Two downtown buildings were evacuated at about 3 p.m. today after the smell of smoke was reported.
By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays Post
Two downtown Hays buildings were evacuated at about 3 p.m. Wednesday after the smell of smoke was reported.
The 100 block of West 13th Street was closed and buildings at 105 W. 13th St., which houses First Care Clinic, and 107 W. 13th, which houses Bieker Insurance and CASA, were temporarily evacuated while firefighters searched the buildings.
As of about 3:40 p.m., the source of the smoke smell had not been found, said Lt. Brandon Wright of the Hays Police Department. Both buildings were cleared about 20 minutes later.
NEWTON — Harvey County officials have scheduled a preliminary hearing for a suspect in last fall’s triple murder.
The hearing for 35-year-old Jereme Nelsen’s capital murder case is September 6, according to the county attorney.
Nelsen faces three counts of capital murder and three counts of first degree murder in the Oct. 30 shooting deaths of 37-year-old Angela Graevs, 33-year-old Travis Street and 52-year-old Richard Prouty in rural Harvey County.
Charges against co-defendant 31-year-old Myrta Rangel were dismissed last month. She now faces charges related to the murder case in Sedgwick County.
Her preliminary hearing on charges of possession of a firearm, obstruction and providing a firearm to a felon was scheduled Tuesday but has been continued.
During the hearing, Judge Joe Dickinson ruled against the defense motion to prevent cameras in the courtroom.
Under the ruling one live camera and one still photographer will be allowed to provide for all media outlets.
Dickinson also said he would reconsider whether to keep the affidavit sealed from the public.
That hearing is May 18.
Dickinson had ruled earlier that releasing the affidavit could jeopardize the physical, mental or emotional safety or well-being of the victims and witnesses, and interfere with prospective law enforcement action, criminal investigation or prosecution.
The defense requested the affidavits be sealed with no objection from Harvey County Attorney David Yoder.
The Janousek Funeral Home of La Crosse, Kansas has announced Funeral Services for Marvin Dean “Porky” Holopirek, 85, La Crosse will be 10:30 a.m. Friday, April 21, 2017, at Janousek Funeral Home, La Crosse.
Burial will be at La Crosse City Cemetery, La Crosse, Kansas.
MCPHERSON COUNTY- Four teens were injured in an accident just after 2:30p.m. on Tuesday in McPherson County.
A 1996 Ford Explorer driven by an 18-year-old was eastbound on Winchester Road that divides Saline and McPherson Counties when the driver lost control of the SUV in sand, according to McPherson Sheriff’s Captain Joe Hoffman.
First responders transported the driver and three passengers to Salina Regional Medical Center.
One passenger was ejected from the SUV.
All four were treated and released late Tuesday, according to Hoffman.
“Weaving Connections,” an exhibit organized by Amy Schmierbach, professor of art and design at Fort Hays State University, will be on display at the Hays Public Library from April 2 to April 30. The exhibit was created by more than 700 community members who made CD weavings.
In CD weaving, yarn is woven around the CDs or DVDs.
“The weavings and exhibition symbolize how the power of art can bring people together and show the strength of our community,” said Schmierbach.
The exhibit will also be a part of the Annual Spring Gallery Walk from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. on Friday, April 28.
The public is invited to two workshops where they can create their own CD weavings, from 5 to 8 p.m. Monday, April 17, and from 5 to 8 pm. Monday, April 24, in the Hays Public Library Gallery.
This event is free and open to the public. For more information, email [email protected].
Fort Hays State baseball has altered its weekend schedule. With the weather forecast calling for a high probability of rain in Hays Friday, the three-game series with Missouri Southern will now be played Saturday through Monday. Saturday’s game starts at 6 pm. Sunday will begin at 3 pm and Monday’s series finale will start at noon.
Pack the Park activities scheduled for Friday are being moved back at week and will take place on April 28 when the Tigers host Pittsburg State at 7 pm.
Working on a corporate network project, Isaac Armstrong, Sunflower computer systems administrator, verifies a path for an appliance to communicate networking equipment via a specific port. Armstrong often supports the work of the Critical Infrastructure Protection (CIP) team.
SUNFLOWER ELECTRIC
Electricity powers our lives. Rarely are we in environments that are not dependent on electricity in some way. Each time we turn electricity on and off, we are influencing one of the world’s largest and most complex machines: the North American power system. This machine, which stretches from coast to coast, can be impacted by severe weather, vandalism, cyber incidents, and other natural and man-made events.
Protecting the nation’s critical assets to ensure an affordable, reliable and secure energy supply are top priorities for electric cooperatives and the entire electric power industry. Electric system owners work with government agencies in deploying multi-layered security measures that respond to and mitigate the system’s threats and vulnerabilities. The electric power sector continuously monitors the bulk electric power system and responds to events large and small. As a result, electric consumers are rarely aware of these events primarily because the electric sector successfully executes its defensive measures every day.
To maintain and improve upon the high level of reliability that electric consumers expect, electric cooperatives work closely with the North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC), Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Department of Energy (DOE), Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), and other sectors of the industry.
“Decades ago, electric cooperatives were formed to serve rural areas, and while some now serve suburban areas,the majority still serve in rural areas,” said Bill Branch, vice president and chief information officer at Sunflower. “Being located in remote areas does not mean that co-ops work in isolation. We are part of a vast electric grid, one that relies on subject matter experts from many organizations to keep it running well.”
In 2005, Congress mandated the development and enforcement of reliability and cyber security standards to protect the critical physical and cyber assets in the BulkElectric System (BES). The Critical Infrastructure Protection (CIP or cyber) standards were initially developed and
implemented by FERC in 2006 and have been audited for compliance by NERC since 2007. NERC’s CIP is the only set of mandatory cybersecurity standards in place for the nation’s critical infrastructures, such as water, gas and electricity.
During the last decade, these standards have evolved into categorizing the BES cyber system into high, medium, and low impact types of assets based on the potential risk and impacts to the BES. The newest version of standards is now being deployed throughout the industry. In the next several years revised and new CIP standards will be developed, and within a year or two of their approval, they will become mandatory. It’s safe to say that these standards will continue to be more impactful on the industry with the focus on ensuring the safety and reliability of the electric grid.
“Sunflower takes very seriously the responsibility we have in helping protect the North American power system,” Branch said. “Staff have been put in place to prepare for and meet the CIP standards, and their hard work definitely paid off in the recent CIP audit. As our industry changes, we know that more security challenges lie ahead, but the CIP plan will help electric utilities meet them head on.”
The Member-Owner Cooperatives of Hays-based Sunflower Electric Power Corporation are Lane/Scott Electric-Dighton; Prairieland Electric-Norton; Victory Electric-Dodge City; Western Cooperative Electric, WaKeeney; Wheatland Electric-Scott City; Pioneer Electric-Ulysses; and Southern Pioneer Electric Company-Liberal and Medicine Lodge.
WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — Police in Wichita, Kansas, say they’re seeking three men suspected in a baseball bat attack on a homeless man.
KAKE-TV reports that the 53-year-old victim reported that he was under a bridge near the city’s downtown early Wednesday when three men approached. The homeless man said one of them hit him on the back of the head with a baseball bat.
Police say the victim was taken to a hospital with injuries not considered life-threatening. His medical status was not immediately clear later Wednesday.
MANHATTAN, Kan. (AP) — The federal government is opening another investigation on how Kansas State University handles reports of off-campus sexual assaults.
The Manhattan Mercury reports the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Civil Rights opened the recent investigation in late March. The office hasn’t released any information pertaining to the new investigation.
The university’s policy for investigating sexual assault allegations off campus has been under scrutiny, with this being the fifth investigation launched.
Two former students from the university are suing the school for not investigating their reports of being raped at Kansas State fraternity houses, saying it’s the university’s responsibility to investigate the reports.
Kansas State declined to respond to the newspaper’s request for comment.
LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — The state’s three largest universities will be allowed to ban guns at large sporting events beginning in July.
The Kansas Board of Regents’ governance committee on Wednesday approved a request by The University of Kansas, Kansas State and Wichita State to install security measures such as metal detectors and guards — either temporary or permanently — at games.
Kansas universities are required to allow concealed handguns on campuses beginning July 1 but the universities can ask for exceptions.
Kansas and Wichita State will ban guns from any event expected to draw more than 5,000 people. Kansas State will provide temporary security at its football and basketball stadiums for all ticketed athletic events.
Emporia State, Pittsburg State and Fort Hays State did not seek approval to ban guns at any events.
By U.S. Senators Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) and John McCain (R-Ariz.)
In our hyper-partisan political environment, there’s not much that Republicans and Democrats on Capitol Hill agree on. But when it comes to our veterans, all Americans believe that our nation’s heroes deserve the best possible healthcare when they separate from duty. That’s why we are so proud that Congress unanimously passed and President Trump signed into law this week our Veterans Choice Improvement Act – legislation that extends the Veterans Choice Program and ensures our veterans won’t have to wait weeks or months, or drive long distances, to get the care they need when they need it.
This bipartisan legislation comes three years after the scandal in which our country was shocked to learn that dozens of veterans died while waiting for appointments at the Phoenix VA. In the weeks and months following that revelation, we learned of several more cases of wait-time manipulation taking place at VA hospitals around the country. In response, both chambers of Congress quickly came together to pass legislation that would fulfill our moral responsibility to veterans by making certain they receive quality healthcare in a timely manner.
U.S. Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.)
The Veterans Access, Choice and Accountability Act, which became law in August 2014, established the Veterans Choice Program, giving veterans who live more than 40 miles from a VA medical facility or are forced to wait more than 30 days for an appointment the option to receive healthcare from a local community provider. Though the Choice Program has much room for improvement, and growing pains have certainly accompanied the law’s expedited implementation, it has improved access to healthcare for our nation’s veterans. In fact, since the inception of Choice, more than seven million appointments have been scheduled with community providers for medical services ranging from diagnostic tests and physical therapy to life saving heart and cancer care.
Given that the Veterans Choice Program was authorized and funded through emergency measures, it also carried a looming end date. The VA has been preparing to limit medical services under the Choice Program for veterans whose treatments would extend beyond the program’s August 2017 expiration.
Our bipartisan legislation, which was also sponsored by Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee Chairman and Ranking Member, Senators Johnny Isakson and Jon Tester, eliminates the August 2017 expiration, streamlines the process between the VA and community providers, and reduces the burden on veterans and the community providers who serve them.
Extending the Veterans Choice Program helps to ensure the roughly 1.5 million veterans who benefit from Choice will continue to have an option to access quality healthcare closer to home from the 350,000 participating community providers. In addition, Congress will now have more time to work with the new VA Secretary to determine what the next iteration of access to community providers through the VA ought to look like. A consolidated and integrated network of community providers is critical for the VA to reduce the burden on those who have sacrificed for their nation and are seeking access to the care they earned through the VA. Congress will work to make certain the VA strikes the right balance – delivering on our nation’s commitment to our veterans to provide access to healthcare when and where a veteran needs it.
As we work to ensure all veterans have access to care, we must develop an informed, strategic plan for the future of veteran healthcare through the VA. No veteran should worry they won’t be able to get the care they need. Where there are gaps that local providers can fill, such as in rural areas, the community should fill them. Our veterans should feel confident in the large network of providers both inside and outside VA facilities that are dedicated to their needs.
We have a duty to make certain that no undue burden is placed on the veteran in accessing care. Whether that veteran is in Hays, Kansas, and forced to drive more than 180 miles to get a shingles shot, or that veteran is in Phoenix, Arizona, waiting months to receive care at their local VA hospital, the needs of the veteran have to come first.
We must never go back to the pre-scandal days where a VA bureaucrat had the final say as to where and when a veteran got their healthcare. We will continue working with our colleagues in the Senate and the new administration to follow through on our commitment to those who have borne the price of battle for our nation.
WYANDOTTE COUNTY – A Kansas man died in an accident just before 1a.m. on Wednesday in Wyandotte County.
The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 1999 Suzuki GSX-R600X Motorcycle driven by Joseph Thomas Pate Darnell, 32, Kansas City, was southbound on Interstate 635 just south of Interstate 70.
The motorcycle rear-ended a southbound 2010 Ford Escape at a high rate of speed. Darnell was ejected and pronounced dead at the scene.
He was not wearing a helmet, according to the KHP.
The driver of the Ford Jeanette Lynn Christ, 46, Kansas City, and a passenger we
Shane Berens made his college decision official on Wednesday as the Hays High senior signed with Southeastern Louisiana University for Track and Field. The three sport athlete had his pick of football, basketball or track to compete in at the collegiate level. After visiting the Hammond, Louisiana university Berens said it felt like a home away from home. The coaching staff also made sure that Berens met with his future academic department, something that went a long way in the decision process. He plans on majoring in criminal justice.
Shane Berens
Berens ranks in the top five all-time at Hays High in the shot put and discus. He currently sits fourth in shot at 56’0″ and fifth in discus at 171’5″ for a school that has had a successful run of throwers in their history. Berens was a three year starter for the football team and spent four years on the varsity basketball team earning Western Athletic Conference and State honors in both.
Southeastern Louisiana State is a Division FCS school that competes in the Southland Conference.
