LEAVENWORTH, Kan. (AP) — A trial is scheduled for this fall for a former physician’s assistant accused of sexually abusing patients at the Department of Veterans Affairs hospital in Leavenworth, Kansas.
The Leavenworth Times reports that an Oct. 31 trial was set Friday in Leavenworth County District Court.
Mark Wisner is charged with a felony count of aggravated criminal sodomy and three misdemeanor charges of sexual battery related to his alleged misconduct in 2014 at the Eisenhower VA Medical Center.
Wisner surrendered his medical license last year after at least seven patients accused him of abusing them. He faces several federal lawsuits accusing him of abuse.
Wisner is seeking to have the civil proceedings halted until the criminal case is resolved.
ABILENE -Authorities are searching for a missing Abilene woman.
Joanna Cramer37, was last seen in Abilene on May, according to family and friends.
It is believed that she may still be in Abilene or the Salina area. Her purse was located in Salina and turned into the Salina Police Department shortly after her disappearance.
Cramer is 5’5″ tall and weighs 150 lbs. She has shoulder length brown hair with blonde highlights and brown eyes. She may be missing a front tooth. She has a tattoo of a Chinese symbol on the back of her neck and a tattoo of a tribal cross on her upper right shoulder. She is known to wear several pieces of jewelry, including necklaces and bracelets, on a regular basis.
Anyone with information regarding Joanna Cramer’s disappearance is asked to call the Salina Police Department at 785-826-7210 or the Dickinson County Sheriff’s Department at 785-263-4041.
Apartment complex parking lot at 3900 Forest Avenue.
BARTON COUNTY- Law enforcement authorities in Barton County continue to investigate a Saturday May 21 shooting incident and search for two suspects.
Two suspects fled the scene after the 10 p.m. shooting that critically Phillip Pardo, 35, in an apartment complex parking lot at 3900 Forest Avenue, according to Great Bend Police Chief Cliff Couch.
Pardo was taken to a Wichita hospital for treatment.
Couch doubts the two suspects are still in Great Bend but says the incident could have been even worse.
Authorities sent an application for warrants to the Barton County Attorney’s Office to review.
Anyone with information on the case is encouraged to call the Great Bend Police Department Detectives Unit at 620-792-4120, or Crime Stoppers at 620-792-1300.
ELK COUNTY – A man died in an accident just before 2a.m. on Monday in Elk County.
The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a Polaris UTV driven by Trevor Allen McCoy, 29, Meeker, CO., was eastbound on Quail Road just west of Road 32 and struck a deer.
The driver lost control of vehicle. It rolled and the driver was ejected.
Meeker was pronounced dead at the scene and transported Country Side Funeral Home
A relatively or somewhat, or maybe just not, clever plan by the Kansas Legislature this spring to meet the increasing funding needs of Kansas public schools by shuffling money within the school finance budget law was declared, well, not clever and not constitutional by the Kansas Supreme Court last week.
The decision that the Legislature had failed to provide equitable levels of state support for two provisions of school finance—the Local Option Budget and assistance with district capital outlay funds—came as lawmakers were quietly congratulating themselves on meeting those inequities by shuffling money between funds in the budget.
The court said that the ploy didn’t work, isn’t constitutional in providing equitable support for education of schoolchildren in Kansas and told the Legislature that it has to fix that problem or the roughly $4 billion that the state spends on public education can’t be spent in the fiscal year that starts July 1.
It’s just that. A novel ploy, shuffling money around, and when just applying the distinctly different court-approved formulas for LOB and capital outlay support cost maybe $40 million more than lawmakers wanted—or had—to spend, they pulled a trick. They used the capital outlay formula to compute state aid for the unrelated LOB funds support. That meant that the Legislature spent only a few bucks more than last year for school finance.
The court said that won’t work, that equity in those two programs is constitutionally important, and the Legislature didn’t meet that standard. The politically flavorful “hold harmless” provision that meant no district would lose any state aid in the shuffle just made the inequities worse for many districts.
Well, that decision lit the fuse on a number of politically explosive issues for lawmakers who generally along party lines are (Republican) blasting the court for interfering in legislative matters and threatening to close public schools this fall, or (Democrat) complaints that the majority of the Legislature just wouldn’t vote to provide equal access to the best public education for Kansas’ children.
Oh, don’t forget that the state is nearly broke for whatever reason (Republican) that crop prices, oil prices and aircraft manufacturing are slowing, or (Democrat) that the GOP-tilted legislature gave massive tax breaks to big and small business to win votes, though Democrats don’t often mention that wage-earners’ rate reductions cost the state more in lost revenue than the business cuts.
And then, there’s the big political fight, (Republican) that the court is messing with the products of the Legislature, essentially making law by demanding a costly fix to the school formula, or at least overturning the judgment of the Legislature or not understanding that the hold harmless provision was necessary to get the bill passed. The Democrat side of that scrap is a little unfocused but generally is (excuse us if you’ve heard this before) that the constitution is the constitution and it protects access to equal educational opportunity and Republicans don’t care about schools, kids, global warming, kittens, Mother’s Day, and…well, you see where this goes because just Democrats can’t pass anything or stop anything from being passed in the Legislature.
So, what happens next amidst the political posturing?
Well, because Gov. Sam Brownback single-handedly made budget cuts, that the Legislature wouldn’t or couldn’t, to provide a constitutional (there’s that word again) balanced budget, there may be enough money in the upcoming fiscal year to spend that maybe $50 million to constitutionally support those LOB and capital outlay subsidies to school districts. Or not, depending on how Kansas tax revenues hold up.
So whom do we blame? The Legislature (with appropriate exemptions for members who voted the way we want); the court for reading the Constitution, the school finance bill and deciding that they don’t match up, or…is this just a political season where there was so little money to spend on fancy or frilly programs for Kansans that the political discussion turns from “what I got you” to blaming the other guy (or branch of government)?
We’ll know when the Legislature decides how to respond to the latest court ruling, won’t we?
Syndicated by Hawver News Co. of Topeka, Martin Hawver is publisher of Hawver’s Capitol Report. To learn more about this nonpartisan statewide political news service, visit www.hawvernews.com.
LOGAN — The Dane G. Hansen Memorial Museum takes great pride in hosting a four day painting workshop with David Vollbracht at the Dane G. Hansen Memorial Museum, 110 W. Main, Logan, Kansas. This workshop will run from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. on July 6, 7, 8, and 9, 2016, with a one hour break for lunch each day. This learning opportunity is brought to you through the Hansen Museum Continued Education Program. Cost of the workshop is $150.00 with discounts available for Hansen Museum members. This workshop will stress using the fundamental elements of art and evoking a personal response to improve your painting skills. One morning the class will sketch en plein air and from that sketch develop a small oil painting in the classroom. Design, color, values, and composition will be explored as well as the more illusive but just as important elements of mood, passion, and attitude. Intermediate and advanced artists may call 785-689-4846 for more information or to register by phone.
David Vollbracht is a representational oil painter with the distinction of signature membership in Oil Painters of America. His work reflects the quality of light, nature, and spirit drawn from the land. David emphasizes the beauty and importance of the natural landscape in his compositions. He is intrigued by the patterns and shapes in nature and concentrates on the effects of light on these elements.
Mr. Vollbracht resides in Medicine Lodge, Kansas and has earned a degree in art from Fort Hays State University. His knowledge has been nurtured by attending the art workshops of Clyde Aspevig and Wayne Wolfe. David has shown his work at numerous shows including: Mountain Oyster Club Show, Tucson, AZ; One Man Show, Wichita Center for the Arts, Wichita, KS; National Miniature Show, La Luz, NM; and National Oil Painters of America Exhibitions and Rocky Mountain Plein Air Show, Winter Park, CO. Currently, David has art work in the following galleries: Elkhorn Art Gallery, Winter Park, CO; Paint Horse Gallery, Breckenridge, CO; and the Dane G. Hansen Memorial Museum, Logan, KS.
Museum Hours are M-F 9-12 & 1-4; Sat. 9-12 & 1-5; Sun. & Holidays 1-5. The museum is closed Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years. We are handicapped accessible and there is never an admission fee. For more information about this and other exhibits, contact Shari Buss at 785-689-4846.
WASHINGTON, DC – To encourage Kansas veterans to share their stories with the Library of Congress’ Veterans History Project, U.S. Senator Pat Roberts (R-Kan.) interviewed U.S. Senator Bob Dole (R-Kan.) to preserve his recollections of service for future generations. Senator Dole served in the Army in World War II and Senator Roberts is the most senior Marine in the Congress.
“I asked Senator Dole to share his inspiring story in his own words so that it would be preserved for all to see and hear alongside those from veterans across the country,” Roberts said. “Looking ahead to Memorial Day, I encourage all veterans to share their stories and honor our comrades in arms and those who paid the ultimate sacrifice by sharing their memories and experiences with the Veterans History Project.”
To download a high resolution short video about this effort, go here.
The Library of Congress’ Veteran’s History Project collects, preserves, and makes accessible the personal accounts of American war veterans so that future generations may hear directly from veterans and better understand the realities of war.
In the coming months, Senator Roberts will interview other Kansas veterans for the project and will encourage others to visit his website for information so that they too can share their oral history with the Veteran’s History Project put on permanent display in the Library of Congress.
“Inspired by Bob Dole’s visits with honor flight veterans at the World War II Memorial in Washington, I wanted to help encourage veterans to share their stories with future generations of Americans,” Roberts said. “So many veterans come to visit their memorials in Washington and reflect upon their service. Some tell of their experiences for the first time ever. These recollections should be preserved for future generations of Americans. What better way to honor the service and sacrifice of the men and women of the military than by adding their personal voices to our nation’s archival records?”
Senator Roberts’ district offices will also help collect veteran’s firsthand accounts to add to the national project.
LINN COUNTY – One person was injured in an accident just before 5:30p.m. on Sunday in Linn County.
The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2007 Yamaha ATV driven by Eric John Zinn, 36, Kansas City, was southbound on Robideau Lane at a high rate of speed.
The driver attempted a left turn onto E 1400 Road.
The ATV overturned and the driver was ejected.
Zinn was transported to Research Hospital in Kansas City.
He was not wearing a helmet, according to the KHP.
The Senate race in Kansas isn’t expected to be competitive and the governor isn’t on the ballot this fall. So, the hardest fought statewide campaign might just involve four people you’ve never heard of.
For the first time ever there will be a coordinated effort to oust state Supreme Court justices.
The bad blood between the state Supreme Court and conservatives in Kansas goes back ten years to when the justices ordered the state to pump more than $500 million dollars more into public education.
Conservatives were furious and tried to amend the state Constitution to limit what the Supreme Court could do in a school finance case.
And the relationship between the two branches has continued to sour.
So much so that at the state Republican convention in Topeka May 14 the delegates voted to make ousting four high court justices a priority.
“What we’re going to see in November, without a doubt, we are going to see a tremendous amount of money spent on judicial elections — retention elections — in Kansas,” says University of Kansas political science Professor Burdett Loomis, who leans Democratic.
Republicans are now committed to booting four justices off the Supreme Court: Carol Beier, Dan Biles, Marla Luckert and Chief Justice Lawton Nuss.
Also up for retention is Justice Caleb Stegall. He was appointed by Gov. Sam Brownback so conservatives want him to stay on the bench. This complicates the campaign. It will be harder to for voters to make a distinction between Stegall and the four targeted justices.
It will be a three pronged attack.
The Republican Party will coordinate the effort.
Koch brothers interests will help fund the campaign, many expect at least a half-million dollars to be spent.
And an old high court adversary will do the field work.
Mary Kay Culp, Executive Director of Kansans for Life will help lead the effort to oust four Kansas Supreme Court justices. CREDIT SAM ZEFF
Lead by Mary Kay Culp, Kansans for Life tried to boot Justice Beier from the Bench six years ago for her votes on abortion but failed.
Culp says conservatives are mounting the campaign because of the justices opinions and votes on school finance, the death penalty and, of course, abortion.
“We passed serious laws. Laws people really care about and then you go to the courts and they say, sorry. It’s like pulling the rug from out from under you after you’ve passed these laws,” says Culp.
Culp says they’ll make phone calls, probably spend money on radio ads and send out postcards.
While this might feel like a regular political campaign, it’s far from it.
This is a retention election and that means Kansans will vote yes or no on whether these justices should keep their jobs.
But justices can’t campaign, so others have to campaign on their behalf.
“We have three branches of government in this state. Not two branches and a twig,” says Ryan Wright who is Executive Director of Kansans for Fair Courts.
Up until this year, he’s been battling attempts by the legislature to make it easier to impeach Supreme Court Justices, to defund the whole system, or restrict the authority of the chief justice.
“They’re not equipped to have a fair fight because they’re not politicians. That’s by design. We don’t want our judges to be politicians,” says Wright.
Although they used to be exactly that.
Before a scandal in 1956 justices ran in partisan elections.
Since then, after the people changed the state constitution, Kansas has used a merit selection process; a committee recommends three candidates and the governor chooses from that list.
But Brownback and legislative Republicans have suggested two alternatives; the federal system where the chief executive appoints and the senate confirms or to a system where the voting public outright elects justices.
Both, says Wright, are bad ideas.
Which brings us back to pure politics. Politicians on all sides expect this Supreme Court retention battle to get nasty.
“There’s going to be a lot of name calling. There’s going to be a lot of political posturing,” Wright says.
But the stakes couldn’t be higher.
Right now conservatives hold the governor’s office and the Legislature.
Democrats, moderate Republicans and progressives fear that losing these four high court justices would push all of state government far to the right.
Sam Zeff covers education for KCUR Follow him on Twitter @SamZeff.
WAKEENEY–The Kansas Kansas Veterans’ Cemetery at WaKeeney, 403 S. 13th St., will host its 12th annual Memorial Day Service Monday, May 30, at 10 a.m.
Guest speaker is Amanda Legleiter of the American Legion Riders who will talk about patriotism and “What Do We Do?”
The ceremony will feature VFW Post 3449 and the Kansas National Guard (Color and Honor Guard), Cavalry Re-enactment Troop (under the direction of Jake Bauer), American Legion Riders, Kregg Howell (National Anthem), Travis Phillips (Taps), Hays High Plains Barbershop Chapter Chorus (directed by Bill Scott and Don Urban), Larry Henderson (sound system, poem and musical selection), Kregg Howell and Travis Phillips (Echo Taps), Rev. Randy Gibbs (bagpipes), U.S. Army Veteran Sgt. Chris Goble (Roll Call), Yvonne and Will DeWitt (photographers), VFW Auxiliary Post 3449 (Linda Pfeifer and Ruth Critser), and Father Charlie Steier, Christ the King Church.
The cemetery north gates will be open for additional parking in Phase II behind the shelter. Handicapped parking available near the shelter area.
Seating is limited. Lawn chairs are welcome.
Donuts and coffee will be available in the Administrative Office prior to service.
Lorenzo Cain hits an eighth inning home run against the Chicago White Sox. (Photo by Jason Hanna / Kansas City Royals)
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Cheslor Cuthbert drive in the go-ahead run with an infield hit in a three-run eighth inning, and the Kansas City Royals rallied for the third straight game in a 5-4 win over the Chicago White Sox on Sunday.
Chicago wasted a 4-2 lead in the eighth after failing to protect a 5-2 seventh-inning advantage on Friday and a 7-1 ninth-inning margin on Saturday. White Sox relievers allowed 17 runs, 15 hits and eight walks over 6 1/3 innings in the three-game series, and Chicago has lost 14 of its last 18 games.
Seeking to become the major leagues’ first 10-game winner, Chris Sale left with a 4-2 lead after seven innings.
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