BUHLER, Kan. – The Hays Junior American Legion baseball team split their doubleheader in Buhler Wednesday night losing the opener 4-2 then winning the second contest 10-4. Both games were limited to five innings to save pitching for upcoming games this weekend.
The Eagles (4-7-1) walked seven and gave up four runs despite not allowing a hit in the first inning of the first game. They rallied with a run in the fifth when Noah Weimer grounded into a fielders choice and had the bases loaded before a pop up ended the game.
Jack Fields was charged with all four runs and took the loss.
The Eagles jumped out early in the second game scoring two in the first, four in the second and three in the third for a 9-0 lead. Dawson VonFeldt, Dalton Dale and Connor Jacobs drove in two runs apiece.
Dale allowed one earned run on three hits for the win.
KANSAS CITY, KAN. – A federal indictment unsealed Wednesday in Kansas charges a Massachusetts man with distributing counterfeit oxycodone pills that contained the powerful synthetic opioid fentanyl, according to U.S. Attorney Stephen McAllister.
Anthony Stokes, 32, South Deerfield, Ma., is charged with five counts of distributing fentanyl and five counts of selling counterfeit drugs. The indictment alleges the crimes took place during December 2018 through Feb. 2019 in Wyandotte County, Kan.
The indictment alleges Stokes sold 114 tablets with counterfeit identifying marks belonging to Mallinckrodt Pharmaceuticals. The tablets contained more than 14.6 grams of fentanyl.
Stokes was arrested June 11 in Massachusetts.
If convicted, he faces a penalty of up to 20 years in federal prison and a $1 million fine on the fentanyl charge and up to 10 years and a fine up to $250,000 on the counterfeit drug charges.
HAYS – The Hays Eagles Senior American Legion scored five runs in the first two innings and led 6-0 after six but had to hold off a late Buhler rally for a 6-4 win Wednesday evening at Larks Park.
Buhler was held hitless until the eighth when they plated four runs and had two on when catcher Brock Lummus picked off a baserunner to end the inning.
The Eagles (9-3) scored three in the first on a fielders choice from Palmer Hutchison and bases loaded walks to Brock Lummus and Jamison Martin.
Hays added two more in the second when Trey Riggs was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded and Hutchison hit a sacfifice fly to left.
Brady Kreutzer singled in the sixth to push the lead to 6-0.
Trey Riggs recorded the final four outs for the save. Willie Sennett, who was the first of eight Hays pitchers, picked up the win.
ST. LOUIS (AP) — A man who used fake nurse credentials to get jobs at three health care facilities has been sentenced to nearly five years in prison.
Benjamin Danneman / photo Illinois Dpt. of Corrections
Benjamin Danneman, 38, of Eureka, Mo., pleaded guilty in March to health care fraud, aggravated identity theft and Social Security fraud. He was sentenced Wednesday in federal court.
Danneman used the name of a real nurse and made other false claims to obtain jobs at Sherbrooke Village in St. Louis County and the Rehabilitation Institute of St. Louis. He also was assistant director of nursing at the Quarters of Des Peres, a 122-bed nursing home.
Court records say Danneman never had any license to provide medical services.
Danneman is already serving a prison sentence in Illinois for crimes that include attempted burglary and theft.
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) – Bobby Witt Jr. has spent his much of his short life around the major leagues. For the first time Wednesday, he was the star attraction at the ballpark.
The son of retired pitcher Bobby Witt was introduced as the highest-profile new member of the Royals’ farm system. Witt, who turns 19 on Friday, was the second overall pick in last week’s draft.
“It’s a blessing for me to be a part of this organization,” Witt said. “They really respect their players and their staff. I was really impressed with the respect they had for me.”
Witt has been compared favorably to some of the top shortstop prospects in recent history, including Alex Rodriguez. He said he looks forward to trying to live up to that lofty billing.
“That motivated me,” Witt said. “You can write all that stuff down on paper, but until I perform the way they did, I’ll never be satisfied. I’ve got to go out there and play my game. Maybe one day I’ll be there.”
The Royals have not announced where Witt will make his professional debut.
“He’s our kind of guy,” general manager Dayton Moore said. “(He fits) our city, our fans. I can’t say enough about his family and how he was raised. The way Bobby handles questions speaks for itself. The thing I’ve admired about him for a while is, while he’s the guy everyone gravitates to, he treats everybody else like they’re the first-rounder. That’s a great quality to have.”
Director of scouting Lonnie Goldberg said the decision to pick Witt was “easy.”
“He’s been an absolute blast to scout as a player,” Goldberg said.
Witt is the highest selection by the Royals since they took Luke Hochevar with the No. 1 overall pick in 2006. He received the highest signing bonus in club history. And in an added bit of pressure, MLB Network’s Jim Callis compared Witt to NFL MVP Patrick Mahomes, saying he would have the same impact with the Royals that Mahomes did with the Chiefs.
Witt and Mahomes both grew up in Texas.
“Mahomes is a great player, and I grew up watching him. With him going to Texas Tech and me being an OU Sooners fan, I was always rooting against him. I watched him and Baker (Mayfield) put 60 or 70 points on the board.
“I’ve heard he’s done some great things off the field in the community as well. Hopefully I’ll one day make it to the major league team and I’ll be able to do the same things.”
Robert G. Boese, 73, passed away June 12, 2019 at Diversicare of Larned.
He was born October 21, 1945 in Santa Ana, California to Vernon and Ella Eilts Boese.
A lifetime area resident he was a laborer.
He is survived by; children, Shannon Boese, Shadd Boese, Shaun (Jamie) Boese, Shaela Tullis, Joe Freel, Lynda Freel; siblings, Glenna Belcher, Lavern (Rosa) Boese, Sandra (Dennis) Sauer, Rodney (Janie) Boese, Brent Boese, Marva D. McDonald; twelve grandchildren and three great grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by his parents; a sister, Shirley Shank; and a brother-in-law, Joe Belcher.
Cremation has taken place and no services are planned at this time. Memorials may be given to the Robert Boese Memorial Fund in care of Beckwith Mortuary, PO Box 477, Larned, Kansas 67550.
The Ellis County Commission approved the purchase of four mechanical CPR units for its front-line ambulances during its meeting Monday.
The county received a Kansas Board of EMS KARF grant to pay for half of three of the units. The commissioners opted to pay for the fourth unit on its own. The total cost to the county will be $35,472.
Health Services Director Kerry McCue said the mechanical units are superior to CPR given by a person. The use of mechanical CPR units also frees up EMS staff to monitor patient medication and heart monitors.
It also increases safety of EMS staff, because staff can seat-belted into the ambulance.
Commissioner Dustin Roths said he favored purchasing three units using the grant match and waiting to purchase the fourth unit.
However, Commissioner Butch Schlyer, a former nurse, said he favored purchasing the fourth unit now.
“CPR, it can wear you out really fast. To sustain it for more than a few minutes is really tough,” he said, adding he thought the purchase of these devices was a life-saving issue.
Ultimately, all three commissioners voted in favor of purchasing all four units.
In other business, the commission:
Approved a conditional-use permit for Nex-Tech to put up an 85-foot telephone pole for a cellular site at at 323 Pfeifer Ave. in rural Ellis County.
Reappointed David McDaniel to the Joint Planning Commission. Another position is open on the commission. Contact the county or a county commissioner if you have interest in being on the commission.
Approved Osborne County joining the Regional Household Hazardous Waste Program
Accepted a bid of $414,096 for 70,400 square yards, or about 5 miles, of cold in-place recycling of asphalt road surface.
PLAINVILLE — Dozens of area ranchers are still waiting on their money after checks worth tens of thousands of dollars per producer bounced in a check-kiting scheme involving the Plainville Livestock Commission.
As the case has unraveled, ranchers have expressed shock and disappointment in the Tyler Gillum and his wife who owned the Livestock Commission, betrayal by the federal regulators who were supposed to protect the ranchers, and frustration at the legal proceeding that seem to be dragging on.
Rex Mulder of Mulder Farms in Logan said his family business has borrowed money to keep going as a result of not being paid for cattle they sold at the Plainville Livestock Commission.
He said the case has caused stress for his family and the entire ranching community.
Wes Cook, Plainville rancher, said he is hanging on for now without taking on more debt, but it has been difficult.
“I don’t know if I will ever see all of it,” Cook said of the money he is owed.
Checks from the Plainville Livestock Commission for two sales — one at the end of January and the other on Feb. 5 — bounced.
Money that was supposed to be set aside to pay cattle sellers was transferred from a custodial account to the Plainville Livestock Auction’s operating account. The Almena Bank froze both accounts, which resulted in bounced checks.
Almena Bank filed an interpleader case, which is legal action that seeks to determine to whom the money that was transferred out of the custodial account belongs.
Almena Bank has paid $916,652.29 into the Court Registry in the interpleader case, according to court records. That money is being held until the ranchers’ case is settled.
Plainville Livestock Commission declared bankruptcy on March 1. The interpleader case has been transferred from Norton District Court to federal bankruptcy court. The ranchers’ case is pending separately from the main bankruptcy proceedings and is still working its way through the court system.
“I was shocked and disappointed. They seemed trustworthy,” Mulder said of the Gillums when he had found out they had been indicted on federal charges.
The Gillums are charged with 31 counts of bank fraud, one count of making a false statement to the Small Business Administration in an application for a $1.5 million loan, and one count of making a false statement to Almena State Bank in an application for a $500,000 line of credit.
The indictment alleges investigators examined unfunded checks and wire transfers totaling more $2 billion sent by Tyler Gillum as part of the scheme.
The indictment alleges the Gillums defrauded Almena State Bank in Almena; Landmark Bank in Manhattan; Colorado East Bank and Trust in Lamar, Colorado; Astra Bank in Scandia; TBK Bank in Dallas; Guaranty State Bank in Beloit; and The Bank in Oberlin.
“I think something should be done,” Cook said of the Gillums. “They should lock him up or something.”
Mulder expressed frustration with the USDA, which regulates market agents like the Gillums under the Packers and Stockyards Act.
“The USDA failed us,” he said. “They should have shut them down. It should not have gotten to this point.”
The Plainville Livestock Commission had been cited before for not having sufficient funds in its custodial account, which by law is to hold money owed to cattle sellers.
Multiple filings have happened since the case was transferred to the bankruptcy court. Fifty-six parties to the case are listed on court records.
Parties in the case had until Friday, June 7, to object to any monetary claims filed in the case. Almena Bank did file objections on multiple claims and those people and entities have until June 21 to file responses to the objections.
James Overcash, the trustee for the bankruptcy estate, has filed a claim as a part of the interpleader case. That filings says that Overcash believes part of the money that is now being held by the court in interpleader case should be part of the bankruptcy estate.
However, other filings claim all of the money that was frozen by Almena State Bank should be used to pay unpaid cattle sellers.
The court hearing to discuss this and the other responses to disputed claims to the money that was frozen by Aleman Bank is set for 10:30 a.m. July 11.
At 6 p.m. Thursday, Moore’s Greater Shows will open its carnival on the lot of Big Creek Crossing, 2918 Vine.
The carnival will be open from 6 to 10 p.m. daily through Sunday.
On the first day, a buy-one-get-one special will be offered from 7 to 10 p.m. on wristbands for $25, and regularly priced the following days.
Tickets for the rides are set at $1, with most rides costing four to five tickets, according to Branson Hoffman, BCC marketing director.
“There will be roughly 25 attractions,” said James Younger, BCC property manager. “The rides will vary from smaller more toddler-friendly rides to thrill-seeking rides for teenagers as well.”
Specials will be offered at many of the stores in Big Creek Crossing in conjunction with the carnival.
“The carnival has always been a really big attraction for our property,” Younger said. “It’s something the public really enjoys, and we really enjoy bringing a little bit of fun and enthusiasm to the community.”
This is the second consecutive year for the carnival, and Younger hopes to it will continue in following years.
While the carnival is underway, management advised the public to be cautious while driving through the parking lot because of the number of children in the area.
Shirley May Brungardt, age 86, of Hays, Kansas passed away Monday, June 10, 2019 at Via Christi Village, Hays. She was born December 30, 1932 in Hays, Kansas to Joseph and Josephine (Bissing) Jacobs. She married Eugene Stalder on July 14, 1952. He preceded her in death on July 27, 1992. On May 19, 1997 she married Hubert Brungardt. He preceded her in death on June 16, 2018.
Shirley was a homemaker. She enjoyed singing, playing the piano, and spending time with her family. She was a member of Immaculate Heart of Mary Church of Hays.
She is survived by a daughter, Sue Jenkins and husband David of Daytona Beach Shores, Florida; two step-daughters, LaQuita Geis and husband Rocky of McPherson, Kansas and Lisa Nelson and husband Jim of Topeka, Kansas; 4 step-grandchildren and 3 great grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her parents; brothers, Cecil, Clifford, Virgil and Fred Jacobs and sisters, Alice Sexton, Rosetta Palmer and Henrietta Carroll.
Funeral services will be 11 AM Friday June 14, 2019 at Brock’s-Keithley Funeral Chapel and Crematory 2509 Vine Hays, KS 67601. Burial will follow in the St. Joseph’s Cemetery, Hays.
Visitation will be Thursday 6 PM – 8 PM and Friday 10 AM until service time all at the funeral chapel.
Memorial contributions are suggested to FHSU Foundation: Jerry and Viola Kaempfe Scholarships.
Condolences may be left by guest book at www.keithleyfuneralchapels.com or by email at [email protected]
WASHINGTON (AP) — Three conservation groups are suing the federal government to force it to protect the lesser prairie chicken and its habitats.
The lawsuit was filed Wednesday in U.S. District Court in the District of Columbia by the Defenders of Wildlife, the Center for Biological Diversity and WildEarth Guardians.
The lawsuit alleges that the U.S. Interior Department’s Fish and Wildlife Service has not done enough to protect the bird. The groups want the agency to determine whether the lesser prairie chicken is a threatened or endangered species.
The Interior Department said it cannot comment on pending litigation. The bird was listed as threatened in 2014 but a federal court overturned the designation.
The bird roams parts of Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico and Colorado, but the groups said fewer than 38,000 remain.
