SHAWNEE COUNTY -Law enforcement authorities in Shawnee County are investigating a Friday morning shooting.
Just before 3:30 a.m., a 20-year-old man arrived at a Topeka hospital suffering from gunshot wounds that appear to be non-life threatening, according to a media release.
Police set up a crime scene in the 1300 Block of SW Western Avenue.
No additional details were released early Friday.
By BECKY KISER
Hays Post
After canceling the past two meetings, the Hays City Commission was back in action Thursday night for the first time since Sept. 22. Commissioners faced a lengthy 11-item agenda, yet were able to get through the work session in less than 90 minutes.
Economic development proposals dominated the agenda and all moved forward to the Oct. 27 city meeting agenda for further consideration.
Hays Extended Stay Hotel Partners LP is requesting two Community Improvement Districts (CIDs) for construction of a $9.64 million, 80-room Townplace Suites directly north of IHOP and Hampton Inn.
“They’re ready to start, pretty much next month, with construction,” said attorney Ferdinand Niemann of White Goss, the Kansas City firm representing the Liberty, Missouri-based developer. “Ferguson Hotel Group–a preferred builder for Marriott–is going to be the one that is actually going to do the construction. David Christie has the land now. He’s contributing the land as part of the development.”
“It’s nice to hear somebody that’s coming forward to the city with a CID that’s actually ready to start doing what they’re asking for,” Hays Mayor Shaun Musil commented, “so I appreciate that. I think the extended-stay hotel is a good idea for Hays.”
“We know the developer,” Commissioner Henry Schwaller pointed out. “This is the third project they’ve done–all of it successful. I would have no problem supporting it.” Ferguson Hotel Development also built the Hays Fairfield Inn, 377 Mopar Drive. (Corrected, 10:26 a.m., 10/21/16)
“I like the transparency of the CID application,” said Commissioner Lance Jones, “just the process in general.”
All the commissioners commended Aaron White, Ellis Co. Coalition for Economic Development executive director, for his work on the project. “This is so much better than the last time we did this. I read through this several times trying to find questions to ask but if you read the packet and application, the answers are in there,” Jones added.
The hotel design does not include a large gathering space, something Musil said residents want.
“Because it’s extended-stay, it’s built more for the actual occupants,” Niemann said. “There’s a little convenience store and some common areas. Each room has its own kitchenette and living space–not really a convention hotel.”
A feasibility study provided to the developer determined there’s a need for an extended-stay hotel in Hays.
“They’re projecting about 68% occupancy the first year and then get up to about 76% occupancy within four years,” Niemann added.
Hays Finance Director Kim Rupp explained how the requests would affect the city.
The first 1% CID would be for the property. The second 1% CID would encompass the hotel property and the new travel plaza already under construction immediately north of the proposed hotel. Proceeds from both CIDs would go to reimburse Hays Extended Stay Hotel Partners for costs associated with construction. The travel plaza developer, JT Travel Plaza, LLC, will not benefit from either incentive.
Each CID district would impose a 1% tax for 22 years. The developer is asking for reimbursement of $1.73 million of the CID eligible expenses.
It’s estimated the two CID districts could generate $2.1 million in revenues. The Marriott hotel expects to create 23 jobs. Analysis shows $939,019 in real estate taxes would be paid and slightly more than $8 million in city sales tax generated over the 22 years.
Commissioners asked for an estimate of the hotel transient guest tax that would be generated to be provided for the Oct. 27 commission meeting.
“There are two CIDs currently in place in Hays,” Rupp reminded the commissioners. “There is a 2% CID at the Holiday Inn Express, 4650 Roth, which started collections in late 2010 by the same developer submitting the petition for the extended stay hotel. There is also a 1% CID at Big Creek Crossing, 2918 Vine, which began in mid-2015.”
“The city’s economic development policy provides that these are a pay-as-you-go incentive, meaning the developer will pay for the cost of the project upfront and then can be reimbursed for eligible costs by the CID,” Rupp explained.
“Therefore, there is no monetary liability on the part of the city of Hays on a CID.”
Niemann pointed out David Christie is also involved in a separate second project to develop a 73,000 square foot retail space directly north of Home Depot which would require another 1% CID.
Commissioners agreed to move forward with that request as well as the continued development of the Heart of America Industrial Park on south Commerce Parkway in east Hays.
A benefit district would be established to fund the extension of 9th Street east to Commerce Parkway.
SHAWNEE, Okla. – The 25th-ranked Fort Hays State men’s soccer team improved to 9-3-1 on Thursday with a 3-1 win at Oklahoma Baptist. The Bison dropped to 9-6-1 overall.
Oklahoma Baptist struck first and early when it managed to get on the board in the 6th minute. Jesus Andrade sent a ball into the box that Sam Smith was able to get his head on, and it beat FHSU keeper Alex Rodela for the first goal of the match.
The Tigers got the equalizer in the 25th minute when Luis Mendez scored the first of his two goals on the night. Michael Cole slotted a ball between two defenders that Mendez took and beat the keeper to the left side. Mendez then made it a 2-1 game when he found the back of the net again exactly three minutes later, this time on the receiving end of a Mauricio Castorinio pass that split two defenders.
Luis Torres extended the Tiger lead to 3-1 at the 61:31 mark with his seventh goal of the year. Once again Castorino set up the goal, this time on a ball crossed from the left side of the field that Torres took and beat the keeper to the far post.
Alex Rodela picked up his second consecutive win for the Tigers and is now 4-0 on the season. He stopped two of the three shots on goal that he faced.
The Tigers are back in action on Saturday in Bethany, Okla. against Southern Nazarene, looking for their third consecutive win. The match is set for 1 pm.
ST. CHARLES, Mo. – Facing a deficit at every turn, the Fort Hays State volleyball team rallied on multiple occasions to defeat Lindenwood in five sets Thursday evening. The win gives the Tigers (20-6, 6-5) a second-straight 20-win season for the first time since 2003-04. Lindenwood falls to 8-12 overall and 4-6 in MIAA play after the loss.
Fort Hays State is now 4-0 in five-set matches this season, while the Lady Lions dip to 2-2 in matches that go the distance.
The Tigers hit .177 for the match, racking up 62 kills, 53 assists and 11 blocks. FHSU held the Lady Lions to a .130 hitting percentage, with the home team posting eight blocks and five service aces.
Crystal Whitten led the Tigers with her 14th double-double of the season, chipping in 21 kills and 21 digs to become the first Tiger with a 20-20 match since Lilian Rezende accomplished the feat three times in 2008. Megan Anderson added a career-high 15 kills with just four errors, totaling a .379 hitting percentage. Callie Christensen posted eight blocks (one solo) to go along with eight kills and a .353 swing rate. Senior setter Hannah Wagy topped the 50-set plateau for the fifth time this year, accumulating 50 assists, two kills, two blocks and nine digs. Libero Kailey Klibbe recorded a match-high 23 digs.
The Tigers were strong from the first serve, jumping out to a 9-4 lead to open the match after back-to-back kills from Whitten. Lindenwood rallied to take the lead, scoring seven of the next eight points. Fort Hays State grabbed a slim lead shortly after, 14-13, but another big run from the Lady Lions put the set out of reach.
Fort Hays State took the lead in the second set and never looked back, never trailing in the frame. After Lindenwood tied the score at one, the Tigers captured the next two points to grab the lead for good. Leading 8-6, FHSU scored nine of the next 12 points to extend an eight-point lead, prompting the Lady Lions to burn their second timeout of the set. After the home team closed within five (18-13), the Tigers put the set on ice by outscoring the Lady Lions 7-2 down the stretch with Chandler Hillman delivering the final blow with a perfect serve between the defenders dropping in for an ace.
Although the Tigers stayed within striking distance, the Lady Lions led for the majority of the third frame before taking a 2-1 lead in the match with a 25-23 win. Any time Lindenwood would string together a few points, the Tigers would answer to narrow the gap. After the Lady Lions extended a 23-20 lead, a service error and a kill from Anderson helped the Tigers close within one. Lindenwood then went to Jessica Krygsheld, its leading hitter with 14 kills, for the final two points of the set.
The Tigers again answered back with a strong fourth set, never trailing in the frame and hitting .306, their best set of the day. Service aces from Azlyn Cassaday and Rebekah Spainhour helped the Tigers extend a 5-1 lead early in the set, and the rout was on. The Lady Lions picked up points on their serve just four times in the frame, with FHSU siding out at a 75% rate. Conversely, Fort Hays State tallied 13 points while serving, holding LWU to a .054 hitting percentage. A block from Wagy and Spainhour brought the set to a close and sent things to a deciding fifth set.
Both teams had their chances in the final frame, in which there were eight ties and four lead changes. The Tigers appeared to have the match in hand after they extended a 12-7 lead behind three-straight Lindenwood attack errors, but the Lady Lions strung together six-consecutive points to take a 13-12 lead. Consecutive Lady Lion errors gave the Tigers match point, but the home team again bounced back to tie things up at 14. Anderson handed FHSU a serve for the match with a kill before Christensen delivered the final swing on an over pass from Lindenwood, securing the 16-14 fifth set victory.
The Tigers will return to the floor on Friday, October 21 when they face off with 15th-ranked Central Missouri at 7 p.m. in Warrensburg, Mo. The Tigers and Jennies (15-6, 5-4) currently sit in a virtual tie for fifth place in the MIAA. Fort Hays State topped UCM in their meeting earlier this season, just the second win over the Jennies in program history.
HAYS, Kan. – The Hays High boys soccer closed out their regular season with a win Thursday, blanking TMP-Marian 4-0 at the Hays High field.
Hays High led 2-0 at the half. The Monarchs gave up own goal in the first minute, then senior Michael Reyes scored in the 11th minute. Ethan Nunnery and Jacob Maska both scored on the second half on assists from Zach Wagner and Trey McCrae respectively.
Both teams now await regional pairings and the first round of regionals next week.
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) – The assumption all along has been that the Chiefs’ Spencer Ware would provide a nice stop-gap at running back until Jamaal Charles returned to full-time duty from his devastating knee injury.
Ware showed last weekend that he’s not going anywhere.
In fact, he made quite an argument for bringing Charles out of the bullpen in a relief role.
The bruising fantasy darling ran 24 times for 131 yards and a touchdown to lead Kansas City to a 26-10 victory in Oakland . Ware also had a couple of nice catches, showcasing some of the same versatility that had made Charles a mainstay in the lineup.
“When you talk about Jamaal, you’re talking about a Hall of Fame player. We always say, ‘You’re not going to replace Jamaal, that’s not what you do,”‘ Chiefs coach Andy Reid said. “But I don’t want to take anything away from Ware and the way he plays. He’s so tough.
“Having them both out there,” Reid added, “that’s a win-win, I think.”
Indeed, Charles had more carries last weekend in his second game back from a torn ACL, and even found the end zone for the first time in more than a year. But it was Ware who carried the bulk of the load, and the former LSU standout will likely do the same on Sunday against New Orleans.
It was an especially encouraging sign given his struggles holding onto the ball lately.
ROXANA HEGEMAN, Associated Press
WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — Prosecutors say an anti-Muslim militia group in Kansas first came to the government’s attention when one member contacted FBI agents and became a confidential source.
The new details came in a government court filing in the case of three men accused of conspiring to detonate truck bombs at an apartment complex where 120 Somali immigrants live in the western Kansas meatpacking town of Garden City.
Prosecutors say the men pose a “substantial danger” to the community and should stay jailed until trial.
Two are due in court Friday and the third on Monday.
Patrick Stein, Gavin Wright and Curtis Allen are charged with conspiring to use a weapon of mass destruction. They were arrested in what the government calls a foiled plot to attack the apartment complex on Nov. 9.
Today Sunny, with a high near 72. Breezy, with a south wind 7 to 12 mph increasing to 17 to 22 mph in the afternoon.
Tonight Clear, with a low around 40. South southeast wind 5 to 9 mph becoming west after midnight.
SaturdaySunny, with a high near 80. West southwest wind 5 to 14 mph becoming south southeast in the morning.
Saturday NightClear, with a low around 46. South southeast wind 6 to 9 mph becoming southwest after midnight.
SundaySunny, with a high near 76.
Sunday NightMostly clear, with a low around 44.
MondaySunny, with a high near 75.
HUTCHINSON— A Kansas man charged in three cases with a total of 17 counts against him entered a plea this week to all of the charges after waiving his preliminary hearing.
For a n arrest in October of 2015, Kristopher Lee Richards, 27, Hutchinson, entered pleas as charged to possession of methamphetamine and Hydrocodone with intent to sell within a thousand feet of a school, possession of drug paraphernalia with intent to distribute and possession of marijuana.
Then he was arrested on Nov. 3, 2015, on several charges once again involving the distribution of drugs including possession of methamphetamine, possession of prescription drugs with intent to distribute, possession of marijuana and drug paraphernalia.
The charges in the third case occurred on Dec. 7, 2015. In this case, Richards entered pleas to possession of methamphetamine and other prescription drugs with intent to sell, possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia.
In each case he was in possession of at least 3.5 grams, but less than 100 grams of meth, between 10 and 100 dosage units of the prescription drugs and marijuana.
As part of the plea agreement, he also waived his right to appeal any sentence that might be handed down by District Judge Joe McCarville.
Sentencing is set for December 2.
CITY OF HAYS
The city of Hays Utilities Department has contracted ProPipe to conduct sewer line cleaning and inspections at the locations described below and shown on the maps. Cleaning began Thursday, October 13, 2016 and will continue through November 22, 2016. The date may change due to breakdowns, weather, or other problems.
On Friday, October 21, 2016, crews will be working in the area of 27th & Vine moving south to Centennial Blvd. and over to General Lawton Rd.
On the map, the red lines indicating the 2016 project of 19 miles. The area that will be cleaned is east of Vine Street, from 37th to 33rd continuing south of I-70 down to Highway 40. Crews will also be cleaning the area of 7th St. between Main and Oak and also south Elm St.
AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — The government is appealing a federal judge’s decision to temporarily block an Obama administration directive on bathroom rights for transgender students in public schools nationwide.
A one-page filing Thursday asks the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals to review a preliminary injunction issued in August by U.S. District Judge Reed O’Connor in Fort Worth.
Kansas, Texas and 11 other states asked O’Connor to halt the directive after the federal government told public schools in May that transgender students must be allowed to use bathrooms and locker rooms consistent with the gender they identify with.
O’Connor’s injunction froze the directive, but more on procedural than policy grounds.
Still, It’s since been cheered by top Republicans in Texas and elsewhere, who argue that the Obama administration was seeking to undermine school privacy safeguards.
FHSU University Relations and Marketing
When their children were young, W.R. and Yvonne Robbins usually took the whole family out to eat on the couple’s wedding anniversary.
The three Robbins children, now grown, were all together once again Thursday as their parents celebrated their marriage day of Oct. 20. This time, however, they had a whole lot of others celebrating with them.
In a jam-packed Sunset Atrium of Fort Hays State University’s Memorial Union, the university celebrated the naming of its business college the W.R. and Yvonne Robbins College of Business and Entrepreneurship.
At their regular monthly meeting in September, the Kansas Board of Regents approved the naming of the college.
Coincidentally, the dedication day was set for Thursday, Oct. 20, the anniversary date of the Robbins couple, who gave a sizable donation to the FHSU Foundation.
It also fell on the day the regents were visiting the FHSU campus for their October meeting, and the regents were present to witness the announcement about the naming of the college.
“We are so happy and privileged to be here today,” said Zoe Newton from Sedan, chair of the KBOR. “It’s a special treat to conclude our visit celebrating a great day with a wonderful couple. Fort Hays State University is right to celebrate such generous support from graduates who have not only accomplished success and stature in their own right, but who are ready and willing to give back to their alma mater.”
W.R. Robbins presented his wife with a red rose but declined to say how many years they had been married.
“If I had a rose for every year, I wouldn’t have enough room in my SUV to get them here,” he said with a smile.
The couple also wishes not to disclose the substantial donation it gave to the business college.
W.R. Robbins is chair of Farmers Bank and Trust, Great Bend, which owns and manages seven locations in central Kansas and two in Johnson County.
Numerous employees from several Farmers Bank and Trust locations were present at the celebration, as was U.S. Sen. Jerry Moran, who grew up in nearby Plainville, attended FHSU and raised his family in Hays.
“This is the beginning of something new, and it’s such an honor to be with you and your family today,” Moran said. “W.R. and Yvonne Robbins have made great contributions to the Fort Hays State University community, and their lives exemplify the values of hard work and passion that are so important to FHSU students.
“I look forward to seeing FHSU’s College of Business and Entrepreneurship continue its tradition of preparing generations of Kansas students for success,” he added.
FHSU President Mirta M. Martin agreed.
“This is a very special day for Fort Hays State University. Today’s gift marks the beginning of a new era at FHSU. It marks the beginning of a new journey for all of these students at Fort Hays State University,” she said, glancing at a group of students in the crowd.
“What I would challenge you to do,” she said to the students, “what I would implore you to do is to remember the roots that you have been given here, not unlike the roots W.R. Robbins received when he was here.”
Robbins told the crowd how he first became associated with FHSU as a student, earned a degree and began his banking career by “selling myself.”
“It’s commitment and passion that has driven me,” he said. “Anybody today, if they want to succeed, you just need to be completely passionate about what you’re doing, and you had better be willing to work 24/7.”
Dr. Mark Bannister, dean of the College of Business and Entrepreneurship, thanked the Robbins couple for their long-time support of the university as he handed them new gold shirts with an embroidered logo of the college bearing their name.
“The university is proud to name the ‘W.R. and Yvonne Robbins College of Business and Entrepreneurship’ in honor of this highly successful couple who has contributed leadership to Kansas in a multitude of ways,” Bannister said. “In addition to recognizing two outstanding people today, we also use this naming to express thanks to W.R. and Yvonne Robbins for key financial backing of the college.”
Jason Williby, president and CEO of FHSU’s Foundation, thanked the guests of honor as well.
“This is a historic day in our journey at Fort Hays State,” Williby said. “Thank you to W.R. and Yvonne Robbins for their amazing generosity to this school. Research has shown there were business classes here in the beginning. For 114 years we have been delivering business education to students. So while 1902 was historic for our university, Oct. 20, 2016 will be a historic day as well.”
OVERLAND PARK, Kan. (AP) — A former pastor is accused of trying to choke a 4-month-old baby he didn’t know at a Kansas City-area Wal-Mart.
The Kansas City Star reports prosecutors in Kansas’ Johnson County charged 54-year-old Oleh Zhownirovych of Clinton, New Jersey, with felony aggravated battery and misdemeanor battery. It was not immediately clear if Zhownirovych has an attorney.
Overland Park police say a man walked up to a woman who was in a checkout lane early Wednesday and began choking her baby. The woman screamed, and the man stopped.
Police say people in the store helped the woman and held the man until officers arrived. The baby was not injured.
Investigators say the man possibly was under the influence of drugs or alcohol.
