HUTCHINSON, Kan. — A Kansas man accused in a drug distribution case was arrested Tuesday after he fought with a Hutchinson police officer.
Jackson photo KDOC
Rommie Jackson, 22, was seen walking along Lorraine Street in Hutchinson by a police officer. The officer stopped and made contact with Jackson. While talking with Jackson, the officer repeatedly asked him to keep his hands in plain view. After a short time, Jackson began to fight. The officer attempted to place handcuffs on Jackson. Jackson struck the officer in the eye and left cheek.
Jackson had six outstanding warrants and was arrested for interference with a law enforcement officer, battery of a law enforcement officer and possession of marijuana.
Jackson was arrested last summer after officials received a tip about a man wanting to sell a handgun. That tip led to the search of an apartment. Once inside, officers found drugs including a bag of marijuana in a seller’s quantity, some guns and drug paraphernalia.
Dallas Combs and Jackson were arrested and suspected in the case.
Jackson has numerous prior convictions involving the distribution of drugs and criminal possession of a firearm.
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) and Pat Roberts (R-Kan.), and U.S. Representatives Roger Marshall (KS-01), Ron Estes (KS-04), Steve Watkins (KS-02) and Sharice Davids (KS-03) Monday encouraged Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairman Ajit Pai to address concerns related to the accuracy of Form 477 collection of voice and broadband service and deployment data.
“The FCC’s current broadband availability maps, particularly in the context of fixed broadband access shown by the National Broadband Map, do not utilize data that is granular enough to adequately depict broadband availability in rural communities,” the members wrote.
“Form 477 data collection policies dictate that an entire census block be considered served with broadband service even if that service is only offered to one location within the census block. Since census blocks in rural communities are larger than their urban counterparts, rural communities are particularly threatened by this policy. As a result, Kansas communities could be denied eligibility to participate in existing federal funding programs for broadband deployment regardless of their actual need.”
“Many Kansans’ access to affordable and reliable broadband services relies on federal programs that distribute resources for deployment, like the programs administered within the FCC’s Universal Service Fund, but if the information that the federal government uses is not specific or accurate, the agencies administering these programs are not equipped to make appropriate decisions,” the members continued. “In the interest of effectively allocating federal resources to unserved and underserved communities, we urge the FCC to take immediate action to improve the granularity and accuracy of broadband availability maps, especially as new broadband funding initiatives like the Rural Digital Opportunity Fund are rolled out.”
The FCC established its Form 477 data program in 2000 to collect “data regarding broadband services, local telephone service competition, and mobile telephone services on a single form and in a standardized manner” from providers. In 2017, the FCC adopted a rulemaking to evaluate methods to improve the quality of the data collected by the Form 477.
Full text of the letter is below.
The Honorable Ajit Pai
Chairman
Federal Communications Commission
445 12th Street, SW
Washington, D.C., 20554
Dear Chairman Pai:
We write regarding the Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC) ongoing efforts to improve the accuracy of its Form 477 collection of voice and broadband subscription and deployment data. As the principal tool used by the FCC to gather data on communications services to inform policymaking, the current Form 477 data collection processes fall short in depicting where fixed and mobile broadband services are available or lacking, with one of the most extreme examples of inaccuracy found in our home state of Kansas. This is especially problematic because this data is used to determine where billions of federal dollars are allocated for broadband deployment. As such, we encourage the FCC to address concerns related to the precision of this critical data collection that informs federal funding so important to our rural communities, and prevents the overbuilding of existing broadband networks.
The FCC’s current broadband availability maps, particularly in the context of fixed broadband access shown by the National Broadband Map, do not utilize data that is granular enough to adequately depict broadband availability in rural communities. Form 477 data collection policies dictate that an entire census block be considered served with broadband service even if that service is only offered to one location within the census block. Since census blocks in rural communities are larger than their urban counterparts, rural communities are particularly threatened by this policy. As a result, Kansas communities could be denied eligibility to participate in existing federal funding programs for broadband deployment regardless of their actual need.
Additionally, the validation of data submitted to broadband availability databases needs to be bolstered. As the FCC takes steps to improve the quality of broadband availability maps, it should seriously consider verification mechanisms that extend beyond the self-certification of initial data submissions by providers. The Mobility Fund Phase II initial eligibility map highlighted the issues of relying on self-reported data indicating broadband availability in Kansas, but it also demonstrated the importance of a robust and meaningful challenge process, which required significant time and resources of the challenging parties. Therefore, standardized validation of broadband availability, including a challenge process that allows independent entities to participate, is vital to any data collection that affects the distribution of federal resources for broadband deployment.
Many Kansans’ access to affordable and reliable broadband services relies on federal programs that distribute resources for deployment, like the programs administered within the FCC’s Universal Service Fund. But if the information that the federal government uses is not specific or accurate, the agencies administering these programs are not equipped to make appropriate decisions. In the interest of effectively allocating federal resources to unserved and underserved communities, we urge the FCC to take immediate action to improve the granularity and accuracy of broadband availability maps, especially as new broadband funding initiatives like the Rural Digital Opportunity Fund are rolled out. Thank you for your attention to this important matter.
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — A women’s prison warden says she doesn’t know why the Kansas Department of Corrections retained until December a dental lab instructor who was accused of sexually harassing an inmate two years ago.
Tomas Co -photo Oklahoma Co. Sheriff
Warden Shannon Meyer recommended firing Tomas Co after an internal investigation in early 2017.
Co supervised a program teaching inmates to make dentures. He was charged last month with seven counts of unlawful sexual relations involving female inmates.
State and federal auditors recommended Co’s firing after the 2017 incident but he continued to work until he was placed on administrative leave in November 2018.
Interim corrections department Secretary Roger Werholtz, appointed by Gov. Laura Kelly in January, says current leadership would have dismissed Co based on the 2017 investigation.
WICHITA, KAN. – A Kansas man was sentenced Tuesday to serve 24 months of federal probation on federal gambling and tax charges, according to U.S. Attorney Stephen McAllister.
In addition, the defendant agreed to pay more than $117,000 in restitution.
Daven Flax, 48, Wichita, Kan., pleaded guilty to two counts of illegal gambling and one count of making a false tax statement.
In his plea, Flax admitted he operated an illegal gambling business in Wichita. He conducted and managed illegal poker games at numerous locations in the city. His income came from taking a cut or “rake” from the amount of money wagered. He was responsible for paying employees including dealers, waitresses and caterers as well as paying for the use of commercial properties where poker games were held. The games were not open to the public. Only gamblers who were invited could play.
In addition, Flax worked as a sub-bookie for co-defendant Danny Chapman’s sports betting operation.
Flax failed to pay federal income taxes on approximately $346,000 in income from illegal gambling.
HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Reno County Commissioners have signed an emergency declaration and emergency management officials urged residents in the usual flood-prone areas around Cow Creek to evacuate their property if they haven’t done so.
Emergency Mangement Director Adam Weishar says the evacuation is not mandatory, but an Everbridge alert was sent out to residents in that area asking they leave before all roads become impassable.
The emergency declaration was signed late Wednesday afternoon as more rain is in the forecast and water from Rice County moves into the area.
SHAWNEE COUNTY — Law enforcement authorities are investigating an attack on a convenience store employee.
Downing -photo Shawnee Co.
Just after 4a.m. Wednesday, police received a call from a citizen at the Kwik Shop, 17th and SW Topeka Boulevard in Topeka of a subject down and bleeding, according to Lt. Beightel.
Upon officers arrival they located the stores, adult male, employee behind the counter suffering from life threatening injuries that appear to be stab wounds.
AMR quickly rushed the victim to an area hospital where he remains in serious condition.
Officers began interviewing witness around the Kwik Shop and were able to locate the suspect, later identified as Anthony Ryan Downing, 33, Topeka on foot near 17th and SW Western. He was taken into custody without incident.
After investigating the scene, reviewing evidence and interviews with several parties, officers booked Downing into the Shawnee Co. Jail with the charge of Attempted 1st Degree murder.
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) — The company that originally owned a duck boat that sank on a Missouri lake last summer killing 17 people has sold the remainder of its fleet to an Arkansas-based investment company.
Stacy Roberts, who owns DUKW Arkansas, LLC, said that his Hot Springs, Arkansas company purchased 18 duck boats on April 23 from Ride the Ducks International.
Ride the Ducks International sold 22 boats to Ripley Entertainment for its Branson tours in late 2017. One of those boats sank last July after getting caught in a storm on a lake near Branson, Missouri. Seventeen people on board died, including nine members of one family. The U.S. Coast Guard’s investigation into the accident is ongoing.
Roberts said he’s not sure what his company will do with their newly acquired boats.
Six of the city of Hays’ 32 municipal water production wells are slated for rehabilitation this year.
Hays city commissioners are expected to award the low $67,230 bid to Layne Christensen Co., Kearney, Neb., during their Thursday meeting.
Regular maintenance is performed on all the city’s water wells, according to Jeff Crispin, water resources director, but at some point a professional well service company must be used for a more extensive procedure.
Crispin likes to compare the wells’ operation to that of a drinking straw.
(Click to enlarge)
“If you pinch off the bottom of that straw, or you put something in place in the bottom of that drink, it’s harder for you to get that drink up and out,” Crispin said to city commissioners.
Four of the six wells — YE-1, C-20T, S-8, S-16, S-19, and S-23 — are located in the Smoky Hill River well field south of town near Schoenchen. C-20 is located near 16th and Milner in the middle of Hays. YE-1 is in northwest Hays near Enersys.
There’s no single answer for how often a water well should be professionally rehabilitated.
“The usage, media and formation are all factors that play into how often we should have it completed,” according to Crispin. “We have some wells that we don’t use much, based on a right, and how that well performs means we may use other wells more extensively. But that doesn’t mean every year we need to come back to do six wells every year.”
Crispin plans to establish a performance baseline report with video for each of the city’s water wells similar to what has been done for sewer line cleaning.
“The city in 2013 started sewer line cleaning on a regular basis. We created a baseline video — a baseline cleaning — so we know that in 2013 this area of town was hit.
“As we move forward, we continue this process and we make sure our wells are all performing as they should.”
Routine maintenance by city staff takes a couple of days.
“They go through the process of acidizing that well and then the next day disinfecting that well. We’re just basically putting the fluid into the ground, pulling it back out, pushing it back in. We’re not getting down into that well and doing methods a professional company would be able to do.”
The last major rehabilitation on the six selected wells was completed between 1998 and 2007. The Smoky well field was expanded in 2007.
The six water wells scheduled for professional rehabilitation are outlined in yellow.
Well rehabilitation is periodically required during the life of a well because groundwater contains bacteria and minerals which cause well plugging. Screens, gravel pack and formations may become blocked, reducing the capacity and efficiency of the well. The buildup reduces the amount of water that can be pumped to the surface. The contractor will pull the pumps for inspection and make repairs as needed.
“The contractor will be required to do a performance test first so you know what your baseline is,” Crispin explained as he described the process.
“A camera will be lowered into the well to inspect the screens at the bottom of the well. High pressure jetting, chemical treatment and mechanical methods will be used to clean the screens and formations at the bottom of each well. Once complete, the well will be performance tested and they will provide us an efficiency report compared to ‘like-new status.’ ”
Rehabilitating water wells extends the life of each well, reduces electricity, and the costs to produce water.
“We have enough wells that we can shut down the rehabbed wells for a few days,” Crispin assured commissioners. “Obviously, we’re not running all of our production wells at the same time.”
Smoky wells 8, 19 and 23 are in their own buildings.Wells C-20T, YE-1, and S-16
SEDGWICK COUNTY — Law enforcement authorities are investigating an injury accident that sent 7 people to the hospital and have made two arrests.
Police on the scene of Tuesday’s reported DUI crash photo courtesy KWCH
Just after 3:30 p.m. Tuesday, police responded to report of an injury crash at the intersection of St. Louis and Young in Wichita, according to officer Charley Davidson.
A 2004 Saturn Ion driven by a 17-year-old girl was westbound on St. Louis and ran a stop sign at Young Street. The vehicle struck the driver’s side of southbound 1999 Ford Econoline van.
The 17-year-old girl was transported to a local hospital, treated and then arrested. She was booked into juvenile detention on requested charges of DUI/drugs, running a stop sign and outstanding warrants, according to Davidson.
A 23-year-old passenger in the Saturn suffered minor injuries and was arrested for an outstanding warrant.
Eight individuals between the ages of 22 and 62 were in the van providing transportation for a business serving those with physical and mental disabilities, according to Davidson. The driver suffered only minor injuries. The seven passengers were transported for treatment of non-life-threatening injuries and released from the hospital, according to Davidson.
The Sedgwick County District Attorney will review the case to file formal charges.
After Ellis County officials found out last month they will not receive grant funding from the Dane G. Hansen Foundation to help pay for road improvements in the Northwest Business Corridor, the county is looking for alternative funding sources.
The county had set aside $800,000 for improvements to the more than $15 million project in hopes of leveraging that money to get additional financing from other entities. In April, the Kansas Department of Transportation announced a pledge of a $1 million grant contingent upon the county receiving the grant from the Dane G. Hansen Foundation
Initial estimates to improve sight lines and pave Feedlot Road from 230th Avenue to U.S. 183 and 230th Avenue from Feedlot Road to 55th Street are more than $15.7 million.
Kansas Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Alan Cobb addressed the commission Monday
While the county looks for different funding sources, Alan Cobb the Kansas Chamber of Commerce President and CEO said he thinks it’s an easy project for the chamber to support. Cobb was in western Kansas on Monday and took a tour of the area and Hess Services.
“Seems pretty straightforward,” said Cobb of the project. “If we can be of help, I certainly want to do that.”
Cobb said Monday the chamber works in the statehouse with a number of goals that include expand innovation and entrepreneurship and improve business infrastructure. He said Hess Services is a great example of their goals in Kansas.
“Business infrastructure includes paving a road to get business vehicles to and from a major company, a major part of the Kansas economy,” Cobb said.
Ellis County Commissioner Dustin Roths, who invited Cobb to Monday’s meeting and toured the area northwest of Hays with him, said he reached out to Cobb during a Leadership Kansas meeting. Roths is a member of the 2019 Leadership Kansas class.
He said Monday the improvements won’t only benefit Hess Services.
“We have a feedlot that wants to expand. We also have a new travel plaza that will be coming in,” Roths said. “It’s taking care of businesses that are already there and expanding what we have for the future.”
Cobb said there are some examples similar projects to the one purposed by Ellis County. Last year, then-Gov. Jeff Colyer helped spearhead an $18 million project on Kansas Highway 99 from Interstate 70 to Wamego.
The improvements were seen as a way to help future development in that area and also benefit the Caterpillar plant in Wamego. Cobb said the project will make it easier for Caterpillar to get their products to market.
Commissioner Dean Haselhorst also said that Hess Services is in need of employees. but Cobb said that is an issue statewide, noting part of the problem is an “education infrastructure issue.”
“That’s not an uncommon issue all over the country and it’s not an uncommon issue all over for all over Kansas,” Cobb said. “They’re challenged in finding a productive workforce, from all levels.”
County Administrator Phillip Smith-Hanes told the commission Monday there is no single funding source for the project and a county bond will probably be needed.
After talking with the county’s bond counsel, he suggested the county work with a financial adviser.
“To actually develop a financial plan for the funding and there would be several possibilities,” Smith-Hanes said. “(It) would not all have to be in the form of a bond.”
The commission gave Smith-Hanes the go-ahead to take the needed to steps to hire a financial adviser.
TOPEKA, Kan. – The Hays High baseball team will be the two-seed and host one of the four 5A regional tournaments in the west half of the bracket. The Indians will play on Tuesday (5/14) against the winner of Monday’s play-in game between McPherson and Newton.
TOPEKA, Kan. – The TMP-Marian baseball team is the No. 2 seed in next week’s Beloit 3A Regional. The Monarchs will host No. 7 Beloit in the first round Monday (5/13) at 5 p.m. at the TMP Field.
