The deadline to take the Branson Trip hosted by Scarlett Deutscher and Mike Hughes is this coming Friday, July 15th at 4pm.
If you are interested taking the trip, call Scarlett at 785-301-2211.
Information and pricing for the Branson Trip from September 19th through the 22nd is available right here, at hayspost.com.
KDOT
TOPEKA–The Kansas Department of Transportation announces approved bids for state highway construction and maintenance projects in Kansas, including Ellis and Trego counties. The letting took place June 22 in Topeka. Some of the bids may include multiple projects that have been bundled based on proximity and type of work.
District Three — Northwest
Ellis – 70-26 KA-4354-01 – I-70, beginning at the Ellis/Trego county line, east 31.2 miles to the Ellis/Russell county line, pavement patching, 31.2 miles, APAC Kansas Inc. Shears Division, Hutchinson, Ks, $254,774.68.
Thomas – 83-97 KA-4297-01 – U.S. 83, beginning at the U.S. 24/U.S. 83 junction north 11.5 miles to the Sheridan/Thomas county line, 1.5-inch overlay, 11.5 miles, Venture Corporation, Great Bend, Ks, $1,410,163.10.
Trego – 70-98 KA-4224-01 – I-70, at the U.S. 283 and U.S. 283 spur, lighting, 1.7 miles, Phillips Southern Electric Company Inc., Wichita, Ks, $228,430.00.
Two Barton County projects were approved in the May 25 letting.
Barton- 56‑5 KA‑2051‑01 – Bridge #005, 5.79 miles east of U.S. 56/K‑156 junction east 0.5 miles to the east city limits of Ellinwood, bridge replacement, 1.7 miles, Smoky Hill LLC, Salina, Ks, $12,254,634.94.
Barton – 56‑5 KA‑2051‑02 – U.S. 56 in the City of Ellinwood, special, 0.4 mile, Smoky Hill LLC, Salina, Ks, $2,476,049.33.
Mary Lynn Hopper, 71, Pretty Prairie, Kansas, died Sunday, July 10, 2016, at Hospice and Homecare of Reno County, Hutchinson, Kansas.
Mrs. Hopper was born February 10, 1945, in Hays, Kansas, the daughter of Sylvester George and Muriel Fern (Murphy) Conrad. She was a resident of Pretty Prairie, Kansas, since 1977, moving from Hutchinson, Kansas. A 1963 graduate of McCracken High School, McCracken, Kansas, she was a homemaker.
She was a member of the Kingman County Humane Society, Kingman, Kansas; the National Humane Society; the ASPCA; the Rush County Historical Society; and the Multiple Sclerosis Foundation.
She married her first husband, Charles Hopper, they divorced. She then married her second husband, Johnnie Sharp. He preceded her in death September 28, 1998.
Survivors include: one son, Michael Hopper, and his significant other, Barbara Disney, Goodland, Kansas; one daughter, Diana Wheat, and her husband, Allen Mullen, Eugene, Oregon; one granddaughter, Iuliana Wheat, Eugene, Oregon; four brothers, Roy Conrad, and his wife, Phyllis Conrad, McCracken, Kansas, Wendell “Butch” Conrad, Goldthwaite, Texas, James “Jim” Conrad, and his wife, Martha Conrad, Holcomb, Missouri, and Paul “Richard” Conrad, and his wife, Linda Conrad, St. Louis, Missouri; nine nieces and nephews; and numerous great nieces and great nephews.
She was preceded in death by her parents.
Graveside services will be Friday, July 15, 2016, at 11:00 A.M. at the McCracken City Cemetery, McCracken, Kansas, with Pastor Bryan Parker officiating. Interment will be in the McCracken City Cemetery, McCracken, Kansas.
In lieu of flowers, memorials are suggested to the Kingman County Humane Society, Kingman, Kansas.
Condolences or remembrances may be left for the family at www.charterfunerals.com/locations/janousek-lacrosse.php.
Arrangements were by Janousek Funeral Home, 719 Pine Street, P O Box 550, La Crosse, Kansas 67548, 785/222-2517.
Kathaleen Kyle (Heskett) Kichty of Hoxie, Kansas, was born 12 October 1944 on the Scott Homestead, Bow Creek Township, Sheridan County, Kansas and died July 11, 2017, at her home . She was the second daughter and fourth child of Rolland Matthew and Minnie LeNore (Miller) Heskett. She was one of the many babies delivered by E.F. Steichen of Lenora. She graduated from Bow Creek Rural Grade School and from Sheridan Community High School with the class of 1962.
After graduation, Kathaleen attended Brown-Mackie School of Business, Salina, KS; Vernon Regional College, Vernon, Texas; and the University of Hawaii. On 26 January 1963, at Schilling AFB Chapel, Salina, Kansas, she was united in marriage to Joseph William Kichty and to this union was born two sons, Craig Scott and Eric Joseph. Joseph and she were divorced 22 February 2007.
Kathaleen worked for Getz IGA; Atlantic Ice; Eberhardt’s News Agency; Miller’s Grocery; Boeing Corporation; State Farm Insurance; Computer Sciences Corporation; Evans Temporary Service; and Texas DOT. Most of her career she worked as an Executive Assistant.
She enjoyed history, writing, quilting, flower beading, and genealogy. Most of all she enjoyed traveling and living around the world in Salina, Kansas; Albany, Georgia; East Grand Forks, Minnesota; Grand Forks AFB, North Dakota; Wheeler AFB, Hawaii; Lockbourne AFB, Ohio; Yokota AFB, Japan; Sheppard AFB, Texas; Hickam AFB, Hawaii; Colorado Springs, Colorado; Austin, Texas; Aurora, Colorado; Denver-Downham Market, Norfolk, England; and again in Aurora, Colorado. She “came home” to Sheridan County in December 2006, and since then has especially enjoyed traveling the back roads of America.
Kathaleen was preceded in death by her parents, one brother, Rolland Elwyn Heskett, and her former husband, Joseph W. Kichty (CMSgt., Ret.).
Besides a very dear and special friend and companion, Charles A. Schwarz, she is survived by her two sons and their families: Craig and wife Amanda, and their children, Kendall Joseph, and Kaylee Sara-Elizabeth Kichtyof Houston, Texas; Eric Kichty of Austin, Texas, and his children , Evan Z. Kichty (Brittney) of Aurora , Colorado, Jordan K. Kichty of Puyallup, Washington and Holland E. Kichty of Logo Vista, Texas; a daughter-in-law, Lucinda Clark of Logo Vista, Texas; a sister, LeAnn (Edwin) Simon of rural Studley, Kansas; two brothers, Howard Heskett (Mary Lou) of Studley, Kansas, Darryl Heskett (Linda) of Morland, Kansas; sisters-in-law, Mary A. Kichty of Fayetteville, Georgia, and Diane Kichty of Washington.
Cremation has taken place. Private family services will take place at a later date.
Memorial Contributions may be made to Sheridan County Benefit Walk Inc., American Humanist Association, or Hospice of Phillipsburg and may be sent in care of Mickey-Leopold Funeral Home, PO Box 987, Hoxie, Kansas 67740. On-line condolences may be left at www.mickeyleopoldfuneral.com.
By BECKY KISER
Hays Post
A Kansas board has approved a temporary rule requiring county election officials to throw out votes in local and state races cast by tens of thousands of people who register at motor vehicle offices without proving U.S. citizenship.
At least 147 people in Ellis County are affected, according to Ellis County Clerk Donna Maskus.
“Our direction from the Secretary of State’s Office right now–which we’re moving forward with because election day is around the corner–is those people have to vote a provisional ballot,” Maskus said. “Then we will go over those provisional ballots before the canvass (by the Ellis County Commission) and those votes would only count with the federal candidates.”
The State Rules and Regulations Board met this morning, Tuesday, July 12, to consider a proposed temporary rule sought by Secretary of State Kris Kobach that counts only the votes cast for federal offices. Those voters would be given a provisional ballot.
The move comes after a federal appeals court upheld U.S. District Judge Julie Robinson’s preliminary injunction ordering Kansas to allow qualified voters who registered while getting their driver’s licenses to vote in the upcoming races for president, U.S. Senate and House.
The State Rules and Regulations Board’s action Tuesday came only a day before Kansas opens advance voting for its Aug. 2 primary.
The rule sought by Kobach will be in effect for 120 days, through the Nov. 8 general election.
The affected voters registered at motor vehicle offices without providing citizenship papers as required by a 2013 state law. About 17,000 are in that category.
Civil rights groups recently demanded in an open letter that Kobach rescind his instructions to local election officials to throw out votes cast in upcoming local and state races by tens of thousands of people who registered at motor vehicle offices without providing proof of U.S. citizenship.
The executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union of Kansas, Micah Kubic, says Kobach is “deliberately creating chaos” for voters and “acting out of petulance.”
“To disregard the court’s ruling and knowingly operate an illegal system would show a troublingly cavalier attitude towards the rule of law, as well as disrespect for voters themselves,” the letter said.
Kobach called the ACLU’s letter “nonsense,” citing the federal court ruling requiring the state to allow voters who registered at motor vehicle offices to vote in the federal elections.
“It is the judge’s order that carves out a special category of voters,” Kobach said in an email. “Kansas law requires all others to follow our proof-of-citizenship law. I will continue to enforce and implement Kansas law.”
Kobach has championed the documentation requirement as a way to prevent non-citizens from voting, particularly immigrants who are in the U.S. illegally. Critics contend the requirement suppresses turnout.
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) â A Kansas board has approved a temporary rule requiring county election officials to throw out thousands of votes cast in state and local races by people who have registered without providing proof of their U.S. citizenship.
The State Rules and Regulations Board’s action Tuesday came only a day before Kansas opens advance voting for its Aug. 2 primary.
The rule was sought by Secretary of State Kris Kobach and will be in effect for 120 days, through the Nov. 8 general election.
The affected voters registered at motor vehicle offices without providing citizenship papers as required by a 2013 state law. About 17,000 are in that category.
A federal judge ruled in May that federal law requires the state to register them as voters for federal races.
CITY OF HAYS
The Hays Area Board of Zoning Appeals will hold a public hearing Wed., July 13, at 8:15 a.m. in Hays City Hall for a request by Michael McIntyre for a variance to construct a detached garage at 2003 Lincoln Drive.
The board will also hear an update on the Uniform Development Code (UDC).
The complete agenda is available here.
HAYS AREA BOARD OF ZONING APPEALS MEETING AGENDA CITY COMMISSION CHAMBERS 1507 MAIN, HAYS, KS
July 13, 2016 8:15 A.M.
1. CALL TO ORDER BY CHAIRMAN.
2. CONSENT AGENDA.
A. Minutes of the regular meeting of June 8th, 2016.
Action: Consider approving the minutes of the June 8, 2016 meeting.
3. PUBLIC HEARING ITEMS
A. Public hearing by Michael McIntyre for a 4 1/2 foot variance to reduce the south side
yard building setback from the required 9 1/2 feet to 5 feet to construct a detached
garage at 2003 Lincoln Drive. (Case # 05-16)
Action: Consider approving a request for a 4 ½ foot variance to reduce the south side
yard building setback from the required 9 ½ feet to 5 feet to construct a detached
garage at 2003 Lincoln Dr.
4. NON-PUBLIC HEARING ITEMS – NONE.
5. OFF AGENDA ITEMS/COMMUNICATIONS.
A. Update on the rewrite of the Unified Development Code.
6. ADJOURNMENT.
MAIZE, Kan. (AP) — A 54-year-old man has been found dead in a private southern Kansas lake after failing to return from a late-night fishing trip.
The Wichita Eagle reports that a family member found the body Monday. The victim had gone fishing late Sunday night and the relative went looking for him when he didn’t return. Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office Lt. Lin Dehning says there is no reason to think the man’s death is anything but an accidental drowning.
Family told authorities that it wasn’t unusual for the man to go fishing late at night.
Dehning says the lake is owned by the Fraternal Order of Police and that the man had permission to fish there. It wasn’t immediately known whether the man was a current or former law enforcement member.
Jacklyn Gabel, 57, Hays, died Monday, July 11, 2016 at the Hays Medical Center.
Funeral arrangements are pending and will be announced by Hays Memorial Chapel Funeral Home.
Submitted
Simpson Farm Enterprises Inc. and Apis Remote Sensing Systems LLC, both of Hays, have announced a strategic partnership to further encourage and promote the use of small Unmanned Aircraft Systems (sUAS) for use in agriculture and the rural landscape at large. Under the agreement, Apis provides training, service, and support for Simpson customers on a selection of unmanned systems; including the newly-released AgEagle RX60. AgEagle robotic aircraft are manufactured in Neodesha and distributed exclusively by Raven Industries.
When asked about the agreement, Simpson Farm Enterprises President Jed Simpson said, “This is a very exciting time to be in agriculture. Drone photography provides our customers with the kind of crop knowledge that until very recently was cost-prohibitive. We want our customers to have the best possible experience, and that’s where Apis comes in.”
“At the end of the day, we’re all about the data,” said Beau Dealy, Managing Partner with Apis Remote Sensing. “Teaming up with Simpson ensures that we can help folks to leverage unmanned technology in the context of useable, real-world applications. When a grower asks to buy a drone, we want to ensure it’s being used with return-on-investment in mind.”
Established in 2013, Apis Remote Sensing Systems was founded on a mission to provide customers with second-to-none sales, support, and service for unmanned aircraft systems. The Apis staff has over thirty combined years of experience in geographic information systems (GIS) and remote sensing. In May 2015, Apis was one of the first private businesses in in the state of Kansas to be approved for commercial operation of sUAS under FAA section 333 exemption. More information is available via www.apisremote.com.
Simpson Farm Enterprises has been in the agricultural applications business for over 35 years; selling and servicing equipment from Raven, Apache, GVM Mako, Miller, New Holland, and many others. Simpson Farm Enterprises has a full-time staff of 35 employees; serving customers from four Kansas stores located in Ransom, Hays, Great Bend, and Beloit. For more information on all Simpson products and services, see www.simpsonfarm.com.
WICHITA, KAN. – A South Carolina man was sentenced Monday to 25 years in federal prison for sexually exploiting a Kansas girl, according to Acting U.S. Attorney Tom Beall.
Robert Pitya Dickson, 49, Fort Mill, S.C., pleaded guilty to two counts of producing child pornography. In his plea, he admitted he communicated over the Internet with a 13-year-old Kansas girl. Dickson persuaded the girl to send him send him sexual images of herself. In March 2014 he traveled to meet the girl and engaged in sex acts with her that he recorded and transported back to South Carolina.
Co-defendant Tricia Rodarmel is set for sentencing July 25.
Beall commended the FBI and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jason Hart for their work on the case.
By JAMES BELL
Hays Post
As part of a major expansion program, Oklahoma-based Billy Sims BBQ has identified Hays as a future site of the growing chain.
“This year has been a standout year for us, and we intend to make 2016 even better,” said Jeff Jackson, president of Billy Sims BBQ, in a press announcement late last year. “We have worked closely with our current franchisees to help them develop their restaurants, while also actively recruiting top-notch new franchisees to help us grow into 2016 and beyond.”
As the company works to expand, Hays was identified as a potential location late last year, but territory owner David Dunn, said no plans to open a location in Hays have been set.
“It’s a little early and premature probably,” Dunn said, to say that a location would open in Hays. “It’s high on my list, but we haven’t found the spot yet.”
Last year, Billy Sims BBQ opened locations in Chanute and Dodge City and recently opened a location in Newton.
“The plan is to come there and we do own the territory. It’s something we want to do, it’s just a matter of finding the right spot,” Dunn said.
The company is currently working on opening a location in Emporia right now, with an opening day expected around the first of October.
While the opening of a Hays location is not assured, Dunn said since buying the rights to open a location in Hays – after purchasing the location in Dodge City – he has an interest in bringing a location to Hays, if the right opportunity presents itself.
“I really do think Hays is a great market for our product,” Dunn said.
The sticking point right now comes down to finding a location that would fit the needs of the restaurant.
“If somebody called and showed me a spot that I liked, I think you would see us open in probably four months,” Dunn said. “I would jump all over it I really would.”
The chain – now in its 12th year of operation – was founded by Billy Sims and Jackson.
Sims is known as a former University of Oklahoma running back and 1978 Heisman Trophy winner.
The restaurant chain has garnered numerous awards and accolades, including a Franchisee Satisfaction Award Winner for 2015 by Franchise Business Review and a Future 50 fastest-growing small chain restaurant in 2015 by Restaurant Business and Named by USA Today as one of the top athlete-based restaurant chains.
Billy Sims BBQ has an extensive menu of nine types of meat that are smoked daily in-house along with traditional sides like potato salad, smoked baked potatoes, smoked corn, coleslaw and entree size salads.
Portions of Ellis County received more than an inch of rain in an overnight thundershower.
A report south of Ellis showed 1.18 inches of rain in the gauge Tuesday morning, while reports from Hays ranged from a few tenths to more than a half-inch.
The Victoria area received about a quarter inch of rain, while a report from near Catharine showed 0.82 inches.
Russell County also had a healthy rain, with reports ranging from 0.62 to 0.83 inches in the northern portion of the county.
The heart of the overnight system hit farther east, with reports of damage in some central Kansas counties. Click HERE for more.
