WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — The Wichita City Council has voted to approve the construction of a $33 million central library.
Council members voted 5-2 Tuesday. The city approved initial plans for a new library about 10 years ago and bought the land for $3.69 million in 2008.
The council will have to vote again in a few months to approve a contractor before construction begins.
Don Barry, chairman of the Wichita Public Library Foundation board of directors, said that ground could be broken on the project as early as this summer and that it could be completed in 2018.
The city will finance the library with more than $36 million in bonds, part of which will be recouped through fundraising by the library foundation.
It is unclear what will happen to the current central library building.
TOPEKA–Kansas Securities Commissioner Josh Ney and U.S. Senator Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) have teamed up for a series of public service announcements about investment fraud surrounding the release of a new ABC miniseries profiling Bernie Madoff, America’s most notorious fraud artist.
ABC’s television miniseries, titled “Madoff,” airs Wednesday, Feb. 3 and Thursday, Feb. 4 from 7-9 p.m. on local ABC providers. “There is much to be learned from this real-world story of a complex fraud that stole billions of dollars out of the pockets of real investors,” said Ney.
Josh Ney, KS Securities Commissioner
Alongside Commissioner Ney, Senator Moran feels this is an opportune time to help educate Kansans about the dangers of financial crimes. Serving on the U.S. Senate Banking Subcommittee on Securities, Insurance, and Investments, Senator Moran is involved in Congressional oversight of federal efforts to protect investors. “Financial education is an important aspect of consumer protection. I am committed to making certain Kansans have the resources necessary to be financially informed,” Senator Moran said.
The Office of the Kansas Securities Commissioner (KSC) exists to protect and inform Kansas investors. Financial crimes can be devastating, and unfortunately, they have one of the highest rates of being unreported and undetected. This is often due to the fact that it can be very embarrassing to victims to be duped by con men. Ney encourages Kansans to be on the lookout for signs that an investment may be fraudulent. Here are five red flags to watch out for when citizens are considering investing:
1. If an investment sounds too good to be true, it probably is! Be wary of investments with incredibly high returns.
2. Who is offering the investment? Is the individual registered with the KSC? If not, that could be cause for concern. Investors can check the registration status and conduct a background check on financial professionals by going to the KSC’s website: www.ksc.ks.gov/BackgroundCheck.
3. Is what is being offered exclusive, rare, or scarce? Don’t be pressured to act quickly. Take time to check out investments. As the Madoff character says in the movie trailer, “You want to know how to get people to trust you with their money? You present it as an exclusive thing.”
4. Are you really interested in the investment or are you feeling pressured that “everyone else is doing it?” A widely used persuasion tactic is social consensus, which is when one feels peer pressured into making a decision because others are doing it and not that it is necessarily in their best interest.
5. Is there a gift involved? As they say, there is no such thing as a free lunch. Be aware of situations where something is being offered for free. Don’t feel pressure to invest just because the pitch involves receiving a gift that does not come close to equaling the amount being asked to commit to.
“See how many of the above tactics Madoff uses as you watch the movie,” said Ney. “Then try and recognize these red flags when seeking out your own investment opportunities.”
State and federal authorities need your help detecting financial crimes. If you run into an investment that you believe might be a fraud, contact the KSC at 1-800-232-9580 or by email at [email protected].
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas legislators are among those in several states considering measures to prohibit local governments from refusing to cooperate with federal immigration officials.
One bill would ban so-called sanctuary cities. The other would also withdraw state funding from cities that don’t cooperate with immigration officials.
It’s the latest in a series of anti-sanctuary measures across the nation following the July killing of a San Francisco woman. The man charged is a Mexican man living in the country illegally. At least a dozen states, including Wisconsin and Florida, are considering similar legislation.
Rep. Charles Macheers, a Shawnee Republican, said he wants to ensure Kansas communities comply with federal law.
Some Kansas sheriffs began refusing immigration officials’ requests after a federal ruling in Oregon that holding a woman violated her constitutional rights.
PAWNEE COUNTY – A semi driver was injured in an accident just before 12:30p.m. on Tuesday in Pawnee County.
The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 1998 Peterbilt semi driven by William R. Holloway, 63, Kersey, CO., was eastbound on Kansas 156 three miles west of Rozel.
The vehicle went off the south side of the roadway. The driver tried to correct the vehicle back onto the highway. The vehicle’s load shifted the truck rolled into the south ditch.
Holloway was transported to Pawnee Valley Hospital in Larned and then flown to Wesley Medical Center in Wichita. He was not wearing a seat belt, according to the KHP.
MCI Terminal A Conceptual Layout; Expansion Inside the Ring- courtesy Wood Bagot- Click to ENLARGE
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — A consultant for airlines that use the Kansas City airport says a plan to renovate the airport is unacceptable.
Lou Salomon, chief operating officer of AvAirPros, said Tuesday a plan submitted by Crawford Architects did not address the airport’s future needs for such things as gates, concessions and room for larger aircraft.
City and aviation officials have been discussing for more than four years a plan to demolish the airport and replace it with a single terminal. Some citizens want to keep the current three-terminal design.
Crawford suggested expanding Terminal A and doing similar work on Terminal B in the future.
The Kansas City Star reports Salomon told the Kansas City Council’s airport committee the plan would cost about $984 million, not the $672 million estimated by Crawford.
The Kansas Department of Transportation has reopened the following roads in Kansas as of 7 p.m. CST:
* All lanes of I-70 from Salina to the Colorado border
* U.S. 40 from Sharon Springs to the Colorado border
* U.S. 83 from Oakley to Scott City
* K-27 from Goodland to Sharon Springs
WASHINGTON – Chairman Tim Huelskamp (KS-01) held his first hearing as Chairman of a Small Business Subcommittee. As chairman of the Subcommittee on Economic Growth, Tax and Capital Access, Huelskamp held a hearing titled, “SBA Management Review: Oversight of SBA’s Entrepreneurial Development Offices.”
You can watch a replay of the hearing here.
The Small Business Administration, or SBA, has the mission of aiding and counseling American entrepreneurs as they seek to start or grow their company. In the hearing, committee members examined how changes within the Offices of Entrepreneurial Development and Veteran’s Business Development will ensure that the SBA is effective in helping small firms without wasting federal funds on duplicative programs.
According to recent data, almost 600,000 Kansans are employed by small business, and 36% of Kansas businesses have fewer than 100 employees.
Huelskamp gave the following statement on his first hearing:
“As small businesses are the lifeblood of the local economy in my home district, Kansas’ Big First, I want to stress how important the SBA’s mission is and note that as Chairman of this Subcommittee I look forward to working with both my colleagues on both sides of the aisle and the SBA moving forward.
“It is an honor to now be in the Chairman’s chair to ensure entrepreneurs are able to start and grow small businesses without government interference.”
Congressman Huelskamp was named Chairman of the Small Business Committee’s Subcommittee on Economic Growth, Tax and Capital Access last month. He was also named to the influential Republican Steering Committee late last year.
WICHITA, KAN. – A retired Wichita police lieutenant who was paid $56,400 to provide armed engagement training for law enforcement officers was indicted Tuesday on charges of embezzling federal grant funds, according to U.S. Attorney Barry Grissom.
Kevin P. Vaughn, 51, Wichita, who retired in March 2015 after 28 years with the Wichita Police Department, is charged with one count of embezzling U.S. Department of Homeland Security funds, one count of mail fraud, three counts of wire fraud and one count of money laundering.
The indictment alleges Vaughn falsified reports to make it appear his company, Red Mist Tactical, had completed all of 15 eight-hour classes the company agreed to provide. The money for the training came from a grant by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security/Federal Emergency Management Agency (DHS/FEMA) to the Kansas Highway Patrol and the North Central Regional Planning Commission.
The indictment alleges Vaughn:
Falsely reported conducting training in McPherson, Kan., on May 27 and May 28, 2015. In fact, the training sessions took place on June 3 and 4, 2015, after the deadline for the training to be completed. In addition, the training sessions were four hours long, not the eight hours Vaughn’s company had agreed to provide. Vaughn submitted falsified sign-up sheets with forged officers’ signatures.
Falsely reported conducting eight hours of training on May 22, 2015, during the Wichita Police Department Ladies Range Day. In fact, the training lasted four hours and it was not approved by the police department.
Falsely reported offering training in Sumner County on April 27 and May 1, 2015. In fact, there was no training on those days. Vaughn submitted fabricated sign-up sheets for those dates.
Falsely reported offering training in Sumner County on April 20, 21, 22, 23 and 24, 2015. In fact, there was no training on those days. He submitted fabricated sign-up sheets for those dates.
LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — Kansas lawmakers are criticizing an arrangement in which the University of Kansas borrowed hundreds of millions in out-of-state bonds to build facilities without the approval of the state Legislature.
The university used Wisconsin-based Public Finance Authority to issue nearly $327 million in bonds last month and set up a private corporation to serve as the debtor so it wouldn’t have to seek legislative permission.
University officials say they followed the law.
The Wichita Eagle reports that House Republicans are drafting legislation to prevent state universities from making similar arrangements in the future.
House Speaker and Republican Rep. Ray Merrick criticized the arrangement as avoiding legislative oversight and public view.
The money will finance the construction of buildings on the Lawrence campus, including a science building, dormitory and student union.
TOPEKA, KAN. – A Topeka woman pleaded guilty Tuesday to the sex trafficking of a 17-year-old girl, according to U.S. Attorney Barry Grissom.
Tiara Jade Newman, 22, Topeka, pleaded guilty to one
count of conspiracy to commit sex trafficking. In her plea, she admitted that on March 21, 2015, she and her husband, co-defendant Reginald Newman, 29, Topeka, Kan., took a 17-year-old girl from Topeka to Junction City, Kan., for the purpose of prostitution.
The Newmans rented two rooms at a Value Place motel in Junction City. The rooms — one room for performing commercial sex acts and the other where the three slept – were rented March 21 to March 25.
On March 21, Tiara Newman and the girl met a solder from Fort Riley at the Value Place motel. The soldier paid $250 to have sex with both of them.
On March 26, Tiara Newman took the girl along on an “out call” to the Fairfield Inn in Manhattan, Kan. Newman told the customer that the girl was new and she was showing her the business. The customer noticed that the girl was nervous and gave her a tip.
Reginald Newman kept all the money from the commercial sex acts. He pleaded guilty and is set for sentencing April 1.
Tiara Newman’s sentencing is set for May 2. Newman faces a penalty of not less than 15 years and a fine up to $250,000.
Grissom thanked the following agencies for their work on the investigation: The Topeka Police Department, Homeland Security Investigations, the Riley County Police Department, the Junction City Police Department, the Kansas Department of Revenue, the Fort Riley Police Department, the Ottawa Police Department, the Shawnee County District Attorney’s Office, the Pottawatomie County Attorney, the Riley County Attorney and local human trafficking victim specialists.
Think of farmers and ranchers and this old, often forgotten tribute comes to mind. It fits farmers like seed in the soil or ranchers like a new-born calf takes to its mother’s udder.
A man’s greatest possession is his dignity and no calling bestows this more abundantly than farming. Hard work and honest sweat are the building blocks of a person’s character.
I’ve often heard friends, neighbors and family – my dad for one – quote bits and pieces of it. I’ve heard others refer to it at meetings, in church, at a sale barn, funerals and many other places where rural people live, work and congregate. It exemplifies the farm and ranch vocation. It goes something like this.
Farming and ranching, despite its hardships and disappointments, is the most honest and honorable way a man/woman can spend days on this earth. The vocation of agriculture nurtures the close family ties that make life rich in ways money can’t buy.
Children who are raised on a farm or ranch earn values that last a lifetime and that can be learned no other way. Farming and ranching provides education for life and no other occupation teaches so much about birth, growth and maturity in such a variety of ways.
Without question, many of the best things in life are free – the splendor of a sunrise, the rapture of wide open spaces, the exhilarating sight of the landscape greening each spring – true happiness comes from watching crops ripen in the field, watching children grow tall in the sun, seeing your whole family feel the pride that springs from their shared experience living, working and harvesting from the land.
Farmers and ranchers believe that through their shared vocation they are giving more to the world than they are taking from it – an honor and privilege that does not come to all men or women. Agricultural producers believe their lives will be measured ultimately by what they have done for their fellow men and women and by this standard, fear no judgment.
They believe when they grow old and sum up their days, they will stand tall and feel pride in the life they’ve lived. Farmers and ranchers believe in their vocation because it makes all of this possible.
John Schlageck, a Hoxie native, is a leading commentator on agriculture and rural Kansas.
City crews will be removing snow from the downtown area of Hays and around schools beginning tonight at 10:00 p.m.
Please remove all vehicles from on-street parking area along Main Street from 4th Street to 16th Street and side streets one block either side of Main from 6th to 13th. Snow will be bladed to the center of the street, loaded on trucks and hauled away.
City crews will also be removing snow in the same manner around schools.
WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — The Wichita City Council has voted to approve the construction of a $33 million central library.
