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Month: August 2019

Dalbert Don Bruning

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Dalbert Don Bruning, 81, of Oberlin, KS passed away Aug. 9, 2019 at his home in Oberlin. He was born Dec. 15, 1937 to Paul and Martha Bruning in Phillips County, at his family’s country home.

Dalbert attended/started school in a one room schoolhouse northeast of Logan. He graduated from Logan High School in Logan, KS in 1956. After high school, he joined the Army and was stationed in the Alaskan Territory in Fairbanks, Alaska. He became acquainted with Karen Bolte through a high school Kayette project, where members wrote to servicemen. When Dalbert finished his term of duty, they began dating and then got engaged and married.

Dalbert and Karen married on June 17, 1960 in Plainville, KS. To this union, five children were born: Donna, Kim, Roy, Paula and Kristin. Over the years, the family lived in Plainville, Hill City, Palco, Phillipsburg, Logan, Atwood, Herndon, and Oberlin.

Over the years, Dalbert worked in an oilfield and owned and operated Bruning Repair. He belonged to the VFW, American Legion, and Masons. His hobbies were fishing, making birdhouses and squirrel feeders, mowing, being a handyman, working on vehicles and spending time with his beloved pets, Trudy, his dog and Cookie, his cat.
Dalbert was preceded in death by his parents, Paul and Martha Bruning and his wife, Karen Bruning.

He is survived by his five children and their spouses: Donna and Rick Weeks of Cawker City, KS, Kim and Steve Dempewolf of Colby, KS, Roy and Teresa Bruning of Atwood, KS, Paula and Bryan Keffeler of Holdrege, NE and Kristin and Kurt Grafel of Natoma, KS; 12 grandchildren: Nicholas Weeks of Downs, KS, Nathan Weeks of Cawker City, KS, Natasha (Weishapl) Flora of Quinter, KS, Bethany and Cameron Weishapl of McCook, NE, Ryan Bruning of Joplin, MO, Renae (Bruning) Malan of Joplin, MO, Katelyn and Brayden Keffeler of Holdredge, NE, Keaston Grafel of Oberlin, KS, Kayla Grafel of Herrington, KS, Kourtney Grafel of Lawrence, KS; 3 step-grandchildren: Renee Sagel of Atwood, KS, Kimberly Sagel of Atwood, KS, Brett Sagel of Sheridan, MO; 14 great-grandchildren: Hadley Flora, Carter and Sterling Grafel, Aubrie, Daymond, Jameson and Evelyn Malan, Ryker Weeks, and Chevee LaToush and step-great-grandchildren: Fiona, Conner, Luca and Baylor Sagel, and Liberty Sharpe.

Memorial services will be held 10:30 am Saturday, August 17, 2019 at Faith Lutheran Church in Oberlin.

Inurnment at a later date at St. Peters Lutheran Cemetery in Logan, KS. Memorial contributions may be made to Hospice Services, Inc. Palliative Care of Northwest Kansas. Condolences may be left at paulsfh.com

Jo Kay Lepej

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Jo Kay Lepej, 72, passed away May 24, 2019, at Woodhaven Care Center, Ellinwood. She was born January 31, 1947, at Great Bend to Joe F. & Elma M. (Laughlin) Lepej. Jo Kay was a 1965 Council Grove High School graduate, then pursued her higher education from K.S.U., graduating in 1969.

A long time Topeka resident, Jo Kay was a CNA at Stormont Vail Hospital. She was a member of the First United Congregational Church and the Hot Air Balloon Club in Topeka. She enjoyed QVC, Royals baseball, Jeopardy and was a passionate Marion High School sports fan.

Surviving her passing was her mother, Elma M. Lepej (passed away August 11, 2019); sister, Patti Smith and husband George of Isle, MN; two nieces and one nephew, Tyler Mermis of Marion, Taryn Baca of Goodyear, Ariz., and Tierney Mermis of Great Bend; and five great nieces and nephews, Blaine, Bryce and Brynn Mermis of Marion, Haley Suchy of Great Bend, and Kamryn Baca of Goodyear, Ariz. She was preceded in death by her father, Joe F. Lepej.

Jo Kay’s visitation will be held jointly with her mother, Elma M. Lepej, from 1:00 to 9:00 p.m., Tuesday, August 13, 2019, at Bryant Funeral Home and from 9:00 a.m. to service time, with family receiving friends from 1:00 to 2:00 p.m., Wednesday, August 14, 2019. Joint services for Jo Kay and Elma will be held at 2:00 p.m., Wednesday, August 14, 2019, at Bryant Funeral Home, with The Reverend Adam Wutka and Pastor Mike Munz presiding. Memorials are suggested to the First Congregational United Church of Christ, St. Mark Lutheran Church, or Masonic Lodge #15, in care of Bryant Funeral Home.

Elma M. Lepej

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Elma M. Lepej, 103, passed away August 11, 2019, at Woodhaven Care Center, Ellinwood. She was born on June 30, 1916, in Rush County to George Raymond & Nellie (Burky) Laughlin. She was raised by her paternal grandparents after the death of her mother in childbirth.

At 10 years of age, her father married Bessie Burkch of McGhee, Ark., and the twins, Elma and Elmer, moved to Arkansas with them. To this marriage were born William J. and Elizabeth Alice. They moved back to Hoisington at the end of their sophomore year in high school. Elma and Elmer moved back to LaCrosse with their grandparents and graduated from LaCrosse High School in 1934.

Elma married Joseph “Joe” Lepej on April 17, 1943, at Great Bend. He died May 15, 1988. They moved to Junction City where Joe had a Civil Service job at Ft. Riley. After Joe was called into the Army in World War II, Elma returned to Great Bend where she worked at Western Paper until Joe returned from overseas. They then purchased a shoe repair shop in Council Grove in June 1947. Their daughters Jo Kay was born January 31, 1947, and Patti Jean was born February 7, 1951. The family returned to Great Bend in 1965.

Elma was an active member of the First Congregational United Church of Christ in Great Bend. She sang in the church and community choirs from high school through her eighties. From 1966 – 1973, Elma was a secretary/receptionist for Dr. Richard Herold, D.D.S. and then worked for 12 ½ years as the secretary at First Congregational United Church of Christ, until she retired in 1987. She was a life member of the Order of Easter Star (Golden Sheaf Chapter 26), V.F.W. Auxiliary #3111, Central Kansas Thread Benders, Dorcas Circle, and A.A.R.P. After her retirement, Elma was also a board member of the Barton County Emergency Aid and also worked part-time at the Barton County Community College Center for Adult Education as a secretary.

Survivors include, one daughter, Patti Smith and husband George of Isle, MN; one sister, Elizabeth Wilson of Chicago, IL; three grandchildren, Tyler Mermis, Taryn Baca and Tierney Mermis; and five great grandchildren, Blaine Mermis, Bryce Mermis, Brynn Mermis, Hayley Suchy and Kamryn Baca. She was preceded in death by her husband Joseph “Joe” Lepej; one daughter, Jo Kay Lepej; twin brother, Elmer Laughlin; and brother, Judge William Laughlin.

Visitation will be held from 1:00 to 9:00 p.m., Tuesday, August 13, 2019, at Bryant Funeral Home and from 9:00 a.m. to service time, with family receiving friends from 1:00 to 2:00 p.m., Wednesday, August 14, 2019.

Funeral Service will be held at 2:00 p.m., Wednesday, August 14, 2019, at Bryant Funeral Home in Great Bend with The Reverend Adam Wutka and Pastor Mike Munz presiding. Interment will be in the Great Bend Cemetery. Memorials are suggested to the First Congregational United Church of Christ, St. Mark Lutheran Church, or Masonic Lodge #15, in care of Bryant Funeral Home.

Dorothy May (Mosher) Renner

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Dorothy May (Mosher) Renner, 98, of Colby, passed away Thursday, August 8, at Fairview Estates. Funeral Services will be at 10:30 a.m., Saturday, August 17th at Baalmann Mortuary, 190 S. Franklin in Colby. Her grandson, Trent Renner, will officiate. Burial will be at the Oakley Cemetery preceding the funeral at 9 a.m.

Dorothy was born on July 31, 1921 in Rexford, KS to Martha (Tucker) and Chris Mosher. She attended school in Rexford all 12 years and graduated in 1939. She received a teaching certificate from Fort Hays and taught for 2 years in a country school near Rexford before marriage.

She met her husband, John Renner at County 4-H Days. They were married on November 22, 1941 in Oberlin, KS. He passed away on March 9, 1985.

In 1946, she moved with her husband to his family’s farm near Mingo, where she spent the next 37 years of her life. They farmed with John’s parents, Pete and Emma and his brother, Remigus (Mege). In 1983, Dorothy and John moved to Oakley, KS where she lived until she moved to Fairview Estates in 2010.

Mrs. Renner taught 4th grade at Oakley and Monument schools (after consolidation) for 29 years and finished her college degree from Fort Hays in 1962.

Dorothy was a member of Oakley Christian Church, a 50-year member in both Eastern Star Lodge and Kappa Gamma, a member of the Legion Auxiliary and the Royal Neighbor’s Lodge.

Survivors include a daughter, Penney Lee, and husband Michael (Jim) Walker and their two children, Erin Stegman and Whitney (Travis) Foxx all of Overland Park, KS; her son, Robert Mosher Renner, of Colby and his five children, Craig (Cheri) Renner, of Norton, KS; Trent (Kelli) Renner, of Fountain Hills, AZ; Travis Renner, of Gilbert, AZ; Robin (Brent) Kejr, of Salina, KS and Johnna (Austin) Frantz, of Oakley, KS; 23 great-grandchildren and 1 great-great grandchild.

She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, a son, Jay, who was stillborn in 1946 and her three sisters, Irma Hibbs, Jennie Rico and Blanch Barnett.

Memorials can be made to Heartland Christian School in Colby and sent in care of Baalmann Mortuary, PO Box 304, Colby, KS 67701. For information or condolences visit www.baalmannmortuary.com

Goodland woman appointed to Creative Arts Industries Commission

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KCAIC

TOPEKA – Governor Kelly appointed Aubrey Streit-Krug, Abby Killingsworth, Jamie Oliver and Brittany Novotny to the Kansas Creative Arts Industries Commission (KCAIC).

“The creative arts industry is a very important piece of our state’s history,” Kelly said. “In difficult times, the arts bring people together – from all across Kansas. Creativity is what makes Kansas an extraordinary place to live. It amplifies everything we find important and celebrates our greatest accomplishments. When our creative arts industry thrives, so does our state. Aubrey, Abby, Jamie and Brittany have dedicated their lives to the creative arts, and I know that they will work hard to create jobs in our state and enhance Kansans’ quality of life. We are lucky to have them on the team.”

The commission, which is part of the Department in Commerce, is focused on measuring, promoting, supporting and expanding Kansas’ creative industry to grow the state’s economy and foster creative industry-related jobs. The commission’s 11 members must be representative of the major arts fields.

Aubrey Streit-Krug, Salina, currently is the Director of Ecosphere Studies at The Land Institute in Salina. She also has worked as a professor of writing and literature at Kansas Wesleyan University, Bethany College, and the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Streit-Krug received a doctorate in English and a master’s degree in English from the University of Nebraska- Lincoln, and a bachelor’s degree in English from Bethany College. She has several published books, articles and essays.

Abby Killingsworth, Goodland, is currently the executive director of the Carnegie Arts Center in Goodland. She previously worked as the career services coordinator at Northwest Kansas Technical College. Killingsworth received a bachelor’s degree in fine arts from Fort Hays State University, and was a national exchange participant at California State University in Chico, Calif.

Jamie Oliver, Pittsburg, currently teaches art courses at Pittsburg State University, and is the chairperson of PSU’s Art Department. Previously, he was an assistant professor of painting and drawing at Denison University. Oliver received a Master of Fine Arts from Tulane University, a master’s degree from Easter Illinois University and a Bachelor of Fine Arts from Denison University.

Brittany Novotny, Pratt, currently works as the co-executive director of the Vernon Filley Art Museum. Previously, she worked as a finance and administration intern at the Indiana University Art Museum. Novotny received a master’s degree in arts administration from Indiana University, and a bachelor’s degree in trumpet performance from the Lamont School of Music at the University of Denver.

Two members of the Creative Arts Industries Commission are appointed by the president of the Senate; one member appointed by the minority leader of the Senate; two members appointed by the speaker of the House of Representatives; one member appointed by the minority leader of the House of Representatives; and five members appointed by the governor.

Lil Nas X’s viral song sets more records on Billboard charts

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NEW YORK (AP) — Lil Nas X is galloping his way to two new records on the Billboard charts thanks to the massive success of “Old Town Road.”

The song that beat out Mariah Carey and “Despacito” to become the longest-running No. 1 hit in the history of the Hot 100 chart has now set records on Billboard’s Hot R&B/Hip-Hop songs and Hot rap songs charts, respectively.

“Old Town Road,” which features Billy Ray Cyrus and is spending its 19th week at No. 1, surpasses the record set by Drake’s “One Dance” on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop songs chart. Drake’s track spent 18 weeks at No.1.

On the Hot rap songs chart, where Lil Nas X’s county-rap tune is also spending its 19th week on top, the 20-year-old beats the record set by Drake’s “Hotline Bling,” Iggy Azalea’s “Fancy” and Missy Elliott’s “Hot Boyz.” The latter three songs each spent 18 weeks at No.1.

Last month Lil Nas X’s viral song became the most successful No. 1 song of all-time when it reached its 17th week at No. 1 on the all-genre Hot 100 chart — Billboard’s main chart for singles — surpassing the 16-week record held by Carey and Boyz II Men’s “One Sweet Day” and Luis Fonsi, Daddy Yankee and Justin Bieber’s “Despacito.”

“Old Town Road” is now spending its 19th week on top of the Hot 100 chart.

Lil Nas X’s song, which has achieved most of its success through audio streaming, was originally a solo song but he added Cyrus to the track. The song also has remix versions featuring Diplo, Young Thug, Mason Ramsey and BTS, and Billboard counts the original song and its remixes as one when calculating chart position, thus helping “Old Town Road” stay on top.

Cosby lawyers ask appeals court to toss #MeToo conviction

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HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — A Pennsylvania appeals court on Monday questioned why actor Bill Cosby never got a supposed non-prosecution agreement in writing as his lawyers asked the panel to overturn his sexual assault conviction.

Cosby, 82, is serving a three- to 10-year prison term for drugging and molesting a woman at his home in what became the first celebrity trial of the #MeToo era.

The three-judge panel asked why Cosby’s top-shelf lawyers didn’t follow the norm and get an immunity agreement in writing, and approved by a judge, when accuser Andrea Constand first came forward in 2005.

“This is not a low-budget operation. … They had an unlimited budget,” said Superior Court Judge John T. Bender. “Could it be they knew this was something the trial court would never have allowed?”

Cosby’s lawyers have long argued that he relied on the promise before giving testimony in Constand’s 2005 lawsuit that proved incriminating when it was unsealed a decade later.

Judge Carolyn Nichols echoed Bender’s point, asking, “how can the elected district attorney bind that office in perpetuity?”

Cosby’s lawyers also attacked Montgomery County Judge Steven O’Neill’s decision to let five other accusers testify when Cosby went on trial last year, after more than 60 accusers came forward and his deposition was unsealed. Prosecutors said they chose women whose accounts showed that Cosby had a “signature” crime pattern. Bender seemed to agree, interrupting defense arguments that their stories had significant differences.

“The reality of it is, he gives them drugs and then he sexually assaults them,” he said. “That’s the pattern, is it not?”

Kristen L. Weisenberger, representing Cosby, said one of the women wasn’t even sure she’d been violated. But prosecutors said that’s how Cosby planned it.

“The defendant should not be . rewarded because she has no recollection because of the drugs he gave her,” Assistant District Attorney Adrienne Jappe argued.

The court’s decision on how many other accusers should be allowed to testify will be closely watched by sexual assault survivors and defense lawyers as men like movie mogul Harvey Weinstein await trial in #MeToo-type cases.

O’Neill had allowed just one other accuser at Cosby’s first trial in 2017, when the jury failed to reach a verdict.

Cosby’s lawyers called the decision to let five testify at the retrial arbitrary and prejudicial. However, the panel said judges are not bound by their earlier trial rulings.

Cosby, who is serving time at a state prison near Philadelphia, was not in court for the arguments at the Pennsylvania Capitol in Harrisburg. The court typically takes several months to issue decisions.

Long beloved as “America’s Dad” for his TV role as Dr. Cliff Huxtable, Cosby has called his encounters with Constand and other accusers consensual.

In his deposition, Cosby acknowledged getting quaaludes in the 1970s to give to women before sex, including 19-year-old Therese Serignese, whom he had met at a Las Vegas hotel. Serignese traveled from Florida to attend Monday’s hearing.

“Remember, there are 60 accusers,” she said. “Out of 19 prior bad act witnesses requested by the prosecutors, the judge only allowed five. I say Bill Cosby got a good deal there.”

Hays, Hoxie mental health services awarded federal grants

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HHS

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Mental health service providers in Hays and Hoxie are among the 17 agencies in Kansas receiving a total of $2.8 million from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to improve mental health services and combat the opioid epidemic.

The announcement was made last week during National Health Center Week, an annual celebration to raise awareness about the mission and accomplishments of American health centers over the past five decades.

As part of this celebration, the Department of Health and Human Services announced the agency is awarding $400 million dollars to improve mental health services and combat the opioid epidemic. Within this award $200 million will go to community health centers (CHC) which are vital to the health of rural communities. These investments will enable CHCs to expand access to integrated substance use disorder and mental health services.

The national total award is $200,736,849 to 1,208 health centers across the country.

The 17 health centers in Kansas will receive a total of $2,839,000, or $167,000 each, to support more patients and expand services. Funding will go towards hiring more mental health professionals, professional development and training, and IT and telehealth services.

Additionally, funding will go to efforts to defeat the opioid epidemic, by empowering communities through outreach and partnerships with local organizations.

 

Goodland NWKS Tech to host Water Technology Field Day

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KSRE

GARDEN CITY — Kansas State University is partnering with the Kansas Water Office and farmers across a swath of western Kansas to host eight Water Technology Field Days in August and September. The events are designed to show agricultural producers and others how the newest crop irrigation research and technology is being applied in real-life situations on private farms.

The dates, locations and times are:

  • Aug. 8 – Tribune – Homeland Farm – 5 p.m.
  • Aug. 9 – Hesston – Jacob, Weber and R&E Goering farms – 10:30 a.m.
  • Aug. 20 – Scott City – Circle C and Long farms – 10:30 a.m.
  • Aug. 23 – Larned – WaterPACK & ILS Farm – 10:30 a.m.
  • Sept. 4 – Goodland – NW Kansas Tech College Farms – 9:30 a.m. (multiple events)
  • Sept. 5 – Garden City – The GCC-Roth Family, T&O and Harshberger farms – 10:30 a.m.
  • Sept. 5 – Liberal – Hatcher Land & Cattle Farm – 5 p.m.
  • Sept. 10 – Troy – Loess Hills Water Quality Farm – 9 a.m.

The KWO provides financial assistance to K-State’s efforts to give technical support for some of the technology demonstration farms.

“K-State Research and Extension is committed to developing and promoting new irrigation technologies that will be environmentally and economically efficient while conserving and protecting limited water resources,” said Ernie Minton, dean of the College of Agriculture and director of K-State Research and Extension. “The K-State Research and Extension services conducted at these Water Technology Farms significantly advances the knowledge of the most efficient water management technology and practices.”

Some of the technologies that these Water Technology Farms have are replicated in small plots at the Southwest Research-Extension Center in Garden City.

“We are excited to work with the producers on these farms because we could validate the results in our research plots to the production scale and conditions of actual farms,” said Jonathan Aguilar, K-State associate professor and water resource engineer located in Garden City.

He leads the monitoring activities of six water technology farms within the Ogallala Aquifer region.

“We hope farmers can see better options in managing their water as their peers test new – and even not so new – irrigation technologies,” he said.

More information on other collaborators and details on the field days is available online or by contacting Armando Zarco, KWO water resource planner, at 620-765-7485.

 

Kansas pays Planned Parenthood’s legal bills after Medicaid fight

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WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — A court filing shows Kansas’ failed effort to strip Medicaid money from Planned Parenthood will cost the state more than $464,300 in attorney fees, expenses and other costs.

A stipulation filed Monday in federal court in Kansas comes after the U.S. Supreme Court rejected last year the state’s appeal.

Lower court rulings had blocked the Kansas Department of Health and Environment from withholding money that is used for health services for low-income women. The money is not used for abortions.

The settlement covers the legal fees and expenses incurred by Planned Parenthood and others who successfully challenged the Kansas effort to withhold the money after heavily edited videos claimed to show the nation’s largest abortion provider profiting from sales of fetal tissue for medical research.

Rough night for points leaders at RPM

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The 22T, driven by Anthony Valium, Palmer Lake, Colorado, was involved in a mid-race crash with the 87, driven by Rich Tegethoff, Kirwin, in the modified feature race at Rolling Plains Motorspeedway Saturday.

By JAMES BELL
Hays Post

It was a rough night of racing for many of the points leaders Saturday at Rolling Plains Motorspeedway, but even with less than stellar finishes, the top leaders in all classes held onto their No. 1 track standing.

Kyle Pfeifer, Hill City, driving the 54P stock car was optimistic before the race and was hoping for a fourth win at RPM and to build upon his successful season. Going into Saturday’s event, he was in the top spot in track points and ranked third in state and sixth in national IMCA points.

“We have had a pretty good season, especially the last half we have been running. We’ve been doing really good and working really hard,” Pfeifer said.

He attributed the team’s success this year to hard work.

“Last year at the end of the year, we started picking up a lot of steam, worked hard and got in with some good guys and figured some things out. That just transferred into this year,” Pfeifer said.

Pfeifer started in the eighth position and moved up a position a lap reach the third-place spot on the ninth lap.

But as the last half dragged on, he could not catch either the leader, the 25P driven by Mike Petersillie, Hoisington, in first place position or the 63C, driven by Travis Sherfick, WaKeeney.

They became spread around the track in remaining laps and would claim those spots at the checkered flag.

“I could have found the top line quicker,” Pfeifer said. “It was fun though … track was fast.”

But Clay Money driving the 7 in the modified class was not so sure the track was in top condition during the modified feature.

“It wasn’t much to work with on the track tonight, I’m not sure why they watered that much,” Money said.

Money started the race from the sixth position, ranking second in track points and first in the state and ninth in the national IMCA points standings.

By lap seven, Money had worked his way up a position but would get tangled with the 85 and would be cited for causing a caution, moving him to the rear of the field.

“It caused a caution on us,” Money said, “But we will move on, learn from it and try again next week.”

The 66D, driven by Dylan Sherfick, would take the checkered after holding the top spot following a mid-race restart after a red flag in the race from a crash that would take the 22T, driven by Anthony Valium, Palmer Lake, Colorado and the 87, driven by Rich Tegethoff, Kirin out of the race.

The win would move Sherfick into second in track standings.

Money would finish ninth and drop to third.

Results from all six classes from Saturday’s races can be found here.

 

 

HAWVER: Time for Kan. lawmakers to focus on the distractions

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Martin Hawver

Time to remind Kansans that a key skill in Kansas politics is distraction.

Yes, remember that you don’t have to be much of a magician if your assistant is sexy enough that she’s the one the audience watches, not whether that rabbit actually came out of the hat the magician is wearing.

Democrats do it, Republicans do it. Heck, even third-party politicians practice distraction. Right now, it’s the Republicans who are getting in gear due to a recent series of events.

The fuses: Last week, it was the need for the Kansas Department of Corrections to contract with a private for-profit corporation to hold at least 360 Kansas prisoners in an Arizona prison because Kansas doesn’t have the space for them.

The week before was the Kansas Department of Revenue demanding that all out-of-state merchants collect Kansas sales tax on sales made into Kansas.

Oh, and then there was the relatively distracting response to the massacres in Texas and Ohio.

It’s early, but so far, the Kansas Legislature and its Republican leaders who are still angry that the state elected Democrat Gov. Laura Kelly to be its governor are doing their best at distraction from the real issues and finding solutions that are politically acceptable to them and their supporters.

The prisoner issue: During the past eight years, conservative former Gov. Sam Brownback consistently cut spending on the Department of Corrections along with other agencies in order to make his dramatic tax-cut program workable, or at least appear to be workable. With years of prison aging and with below-market salaries for prison guards essentially frozen, Kansas prisons filled and then over-filled; the state just ran out of space for prisoners and for guards to manage them.

While lawmakers don’t like the idea of moving Kansas convicts out of state at $75 a day, they’re not really eager to take responsibility for the crisis and instead have special committees which are watching every dollar in spending proposed by Democrat Kelly that has become necessary after years of not spending money on prisons.

The sales tax issue that might well see the state hauled into court for its absolute sales tax collection rule? Well, that’s state law which the Legislature couldn’t get amended this year because it tacked the so-called “safe harbor” amendment exempting those out of state merchants with small sales into the state onto bills with millions of dollars of state income tax cuts for the well-heeled and corporations that the governor vetoed because the state needs the money. So, we’re seeing that sales tax problem become a distraction from the big tax cuts lawmakers voted for but couldn’t get passed.

Oh, and as part of the distraction, there’s the potentially small reduction in sales taxes on food which were part of the bill vetoed by Kelly. Hmmm…lawsuits and a Democrat not signing a food sales tax reduction. Not a bad political distraction, is it?

And the response to the Texas and Ohio massacres? The distraction here is that the state needs more mental health services for those with guns to keep them from using those guns in hate crime rampages. Nope, no mention of taking guns away from the mentally ill, the hate-mongers, under a “red flag” law, or even making it harder for those people to obtain guns. Let’s instead talk about mental health. Again, not a bad distraction, and one that doesn’t raise the blood pressure of the National Rifle Association.

Distraction? Nope just look over there…

Syndicated by Hawver News Company LLC of Topeka; Martin Hawver is publisher of Hawver’s Capitol Report—to learn more about this nonpartisan statewide political news service, visit the website at www.hawvernews.com

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