WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — A Wichita man will serve five years of probation for defrauding customers and can no longer work in the homebuilding business.
The Sedgwick County District Attorney’s office says 44-year-old Brett Horth was sentenced Wednesday and ordered to repay $344,236. He could be sent to prison for one year and four months if he doesn’t repay the money or follow his probation terms.
The Wichita Eagle reports Horth pleaded guilty in February to two counts of felony theft for keeping money paid by homeowners for subcontracting work.
Most of the fraud occurred last year, when Horth ran Dream Life Homes and built houses in Andover, Colwich, Derby, Garden Plain, Goddard, Park City, Pratt and Wichita. Eleven homeowners were affected.
TOPEKA – Attorney General Derek Schmidt has filed the legislative response to the Kansas Supreme Court’s school district equity ruling earlier this year in Gannon v. Kansas, according to a media release.
Schmidt, on behalf of the State, officially transmitted to the Supreme Court Senate Substitute for House Bill 2655, which is the Legislature’s response to the Supreme Court’s ruling in February that the distribution of school funds was unconstitutionally inequitable. Governor Sam Brownback on Thursday signed the bill into law.
Because the Court directed the Legislature to show how it analyzed and considered the Constitution’s requirements when crafting this bill, Schmidt also filed with the Court the legislative history of the bill, except the legislative committee minutes, which will be filed after they are adopted and approved in official form.
Schmidt requested that the Supreme Court expedite its review of the bill because of the Court’s threat to close public schools July 1 if the constitutional defects identified in the law are not remedied.
“There is clearly no need to order the schools to close, and we are asking the Court to act quickly so that worry can be eliminated as soon as possible for educators, parents and schoolchildren throughout our state,” Schmidt said.
DETROIT (AP) — Hyundai is recalling 173,000 Sonata midsize cars in the U.S. because the power steering can fail, making them harder to steer.
The recall covers Sonatas from the 2011 model year when the car was Hyundai’s top-selling U.S. vehicle.
The company says in government documents that the computer circuit board in the power steering control unit can become damaged. If that happens, the cars would still have manual steering, but it would take more effort to turn the cars and could cause a wreck.
If the control unit fails, drivers would see a warning light on the dashboard.
Hyundai says it’s not aware of any crashes or injuries from the problem. The company started investigating the problem in March of 2015 after getting warranty claims.
Investigators found the circuit boards could fail over time when exposed to the environment.
The recalled cars were built from Dec. 11, 2009 to Oct. 31, 2010. Cars built after that had an improved protective coating over the circuit board.
Hyundai will notify owners and dealers will replace the control unit at no cost to owners starting May 30.
KANSAS CITY, Kan. (AP) — Authorities suspect a hit-and-run driver may have killed a man in Kansas City, Kansas.
Police Chief Terry Zeigler announced Thursday that the death of the victim has been ruled a homicide. The Kansas City Star reports that police think the man may have been struck by a vehicle that left the scene before officers arrived Wednesday.
There is no description of the vehicle. The identity of the victim wasn’t immediately released.
Helen A. Keller, age 79, of Palco, passed away Thursday, April 7, 2016 at Via Christi Village, Hays.
Funeral services will be 10:30 AM Monday, April 11, 2016 at St. John Lutheran Church located 7 1/2 miles North of Ellis.
Visitation will be Sunday 4 PM – 8 PM at Keithley Funeral Chapel 400 E 17th Street Ellis, KS 67637. and Monday 9:30 AM until service time at the church.
A prayer service will be 7 PM Sunday at the funeral chapel.
The Hays Public Library will host an event with Eric McHenry, Poet Laureate of Kansas, at 7 p.m. Friday in the library’s Schmidt Gallery. Members of the community are invited to attend the free program. Contact the Hays Public Library at (785) 625-9014 for more information. The program is made possible by the Kansas Humanities Council.
In addition to the poetry presentation at 7 p.m., Mr. McHenry will also be leading a poetry workshop at 4 p.m. in the library’s Schmidt Gallery. This workshop is free and open to teens and adults.
McHenry is a nationally known poet and associate professor of English at Washburn University in Topeka. His work has been featured in publications such as Poetry International, Slate, Yale Review, and Topeka magazine, among many others. He also contributes poetry reviews for the New York Times and Columbia magazine. Odd Evening, his third book of poems, will be published by Waywiser Press in 2016.
A fifth-generation Topeka native, McHenry has been nominated for the Pushcart Prize for poetry seven times and received the Theodore Roethke Prize in 2011. His first book of poems, Potscrubber Lullabies, earned him the prestigious Kate Tufts Discovery Award in 2007, the largest American prize for a first book of poetry.
McHenry will be presenting his own poetry.
“There’s a popular perception that contemporary poetry is obscure and hard to understand,” said McHenry. “I’d like to share some poems that defy that stereotype, and to talk about how poetry can achieve a special kind of clarity not found in any other kind of writing.”
As Poet Laureate of Kansas, McHenry promotes the humanities as a public resource for all Kansans through public readings, presentations, and discussions about poetry in communities across the state.
The Kansas Humanities Council conducts and supports community-based programs, serves as a financial resource through an active grant-making program, and encourages Kansans to engage in the civic and cultural life of their communities. For more information about KHC programs contact the Kansas Humanities Council at 785/357-0359 or visit online at www.kansashumanities.org.
For more information about Eric McHenry’s visit in Hays contact the Hays Public Library at 785-625-9014 or visit hayspubliclibrary.org
WICHITA — The six Farm Credit Associations of Kansas and CoBank Wednesday announced their intent to donate $138,000 to the Kansas Livestock Foundation, to aid rebuilding efforts following the recent wildfires in South Central Kansas. The Kansas Livestock Foundation is the charitable arm of the Kansas Livestock Association (KLA), a Topeka-based grassroots organization of livestock producers. All donated funds will be used to provide assistance to ranchers affected by the wildfire, through the purchase of fencing supplies, feed and other critical items needed to recover, and rebuild following the disaster.
Denver-based CoBank, a cooperative bank serving agribusiness, rural infrastructure providers and Farm Credit Associations, will match contributions made by the Farm Credit Associations of Kansas—American AgCredit, Farm Credit of Ness City, Farm Credit of Southwest Kansas, Farm Credit of Western Kansas, Frontier Farm Credit, and High Plains Farm Credit for a total contribution of $138,000. The six farmer-owned Farm Credit Associations of Kansas provide financing and related services to rural communities and agriculture throughout Kansas, and have a long history of partnering with the KLA on important matters impacting agriculture throughout the state.
The Anderson Creek fire is the largest wildfire in Kansas history. The fire started in Northern Oklahoma and quickly spread into South Central Kansas, burning nearly 400,000 acres, or roughly 620 square miles, along with hay reserves, fences, outbuildings and other personal property. At the same time, other fires burning in Reno and Harvey Counties caused considerable damage to fencing and grasslands as well.
“On behalf of the more than 15,000 customer-owners of Farm Credit throughout Kansas, we are pleased to join our friends and neighbors to support the rebuilding efforts after these devastating fires, said Greg Reno, senior vice president for American AgCredit. Farm Credit has been a part of rural Kansas for the past 100 years, and we hope our contribution will help families impacted by the wildfire preserve their legacy for the generations to come.”
“The recent wildfires throughout Kansas have had a devastating impact on the state’s agricultural industry,” said Alan Woodard, regional vice president, CoBank. “CoBank is proud to stand with our Farm Credit partners, in the best cooperative tradition, to support the industry and the people of Kansas and to aid in the recovery efforts.”
PLAINVILLE – People near and far are claiming seats and full tables for eight to attend Rookstock on April 30 just outside of Plainville. Tickets to the first ever Rookstock, an evening of dinner, live music and fundraising, are selling quickly with purchases from those near and far including Denver, Kansas City, Iowa and Pennsylvania.
Tickets are required in advance for the outdoor evening event featuring a number of entertainers with Rooks County ties. Entertainers for the evening include: blues guitarist Jimmy Lewin and the Kingtones; John Brust; country rockers Lucas Maddy and The Kansas Cartel; and The Vocal Chords , a physician quartet comprised of Dr. Jen Brull, Dr. Lynn Fisher, Dr. Beth Oller and Dr. Dan Sanchez.
Rounding out the entertainment is a live and silent auction boasting something for everyone including vacation getaways to Colorado and Vermont, club level seats to the Denver Broncos and Kansas City Chiefs football game in Denver next fall, baskets filled with items from Rooks County communities and a surprise auction item. Attendees will enjoy a hog roast dinner and full service cash bar.
Tickets will remain on sale until April 8 and can be secured from Rooks County Health Center or by calling Eric Sumearll, Executive Director of Rooks County Healthcare Foundation and Rookstock organizer at 785-688-4428.
Proceeds from Rookstock benefit the second phase of RCH’s expansion plans, which is the addition of five new patient rooms and a dedicated Rehabilitation Center with curbside parking access. The Rehabilitation Center will house RCH’s Cardiac Rehab, Physical Therapy, Occupational Therapy and Speech Therapy departments. It will also include a zero-entry aquatic therapy pool with treadmill floor as well as indoor walking track with a rubberized surface.
More information about Rookstock can be found online at Rookstock.com or by contacting the Rooks County Healthcare Foundation 785-688-4428.
DODGE CITY, Kan. – The Hays High softball team opened up Western Athletic Conference play with a pair of wins in Dodge City Thursday. The Indians hit five home runs in an 18-5 rout in game one then raced out to an 8-0 lead after two innings and won the second contest 13-7 as they improve to 5-1 on the season and 2-0 in the Western Athletic Conference.
Tessa Stickel and Albany Schaffer both hit two home runs in the opener and Nicole Dinkel added a three-run shot in the Indians 10-run seventh. Kaitlyn Brown strikes out seven and walks three allowing just two earned runs in the complete game victory.
Schaffer and Kaitlyn Brown both had three of the Indians 15 hits in the second game. Brown drove in three and Stickel homered. Jaysa Wichers picks up the win allowing five runs on 10 hits with five strikeouts and three walks.
The Indians are back in action Friday with a doubleheader at Salina South.
DODGE CITY, Kan. – The TMP-Marian girls’ soccer team edged Dodge City 1-0 Thursday in Dodge City. Ashlyy Ostrander scored the lone goal in the 57th minute on an assist from Megan Koeningsman.
The Monarchs controlled the ball much of the match and had seven shots on goal and nine corner kicks.
Doenna Wellbrock had five saves in goal as TMP-Marian improves to 3-1 on the season.
Asst. City Manager Jacob Wood presented a review of state and city laws regarding alcohol in public places.
By BECKY KISER Hays Post
It’s been deemed a success. The first-ever “Beer on the Bricks” last Saturday brought an estimated crowd of 600 to 700 people to downtown Hays. But the event for which tickets to taste various micro-brews sold out in just four hours, nearly didn’t happen.
The myriad of state and local laws regarding the sale, possession and consumption of alcoholic beverages on public property required the city to lease the staging area–a parking lot–to the Downtown Hays Development Corporation which was completely blocked off from the surrounding area.
“Our local Kansas Alcohol Beverage Agent (ABC) told us that it is likely the option of leasing public property to a private entity in order to include alcohol at an event will not be allowed in the future,” Assistant City Manager Jacob Wood told city commissioners Thursday night during their work session.
“When property is leased, a special event permit is not allowed. This means the event would fall under other alcohol
licensing requirements that are more stringent than what is allowed under a special event permit,” Wood explained. He reviewed three options available to the city that would allow alcohol on public property:
• Approving an ordinance that would exempt specific areas permanently
• Approving exemption ordinances for special events on a case by case basis
• Approving an ordinance that would give the City Manager administrative authority to exempt public property for special events
Commissioners agreed the third option was the best after Mayor Eber Phelps asked City Manager Toby Dougherty if he wanted to make those decisions.
“I don’t have a problem with that,” Dougherty replied, “and you guys (city commissioners) can always override the city manager.”
“Let’s say the DHDC came in and wanted to have Brews on the Bricks next year and the city manager declined it. There can always be an appeal to the city commission to modify the ordinance,” he explained.
That answer satisfied Phelps’s concerns.
“What I was looking at was one person being given that authority and he might deny somebody. Then we might get this whole quandary, difficult situation at hand,” Phelps said. “But you’re saying there is a mechanism in place where they can come talk to the commission….I like it.”
Vice-Mayor Shaun Musil, who had asked for the discussion several weeks ago, pointed out the city manager would have insight into why a request might be denied.
“For example, let’s say something comes up and you just know it wont’ work for our police department to be able to manage it because they’re short staffed or something else is going on. You would know that more than we would,” Musil said.
The property lease scenario has only happened a couple of times in the past 10 years that Dougherty could recall.
Public parks in Hays are exempt from the state law. An ordinance passed by the city commission in the 1970s, according to Wood’s research, allows alcohol consumption in city parks.
DHDC President Sandy Jacobs told city commissioners the group feared Brews on the Bricks would have to be cancelled because it might not be able to comply with alcoholic beverage laws in Kansas.
“I want the commission to know what a great job city staff, the parks department and Police Chief Don Scheibler did for us,” DHDC President Sandy Jacobs said. “This event would not have happened if they hadn’t decided it was going to happen.”
The agenda item will move on to next Thursday’s regular city commission meeting.
Commissioner Henry Schwaller was absent from the work session.
According to the Hays Fire Department, fire hydrant testing originally scheduled for Tuesday of this week will be completed Friday, April 8.
HFD will be inspecting fire hydrants and flushing water mains in the area of Canterbury Drive east to Wheatland Ave. between 22nd Street and 13th Street, and 6th Street south to 4th Street between Riley and Vine Street and Vine Street to General Custer between 8th Street and Reservation Rd.
This is part of a coordinated effort by the city of Hays to inspect all fire hydrants in the city and flush all water mains annually.
Denver-based CoBank, a cooperative bank serving agribusiness, rural infrastructure providers and Farm Credit Associations, will match contributions made by the Farm Credit Associations of Kansas—American AgCredit, Farm Credit of Ness City, Farm Credit of Southwest Kansas, Farm Credit of Western Kansas, Frontier Farm Credit, and High Plains Farm Credit for a total contribution of $138,000. The six farmer-owned Farm Credit Associations of Kansas provide financing and related services to rural communities and agriculture throughout Kansas, and have a long history of partnering with the KLA on important matters impacting agriculture throughout the state.
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