WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senate and House Agriculture Committee leadership met Thursday to discuss the 2018 Farm Bill, prior to full Conference Committee discussions.
Photo courtesy Senator Pat Roberts
Agriculture Committee Chairmen Sen. Pat Roberts, R-Kan., and Rep. K. Michael Conaway, R-Texas, and Ranking Members Sen. Debbie Stabenow, D-Mich., and Rep. Collin Peterson, D-Minn., released the following statement after the meeting:
“We look forward to working together to get a Farm Bill finished as quickly as possible, and we’re committed to finding solutions to resolve the differences. We must keep working to provide American farmers and families with the certainty and predictability they need and deserve.”
A full meeting of the Conference Committee including First District Representative Rogers Marshall will be announced at a later date. Congress leaves for their August vacation Friday.
EMPORIA, Kan. – The Hays Eagles Senior American Legion poured on the runs against the Topeka Senators Thursday morning in the second day of pool play, winning 11-4 at the Kansas American Legion baseball AAA State Tournament in Emporia.
The Eagles, who according to coach Dustin Schumacher have not played well this season in morning games started off the game with a 2-0 lead after Palmer Hutchison stole home plate on a double steal and Trey Riggs scored a run on an RBI single by Jamison Martin. After a Dominic Bainter walk and Dawson Harman single in the second, Bainter would score on a ground ball by Brady Kreutzer and Harman would be brought home on a Hutchison sacrifice fly. Will Sennett, who reached base after getting hit by a pitch would come in to score on an RBI double by Trey Riggs to give Hays a 5-0 lead going into the third.
The Eagles would give up one run each in the bottom of the third and sixth innings but score one in the top of the sixth and five runs in the top of the seventh to put the game out of reach. Topeka scored two runs in the bottom of the seventh but it wasn’t enough as the final score was 11-4.
Coach Dustin Schumacher
Jamison Martin was excellent on the mound for Hays throwing 96 pitches while getting six strikeouts in six innings, giving up four hits and two earned runs while walking three batters. Braiden Stauth finished the game for Hays going one inning with a strikeout and a hit.
Kreutzer was 3-5 with three RBIs and a run scored. Riggs was 2-2 with two doubles and two runs, an RBI and three walks. Hutchison was 1-4 with two RBIs and a run.
The Eagles were 11-30 at the plate as a team and stole a total of 10 bases with Bainter and Harman each stealing two. Six different players had RBIs for Hays.
The Eagles are now 1-1 in pool play and will take on Emporia tomorrow at 6pm. Emporia won their first game of pool play 10-3 against Topeka and take on Nickerson later today.
Enter for your chance to win $20 a month for 12 months toward your purchase at Tiger Burgers, 700 Main St. in Hays! One lucky winner will be selected at random on August 15th, 2018.
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TOPEKA — One person was injured in an accident just after 6:30a.m. Thursday in Shawnee County.
Security camera image of the accident courtesy WIBW TV
A Subaru SUV driven by 82-year-old Peggy Turner, Topeka, was attempting to park in front of Banjo’s Café, 5824 SW Topeka Boulevard, according to Sgt. Eric Frey.
The vehicle accelerated over the parking curb and through the window of the restaurant.
Joyce Kasson, 80, was dining inside and was struck by the vehicle as it entered. She was transported to a local hospital with injuries that were later determined to be non-life threatening.
The driver of the vehicle, as well as all other diners refused medical treatment at the scene. Preliminary investigation shows the driver unintentionally pressed the accelerator pedal instead of the brake when stopping.
Steven Edward Kingsbury passed away on Tuesday, July 10, 2018 at the University of Kansas Medical Center in Kansas City, Kansas at the age of 35. He was born on October 12, 1982 in Russell, Kansas to Duane and Karla (Brown) Kingsbury. He grew up in the Wilson, Kansas area and graduated from Wilson High School with the Class of 2001. He went on to receive his Bachelor of Science degree in finance from Fort Hays State University in Hays, Kansas.
On August 6, 2005 Steven was united in marriage to Danielle Clausen in Hays. They were blessed with two children, James and Aspyn. To simply say that his children were the apple of his eye would be an understatement. From the first moment he became a father, Steven’s whole world revolved around his family. Always supportive and making sure to attend every event possible, from school activities to sports and everything in between, he didn’t want to miss a moment. Although he will now have a front row seat watching from above, he will be greatly missed, loved, and cherished down here.
Steven is survived by his wife and children Danielle Kingsbury and James and Aspyn Kingsbury all of the home in Dorrance; mother Karla Kingsbury of Dorrance; and sister Jennifer Kingsbury with Bill Gould of Temecula, CA.
He was preceded in death by his father Duane Kingsbury, and brother Ryan Kingsbury.
Memorial Services will be held at 10:30am on Friday, July 27, 2018 at Plumer-Overlease
Funeral Home in Wilson. Inurnment will follow in the Dorrance City Cemetery. Visitation will be from 5:00-7:00pm on Thursday at the funeral home with family receiving friends during that time.
HUTCHINSON, Kan. (AP) — A dog named Lucifer has saved a Kansas man from an early morning house fire.
Photo courtesy Hutchinson Fire Department
Larry Moore was asleep in his Hutchinson home when his dog woke him about 2:15 a.m. Wednesday. Fire Battalion Chief Jeremy Unruh says Moore, Lucifer and another dog, named Angel, made it out safely. But Unruh says Moore returned at least twice to the home to retrieve items and had to be treated for smoke inhalation.
Moore’s neighbor, Clarissa Swenson, described Lucifer, whose nickname is Lucy, as an “old mutt” who Moore and his late wife have owned for many years. Swenson says, “Lucy awoke him from a dead sleep.” She described Moore as, “so fortunate.”
The cause of the fire was ruled as electrical, with “multiple improper extensions cords.”
RENO COUNTY — One person escaped with no injuries after reentering a house on fire Wednesday morning in Reno County.
Just before 2:30a.m., fire crews were dispatched to a home in the 200 Block of Harvey Street in Hutchinson for a structure fire, according to Battalion Chief Jeremy Unruh
First arriving units found moderate smoke venting from the front door and attic. Crews made an aggressive interior attack extinguishing the fire quickly.
The home was occupied by one person at the time of call. The occupant was inside the fire room and was awakened by his dog.
The occupant made it out unharmed after reentering the home twice to retrieve items. The occupant was assessed by Reno County EMS for smoke inhalation and released at the scene.
The fire is being ruled as electrical. Multiple improper extension cords were found at the fire origin.
The Hutchinson Fire Department reminded residents, “We understand that your home contains many of your important items. Please, never reenter your home if it is on fire. Meet with one of the arriving firefighters and tell them of your needs. We will retrieve your items for you.”
“Also, please limit the use of extension cords in your home, be aware of their limitations, do not use them for permanent wiring, use the correct size, and do not place them underneath anything.”
Listen to Theresa Trapp weekday mornings July 18 – 26, 2018 for chances to call in and register for “The Best Seats in the House” at Kansas’ Biggest Rodeo Thursday, August 2, 2018. Listen for the running horses and dial 785-628-2995. One entry per person! No age requirement.
The winner will be drawn on Thursday, July 26, 2018 and receives:
-Two tickets to the Thursday night performance of the Phillipsburg Rodeo
-Seating in the back of a Ram Pickup provided by Matteson Motors backed up to the rodeo arena.
-Two chairs and a cooler from Orscheln’s Farm and Home of Phillipsburg. The cooler will be filled with cold drinks. The winner gets to keep the chairs and the cooler.
-Two Coors shirts provided by A&A Coors of Hays.
-Two box meals from 3rd Street Bakery of Phillipsburg.
Winner will need to pick up tickets at the KHAZ Studio, 2300 Hall in Hays, KS.
WILSON — After a fire destroyed Wilson’s historical museum, a new museum will be a featured attraction during the annual Wilson After Harvest Czech Festival on Friday and Saturday.
The former House of Memories museum in the community’s historic opera house burned on Nov. 6, 2009. Most of the artifacts in the museum collection were lost to fire or water damage.
Joyce Kraus, museum volunteer, said the fire was a great loss to the community.
“A lot of us cried,” she said. “It was like losing a member of the family when we lost that.”
An all-volunteer group has worked for almost 10 years to rebuild the museum collection and find a new home for the museum. The community of Wilson is primarily a farming community of about 800 residents.
Nine months ago, the Robinson family whose parents at one time operated the Wilson World newspaper made available the home that had been used for the World offices at low price to the Wilson Community Foundation. That home at 411 24th is now open as the Wilson Heritage Museum. The newspaper’s printing equipment is still in the basement of the house. The museum was also aided in its rebuilding efforts through a grant from the Dane G. Hansen Foundation.
Courtesy photo
The new museum features a Czech room as well as exhibits featuring the military history, and schools, churches and businesses of Wilson. New banners that depict a timeline as President Wilson worked to help Czechoslovakia become an independent democracy are expected to arrive in Wilson this week in time to be on display at the Czech Festival this weekend. This year’s Czech Festival is honoring 100 years of U.S. and Czech diplomatic relations.
Other featured museum items include Czech traditional costumes, Czech glass, needlepoint and photos and books on Czech history and geography.
Some remnants of the old museum remain. The museum has on display the remains of a money bag from one of the local banks that survived the fire. Also in the collection is a DVD that was shot in 2002 that shows the House of Memories collection before the fire.
Kraus said the museum is still in its infancy. Volunteers have worked with other museums to find cases to house artifacts. They are also applying for a K-State program that aides smaller museums by sending students to assist volunteers like the group in Wilson.
The museum is still accepting monetary donations as well as historical items for its collection. The museum is a nonprofit so all donations are tax-deductible. If an item is donated for the collection, Kraus said the museum is asking the donor to fill out a form explaining the item’s importance to the history of the area. For more information on donating, you can contact Kraus at 785-658-2328 or by mail at PO 322 Wilson, KS or contact the Wilson City Hall.
Courtesy photo
The museum will be open during the Czech Festival from noon to 8 p.m. Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday (except during the parade) and 1 to 4 p.m. on Sunday.
The Czech Festival will have many of its standard favorites, including Czech folk dancing, polka music, kolache eating contest and sporting events. The annual toilet races have been renamed the Porcelain Throne of Games. Racers ride on toilet bowls that have been mounted to push lawn mower bases and a pusher navigates the team around an obstacle course. Those races will be at 2 p.m. Saturday.
New this year will be performances by Southeast Nebraska Bohemian Bagpipe Band and the Oklahoma Czech Folk Dancers.
For teens, there will be oversize games from 9 p.m. to midnight Saturday in Lions Club Park. This will include a night beach ball volleyball game facilitated by a lighted volleyball net.
For more information on the festival, call 785-658-2272 email [email protected] or see the festival’s Facebook page.
OVERLAND PARK, Kan. (AP) — Authorities say three suburban Kansas City police officers have resigned and more than 200 traffic tickets dismissed after an internal investigation into false seat belt citations.
Overland Park, Kansas, police Chief Frank Donchez Jr. says the officers overlooked traffic violations like speeding and instead cited motorists for not wearing seat belts when they’d actually been buckled up. He says he doesn’t know what motivated the officers, suggesting that perhaps they were “cutting someone a break.”
He says the officers turned off their dash camera audio, possibly to hide their actions.
Not all of the 200 citations were false. But Donchez says all of the seat belt tickets by those officers have been dismissed. Some $4,000 has been refunded to motorists who had already paid.
Kensington resident Loretta Ann Norden passed away Tues., July 24, 2018 at Smith Center Health & Rehab in Smith Center, KS at the age of 85.
She was born in Freeborn County, MN on Jan. 13, 1933, the daughter of Adolphus & Verdella (Meister) Farris. On Apr. 15, 1956, she married Donald Norden in Kensington. He preceded her in death on Dec. 1, 2016.
Survivors include her daughters: Jeri Hunter of Kirwin, KS; Sue Roush of Lebanon, KS; Connie Ortgies of Kenesaw, NE; and Jackie Swatzell of Phillipsburg, KS; one brother, Sonny Farris of Clear Lake, MN; one sister, Norma Nelson of Albert Lea, MN; 15 grandchildren and 24 great-grandchildren.
Cremation was chosen. A memorial service will be held Saturday, July 28, at 11:00 a.m. in the St. John Lutheran Church, Kensington, with Pastor Lorna Paulus officiating. A private family inurnment will follow the service.
Friends may sign the book on Friday, July 27, from 9 a.m. – 9 p.m. at the Olliff-Boeve Memorial Chapel in Phillipsburg.
Memorials may be given to the Loretta Ann Norden Memorial Fund. Online condolences to: www.olliffboeve-com.
Olliff-Boeve Memorial Chapel, Phillipsburg, is in charge of arrangements.
Donald G. “Pappy” Leiker, 72, Hays, formerly of Victoria, died Tuesday, July 24, 2018 at the Ellis Good Samaritan Society.
He was born July 27, 1945 in Munjor, Kansas the son of Irenus “Shorty” and Alma (Jacobs) Leiker. He graduated from Hays High School in 1963, and in 1965, he joined the U.S. Navy serving his country during the Vietnam War. Pappy was united in marriage to Rose Marie “Rosie” Billinger on May 31, 1971 at St. Fidelis Catholic Church in Victoria, and they celebrated 34 years of marriage until she preceded him in death on October 23, 2005.
He worked in the paint department at Oldham Sales for over 44 years, retiring in 2013. He and Rosie managed the Victoria VFW hall, he was a member of the Victoria VFW Post 1751 and The Basilica of St. Fidelis. Pappy was a proud Navy veteran, enjoyed vegetable gardening, and was a fan of the KC Royals, KC Chiefs, and KU Jayhawks. He enjoyed hunting, spending time with friends, and his greatest joys came when fishing and being with his family.
Survivors include one son; Joe Leiker and wife Jenny of Hays, one daughter; Melissa Miller and husband Cliff of Ellis, two brothers; Allen Leiker and wife Judy of Hays, Dave Leiker and wife Jean of Munjor, two sisters; Diane Wellbrock and husband Wayne of Victoria, and Kathleen Dick and husband Mike of Russell, and two grandchildren; Lydia Downing and Parker Dixon.
He was preceded in death by his parents, his wife Rosie, and a granddaughter Natasha Leiker.
Mass of Christian Burial will be at 10:00 am on Monday, July 30, 2018 at The Basilica of St. Fidelis, 900 Cathedral, Victoria, with Fr. John Schmeidler officiating. Burial with military honors by the U.S. Navy Funeral Detail and the Hays VFW Honor Guard will follow in the St. Fidelis Cemetery. Visitation will be from 4:00 pm until 8:00 on Sunday and from 8:30 am until 9:30 on Monday, all at Hays Memorial Chapel Funeral Home, 1906 Pine Street, Hays. A combined rosary and vigil service will be at 7:00 pm on Sunday at the funeral home.
Memorials are suggested to Hospice of HaysMed, the Ellis Good Samaritan Society for the purchase of an automatic door leading to the rose garden, or for masses, in care of the funeral home. Condolences and memories of Pappy may be left for the family at www.haysmemorial.com
In ten days, GOP voters will choose their nominee for governor, and it’s an intriguing four-person race. No, not the Colyer, Kobach, Barnett, Selzer contest, although those names are on the ballot, along with a couple of well-spoken 17-year olds. With all due respect, Insurance Commissioner Ken Selzer and former state senator Jim Barnett have little chance of emerging as the nominee.
Burdett Loomis, Professor, Political Science, College of Liberal Arts and Science, University of Kansas
So, who are the four individuals affecting this race? Most obvious are Governor Jeff Colyer and Secretary of State Kris Kobach, the two apparent leaders. But equally important are names not on the ballot: former governor Sam Brownback and President Donald Trump.
Colyer, as a seven-year Lieutenant Governor, is joined at the hip with Brownback, who left office with a low-twenties job approval rating. As for the effusive Kobach, whose relationship to the truth rivals that of the president, he gleefully associates himself with the style and substance of Donald Trump.
For all of Kobach’s national attention on vote suppression and anti-immigrant pandering, his campaign has scarcely caught fire. Rather, at every turn, he has double-downed, moving farther and father to the right. As he recently noted, “We are going to be bringing …these changes to Topeka and we’re going to be doing it in an aggressive way. No holds barred, no-retreat kind of way.”
In other words, just like Trump.
Kobach is relying on his assessment – based on polling or his gut or both – that Kansas GOP primary voters will follow him down the road of far-right, white male populism.
He may be right, as he campaigns in his flag-decorated jeep and his Trump-plastered bus, unapologetically calling for the denial of in-state tuition rates for undocumented students, even as he grossly overestimates the cost to the state. Following Trump’s lead, truth takes a beating, as in Kobach’s incessant campaign against voting by undocumented immigrants or his portrayal of Kansas as a bastion of so-called “sanctuary cities.” He shrugs his shoulders, blames the media, and moves on.
If Trump shimmers behind Kobach, for Governor Jeff Colyer, the ghost in his closet remains Sam Brownback, who physically left the capitol six months ago, having figuratively departed the governorship soon after the 2014 election. Aside from opposing the expansion of Medicaid and reforming (sic) KanCare, Colyer spent the last seven years in a political witness protection program, invisible to the electorate. Remarkably, despite some sightings over the past few months, most notably in signing $525 million in new school funding, the governor has done little to enhance his profile. Sure, he has traveled the state and cut some ribbons, but has left the lightest of footprints. Indeed, Colyer’s visibility barely budged, at around fifty percent, between February and June, according to polling data. Nothing drove this home more forcefully than Colyer’s first television ad, which, in late June, introduced him to the state’s voters.
Where does this leave us, a momentous primary looming? The highly visible Krump, with visits from such luminaries as Ted Nugent and Donald Trump, Jr., plays to the far-right Republican base with his typical abandon, while Colback promises to cut taxes and act slightly less conservative than his opponent. Still, he did suggest that boy scouts remove KU’s disputed American flag image not just from its flag pole, but from the University’s museum. “See,” he seems to say, “I can be just as crazy as Kris.” Very reassuring.
One thing is clear, whether choosing the dangerous clown or the inconspicuous conservative, GOP voters will select a far-right nominee at a time when the political winds are blowing, even in red-state Kansas, in the opposite direction.
Burdett Loomis is an emeritus professor at the University of Kansas.
