HUTCHINSON – A Kansas teen was acknowledged on Thursday for his honesty and integrity for turning in a large sum of money he found.
Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Detective Jason Burley went to Hutchinson High School and awarded Jaydon Maldonado a Certificate of Commendation and a Challenge Coin from the Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office, according to a report on social media.
In early August Jaydon’s stepfather contacted the sheriff’s office after Jaydon found a large sum of money in the disability section at Intrust Bank Arena following the Lady Antebellum concert on July 25.
Jaydon found $900.00 lying on the ground and he turned it in to Intrust so the owner could reclaim the money.
Any Kansan paying the least bit of attention knows that right-wing Republicans have wrecked state finance through deficit spending, unfair taxes, and excessive debt. Evidence continues to mount that these same ideologues are inflicting costly damage on the administration of state government.
Recent press reports document administrative breakdowns across a number of state agencies. Deficient staffing, inadequate security, and a reported rape at Osawatomie State Hospital led federal officials to decertify the hospital and withdraw up to $1 million a month in federal funds.
H. Edward Flentje is professor emeritus at Wichita State University.
Hospital inspectors reported that “the systemic failure to supervise the provision of care, to perform required safety checks and to protect suicidal patients from hanging risks placed all patients receiving services at risk for harm.” Delayed admissions to the hospital are also shifting the financial burden for high-risk patient care onto local hospitals.
Budget cuts and insufficient staffing at state correctional institutions and the Highway Patrol threaten public safety. Excessive job vacancies at Larned State Hospital are resulting in unprecedented spending on overtime. One-quarter of the social work staff in the Department of Children and Families left their jobs last year requiring employees without credentials to do the work.
KanCare administrators continue to tangle legitimate claims from local hospitals and providers in red tape and delay payments. The Department of Administration mistakenly sent out an email notifying 3800 current and former state employees that they had been fired.
Consultants hired to find “efficiencies” in state government also identified a litany of administrative shortcomings in state administration, for example:
failure to fill vacant positions, specifically 14 tax auditors and 54 tax collectors in the revenue department, has resulted in revenue losses of $60 million a year;
36 inefficient state and state-funded operations located primarily in rural communities could be closed at a saving of $9 million a year;
unqualified personnel in state purchasing is costing $5 million a year;
poor coordination, turnover, and unskilled staff hinders progress in the effective use of information technology and results in lost productivity;
more effective administration of state-owned and rented vehicles could save $1 million a year;
administration of child support enforcement lags behind other states and is costing $600 thousand each year;
The list goes on.
The consultants conclude by highlighting a broken budget process that reflects the state’s dismal bond rating, “one of the least favorable for state governments in the United States.”
Governor Sam Brownback and his lock-step legislative allies have now had five years to demonstrate that they could govern, and they are failing. The ideological fog in which they operate is undermining the effective and efficient administration of state government. Top officials, chosen for political connections rather than merit, are often the root of the problem. Well qualified and experienced appointees are jumping ship. Budget reductions imposed on agencies to pay for reckless tax cuts exacerbate the problem.
As administrative incompetence mounts, Kansas taxpayers foot the bills. But the real losers are the state’s most vulnerable residents and members of the public whose health and safety depend on the delivery of high-quality public services every day.
That is too high a price to pay.
H. Edward Flentje is professor emeritus at Wichita State University.
Fort Hays State University Marketing and Relations
Ten students have been selected to represent Fort Hays State University at the Capitol Graduate Research Summit, Tuesday, Feb. 2, and Undergraduate Research Day at the Capitol, Thursday, Feb. 18, in Topeka.
Participants share their research posters with state legislators and members of the Kansas Board of Regents.
The top graduate presenter from each university will receive a $500 scholarship sponsored by the participating institutions. BioKansas also awards a scholarship to the top research poster presenter.
The five graduates representing FHSU are listed by hometown, poster title and advisor:
Kaitlin Moore, Concordia, “Isolation of Soil Bacillus (spp) with Inhibitory Effects on Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus (MRSA)” Dr. Eric Gillock, professor of biological sciences.
Thomas Buskuskie, Hays, “Osteohistology of Nibrarasaurus Coleii,” Dr. Laura Wilson, associate professor of geosciences.
Cory Keehn, Hays, “Qualities and Strategies of Fort Hays State University Peer Mentors,” Dr. Brent Goertzen, professor of leadership studies.
Brendon McCampbell, Hays, “Organismal Composition and Photosynthetic Traits of Biological Soil Crusts in Prairie Ecosystems of the Great Plains,” Dr. Brian Maricle, associate professor of biological sciences.
Andrew Christiano, Vancouver, Wash., “A Stratigraphic Description of Cambrian-Pennsylvanian Deposits Using Geophysical Well Logs — Well Cutting Analysis,” Dr. Hendratta Ali, assistant professor of geosciences.
Undergraduates who will represent FHSU are listed by hometown, classification, poster title and research mentor:
Hannah Speer, Dighton, senior, “Pig Growth and Development Based on Differing Swine Rations,” Dr. Robert Keener, associate professor of agriculture.
Chelsea Wheeler, Hays, senior, “Perceptions and Decisions Made by Jury Members on Educator-Student Sexual Abuse,” Dr. John Raacke, associate professor of criminal justice.
Joshua McDowell, Lebanon, senior, “Undergraduate Perceptions of Interpersonal Violence,” Dr. Tamara J. Lynn, associate professor of criminal justice, and co-investigators Madison Bainter, Hays, junior, and Abigail Hammeke, Great Bend.
Lia Boese, Ottawa, freshman, “Effects of Triclosan Concentration on Growth Rate of Lemna Minor,” Maricle.
Taylor Willits, Ozawkie, junior, “Facial Recognition of Dark Triad Traits and the Link to Prenatal Androgen Exposure,” Dr. Trey Hill, associate professor of psychology, and co-investigator Arianne Fisher, Plainville, senior.
Malvin O. Wells, age 93, passed away on Monday, January 25, 2016 in Ordway, Colorado. Malvin was born January 24, 1923 in Elk County, Kansas, the son of William H. & Alice (Fraiz) Wells. A lifetime resident of western Kansas, he was a farmer.
Malvin was a member of the First Baptist Church in Scott City, Kansas and served on the Board of Directors for the Scott County High School Reunions.
On April 26, 1942 he married Edith Wren in Scott City, Kansas. Edith passed away on July 19, 2006 in Scott City.
Malvin’s surviving family includes-
Three Children-
Virgil Wells- Ordway, Colorado
Darrell Wells- Bullhead City, Arizona
Ruth Riedl- Scott City, Kansas
Three sisters-
Wilma Baker- Scott City, Kansas
Charlotte Holmes- San Diego, California
Aleta Barrows- Ness City, Kansas
Ten grandchildren, Fifteen great grandchildren and Three Great Great Grandchildren
A son, DeWayne E. Wells, a grand daughter, Pearl Sue Riedl, three sisters and three brothers precede him in death.
Services will be held at 11:00 AM Saturday, January 30, 2016 at the Scott County Cemetery in Scott City, Kansas with Chaplin Ken West officiating.
In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorials be given and mailed to the Arkansas Valley Hospice
PO 408
La Junta, Colorado 81050.
Friends may call from 10:00 am until 8:00 pm Friday at Price & Sons Funeral Home in Scott City, Kansas.
LARNED, Kan. (AP) — The Kansas Department of Corrections says an autopsy shows that an inmate convicted of killing two children in 1986 died of unspecified natural causes.
The Topeka Capital-Journal says Nolan Prewett was 66 when he died Jan. 10 at the Larned Correctional Mental Health Facility.
Prewett was serving time for crimes linked to the July 1986 suffocation deaths in Topeka of 3-year-old Shavon Mahomes and her half-sister, 6-year-old Shannon Mahomes. Their bodies were found in a home’s basement.
Prewett was convicted of two counts each of first-degree murder, aggravated kidnapping, aggravated criminal sodomy, rape and enticement of a child.
He received two life sentences to be served simultaneously.
LOGAN COUNTY – A Gove County man was injured in an accident just after 2 a.m. on Friday in Logan County.
The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2006 Ford Mustang driven by Austin James, Beckman, 22, Grinnell, was eastbound on Interstate 70 just west of the U.S. 40 Junction.
The driver lost control of vehicle. It traveled into south ditch and rolled.
Beckman was transported to the Logan County Hospital. He was not wearing a seat belt, according to the KHP.
In an effort to help some students get acclimated to college Fort Hays State University will host the Hispanic College Institute this June.
According to the university, the four-day, residential program is aimed at preparing high school Hispanic and Latino students in Kansas to enter and succeed in higher education.
Mirta Martin, FHSU president, recently told the Kansas Information Network that she first launched this program during her time in Virginia and it was a success.
“It is designed to allow our students, especially first-generation students to navigate the American educational system so they now how they can enroll in college,” Martin added “more importantly how they can succeed and graduate from college.”
During the program student will get an opportunity to meet with Hispanic leaders, mentors and role models, learn about the college admission process, meet with FHSU admissions and financial aid representatives and write a college application essay while staying on the FHSU campus.
With the growing Hispanic population in Kansas Martin said, “it was time for us to do it.”
The program is free for Hispanic and Latino high school sophomores (Class of 2018) or juniors (Class of 2017) from Kansas. It will be held June 22nd through the 25th.
For more information and to fill out an application go to https://www.fhsu.edu/hci/.
WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — A 27-year-old woman has been arrested after police say she stole items from a west Wichita Wal-Mart and led officers on a chase.
Wichita police Lt. Randy Reynolds says an officer pulled over a car for driving erratically and not using headlights around 11:20 p.m. Wednesday. The officer learned that the vehicle matched the description of one used by a shoplifter at an area Wal-Mart.
When the officer asked the woman to step out, she drove away. Reynolds says a short chase ensued before the woman turned into a cul-de-sac and crashed.
The Wichita Eagle reports that the officer found her 2-year-old daughter unrestrained in the back seat, along with evidence linking her to the shoplifting incident and drug paraphernalia.
Jana’s Campaign Inc., a Hays, Kansas-based, national education and gender violence prevention organization is embarking on a national fundraising effort to raise $500,000 over the next eighteen months.
Representatives of Jana’s Campaign explained the fundraising effort is called “The IMPACT Project” because funds will be used to expand the impact of their violence prevention work.
Jana Mackey
Jana’s Campaign was created in honor of Jana Mackey who lost her life to domestic violence in 2008. Mackey, a Hays High School graduate, was a 25-year-old law student at the University of Kansas at the time of her death.
“It is our goal to move our work to the next level and to create greater impact,” said Kelley Parker, executive director of Jana’s Campaign.
“The IMPACT Project will allow us to improve and expand our prevention efforts in middle and high schools, colleges and universities, as well as with our community-wide programming activities,” Parker said.
“I am happy to announce that because of early contributions, we have collected $120,000 towards our goal.”
The fundraising effort is being led by two co-chairs, Hays residents Mia Lang and Curt Brungardt.
Curt Brungardt and Mia Lang, co-chairs
Lang is a ten-year-old fourth grader from Holy Family Elementary school. Over the last two years, Lang has been very active and successful in fundraising for Jana’s Campaign. Curt Brungardt is a faculty member at Fort Hays State University and co-founder of Jana’s Campaign. Over the past five years, Brungardt has served as president of the board of directors before stepping down in August 2015.
In the past three years, Jana’s Campaign has worked with more than 140 Kansas middle and high schools, as well as 148 colleges and universities from around the country to help prevent and respond to gender and relationship violence. Funds raised through The IMPACT Project will continue this critical work in Kansas and neighboring states.
What was once a bowling alley, then a thrift shop, the home of the Hays Community Theatre and now the Platinum Group – a new real estate agency – has found a home in the Chestnut Street District at 116 E. 11th. But getting the historic Hays building ready for modern use took vision and an almost unbelievable amount of work.
The building, along with the agency, are owned by real estate agent Adam Pray.
“We toured the building. There was plenty of space, and I just felt like it had a lot of potential,” Pray said.
After the tour, Pray knew this would be an ideal location for the agency.
“Downtown Hays, it is a very desirable place,” Pray said. “A lot of people enjoy being downtown. You’ve got just about anything you might want here in Hays.”
After touring the building, Pray began the process of trying to secure ownership of the building, a process completed just a few months later.
“We were fortunate enough to get it,” Pray said, noting there were several offers on the table for the building.
After the purchase, the HCT began working on the building, the first permanent home for the group. During the process HCT volunteer Stephen Brummer from SJB Designs came to Pray’s attention, a meeting that would shape the overall design of the building for both Pray and the Theatre.
“He introduced himself and said that he had the ability to do it,” Pray said, after talking to him more he found his ideas intriguing. “He had a lot of great ideas, that some of the other contractors didn’t have.”
“When it came down to it, he said, ‘Brummer, I think you’re the guy to do this,'” Brummer said.
And so the major work began.
The theatre group worked for months getting the larger open east side space ready — with a volunteer effort. During that process, a new wall was put in place to separate their space from the smaller offices that would be the home to the Platinum Group.
“They have a long-term contract with Adam to be able to be here,” Brummer said. “It will be a good start-up system for them.”
“Right away, we came in and started measuring out to depict how the theatre group could set up shop for them and, as I met Adam and we started talking about his possible uses for the building, right away I started conceptual plans for the whole building. And that’s when we started talking about the idea of creating seven offices,” he said.
The two sides are still somewhat joined as a sliding door opens up the office space to the theatre side, giving access to the only staircase leading downstairs. A separate stair system is planned to allow the HCT access.
The connection will allow Pray and his team to use the space, as well.
“Adam’s vision is to come in here and provide seminars or conferences. Now he’s got the space to incorporate that,” Brummer said.
The theatre side retained much of the same basic outline and openness from the ARC, but the transformation on the office side is much more significant.
“When they first bought it, it had the ugly vinyl floors and there was a glass atrium,” Brummer said, both of which were removed during construction.
One of the first major projects in the building was the replacing of the floors.
“Which helped the theatre side get their facility set up to where they could use it, but it made a little more work,” as the floor needed protected during construction, Brummer said.
To match the new floor, a much more dramatic ceiling was created.
“The original ceiling was about 10.5 feet tall. We came in and just started going by layer tearing out ceiling,” he said. The final ceiling is open to the top of the building, showing the original bracing from the building’s construction in the late 1930s.
Now that the major construction is complete, the building has a completely new feel, thanks to significant – but rewarding – effort.
“It’s a fun project, it’s neat to be able to see how it’s transformed from 1750 square feet of open space to 750 square feet of office space,” Brummer said.
Pray also shared the enthusiam after he has been able to relax in the new office space and reflect.
“It’s been one of the best construction experiences I’ve ever had.”
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Donald Trump’s absence from Thursday night’s debate put the spotlight on rivals Ted Cruz and Marco Rubio, who needs a strong showing in Iowa in order to stay in the top tier of candidates. The two senators were confronted with video clips suggesting they had changed their positions on immigration, one of the most contentious issues among Republicans. Each insisted the other had flip-flopped, and denied they had switched their own views allowing some people in the U.S. illegally to stay.
Today Sunny, with a high near 63. Southwest wind 6 to 11 mph becoming north northwest 13 to 18 mph in the afternoon. Winds could gust as high as 28 mph. Tonight Mostly clear, with a low around 29. Northwest wind 5 to 7 mph becoming southwest after midnight.
SaturdayMostly sunny, with a high near 59. Light southwest wind becoming south 10 to 15 mph in the morning.
Saturday NightPartly cloudy, with a low around 31. Blustery, with a light and variable wind becoming north 15 to 20 mph after midnight.
SundayPartly sunny, with a high near 49. Northwest wind 7 to 17 mph.
Sunday NightA 30 percent chance of snow after midnight. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 30.
MondayA 50 percent chance of snow. Cloudy, with a high near 37. Breezy.
Monday NightSnow likely. Cloudy, with a low around 25. Very windy. Chance of precipitation is 70%.
TuesdayA 50 percent chance of snow. Cloudy, with a high near 30. Very windy.
HUTCHINSON – Law enforcement authorities in Reno County are investigating an attack on a convenience store clerk and robbery.
Hutchinson Police are asking the public’s help in identifying those who may have robbed the Kwik Shop located at 43rd and Plum Wednesday morning, according to a media release.
Three white males at gunpoint robbed the convenience store.
The clerk was compliant, however she was still severely beaten.
The suspects took an undetermined amount of money and tobacco products then fled the store on foot.
Police are asking for your help capturing these extremely dangerous suspects.
If you have any information about this crime, please call Crime Stoppers of Reno County at 1-800-222-TIPS, the Hutchinson
Police Department at 620-694-2832 or Detective Loepp at 620-694-2829. Please associate any information about this crime with #2016-2127.
