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Month: January 2017
Rare disease possibly infecting Kansas deer population
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Wildlife experts are trying to determine whether Kansas’ deer population is contracting an unusual type of contagious foot disease at a higher than average rate.
The Topeka Capital-Journal reports that the Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism is working with the Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study lab at the University of Georgia’s College of Veterinary Medicine. The question is whether the condition is foot rot and why it appears to be more prevalent.
Counties with reports include Butler, Lyon, Woodson, Neosho, Phillips, Cowley, Wilson, Bourbon, Anderson, Geary, Dickinson, Elk, Osage and Decatur.
Hunters and other members of the public are asked to report any potential cases of foot rot to the wildlife disease coordinator for the state.
SCHLAGECK: Wise and prudent
Are extremists in the environmental movement really concerned about the welfare of our animals, the quality of our water and conserving our planet? Could it be they’re trying to change the world to fit their own image?
Listening to their agenda and following their actions, there is little doubt such extremists are hell-bent on eliminating animals in production agriculture.
During the last few years recent referendums like those in California, Ohio, Missouri and other states by well-funded animal rightists are taking direct aim at the rights of farmers and ranchers who raise, care for and sell farm animals.
You can bet the farm on it – environmental extremists from various groups have played a role whenever new water quality standards are proposed.
Looks like the lesser prairie chicken may once again be labeled threatened or endangered. It may just be a matter of time or continued lack of moisture in the Sunflower State – a resource vital for chickens, but more importantly humans.
Seems like the EPA continues to look at farm pesticides like atrazine to determine its effect on humans.
EPA is also looking at controlling dust on the farm and herbicide and insecticide spraying drift. Dust is part of farming, it always will be and careful spraying of crops is essential to continue producing yields necessary to feed this country and the world’s people.
Some have characterized environmental extremists as advocating a belief system close to paganism. Members of some of these groups teach that Earth is “Mother” and “She” should exist only in a natural state. They often predict an environmental doomsday.
Don’t believe them. With wise and prudent stewardship, Mother Earth can sustain man and create a desirable living environment with wholesome, abundant food for all.
Anyone with a conscience is interested in making sure our soil, water and air remain in the best condition possible. We all must eat, drink and breathe. It only makes sense to conserve our resources and preserve the environment in which we live.
Not only do some of these zealots want to tell us how to use the land, they want to take it too. They would like to see the federal government buy land then allow individuals to use such property.
Our government has always managed land in a trust relationship for all the people of our country. Not all the federally managed land is in the best condition. Plenty of questions remain unanswered concerning wildfires burning hundreds of thousands of acres in the hot, dry West.
For several years now, a movement has been afoot to take government controlled land back into private ownership. This same trend seems to be happening in other places around the globe.
There is no way government can take better care of the land than individual owners. Individuals with a vested interest in property will always care for it better than people who have no ownership.
Landowners object to people who wave the environmental flag, then call upon the federal government to secure tracts of land for them without payment. To ask for land without payment is no better than thievery.
These groups should have to pay in the marketplace like everyone else. Once they are required to buy their land, they must find ways to offset the costs that come with ownership.
Without a doubt, most people in this country are tired of government interfering with them. We, as Americans, should take back our government from the politicians and bureaucrats. But to do so, this means we must participate in the process – if we aren’t already doing so.
The struggle to maintain our freedoms and safeguard our property continues. We must persevere.
John Schlageck, a Hoxie native, is a leading commentator on agriculture and rural Kansas.
Kan. House panel, State Supreme Court reviewing school funding formula
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — The Latest on the opening day of the Kansas Legislature’s annual session (all times local):
Chief Justice Lawton Nuss says the Kansas Supreme Court hopes to have a decision on whether the state’s spending on public schools is adequate.
But Nuss wouldn’t say Monday exactly when the high court expects rule in a lawsuit filed against the state in 2010 by four local school districts.
The Legislature expects to work this year on a new formula for distributing $4.1 billion a year in aid to the state’s 286 school districts. The court’s decision could shape lawmakers’ work.
GOP legislators junked a per-student formula in 2015 in favor of stable “block grants” for districts but that law is set to expire June 30.
The Supreme Court is considering whether the state spends enough money on its schools overall. It heard arguments from attorneys in September.
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Kansas House leaders plan to have a new and usually large budget subcommittee work on a new public school funding formula.
House Speaker and Olathe Republican Ron Ryckman Jr. appointed a 17-member K-12 Education Budget Committee ahead of Monday’s opening of the Legislature’s annual session.
GOP Gov. Sam Brownback has said he wants lawmakers to approve a new formula this year.
The House previously had five Appropriations subcommittees and one handled both public school and higher education spending. Ryckman split the education subcommittee into two panels.
The other Appropriations subcommittees have nine members.
House Majority Leader and Dighton Republican Don Hineman said Monday that the intent is to have one committee focus on public school funding.
Senate Republican leaders have not decided how they’ll handle school funding legislation.
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Man captured in Mexico sentenced for murder of Kansas student
PITTSBURG, Kan. (AP) — A 20-year-old man will serve at least 25 years in prison for his role in the death of a Pittsburg State University student.
Brian Bridges was sentenced Monday to life without possibility of parole for 25 years in the 2014 death of Taylor Thomas during a home invasion in Pittsburg.
The Pittsburg Morning Sun reports Bridges pleaded no contest in November to first-degree murder.
Prosecutors say Taylor was shot and killed when Bridges and two other men broke into his home to rob his roommate.
Bridges was later captured in Mexico.
During the hearing, Bridges said in a written statement that he was responsible for Taylor’s death and apologized for his role in it.
Thomas’ father, Tom Thomas Jr., also spoke and called his son’s killing “cowardly.”
Hays USD 489 to hear CMAR presentations at Monday’s meeting
By: GARRETT SAGER
Hays Post
At 5:30 p.m. Monday at the Rockwell Administration Center, the Hays USD 489 Board of Education will hear from four different construction firms as they make their presentations in hopes of being selected construction manager at risk for USD 489.
Each firm will have 50 minutes to make their presentation, starting with McCown Construction at 5:30 p.m.
Hutton Construction, Crosslands Construction and Nabholz Construction will follow, in that order.
All firms are from the Kansas City and Wichita areas.
The decision to use a CMAR firm was chosen at a November BOE meeting as the best option moving forward in an attempt to have a successful bond campaign. The bond issue that was unsuccessful for the district last June did not use a CMAR firm.
Wild West Fest 2017 major acts announced
The 2017 edition of the Wild West Festival will lead up to the annual Fourth of July celebration in Hays.
The Wild West Festival committee has posted the main acts for this year’s events.
June 29’s show will feature Runaway June and Chris Janson. On June 30, Mark Chesnutt will take the stage. On July 1 Resurrection, A Journey Tribute, will be the main act.
For more information, check out the Wild West Fest website or click the performers’ official websites below.
Runaway June
Chris Janson
Mark Chesnutt
Resurrection, A Journey Tribute
Cover photo by Harrison Brent, Eagle Communications
Kansas man jailed on drug, numerous traffic violations
BARTON COUNTY – Law enforcement authorities in Barton County are investigating a suspect on drug and traffic violations.
Just before 11:30 p.m. Saturday, Deputy Sheriff Sierra Thorne conducted a traffic stop in the 200 block of Main Street in the city of Great Bend for vehicle equipment violations, according to a media release.
The deputy discovered the driver Jesse Crumm, age 51, Stafford, was driving on a revoked license and is a habitual violator.
He also had various insurance and registration violations and was allegedly in possession of methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia.
Crumm was arrested and booked into the Barton County Jail for the drug-related charges and the applicable traffic charges.
Crumm posted a $10,000 bond and was released.
Taste of Hays — a crucial fundraiser for Mary Elizabeth Maternity Home — on the way
By OLIVIA SCHMIDT
Hays Post
The Mary Elizabeth Maternity Home was originally established in April 1997 for the purpose of aiding young, unwed mothers and their unborn children.
And Sunday will mark the 11th year of the annual Taste of Hays fundraiser, put on by the organization’s board of directors and board of advisers.
Christin Nunnery, executive director for the past six years, has been with the organization for 12 years.
At the Mary Elizabeth Maternity home, young women are taught life skills for pregnancy including the importance of attending doctor, dentist and eye appointments. The women are able to stay in the home during any point in their pregnancy including up to six months after.
“We just want to make sure they are healthy and the baby is healthy” Nunnery said. “Some just need help with the mothering aspect, taking care of the infant, and what to expect in motherhood. It helps them to understand the pros and cons of being a mother at a young age.”
Taste of Hays — originally hosted in the basement of Holy Family Elementary School — will take place at The Memorial Union in the Fort Hays Ballroom.
The event was moved to a bigger space due to the large amount of attendees.
“It’s a really nice atmosphere there. It’s one of those things that once you go, you look forward to going again,” Nunnery said.
Taste of Hays is the primary fundraiser for the Mary Elizabeth Maternity Home.
“They figured if we do something as big of a scale as this, it takes care of having to put on a bunch of smaller events,” Nunnery said.
The money raised at the event will go toward the general operating budget for The Mary Elizabeth Maternity Home.
“We have staff here 24 hours a day, so it really helps with that general operating budget as well as home supplies like groceries,” Nunnery said. It is state funding or donations that keep this facility operating and due to state budget cuts there is a crunch they have felt over the past few years.
The event will begin at 4 p.m. and will go until 6:30 p.m.
The board and advisers will begin setting up at 1 p.m. Restaurant vendors will arrive before 4 p.m. to get their stations set up.
“It’s funny now that people have seen how it goes, we will have a long line waiting until we open the doors at 4 p.m.,” Nunnery said.
The vendors will set up along the outskirts of the venue. There will be 11 restaurants on one side of the room and another 11 on the other.
“We originally started with just around 16 or 17 vendors when we first put on the event,” she said.
You’ll be given a plate when you walk in the door and are allowed to choose from whichever vendors you prefer.
“It’s funny because we give people a clean plate at the beginning but you’ll see people coming around a few times.” Nunnery laughed. “It’s such a huge variety this year, so we’re really excited about that.”
On which vendors are the most exciting this year she comments, “It’s always good to have new people participate. Pasta Jay’s, Schlotsky’s, Jalisco, Gella’s and El Dos de Oros are all new. But of course we are always excited to have the same people participate like Applebee’s, Thirsty’s, Dairy Queen.”
One ticket costs $100 and grants admittance for two people and includes an entry in various raffles for the chance to win prizes or cash.
“We have a lot of exciting prizes this year including a kindle fire, cash, and gift certificates to local businesses,” Nunnery said.
Tickets can be purchased by calling the home at (785) 625-6800. These can either be picked up from the home or delivered.
The prizes are donated by local businesses and individuals within the community.
Hays Car and Truck Alignment donated $50 gift certificates for their business.
With just 19 tickets left out of the 250, Nunnery is hopeful they will sell out by the end of the week.
For more on the organization, click HERE.
Delay Expected For Kansas Juvenile Justice Reforms
By ANDY MARSO
As they gavel in Monday for the 2017 session, Kansas legislators are considering delaying juvenile justice reforms enacted last year.
Last year’s bill was intended to steer low-level juvenile offenders into diversion and treatment programs rather than group homes and detention facilities. It had broad bipartisan support, and Gov. Sam Brownback called it the premier legislation of the 2016 session when he signed it in April.
But Rep. Russ Jennings, a Republican from Lakin who will chair the House Corrections and Juvenile Justice Committee this year, said the timeline — which called for some of the bill to be implemented by Jan. 1 — has been difficult for the state’s judicial branch and corrections system.
“There’s been some delays, administratively, in getting this done,” Jennings said.
Jennings said he would meet with judges, probation officers, prosecutors and corrections officials during the first week of the session to get their thoughts on a new timeline. At least one revisionary bill likely will be offered, he said.
Jennings, the former commissioner of the Kansas Juvenile Justice Authority, said the implementation struggles were not a surprise given the scope of the bill.
“Some of this sounds great on paper, but it’s very difficult to do,” he said.
A memo from Randy Bowman, director of community-based services for the Kansas Department of Corrections, showed progress toward several of the bill’s benchmarks although few had been completed.
Download the Kansas Department of Corrections Memo on Juvenile Justice Reforms
For example, the department had awarded a number of contracts for diversion and treatment programs, but some of the contractors are not expected to be fully operational until February.
Six of the 30 regional Juvenile Corrections Advisory Boards set up across the state had not yet verified that they have a juvenile defense attorney included in their membership. Two of the boards had yet to submit their first report on local programming to the department.
Last year’s reform bill was the result of months of study and a strong push by two conservative Republicans, Rep. John Rubin and Sen. Greg Smith, who are no longer in the Legislature.
Rubin, from Shawnee, decided not to run for re-election last year and Smith, from Olathe, was defeated in the Republican primary.
Rubin said he’s OK with delaying some of the bill’s deadlines if it means a smoother implementation.
“As with all comprehensive legislation, it’s important to get it right,” Rubin said.
The Kansas County and District Attorneys Association, which represents the state’s prosecutors, opposed the bill last year, saying the reforms weren’t properly funded and could undermine public safety.
But Rubin said they were carefully vetted and based on well-constructed studiesthat showed the treatment and diversion programs making communities safer. He said if there’s a push to repeal last year’s bill rather than just delay it, he would be in Topeka testifying against repeal.
“I intend to fight those efforts in any way I can as a private citizen,” Rubin said.
Andy Marso is a reporter for KCUR’s Kansas News Service, a collaboration of KCUR, Kansas Public Radio and KMUW covering health, education and politics in Kansas. You can reach him on Twitter @andymarso. Kansas News Service stories and photos may be republished at no cost with proper attribution and a link back to kcur.org.
Internal probe of Kansas Guard faults ‘toxic’ leadership
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — An internal investigation of the Kansas National Guard has raised alarms about “toxic leadership.”
The Topeka Capital-Journal reports that the investigation started in 2013 amid renewed allegations that Guard recruiters were pressured by superiors to forge documents to clear unqualified applicants or speed processing of paperwork. The inquiry was closed in 2015.
The lieutenant colonel who started the inquiry concluded that five Guard members warranted dismissal from military service, demotion in rank or relief from assigned duties.
Official reports of the probe emphasize that Maj. Gen. Lee Tafanelli was urged to end a management culture that protects wrongdoers. Tafanelli declined to be interviewed but responded in an opinion page column submitted to The Capital-Journal that the Guard works to “thoroughly and impartially investigate” wrongdoing.
Kansas woman hospitalized after SUV rolls on I-70
WABAUNSEE COUNTY – A Kansas woman was injured in an accident just after 9:30 a.m. on Monday in Wabaunsee County.
The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2002 Jeep Grand Cherokee driven by Sharon R. Dorminey, 72, Junction City, was westbound on Interstate 70 approximately 2 miles west of the Maple Hill exit.
The vehicle left the roadway and the driver overcorrected
The SUV traveled across the center median and rolled into the eastbound lanes.
Dorminey was transported to the hospital in Topeka.
She was properly restrained at the time of the accident, according to the KHP.
Kansas deputies make arrest, seize $37K in cash after I-70 stop
SALINE COUNTY – Law enforcement authorities in Saline County are investigating a suspect on drug charges.
Just before 1:30 on Monday, a Saline County deputy stopped a Ford F-150 pickup traveling westbound on I-70 just west of the Hedville-Culver exit. The truck was traveling at 86-miles-per hour, according to Saline County Sheriff Roger Soldan.
During the stop the deputy discovered the driver David W. Buck, 50, Las Vegas, NV., was in possession of methamphetamine, and drug paraphernalia.
During a further search, the deputy discovered $37,700 in cash in the bed of the pickup.
Buck was booked into the Saline County Jail on requested charges of possession of methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia.