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Month: February 2018

Lawsuit: Sexual misconduct culture among Kan. police

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Davis – photo Crawford Co.

PITTSBURG, Kan. (AP) — A woman in southeast Kansas is accusing a city, its police chief and a former police officer of failing to protect her from a sexual assault.

The lawsuit filed Monday accuses the city of Pittsburg of tolerating an atmosphere of sexual misconduct and undue familiarity within its police department.

The lawsuit says 22-year-old Jesse Edward Loren Davis arrested the woman in August after a domestic disturbance and asked her to flash him and allow him to inappropriately touch her. She alleges she agreed to his advances out of fear.

The lawsuit also alleges that Davis patrolled the city and transported detainees despite not being fully certified.

Davis has been arrested and charged with aggravated sexual battery and official misconduct.

City officials declined to comment on the lawsuit but say their priority is citizens’ safety.

Chapman Named MIAA Softball Pitcher of the Week

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KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Fort Hays State sophomore pitcher Hailey Chapman earned MIAA Pitcher of the Week honors on Tuesday (Feb. 13) for her efforts at the St. Mary’s Softball Classic in San Antonio, Texas last weekend.

Chapman struck out 20 batters in 16.1 innings pitched, starting two games and closing one over Fort Hays State’s four games on the weekend. She threw two complete games but took tough luck losses in both. In a 3-2, eight-inning loss to Cameron, she struck out a career-high 12 batters and allowed three runs (two earned) on four hits. In a 2-0 loss to Eastern New Mexico, she finished with seven strikeouts, while allowing two runs on four hits. Chapman relieved for the final two innings of a 5-3 win over St. Edward’s, recording her second save of the season.

Chapman joined Danielle Sprinkle of Emporia State (Hitter of the Week) for weekly honors from the conference.

Dreiling Named MIAA Co-Field Athlete of the Week

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KANSAS CITY, Mo. – With his third-consecutive provisional mark now under his belt, Sam Dreiling of the FHSU men’s track and field team has been named co-field athlete of the week for the MIAA. This is the second-straight week a Tiger pole-vaulter has been named to the honor, as Jake Morrow took the award last week.

Over the weekend, Dreiling competed at the Concordia Indoor Invite in Seward, Neb., where he posted his third-straight provisional mark after hitting a height of 16 feet, 8 ¾ inches and taking first in the event. This mark was also his personal best in a Tiger uniform. This height puts Dreiling at No. 5 on the national performance list, while topping the MIAA performance list.

This is Dreiling’s first-ever MIAA athlete of the week honor of his Tiger career.

FHSU Men’s Track & Field in at No. 22 in latest USTFCCCA Rankings

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NEW ORLEANS – The Fort Hays State men’s track and field team remains in the USTFCCCA national rankings as they come in at No. 22 in the latest installment released Tuesday (Feb. 13). The Tigers are coming off a performance at the Concordia Indoor Invite over the weekend that saw two provisional marks met.

FHSU reaches the No. 22 spot after calculating 32.91 points from the computer-based system within the poll. The Tigers were one of five MIAA programs to earn a mention in the rankings alongside No. 7 Pittsburg State, No. 13 Missouri Southern, No. 14 Emporia State and No. 23 Central Missouri.

Sam Dreling leads the Tigers after claiming his third-straight provisional with a personal best of 16 feet, 8 ¾ inches in the pole vault at the Concordia Indoor Invite. Kolt Newell also captured a provisional with a high jump of 6 feet, 9 inches which now ranks him 26th in the nation. Other first-place finishes over the weekend include Matthew Pieper taking the 400-meters at 51.47, Oscar Carmona winning the 3,000-meters at 8:47.25 and Blayne Godshall in at No. 1 in the long jump with a distance of 22 feet, 8 ½ inches.

The Tigers will next be on the road to the Nebraska Tune-Up in Lincoln, Neb., their last meet before the MIAA Championships hosted at Pittsburg State the following weekend.

Below are the latest rankings for Division II Men.

Rank Institution Points
1 Colorado Mines 166.43
2 Tiffin 162.48
3 Adams State 154.98
4 Grand Valley State 131.61
5 Texas A&M-Commerce 122.70
6 Ashland 117.42
7 Pittsburg State 113.96
8 CSU-Pueblo 86.82
9 Findlay 76.71
10 Texas A&M-Kingsville 72.61
11 Academy of Art 70.66
12 Western Oregon 67.60
13 Missouri Southen 67.39
14 Emporia State 60.36
15 Minnesota State 59.52
16 West Texas A&M 51.65
17 American International 48.27
18 Saint Augustine’s 45.14
19 Colorado Mesa 42.20
20 Colorado Christian 38.47
21 Wingate 36.46
22 Fort Hays State 32.91
23 Central Missouri 32.14
24 U-Mary 29.68
25 Rogers State 27.86

Police ask for help to identify woman in Kan. armed robbery

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SEDGWICK COUNTY — Law enforcement authorities are investigating an armed robbery and asking the public to help identify a suspect.

Suspect photo courtesy Wichita Police

Just after 7:30p.m. February 7, officers responded to an armed robbery at the C-Store in the 800 block of south Oliver in Wichita, according to officer Paul Cruz.

A 58-year-old employee told police an unknown suspect entered the business armed with a silver handgun.

The employee stated the suspect pointed the handgun at him and demanded money.  The suspect described as approximately 25-years-old, 5-foot-7, medium build, took the money and then fled the store on foot. She was last seen wearing a black jacket, black tights and carrying a black gym bag.

There were no injuries.

Anyone with additional information is asked to contact Wichita Police.

Runner from Liberal wins international Pancake Day Race

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LIBERAL, Kan. (AP) — Liberal has reclaimed the title as winner of the annual International Pancake Day Race.

A Liberal woman, Gaby Covarrubias, ran the Shrove Tuesday 415-yard race with a time of 1:08.85. That was about 2.5 seconds faster than Katie Godof, who ran a similar race in Olney, England with a time of 1:11.4. Contestants must carry a pancake in a frying pan and flip it at the beginning and end of the race.

The Shrove Tuesday pancake race began in Olney in the 15th century. In 1950, Liberal challenged Olney to an international competition.

It was the first win for Liberal since 2015. The Kansas town now leads the series 38-29. Last year, a winner couldn’t be determined because of a technical glitch in Olney.

State school board approves Kansas education funding audit

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TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — The Kansas State Board of Education has approved an audit of how state funds are distributed to public schools following questions about the allocation of some dollars.

The Topeka Capital-Journal reports that the board accepted a recommendation Tuesday from Education Commissioner Randy Watson. The review is expected to start within two months and will examine whether funds are distributed in keeping with the state’s school funding law.

A legislative audit said in December that a calculation used for decades to distribute transportation funds to school districts wasn’t authorized by state law. It said the state spent an additional $45 million over the past five years because of the calculation.

The board agreed to the broader audit after rejecting a push by some legislators to suspend Deputy Education Commissioner Dale Dennis.

FHSU interior design students tackle she sheds in exhibit

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The summer she shed by interior design students Kendra Inslee and Emily Becker.

By CRISTINA JANNEY
Hays Post

There are still three days left to see HE SAID SHE SHED, an exhibition created by Fort Hays State University interior design students, at the Moss-Thorns Gallery of Art.

This year, the program chose the theme of “she sheds,” a relaxation or recreational area similar to a man cave. In addition, two students designed around the Sherwin-Williams color of the year, which is a deep shade of red.

“The vignettes show them the real 3-D, real-word experience of how you would create a space,” said Colin Schmidtberger, graduate teaching assistant and one of the organizers of the show. “Through classes, they work through drawings and just talking about (design). To create the space is a whole different aspect of design. Having them do the show vignette helps them understand space management and how they are going to create a space and make a space work in their layout of the design.”

Participation in at least one of the annual exhibits is a graduation requirement for the interior design program. This year’s exhibit features sophomores through seniors. The students finance their own projects and receive one graded credit-hour for the exhibit project.

“We figure out what the show will be the previous semester,” Schmidtberger said. “That way they have enough time to work up ideas and really figure out what they need to do to complete the whole process.”

Kendra Inslee and Emily Becker designed the summer-themed she shed and created an outdoor reading area. They used a grouping of crates for display of books and decorative items.

Hannah Henry and Baylee Wells created a bar area for their fall-themed she shed. They built several pieces of original furniture for their vignette. This included an antique bicycle that was transformed into a bar, two bicycle rims that were used to create a glass-top table and a free-form piece of wood that was used to build an industrial-style lamp.

“Every vignette brings in the styles of the students doing it, so it is really interesting to see the whole process through and seeing them working up the idea from the start to actually seeing it completed,” Schmidtberger said.

Khaleb Logan Cason and Mayra Rangel, who took on the color-of-the-year project, pursued an oriental theme. They set a dining room with scroll boxes, a tea set, and oriental-style furniture and wall hangings.

The winter-themed she shed by Brittany Ollenborger and Sarah Stute was designed as a sleeping and reading area.

“It makes you want to jump into bed,” Schmidtberger said. “They did a really good job of making the room feel homey. It is very inviting. The color scheme they used, it represents winter with the blues and whites and soft grays, so they did a really good job of incorporating winter into their space and made sure that it was a very inviting bedroom for someone to be in.”

Courtney Nemechek and Madalynn Schreiber designed a planting shed for their vignette. The shed has a planting station that the students constructed out of pallet boards. They also built a tiered plant stand and birdhouse and equipped their she shed with a metal seating area with table for two.

“This is an outdoor space,” Schmidtberger said of the vignettes. “This is not something that would be in your home. It would be a backyard kind of escape from your house area.”

He said all the designs the students created would be achievable for the home designer even on a small budget.

Schmidtberger said he benefited greatly from his experience with the exhibit when he was a student.

“It showed me that I was capable of doing a design for a client,” he said. “I learned the basics of design and how to create a space. This project made me feel comfortable so I could go out and do it on my own.”

Photos of Schmidtberger’s graduate project are also on display as a part of the exhibit. He designed and remodeled two bathrooms and a utility room for a client, not only completing design work, but doing demolition and laying tile for the project.

The Moss-Thorns Gallery is in Rarick Hall. It is open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Mondays through Fridays. HE SAID SHE SHED will up through Friday. It will be followed by the annual graphic design exhibit.

 

 

Bonnie Jean Bolen Knouse Barton

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Bonnie Jean Bolen Knouse Barton was born July 14, 1925 in Sharon Springs, Kansas.  She passed away peacefully on February 10, 2018 in the Life Care Rehab Center in Longmont.  She was 92 years old.

Bonnie was the oldest of six children born to Georgia and Lester Bolen and was raised on her family’s farm in Wallace County.  She graduated from Wallace County High School.  On January 5, 1945 she married Delmar Knouse.  The happy couple worked as County Treasure and County Clerk for many years.  In 1958, Bonnie and Delmar purchased an insurance company together, adding this new business to their previously established accounting and tax service.

Bonnie and Delmar raised four children in their hometown of Sharon Springs.  Bonnie found great joy in creating a happy home and taking care of her family, from cooking and sewing to typing school papers.  She loved music and was often caught singing along to her favorite albums while she worked.  She was an avid fan of baseball, Dancing with the Stars, reading, traveling and working on her precious family photo albums.  Bonnie was also well known as the family historian, creating impressive, detailed records which will be cherished by generations to come.

Bonnie’s beloved husband Delmar passed away on February 16, 1987.  Later in life, Bonnie reconnected with Tom Barton, a fellow Wallace County native and friend since childhood, and they were married in 2000.  The couple had many wonderful years of traveling the country, going to music and comedy shows, and happy companionship before Tom passed away on March 27, 2013.

A friend of the community, wife, mother, grandmother, and great grandmother, Bonnie’s strong will and unique spirit will be missed by all who knew her.  Bonnie loved visits from her family, especially her grandchildren and great grandchildren, and had many happy memories of family reunions, family lunches in Goodland, and 500 piece jigsaw puzzles.  Visits from her dedicated friend Nikki Chubb and her children, as well as the children of neighbors Amie and Patrick Gibbs, also added great joy to the last few years of her life.

Bonnie truly loved Wallace County and made it her home for life.  Despite opportunities to move with job offers for Delmar, and later to live with her children in Colorado and Massachusetts, she chose to stay in Sharon Springs.  Bonnie remained in the same home and community where she had raised a family and lived a long fulfilling life.

Bonnie was preceded in death by her parents, her two husbands and a daughter Dara Nichols.

She is survived by her children David (Terry) Knouse of Montague, TX, Debra (Robert) Katseff of North Andover, MA, Delwin (Caron) Knouse of Longmont, CO and a son-in-law Larry Nichols of Colleyville, TX.  She is also survived by her grandchildren Shane, Jennifer, Miranda, and Collin Knouse; Adam (Amy) Katseff and Jeffrey Katseff; Cory Lee Knouse; Ryan (Amanda) Knouse; Kendra (Robert) Bertolozzi; and Cory Jack Bruner; 5 great grandchildren; one brother Guy (Marlene) Bolen, one sister Marie (Gary) Walker and sister-in-law (Bill’s) Marlene Bolen.  Her family also includes many wonderful nieces and nephews.

Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Friday, February 16, 2018 at 10:00 AM MT at the Holy Ghost Catholic Church in Sharon Springs with Father Norbert Dlabal officiating.  Burial will follow in the Sharon Springs Cemetery.

Visitation will be held on Thursday, February 15, 2018 from 6:00 to 7:00 PM MT with a Vigil and Rosary Service to begin at 7:00 PM at the church in Sharon Springs.

Memorial contributions are designated to the Greeley-Wallace County Health Care Foundation and may be left at the services or mailed to Koons-Russell Funeral Home, 211 N. Main Ave., Goodland, KS 67735.

Online Condolences may be left at www.koonsrussellfuneralhome.com.

Funeral service arrangements are entrusted to Koons-Russell Funeral Home in Sharon Springs, KS.

Trump building plan poses dilemma, opportunity for cash-strapped Kansas

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By STEPHEN KORANDA
Kansas News Service

President Donald Trump unveiled a $1.5 trillion infrastructure proposal on Monday built on plans that would more heavily rely on state and local dollars being matched with money from Washington.

The Trump administration unveiled an infrastructure plan, but Kansas will have to come up with its own money to make the most of it.
Kansas News Service FILE PHOTO

For Kansas, that poses both challenges and opportunities. The state is short on funding for new construction work, but it’s already begun looking at other options to pay for roads, bridges and the like.

Trump’s plan would include $200 billion in federal funds. That money would be used for matching funds, loans and incentives for state and local governments to raise money in other ways.

The limited federal dollars would mean states and local governments would have to provide more money for projects. The plan is aimed at driving new funding strategies such as tolling and public-private partnerships.

That requirement for states to provide more funding could be tough for Kansas. State lawmakers and the governor have repeatedly dipped into the highway fund in recent years, diverting billions of dollars to help balance the state budget.

Republican Sen. John Skubal said lawmakers are already looking for ways to make sure Kansas can meet current matching fund targets. That could get more difficult if the state has to provide more money.

“I don’t want to be on the outside looking in if there are federal dollars that are going to come potentially to the state of Kansas,” Skubal said. “I want to have whatever match we’re going to have to have.”

Skubal has been pushing a bill that would form a task force to study Kansas transportation and long-term funding issues.

Part of the goal would be to consider new options to help diversify road funding, such as charging drivers to access express lanes on busy highways. Lawmakers could also look for partnerships where projects are jointly funded by the state, local governments and private organizations that would benefit from the new roads.

“I want to leverage all of our resources as much as we possibly can so we can continue moving our state forward,” Skubal said.

Those types of proposals are likely in line with the goals of Trump’s policy outline.

Kansas Gov. Jeff Colyer hailed the proposal for another provision, a promised $50 billion investment in rural areas.

“Investing in infrastructure is key to jump-starting economic development and job growth, and we are excited to see this much-needed investment in rural America,” Colyer said in a news release.

The rural spending would largely be sent to states in block grants. Colyer said that would give flexibility to local leaders.

“Kansans know what Kansas needs more than bureaucrats in Washington,” the governor said in the release.

Trump’s infrastructure plans now go to Congress, where lawmakers will consider the options and likely make changes.

Stephen Koranda is Statehouse reporter for KPR, a partner in the Kansas News Service. Follow him on Twitter @kprkoranda. 

Kansas teen hospitalized after 2-vehicle crash

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First responders on the scene of Monday crash-photo Barton Co. Sheriff

BARTON COUNTY — A Kansas teen was injured in an accident just after 3p.m. Monday in Barton County.

A 2001 Cadillac Deville driven by Ashley F. Vanaman, 17, Hoisington, failed to stop before entering U.S. 281 at north East 30 Road, according to the Barton County Sheriff’s Department.

The Cadillac collided with a southbound 1998 Buick Century driven by Janel S. Tracy, 35, Great Bend.

The Cadillac continued eastbound, crashed through a fence and came to stop in a pasture. Hoisington EMS transported Vanaman to Great Bend Regional Medical Center with non-life-threatening injuries, according to the sheriff’s department.

U.S. 281 was blocked for about one hour while the accident was investigated.

Robert “Bob” L. Miller

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Robert “Bob” L. Miller, 85, of Hays, KS, passed away on Monday, February 12, 2018, at the Good Samaritan Society in Ellis, KS.

A memorial visitation will be held on Friday, February 16, 2018, from 10-11:00 AM followed by a memorial service at 11:00 AM, both being held at the Brock’s-Keithley Funeral Chapel, 2509 Vine St., Hays, KS 67601. Inurnment will follow at the Kansas Veteran’s Cemetery in WaKeeney at 1:00 PM. A complete obituary is pending.

To share a memory or to leave condolences, please visit www.keithleyfuneralchapels.com.

Administrator: Ellis Co. budget projections daunting, but not a ‘crisis’

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Phillip Smith-Hanes
By JONATHAN ZWEYGARDT
Hays Post

The Ellis County Commission began the early stages of the 2019 budgeting process at Monday’s commission meeting with a look at a five-year outlook.

According to County Administrator Phillip Smith-Hanes, the county will start 2018 with an additional $350,000 but is projected to spend $3 million dollars more that it brings in in 2019.

Smith-Hanes said the reason for the increase is transfers to various funds — another $490,000 will go toward building projects and $280,000 is for advanced repayment of a lease purchase agreement.

All three are one-time expenditures and make up about $2.5 million of the additional spending. They could also be cut to help balance the budget.

The county also could have raised another $150,000 under the tax lid if the commission has raised the mill levy.

Smith-Hanes also, with the help of department heads, laid out a five-year projection that showed the county could be facing a projected deficit of $11 million in five years.

The budget for 2019 is balanced, but the projections are based on assumptions and Smith-Hanes said it’s hard to project five years in the future.

“The farther out you go, the less true those assumptions are likely to be,” said Smith-Hanes.

The county’s budget is affected by a number of different factors. Those include, on the expenditure side: salary and benefits, health insurance costs, the Kansas Public Employees Retirement System, and department spending.

Revenues are also hard to predict, he said. Currently, the tax lid is capped at 1.4 percent and property tax is the number that has the greatest effect.

Smith-Hanes showed that a slight change in any of the expenditures or revenues it can change the bottom line dramatically.

“It’s really difficult to construct a set of scenarios that gets us back into a positive position for an ongoing basis,” he said.

Smith-Hanes said the presentation was a cautionary tale and not a “crisis.”

The commission will continue working on the budgets for 2019 and beyond later this year.

In other business, the Commission Chair Dean Haselhorst read a proclamation declaring February as teen dating violence awareness month in Ellis County.

The commission also honored employees for years of services and had an executive session with EMS Director Kerry McCue to discuss rates of pay for non-elected personnel.

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