spending $1,709.51 while lobbying legislators in January through April of this year.
Sunflower State Health Plan and its parent company, Centene, reported spending a combined total of $4,416.11 in the same time period.
The session adjourned early on May 2. The Kansas Governmental Ethics Commission collects lobbyist data.
The itemized spending that the three managed care organizations, or MCOs, reported was for meals and drinks for legislators and their staff members.
Photo by KHI News Service File Rep. Willie Dove, far right, received 12 meals from a lobbyist for Amerigroup, one of the three managed care organizations that operate the state’s privatized Medicaid program. Dove, a Bonner Springs Republican, is vice chairman of the House Health and Human Services Committee. View larger photo
Kansas has relatively strict limits for material gifts from lobbyists but allows for unlimited spending on food and drinks, and lobbyists use the meals to gain “face time” with policymakers.
Jessica Buechler, director of public relations for UnitedHealthcare Community & State, had little to say about the company’s lack of lobbying in Kansas.
“We engage with policymakers on issues that impact the people we serve, and comply with all applicable state lobbying laws regarding these activities, including reporting on expenses,” she said.
Last year a UnitedHealthcare spokeswoman said the company meets with legislators during office hours.
All three companies retain lobbyists who are well-connected in the Kansas Capitol. UnitedHealthcare’s team includes Riley Scott, Senate President Susan Wagle’s son-in-law, and Wade Hapgood, House Speaker Ray Merrick’s former chief of staff.
Centene retains Matt Hickam, who previously partnered with David Kensinger, Gov. Sam Brownback’s former chief of staff.
Amerigroup retains Gary Haulmark, a former official with what is now the Kansas Department for Aging and Disability Services.
Combined, the three companies hold Medicaid contracts worth about $3 billion annually in state and federal money.
The five-year contracts are set to expire in 2018, and state officials are crafting an extension application to send to the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.
Amerigroup lobbying down, Centene up
Click to expand
Amerigroup’s lobbying total was down more than $1,000 from last year, but this year’s legislative session was about 40 days shorter.
Haulmark devoted much of his lobbying attention to Rep. Dan Hawkins of Wichita and Rep. Willie Dove of Bonner Springs, the two Republicans who lead the House Health and Human Services Committee. Haulmark reported 12 meals with Dove and 10 with Hawkins.
No other lobbyist took Dove or Hawkins to more than four meals. Hickam and Jim Gardner, Sunflower State’s contract lobbyist, took Hawkins to four each.
MCO lobbyists reported spending $465.43 on meals for Hawkins, which was less than half what they spent last year on the chairman of the House health committee but still topped all legislators.
With the Senate Public Health and Welfare Committee’s leadership in flux, MCO lobbyists spread their spending on that chamber.
Senate Majority Leader Terry Bruce, a Republican from Nickerson, was the Senate’s top recipient of MCO lobbying expenses, with $337.65 worth of food and drinks.
Despite the shortened session, Centene and Sunflower State combined to spend slightly more on lobbying in 2016 than last year.
Dove said MCO lobbyists wanted to talk with him this year about a number of issues, including step therapy and the state’s overall budget picture.
“Yeah, step therapy was one of them,” he said. “They just wanted to give some information on that they thought would be helpful.”
Dove said that included information on the prevalence of the policy that allows insurance companies to require that patients try cheaper prescription drugs before “stepping up” to more expensive treatments. It is part of Medicare and many private insurance plans.
Based on his budget conversations with the MCO lobbyists, Dove said he knows that recent budget cuts to Medicaid hurt. “But they also understand the state revenue is going through some trials, and they want to do everything they can to help,” Dove said.
UnitedHealthcare still involved
Dove said he has talked with UnitedHealthcare lobbyists Scott and Hapgood about MCO issues during the session, just not over dinner or drinks.
“Sometimes we’ll just have a conversation in general about it,” Dove said.
In addition to its growing slate of Medicaid holdings in states like Kansas, Arizona and Delaware, UnitedHealthcare is the largest provider of private-sector insurance plans in the country.
The insurance giant broke with its counterparts on lobbying last year when it decided to leave America’s Health Insurance Plans, a trade group active in state and national politics.
UnitedHealthcare executives said they thought the trade group was no longer representing the company’s best interests. Wendell Potter, a former insurance executive who has gained national prominence as a critic of the industry’s lobbying clout, said in a phone interview that UnitedHealthcare’s size means it doesn’t have to wine-and-dine legislators to influence policy.
“They have enormous sums of money they spend to influence public policy, so it could be they’re just doing it in different ways that are not direct lobbying,” he said.
“That’s what I suspect is happening.”
UnitedHealthcare has been the most financially successful of the three MCOs in the early years of KanCare, but all have struggled to turn a profit.
Andy Marso is a reporter for KHI News Service in Topeka, a partner in the Heartland Health Monitor team. You can reach him on Twitter @andymarso
You’ve no doubt seen the series of yellow signs around town. It’s a reminder of the first-ever Hays Duck Derby benefiting Ellis County Big Brothers Big Sisters (BBBS).
More than 5,000 bright yellow rubber duckies are available “for adoption” costing five dollars for one duck all the way up to a 25-duck colony for $100.
They’ll be racing down the Lazy River at Hays Aquatic Park Wed., Aug. 10, 5:30-8:30 p.m. in the BBBS new fundraiser.
Duck Derby Grand Prize is this 2014 Ford Fiesta
The fastest duck and his/her owner in the Championship Race will win a bright red 2014 Ford Fiesta provided by James Motor Company, Hays Chevrolet, Auto World, Car Zone, Lewis Automotive Group of Hays, Happy’s Auto, Mid Kansas Auto Auction, and Lang Diesel.
Prizes for other races include everything from a one week stay at a cabin in the South Dakota Black Hills to a $250 Walmart gift card.
The ducks for kids are $2 each and each entrant will get to keep one duck.
A separate Duck Race 4 Kids will be held for children younger than 13. There’s more family fun with a hot dog picnic for $3.00 per person and Kids Quacktivities.
The Duck Derby also will feature a Soggy Bottom Challenge Cardboard Boat Regatta for groups paying the $500 entry fee to race their handmade cardboard canoes.
Duck adoptions are available at the Hays Big Brothers Big Sisters office, 1301 Pine,and the following businesses:
Bank of Hays
Big Brothers Big Sisters
Car Zone
Carrico Implement
Cerv’s – 2701 Vine St.
Cerv’s – 1601 Main St.
Cerv’s – 2722 Hall St.
Downtown Hays Development
Eagle Customer Care Office Eagle Media Center
Golden Plains Credit Union
Happy’s Auto
Hays Hobby Shop
Hays Recreation Commission
Hays Welcome Center
James Motor Company
Mid Kansas Auto Auction
Precision Valley
Riverside Chiropractic
Snow Cone Express – Big Creek Crossing
For more information, call Ellis County Big Brothers Big Sisters at (785) 625-6672.
SALINA -Pokemon Go, the new smartphone game based on cute Nintendo characters like Squirtle and Pikachu, can be harmful to your health and could cause you other trouble.
The “augmented reality” game, which layers gameplay onto the physical world, has became the top grossing app in the iPhone app store just days after its release.
Players have already reported wiping out in a variety of ways as they wander the real world — eyes glued to their smartphone screens — in search of digital monsters.
Twisted ankles, mishaps with revolving doors and walking into trees have been among the painful results.
The game has also induced people to post pictures of themselves on social media chasing creatures in all sorts of dangerous situations, like while driving.
The Garden City Police Department reported they have noticed individuals playing the game and received information that individuals have or attempted to trespass on property while playing.
Salina Police warned that playing the game in city parks after curfew is against the law.
Police have issued numerous citations to players in parks, according Police Captain Mike Sweeney
He also reminded players should not trespass on private property while hunting for Pokemon.
Cindy King and Mara Mattheyer, Nex-Tech Wireless employees, volunteer at the Backpack For Kids school supply drive at Walgreens Friday morning.
By BECKY KISER Hays Post
Getting kids prepared to go back to school can be expensive.
To help allay some of those costs, the Ellis County First Call For Help “Backpacks For Kids” program provides new backpacks filled with grade-appropriate school supplies and personal hygiene items to low-income families in Hays.
Nex-Tech and Nex-Tech Wireless are in three locations today until four p.m. collecting donations of school supplies as well as cash from the public at Walgreens, Dollar General and Walmart.
“It’s a lot more expensive than it used to be,” said Nex-Tech Wireless Compliance Manager Cindy King Friday morning at Walgreens. “My kids were several years apart, so I didn’t have to spend so much money all at once.”
King and Mara Mattheyer, Nex-Tech Wireless product technician, were greeting customers as they approached the Hays USD 489 school bus parked near the store entrance, handing out lists of needed school supplies and accepting donations of purchases just made in Walgreens.
Jim Strine donated cash for Backpacks to Kids to volunteer Mara Mattheyer.
Hays resident Jim Strine made a special stop to donate cash.
“I just heard about this on the radio,” he said as he handed over his donation to Mattheyer.
This year there are needs for at least 650 backpacks, according to First Call For Help. The distribution is Thu., Aug. 4, in the Hadley Center.
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — A communications company that specializes in prepaid wireless service has announced it will open a headquarters in Kansas City and create more than 50 new jobs.
Virgin Mobile USA says it’s still scouting out potential office space in downtown Kansas City and is actively recruiting candidates for a number of positions, including executive. It expects to have its office finished and staffed by the end of the year.
Virgin Mobile is affiliated with Sprint Corp., which is based in Overland Park.
The company’s decision to expand into Kansas City is part of a plan to relaunch the brand under Sprint.
The state is working with Virgin Mobile on possible incentives contingent upon the company meeting its projection of 84 new jobs within the next five years.
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Gov. Sam Brownback says the state plans to appeal a decision by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services that says Kansas must repay $11.9 million in federal welfare funds it received.
(Video by Cooper Slough/Hays Post)
The Duck Derby also will feature a Soggy Bottom Challenge Cardboard Boat Regatta for groups paying the $500 entry fee to race their handmade cardboard canoes.
Eagle Media Center
“It’s a lot more expensive than it used to be,” said Nex-Tech Wireless Compliance Manager Cindy King Friday morning at Walgreens. “My kids were several years apart, so I didn’t have to spend so much money all at once.”
School starts Wed., Aug. 17.
