Month: March 2018
🎥 DOCTOR’S NOTE: March 2
This week I met with President Trump and congressional leaders on the Ways and Means Committee. As your Congressman, I’ve consistently been one of the biggest advocates in Washington to preserve the trade deal. The Big First is the second most NAFTA dependent agricultural district in the country, being a part of these meetings and discussions is imperative during the negotiation process.
While I am not comfortable with the president threatening to withdraw from NAFTA as a bargaining tactic, I feel confident that we will reach a high-quality agreement, which puts our producers first. I believe that the President understands the importance of agricultural trade. Our farmers and producers are some of the most hardworking people in this country, and I emphasized how important this is for my state.
Today I will also be joining congressional trade leaders on a trip to Mexico City. On this trip, I will continue these discussions on the future of NAFTA with leaders from Mexico and Canada.
I joined Fox News to address school safety. Keeping our children safe is a bipartisan issue, and I am eager to discuss solutions. I was encouraged by the president this week in his call to action, asking lawmakers, educators, law enforcement and the NRA to work together to find a solution.
On the House floor this week I discussed the importance of broadband internet access for rural communities, both in Kansas and across America. The digital divide is becoming increasingly present in rural America, and it’s our duty to help all Americans, no matter where they live, access the tools and resources that a high-speed internet connection provides. Watch my remarks below.
FARM Act of 2018
This week, a bipartisan group of members introduced the Fair Agricultural Reporting Method (FARM) Act of 2018, which will clarify regulations that an activist court had attempted to extend to farms and ranches. This bill will ensure that substances like manure will not have to be reported to federal authorities, including the coast guard as toxic waste. The court decision that is attempting to require these reports puts increased strain on producers and our national emergency management system, with no gain in environmental protection. Even the EPA under President Obama saw no need for these reports and fought against them in federal court. I’m pleased that this issue has finally brought a bipartisan group together in both the House and Senate, which will be needed to correct this judicial overreach.
Beefing Up Wages in the Big 1st
The Nelson Ag Company, in Long Island, Kansas, provides more than 1 million people with beef and pork annually. And now, due to the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, the Nelson Ag company is beefing up wages as well by giving their employees raises and a ‘Trump Tax Cut Bonus.’
Tyson Foods employs hundreds of Kansans. With three plants in the Big 1st, I’m happy to see the company rewarding its workers due to the new tax code with a $1K bonus. The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act is making a real difference for families in my district and people across the country.
Rev. Billy Graham Honored in the US Capitol Rotunda
This week we honored Reverend Billy Graham in the US Capitol as he ‘Lied in Honor.’ We lost our Lord’s greatest soldier, but heaven gained its strongest ally. I grew up watching Reverend Billy Graham, a man of integrity, honesty, and faith. In these times of uncertainty and trial, the message of the Gospel couldn’t be more important.
Stop cancer before it starts!
My wife Laina is part of the Congressional Families Cancer Prevention Program. This bipartisan group of spouses works together to increase awareness of the ways people can prevent cancer. Nearly 1.7 million people in the U.S. will be diagnosed with cancer in 2018, with 15,400 diagnoses in Kansas. While we have no cure for the disease, many of these cancer cases are preventable.
43 jailed in southwest Kansas drug bust
FORD COUNTY — Law enforcement authorities are investigating nearly two dozen suspects on drug charges.
On Thursday, the Ford County Sheriff’s Office, Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI), the Dodge City Police Department, and Ford County Attorney’s Office, completed a lengthy investigation targeting narcotics within Ford County. The operation resulted in 38 arrest warrants being issued. Charges ranged from: Possession of Methamphetamine with intent to distribute within 1,000 ft of a school, Possession of Methamphetamine, Possession of Marijuana and Aggravated Child Endangerment.
As a result of the operation 43 individuals were arrested Thursday and booked into the Ford County Detention Center.
The operation represents a coordinated law enforcement response to combating drug violence and reducing the accessibility of illegal drugs in our communities.
Communities impacted by the operation include: the City of Bucklin, the City of Ford and the City of Dodge City.
Agencies who assisted in serving the warrants include: Kansas Dept. of Wildlife & Parks, Wallace Co. Sheriff, Dodge City Police Department, Kansas Bureau of Investigations and the Ford County Sheriff’s Office.
All suspects are considered innocent until proven otherwise.
Law Enforcement is asking Ford County Residents to engage in the “See Something, Say Something Campaign.”
Tigers outlast Lions in MIAA Tournament quarterfinals
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A pair of free throws by Hadley Gillum with 1.3 seconds remaining in overtime pushed Fort Hays State past Missouri Southern 86-85 in a thrilling overtime battle at Municipal Auditorium in the MIAA Tournament Quarterfinals. The No. 7 seeded Tigers knocked out the No. 2 seeded Lions and will now play No. 3 seed Washburn on Saturday (Mar. 3) in the semifinals. The Tigers are now 19-11, while the Lions went to 20-9 overall.
FHSU Postgame Press Conference
Game Highlights
It was an intense battle throughout as neither team led by more than four points in the first half. Missouri Southern held a 34-30 lead at halftime after CJ Carr hit a jumper as time expired.
In the second half, Missouri Southern pushed its lead out to eight twice before FHSU stormed back to lead by one with an 11-2 run between the 15:14 and 13:08 marks. From that point, the advantage went back and forth. By the end of the night, the game saw 28 lead changes and 21 ties.
Marcus Cooper helped spark a 6-0 burst by the Tigers, scoring the first four points in the run between 4:33 and 2:49 remaining in regulation. Brady Werth capped the run with a layup, pushing the Tigers in front 70-69. The lead changed hands six more times and FHSU had a one-point lead with 37 seconds remaining. With eight seconds remaining on the clock, Kinzer Lambert of MSSU went to the free-throw line and was only able to convert one of two attempts. Kyler Kinnamon drove to the basket late, but the shot was blocked away with a second remaining. Gillum tried a desperation three-point attempt off the inbounds, but it was off the mark and the game went to overtime.
The seesaw battled continued in overtime with Missouri Southern eventually taking an 85-84 lead on a pair of free throws by Carr with 47 seconds remaining. An Aaron Nicholson 3-point attempt from the right corner with 28 seconds remaining rattled in and out and luckily the ball went out of bounds off a Lion. Eventually, with time nearly expired, Marcus Cooper went to the basket, missed a layup, but Hadley Gillum cleaned up the miss and was fouled as he started to go back up with a second-chance attempt. Gillum went to the line, calmly dropped one toss, and Missouri Southern called timeout. Out of the break Gillum toed the line again, hit his second attempt, and then Cooper stole a long inbounds pass that went the length of the floor to end the game. The Tigers survived the epic battle, 86-85.
Gillum had a team-best 26 points and nearly produced a double-double by finishing with nine rebounds. Cooper scored all 23 of his points after halftime. Brady Werth added 16 points. The Tigers as a team shot 45.1 percent from the field. Most importantly, they shot 15-of-17 at the free-throw line (88.2 percent).
Getting as many free throws to drop was crucial for the Tigers, as they finished with six more field goals made in the game than the Lions (including three more 3-pointers). The Lions went to the line 39 times in the game and hit 29, holding a 14-point advantage over the Tigers at the line. That helped the Lions overcome shooting just 40 percent from the field and 17.4 percent beyond the 3-point line. Also, the Tigers were able to overtime a disparity of 20 rebounds as the Lions pulled down 52 compared to 32 for the Tigers.
Carr finished with a game-high 28 points for the Lions, while Lambert added 17 points. Elyjah Clark had a double-double of 14 points and 10 rebounds, while Enis Memic nearly was just shy of the same feat with 12 points and nine rebounds.
Fort Hays State has now played five overtime games this season. After falling in the first three, the Tigers have taken the last two (double overtime win at Northeastern State and Missouri Southern in the MIAA Quarterfinals).
Fort Hays State will try to extend its season further when it faces Washburn in the semifinals of the tournament on Saturday at 6 pm.
14 hospitalized, 1 critical, after Kansas City bus-car crash
KANSAS CITY (AP) – Kansas City police say one person was critically injured and 14 people were taken to hospital as a precaution after a city bus and car collided.
Police say the crash happened Friday near Children’s Mercy Hospital in downtown Kansas City.
A man sitting in the back of the bus was critically injured. A woman and a 2-year-old in the car also were taken to the hospital.
Eleven people on the bus were also taken to a hospital as a precaution.
The cause of the crash is under investigation.
UPDATE: Students evacuated after fire at KSU’s Wefald Hall
MANHATTAN, Kan. (AP) — A fire at a Kansas State dormitory displaced about two dozen students.
University officials say the fire early Friday started on the fourth floor of Wefald Hall. All students were evacuated for about three hours. No injuries were reported.
Sprinklers extinguished the fire before firefighters arrived.
Manhattan officials say the fire apparently was caused by a faulty fan.
University officials say the fire caused $5,000 of damage to the building and $3,500 of damage to contents. Water also damaged some areas, prompting the school to relocate 24 students.
The coeducational dorm houses 540 students. It was built in 2016 on the west side of the Manhattan campus.
UPDATE: Students were allowed to return to their rooms after an early morning fire at Wefald Hall on the K-State Manhattan campus.
The fire was first reported at 6:26 a.m. on the fourth floor of the Wefald residence hall, according to K-State Police.
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MANHATTAN — No injuries were reported in a Friday morning fire at Wefald Hall on Kansas State University’s Manhattan campus. The fire was extinguished by the hall’s suppression system, according to the K-State Police Department.
Students were evacuated from the hall and relocated to Kramer Dining Center.
Denison Avenue between Claflin Avenue and Platt Street is closed for emergency vehicles.
Kansas senator worried about proposed Trump tariffs
WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas Sen. Pat Roberts says President Donald Trump’s unexpected announcement about tariffs on imported steel and aluminum “is not going to go down well in farm country.”
Roberts and other Republican senators received no formal warning from the White House before Trump said Thursday he’d impose a 25 percent import tariff on steel and 10 percent on aluminum to boost U.S. manufacturers.
Roberts says he and other Republicans from farming states and from the Senate Finance Committee have lobbied Trump hard in efforts to convince him that raising tariffs would negatively impact the rural and middle-class voters who supported his 2016 election.
The senator fears a foreign backlash will hit U.S. agricultural exports.
Police: Kansas couple held for alleged forgery
MANHATTAN — Law enforcement authorities are investigating two suspects on identity theft charges.
Just after 9:30 p.m. Thursday, police filed a report for forgery, criminal use of a financial card and unlawful acts on a computer that involved a credit card and purchases with Best Buy, Fay Taylor and Walmart, according to the Riley County Police Department activity report.
The total financial loss is approximately $11,500.
Police arrested John Wassenberg, 35, and Kimberly Conlin, 40, both of Marysville.
They are being held on a $9,000 bond on requested charges of forgery, criminal use of a financial card. The items were later recovered, according to police.
Kelly Center bringing veteran services to Hays community through Manhattan Vet Center
FHSU University Relations
The Fort Hays State University Kelly Center has partnered with the Manhattan area Vet Center to bring veteran services to FHSU and the Hays community.
Beginning in March, a staff of counselors and military veterans will offer free services, including:
· Individual counseling
· Group counseling
· Family counseling
· Bereavement counseling
· Veterans Affairs medical benefit referrals
· Veterans Benefits Administration benefit referrals
· VA disability claims assistance
· Alcohol and substance abuse assessments and referrals
· Community resources information and referrals
· Military sexual trauma counseling and referral
All services will be available at the Kelly Center during the first Monday of each month, beginning on March 5.
“The core purpose of the partnership is to promote access to care by helping veterans and families overcome barriers that impede them from using those services,” said Dr. Seth Kastle, assistant professor of leadership studies.
The partnership, developed by Kastle and Shawn Martin, director of the Manhattan Area Veterans Center, will address a dire need in western Kansas. Many rural areas lack veteran care or services, and most veteran care facilities are located in large metropolitan areas. Currently, Hays’ services are limited to a Community Based Outreach Clinic for veterans. Veterans seeking healthcare at the clinic must qualify for VA health benefits. The partnership will increase services and accessibility for the entire Hays-area military community, including veterans, service members, dependents, and survivors regardless of eligibility for VA benefits.
“This partnership opens the door for people in the military community to get help and receive services that they otherwise wouldn’t be eligible for or have access to,” said Kastle. “The biggest obstacle that we face in this partnership is making the community aware of its existence. There are many people in need; we just have to make them aware of their options.”
“FHSU is devoted to civic engagement, and this partnership is just one more example of the lengths the university is willing to go in order to invest in the surrounding community,” said Kastle.
Gina Smith, director of the Kelly Center, echoed this sentiment. “FHSU prides itself in developing community partnerships, and this opportunity helps further that goal. It is important not only for FHSU but also the community as a whole to offer as many services as possible to our veteran population.”
“We feel this partnership will provide guidance that will lessen the chances of roadblocks in the overall physical and emotional well-being of the veteran population,” said Smith.
In order to serve the entire community, the Kelly Center will offer services to all veterans, dependents and survivors regardless of whether they are FHSU students.
“Making the military community stronger will always improve society,” said Kastle. “Whether it’s through civic engagement or contributions to business and industry, military members have a lot to offer. Helping them build a strong foundation gives them the footing they need to positively impact their community.”
Boil water advisory issued for city of Schoenchen
KDHE
TOPEKA – The Kansas Department of Health and Environment has issued a boil water advisory for the public water supply located in the City of Schoenchen in Ellis County. KDHE officials issued the advisory because of a loss of pressure. Failure to maintain adequate pressure may result in a loss of chlorine residuals and bacterial contamination.
The advisory took effect on March 2 and will remain in effect until conditions which place the system at risk of contamination are deemed by KDHE officials to be adequately resolved.
Customers should observe the following precautions until further notice:
• Boil water for one minute prior to drinking or food preparation, or use bottled water.
• Dispose of ice cubes and do not use ice from a household automatic icemaker.
• Disinfect dishes and other food contact surfaces by immersion for at least one minute in clean tap water that contains one teaspoon of unscented household bleach per gallon of water.
• Water used for bathing does not generally need to be boiled. Supervision of children is necessary while bathing so that water is not ingested. Persons with cuts or severe rashes may wish to consult their physicians.
• If your tap water appears dirty, flush the water lines by letting the water run until it clears.
Public water suppliers in Kansas take all measures necessary to notify customers quickly after a system failure. 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.
Randy Breese
Logan resident Randy Breese passed away Feb. 28 at the University of Kansas Medical Center in Kansas City at the age of 59. He was born March 23, 1958 in Logan, the son of Joe & MaryLou (Post) Breese.
Survivors include his mother, MaryLou of Logan; 2 sons, Dustin & Brady of Logan; his daughter, Brandi Archer of Logan; 2 brothers, Phil of Smith Center and Dick of Hill City and 3 grandchildren.
Funeral services will be held Monday, March 5 at 10:30 a.m. in the Logan Christian Church with Pastor Troy Buss officiating. Burial will follow in the Pleasant View Cemetery, Logan.
Visitation will be from 5:00 to 9:00 Sat. & 12:00 to 9:00 Sun. at the Logan Funeral Home.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Hope Lodge or the ABC Daycare.
Online condolences: www.olliffboeve.com.
Logan Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Police: Kan. girl slept through SUV theft, abduction
WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — Authorities say a 6-year-old girl has been found safe after the sport utility vehicle in which she was sleeping was stolen from a Wichita Laundromat.
Police Lt. Travis Rakestraw says the girl’s mom left her keys in the SUV’s ignition when she went into the Lost Sock Laundromat around 7 p.m. Thursday. She realized 10 minutes later that the vehicle was gone.
Authorities were working to issue an Amber Alert when the abandoned SUV was found around 8:45 p.m. and about 2 miles (3.22 kilometers) from the laundromat. The girl was still asleep in the back seat and reunited with her mother. Rakestraw says it’s “a blessing” that the girl never knew she was in danger.
Police are searching the vehicle for possible evidence.
Verda O. Albin
Verda O. Albin, age 79, of Quinter, passed away Wednesday, February 28, 2018 at Hays Medical Center, Hays.
Services are pending with Schmitt Funeral Home Quinter.