U.S. ATTORNEY-KANSAS

WICHITA–A California man was indicted Wednesday in federal court for alleged drug distribution in Ellis County.

According to the U.S. Attorney for Kansas, Juan Carlos Reyes-Flores, 36, Los Angeles, Calif., is charged with one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. The crime is alleged to have occurred April 25, 2017, in Ellis County, Kan.

If convicted, Reyes-Flores faces not less than 10 years in federal prison and a fine up to $10 million. The Drug Enforcement Administration investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney David Lind is prosecuting.

In all cases, defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. The indictments merely contain allegations of criminal conduct.

By CRISTINA JANNEY
Hays Post

Free lunches will be available to children in Hays again this summer.

The meals will be served from 11:30 a.m. to 1:15 p.m. Mondays through Fridays at Early Childhood Connections, 305 Main St. starting on Tuesday.

Children ages 2 to 18 are eligible. No registration or income guidelines are required.

Adults who accompany children may also eat at the program for a cost of $3.85 per meal.

The federally funded program will run through July 28.

Last year the program fed between 100 and 200 children daily.

“Our summer food program is important for the kids of Hays because even when schools is not session, it is important for them to get a good, healthy meals. And some kids don’t necessarily get over the summer, so we welcome them to join us,” said Jessica Younker, director of nutrition services for USD 489.

KNG

TOPEKA–In observance of Memorial Day, the Kansas National Guard will be supporting numerous events across the state.

All of the following events are scheduled for Monday, May 29, 2017.

Clay Center

1st Sgt. James Peeler, 330th Brigade Signal Company, will be the emcee at a Memorial Day ceremony sponsored by American Legion Post 101 at the Greenwood Cemetery. Lt. Col. John Lemay, 1st Infantry Division, will be the guest speaker. The ceremony begins at 10 a.m.

Hays

1st Sgt. Melissa Stupka, unit first sergeant, 1161st Forward Support Company, 997th Brigade Support Battalion, will be the guest speaker at the American Legion/VFW Memorial Day service at the VFW, 2106 Vine St. The ceremony begins at 10 a.m.

Norton

Col. Dave Johnson, commander, 69th Troop Command, will be the guest speaker at the Memorial Day Observance at the Norton Cemetery. The ceremony begins at 11 a.m.

Osborne

Maj. Daniel Mehlhaff, executive officer, 997th Brigade Support Battalion, will be the guest speaker at the American Legion/VFW Memorial Day ceremony at the Osborne Catholic Cemetery. The ceremony begins at 9 a.m. Another ceremony will follow at the Osborne Cemetery at 10 a.m.

Otis

Soldiers from the 731st Transportation Company will provide a firing detail for a Memorial Day ceremony at the Trinity Lutheran Cemetery. The ceremony begins at 10 a.m.

Phillipsburg

Staff Sgt. Andrew Hughes, training noncommissioned officer, Detachment 1, 995th Maintenance Company, will be the guest speaker for a Memorial Day ceremony at the Fairview Cemetery, Hwy 183 and Park St., Phillipsburg. The ceremony begins at 10:30 a.m. Another ceremony will be held at the Glade Cemetery immediately following.

Wilson

1st Lt. Brandon Devader, Senior Master Sgt. Chris Platzer, Master Sgt. Kenny Everett, Tech. Sgt. Sheldon Dillinger, Tech. Sgt. Steven Parker, Tech. Sgt Chris Barth, Tech. Sgt. Dustin Roberts, 184th Intelligence Wing, and Master Sgt. Tyrel Askren, 931st Security Forces Squadron, will be participating in a Memorial Day ceremony at the Wilson Cemetery. They will serve as the rifle detail and honor guard party marching through town to a wreath-laying ceremony at the Memorial site, followed by a march through the cemetery to the Veterans Memorial to conduct a 21-gun salute and read the names of the fallen. The ceremony beings at 10 a.m.

KDHE

TOPEKA – The Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) has scheduled a series of public meetings, including in Hays, for the discussion of the state’s proposed renewal of the KanCare program and to provide input and ideas for changes.

The Hays meetings will be Tuesday, June 20, at the Rose Garden Steak House, 2350 E. 8th. A 1:30 p.m. meeting is for providers. The 6 p.m. meeting is for consumers. Both meetings are scheduled to last two hours.

Anyone may provide comment and input about the KanCare renewal at any time from June 14, 2017 until October 15, 2017. The state intends to submit the renewal request on November 1, 2017.

There will be a second set of meetings in the fall of 2017 to collect formal comments about the waiver renewal application.

Information about KanCare is available for public review at the KanCare website: https://www.kancare.ks.gov/about-kancare/kancare-renewal.
Materials for these meetings will be made available at the above link as they are prepared. Individuals without access to the internet may obtain copies of these materials by calling (785) 296-4753 or writing KanCare Renewal, c/o Becky Ross, KDHE–Division of Health Care Finance, 900 SW Jackson, LSOB – 9th Floor, Topeka, Kansas, 66612. Such requests must be made before October 15, 2017.

Written comments about KanCare renewal may be sent to this email address: [email protected]; or may be mailed to: KanCare Renewal, c/o Becky Ross, KDHE-Division of Health Care Finance, 900 SW Jackson, LSOB – 9th Floor, Topeka, Kansas, 66612.

Public Meetings – When and Where
Public meetings about the KanCare renewal will be held as follows:

KDOC

TOPEKA–To more efficiently meet the changing needs of the state’s offender population, the Kansas Department of Corrections is modifying the mission of the Larned Correctional Mental Health Facility (LCMHF) in Larned. The facility will transition this summer into a specialized program for offenders ages 18-25, focusing on education and vocational training in efforts to better prepare them for a successful reentry into society.

The increasing population of offenders requiring the level of mental health services provided at LCMHF has outgrown the available space. Those services are currently being provided at both LCMHF and the El Dorado Correctional Facility (EDCF). The services will now be consolidated at the El Dorado facility.

Consolidating the two service units at El Dorado provides for a more efficient delivery of the essential behavioral health services to this population while maintaining the safe operations of the facilities. The consolidated program at EDCF will provide an additional 50 to 60 beds for the behavioral health program that serves offenders with severe and persistent mental illness. In addition to the increased bed space, the proximity of EDCF to Wichita also provides an opportunity to more easily meet the staffing needs of the program.

EDCF is also home to the intake unit for male offenders entering the KDOC. By placing the behavioral health unit at the same facility as the male intake unit will reduce the need to transport these offenders between facilities to receive services.

New to the mission of LCMHF will be a 300-bed unit for young adult male offenders who have identified needs for educational and/or substance abuse services. The program will specifically target the risk to reoffend and prepare the offenders to release from prison with the tools to be productive members of their communities. The 18-25 year-old-males demographic is the state’s highest recidivism group, for a variety of factors. Fewer than half have high school diplomas or GED and they have few marketable job skills. Most offenders release back to the community, and reducing their risk to reoffend prevents new victims and creates good neighbors who contribute positively to their community.

An important partner in this new program at LCMHF is Barton County Community College. Many of the educational programs envisioned for this program will be provided by BCCC, which is located near Great Bend. The college has a long-standing relationship with the KDOC at its facilities in western Kansas.

“For years, Barton College has enjoyed helping to meet the needs of students at the mental health facility,” said William Rains, coordinator of Correctional Education Services at the college. “Now, with the facility changing its mission to serve young men ages 18-25, we are thrilled to help them develop their skills to become outstanding members of our communities.”

The state’s contracted provider for medical and mental health services, Corizon Health, currently has 35 staff assigned to LCMHF. The change of mission at LCMHF will shift some of those positions to EDCF. KDOC and Corizon are working together to ensure that Corizon employees have an opportunity to transfer to EDCF. The number of state jobs at LCFMHF will not be reduced by this mission change.

The 28-bed west unit at LCMHF will not be affected by this change and will continue to house minimum custody male inmates who are participating in programming and job assignments.

Also unaffected will be the beds reserved at the Larned State Hospital for KDOC inmates who need the level of care provided at the state hospital.

By CRISTINA JANNEY
Hays Post

The Hays school district may not have a budget from the state until July or later, according to Superintendent John Thissen.

Thissen spoke to the USD 489 school board Monday night about the gridlock in the Kansas Legislature on the budget and school funding.

The state budget year runs from July 1 through June 30. However, the state legislature, which will hit its 100th day in session Wednesday, appears to be nowhere close to coming to an agreement on taxes and school funding.

Thissen said the district already has made arrangements to pay its bills through the summer months. However, delays in the Legislature approving a budget means the district will be unable to approve its own budget.

Dale Dennis, deputy commissioner of education, told Thissen the Legislature may not have a final budget until July or the first of August.

“It will be a mad race to get [the budget] done in less than two weeks before school starts. It is a pretty scary time line,” Thissen said.

The district could be required to only staff essential personnel in July while the state is in budget limbo, but Thissen said he was not sure if this would be the case.

“Dale Dennis said he was optimistic that something would get through the Legislature, but he didn’t know where the governor and the judges will be,” Thissen said.

Kansas faces projected budget shortfalls totaling $887 million through June 2019.

The Governor has opposed attempts by the Legislature to eliminate tax exemptions for LLCs, which he championed, in order to balance the budget.

The Kansas Supreme Court issued a decision in March that Kansas’ funding of schools is inadequate.

The Kansas House rejected a proposal Monday that would have raised $1.2 billion in income taxes over two years to fix the state budget and provide additional funds for public schools.

The House was scheduled to have debates Wednesday on the two biggest issues before the Legislature on the 100th day of its annual session. See more on  the latest by clicking here.

The Associated Press contributed to this story.

Hays Medical Center

HaysMed Convenient Care Walk In Clinic will offer school sports physicals on June 5, 9, 12, 16, 19, 23, 26, 30, July 3, 7, 10, 14, 17, 21, 24, 28, 31, Aug 4, 7 and 11.

The physicals will be conducted during regular hours on those days.  Hours for the clinic are Monday through Friday 8:00 am – 7:30 pm, Saturdays 9:00 am – 4:30 pm and Sundays 
11:00 am – 4:00 pm.

Children must be accompanied by a parent/guardian to sign the consent for treatment form. Please bring the school sports physical form with you with your portion completed and also the child’s immunization record.

Parents are reminded that the school sports physical is not a well child check. The fee of $35 will be payable at the time of service and will not be sent into your insurance company. There is a $15 fee for each additional camp or second form that is completed.