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Month: August 2019

Hays USD 489 school board to consider $52M budget tonight

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By CRISTINA JANNEY
Hays Post

The Hays USD 489 school board will conduct its annual budget hearing at 6:30 p.m. Monday at the Rockwell Administration Center.

Total proposed expenditures are $52 million, which is up from last school year’s budget, which was $43.9 million. This includes capital outlay and bond debt.

The total mill levy for 2019-20 will be 42.116 mills, which will be down from last year, which was 42.792. The capital outlay mill levy remains at 8 mills.

The district’s assessed valuation is up this year at $326.7 million compared to $316.1 million last year.

The regular board meeting will be called to order following the conclusion of the budget hearing.

In other business, the board will

  • Hear a report from Commerce Bank on investment strategies.
  • Hear a report from Marie Henderson and Kyle Carlin on flex learning/professional development
  • Vote on board appointments to standing committees
  • Discuss upcoming work session topics.

Update: Police identify 22-year-old killed in Kan. drive-by shooting

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SEDGWICK COUNTY — Law enforcement authorities are investigating a fatal shooting and have identified the victim.

Just before 3:30 a.m. Sunday, police were dispatched to a drive-by shooting at an apartment complex in the 2300 block of N. Woodlawn in Wichita, according to officer Kevin Wheeler.

Upon arrival, officers located Elbert Costello, Jr., 22, Wichita, in the parking lot who had been shot multiple times, according to Lt. Chad Beard, Commander of the Wichita Police Department gang felony assault unit.

Costello was pronounced dead on the scene. A second 24-year-old male victim arrived by private vehicle at a local hospital with gunshot wounds. He was hospitalized and in serious condition, according to Wheeler.

The preliminary investigation shows that there was an exchange of gunfire between two groups of people in the parking lot of the complex. There was damage to some of the apartment buildings and vehicles in the parking lot, but no other injuries were reported.

Detectives are actively working to identify the individuals involved in this incident. Police have released no suspect descriptions. This shooting was not a random incident, and it is believed to be gang-related.  

It is the 19th homicide in Wichita this year, according to Lt. Beard.

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SEDGWICK COUNTY — Law enforcement authorities are investigating a fatal shooting and looking for suspects.

Just before 3:30 a.m. Sunday,  police were dispatched to a drive-by shooting at an apartment complex in the 2300 block of N. Woodlawn in Wichita, according to officer Kevin Wheeler.

Upon arrival, officers located a 22-year-old male in the parking lot who had been shot multiple times. He was pronounced dead on the scene. A second 24-year-old male victim arrived by private vehicle at a local hospital with gunshot wounds. He was hospitalized and in serious condition, according to Wheeler.

The preliminary investigation shows that there was an exchange of gunfire between two groups of people in the parking lot of the complex. There was damage to some of the apartment buildings and vehicles in the parking lot, but no other injuries were reported.

Detectives are actively working to identify the individuals involved in this incident. Police have released no suspect descriptions. This shooting was not a random incident, and it is believed to be gang-related.

Exploring Outdoors Kansas: You never know what you might be missing

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Steve Gilliland

I saw an old friend in town the other day and he asked how I had done trapping last year. I told him I hadn’t set as many traps as I’d wanted and thus hadn’t caught as many coyotes as I had planned. I’ll never forget his reply; he told me “I was never a very good trapper. I had a friend that was very good, and I would set twice as many traps as him and I would catch twice as little!” I chuckled at his wording, but it got me to thinking. If I had thrown in the towel every time I hadn’t gotten a deer, or trapped as many coyotes as planned, or caught all the fish I’d wanted I would probably have ceased even going outdoors years ago.

There have been plenty of years when I haven’t harvested a deer or trapped as many critters as I’d wanted, but my biggest challenge has always been my fishing skills, or better yet my lack-thereof. Growing up in Ohio, we enjoyed Lake Erie and one of the many islands in Lake Erie is named Kelley’s Island. Our neighbor was pastor at one of the churches on Kelley’s Island and stayed there in the parsonage during the weekend, and lived next door to us during the week. Because of our friendship, if we went to Kelley’s Island on week days, he let us stay in the church parsonage, so each year we planned a short fishing trip there during the week. One of the fish Lake Erie is known for is the Yellow Perch. They are nothing like our invasive species White Perch here in Kansas and in my book are nearly as good as Walleye as far as eating quality. In the fall the perch would be biting around the island so we planned our trips around that. We sometimes fished from the ferry dock alongside native islanders. I always bought the same bait from the same bait shop and used the same tackle as the native islanders, but sitting 3 feet away on the dock, they would catch 12 fish to my one.

Some years back when Joyce and I still had a boat, we went to Kannapolis fishing with another couple who were both avid fishermen, they in their boat and Joyce and I in ours. They had numerous brush piles in the lake marked on their GPS, so we anchored on each side of a long narrow brush pile. Joyce and I both rigged our rods exactly like theirs, and our boats were so close that at one point they tossed us the exact jig they were using. They caught crappies left and right and the only thing we caught was the rope anchoring the marker buoy.

My points here are, number one, I’m a lousy fisherman, seemingly almost cursed at times, but yet I still go when I can. Point number two is, that although harvesting fish and game is usually the goal when in the field or on the lake, the harvest should not be our sole purpose for being there. On one particular deer hunt during my youth, I was standing in a pre-determined spot in a large woodlot awaiting other hunters walking toward me. I heard rustling in the leaves, and watched as a mother red fox and her family of half-grown kits ran past me just a few feet away. As I recall, I didn’t harvest a deer that year, but would have missed that once-in-a-lifetime-sight had I not been there anyway.

I could fill pages with other stories like that of bobcats that peered at us from a few feet away, or hawks that cruised past us mere feet above the ground and only a stones-throw away, or the beaver that swam beneath my feet under the ice of a frozen creek. The bottom line is that all that would have been missed had we not been there, successful harvest or not. Continue to Explore Kansas Outdoors (successful harvest or not!).

Steve Gilliland, Inman, can be contacted by email at [email protected].

Bomb threat called in at Great Bend Walmart; nothing found

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Walmart employees and customers being evacuated from the building Sunday, Aug. 18, 2019 after a bomb threat was called in.

GREAT BEND — On Sunday at approximately 2:55 p.m., officers with the Great Bend Police Department were dispatched to Walmart, 3503 10th Street in Great Bend in reference to a bomb threat.

It was reported a subject called Walmart stating there was a bomb in the store then the caller hung up.

Walmart evacuated all employees and customers from the building. Once everyone was out of and away from the building, officers from the Great Bend Police Department conducted a search of the building. There were no explosive devices located inside or around the building.

This case is still under investigation. Anyone with information on this crime in encouraged to contact Crime Stoppers at 620-792-1300 or the Great Bend Police Department at 620-793-4120.

— Great Bend Post

Sheila Dawn Ritter

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Sheila Dawn Ritter was born March 6, 1968 in McCook, NE to Loyal and Lynda (Martin) Springer. She passed away suddenly on August 15, 2019 at her home at the age of 51.

Sheila attended Beaver Valley High School and graduated in 1986. She married Michael Ritter on April 9, 1994 in Selden, KS. Sheila worked as a Special Education Para for Golden Plains Elementary; she loved helping all the student at the grade school. She enjoyed dancing and singing around the house and loved her collection of Berry Hill Bears. Sheila was very proud of her yard and always wanted it to look perfect. One thing she despised was any type of bird. She never went anywhere without her Yeti cup and Crystal Light drink.

Sheila was a loving wife and mother and dedicated her life to her family and friends. She was supportive in all the activities her children participated in and was very proud of her children and everything they have accomplished. Sheila was close with her mother, checking on her often and talking with her many times a day. She loved her summers and holidays with her grandson, Rostin and always wanted him to have the best time. Sheila was loved by her nieces and nephews and took a lot of interest in their lives.

She was preceded in death by her father, Loyal Springer; aunt, Dorothy Burroughs; uncles, Lyle Springer and Marvin Springer; father-in-law, Cletus Ritter; sister-in-law, Patricia Richmond and her grandparents.

She is survived by her husband, Michael Ritter of Selden, KS; children: Christopher Springer (Leslie Smith) of Atwood, KS, Rachael Ritter (William Still) of Phillipsburg, KS and Danica Ritter of Selden, KS; grandson, Rostin Springer; mother, Lynda Springer; sister, Shelly Macfee of Oberlin, KS; aunt, LaDonna (Steve) Harrison; uncles: Marlin (Denise) Springer; mother-in-law, Wilma Ritter; brothers-in-law: Dennis Macfee, Bernard Ritter and Robert (Laura) Ritter; sisters-in-law: Juanita (Ken) Denning, Karen Simon, Marianne (Pie) Garza, Janet Baalman and Carleen (Steve) Brewer; nieces and nephews: Kaden Macfee, Taylor (Logan) Fortin, Madison Macfee, Landen Macfee, Melissa (Michael) Dick, Natalie (Ross) McCombs, Aaron Denning, Jennifer (Chad) Henry, Christy Simon, Janel (Jay) Jessen, Brandon (Liddy) Offutt, Devin (Megan) Ritter, Morgan Ritter (Isaac Dinkel), Nolan Ritter, Noel Ritter, Dustin Gonzales (Risa JaNe), Traci (Beau) Carroll, Derek (Erika) Gonzales, Cheyene Garza, Michelle (Jt) Tipton, Nicole Baalman, Timothy Baalman, Braxton Brewer, and Jaiden Brewer.

Click HERE for service details.

Richard J. Fischli Jr.

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Logan resident Richard J. Fischli Jr. passed away August 18, 2019 at the Logan Manor Nursing Home in Logan, KS at the age of 94. He was born June 15, 1925 in Speed, KS, the son of Richard & Mary (Kinter) Fischli.

He is survived by nieces & nephews.

Funeral services will be held Thursday, Aug. 22 at 10:30 a.m. in the Logan United Methodist Church with Pastors Ted Stapleton & Troy Buss officiating. Burial will follow in the Pleasant View Cemetery.

Visitation will be from 5:00 to 9:00 p.m. Tuesday & noon to 9:00 Wednesday at the Logan Funeral home.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Logan Manor.

University professor sentenced for traveling to KC for sex with a minor

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KANSAS CITY– A former Ohio university professor was sentenced in federal court Thursday for traveling to Kansas City to engage in sexual activity with a person whom he believed to be a 14-year-old runaway, according to the United State’s Attorney.

Kevin Connor Armitage-photo Caldwell Co.

Kevin Connor Armitage, 54, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Brian C. Wimes to two years and nine months in federal prison without parole.

On May 1, 2019, Armitage pleaded guilty to traveling across state lines to engage in illicit sexual conduct with a minor. Armitage was a professor of American studies at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio.

Armitage maintained a profile on a website that allows registered members to exchange information regarding commercial sex activity. The website’s public posts contain detailed accounts of sexual encounters between members and commercial sex workers, including prices and specific locations for sexual encounters. Links to well-known sex trafficking websites were posted with reviews of sexual encounters. Members of the website are able to contact the posters by private message to obtain contact information for the commercial sex workers described in the posts.

Armitage was a senior member of the website, with 576 postings that detail his prior experiences with prostitutes in Ohio, Arizona, Kansas, Colorado, and Tijuana.

On May 22, 2018, an undercover federal agent responded to a discussion thread posted by another user. Armitage contacted the undercover agent through a private message and indicated that he would be visiting the Kansas City area and was interested in recommendations. Armitage was provided a phone number for a female FBI agent, who was posing as a 14-year-old female runaway.

After several conversations, Armitage agreed to meet the 14-year-old’s cousin at a restaurant on the Country Club Plaza in Kansas City on May 30, 2018, in order to discuss payment. Once he arrived at the restaurant, Armitage was told, he would be given the address where he could meet the 14-year-old. An FBI undercover employee, posing as the cousin, met Armitage at the restaurant and he was arrested.

This case was prosecuted by First Assistant U.S. Attorney Teresa A. Moore. It was investigated by the Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General and the FBI.

Chiefs training camp ends on a high note in St. Joe

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Photos by Brent Martin

By BRENT MARTIN
St. Joseph Post

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. — Missouri Western State University hopes to host the Kansas City Chiefs Training Camp again next year.

This 10th camp which just concluded saw record numbers of fans turn out.

Missouri Western reports approximately 63,000 fans attended the camp in St. Joseph, shattering the old record of 55,000 set in 2010.

Chiefs Head Coach Andy Reid praises Missouri Western.

“I love what they do for us here,” Reid tells reporters. “I mean it’s phenomenal. All the way from the guys that take care of the field and the security people, the people that cook for us, the people that clean the dorms for us. All the way around, it’s a great atmosphere.”

Reid says Missouri Western and the city of St. Joseph makes the team feel welcome.

“I’m a big fan of Missouri Western State University.”

Reid adds, though, that he doesn’t have anything to do with the “business side” of the Chiefs, where the decision will be made to either return to St. Joseph or hold camp somewhere else.

Whether it is because this could be the last year the Chiefs hold camp in St. Joseph or whether it is because the team came so close to getting to the Super Bowl last year or whether it is because quarterback Patrick Mahomes won the NFL MVP last year, fans came out in droves this year.

It didn’t take long for Missouri Western officials to conclude the crowds would be the biggest ever this year, though they thought that was a remote possibility when the Chiefs came to town for their first practice July 27th.

The first weekend attracted 15,000 fans. The crowd grew the next weekend, with 16,000 attending.

Then, there was the huge weekday crowd, when 6,500 showed up for a Wednesday practice, an unheard-of number for a weekday. Of course, that Wednesday the quarterbacks, including NFL MVP Mahomes, signed autographs.

KFEQ Sports Director Dave Riggert contributed to this report.

 

Kan. sheriff: No leads in search for who shot pitbull puppy

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PAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities continue to look for answers after a puppy was shot and had to be euthanized in Pawnee County.

Photo of the injured puppy while it was still alive courtesy Pawnee Co. Sheriff

It’s been over two weeks and there are still no credible leads in the investigation, according to Pawnee County Sheriff Scott King.

The approximately 7 or 8-month-old male pit bull puppy was found on O Road between 110th and 120th Roads just north of Larned, according to King.  Someone shot the dog eight times with a .22 caliber rifle.

With the assistance of social media, the sheriff’s office has posted photos on Facebook, we thought we’d know something but we’ve only received dead end leads, according to King.

The sheriff said they would even appreciate anonymous leads on who owned the dog, past history, or other circumstances. King’s email is [email protected]

Patricia Vonfeldt

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Patricia Vonfeldt, 83, loving mother and grandmother passed away in her home on August 16, 2019 with her sons and daughters by her side.

She is predeceased by her husband, Fritz, of 55 years. Survivors include 2nd husband, Rosemond Ervin; sister, Marilyn Zimmerman (Leon); sons, Ken (Kyle) Vonfeldt and Ron Vonfeldt; daughters, Becky (Les) Langley and Elaine (Trent) Sauder; 13 grandchildren; 21 great-grandchildren; and 1 great-great-granddaughter.

Viewing and visitation with family present will be 6-8 pm, Tuesday, August 20th at Broadway Mortuary. A rosary will be 7pm, Wednesday August 21st and Funeral Mass 10am, Thursday, August 22nd, both at St. Francis of Assisi Church, 861 N. Socora, Wichita.

Share condolences at www.CozineMemorial.com.

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