TOPEKA – A woman who operated massage parlors in Kansas pleaded guilty Tuesday to operating a prostitution business, according to U.S. Attorney Stephen McAllister.
Nielsen -photo Shawnee Co.
Weiling Nielsen, 54, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy.
Nielsen owned and operated Naima Asian Massage and Serenity Health Spa in Lawrence, as well as Jasmine Massage in Topeka. In her plea, she admitted the massage parlors provided sexual services to customers for payment in cash. Nielsen and others advertised the services on the internet. Nielsen and her husband deposited cash into various bank accounts and purchased money orders for deposit in bank accounts in California.
In her plea agreement, Nielsen agreed to pay a $650,000 judgement, which represents the proceeds of the crime.
Sentencing is set for May 15. Both parties are recommending three years on federal probation.
LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — Lawrence school Superintendent Anthony Lewis is planning a community discussion after a student allegedly brought a gun to school for the fifth time this school year.
The last incident occurred Tuesday at Lawrence High School, where a gun was found in a student’s book bag after administrators received a tip. That came after another student brought a handgun to school last Wednesday.
Other incidents were reported in April and September at Lawrence High School and Lawrence Free State. No one was injured in any of the incidents. All the students have been disciplined except one, who investigators determined forgot a rifle was in his car after a hunting trip.
Lewis said the district needs the community’s help to address what could be a dangerous problem.
WICHITA, KAN. – A Kansas man with a state prison record was sentenced Tuesday to 87 months in federal prison for carrying a gun, according to U.S. Attorney Stephen McAllister.
Wilks -photo Harvey Co.
Darnell Wilks, 49, Garden City, Kan., pleaded guilty to one count of unlawful possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
A Garden City police officer arrested Wilks in March 2017. The officer saw Wilks walking down the middle of west Kansas Ave. and stopped to talk to him.
Wilks ran away from the officer. During the chase, Wilks threw down a .45 caliber handgun. He was prohibited from possessing a firearm because he was convicted in 2014 in Finney County District Court on a charge of making a criminal threat.
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Officials at the Kansas state agency responsible for inspecting nursing homes say it did not act correctly in response to problems uncovered in a federal government audit.
The Office of Inspector General report estimated that the Kansas Department of Aging and Disability Services failed in 2014 to verify that 65 percent of the issues found during nursing home inspections had been corrected.
The office also determined that the state agency neglected to conduct inspections every 15 months, as it is required to do. The report said the longest break between inspections was 18 months.
The Office of Inspector General is submitting recommendations to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid that would change the way all states handle inspection reports.
Donald E. Chegwidden, 82, of Russell, Kansas, died on Tuesday, Feb. 12, 2019, at Wesley Medical Center in Wichita, Kansas.
Services will be at 1 p.m. Friday, Feb. 15, 2019, at the Pohlman-Varner-Peeler Mortuary in Russell, Kansas. Burial will follow at the Russell City Cemetery.
Memorials will can be given to St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital or Shrine Children’s Hospital and can be sent in care of the mortuary.
The Hays Area Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors accepted the resignation of Executive Director Tammy Wellbrock after eight years in this role.
Wellbrock will remain in her position through July, to aide in the transition of leadership. The Board will begin the executive search process immediately, with more details forthcoming as they develop.
Wellbrock joined the Chamber as executive director in January 2011, after serving two years as a board director. Throughout her tenure with the Chamber, Wellbrock has worked continuously to build community and economic prosperity in Hays by promoting and representing businesses; she has helped the Chamber advance their position as a leading business organization in the community.
In her resignation letter to the Board, Wellbrock shared her plans are to launch her own professional training business.
“While I’m excited about this new opportunity, it is difficult leaving you and the wonderful work we do together,” she said. “What we have accomplished over the last several years has fundamentally improved area businesses and impacted our local economy in a positive profound manner. I’m proud of all that we have achieved and thank you for this opportunity to have served with and for you.”
2019 Board Chairman Shane Smith said, “During Tammy’s time with the Chamber, we have experienced tremendous growth and enhanced visibility in the community. We intend to continue building on that momentum and to keep moving forward. We are grateful for her visionary leadership and transformative effect on our great organization.”
The Board of Directors is working with Wellbrock to manage the transition effectively. The executive search process has begun and interested parties are asked to contact 2019 Board Chairman Shane Smith directly at [email protected] for more information.
Phillipsburg resident John D. Shea passed away Feb. 10, 2019 at the Mary Lanning Hospital in Hastings, NE at the age of 77. He was born June 6, 1941 in Norton, KS, the son of Hamilton and Elsie (Custer) Shea.
Survivors include his son Randie of Phillipsburg; 2 daughters, Bonnie Ewing of Phillipsburg and Tonia Driggs of Manhattan, KS; 10 grandchildren and 1 great grandchild.
Funeral services will be held Thursday, Feb. 14 at 2:00 p.m. in the Zion Lutheran Church, Phillipsburg, with Pastor Lee Bennight officiating. Burial will follow in the Fairview Cemetery.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Kansas Dept of Wildlife and Parks & Phillips County 4-H Shooting Sports.
Visitation will be from 9:00 to 9:00 Wednesday at the Olliff-Boeve Memorial Chapel.
Online condolences: www.olliffboeve.com.
Olliff-Boeve Memorial Chapel is in charge of arrangements.
Donald E. Chegwidden, 82, of Russell, Kansas, died on Tuesday, February 12, 2019, at Wesley Medical Center in Wichita, Kansas.
Services will be at 1 P.M. on Friday, February 15, 2019, at the Pohlman-Varner-Peeler Mortuary in Russell, Kansas. Burial will follow at the Russell City Cemetery. Memorials will can be given to St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital or Shrine Children’s Hospital and can be sent in care of the mortuary.
Pearl Williams was found Tuesday evening and is safe, according to Wichita Police.
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SEDGWICK COUNTY — Police have issued a Silver Alert for a missing Kansas man.
Williams -photo courtesy Wichita Police
At approximately 4 p.m. on Tuesday, police in Wichita were contacted by a 66-year-old man who reported not being able to locate his 88-year-old father, Pearl Williams, according to officer Charley Davidson.
Photo of truck is not actual truck but an example
It was reported that Williams left his home in the 1700 block of north Spruce in Wichita at approximately 4 p.m. on Sunday in a 1998 blue Ford F150 with Kansas tag 959GFB and has not returned. The family reported this behavior is not normal for Williams.
If you know the whereabouts of Williams or see him, please call 911 immediately.
The Fort Hays State women’s basketball team took care of business on the road last week, defeating Pittsburg State and Missouri Southern by a combined 40 points. As a result, the Tigers continued to climb in both national polls released Tuesday (Feb. 12), sliding up to fourth in the WBCA Division II Coaches Poll while improving to third in the D2SIDA National Media Poll.
Fort Hays State earned 515 points in the balloting process of the Coaches Poll, just eight points back of No. 3 Indiana (Pa.). With just two undefeated teams remaining in Division II, the media have the Tigers listed as the top team with one loss so far this season.
Joining the Tigers in the Coaches Poll this week is Thursday’s opponent, Lindenwood. The Lions return to the Top 25 after a brief stay at No. 24 last month. Also representing the MIAA is No. 24 Central Missouri in the Coaches Poll and No. 25 Emporia State in the Media Poll.
Fort Hays State is 2-0 against ranked teams this season and 8-11 against ranked opponents while ranked under head coach Tony Hobson.
The Tigers went 2-0 as the fourth-ranked team earlier this season and are 6-1 all-time while ranked fourth according to the coaches.
The Tigers and Lindenwood will battle in their Top 25 matchup Thursday (Feb. 14) beginning at 5:30 p.m. inside Gross Memorial Coliseum.
Below are the complete national polls for February 12, 2019.
The district interviewed four candidates for the position. They also included Keith Hall, Hays interim director of finance; Jamie Wetig, Ashland superintendent; and Mike Gower, Logan and Philipsburg superintendent.
“I think it is a great opportunity,” he said of the job in Hays. “I would tell you the first thing I am looking forward to is getting an opportunity to meet the people who are in the district and in the community.”
He said he was overly impressed with the people he met when he toured the district last week, adding they are already doing great things in the district.
“I am a big believer it is all about people who make our schools the best they can be,” Wilson said.
He said he hopes to have conversations with people in the district and then determine his priorities for the district.
Wilson said of the school board, “I think you have a very committed board who is wanting to provide the best opportunities for the students in the community and serve in a very efficient and responsible way. I felt a really good sense of camaraderie with the board in the sense of being able to talk about issues and things they have been addressing in the district over the past few years. I feel really strongly that it will be a great relationship.”
Wilson continued, “I am just super excited to get into the district and look at all aspects of what is going on and how effectively we can continue some of the great things that are happening as well address some things that perhaps we need to look at.”
Wilson, 53, has been the superintendent in Herington for two years. He was the Abilene Middle School principal for 18 years and also served as a K-8 principal at North Ottawa County. He won the Kansas Association of Secondary School Principals Principal of the Year Award in 2006 and the Kansas Association of Middle School Administrators Principal of the Year Award in 2015.
He received his undergraduate degree at Bethany College and master’s degree and superintendent certification from Kansas State University. He said he made the move to becoming a superintendent later in life, because he wanted to wait until his youngest child graduated high school before moving the family. A job in Hays would move Wilson closer to his aging mother-in-law in Colorado.
Wilson will be moving to Hays with his wife, AJ. The couple has one adult daughter and two adult sons. One son is a senior at Fort Hays State University, and the other son will be enrolling at K-State. Their daughter lives and works in the Kansas City area.
SALINE COUNTY — Law enforcement authorities are asking the public for help locating a Kansas felon listed on the 24 Most Wanted List for February, according to the Saline County Sheriff’s Department’s Facebook page.
DeWitt -photo Saline Co.
Jason DeWitt, 48, has an active Saline County District Court felony arrest warrant with charges of: one count of Identity Theft and one count of Theft by Deception. He is described as 5-foot-8, 224 pounds with brown hair and eyes, according to the sheriff’s department.
DeWitt has previous convictions for drugs, driving while suspended and obstruction, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections.
Anyone with information on DeWitt is asked to contact the Saline County Sheriff.
