HUTCHINSON – A Kansas man was in court Monday for a new preliminary hearing on human-trafficking and other charges.
The state had earlier dropped the case against Steven Beranek, 52, Wichita, on technical grounds.
He is charged with one count of human trafficking involving his wife, aggravated battery, criminal threat-domestic battery, criminal restraint and misdemeanor battery.
The first charge accuses him with human trafficking between May 2011 and June 2013. The other charges occurred in January and June of 2013.
Beranek’s wife is the adult female victim, in the case, and was allegedly held against her will on a farmstead near Pretty Prairie.
She was able to get free and showed up at a Reno County restaurant.
Police and sheriff officials then began the investigation, which was made more difficult because of her inability to speak English.
During the hearing she told of her ordeal, however the defense got her to admit that some of things she was asked or told to do were part of her duties or chores.
But, when asked why she didn’t leave sooner, she testified she was told she wouldn’t be able to take her child the two had together.
Beranek is also alleged to have battered a 14-month-old child in this case as well.
Governor Brownback performed the ceremonial ribbon cutting Jan. 20 for the Cargill new boxed beef distribution center in Dodge City.
Cargill
DODGE CITY – Governor Sam Brownback, as well as community, state and federal officials, joined Cargill’s beef business leaders as they celebrated the opening of a nearly $50 million distribution center at Cargill’s Dodge City beef processing facility last week.
Around them, more than 9,000 feet of conveyor belts weave throughout the building, connecting to a row of towering shelves that stretch the entire height of the building. The shelving holds approximately 133,000, 60-pound, boxes of beef—the equivalent of 17,000 head of cattle. Crane-like devices can be seen in the background, moving boxes in and out of the shelves. Each day, the system stores an average of 40,000 boxes, while simultaneously shipping another 40,000 to Cargill’s customers worldwide.
This new automated system, increases capacity of the former system by 70,000 boxes, and will improve the facility’s ability to keep highly perishable fresh meat products safe while awaiting distribution to Cargill’s foodservice and retail customers in hundreds of destinations.
“I am honored to be a part of today’s event as Cargill celebrates its new facility,” said Kansas Gov. Sam Brownback, “This is a significant investment that illustrates the importance of agriculture to the Kansas economy and Cargill’s commitment to Dodge City.”
The project was announced in 2013, with construction beginning the fourth quarter of the same year. It replaces a distribution system more than three decades old and brings increased efficiency and better reliability for the operations that serve Cargill’s food service, retail and processed foods customers. In addition to lower operating and maintenance costs, the new system is also more environmentally sustainable due to its improved energy use, which is aligned with the company’s ongoing efforts to reduce the plant’s environmental footprint.
“As customer requirements become more complex, we strive to maintain a reputation of exceeding their expectations. Our processing plant at Dodge City plays a key role in our beef business, and the new distribution system will help us retain our ability to promptly deliver the highest quality products to our customers,” said John Keating, president of Cargill Beef. “We recognize that our success would not be possible without dedicated employees, and the people of Dodge City have long been exemplary of what it takes to provide the utmost quality beef products to help nourish people around the world.”
“This facility employs more than 2,300 people from the local community, so this investment is not just about the business, it’s also about a continued commitment to the people,” said Sen. Jerry Moran. “I appreciate the ongoing partnership Cargill has with our fellow Kansans and its role in providing jobs to the community. Today, we share in the excitement surrounding this important expansion.”
Cargill Beef is based in Wichita, Kansas. The Dodge City facility is the largest of six Cargill beef processing plants in the U.S. It was opened in 1979 and currently processes more than 5,400 cattle each day, distributing products across the nation and to seven countries worldwide.
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — A Kansas lawmaker has apologized and retracted a dress code that banned plunging necklines and short skirts for women testifying before his committee.
Republican state Sen. Mitch Holmes issued a statement Tuesday saying it was unacceptable for him to provide specific guidance about how women should dress in the state’s Ethics and Elections Committee’s rules without also producing similar guidance for men.
Legislators in both parties have strongly criticized the guidelines issued last week that said “low-cut necklines and mini-skirts” are inappropriate “for ladies.”
Holmes of St. John, who is the committee’s chairman, apologized and said he “meant no offense.”
Similar issues have arisen in Missouri and Montana in recent years.
The Kansas Legislature’s rules generally allow its committee leaders to set their own rules.
A third local legislator will appear at Saturday’s Legislative Coffee presented by the Hays Area Chamber of Commerce.
HACC Executive Director Tammy Wellbrock said Tuesday morning, Rep. Ken Rahjes, R-Agra, will join Rep. Sue Boldra, R-Hays, and Sen. Ralph Ostmeyer, R-Grinnell, at the podium.
Rahjes won a special election in December to fill the remaining term of former 110th Dist. Rep. Travis Couture-Lovelady, who resigned his seat in late November to take a job with the National Rifle Association. Rahjes works in agriculture media.
The 110th District includes parts of Ellis and Graham counties, as well as Norton, Phillips and Rooks counties.
Saturday’s event will be the first of the 2016 Kansas legislative session and is sponsored by Midwest Energy and AT&T.
Although breakfast will will no longer be served, coffee will be provided. “It’s now ‘Coffee and Issues’,” Wellbrock quipped. No RSVP is necessary.
The Legislative Coffee is free to the public and starts at 8: 30 a.m. Sat., Jan 30, in the commission chambers of the Ellis County Administrative Center, 718 Main.
SALINA, Kan. (AP) — A Salina man will be sentenced in April after pleading no contest in the stabbing death of another man.
Ivan Huizar Alvarez was scheduled to go to trial Monday for first-degree murder in the March 2015 death of Scott Johnson of Salina. Instead, he agreed to a plea deal on Friday to intentional second-degree murder.
Prosecutors say Huizar Alvarez chased Johnson and stabbed him several times during an argument. Huizar Alvarez had claimed the stabbing was in self-defense.
The Salina Journal reports prosecutors expect Huizar Alvarez to be sentenced to about 22 years in prison. He also is expected to be required to register as a violent offender for 15 years.
EMPORIA — The Emporia Board of Education voted to hire Kevin E. Case as the next superintendent for Emporia Public Schools, effective July 1. Mr. Case has been the superintendent for Inman schools since 1999.
The board finalized the superintendent search at a special meeting Monday. Mr. Case will replace Theresa Davidson, who will retire in June after six years as the Emporia superintendent.
Mr. Case received bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Kansas State University and a superintendent’s certification from Fort Hays State University. He began his education career as a computer and business teacher at Jefferson West High School. He was a principal at Stafford Junior/Senior High School and Smoky Valley High School before being named superintendent at Inman.
Since 2011 he has had a consulting business, CaseByCaseSolutions, and he is an amateur sports and outdoor photographer. He and his wife, Jodi, have three children.
Mr. Case is involved in professional organizations and education initiatives at the state and national levels. He also is the author of a book, “#TwirtyDays – Opening Doors, Creating Possibilities & Realizing the Enormous Potential of Strategic Social Media” published in 2015.
He was appointed in 2015 to chair the Kansas Education Re-Design Committee for Commissioner Randy Watson, a group charged with making recommendations on education models that will help improve overall student success.
He was one of 100 superintendents selected for the #FutureReady Superintendents Summit in 2014, a group that met with Secretary of Education Arne Duncan and participated in the #FutureReady Pledge signing with President Obama in Washington, D.C. That same year he was one of 24 superintendents selected to give input into the 2015 National Technology Plan with the Office of Education Technology.
Inman schools were selected to become an Apple Distinguished Program in 2013-2017 and the district has hosted three iPad Summits to help Kansas school districts move forward with technology integration.
Mr. Case has presented individual, building and district staff development in many districts, service centers, and for state associations in Kansas and other states. He also served on the Kansas School Superintendents Association Communications Committee.
DETROIT (AP) — Ford is recalling nearly 391,000 Ranger pickups because the driver’s air bag inflators can explode with too much force and cause injuries.
The recall covers trucks from 2004 through 2006 in the U.S. and Canada.
It comes just days after the government announced that a South Carolina man was killed when an inflator exploded in December. Joel Knight of Kershaw died when he was struck in the neck by metal shrapnel after his 2006 Ranger hit a cow in the road and struck a fence.
The government says automakers will recall another 5 million vehicles equipped with faulty inflators made by Takata Corp. of Japan. Some of the recalls are because of the crash that killed Knight, with the rest due to air bags failing in lab tests.
The Ellis County District Court and court staff will begin moving back into their permanent home this week.
Last week, the moving company began moving office equipment from storage back into the courthouse and staff will finish moving office equipment from the former NEW building to the newly renovated courthouse Thursday and Friday.
Ellis County District Court Administrator Phil Fielder said the court system will still hold hearings through Thursday afternoon, but the courts’ calendars have been cleared and will be closed Friday.
The courts will also be closed Monday, Feb. 1, because of the open house and ribbon-cutting ceremony. The ribbon cutting will be at 10 a.m. with building tours running from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.
According to Fielder, the first jury trial in the courthouse is scheduled for Wednesday of next week.
The Hays Police Department and the Ellis County Sheriff’s Department will remain at the former NEW building until the jail is complete.
At last week’s Ellis County Commission meeting, Commission Chairman Dean Haselhorst, who is also serving as the construction liaison, said they had received bids to seal the jail floor. They were also working to install security cameras.
GREAT BEND, Kan. (AP) — Straub International says it will close its Larned location and consolidate the work into its remaining locations.
Straub, an agriculture equipment dealer, also has outlets in Great Bend, Salina, Hutchinson, Pratt, Wichita and Marion.
CEO Larry Straub says closing the Larned location will make the firm more efficient, noting the Great Bend store is only 20 miles away and many services overlap. Many of the 20 employees from the Larned store will have the chance to stay with the company.
The Hutchinson News reports Straub said slowing business conditions prompted the decision.
Seems like nearly everyone is trying to define the family farm. While this isn’t a new phenomenon, it’s certainly one that bears consideration – especially as population numbers in our rural communities and regions of Kansas continue to decline.
Based on these downward demographic trends, agriculture as a family farm system is best suited to compete and move forward equipped with the following attributes.
First, the family farm system should include owner operation. Within such an arrangement, the rights and responsibilities of farm, ranch and land ownership are vested in an entrepreneur who works the farm for a living, to make a profit and to literally, grow the business.
Second, independence is a cornerstone of today’s family farming operation in the Sunflower State. This includes financing from within its own resources using family labor and management to build the sweat equity and cash flow. This in turn will allow for retirement of mortgages, preferably during the lifetime of the head of the household.
Economic dispersion, where large numbers of efficient-sized farms operate with equal access to competitive markets is another vital component. While all of these elements are equally important today, opening new windows in other parts of the world must be a continuing goal if agriculture is to expand and remain viable.
The fourth key ingredient of today’s farm and ranch community is family centered – an element that has always been at the heart of this rural profession. Family farms have always, and must always, live in harmony with the workplace. Here, responsibilities are divvied up and shared by all family members and children learn the work of their parents.
A commercially diversified operation is another essential ingredient for today’s agriculture to remain successful. It does so by reducing commodity price risks while maximizing the use of farm resources. This element can provide a greater measure of self-sufficiency.
And finally, no business, especially farming and ranching, can survive without innovation and adoption of new technology to enhance productivity and the use of scarce labor.
Family farming carries with it a commitment to certain values, entirely independent of the factors impacting economics. These values, in turn, are imparted to the communities and to society as a whole. Included in such contributions are conservation, frugality, responsibility, modesty, honesty, dignity in work, belief in community, caring for future generations, neighborliness and self-reliance.
While one particular family farm may not fulfill all of these contributions, together farm families have created a system of agriculture that built a strong rural economy and a secure rural culture – a system now being threatened with extinction.
John Schlageck, a Hoxie native, is a leading commentator on agriculture and rural Kansas.
