AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — The Justice Department is considering its options, now that a federal judge in Texas has blocked an Obama administration order concerning transgender students in public schools.
The administration had said schools have to let those students use locker rooms and bathrooms consistent with their chosen gender identity. But a judge has put that order on hold — saying that a federal education law makes it clear that gender is defined by “biological and anatomical differences” at birth.
Judge Reed O’Connor said his order, which applies nationwide, was not about the policy issues of transgender rights but his conclusion that federal officials simply did not follow the rules.
According to O’Connor, the case “presents the difficult issue of balancing the protection of students’ rights and that of personal privacy … while ensuring that no student is unnecessarily marginalized while attending school.”
The ruling comes as most public schools in Texas begin the new school year today. Texas and 12 other states had challenged the directive as unconstitutional.
An attorney for a gay rights group says the ruling is a continuation of attacks on transgender people. Paul Castillo says it’s “a hard day for transgender students.”
SALINE COUNTY – Law enforcement authorities in Saline County are investigating a suspect accused of auto theft.
Preston Cressler, 29, Salina, was arrested Friday on a warrant in connection with taking a friend’s 2008 Mazda CX-7 from her home on South Ohio Street last month, according to Salina Police Captain Mike Sweeney.
Cressler was booked into the Saline County Jail on a requested charge of felony theft.
The vehicle, which has an estimated value of $2,500, has not been recovered.
Police went to the Schlitterbahn Kansas City Water Park on July 7, to investigate the death of a 10-year-old boy photo courtesy KMBC
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — In some parts of the U.S., the thrill rides that whirl kids around are checked by state inspectors before customers climb on. But in other places, they aren’t required to get the once-over.
A boy’s death on a Kansas water slide and a Ferris wheel accident that injured three girls in Tennessee have focused attention on what experts call an alarming truth: Regulation varies greatly by state.
The industry has lobbied against federal oversight for decades. The Consumer Product Safety Commission doesn’t regulate rides at permanent parks. It oversees only traveling carnival rides. Even then, federal investigators respond only after accidents.
Whether a ride has to be inspected before thrill-seekers hop on depends on what state it’s in. Mississippi, Alabama, Nevada, South Dakota, Wyoming and Utah have no laws at all requiring inspections.
JACKSON COUNTY – Law enforcement authorities in Jackson County are investigating a suspect for burglary.
On Sunday, Shelby Rose Hopkins, 19, Whiting, was arrested following a burglary in the 500 Block of 3rd Street in Whiting, according to a media release.
Deputies were dispatched to the area after receiving a report of two suspicious females.
A deputy was directed by a citizen to a residence on Pratt Street in Whiting where a woman had been hiding in a closet.
The woman fled the house on foot and was later identified as Megan Marie Hollister.
The area was searched by deputies and additional officers from the Kickapoo Tribal Police and the Brown County Sheriff’s Office.
Hollister- photo Jackson Co.
However, Hollister was not located. Shortly thereafter, the Sheriff’s Office received a report of a burglary to a residence in the 500 block of 3rd Street in Whiting. A number of electronic items were taken from the residence.
Later a second woman was found at the Pratt Street residence hiding in an attic crawl space.
The woman was extricated from the crawl space and was arrested. The stolen items were recovered.
The Sheriff’s Office is currently seeking information on the location of the second burglary suspect, 32-year-old Megan Marie Hollister. She is believed to possibly be in the Brown County area.
If anyone has information as to the whereabouts of Megan Hollister, they are asked to contact that Jackson County Sheriff’s Office at 785-364-2251.
Hopkins was booked into the Jackson County Jail for the following charges: Burglary of a Dwelling, Theft, Criminal damage to property, Possession of Methamphetamine, Possession of Marijuana, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, and Felony Interference with Law Enforcement. Bond on Hopkins was set at $10,000.00.
GOVE COUNTY – A teen from Quinter was involved in an accident just before 10a.m. on Monday in Gove County.
The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 1998 Saturn S series driven by Gage Mycole Garrett, 18, Quinter, was eastbound on Interstate 70 one mile east of the Quinter exit.
The vehicle entered the median and the driver overcorrected.
The vehicle entered the south ditch and rolled one time.
Garrett was transported to Gove County Medical Center but was not injured, according to the KHP.
He was properly restrained at the time of the accident, according to the KHP.
Midwest Energy is holding member meetings to discuss proposed changes to natural gas rates in three locations this month. Meetings will be held at:
Colby – Wed., Aug. 24 from 6:00-7:00 p.m. @ the Meeting Room in the Robert Burnett Student Union, Colby Community College, 1255 S. Range, Colby.
Hays – Tue., Aug. 30 from 6:00-7:00 p.m. @ the Stouffer Lounge, 2nd Floor, Fort Hays State University Memorial Union, 700 College Dr., Hays.
Scott City – Wed., Aug. 31 from 6:00-7:00 pm @ the Community Room, Scott City Library, 110 W. 8th St., Scott City.
If adopted as proposed, the base rate change would provide an additional $909,000 each year for pipeline safety and reliability improvements and operating expenses. Preliminary rates result in a net residential increase of under $3 per month. Midwest Energy’s residential and commercial rates would remain the lowest in Kansas.
Proposed rates and tariff language can be found here.
The Board of Directors will consider and vote on the approval of the rate changes at an open member meeting on Monday, Sept. 19, at 1 p.m. at the Midwest Energy Office, 1330 Canterbury Dr., Hays, Kansas. All members are invited to attend the open meeting.
Members may submit comments no later than Friday, Sept. 9 by email to Pat Parke or by calling 785-625-1405.
Governor Brownback FILE PHOTO / HEARTLAND HEALTH MONITOR
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Gov. Sam Brownback’s administration is working to overhaul Kansas employee layoff and rehiring protocol.
The Topeka Capital-Journal reports that the administration is working on adjustments that would restrict worker options for appealing regular job performance ratings and impose a cap on how much sick leave new retirees may donate to colleagues who are ill.
Kansas Department of Administration officials say the proposed adjustments are necessary for the maintenance of a modern and efficient workforce in state government.
A department spokesman says the changes have been in development since 2014.
Rebecca Proctor, executive director of the Kansas Organization of State Employees, says the timing of the proposed adjustments appears to indicate the government is preparing for layoffs.
The proposed changes will be open to public comment on Sept. 27.
By RANDY GONZALES FHSU University Relations and Marketing
Be safe. Use LiveSafe.
LiveSafe, a mobile communications safety application, is now available for the Fort Hays State University community. The app can be downloaded to a mobile device from the App Store or Google Play. Once the user registers, fills out a profile and chooses FHSU, the app — which is free — is ready to use.
Dr. Joey Linn, vice president for student affairs at FHSU, said adding a mobile safety application option was “a student-driven initiative.” Student Government Association reviewed mobile safety apps for about 18 months.
“This is the one, after reviewing, that students liked,” Linn said.
Users can select several options from the app. For example, a person can request emergency assistance through quick, easy access to emergency phone numbers. The options include calling 911, the University Police Dept. or the City of Hays non-emergency police department number.
“I think LiveSafe is a great safety app, but it’s way more than a safety app,” said SGA campus relations director Brett Chrisler, Hays senior. “I think it will be beneficial for incoming freshmen; it will be beneficial for any student.”
There is also a safety map on the app, which tells people of their location in relation to campus buildings. A person can also submit tips — even anonymously — related to safety concerns, such as a street light out on campus. A photo, video or audio file can be attached when reporting a tip.
The GoSafe feature helps ensure safe arrival at one’s destination through a virtual walk. People can either ask friends to watch them virtually as they walk home, or they can watch their friends virtually as they reach their destination, all depending on which selection the user chooses in the app. The GoSafe feature also provides phone numbers to call Safe Ride or local taxi services.
“I like the GoSafe part of the app,” Chrisler said. “You can connect with your friend and virtually walk you home.”
There are navigation buttons at the bottom of the home screen that allow for quick, easy access to the function a person wishes to use.
“It’s so robust, so many cool things,” Linn said.
LiveSafe is available for FHSU students, faculty and staff, as well as anybody else who wishes to use it, from a Hays resident to a student’s grandmother in another city. FHSU is the second Kansas Board of Regents institution to adopt LiveSafe. FHSU users can switch their settings if they are in Manhattan to receive LiveSafe information for Kansas State University, the other Regents institution using the app.
Crews searched for Lowery on Saturday-photo courtesy KAKE
WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — Authorities say they’ve found the body of a man three days after he went missing after being swept away by floodwaters near Wichita, Kansas.
Butler County Sheriff Kelly Herzet says the body of 62-year-old Richard Lowery was found Monday in a field near a pond downstream from where he vanished after torrential storms dropped up to 7 inches of rain.
Herzet has said Lowery and his son were in their pickup truck near a creek south of Rose Hill when they drove into water over the road and tried to back out. That’s when Herzet says the truck got swept away.
The son, 38-year-old Samuel Lowery, managed to escape the truck and floated to safety downstream.
Lowery’s pickup truck and some of his clothing already were found last weekend.
HARVEY COUNTY -Law enforcement authorities in Harvey County are investigating the Halstead City Administrator and the city’s former police chief.
On Monday, the Harvey County Sheriff served an arrest warrant on the Halstead City Administrator, James R. Hatfield and former police chief Steven C. Lewis, according to a media release.
The arrest warrant was the result of an investigation conducted by the Harvey County Attorney and the Kansas Bureau of Investigations.
Hatfield was charged with one count of Felony perjury. Hatfield was transported to the Harvey County Detention Center. A bond was set at $2,500.00.
Lewis is charged with one count of Felony Misuse of Public Funds and two counts of Misdemeanor Theft. Lewis was arrested
Lewis-photo Stevens Co.
in Stevens County.
Bond for Lewis was set at $3,000.00.
The Harvey County Attorney, David Yoder, stated he will have more information on Tuesday.
Photo by Andy Marso/KHI News Service Robert Wright, CEO of Newman Regional Health in Emporia, says the state’s mental health system is “the biggest problem” for the hospital.
Experts from a variety of fields gathered at the Statehouse on August 17, for a mental health symposium spurred by an Emporia hospital’s struggle last year to find a psychiatric care bed for a suicidal patient.
House Speaker Pro Tem Peggy Mast, a Republican from Emporia, said she was inspired to convene the symposium after hearing from officials at Newman Regional Health.
That hospital nearly lost federal certification after a botched transfer of a patient who was having chest pains and thoughts of suicide.
Robert Wright, CEO of the Emporia hospital, told officials with the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services that a lack of mental health beds in the state was forcing hospitals like his to hold patients in emergency rooms for days, with little or no compensation in some cases.
During Wednesday’s symposium, Wright said he and his staff are being forced to make difficult decisions.
“The (mental health) system has worked less and less and less well, to now the point where it is really our biggest problem,” he said. “I’ve been running hospitals for decades. Used to be you worried about money. Now I worry about how do we care for these mental health patients in a way that’s appropriate for them without bankrupting my hospital.”
Wright said the mismatch between the number of psychiatric beds and the number of Kansans who need them is a problem that has been festering for decades. A move toward community-based care rather than institutionalization that began in the 1960s led to the closure of facilities like Topeka State Hospital, but the funding for community-based programs never lived up to the plan.
Deborah Stern, senior vice president of clinical services and general counsel for the Kansas Hospital Association, said fewer patient beds and an admissions moratorium at Osawatomie State Hospital — one of two mental health facilities left in the state — severely compounded the problem.
Stern said one large hospital in Johnson County reported a total of 318 hours that patients spent waiting for a bed at Osawatomie State Hospital during the first four months of 2015, with 23 hours the longest wait. During the first four months of 2016, the total number of hours waiting had jumped to 1,466, with 44-hour waits typical and the longest wait clocking in at 128 hours — or more than five days.
“Our emergency rooms, they’re really backed up,” Stern said. “They don’t have enough providers. As it is, psychiatrists are really hard to find.”
Solving the provider shortage will be difficult, she said. But expanding Medicaid eligibility under the Affordable Care Act would help, Stern said, because many Kansans with mental health issues lack insurance.
The symposium panel also included representatives from law enforcement, mental health advocacy groups, clinicians and four state agencies, as well as a handful of state legislators.
Tim Keck, secretary of the Kansas Department for Aging and Disability Services, said staffing at Osawatomie State Hospital is stabilizing thanks in part to raises approved by the Legislature. He has said the hospital is working toward federal recertification, which would open more beds.
Other possible solutions emerged to help fill cracks in the mental health system.
Susan Crain Lewis, president and CEO of Mental Health America of the Heartland, said her nonprofit could help train staff at Kansas schools now required to know suicide prevention techniques under the Jason Flatt Act.
The two Democrats at the symposium — Rep. Nancy Lusk of Overland Park and Sen. Laura Kelly of Topeka — said system needs improvements that will require more state funding, both for the state-run mental health hospitals and the less-intensive community-based therapies.
“I agree with Rep. Lusk that this is going to take money,” Kelly said. “We don’t have any right now.”
Kelly said legislators and stakeholders should focus on preparing a systemwide improvement plan in case a new Legislature changes the state’s tax structure to bring in more revenue.
Democrats like Kelly blame income tax cuts spearheaded by Gov. Sam Brownback in 2012 for throwing the state into an ongoing budget crisis that prevents investments in state services.
Mast and other Republican leaders have steadfastly supported those cuts. But in opening remarks Wednesday, she said the state is not spending enough money on mental health.
“I think we can all agree that we don’t have enough resources for the need and it’s putting a strain on a lot of different entities,” Mast said, “and we need to focus more on the individual needs of those that are mentally ill.”
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
AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — The Justice Department is considering its options, now that a federal judge in Texas has blocked an Obama administration order concerning transgender students in public schools.
By RANDY GONZALES 
