Memorial Day Mostly sunny, with a high near 78. West northwest wind 6 to 9 mph becoming north in the afternoon.
Monday Night A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms after 8pm. Partly cloudy, with a low around 52. North wind 5 to 7 mph becoming light and variable.
Tuesday A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly after 2pm. Mostly sunny, with a high near 77. Light and variable wind becoming southeast 5 to 7 mph in the morning.
Tuesday NightA 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms before 8pm. Partly cloudy, with a low around 53.
WednesdayA 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms after 2pm. Mostly sunny, with a high near 79.
Wednesday NightA 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly before 2am. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 59.
ThursdayA 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms before 8am. Mostly sunny, with a high near 82.
Thursday NightPartly cloudy, with a low around 60.
SUMNER COUNTY – Another small earthquake hit Kansas Sunday. The quake at 3:17p.m. measured a magnitude 2.6 and was centered approximately 8 miles west of Belle Plaine in Sumner County, according to the U.S. Geological Survey
This is the eighth quake in Kansas this month.
On Thursday May 25, the USGS reported a 2.6 quake ten miles west of Belle Plaine.
A 2.8 magnitude quake hit near Mankato in Jewell County on May 23. A 3.4 quake was reported in the same area on Saturday, May 20.
A pair of small earthquakes were reported in Harper County early Friday, May 19. A 2.7 magnitude quake hit 10 miles northwest of Conway Springs on May 10.
The agency reported a 3.5 magnitude quake in Harper County on May 5.
The USGS recorded nearly a dozen Kansas earthquakes in April, seven in March and six in February. They measured from 2.5. to 3.3.
There are no reports of damage or injury from Thursday’s quake, according to the Sumner County Sheriff’s Department.
Sgt. Luis Hurtado, an electronic warfare specialist with 2d Battalion, 137th Infantry Regiment, Kansas National Guard, drills an antenna for a Duke electronic warfare system onto a Stryker armored vehicle May 23, 2017 at the National Training Center at Fort Irwin. Dukes helps Soldiers prevent remote controlled improvised explosive devices from detonating by neutralizing enemy radio signals. (Mississippi National Guard photo by Spc. Justin Humphreys, 102d Public Affairs Detachment)
KNG
TOPEKA–The 2nd Combined Arms Battalion, 137th Infantry Regiment of the Kansas Army National Guard is participating in a National Training Center combat exercise at Fort Irwin, California, May 18 through June 15.
The 2-137th CAB is training as a part of the 155th Armored Brigade Combat Team, Mississippi Army National Guard, to demonstrate the U.S. Army’s Total Force Policy. Approximately 5,500 Army and Air Force personnel are participating in the joint exercise.
An NTC rotation simulates the tough, realistic operational environment that America’s military forces may face in combat. The training is relevant and adaptable to emerging threats and technologies. The exercise presents scenarios with potential adversaries our nation could face and include guerrilla, insurgent, criminal and near-peer conventional forces.
“Our motivated Soldiers have been working hard and training for more than a year in preparation for this exercise,” said Lt. Col. Jason Nelson, 2-137th CAB commander. “They are ready to demonstrate their exceptional skills and continue to build our partnerships with other units and states.”
(Mississippi National Guard Video by Staff Sgt. Michael Needham, 102d Public Affairs Detachment)
The 2-137th CAB is headquartered in Kansas City, Kansas, with Headquarters Detachments in Topeka, Junction City and Wichita. Company headquarters are in the following locations: Company A, Emporia; Company B, Lenexa; Company C, Wichita; and the Forward Support Company in Manhattan. Units operate the M2A3 Bradley Fighting Vehicle and the M1A2 Abrams tank.
PRATT – Each summer, volunteers gather at the Rock Springs 4-H Center near Junction City to introduce 10-, 11- and 12-year-olds to the Kansas outdoors. The Kansas Wildlife Federation started the Outdoor Adventure Camp in the 1980s, and the 2017 camp, scheduled for June 4-9, will mark its 30th anniversary. It’s a remarkable accomplishment, and an admirable legacy for all those who’ve been involved. It’s also left thousands of youngsters with indelible outdoor memories and perhaps skills they’ll enjoy the rest of their lives.
The six-day summer camp is for kids who are curious about the outdoors and want to learn more about it. Boys and girls, ages 10-12, will spend mornings exploring the grounds at Rock Springs with instructors. Afternoons will be spent learning about birds of prey, skins and skulls, bats, streams, and more general topics, including ecology, wetlands, riparian areas, and watersheds. Instructors from the Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism, Kansas State University, the Natural Resource Conservation Service, county conservation districts, the Riley County Fish and Game Association, 4-H clubs, and other organizations will be on hand.
The camp provides an outdoor experience just short of camping in a tent. Campers sleep in screened-in bunkhouses. But it’s not truly primitive; the swimming pool and dining hall are the main hubs of activity during free time.
After dark, participants may prowl for owls, star gaze, or watch bats hunt bugs. Evening swims will be followed by campfire stories and snacks. One evening will feature a friendly fishing competition.
Other activities include scavenger hunts; swimming and canoeing; fishing; rifle, shotgun, muzzleloader, archery, and pellet gun shooting; arts and crafts; and horseback riding. A trip to the Milford Nature Center and Fish Hatchery will occupy one day.
Campers need a swimsuit, sleeping gear, and clothes for a week. Sunscreen, insect repellent, a cap, a fishing pole, and a water bottle are also recommended. Food, instruction, and lodging are all included in the $325 price of the six-day camp. Scholarship may be available. Space is limited to 50 youngsters. For more information or to reserve a spot, contact Tommy or Theresa Berger, (785) 524-6112, (785) 526-7466, or email at [email protected]
SHAWNEE COUNTY – Law enforcement authorities are investigating an armed robbery and asking for help to find suspects.
Just before 2a.m. Sunday, police responded to report of a robbery on Shunga Trail near SW 29th and Gage Avenue in Topeka, according to a media release.
Five juveniles told police they were walking the trail near McDonald Field when two men on BMX-style bikes pulled up behind them and robbed them at gunpoint.
One suspect is described as a Hispanic male, 5 foot 7 in tall height and wore a maroon or purple shirt with a flat billed cap and something covering his face.
The victims described the second suspect as an approximately 40-years-old white man with missing teeth. He wore a green shirt and saggy pants.
Officers searched the area and continue to look for the suspects. There were no injuries reported.
FINNEY COUNTY – Seven people were injured in an accident just after 3p.m. Sunday in Finney County.
The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2016 Hyundai Sonata driven by Michael Murphy, 57, Dumas, TX., was westbound on Kansas 156 just west of Farmland Road.
The Hyundai went left of center and collided with an eastbound 2011 GMC Sierra driven by Heinrich Neufeld, 20, Rolla, Kansas. The Sierra rolled into the south ditch.
Murphy, Neufeld and passengers in the GMC Ana Friesen, 28, Satanta; Cornelius Wiebe, 21, Moscow; Johnny Wiebe, 19, Hugoton; Eva Friesen, 17, Satanta and Jessica Luepqui, 20, Montezuma, were transported to the hospital in Garden City.
Ana Friesen and Luepqui were not wearing a seat belt, according to the KHP.
City commissioners approved an ordinance amending the employee residency requirement to allow the City Manager determine requirements based on response times.
By BECKY KISER Hays Post
The city of Hays is hoping to more people will soon be applying for positions with the city which have been difficult to fill the past few years.
The police and emergency communications departments are constantly looking for qualified applicants to fill their positions.
“On average the police department has three vacant positions and the communications department has one vacant position,” Assistant City Manager Jacob Wood told city commissioners last week. He also noted several city employees have left the organization to live in smaller communities.
Salina, Newton, Hutchinson and Derby have relaxed their employee residency requirements, according to Wood, resulting in larger applicant pools.
All city of Hays employees are currently required to live within Ellis County. The city manager, assistant city manager and department heads must live within the Hays city limits. All public safety employees must live within the planning boundary–three miles outside of Hays.
City staff recommended relaxing the residency requirements to find and retain employees. City commissioners agreed.
The proposal: (a) The City Manager, Assistant City Manager and all department directors employed by the City shall live within the City limits. (b) All other City employees shall live within whatever jurisdiction or venue or distance from the City as determined by the City Manager.
“I think it’s really important to stay competitive with areas around us,” said Commissioner Sandy Jacobs. “If they can do this in other areas, we should be able to as well. I know it’s difficult for Police Chief Scheibler (to find new employees). If this aids in him getting a better applicant pool, I’m all for it.”
Vice Mayor James Meier said he had talked with the spouse of a current Hays police officer who said the family wants to purchase a home in Victoria or Ellis. “I think this change is good,” Meier said.
Mayor Shaun Musil pointed out a number of people live in other towns “30 and 40 miles out” and work in Hays.
“My wife is a school teacher and there’s people who drive as far as Phillipsburg to Hays for many years,” Musil said. “To me, opening up the pool is just common sense.”
Currently there are 19 city employees out of 181 who live outside of the town.
“We don’t think employees are going to live outside of the city or move right of way,” Wood stressed. “We do want to compete. If we can one or two employees here or there in the police department, that’s farther ahead than we are today.”
Commissioner Lance Jones agreed with relaxing the requirements, but said he preferred the city commissioners retain the authority to do determine the restrictions. “I’m okay with this. I think this needs to happen for recruitment purposes. It’s expensive to live in Hays,” Jones added. “But the way we’re funded, people who live in Victoria or elsewhere and work in Hays, we’re going to get their sales tax.”
The city of Hays general fund is financed through the city sales tax, the only town in Kansas to do so.
Commissioners voted 4-0 to approve an ordinance that would amend the employee residency requirement to allow the city manager to determine residency requirements based on response times.
Commissioner Henry Schwaller was absent from the meeting.
RUSSELL – During the Russell Community Garage Sale on June 3, over 35 individuals, non-profit organizations and businesses will be offering a great opportunity for shoppers to enjoy a day of bargain hunting and treasure seeking. The Russell Community Garage Sale will feature traditional and multi-family garage sales, baked goods and refreshments, in-store sales and more. Registered participants may have additional days or hours, but all participants will be open Saturday.
Garage Sale Guides, including a detailed map of all registered participants, will be available starting Thursday, May 31. Each participant’s sale dates and hours will be listed, as well as a general description of their items. Guides may be picked up at Encore Antiques & Collectibles, 590 S. Fossil, or Advantage Realty, 811 N. Kansas.
All proceeds from registrations directly benefit Russell Community Theater. RCT and Advantage Realty have partnered to sponsor the Russell Community Garage Sale. Printing and outreach support were provided by Russell County Economic Development & CVB, Russell County GIS & Mapping and Office Products Inc.
Find the latest news on facebook at www.facebook.com/RussellGarageSale. For additional information, contact Russell Community Theater at (785) 483-4057 or stop by 590 S. Fossil, Russell.
WICHITA– A Kansas business owner pleaded guilty Friday to withholding more than $258,000 in taxes from employee salaries that he failed to paid over to the government, according to U.S. Attorney Tom Beall.
Michael J. Skladzien, 54, Wichita, Kan., pleaded guilty to one count of failing to pay taxes. In his plea, he admitted that while he owned S&S Floor Maintenance he withheld approximately $258,610 from salaries of employees to pay federal taxes. Instead of paying the funds over to the government, he spent the money on personal expenses including gambling.
Sentencing is set for Aug. 11, 2017. He faces up to five years in federal prison. Beall commended Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation and Assistant U.S. Attorney Alan Metzger for their work on the case.
CLEVELAND (AP) — Jason Kipnis went 4 for 4 with a home run and two RBIs, Josh Tomlin pitched his first complete game in two years and the Cleveland Indians beat the Kansas City Royals 10-1 on Sunday.
Kipnis, who reached in each of his five plate appearances, hit an RBI single in the third and a solo homer in the seventh.
Austin Jackson drove in three runs for Cleveland, and Carlos Santana had three hits and two RBIs. Michael Brantley and Jose Ramirez also had three hits apiece.
Tomlin (3-6) tossed a six-hitter for his first win since April 30.
February Search on Douglas Co. Lake photo KDWP&T Game Wardens
LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — A coroner says the February drowning of a teenager at Kansas’ Douglas State Fishing Lake was accidental.
The Lawrence Journal-World reports at Dr. Altaf Hossain’s recently released report found that 18-year-old Cameron Kirchner was not intoxicated with drugs or alcohol at the time of this death Feb. 18.
Authorities have said that Kirchner and a 17-year-old boy spilled into the lake the evening of Feb. 18 when the boat they were rowing overturned. The younger teenager resurfaced and survived.
Customers order at the reopened Professor’s Classic Sandwich Shop & More.
By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays Post
The Jensen family has brought back the famous Professor’s barbecue sauce along with all the other sandwiches that made the restaurant a Hays staple.
Professor’s first opened in 1976 and has had multiple owners.
Amy and Mike Jensen have owned Professor’s since 2003, but handed it off to another operator to spend more time with their family.
The Professor’s Steakhouse and Saloon, under that previous owner, closed about three years ago.
Jensen had tried to sell Professor’s for several years as they were focusing on their farm, honey and mushroom growing business.
Mike has long grown mushrooms in the family’s basement for their own use. These include morels and a variety of oyster mushrooms.
The family decided they would expand the mushroom operation to the Professor’s basement and use Professor’s as retail location for both their mushrooms and raw honey.
The Jensens are the only licensed mushroom growers in the state of Kansas.
The family decided they needed to do more with the restaurant than just a honey and mushroom outlet, so they decided to offer sandwiches again at Professor’s Classic Sandwich Shop & More, 521 E. 11th.
Professor’s Sandwich Shop & More is open from 11 a.m. to 4 pm. Mondays through Saturdays and also sells raw honey and mushrooms.
You can still order the some of the same traditional sandwiches, like the Panacea, which is billed as curing all ills, or the Regulator or Motivator.
Of course you can order Professor’s famed barbecue sauce on the side of any sandwich for 40 cents. The Jensens hope to eventually bottle the sauce for sale.
Salads are also on the menu, all between $6-$9.
Amy said the restaurant is committed to using as much locally sourced, fresh ingredients in their food as possible. She hopes to incorporate some foods from the Hays Market this summer in the menu items.
“We don’t serve any fried foods and we use clean label meats and cheeses,” Mike said.
They do not serve soft drinks. Instead you can order a house-made honey lemonade with a hint of lavender. The drink is made with Jensens’ own honey.
The restaurant serves a mushroom soup, which is made with Jensen farm mushrooms, and the Jensens also serve their own mushrooms on their salads.
Honey cookies that are baked by Amy’s mom are served with each meal.
The restaurant is defiantly a family affair. Amy and Mike’s daughter, Elissa also works at the restaurant and their son, Ethan, plans to attend NCK Tech culinary school in the fall.
The family got started in the bee business because Mike wanted pollinators for a garden. He struck gold when a local farmer offered up a barn full of beekeeping equipment for free.
Professor’s has maintained most of its original sandwich menu, including the Panacea, Motivator and Regulator.
“It changed our whole lives and how we look at everything,” Mike said.
Even though the Jensens are honey producers, they still see their honey as a finite resource and monitor its use at the restaurant.
The prevalence of chemicals in our environment, the use of herbicides and urbanization have all taken a toll on bee populations, Mike said.
Mike became interested in mushrooms at a young age. He started hunting mushrooms at about age 7 or 8.
Mike championed mushrooms for their health benefits, saying they are a good, complete sure of protein, good for your cholesterol and have anti-inflammatory properties.
“It is something the body can break down,” he said.
Although Mike has only been selling his mushrooms on a small scale, he is reaching out to regional markets and chefs to expand.
He said he hoped to eventually to have a truck leaving Professor’s once a week to distribute mushrooms across the state.
The Jensens sell their fresh mushrooms for $5 per quarter pound and dried mushrooms for $5 per ounce.
Honey sells for $10 per pound.
The sandwich shop is open from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays.
The venue is also available for rental for private parties.
WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — Police are urging people to not follow the lead of a Wichita woman who was struck by a car after stepping onto a street in an attempt to rescue a line of ducklings.
The 57-year-old woman was treated at a hospital earlier this month and released. Police also ticketed her for failing to yield to a vehicle in the roadway. Some of the ducklings didn’t survive.
Officer Charley Davidson says that most of the time cars will stop for animals in the street or that the animals will scurry off. But in cases where the animals remain in the street, he urged people to call police and say “it’s causing traffic problems.”
Davidson says police can get the wildlife off the road safely.
