BAXTER SPRINGS, Kan. (AP) — A Girl Scout and two adult troop leaders have been hurt after a sport utility vehicle plowed into their cookie sales booth in southeast Kansas.
The Joplin Globe (https://bit.ly/22L0ABf ) reports that the crash happened Sunday in Baxter Springs after an 81-year-old driver lost control of the SUV. The girl who was hit was flown to Children’s Mercy Hospital in Kansas City, Missouri, with serious injuries.
Police said in a written statement that the troop leaders were treated for minor injuries. One of the leaders had tried to pull the girl out of harm’s way when she saw the SUV coming but was struck herself before she could reach the child.
Friday morning bus accident in Shawnee County-photo courtesy Topeka Capitol Journal
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — At least two students have been injured after a school bus collided with a car east of Topeka.
The Topeka Capital-Journal reports that the bus was transporting about 15 middle and high school students when the crash happened around 7 a.m. at a U.S. 40 intersection.
Shawnee Heights superintendent Marty Stessman says one student was taken to a hospital with possible leg pain. Another student also complained of injuries and was taken home by a parent.
Stessman says all other students were examined by school medical personnel.
The passenger and driver of the car also were loaded into an ambulance.
Anyone wishing to help Fort Hays State University students whose families are being affected by the wildfire that has swept areas of northern Oklahoma and south central Kansas have a couple of different options.
The FHSU Foundation has a student emergency assistance fund in place for instances such as this.
Donations can be made online at www.fhsu.edu/relief. This page also has information for students, parents, faculty and staff who may have questions about resources available.
Monetary donations are the fastest and most effective way to help, rather than material items that must be transported.
The American Red Cross out of Wichita is coordinating a general wildfire relief fund, and donations may be made at www.redcross.org.
The current President of Kansas State University Kirk Schulz is leaving Manhattan.
Schulz posted the following message on K-State’s website Friday
“K-State Faculty, Staff, and Students,
Earlier today, I accepted an offer to serve as the next President of Washington State University.
I will continue to serve as K-State President through mid-May, and will transition to Washington State in mid-June. The Kansas Board of Regents will conduct a search for an Interim President as soon as possible.
Noel and I have thoroughly enjoyed our 7 years at Kansas State — it has been an exciting time to be a Wildcat and a part of the K-State Family. Being part of transforming our multiple campuses has been the highlight of my career in higher education.
I will continue to communicate monthly with the K-State community with Letters to Campus as we finish up the 2016 Spring Semester.
The Kiwanis Club of Hays will be sponsoring its 42nd Annual Easter Egg Hunt tomorrow, Saturday, March 26, at 9:00 a.m. on the campus of Fort Hays State University. Lineup is in front of the Memorial Union.
Children ages 0-10 are welcome to come and participate. The children will be divided into 5 different age groups and egg hunting areas.
SALINE COUNTY- Law enforcement authorities in Saline County are investigating a suspect in connection with an aggravated assault with a BB-gun.
On Thursday police officers were sent to a home in the 600 block on North 12 Street in Salina just after 1 p.m. on a report of threats made with a gun, according to Captain Mike Sweeney.
When they arrived, Franklin Price, 55, tried to prevent officers from entering the home by holding the door shut.
Officers were able to make entry and learned that Price had forced his way into the home and forced a 46-year-old woman into a corner of a room and pointed a handgun at her and a 24-year-old man.
Price was booked into the Saline County Jail on requested charges of aggravated assault, obstruction, and domestic battery.
Younger performs his NSAI song entry, PatiOasis, after the announcement of his entry into the top 10.
By JAMES BELL Hays Post
There were 2,400 entries, but only one that had the had the hearts and minds of northwest Kansas – “PatiOasis” by Victoria native Blaine Younger.
The Nashville Songwriters Association International, in conjunction with Country Music Television, informed Younger Thursday he won the top prize in their 16th annual contest.
“I’m just trying to soak it all in. It’s unbelievable,” Younger said.
Younger had been promoted to the top 10 in February for his entry and was extremely grateful for supporters voting for the song in the last stage of the contest.
“I wrote the song, but I could not have done this without the supporters we gained through the Blaine Younger Band days or my huge family or all the friends spreading the word,” he said. “I got to the top 10, but that’s really what did it in the end.”
Younger had attributed the song to his time performing around Hays.
“It’s all about Hays, Kansas, if you ask me,” he said in an earlier interview. “It’s about making a Patio Oasis in your backyard, with your family and friends.”
Younger first joined NSAI a few years ago, after taking a break from music while living in the Kansas City area.
Before the move, he was a well known fixture of the northwest Kansas music scene, heading the Blaine Younger Band for about five years.
With the win under his belt, Younger plans to continue songwriting as he takes advantage of the perks of being the contest winner.
Among the prizes are a NSAI residency package, a $5,000 cash prize, a single song contract with EMI Records and mentoring sessions with CMT and Eric Paslay.
For more music, or to follow Younger’s musical endeavorers visit his facebook page.
PRATT – Now through the end of March, spring turkey hunters can save by buying their combination turkey permit/game tags before the start of the season. Discounts range from $2.50 to $20, depending on the combo purchased. Spring turkey permit/game tag combos are offered at the following rates through March 31:
Resident Youth Combo (2 birds): $12.50 – save $2.50
General Resident Combo (2 birds): $37.50 – save $7.50
Landowner/Tenant Combo (2 birds): $20.00 – save $12.50
Nonresident Youth Combo (2 birds): $22.50 – save $2.50
Nonresident Combo (2 birds): $87.50 – save $7.50
Nonresident Tenant Combo (2 birds): $45.00 – save $20.00
After March 31, hunters must purchase permits separately at the regular price. A turkey permit or game tag is valid for one bearded turkey
Any individual who has purchased a spring turkey permit is also eligible for one spring turkey game tag. Spring game tags are valid for Units 1, 2, 3, 5 and 6. Youth permits are valid statewide, including Unit 4.
Hunters who drew a Unit 4 (southwest Kansas) spring turkey permit earlier this year may also use their Unit 4 permit in adjacent Units 1, 2 and 5.
The 2016 Kansas spring turkey season will kick off with the youth and disabled season April 1- 12, followed by the archery season April 4-12, and regular firearm season April 13-May 31.
During the youth/disabled/archery season, hunters 16 and younger and hunters with disabilities may hunt with any legal equipment, including shotguns, bows and crossbows. Youth hunters must be supervised by an adult during the youth season.
Photo by Stephen Koranda/Kansas Public Radio Sen. Greg Smith, an Olathe Republican, gained praise from colleagues for his efforts to shepherd a juvenile justice overhaul bill through the Kansas Senate.
The House and Senate have sent Gov. Sam Brownback a bill that would remake juvenile justice by reducing punishments for less serious offenses.
Senate Bill 367 would set limits on youth incarceration and probation, direct state officials to come up with a consistent system of consequences for technical parole violations and reduce the use of juvenile detention, among other changes.
Supporters charged that the state was locking up too many low-level young offenders without evidence that doing so improved their outcomes. Some of the bill’s provisions came from recommendations by a workgroup of legislators and staff in the juvenile justice system, as well as researchers from the Pew Charitable Trust.
Senator Greg Smith, an Overland Park Republican, said the House extended some time limits, clarified that programs for young offenders should be evidence-based and added a “lockbox” provision to ensure that savings from reduced incarceration rates would go toward community-based programs.
“Some of them are good amendments that I think made the bill even stronger,” he said. The bill “provides a shining example for the rest of the United States of what we can do in juvenile justice.”
The House passed the version of the bill that emerged from conference committee on a 118-5 vote. The Senate passed it unanimously, 40-0.
If Brownback signs the bill as written, the courts have a short timeline to comply. All members of a 19-member committee to oversee juvenile justice reform would have to be appointed by Sept. 1 and meet within two months, and the Kansas Supreme Court and Department of Corrections would need to develop a system of graduated responses to technical parole violations by Jan. 1.
The bill passed with the following changes:
The Department of Corrections could only contract for 50 beds in group homes, and would have to first contract with homes that have low recidivism rates. Department of Corrections spokesman Adam Pfannenstiel said he believes that number will be “more than adequate.”
Case length limits wouldn’t apply to youths convicted of the most serious offenses, and courts would have the option to extend jurisdiction until a young offender’s 23rd birthday. Youths who violate the conditions of their juvenile sentences still could be sentenced as adults under extended jurisdiction. The original bill ended extended jurisdiction and limited case length for almost all offenses.
The court can extend probation for “good cause.” The normal probation limit for low- and moderate-risk offenders would be six months, with a nine-month limit for youths at a high risk of reoffending. The court could extend probation by one month for low-risk offenders, three months for moderate-risk ones and six months for high-risk ones.
Diversion programs will last six months rather than four months.
The maximum time youths can spend in detention was extended from 30 days in the original bill to 45 days. Currently, there is no limit.
Probation officers can issue a warrant, rather than a summons, if a youth had technical parole violations and was determined to be likely to place property at risk. The bill originally would have allowed a warrant only if the youth was a danger to others.
The duties of the committee overseeing juvenile justice reform would include looking into the idea of granting youths speedy trial rights, investigating gaps in the system and seeking alternative placements for youths in group homes.
Megan Hart is a reporter for KHI News Service in Topeka, a partner in the Heartland Health Monitor team. You can reach her on Twitter @meganhartMC
SURPRISE, Ariz. — (AP) – Kansas City Royals reliever Tim Collins will need Tommy John surgery for the second time.
The team said Thursday he tore his elbow tendon again while rehabbing. The Royals had been optimistic he would return in May. Then he experienced soreness while throwing recently and the team ordered an MRI.
The 26-year-old left-hander has not pitched since Game 6 of the 2014 World Series. His initial reconstructive elbow surgery came during last spring training.
Collins led American League relievers with 93 strikeouts in 2012 and was 12-17 with a 3.54 in 228 bullpen appearances over four seasons. He is to make $1.48 million this year.
Asst. Public Works Director John Braun answers questions about the new snow broom for the airport.
By BECKY KISER Hays Post
By the next snowfall season, the Hays Regional Airport should have a new snow broom to use in cleaning snow from the runways, taxiways and apron areas.
City commissioners Thursday night voted to authorize staff to submit an application for federal assistance for purchase of a snow broom and accept the low bid of $157,524 from M-B Companies, Inc. of Chilton, Wisconsin. The purchase is contingent upon a Federal Aviation Administration grant offer.
A snow broom is eligible for FAA Airport Improvement Program funding, which covers 90 percent of eligible costs, according to Assistant Public Works Director John Braun.
Although the airport now has jet service provided by SkyWest, that change is not the reason for the new, larger snow broom, Braun explained.
“It’s based on Hays having commercial air service, period. We fall into a certain category of airport with the FAA, with requirements to remove one inch of wet snow or three inches of dry snow within an hour after the snowfall stops,” he said.
“Based on the prime areas we have to clean as required by the FAA, this broom is what will do the job.”
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