TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — A Washburn professor says in a lawsuit that the university retaliated against her after she filed a sex discrimination complaint.
Leslie Reynard-photo courtesy Washburn University
Leslie Reynard, who teaches in the communication department, said in her lawsuit the retaliation began after she told her department chair in April 2018 that she intended to file a claim with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.
Reynard said the university tried to place her on a performance improvement plan in September. She refused because she said the plan was used to find small mistakes that would allow the school to fire her.
In November, she filed a claim of retaliation. The lawsuit seeks back pay and damages.
School spokesman Patrick Early said Tuesday the university’s counsel wasn’t aware of the lawsuit and wouldn’t comment.
The Fort Hays State women’s basketball team picked up a pair of double-digit home wins last week, and as a result maintained its position in the top five in both Division II national polls released Tuesday (Feb. 19). The Tigers are again ranked fourth in the WBCA Coaches Poll while they hold steady at No. 3 in the D2SIDA Media Poll.
The Tigers are just 11 points behind Indiana (Pa.) for third place in the coaches poll while sitting 16 points clear of the Crimson Hawks in the media poll.
In the 14 sets of rankings released so far this season, the Tigers have been listed in the top five six times in the coaches poll and nine times in the media ranks.
The Tigers are the lone MIAA program represented in both Top 25 lists, with Central Missouri sitting 24th in the coaches poll and Emporia State ranked 22nd according to the media.
The Tigers are 8-1 all-time as the fourth-ranked team in the coaches poll. Two wins would give FHSU more wins at No. 4 than any other position in the coaches poll (9-1 when ranked fifth).
Fort Hays State looks to complete a season sweep of Central Oklahoma when the Tigers and Bronchos battle at 5:30 p.m. Thursday (Feb. 21) in Edmond, Okla.
Below are the complete national polls for February 19, 2019.
Wednesday Cloudy through mid morning, then gradual clearing, with a high near 33. Light west wind becoming west southwest 5 to 10 mph in the morning.
Wednesday Night Mostly clear, with a low around 16. South southwest wind around 7 mph becoming southeast after midnight.
Thursday Partly sunny, with a high near 41. Southeast wind 6 to 15 mph.
Thursday NightMostly cloudy, with a low around 28. Southeast wind 10 to 13 mph.
Friday A slight chance of freezing rain before 10am, then a slight chance of rain. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 43. Chance of precipitation is 20%.
Friday Night A chance of rain before 5am, then a chance of snow, freezing rain, and sleet. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 28. Chance of precipitation is 50%.
Saturday Snow, possibly mixed with freezing rain before 7am, then snow between 7am and 5pm, then rain, possibly mixed with snow after 5pm. High near 35. Breezy. Chance of precipitation is 90%. New precipitation amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible.
TOPEKA – The Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) recently released the report Selected Special Statistics: Stillbirths and Infant Deaths, Kansas, 2017. Despite having the lowest number of infant deaths ever in Kansas, the state’s infant mortality rate (IMR) edged up by one-tenth of a point in 2017. The 2017 IMR was 6.0 infant deaths per 1,000 live births compared to the 5.9 infant deaths per 1,000 live births in 2016.
“In 2017 217 resident infant deaths occurred, six less than 2016,” said KDHE Acting Secretary and State Health Officer Lee A. Norman, M.D. “However, when combined with a 4.2 percent decrease in the number of births in 2017, the infant mortality rate went up.” said Dr. Norman.
(Click to enlarge)
Other key findings of the report include:
Prematurity was the leading cause of death for Black non-Hispanics, accounting for 27.2% of the infant deaths in to this population group doe 2013 to 2017, Congenital anomalies were the leading causes for White non-Hispanics and Hispanics any race.
For 2013-2017 infant deaths, over two thirds (68.7%) died in the neonatal period.
Of linked birth-infant deaths during 2013-2017 where birthweight was known, almost one fourth (23.4%) of infants weighed less than 500 grams, slightly over a fourth (25.1%) of infants weighed 500-1499 grams, and 16.4% of infants weighed 1500-2499 grams.
Of the linked birth-infant deaths during 2013-2017 where gestation was known, almost four out of five infants (79.8%) were born premature or early term.
COWLEY COUNTY — Law enforcement authorities are investigating a report of ATM skimming in Kansas and waiting for one of the suspects to be extradited from Texas.
Vasile Serban photo Caldwell Co. Texas, is held on a $100,000 bondSecurity camera image courtesy Arkansas City Police
A Houston, Texas, man is being held on a Cowley County District Court warrant stemming from three incidents reported to the Arkansas City Police Department in November and December of 2018.
Vasile Serban, 18, Houston, Texas, was served with a Cowley County District Court warrant while he was in custody in Texas for three incidents involving ATM skimming reported to the Arkansas City Police Department in November and December of 2018 and also an immigration hold, according to police.
Among the charges are three counts of theft by deception, one count each of criminal damage to property and theft, and more than 100 counts of identity theft. Police still are gathering information for the identity theft charges while they wait for Serban to be extradited back to Kansas for prosecution.
Police were notified in December 2018 that credit and debit card-skimming devices had been located on two automated teller machines (ATMs) in Ark City. Local banks notified affected customers.
Further investigation determined that the suspect had also successfully skimmed credit card information the and “cashed out” cloned credit cards in the Wichita area for nearly $18,000.
Also on Dec. 20, 2018, later in the day, officers took a report from Walmart that a male suspect had broken into the store’s iPhone display, removed an iPhone X Max and left the store without paying.
Surveillance video confirmed the description of the person who allegedly stole the iPhone matched that of a suspect from the credit card skimming incidents. The suspects were driving a maroon four-door Volkswagen Jetta, with a model year between 2006 and 2010.
A call to the police department reported that one of the skimmed accounts from Dec. 19, 2018, was used Dec. 31, 2018, at a convenience store in Houston
The department requests that anyone whose information was compromised as a result of these incidents please call ACPD Capt. Eric Burr at (620) 441-6601 or email him at [email protected].
Anyone who has any information about this crime or any other suspects in the case is asked to call ACPD Sgt. Jason Legleiter at (620) 441-4444.
Those wishing to remain anonymous may contact Cowley County Crime Stoppers, which offers rewards of up to $2,000 for information leading to an arrest.
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Advocates for low-income families joined small-town grocers and others encouraging Kansas lawmakers to reduce the state’s sales tax on groceries, while lobbyists for some organizations warned doing so might lead to efforts to reduce other types of taxes.
Photo Kansas News Service
A hearing Monday before the House Taxation committee was the first testimony on a bill to reduce the 6.5 percent state tax rate on groceries by 1 percent. The reduction would lower state revenues by $60 million, The Topeka Capital-Journal reported .
Oberlin City Administrator Halley Roberson said her northwest Kansas town is losing tax revenue because residents drive to nearby Nebraska, which doesn’t have a sales tax on groceries. She said her town could use the sales tax revenue for badly needed infrastructure repairs.
Legislative Research data showed sales and excise tax accounts for 8 percent of family income for those in the bottom 20 percent of Kansas wage earners. The impact decreases as income rises, with the top 1 percent of wage earners using only 1 percent for sales tax.
State lawmakers raised the rate to 6.5 percent in 2015 when the state was facing continuing revenue shortfalls. Kansas residents pay one of the highest tax rates on groceries of any jurisdiction in the country when state and local taxes are combined.
Rep. Tim Hodge, a North Newton Democrat who campaigned on lowering food sales taxes, criticized past lawmakers for raising the sales tax rather than repealing tax cuts during a budget crisis.
“For the last 10 years, we have used and abused the sales tax whenever there’s any kind of recession or shortage at the state government level,” he said.
John Donley of the Kansas Farm Bureau warned that reducing the sales tax on groceries could eventually lead to replacing the sales tax with a value-added tax system, which would apply to production of goods.
“I probably am being paranoid, but I’m here today to basically put the line in the sand, stake the flag, saying we do not support reducing the state sales tax because we do believe that the next step is, well, what about that livestock exemption?” Donley said.
Adrienne Olejnik of Kansas Action for Children said the state should reconsider a food sales tax rebate program that was eliminated in 2013, rather than lowering the sales tax on groceries. The program’s refunds were available for households with less than $30,615 in annual income.
“There are a lot of unknowns and things that need to be resolved before we consider buying down the food sales tax rate,” Olejnik said.
SEDGWICK COUNTY— A Kansas felon has been arrested in connection with a fatal shooting outside a Wichita motel.
Kemmerly -photo Sedgwick Co.
The 31-year-old suspect identified as Christopher Kemmerly was arrested Monday night in the 700 Block on north Westridge in Wichita, according to the Sedgwick County booking report.
The shooting happened Sunday night when a man in his 30s was shot behind the Citi Host Motel in the 4400 Block of South Broadway, according to Police Captain Brent Allred.
A 26-year-old witness at the scene told police they found Justin Gaston injured and on the ground. The witness began rendering aid until EMS arrived. EMS pronounced Gaston dead just after 7p.m, according to Allred.
Investigators have learned that there were three individuals inside a reported stolen vehicle that pulled into the motel parking lot, according to Allred. There was an argument inside the vehicle. The suspect shot Gaston one time as he exited the vehicle. The disagreement was drug related, according to Allred.
Kemmerly was under state supervision for multiple crimes committed in Butler County, including aggravated arson, aggravated intimidation of a witness or victim, criminal use of explosives, criminal damage to property and a weapons violation, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections.
Joan Gross, 88, of Hays, Kansas, died Sunday, February 17, 2019, at Hays Medical Center, Hays, Kansas.
She was born September 5, 1930, in Baltimore, Maryland to Robert and Ethel (McCommons) Shively.She married John M. Gross on November 26, 1948, in Elkton, Maryland.He preceded her in death on February 3, 2015.Joan and John celebrated 66 years of marriage together.
She retired from Traveler’s Inn as the executive secretary in 1995.She then moved with her husband John to Hill City, Kansas from Aurora, Colorado. During her time in Hill City she relished working in her garden, cross stitching, quilting and volunteering at the hospital as part of the Women’s Auxiliary Club. Joan and John moved to Hays, Kansas when John experienced health issues. Joan was a loving mom, grandmother (MomMom) and wife. She will be greatly missed by her family.
Survivors include four daughters, Ann Gross, Golden, CO; Susan Olezene, Littleton, CO; Terrie Woods and husband, Randy, Denver, CO; Candace Juntunen and husband Brad, Westminster, CO; three grandchildren, Carissa Le Brazidec and husband, Jean-Emilien; Elizabeth Juntunen and Nolan Juntunen.
She was preceded in death by her parents, her brother, Dale Shively and his wife, Nancy.
The family suggests memorials to Via Christi Village Care Center of Hays, Kansas.
There will be a private family inurnment in Colorado.
Services are entrusted to Cline’s-Keithley Mortuary of Hays, 1919, East 22nd Street, Hays, Kansas 67601.
The Ellis County Sheriff’s Office has received several reports from local citizens of phone calls related to a jury scam.
The basic jury scam is the caller identifies them self as a deputy sheriff or jailer and states there is a warrant out for failure to appear for jury duty. At times, the scammer will spoof a number to make it appear the call is coming from a law enforcement agency. The scammer states there is a fine and court costs that need to be paid to avoid being arrested.
Anyone receiving one of these calls should hang up on the caller. Do not pay any fine. Questions about jury duty can be answered by the Clerk of the District Court.
RILEY COUNTY — Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect in connection with a 2017 murder case.
Just before 4p.m. Tuesday authorities in Texas arrested Samantha Bland, 29, of Laredo, TX , according to the Laredo Police Department and the Webb County Sheriff’s Office.
Bland -photo RCPD
Bland was arrested on a Riley County District Court warrant for aggravated intimidation of a witness in connection with a report filed by the Riley County Police Department for murder in the 1st degree on October 28, 2017.
Bland was issued a total bond of $125,000.00 and remains in custody.
Feb. 28 & March 1, 2 – 7:30 P.M. Curtain
March 3 – 2:30 P.M. Matinee
Barefoot In The Park opened in 1963 and ran for 1,530 performances, winning a Tony Award.
Hilarious and clever, it firmly established Neil Simon as a master of comedy with his witty one-liners and snappy dialogue.
Newlyweds Corie and Paul Bratter have completed their honeymoon and are moving into their first apartment. Corie is romantic, impulsive, and enthusiastic, while her husband is a “stuffy” young attorney more concerned with his legal career than with honeymoon bliss.
Lillian M. Weber, age 87, of Hays, KS, passed away on Tuesday, February 19, 2019, at Locust Grove Village in La Crosse, KS.
Funeral services will be at 10:00 A.M. on Thursday, February 21, 2019 at St. Nicholas of Myra Catholic Church, 2901 E. 13th Street, Hays. Burial will follow in St. Joseph’s Cemetery in Hays.
Visitation will be held on Wednesday, February 20 from 4:00 P.M. – 7:30 P.M. at Brock’s-Keithley Funeral Chapel & Crematory, 2509 Vine St., Hays, KS 67601 and on Thursday from 9:00 A.M. until service time at the church.
A combined rosary and parish vigil service will be Wednesday at 6:30 PM at the funeral chapel.
To share a memory or to leave condolences for Lillian, please visit, www.keithleyfuneralchapels.com or by can be left via email at [email protected].
Arrangements are made by Brock’s-Keithley Funeral Chapel & Crematory, 2509 Vine St., Hays, KS 67601.
AURORA, Colo. — Arapahoe County prosecutors on Tuesday formally charged a Kansas man accused of kidnapping an Aurora woman and attempting to sexually assault another woman in Kansas days after he was released from prison.
Prosecutors levied eight counts against Tre Carrasco, 23, on Tuesday morning, including felony kidnapping, robbery and motor vehicle theft.
Aurora police arrested Carrasco on Feb. 12 after local SWAT officers “conducted a high risk stop” on a vehicle the Kansas native was suspected to have stolen days earlier.
Police originally charged Carrasco with five felony counts, including carjacking and attempted kidnapping. Prosecutors have since tacked on additional charges.
Carrasco is accused of following a woman to her car at about 1:30 p.m. Feb. 7 in the parking lot of the 24 Hour Fitness near Abilene Street and East Florida Avenue, according to an arrest affidavit filed against him.
The 38-year-old victim told police a man believed to be Carrasco stood at the driver’s side door of her silver Toyota Camry and told her to “scoot over.” The man then entered the car before she could close the door and said “scoot over or I’ll kill you,” according to the affidavit.
Carrasco is described as being 5 feet, 9 inches tall and 180 pounds.
The woman “immediately began to try and open the door to get out of the car,” according to the affidavit. The man reached over the victim and tried to prevent her from fleeing, but the woman was quickly able to escape the car and went back inside the local gym to call police. She had dropped her cell phone in the car before the man drove away toward the south exit of the parking lot.
The victim was not injured in the incident.
The victim described the man who stole her car as “between dark and light skinned … resembling the popular musician ‘The Weekend,’ ” according to the affidavit.
That description helped the victim and investigators identify Carrasco in a police line-up on Feb. 12. In their reports, police “noted Carrasco does have a passing resemblance to the singer.”
Four days before the car theft outside the Aurora gym, investigators in Kansas say Carrasco tried to rape a woman at gunpoint in Hays.
Hays detectives contacted Aurora police on Feb. 3 alerting them Carrasco was likely in Aurora and “there was a credible, suspected threat” he would commit the same crime, according to the local arrest document.
Carrasco was in Colorado last summer after entering an “out-of-state post release” program, according to Kansas Department of Corrections records. He was later picked up on a parole violation.
Aurora police issued multiple alerts for Carrasco and the stolen car following the reported incident at the Aurora gym. An Aurora officer spotted the stolen Toyota Camry at about 6:30 p.m. on Feb. 11, and attempted to conduct a traffic stop, according to the affidavit.
But the driver and an unidentified passenger didn’t stop, and the Aurora officer didn’t pursue the car.
The arrest document did not specify why the officer did not follow the vehicle.
Carrasco was released from prison in Kansas on Feb. 1, according to Kansas DOC records and reports published in The Wichita Eagle newspaper.
Carrasco was sentenced to prison in April 2013 for several aggravated battery charges stemming from an incident in July 2011, according to Kansas DOC records.
Carrasco is a registered sex offender.
He incurred a litany of disciplinary infractions while in Kansas prisons between 2014 and 2018, including using stimulants, disobeying orders and disrespecting correctional officers.
Carrasco has not been arrested as an adult in Colorado prior to the incident this month, according to Colorado Bureau of Investigation records.
Carrasco is being held at the Arapahoe County Jail on a $150,000 bond, according to court records.
It is currently unclear if or when Carrasco could be extradited to face his charges in Kansas.
He is currently scheduled to appear in Arapahoe County District Court at 8:30 a.m. on March 8 to face a pair of felony charges for being a fugitive of justice and wanted by another agency, according to court records.
Carrasco is scheduled to appear for a preliminary hearing in his Arapahoe County case at 1:30 p.m. on March 12, according to Vikki Migoya, spokeswoman for the 18th Judicial District Attorney’s Office.
