SHAWNEE COUNTY — Law enforcement authorities are investigating recent reports of stolen mail involving 60 victims and have a suspect in custody.
Carpenter -photo Shawnee Co.
Just after 1 p.m. Thursday, members of the Topeka Police Departments Community Policing Unit concluded an investigation into recent mail thefts in the South West portion of Topeka, according to Lt. Andrew Beightel.
Through the course of the investigation a subject of interest was identified and on Thursday afternoon, police stopped 29-year-old Joshua Carpenter of Topeka for questioning. After the interview Carpenter was arrested and booked into the Shawnee Co Department of Corrections with the charges of burglary, forgery, criminal use of a financial card and criminal damage of property.
Information gleaned from this investigation serves as a reminder to always check and clear your mailbox of any mail. Also, report any suspicious activity of subjects checking your or the neighbors mail boxes, according to Beightel.
TOPEKA – To meet Nebraska’s legal obligation to increase the flow of the Republican River into Kansas, the Central Nebraska Public Power and Irrigation District has proposed creating a connection in Nebraska between the Platte River Basin and the Republican River Basin. After entering northcentral Kansas, the Republican River feeds into Lovewell Reservoir and Milford Reservoir before joining the Kansas River near Junction City. The Republican River also connects with several other waterways in northcentral Kansas.
The State of Kansas opposes this project because invasive Asian Carp and White Perch in the Platte River could enter the Republican River (along with other nuisance species) if the two rivers are connected. As a result, the project could severely impact Kansas’ sportfish and native aquatic species, water-based recreation, tourism and the state’s fishing economy. There is no evidence that those two species currently live in the Republican River.
Asian Carp can grow to more than 40 inches long and weigh more than 50 pounds. One Asian Carp species, the Silver Carp, is known to leap up to 10 feet in the air when boats or personal watercraft pass over. They pose a risk of serious injury to boaters and skiers who may find themselves surrounded by dozens of large, heavy fish leaping wildly from the water. Asian Carp and White Perch also compete with sportfish, so Kansas’ $210,000,000 recreational fishing industry would be at risk from declines of sportfish such as bass, crappie and walleye. Asian Carp are filter-feeders that compete with other fish for food and space. They are prolific breeders, grow fast and can quickly become the predominate fish species in a lake or river. In other states, some lakes with Asian Carp have experienced sportfish population declines of more than 80 percent with corresponding damage to their fishing and tourism economies.
White Perch are native to the east coast of the United States, and they can produce overpopulated, stunted populations in reservoirs. Stunted White Perch are too small to be sought after by anglers and can be so numerous that they can clog cities’ water intakes if there is a die-off. In addition, these fish eagerly eat the eggs of other fish species.
Changes to the Republican River could also impact critical habitat for the Shoal Chub and Plains Minnow which are threatened species in Kansas. Both species release their eggs into flowing water where they would be susceptible to being eaten by White Perch.
To comment on this proposed project, submit written comments to: Department of Natural Resources, P.O. Box 94676, Lincoln, Nebraska 68509-4676. Your written comments must be received by 5 p.m. August 16, 2018. Be sure to include:
1) The application number about which you are commenting (A-19594)
2) An indication that your comment is offered under Option 1 (written comment)
3) Your name, address, and contact information
4) Your written comments
For complete information on submitting your comments, see A-19594 NOTICE.pdf at:
Listen to Mike Cooper interviewing Deloris Farthing; Director of Health Information Management; from HaysMed, by clicking the link above and then clicking the play button
Kansas launches You drink. You drive. You LOSE. mobilization
TOPEKA — Law enforcement will be working overtime to target impaired drivers across Kansas and the country as part of the annual You drink. You drive. You LOSE. campaign that kicks off Aug. 16 through the Labor Day holiday weekend.
More than 150 law enforcement agencies across Kansas are joining forces to stop drunk driving. Extra enforcement coupled with increased media targeting the perils of drunk driving runs through Labor Day. Law enforcement will be looking for and pulling over all motorists who show signs of impaired driving.
Labor Day weekend is one of the most dangerous times of the year to be on the road. On average, three people are injured every day in alcohol-related crashes in Kansas. Nationally in 2016, more than one-third of all fatalities over the Labor Day weekend involved a drunk driver with a BAC of .08 or greater.
“Drunk driving is not a victimless crime and is 100 percent preventable,” said Chris Bortz, Kansas Department of Transportation Traffic Safety Program Manager. “Impaired drivers cause 20 to 25 percent of all traffic fatalities. We are driving to zero fatalities in Kansas, and the You drink. You drive. You LOSE. mobilization is one of the many ways we are working to reduce death and injury on Kansas roads.”
In 2017, male drivers accounted for nearly 80 percent of all impaired driving fatalities and 70 percent of all impaired driving injuries in Kansas.
Impaired drivers can face jail time, suspension of their driving privileges, fines and other costs of up to $10,000. Included in this cost, the offender will be required to install and pay monthly services fees on an ignition interlock. Beyond the financial and legal penalties, impaired drivers face the risk of losing their own lives or taking someone else’s.
“Alcohol and driving never mix,” Bortz said. “If you plan on drinking don’t plan on driving.”
BOLIVAR, Mo. — Authorities have identified three teenagers from Kansas who died Friday when a church van heading for an outing crashed in southwestern Missouri.
The one vehicle crash happened just after 10 a.m. five miles north of Bolivar on U.S. 13. courtesy KYTV
Samara J. Bayse, 17, Stillwell; Hannah L. Foy, 14, Louisburg and David T. Martin, 16, Olathe, died in the crash just after 10:40 a.m. on Missouri Route 13, five miles north of Bolivar, according to the Missouri State Highway Patrol. Ten others were injured.
The van was from Faith Chapel Assembly of God in Overland Park, Kansas, a suburb of Kansas City. Lueckenhoff didn’t know specifically where the group was going but was told it was a “youth outing.”
The van had 13 passengers, mostly teenagers but a few adults, Missouri State Highway Patrol Sgt. John Leuckenhoff said. Everyone on board was injured or killed when the van ran off the roadway, struck a tree and overturned. No other vehicles were involved in the accident.
“Absolutely horrible,” Lueckenhoff said.
The 10 injured victims were taken to hospitals in Bolivar and Springfield, about 30 miles south. Three were in serious condition. Lueckenhoff said he didn’t know if any of the injuries were life-threatening.
The cause of the accident was under investigation by a crash team from the highway patrol.
The Kansas City Star reported that in addition to its Overland Park location, Faith Chapel Assembly of God has churches in Louisburg and Gardner.
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BOLIVAR, Mo. (AP) — Three teenagers from Kansas were killed and 10 other people were injured Friday after a church van heading for an outing crashed in southwestern Missouri.
The wreck happened around 10:40 a.m. on Missouri Route 13, five miles north of Bolivar. Missouri State Highway Patrol Sgt. John Lueckenhoff said those killed were a 16-year-old boy from Olathe, a 14-year-old girl from Louisburg and a 17-year-old girl from Stillwell. Their names were not released.
The van was from Faith Chapel Assembly of God in Overland Park, Kansas, a suburb of Kansas City. Lueckenhoff didn’t know specifically where the group was going but was told it was a “youth outing.”
The van had 13 passengers, mostly teenagers but a few adults, Leuckenhoff said. Everyone on board was injured or killed when the van ran off the roadway, struck a tree and overturned. No other vehicles were involved in the accident.
“Absolutely horrible,” Lueckenhoff said.
The 10 injured victims were taken to hospitals in Bolivar and Springfield, about 30 miles south. Three were in serious condition. Lueckenhoff said he didn’t know if any of the injuries were life-threatening.
The cause of the accident was under investigation by a crash team from the highway patrol.
The Kansas City Star reported that in addition to its Overland Park location, Faith Chapel Assembly of God has churches in Louisburg and Gardner.
COLBY — Options Domestic and Sexual Violence Services is announced it will have a ribbon-cutting ceremony for its recently reopened office at 225 W. 5th St in Colby.
“We are pleased and happy to reopen our local satellite office in Colby and to be able to restore walk-in services for victims and survivors and their families,” said Jennifer Hecker, executive director.“The ribbon-cutting ceremony for Options marks a great opportunity to bring help, hope, and healing to those suffering in silence in western Kansas.”
The Colby/Thomas County Chamber of Commerce will facilitate the 10 a.m. ribbon-cutting ,and Options staff will be available to discuss services and share information about the agency.Services include 24-hour helpline, 24-hour crisis intervention, supportive counseling, child/youth services, law enforcement and court advocacy, medical advocacy, and much, much more.
“We’re delighted to invite the public to learn more about the services offered to victims and survivors, as well as the friends and family who are often the first point of disclosure and support for victims,” Hecker said. “Domestic violence and sexual assault are the silent scourge of our communities, and we want to ensure that everyone knows there is help and hope just a phone call away. Now that our satellite office is open again, victims and survivors will be able to access our services so much easier.”
The public is invited to the ribbon-cutting and to see the facilities and meet the staff at 225 W. 5th St in Colby from 10 a.m. to noon Aug. 14 with the ribbon cutting at 10 a.m.
Options Domestic and Sexual Violence Services is a non-profit agency dedicated to empowering individuals who experience domestic, sexual, interpersonal or stalking violence through individual support while educating our communities to identify and confront the causes of violence in society. Options provides services to 18 counties in northwest Kansas. Options voluntary services are always provided free of charge and with complete confidentiality.
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — A jury’s $289 million award to a former school groundskeeper who said Monsanto’s Roundup left him dying of cancer will bolster thousands of pending cases and open the door for countless people who blame their suffering on the weed killer, the man’s lawyers said.
Roundup, the Monsanto brand name pesticide built on the chemical glyphosate, is used on farm fields and on lawns and gardens. FILE: by GRANT GERLOCK / courtesy HARVEST PUBLIC MEDIA
“I’m glad to be here to be able to help in a cause that’s way bigger than me,” Dewayne Johnson said at a news conference Friday after the verdict was announced.
Johnson, 46, alleges that heavy contact with the herbicide caused his non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. The state Superior Court jury agreed that Roundup contributed to Johnson’s cancer and Monsanto should have provided a label warning of the potential health hazard.
Johnson thanked jurors “from the bottom of my heart” for their work, along with his lawyers and his family.
His was the first case filed by a cancer patient against the agribusiness giant to reach trial. It was expedited because court filings indicated that Johnson was dying. His victory may set the precedent for many others.
“A unanimous jury in San Francisco has told Monsanto: ‘Enough. You did something wrong and now you have to pay,’” said Brent Wisner, Johnson’s lead trial lawyer. “There’s 4,000 other cases filed around the United States and there are countless thousand other people out there who are suffering from cancer because Monsanto didn’t give them a choice … We now have a way forward.”
Monsanto has denied a link between the active ingredient in Roundup — glyphosate — and cancer, saying hundreds of studies have established that glyphosate is safe.
Monsanto spokesman Scott Partridge said the company will appeal. Partridge said scientific studies and two government agencies have concluded that Roundup does not cause cancer.
“We are sympathetic to Mr. Johnson and his family,” Partridge said. “We will appeal this decision and continue to vigorously defend this product, which has a 40-year history of safe use and continues to be a vital, effective, and safe tool for farmers and others.”
Johnson used Roundup and a similar product, Ranger Pro, as a pest control manager at a San Francisco Bay Area school district, his lawyers said. He sprayed large quantities from a 50-gallon tank attached to a truck, and during gusty winds, the product would cover his face, said Brent Wisner, one of his attorneys.
Once, when a hose broke, the weed killer soaked his entire body.
Johnson read the label and even contacted the company after developing a rash but was never warned it could cause cancer, Wisner said. He was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma in 2014.
“The simple fact is he is going to die. It’s just a matter of time,” Wisner told the jury in his opening statement last month.
But George Lombardi, an attorney for Monsanto, said non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma takes years to develop, so Johnson’s cancer must have started well before he began working at the school district.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency says Roundup’s active ingredient is safe for people when used in accordance with label directions.
However, the France-based International Agency for Research on Cancer, which is part of the World Health Organization, classified it as a “probable human carcinogen” in 2015. California added glyphosate to its list of chemicals known to cause cancer.
Johnson’s attorneys sought and won $39 million in compensatory damages and $250 million of the $373 million they wanted in punitive damages.
Fort Hays State University-Energy Division Seeking Position – Skilled Trades Technician, Plant Operations
The FHSU Energy Division/Power Plant is looking for a dependable individual to hire in the Power Plant Department.This is a full time position with benefits.
TASKS
Operation, maintenance and repair of industrial equipment such as boilers, generators, pumps and valves.Work involves all aspects of boiler operation to include general maintenance and repair of related Energy Division/Power Plant equipment.Follow written and oral procedures, reading and recording gauges and water testing.Able to lift 30-50 lbs.
Working hours during the heating season require 24/7 operation during the months of October to April, requiring shift work for continuous operation.Working hours from May through September are usually Monday – Friday 7:00 AM to 3:30 PM.This position may be required to work a flexible work schedule as needed.
REQUIREMENTS
High school diploma or GED, valid driver’s license.Three years’ experience in some skilled trades area.Prefer experience in electrical or mechanical trades, but this is not required.Must be able to lift 30-50 lbs.
Application Process:To apply for this position, please visit https://fhsu.wd1.myworkdayjobs.com/CAREERS.Only electronic applications submitted through the webpage will be accepted.
Required Application Documents:Applicants should submit a resume and names and contact information for three professional references.Applicant documents should be submitted in one PDF.
Notice of Non-discrimination – Fort Hays State University is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate on the basis of gender, race, religion, national origin, color, age, marital status, sexual orientation, genetic information, disability or veteran status.
Background Check: Final candidate will have consented to and successfully completed a criminal background check.
Notice to KPERS retirees applying for a position: Recent legislation changes working-after-retirement rules for both you and your employer if you go back to work for a KPERS employer. Please contact your KPERS representative or www.kpers.org for further information on how this might affect you.
Dr. Peter Lillpopp & Drum Major Nick – Fort Hays State University Marching Band
Dr. Lillpopp and Nick talked about what to expect from the FHSU marching band this year, how to join if you’re interested, and what it takes to be a marching band member in college:
Friday
Bob Gillen – Dept. Head, Western Kansas Ag Research Centers
Bob joined the show to talk about the upcoming Fall Field Day scheduled for Wednesday, August 22nd:
Natalie Ellis – Girl Scouts/National S’mores Day
Natalie talked about the event that the local Girl Scouts hosted for National S’mores Day on Friday:
MANHATTAN — The State Conservation Commission will meet on Monday, Aug. 13, in Hays. The meeting will take place at approximately 10:30 a.m. or immediately following the joint SCC/KACD meeting at the NRCS Hays Area Office, 3012 Broadway, Hays. The meeting is open to the public.
The State Conservation Commission was established in 1937 to promote soil and water conservation and has the responsibility to administer the Conservation District Law, the Watershed District Act and other statutes authorizing various conservation programs.
To request a copy of the agenda or a map to the meeting location, please contact the Kansas Department of Agriculture’s Division of Conservation at 785-564-6620 or [email protected]. If special accommodations are needed, please contact the agency three days in advance of the meeting date.
TOPEKA – The Kansas Insurance Department will require Kansas health insurance carriers to cover three-dimensional mammograms for women as the standard of care for breast exams beginning in 2019, according to Clark Shultz, Assistant Commissioner.
“We will be issuing a bulletin that directs health insurance companies to cover this procedure as a matter of course,” Assistant Commissioner Shultz said. “This modern technology is providing physicians with great opportunities to diagnose and treat breast cancer more quickly.”
Traditionally, two-dimensional mammograms were covered under health insurance plans, but three-dimensional coverage often required the policyholder to pay the additional cost.
“This is a win-win for both the patient and the physician,” Assistant Commissioner Shultz said. “It is taking advantage of modern healthcare technology at no additional cost to the patient.”
MANHATTAN — The 2018 Taiwan Agricultural Youth Exchange Program is currently accepting applications from high school seniors or college freshmen who are passionate about agriculture and are interested in representing Kansas in a week-long exchange program October 28 through November 4, 2018.
Each year the National Taichung Agricultural Senior High School in central Taiwan hosts students from the Midwest for this program. The Kansas Department of Agriculture coordinates the selection and participation of Kansas students, who will tour agricultural facilities and businesses in Taiwan and learn about Taiwanese agriculture.
“The Taiwan Agricultural Youth Exchange Program gave me the opportunity to experience differences in agriculture and culture by completely immersing myself in them,” said Katie Lybarger, 2017 program participant.
“The Taiwan Agricultural Youth Exchange Program is a tremendous opportunity for students who have an interest in agriculture,” said Suzanne Ryan-Numrich, international trade director for KDA. “Students are able to return from Taiwan with a broader understanding of international agriculture and the role that exports play in their local communities.”
Two students will be selected to represent Kansas. To be eligible to apply, students must be a high school senior or college freshman at least 18 years of age with a strong Kansas agricultural background and must have a valid U.S. passport and be willing and able to pay airfare costs.
Applications must be submitted by August 31. Students interested in applying can find more information at agriculture.ks.gov/AgEd. The Taiwan Agricultural Youth Exchange Program is coordinated by KDA with support from the Kansas FFA Association and Kansas 4-H.
For more information, contact Robin Blume, KDA education and events coordinator, at [email protected] or 785-564-6756.
Listen to Mike Cooper interviewing Deloris Farthing; Director of Health Information Management; from HaysMed, by clicking the link above and then clicking the play button
Today
