LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — Prosecutors have dropped a driving under the influence charge against a Kansas City, Missouri, mayoral candidate who was arrested while sleeping in his car in Lawrence, Kansas, after a fundraiser.
Lucas -photo Douglas Co.
Lucas praised Thursday’s decision in a news release. He says he made the “the responsible choice” in October when he decided that he shouldn’t drive back to Kansas City. He says he never moved his vehicle from the public spot where it was parked before his arrest .
Lucas is a law lecturer at the University of Kansas. He was elected in 2015 to the Kansas City council. He and fellow council member Jolie Justus were the top-two vote getters in this month’s mayoral primary. Voters will pick between them in the June 18 general election.
Alfred L. Hall, 81, of Russell, Kansas, died on Tuesday, April 09, 2019, at Wheatland Nursing Center in Russell, Kansas.
A celebration of Lynn’s life will be held at 10:30 A.M. on Thursday, April 18, 2019, at the Pohlman-Varner-Peeler Mortuary in Russell, Kansas. Graveside services will follow at 2 P.M. Thursday afternoon at the WaKeeney National Cemetery in WaKeeney, Kansas. Visitation will be from 9 A.M. to 5 P.M. Wednesday, April 17, 2019, at the mortuary. Family will greet guests from 9:30 A.M. to service time on Thursday morning.
In lieu of flowers the family has requested that memorials be given to the Russell V.F.W. Post #6240 or Shriners Hospital and sent in care of the mortuary.
Pohlman-Varner-Peeler Mortuary of Russell, Kansas, is in charge of the funeral service arrangements.
Sherman J. Verhoeff, 80, of Collinsville, Okla, (formerly of Grinnell) died Wednesday, April 10, 2019, in Tulsa, Okla.
He was born July 6, 1938, in Hays to John and Marie (Ashley) Verhoeff. He married Donnie M. Regagnon on November 7, 1957, in Larned. He was a farmer and rancher and Kansas Army National Guard veteran.
Survivors include his wife, Donnie Verhoeff, and daughters: Debbora Verhoeff of Owasso, Okla, and Sharon Paul of Quinlan, TX: seven grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren.
Funeral service: 1:00 p.m. Monday, April 15, 2019 at Kennedy-Koster Funeral Home, Oakley. Visitation: 11:00 a.m. to service time, Monday, at the funeral home. Interment in Grinnell Township Cemetery with military honors. Memorials: Grinnell Township Cemetery Fund in care of Kennedy-Koster Funeral Home, P.O. Box 221, Oakley, KS 67748.
James Darin Cline, 46, passed away April 10, 2019 at the University of Kansas Health System – Great Bend Campus, Great Bend. He was born November 30, 1972 at Columbia, Missouri to James Dee & Wanda (Whisnat) Cline.
Survivors include, his father, James Cline; his mother, Wanda Lee; one son, Dalton Cline and two daughters, Darrien Cline and Samantha Cline, all of Great Bend; two brothers, Charley Haynes and Clayton Martin, both of Ellinwood; one sister, Brandi McCaskill; and two grandchildren, Trevor and Lillith.
There will be no visitation as cremation has taken place and services will be held at a later date.
Memorials are suggested to the James Cline Funeral Expense Fund, in care of Bryant Funeral Home.
RENO COUNTY — Law enforcement authorities are investigating a crime against the Catholic Diocese of Wichita and have made an arrest.
Juan Gregorio Garza-Gonzalez courtesy Reno Co.
Just after 11.m. Thursday, a Detective with the Reno County Sheriff’s Office arrested Juan Gregorio Garza-Gonzalez 51, of Wichita, on a warrant issued by the Reno County District Court.
In Mid-February Detectives with the Reno County Sheriff’s Office were made aware of a possible crime occurring in South Hutchinson/Reno County. The information that was given by the Catholic Diocese of Wichita is that there were some questions into the finances of Our Lady of Guadalupe Church in South Hutchinson.
Through the investigation Detectives determined that money was missing from several different locations within the church totaling near $14,000.
The focus of the investigation became Father Juan Garza who has been the Pastor at Our Lady of Guadalupe, South Hutchinson, since June of 2018.
Father Garza has been released on a $2,500 Bond, according to the release. Officials have not scheduled a court date.
WICHITA – A jury today convicted a Larned man on federal charges of arranging for a series of denial of service attacks on a Kansas internet service provider, U.S. Attorney Stephen McAllister said in a news release Thursday.
The jury convicted Michael D. Golightley, 35, Larned, on seven counts of damaging a protected computer and one count of threatening to damage a computer connected to the internet.
During trial in U.S. District Court in Wichita, prosecutors presented evidence that Golightley contacted an entity called DDosCity to arrange for a series of attacks on Nex-Tech’s computers.
Nex-Tech is an internet service provider with offices in Hays, Lenora, Beloit, Concordia, Courtland, Dodge City, Downs, Great Bend, Hill City, Hoxie, McPherson, Norton, Osborne, Phillipsburg, Plainville, Quinter, Russell, Salina, Smith Center, Stockton and WaKeeney.
Prosecutors presented evidence that on March 30 and 31, 2017, Nex-Tech was hit by six denial of service attacks, which caused Nex-Tech’s computers to become inaccessible to the public.
Before the attacks, Golightley sent Nex-Tech two threats. He was angry about the company removing an ad he placed on Nex-Tech Classifieds for a PlayStation 3 game that been “jail broken,” or modified to bypass a system security check. Golightley placed the ad a second time and sent Nex-Tech a warning that he would “violate this site by bringing it offline” if the ad were removed again. He added: “If u make me upset, I will retaliate — your choice.”
Sentencing is set for July 1. He faces a penalty of up to five years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000 on each count. McAllister commended the FBI, the Hays Police Department, Assistant U.S. Attorney Alan Metzger and Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan McCarty for their work on the case.
Myrna Sue (Gruver) Wilson, age 70, died Wednesday, April 10, 2019, at Bob Wilson Memorial Hospital in Ulysses, Kansas. She was born November 7, 1948, in Kingman, Arizona, the daughter of Floyd and Eva Darlene (Bowman) Gruver.
Myrna grew up in Scott City, Kansas, and attended school in Scott City, Ulysses, and Hutchinson. She was a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Myrna married Raymond Lee Wilson on January 8, 1977. Myrna lived in The Legacy at Park View in Ulysses since December 2010, where she made many friends and was well cared for by nurses and staff.
Myrna is survived by her daughter, Vena Wilson of Ulysses; two brothers, Floyd Gruver of Wichita and Jim Gruver of Hutchinson; and one sister, Mary Wood of Newkirk, Oklahoma.
Myrna is preceded in death by her parents, and husband, Raymond.
Graveside services will be Wednesday, April 17, 2019, at 10:00 AM at Scott County Cemetery in Scott City, Kansas. Memorial contributions may be given to The Legacy at Park View in care of Garnand Funeral Home, 405 W. Grant Ave, Ulysses, KS 67880.
Michael E. “Mike” Ney, 66, passed away on April 11, 2019, at Clara Barton Hospital, Hoisington. He was born on March 4, 1953, in Hoisington, to Francis and Margaret (Koeller) Ney. Mike married Debra Kay Bennett on October 22, 1976, at St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church, Hoisington. She died on December 10, 2008.
Mike, a life time resident of Hoisington, was a 1971 graduate of Hoisington High School, furthering his education at Pittsburgh State Vo-Tech. Mike managed Cardinal Apartments, Hoisington, and was a skilled flooring installer, operating Ney’s Furniture and Carpet in Hoisington.
Survivors include his mother, Margaret Ann Ney, Hoisington; one son, Heath Ney and wife Afton of Hoisington; one daughter Heather Marsh and husband Gary of Great Bend; two brothers, John F. Ney and wife Marie “Nicky” of Great Bend and Bob Ney and wife Hope of Hoisington; five grandchildren, Cody Ney, Caitlin Ney, Hunter Ney, Ethan Ney and Harley J. Ney. He was preceded in death by his wife, Debra; one son, Shawn Ney; and one sister, Mary Lou Degenhardt.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be at 10:00 a.m. Monday, April 15, 2019, at St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church, Hoisington, with Father Anselm Eke, MSP presiding. Interment will follow at St. John Cemetery, Hoisington. Visitation will be from 1:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m., Sunday, April 14, 2019, at Nicholson-Ricke Funeral Home, with a Knights of Columbus Rosary and Vigil at 7:00 p.m.
Memorials have been designated to the Shriners’ Children’s Travel Fund or St. John Cemetery Fund, in care of Nicholson-Ricke Funeral Home, PO Box 146, Hoisington, KS, 67544.
Marvel Arlene (Stanfield) Hull went to be with her Lord on Wednesday, April 10, 2019, at the Rooks County Health Center at the age of 94.
She was born on August 13, 1924 to Edgar and Rosetta (Smith) Stanfield on their family farm southwest of Alton, Kansas. She was the youngest of five children. Marvel’s first year of school, she attended the Union 76 country school 1 ¼ miles northwest of their farm. Her parents lost their farm during the Great Depression, and moved into Alton. She attended the Alton’s schools, and graduated with the class of 1942 as Valedictorian. After graduation, she attended Kansas Wesleyan University in Salina for a year, then opted to go to work. She worked as a bookkeeper at the Farmers Union Elevator in Alton before moving to Lincoln, Nebraska to work at the General Electric Plant where they manufactured telegraphs and telephones for the military during World War II. She was an inspector on the telegraph assembly line.
After the war, she was united in marriage to the love of her life, Laurence Hull, on August 22, 1946. Together they attended Fort Hays Kansas State College, and graduated in January of 1950 with a degree in Voice.
Marvel was born into a musical family, who spent many evenings gathered around the piano singing together. She sang in public for the first time when she was four years old, with her sister, Mildred. That was followed throughout her grown-up years by often being called upon to sing solos at the church, school, and other community functions such as weddings and funerals. In college, she began singing the contralto solos in Oratorios, most often “The Messiah”, in cities around Kansas, and continued doing that for several years after college.
Her first love musically, however, was singing duets with her beloved Laurence, which they did for many of the seventy years they spent together.
Laurence and Marvel moved to their present home north of Woodston in 1957. Marvel taught at the Ash Rock country school for two years before their first child, Elizabeth, was born. She then opted to be the “stay at home” mom. She mothered two more children, Cynthia and Downer. In 1977, when she realized they would have three children in college at the same time, so she went to work as a bookkeeper at J-J Oil Co. in Woodston, where she retired from in 1989.
Marvel loved to read, work on crossword puzzles, crochet, and cook for her family. She was a member of the Woodston United Methodist Church, and taught Sunday School there for many years.
Left to cherish Marvel’s memory are her children, Elizabeth Marcotte of Kansas City, MO, and Downer Hull of Woodston, KS; son-in-law, Dan Sarian of Littleton, CO; grandchildren, Tabitha Kohl and husband Alec of Overland Park, KS, Laurissa Marcotte of Westminister, CO; Haley Sarian of Kirkland, WA, Colton Hull of Manhattan, KS, Kyle Hull of Hays, KS, Jace Hull of Woodston, KS; and numerous nieces and nephews.
She is preceded in death by her husband Laurence, her parents Edgar and Rosetta Stanfield, daughter Cynthia Sarian, son-in-law Ron Marcotte, and siblings, Wayne Stanfield, Forrest Stanfield, and Mildred Sherbondy.
Marvel received Jesus into her heart when she was nine years old, and has lived her life loving, trusting, and being guided by Him. Those left behind miss her terribly, but we can be comforted in the knowledge that today she is with Jesus and with all those cherished ones before her. Her unwavering faith, love, and devotion were a great example to us all, and they live on in our hearts.
A funeral service will be held on Monday April 15, 2019 at 10:30 A.M. at the United Methodist Church in Woodston, Kansas. Interment will follow at the Spring Branch Cemetery in Woodston. Visitation will be held at the funeral home on Sunday 2:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Memorials are suggested to the Woodston United Methodist Church or the Rooks County Health Center and may be sent in care of Plumer-Overlease Funeral Home, 723 N. 1st, Stockton, KS 67669.
Allegations of financial fraud and stolen hospital records have surfaced in an increasingly nasty legal battle over the fate of Hillsboro Community Hospital in Hillsboro.
Hillsboro Community Hospital in Hillsboro, Kansas, Hillsboro Community Hospital is fighting off an attempt to move its bankruptcy case to North Carolina. FILE PHOTO
The critical access hospital, which is partly owned by a company controlled by Florida resident Jorge Perez, is resisting efforts by Perez to move its Chapter 11 bankruptcy case to North Carolina.
That’s where a bankruptcy judge recently consolidated the bankruptcy filings of seven other rural hospitals controlled by Perez and Perez-affiliated groups. The hospitals include the now-closed Oswego Community Hospital in Oswego, Kansas; Horton Community Hospital in Horton, Kansas; and I-70 Community Hospital in Sweet Springs, Missouri.
Four other hospitals in Oklahoma and Arkansas controlled by Perez-affiliated groups likewise have sought Chapter 11 protection in North Carolina.
It’s not clear why the cases were filed or consolidated in North Carolina, which has no obvious connection to any except one of the hospitals. But in a bankruptcy court filing, Hillsboro Community Hospital says the attempt to move its case there is an unlawful attempt to circumvent court orders in Kansas.
In January, Bank of Hays foreclosed on the hospital after it defaulted on a nearly $10 million loan. At the bank’s request, the court appointed Cohesive Healthcare Management + Consulting, LLC of Shawnee, Oklahoma, as a receiver to run the hospital. Cohesive, in turn, placed the hospital, which remains open, in voluntary bankruptcy on March 13.
In a typical Chapter 11 case, management would continue to run the business affairs of the hospital. But Bank of Hays moved for the appointment of a Chapter 11 trustee instead, stating it had learned that the owners of the hospital “are currently under criminal investigation by the United States Department of Justice.”
In a court filing, the bank said it believed the investigation related to the hospital’s owners and their “management of healthcare facilities nationwide.”
Brent King, a lawyer who was appointed as the Chapter 11 trustee, told KCUR two weeks ago that he was unable to provide more details about the federal investigation other than that it likely concerns billing irregularities. He said his law firm, which is conducting a forensic investigation of a hospital in Graceville, Florida, once controlled by Perez, had uncovered “massive” billing irregularities there.
Jorge Perez, shown here in September 2017, when he ran a hospital management company in North Kansas City called Empower HMS. The company has since vacated the office. CREDIT DAN MARGOLIES / Kansas New Service
“It went from $13 million a year in billings to $130 million a year in billings,” King said, referring to the now-closed Campbellton-Graceville Hospital. “There’s a lot of money passing through these hospitals and we believe there’s an attempt to defraud insurance companies.”
The Kansas attorney general’s office says it’s also investigating at least one of Perez’s Kansas hospitals, Horton Community Hospital, although it has declined to specify the nature of its probe.
Perez could not be reached for comment. Mike Murtha, president of the National Alliance of Rural Hospitals, a group once associated with Perez, said Perez’s hospitals had effectively ceased being members of the alliance.
“I don’t make decisions for him. I’m an advocate for the perpetuity of rural hospitals,” Murtha said.
In pushing back against Perez’s attempt to move Hillsboro’s bankruptcy case to North Carolina, King states in a recent court filing that Perez and his affiliated companies used Hillsboro and other hospitals they controlled to carry out an illegal billing scheme.
Perez and others, King says in the filing, “orchestrated and controlled the laboratory information system … of the Hillsboro Hospital to perpetrate a fraudulent scheme related to Medicare and Medicaid billing.” King also alleges that one or more members of the Perez Ownership group had stolen records from Hillsboro Hospital.
King could not immediately be reached for comment.
In the filing, King says he believes iHealthcare Inc., a Miami-based company associated with Perez, possesses “essential billing, patient and employee records which are property” of the hospital.
In January, iHealthcare entered into agreements with Perez to provide hospital management services to his hospitals. In exchange, Perez was eligible for about $2.5 million in “success fees” if certain conditions were met.
Noel Mijares, the president and CEO of iHealthcare, did not immediately return a call seeking comment.
Despite the alleged theft of the hospital’s records, King says that Cohesive, with the cooperation of the Bank of Hays and the city of Hillsboro, “has made great strides” in stabilizing the hospital’s operations.
Cohesive aims to take steps “to ensure quality patient care with the aim to sell Hillsboro Hospital as an operating critical access hospital in order to maximize its value both financially to its creditors and the needs of its patients and community it serves,” King states.
Although the hospital is licensed for 15 beds, the document filed by King says it has eight licensed hospital beds and generates estimated annual revenue of $8.8 million. The hospital has about 40 fulltime employees and about 30 part-time employees, including two doctors, two physician assistants and two nurse practitioners, according to King.
Hillsboro, with a population of about 3,000, is about 165 miles southwest of Kansas City. As a critical access hospital, Hillsboro Community Hospital is eligible for cost-based reimbursement from Medicare. Even so, the hospital lost $1.25 million in the fiscal year that ended in September 2017, according to American Hospital Directory records.
This story was updated to include comments from Mike Murtha, president of the National Alliance of rural hospitals.
Dan Margolies is a senior reporter and editor in conjunction with the Kansas News Service. You can reach him on Twitter @DanMargolies.
LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — A middle school student in Lawrence who allegedly threatened to shoot people at the school is facing a felony charge in juvenile court.
The Douglas County district attorney’s office says the boy is facing one count of criminal threat. Court records show he appeared in court and pleaded not guilty Monday.
Police received a report just before midnight April 4 that a student at Billy Mills Middle School saw several messages from another student threatening to bring guns to school and shoot people on the last day of school.
Nursing students from NCK Tech will be hosting their annual Community Health Fair from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, April 13. at the National Guard Armory, 200 Main St. in Hays.
Included in the event are free blood pressure checks, finger stick blood sugar checks, educational booths on obesity, diabetes mellitus, hypertension, Alzheimer’s and allergies.
The American Red Cross will be hosting a blood drive in conjunction with the community health fair.
