WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — A bald eagle is receiving care at a local raptor center after being discovered injured at Lake Afton.
The Wichita Eagle reports that 911 dispatchers called a team of Sedgwick County sheriff’s deputies and Ken Lockwood of the Eagle Valley Raptor Center to rescue the bird Thursday. County firefighters also arrived at the scene to help.
The roughly 3-year-old eagle was found emaciated and unable to fly.
Lockwood took the eagle to the raptor center in Cheney, where it will be fed and receive veterinary care to determine whether it is ill or suffering from internal injuries.
The bird’s rehabilitation is expected to take about two months. Lockwood says the eagle will then likely be released in the same area at Lake Afton where it was found.
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Grocery and convenience stores could start stocking full-strength beer in two years under a bill passed this week by the Legislature.
The Senate passed the bill 27-11 on Friday. The House passed it 80-45 on Thursday.
Under the bill, grocery and convenience stores could sell beer with up to 6 percent alcohol by volume, while liquor stores could sell more non-alcoholic products, like mixers, shot glasses, lottery tickets and tobacco products.
Some lawmakers were concerned that large grocery chains stocking full-strength beer could put small liquor stores out of business.
The bill is a compromise between the two industries and their associations after a years-long effort to get wine, liquor and full-strength beer into grocery and convenience stores.
The bill still needs Gov. Sam Brownback’s signature.
RAWLINS COUNTY – A Kansas man was injured in an accident just before 3p.m. on Friday in Rawlins County.
The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2005 Freightliner semi driven by Timothy W. Fossett, 58, Ludell, was southbound on Kansas 25 five miles south of U.S. 36.
The truck entered the west ditch, overturned and rolled
Fossett was transported to the hospital in Atwood.
His seatbelt usage was unavailable, according to the KHP.
LINDSBORG, Kan. – The Fort Hays State tennis team opened a busy weekend with a 9-0 win over Bethany College Friday afternoon (April 7). The Tigers move to 10-8 on the season with the win, clinching their second 10-win season in the last 11 years. Bethany dips to 0-3 on the year.
The Tigers were gifted with three points from the start, as the Swedes only fielded four players for the duel. FHSU lost just one game in doubles play, with Nicole Lubbers and Jessica Johnson teaming up to sweep the competition 8-0 at No. 2 doubles and Lauren Lindell and Natalie Lubbers winning 8-1 at the No. 1 spot.
Fort Hays State continued the domination in singles action, dropping a total of 11 games. Haley Weidemann didn’t lose a game, winning 6-0, 6-0 at the No. 3 singles position. Macy Moyers also made quick work of her opponent, winning 6-1, 6-0 from the No. 2 spot. Taylor Noel moved to 2-0 in singles play this season when she took the No. 4 match 6-2, 6-1. Laura Jimenez-Lendinez was tested in the No. 1 match, but held off Giselle Silva for a 6-4, 6-4 victory.
The Tigers will wrap up the MIAA regular season this weekend with two more road matches. First up is a date with Lindenwood in St. Charles, Mo. Saturday (April 8) at 10 a.m.
BELTON, Mo. (AP) — Authorities have collected “several pieces of evidence” while searching an area of rural western Missouri where two sets of human bones were found.
The Kansas City Star reports that Cass County Sheriff’s Office Capt. Kevin Tieman offered no specifics Thursday on evidence recovered. He said only that authorities hope it will help with the identification of one of the sets of remains found Monday.
The other set of bones already has been identified as those of Jessica Runions.
The Raymore, Missouri, woman was last seen in September leaving a south Kansas City gathering with Kylr Yust, who later was charged with burning her vehicle. A judge has entered a not guilty plea on his behalf.
Yust also has been questioned in the 2007 disappearance of Kara Kopetsky.
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Kansas City police say a body found by a family searching for a missing Missouri woman was that of a 19-year-old Kansas man.
Police announced Friday the body was that of Dante Jamal Jefferson of Merriam. The Kansas City Star reports that the cause of death is being investigated but the case is considered a homicide.
Jefferson’s relatives told police in January they hadn’t seen him since Dec. 5.
Friends and relatives of Jessica Runions found the body in south Kansas City in late January.
Runions, of Raymore, was last seen Sept. 8 in south Kansas City.
Searchers found two sets of remains near Belton this week. One of the bodies was identified as Runions’. The second set of remains has not been identified.
BUNKER HILL – Smoky Hills Public Television’s local program, Doctors on Call, will feature the topics of men’s health and sleep disorders in an hour-long program on Tuesday, April 11, at 7:00 p.m. with an encore April 16 at 3:00 p.m.
From Bluestem Medical in Quinter, Dr. Michael Machen, Dr. Doug Gruenbacher and Randy Gideon, a respiratory therapist, will be on hand to answer questions called in by viewers during the program. Questions also can be submitted via email at [email protected] or Twitter with the hashtag #DOCCall.
Doctors on Call is a program that provides medical information on a variety of different topics. Medical professionals from throughout the state travel to Bunker Hill to provide information and answer questions from the viewing audience.
SHPTV can be seen on Eagle Cable channels 9 and 609.
This is my last newsletter until we go back for veto session on May 1, 2017.
Flat Tax Proposal: House Bill 2395
The House of Representatives has been considering several options to improve the fiscal shape of the State Government’s budget. One possible solution which passed out of the House Tax Committee on Thursday, March 30, was House Bill 2395 which makes several changes to the current tax code from income brackets to tax deductions. The greatest change made is that the bill creates a level income tax rate of 5% for all income earners. The bill also retains the income tax exemption for any person earning under $5,000 and those earning $12,500 or less filing jointly. In addition to this, the standard tax deduction will be increased from $3,750 to $7,500 for joint filers and from $3,000 to $6,000 for single filers. Two other major changes will be that medical deductions will be 100% deductible and that the tax exemption for income earned through Low Liability Corporations (LLCs) will be repealed. The last proposed change in the bill is that the sales tax on food be reduced from 6.5% to 5% beginning in January 1, 2019.
Privilege Fees
Wednesday, April 5th the House of Representatives recommended House Bill 2180 for passage. The bill focuses on privilege fees for the premium revenue of health maintenance organizations, sometimes referred to as MCOs. Currently the privilege fee rate is set at 3.11% and was to be lowered to 2% in 2018 under current law. However, if the bill is passed, the rate will be increased to 5.77% and will be applicable on July 1, 2017. To reflect the increased revenues and costs to MCOs, the bill also allocates increased expenditures to KanCare. This bill passed the House, 103-21. I voted “yes.”
2017 Rescission Budget Bill: Senate Substitute for House Substitute 2052
On Thursday, April 6, the House Appropriations and Senate Ways and Means met in conference to discuss the final details of the rescission budget bill for fiscal year 2017. We had developed an agreement early last week, however, when discussions began with House members, I realized that many in the House would prefer an allocation to the Kansas Public Employee Retirement System (KPERS). I called a meeting with the Senate to discuss this item and we agreed to new terms regarding KPERS for the conference committee report. The House’s offer to the Senate was to appropriate $85.9 million to KPERS for the 2017 fourth quarter payment.
The conference committee report was finally approved by both chambers and sent to the governor late Thursday evening.
Cybersecurity Act
One of the primary functions of government is to protect its citizens from harm. House Leadership chose to make protecting our taxpayers’ highly sensitive and private personal data a high priority with the creation of the House Committee on Government Technology, and Security. The committee worked diligently to craft HB 2331, which centralizes IT and cybersecurity for the state. It would create the Kansas Information Security Office and establish the position of Chief Information Security Officer (CISO). The bill would also replace the Office of Technology Services (OITS) to the Kansas Information Technology Enterprise (KITE). KITE would be responsible for all functions of OITS. These changes would reflect the need to develop and implement comprehensive information security programs, and would centralize all IT and cybersecurity operations for the state. These efforts would protect all executive branch agencies, including the various departments, under one centralized system. The Committee of the Whole amended HB 2331 to exclude KPERS from the bill’s provisions. The bill passed the House 90-28, and has been sent to the Senate for consideration.
Kansas Amusement Ride Act
Last Thursday and Friday, the Committee also held hearings on HB 2389, which would amend current law concerning amusement park inspections, permit fees, and would amend other provisions of the Kansas Amusement Ride Act. Proponents of the bill expressed their concern for the safety of amusement park rides and would enforce inspection protocol. In addition, the proponents noted the lack of safety measures in Kansas statute and requested greater inspection training requirements. Opponents asserted that HB 2389 would subject carnivals and travelling companies to burdensome regulations that may hamper business operations, and that National Association of Amusement Ride Safety Officials (NAARSO) certifications act as sufficient training for inspectors. Neutral testimony followed and highlighted potential lawsuits, age and size of different rides, and various certifications. The Committee articulated concern for the insurance policy of $100,000, insuring the owner or operator against liability for injury— they identified the need to increase that threshold.
We reached adjournment on Thursday and will return on May 1 for the time that is commonly referred to as “Veto Session.” During the three-week break, I will be back home and traveling the district at various town halls and events.
Contact Information
As always, if you have any concerns, feel free to contact me (785) 296-7672, visit www.troywaymaster.com or email me at [email protected].
It is a distinct honor to serve as your representative for the 109th Kansas House District and the state of Kansas. Please do not hesitate to contact me with your thoughts, concerns, and questions. I always appreciate hearing from the residents of the 109th House District and others from the state of Kansas, as well.
Troy L. Waymaster, (R-Bunker Hill) is the 109th Dist. State Representative and chairman of the House Appropriations Committee.
Wichita State has accepted an invitation to join the American Athletic Conference.
Conference spokesman Bill Potter says the presidents of the conference’s 12 member schools voted unanimously Friday to admit the school in all sports but football and the school accepted the invitation.
The school, which is currently a member of the Missouri Valley Conference, does not have a football program but it is a powerhouse in men’s basketball.
It will officially join the league on July 1.
The AAC currently has 12 members for football: UCF, Cincinnati, UConn, East Carolina, Houston, Memphis, Navy, SMU, South Florida, Temple, Tulane and Tulsa. Navy is a football-only school, so the Shockers would give the conference 12 members in both football and basketball.
The school did not have an immediate comment. Messages also were left seeking comment from the Missouri Valley Conference.
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — A Kansas appeals court panel has ruled that the state does not have to make public applications for two county commission openings filled by Gov. Sam Brownback.
The Court of Appeals sided Friday with the state in the lawsuit brought by a Salina newspaper and The Associated Press seeking the disclosure of information on more than two dozen applicants for newly created Saline County Commission seats.
A three-judge panel agreed with the governor’s office that those are personnel records exempt from the state’s open records law.
The AP and the newspaper argued that the applicant’s names and other details are public information.
Shawnee County District Judge’s Rebecca Crotty ruled in December 2015 in favor of AP and the newspaper, prompting the state to appeal.
After sitting on the sidelines since his veto of a tax bill in February, Gov. Sam Brownback this week re-engaged with lawmakers working on a solution to the state’s budget crisis.
He needn’t have bothered.
The Senate on Thursday rejected the “flat” tax bill that he was lobbying for by a decisive 37-3 vote.
“This is bad tax policy,” said Sen. Tom Holland of Baldwin City, the ranking Democrat on the Senate Assessment and Taxation Committee.
“We need to send a message, stick a stake through the heart of flat tax theory today, because it’s not going to work for Kansas,” Holland said.
Lawmakers are attempting to address a revenue shortfall that could total $1 billion over the next two budget years.
While little progress is being made on revenue-raising measures aimed at closing the projected gaps in the fiscal 2018 and 2019 budgets, lawmakers appeared close Thursday to agreeing on a plan to close a $293 million hole in the current year’s budget, mainly by borrowing from a state investment fund.
Senate Democrats and moderate Republicans voted against the proposed flat tax, which would have replaced the state’s current two-tiered income tax system with a single rate of 4.6 percent. They said it was unfair to low- and moderate-income taxpayers and wouldn’t generate sufficient revenue.
“At the most basic level, shifting to a flat tax would take the failures of the current system and compound them,” said Heidi Holliday, executive director of the Kansas Center for Economic Growth, a nonprofit advocacy group.
Low- and middle-income wage earners in Kansas currently pay 2.7 percent on all or most of their income. Under the flat tax proposal, their rate would have increased by 70 percent while upper-income Kansans would have seen no change.
A coalition of groups including KCEG is pushing for passage of a tax reform measure that would restore a third income tax bracket, increase the state motor fuel tax, repeal a tax exemption given to more than 330,000 business owners in 2012 and reduce the amount of sales tax charged on food purchases.
Several conservative Republicans in the Senate who supported Brownback’s 2012 income tax cuts also voted against the flat tax proposal, which would have eliminated the business tax exemption.
“I’m not going to support a tax increase until we at least look at the expenditures. I think there are places where we can cut,” said Sen. Rob Olson, a Republican from Olathe.
Lawmakers plan to adjourn the regular part of the 2017 session Friday despite not having a plan to deal with the projected deficits.
They will return May 1 to finish their work on the budget and wrap up the session.
Between now and then, officials charged with revising the state’s official revenue estimates will meet to update their projections.
Jim McLean is managing director of the Kansas News Service, a collaboration of kcur.org, Kansas Public Radio and KMUW covering health, education and politics in Kansas. You can reach him on Twitter @jmcleanks.
Sheila M. Bieberle, 56, passed away April 3, 2017.
Sheila is survived by husband, Roger A. Bieberle; sons, Tyler and Christopher Bieberle; sisters, LeAnn (Virgil) Kuntz, Abilene, KS, Vicky (Brad) Joseph, Oakley, KS, Jacky (Keith) Zerr, Gove, KS, Shirley Haffner, Park, KS and Raelene (Cory) Miller, Cheney, KS; in-laws, Kristen (Brian) Stout, Ellinwood, KS and Rob (Cynthia) Bieberle, Colby, KS; 23 nieces and nephews; and 7 great-nephews. She was preceded by her parents, Francis X. Heier; Mary M. (Hartman) Heier; and infant brother, Leland F. Heier.
Sheila grew up on the family farm north of Grainfield, learning to make mud pies, tending the farm animals, cleaning house until it sparkled and having faith and trust in our Lord. Her deep faith was influenced by her parents, grandparents and family. She graduated from Wheatland High School in 1978 and attended Kansas State University. Sheila worked as a dental hygienist for Dr. Karl Neuenschwander in Hoxie, KS until she moved to Denver, CO. Upon graduating from nanny school, Sheila worked for many years as a nanny in Chicago. She met the love of her life, Roger Bieberle and they were married in May 1992. To this union, Tyler and Christopher were born. Her eyes would overflow with pride for these two sons as they grew into adulthood. Sheila shared her love of children as she ran her day care home when her boys were young. She operated her own cleaning business in Wichita and was also a sales associate for Dillard’s, Kohl’s, and Kirkland’s for many years.
Sheila had a love and expanded energy for life and family. With all the sparkle, bling and pinkness, she supported her family’s love of dirt bike racing, taught her boys about baiting a hook to catch fish, and she sewed and hand crafted many items for her nieces and nephews. They say a picture is worth a thousand words and Sheila captured thousands of precious family moments in each click of the shutter; she shared her art of jewelry making, her love of antiquing, and her talent of interior decorating with her family and friends.Sheila was a beautiful, vibrant, artistic, and loving wife, mother, daughter, sister and friend who added a sparkle to our lives and will be missed dearly by all who knew her. Her services will be held in both Wichita and Grainfield Kansas.
A visitation from 6-8 p.m. Thursday April 6, 2017 will be held at Resthaven Mortuary in Wichita. A visitation from 7-8 p.m. with Rosary service following at 8 p.m. Friday April 7, 2017 will be held at St. Agnes Educational Center and Mass of the Christian Burial at 10 a.m. Sat. April 8, 2017 at St. Agnes Catholic Church both in Grainfield, Kansas. Memorial donations may be made to St. Agnes Catholic Church 266 Cedar St., Grainfield, KS 67737.
SHAWNEE COUNTY – Law enforcement authorities in Shawnee County are investigating a carjacking.
Just before 11:30p.m. Thursday, a man flagged down police officers in Topeka to report two men brandished firearms and took his car from him while he was getting gas at Dillons near SE 29th and California Avenue, according to a media release.
The victim described the suspects as black men in their 20s armed with pistols. There were no injuries according, according to police.
A short time later, police found the victim’s car abandoned in the 1300 Block of SW Western. Detectives and K-9 units continue to investigate the crime.
Anyone with information is asked to contact Topeka Police.
