WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — The Kansas Supreme Court is turning its attention to whether the state is spending enough money overall on its schools.
The justices issued a brief order Wednesday setting oral arguments on that issue for Sept. 21.
The court wants the parties to also address at that time a lower panel’s remedial orders and any changes it should make to them if it ultimately upholds their findings. The panel ruled last year the state must increase its annual aid by at least $548 million.
It also gave the parties until Aug. 12 to file any supplemental written arguments.
The Supreme Court signed off last week on a new education funding law that boosts state aid to poor school districts, ending a threat that the state’s public schools would be shut down.
Wahl Photo Ness Co. Sheriff’s OfficeBy JONATHAN ZWEYGARDT Hays Post
A Ness County man that had been dodging law enforcement authorities for more than three weeks was captured over the weekend in Ellis County.
In the early morning hours on June 10, according to the Ness County Sheriff’s Office, William Wahl, 28, was able to elude Ness County deputies on foot following a high-speed chase through southern Ness County.
Deputies conducted a three-hour search but were unable to locate him.
On July 4 at approximately 8:22 p.m., an Ellis County Deputy checked a location Wahl has been known to frequent, in the 2000 block of Munjor Road, and spotted him attempting to leave. According to Ellis County Sheriff Ed Harbin, Wahl was taken into custody following a traffic stop.
Harbin said Wahl had warrants for his arrest in both Ness and Ellis counties. He is also expected to face charges stemming from the arrest on July 4.
GRAINFIELD — A man from Gove died Tuesday from injuries sustained in a July 4 accident in Gove County.
The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2004 Ford Crown Victoria driven by Marshall A. Powers, 46, was southbound on Kansas 23 five miles south of Grainfield.
The driver lost control of the vehicle when the left rear tire blew out.
The vehicle entered the west ditch and rolled twice.
Powers was transported to Wesley Medical Center in Wichita. Next of kin was notified Wednesday, according to the KHP report.
He was properly restrained at the time of the accident, according to the KHP.
The Ellis County Commission will move forward with the transfer of money from the Buckeye Wind fund to the Public Building Commission to pay for construction costs at the newly remodeled courthouse and Law Enforcement Center.
The county commission confirmed Tuesday the decision they made as the PBC at a meeting last month to transfer the $600,000 the county received for 2015 in lieu of taxes for the Buckeye Wind Project to the PBC.
According to Ellis County Administrator Phillip Smith-Hanes, the move allows the PBC to pay for change orders of about $140,000 dollars approved Tuesday.
The remainder of the funds will give the PBC “wiggle room,” according to Commissioner Barb Wasinger.
Wasinger said, “Since those funds aren’t spoken for at the moment, that is a great place to let them land.”
The move is necessary because sales tax collections are down in the county. There is also a timing issue with when the state distributes the sales tax dollars and when lease payments are due.
“The (lease) payment has to be made 20 days before the actual due date, and we don’t get the money from the state for the sales tax until the end of the month,” said Smith-Hanes.
Earlier this year, Ellis County Treasurer Ann Pfeifer instructed the commission to delay making payments from the sales tax fund so they could make the lease payment to the PBC, which makes the bond payments on the courthouse/Law Enforcement Center and emergency services building.
Smith-Hanes said they only other bills still unpaid deals with the elevator, and Commissioner Dean Haselhorst said there is a discrepancy with the bill. Haselhorst said there might be one more change order that will be brought before the PBC.
The county is expected to receive another $600,000 from the Buckeye Wind Project for 2016 later this year.
In other business, the commission continued its discussion on the 3-mile zone – extraterritorial jurisdiction of the city of Hays. The commission wants to look at possibly changing the amount of area controlled by the city and enforcement of codes within that area.
The commission also approved the landfill to purchase a new backhoe from Foley Equipment for $88,187.
Approved a lease extension with Berexco LLC for $300 for an oil and gas lease of property in the Stonewood Estates North Addition. It covers the county owned roads, alleys and rightaways in the area.
Signed a letter for the KDOT High Risk Rural Route signing project.
NEW YORK (AP) — More than 500,000 hoverboards are being recalled after reports that dozens of them have burst into flames. See more on the recall here.
The Consumer Product Safety Commission said Wednesday that it has received 99 reports that the battery packs in the two-wheel motorized scooters caught on fire or exploded, causing burns or property damage.
The hoverboards were made by 10 companies, including Swagway and Keenford.
They were sold nationwide from June 2015 to May 2016 for between $350 and $900.
During a short meeting Monday night, the Hays USD 489 Board of Education completed its yearly reorganization, selecting officers for the year as well as filling supplemental positions.
While Lance Bickle was unanimously voted to remain in the position of board president, Sarah Rankin was unanimously selected to replace Josh Waddell as vice president.
John Thissen
The district’s public information officer, Sarah Wasinger, will continue in that position, as well as the freedom of information officer. Jessica Younker was selected as the Federal Nutrition Services representative, Shanna Dinkel will serve as the Title 1 representative, and Marissa Lambert will serve as the KPERS authorized representative.
The board also approved meeting dates and times for the upcoming school year.
The abbreviated meeting was the first with new Superintendent John Thissen, who gave a quick report on his first two days on the job, noting he had met with various community members in back-to-back meetings.
“It’s been very good getting that time with personnel and others,” he said.
During those meetings, he also said it was nice to get a feeling of “where Hays is and where (others) would like it to be.”
MANHATTAN — The Kansas Department of Agriculture has received a U.S. Department of Agriculture Farmers Market Promotion Program Grant to create a Kansas Farmers’ Market Toolkit. The toolkit will provide promotional materials and resources to enhance existing farmers’ markets in Kansas and promote awareness to customers.
The Kansas Farmers’ Market Toolkit will include marketing materials and food sampling and demonstration equipment to 20 farmers’ markets in Kansas. Ten existing farmers’ markets in low income/low access areas of the state were pre-selected to receive materials, and an additional ten established markets were selected through an application process. The identified markets will receive signage, flags, tents, hand-washing stations, sampling supplies, recipe cards and other items to promote the markets and enrich the consumer experience.
“Our goal is to enrich existing farmers’ markets by providing them resources which will maximize their volunteer time and community support and help them promote their markets locally to connect consumers and producers,” said Julie Roller, agriculture marketing specialist.
Farmers’ markets play an important role in providing access to healthy food choices in low income and rural areas, as well as enhancing the local economy. There are currently 71 registered farmers’ markets in Kansas. Markets receiving the toolkit include: Allen County, Augusta, Belleville, Emporia, Garnett, Geary County Community Hospital, Great Bend, Hamilton County, Leavenworth, Liberal, Manhattan–Downtown, Overland Park, Pittsburg, Salina–9th and Grant, Sheridan County, Thomas County, Topeka–Capitol Midweek, Wichita–Kansas Grown! Inc., Wichita–Old Town and Winfield–Walnut Valley.
KDA, which serves as the state’s regional farmers’ market authority, promotes and supports farmers’ markets through its Kansas Farmers’ Market Network, at regional farmers’ market workshops, and through the state’s agricultural trademark program, From the Land of Kansas. This supports KDA’s commitment to providing an environment that encourages economic growth of the agriculture industry and serving Kansas farmers, ranchers, agribusinesses and the consumers they serve.
For more information about farmers’ markets in Kansas or the Kansas Farmers’ Market Toolkit, contact Julie Roller, state trademark program specialist, at (785) 564-6755 or [email protected], or at www.FromtheLandofKansas.com/farmersmarkets.
MANHATTAN, Kan. (AP) — Two women who are suing Kansas State University for refusing to investigate complaints that they were raped off-campus are getting support from the federal government.
The U.S. Department of Justice and the Department of Education say in a court brief that the university is incorrect in its conclusion that it isn’t responsible for what happens at off-campus fraternity houses.
The Kansas City Star reports Sara Weckhorst of Doylestown, Pennsylvania, and Tessa Farmer of Overland Park have filed separate federal lawsuits accusing Kansas State of violating Title IX, the gender discrimination law that protects students from sexual violence and harassment.
The Associated Press generally doesn’t name sexual assault victims, but the two women have gone public with their case to stand up for victims of rape on college campuses.
Linda Rose Hrabe, 68, Walker, passed away peacefully surrounded by her family July 2, 2016 in Wichita, KS after a long illness.
Linda was born on November 18, 1947 in Hays, KS the daughter of Clarence and Polly Hrabe.
She worked many years for Safeway grocery stores in Denver becoming the first female regional advertising and sales manager for the company. She then spent many years in Kansas City in sales and marketing for JC Nichols and residential management companies.
Linda enjoyed gardening, cooking and spending time with her family.
Survivors include her son, Padrick Caughlin, sister, Nena Tipton, and significant other, Mike Schauvliege, Walker, KS; granddaughter, Heather Caughlin and significant other, Ryan Nichols, Wilson, KS; niece, Leslie Nelson and husband, Allen and great nephew, Connor Nelson, Overland Park, KS.
She was preceded in death by her parents, new born son, Patrick and sister, Nancy Hrabe.
In lieu of flowers and a memorial service, contributions can be made to Alzheimer’s Association or Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research and may be sent in care of Warren-McElwain Mortuary.
Linda spent her life helping others and continues to do so by having her body donated to United Tissue Network.
A federal judge blocked Kansas’ effort to cut off two regional Planned Parenthood affiliates’ Medicaid funding, ruling the move likely violates federal law. In a 54-page decision handed down Tuesday afternoon, U.S. District Judge Julie Robinson granted a preliminary injunction sought by Planned Parenthood of Kansas and Mid-Missouri (now known as Planned Parenthood Great Plains) and by Planned Parenthood of the St. Louis Region.
Robinson found that the plaintiffs probably would be able to show at trial that the grounds the state cited for terminating their participation in the Medicaid program were inapplicable.
Video evidence that other Planned Parenthood affiliates entered into illegal agreements to procure fetal tissue after abortions.
An alleged failure to comply with solid waste disposal inspections.
Concerns about Medicaid claims submitted by other Planned Parenthood affiliates in neighboring states.
Robinson said the Planned Parenthood affiliates were likely to prevail on all three claims.
“Medicaid patients have the explicit right to seek family planning services from the qualified provider of their choice,” she wrote. “It is uncontroverted that PPKM (Planned Parenthood of Kansas and Mid-Missouri) and PPSLR (Planned Parenthood of the St. Louis Region) serve hundreds of underprivileged women in the State of Kansas. It is in the public interest to allow these individuals to be treated by the qualified provider of their choice, and to have that provider reimbursed under Medicaid pending a trial on the merits in this case.”
KDHE notified the affiliates of its intentions nearly four months after Gov. Sam Brownback vowed to defund them in his State of the State address. Brownback accused Planned Parenthood of trafficking in “baby body parts,” even though several days earlier the Kansas Board of Healing Arts had found no merit to the charge.
“We promised to fight Gov. Brownback’s fool’s errand in his attempt to cut funding to Planned Parenthood and today marks one more step forward in defending access for patients,” Laura McQuade, president and CEO of Planned Parenthood Great Plains, said in a statement shortly after Robinson handed down her decision. “While Gov. Brownback continues touting baseless accusations and wasting taxpayer dollars on frivolous lawsuits, Planned Parenthood refuses to allow politics to get in the way of access to health care.”
Eileen Hawley, a spokeswoman for Brownback, said Tuesday that the administration will review the ruling and move forward with the case.
“The governor is going to continue the fight to make Kansas a pro-life state,” she said. “You know, this is a preliminary ruling. We need to look at the ruling more closely, but our intent is to move forward with the litigation.”
The two affiliates filed their lawsuit just a day after learning about the loss of Medicaid funding. The suit named the head of the agency, Susan Mosier, and alleged that KDHE’s action was unlawful and based on spurious grounds. The affiliates were joined by 11 current and former medical providers at the two affiliates whose participation in Medicaid the agency also sought to terminate.
Kansas recently agreed to rescind its termination of the individual medical providers, leaving just the Planned Parenthood affiliates as plaintiffs.
Planned Parenthood of Kansas and Mid-Missouri last year served nearly 450 Medicaid patients — adults with monthly income of no more than $768 who were pregnant, disabled or parents.
The St. Louis affiliate operates a clinic in Joplin, just over the Kansas state line, and serves a small number of Kansas patients.
The state’s move to end Planned Parenthood’s Medicaid funding came just two weeks after the Obama administration warned all 50 states that they cannot cut funding to medical providers simply because they also offer abortion services.
Under federal law, Medicaid funds can’t be used to pay for abortions unless the mother’s life is in danger or she was the victim of rape or incest.
Kansas is one of several states, including Missouri, that have cut off or threatened to cut off Planned Parenthood’s Medicaid funding. Courts in several states — Kansas is now the latest — have blocked those moves.
Robinson’s decision, which was expected, comes just eight days after the U.S. Supreme Court found that two Texas restrictions on abortion clinics — requiring doctors to have admitting privileges at nearby hospitals and requiring clinics to meet the standards of ambulatory surgical centers — placed an “undue burden” on the right to an abortion. —
Dan Margolies, editor of the Heartland Health Monitor team, is based at KCUR.
Hays, Kansas – Mary Margaret Purviance, age 91, died Sunday, July 3, 2016, at Via Christi Village Care Center, Hays, Kansas.
She was born December 4, 1924, in Grass Valley, California to William Davey and Emma Clyde (Manwell) Hutchison.
She married Warren Dorsey Purviance on August 5, 1945 in Marysville, California. He died in 1996.
Mary was a elementary school teacher in California and retired in 1986. She was a member of the Episcopal Church and moved to Hays in 2009.
Survivors include one son, Rod Purviance and wife, Debra, Hays, KS; two granddaughters, Tara Nye and husband, Shane, North Carolina; Shannon Conroy and husband, Sean, Hays, KS; five great grandchildren, Andrew Purviance (Kelly); Brandon Wheeler; Camden Nye; Finley Conroy; Colin Conroy; and one great great granddaughter, Macie Chretien.
She was preceded in death by her parents and husband.
Family services will be next week in Yuba City, California and burial in Sierra View Memorial Park
Cemetery in Olivehurst, California. Keithley Funeral Service, Inc./Cline’s Mortuary of Hays, 1919 East 22nd Street, Hays, Kansas 67601 is in charge of arrangements.
FINNEY COUNTY – Law enforcement authorities in Finney County are investigating two suspects who fled a traffic stop.
On Monday, officers of the Garden City Police Department attempted to conduct a traffic stop in the 500 block of West Mary Street. on a Silver Jeep Commander for multiple traffic violations, according to a media release.
The vehicle failed to stop and fled from officers. The vehicle was pursued North on Taylor from Mary Street into Finney County.
The suspects stopped the vehicle in the 4200 Block of Nancy and fled on foot.
Officers pursued the two suspects on foot to the 4100 Block of Nancy where they were arrested without incident.
A Garden City Police Officer received a minor hand injury while scaling a barb- wire fence. He was treated and released back to full duty. There was no property damage during this incident.
The suspects are being held in the Finney County Jail and could face the possible charges of:
(Driver) Jose Tapia, 20, Garden City, Fleeing and Eluding (F)
Driving while License Suspended, Reckless Driving
(Passenger) Steven Rosas,25, Garden City, Interference with a Law Enforcement Officer
Last week’s inspection results from the Kansas Department of Agriculture:
Warren’s Meat Market 1010 E. 29th, Hays – June 30
A routine inspection found three violations.
Sticker residue was present on a gray tub that was being stacked and stored. The person in charge uses these tubs for meat storage. A five-gallon bucket that contained sausage casings had substance grown on the outer areas of the bucket.
The person in charge has time and temperature logs available but are incomplete. The person in charge has not been filling out at what time he is taking the temperatures of the final product.
Over half of the meat in the display cases did not have the “Safe Handling Instructions.”
Horseshoe Bar and Grill 1002 E. Eighth, Hays – June 27
A follow-up inspection found one violation.
The floor area behind the bar has no finish and the porous concrete is exposed.
WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — The Kansas Supreme Court is turning its attention to whether the state is spending enough money overall on its schools.
By JONATHAN ZWEYGARDT
KDA
FINNEY COUNTY – Law enforcement authorities in Finney County are investigating two suspects who fled a traffic stop.
