MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Congressional committees and farm groups have crafted language to fix a provision in the federal tax overhaul that gave an unintended tax advantage to farmers who sell their crops to cooperatives instead of other buyers.
Both sides are now trying to get it included in a massive spending bill that needs to pass by March 23 to avert another federal government shutdown.
The deal announced Tuesday is meant to keep the playing field level between co-ops and other crop buyers, ranging from local companies to agribusiness giants such as Cargill and ADM.
The complex language is the product of weeks of negotiations among committee leaders and staffers with farm groups, including the National Grain and Feed Association and the National Council of Farm Cooperatives.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture endorses the agreement, but the National Farmers Union opposes it.
SEDGWICK COUNTY — Law enforcement authorities are investigating a bank robbery and have released a security camera image of the suspect.
Bank robbery suspect-photo courtesy Wichita Police
Just before 5:00 p.m. Wednesday, officers responded to a bank robbery call at Bank of the West in the 700 block of north West Street, according to officer Charley Davidson.
If anyone knows the identity of this individual or has any additional information on the case they can call Crime Stoppers at 316-267-2111 or WPD Detectives at 316-268-4407.
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — United Airlines says it’s investigating after mistakenly flying a Kansas family’s dog to Japan.
Irgo photo courtesy Kara Swindle
Kara Swindle and her two children flew from Oregon to Kansas City, Missouri, Tuesday on a United flight.
They went to a cargo facility to pick up 10-year-old Irgo, a German shepherd, but were instead given a Great Dane. Swindle, of Wichita, Kansas, learned Irgo had been put on a flight to Japan, where the Great Dane was supposed to go.
Airline officials in Japan put Irgo on a flight back to Kansas City. It isn’t clear when the dog will arrive.
The news of Irgo’s unplanned odyssey comes as United admits another dog died after a flight attendant forced it to travel in an overhead bin on a Houston-to-New York flight.
A 34 year-old Iowa man was arrested Tuesday in Russell County following a manhunt.
According to the press release from the Russell County Sheriff, Juan Dedios Rodriguez, 34, Estherville, Iowa, was arrested at 5:18 p.m. Tuesday in the area of U.S. 281 and Walters Road.
Just before 2 p.m. Tuesday a business in Russell contacted Russell County dispatch about a man who allegedly attempted to steal one of the company’s vehicles. According to the press release a Hispanic male left in a White Cadillac with a black ragtop.
Law enforcement officials began searching the area and just before 3 p.m. the car was located in the area of U.S. 281 and Walters Rd., according to the press release.
Approximately two hours later the suspect, Rodriguez was located in that same area and arrested without incident.
He was booked into the Russell County jail on suspicion of attempted burglary and attempted theft.
The Janousek Funeral Home of La Crosse, Kansas, has announced Memorial Services for Bonnie M. Whitman, 87, Alexander, Kansas, will be at 2 p.m. Saturday, March 17, 2018, at the Janousek Funeral Home, La Crosse, Kansas.
WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — The stepmother of a missing 5-year-old Wichita boy will not have her bond reduced so she can be released from jail.
Glass-photo Sedgwick Co.
Emily Glass, stepmother of Lucas Hernandez, has been jailed since Feb. 21 on a misdemeanor child endangerment charge involving her 1-year-old daughter.
Glass reported Lucas missing on Feb. 17. She is not charged in the boy’s disappearance.
Her attorney argued that Glass’ $50,000 bond was too high for the misdemeanor charge.
Judge Kevin O’Connor ruled Wednesday that Glass is a flight risk because of an ongoing investigation involving another child, although he didn’t mention Lucas by name.
Police say in court records that Glass was arrested for smoking marijuana while caring for her daughter the day before Lucas disappeared.
TOPEKA – The Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) has rescinded a boil water advisory for the city of Schoenchen in Ellis County.
The advisory was issued of a loss of pressure. Failure to maintain adequate pressure may result in a loss of chlorine residuals and bacterial contamination.
Public water suppliers in Kansas take all measures necessary to notify customers quickly after a system failure or shutdown. Regardless of whether it’s the supplier or KDHE that announces a boil water advisory, KDHE will issue the rescind order following testing at a certified laboratory.
Laboratory testing samples collected from the City of Schoenchen indicate no evidence of contamination and all other conditions that placed the system at risk of contamination are deemed by KDHE officials to be resolved.
LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — Leaders of sororities at the University of Kansas say they support a decision to suspend all social activities for fraternities until a “significantly safer” environment is created at the school.
The Panhellenic Association, which governs most of sororities at Kansas, said in a statement Wednesday that it would rejoin social activities with fraternities once they complete a strategic plan to improve conditions.
The Infraternity Council, which oversees 24 fraternities at Kansas, on Monday announced the self-imposed freeze on all social activities because of “systemic behavioral issues.” The men will continue to hold chapter meetings and participate in philanthropy events that do not include alcohol.
The Lawrence Journal-World reports the sorority organization said it hoped to work with fraternities to address issues that affect both organizations.
Kalyssa Boyle, Hays High School freshman, was one of about 75 to 100 students who protested school violence Wednesday morning at the school. #enough was being used by students who were set to protest across the nation today after 17 people were killed in a shooting at a Florida high school on Feb. 14.
By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays Post
Increasing the age to buy guns, school resource officers, veterans or retired law enforcement officers to protect schools and more active shooter drills are all ideas Hays High School students offered Wednesday to make schools safer.
Approximately 75 to 100 Hays High School students walked out of school at 10 a.m. Wednesday to stage a silent protest against school violence.
The 10 a.m. protest corresponded with the time of a shooting Feb. 14 at a Florida high school in which 17 people were killed.
The students sat quietly as HHS Principal Martin Straub and other staff looked on for 17 minutes, one minute for each person who was killed in the Florida attack. Some students held signs with slogans such as “#Enough is enough,” “18th century laws cannot regulate 21st century weapons,” “Protect kids not guns,” and “Our school, our town, our state, our laws, and soon enough our vote.”
McKena McBride, HHS freshman, sits quietly with other students during a 17-minute protest Wednesday. The students protested one minute for every person who was killed in a shooting at a Florida High School on Feb. 14.
Noelia Villa, a senior at HHS who participated in the protest, said there have been enough school shootings, and something needs to be done.
“There has been so many shootings around the nation,” she said. “I think something needs to be done. Seventeen Florida victims, Sandyhook … I think it is about time that all of us stand up for them. They were so young, and they didn’t have a chance to live out their lives. I just think we should pay our respects to them.”
Villa said schools need more money to provide safety for students and faculty. She also said she would like to see Hays schools have school resource officers. Hays schools had resource officers provided by the Hays Police Department, but they were cut due to lack of funding.
Mulu Bannister, a HHS sophomore who participated in the protest, wore orange today to show her solidarity with students across the nation who also were set to walk out of schools today.
Madison Lisman, HHS junior, holds a sign amid a group of protesting students Wednesday morning at the school.
“I think our school needs more drills. We do drills for fire and tornadoes, but we don’t really do drills for what to do if someone comes into our schools. Little kids don’t know what to do in that kind of situation. I feel we could do more drills,” she said.
Both students thought the age to buy guns should be raised to 21 as it recently was in Florida.
After the shooting in February, Kaiden VanSchuyver, HHS student, started a petition to have retired police officers and veterans placed in schools for protection.
“I started the petition to try and stop gun violence in schools,” he said via an email. “Politicians never get things done on this topic. They have always used tragedies to push their agenda. Instead of waiting, I decided to act upon this issue by myself.
“I believe it would be a good idea to have veterans and retired law enforcement officers in schools because having the security would prevent these tragedies from happening. If we armed good citizens with the proper training, they could stop the bad citizens from performing these horrible acts.”
Kayson Unsworth, HHS freshman, holds a sign during a student protest on Wednesday.
VanSchuyver has collected 256 signatures so far and is aiming to collect more by sharing online links to the petition via social media.
VanSchuyver said he did not plan to participate in the school walk out today.
“I feel, and know, that everyone has a right to protest, but I feel that they shouldn’t do it during school hours,” he said. “Another reason why I didn’t do the school walk out is I don’t really believe in gun control. I feel gun control doesn’t work because if the government takes away certain guns, then the law-abiding citizens wouldn’t have a way to protect themselves. Whereas the criminals would/will find a way to get guns. It’s like drugs. The government banned drugs, yet drug dealers and other people find a way to get them.”
Straub said the students will not be disciplined for the walk out. He said the students communicated with the HHS administration and staff and caused no problems during the protest. All students stayed on campus. The only disruption was students missing passing period and being late to their next class.
Straub, a former social studies teacher, said the students were making a powerful statement while being respectful. He said the protest was in the vain of two of his heroes Martin Luther King Jr. and Nelson Mandela.
“Without being political, who is not for school safety?” he said.
Although Hays Middle School had a number of students stage their own walk out on Feb. 26, the school reported no walk outs today.
Thomas More Prep-Marian Principal Chad Meitner also reported no walk outs at that school. He said TMP has tried to address school safety through the school’s regular drills. The school has had crisis drills for the last several years, and he said the school has tried to be more in-depth with how it works with students and parents on the drills since the shooting in Florida.
The Hays school district continues discuss its crisis plan and notification of the public of threats following an alleged school threat by a HHS student on Feb. 12. The public was not notified of the threat until five days later. The school board discussed a desire to have a written notification policy at its meeting Monday night.
A non-binding resolution under consideration in the Kansas Legislature would call for regulators to resist utility rate hike requests. The coal-fired Lawrence Energy Center generates electricity for Westar, which needs state approval for rate hikes. BRIAN GRIMMETT / KANSAS NEWS SERVICE
Jim Zakoura represents several large manufacturers, including Spirit Aerosystems and Cargill, as part of the Kansas Industrial Consumers Group. He told the Senate Commerce Committee on Monday that high utility rates make the state less competitive. Without legislative action, he said, major utilities won’t stop raising rates.
“They are clearly saying that the trend is upward,” Zakoura said. “There may be fewer increases but they’re going to keep coming.”
Utility company officials, however, told lawmakers no resolution is needed because their companies also worry about staying competitive.
“The only way we can grow, the only way we can find prosperity, is if the businesses and the residents in the states that we serve thrive,” said Chuck Caisley, a spokesman for Kansas City Power & Light Company and Great Plains Energy.
He also told members of the committee that much of the retail price increases during the past decade came from the added costs of meeting stricter EPA regulations and the construction of transmission lines.
If passed, the resolution would only urge regulators to make changes. But it wouldn’t change the rules the Kansas Corporation Commission must follow in responding to rate hike requests.
Hays Public Library
1205 Main Street
March 17 | 10 a.m.- 12 p.m.
785-625-9014
Join the Hays Public Library to watch “Minimalism: A Documentary About the Important Things”, followed by a discussion.This event will be the first in a series, so stay tuned!
DHDC is very excited to see what 2018 has in store for Downtown and we hope you are, too!
This year we want to continue to focus on opening up dialogue between DHDC, business owners, and the community. In 2018 every third Thursday of the month Sara Bloom, executive director of DHDC, will be at Breathe Coffee House.
We’re inviting board members, business owners, community members… anyone who wants to bring ideas, suggestions, challenges, struggles, questions and more to DHDC.
We hope you’ll join us and let us buy you a cup of coffee! Let’s work together to better Downtown and our community.
