BARTON COUNTY — Law enforcement authorities continue their investigation involving the death of a baby girl in Barton County and are waiting for the result of an autopsy.
On January 28, emergency crews responded to an apartment in the 1300 block of Cherry Lane in Great Bend in reference to an unresponsive 5-month-old, according to a media release.
The infant was then transported to the emergency room at the hospital in Great Bend. Life saving measures were attempted on scene and at the hospital.
The infant was then transferred by air ambulance to Wesley Medical Center in Wichita where she remained in critical condition.
On Thursday, the baby died as a result of her injuries. Detectives expect to receive the result of an autopsy this week, according to Great Bend Police Chief David Bailey.
The Kansas Bureau of Investigation is assisting with the investigation.
Ruth Anne “Susie” Krug, 93, La Crosse, Kansas, died Friday, February 1, 2019, at her home.
Mrs. Krug was born September 19, 1925, in rural Bison, Kansas, the daughter of Everett O. Edwards, Sr., and Frances (Bitter) Edwards. She was a lifelong resident of Rush County. A 1944 graduate of Bison High School, Bison, Kansas, she was the Rush County Treasurer for many years before her retirement.
She was a member of the United Methodist Church, and the VFW Ladies Auxiliary, both of La Crosse, Kansas.
On September 11, 1949, she married Melvin “Pete” Krug at the United Methodist Church, Bison, Kansas. He preceded her in death April 3, 2009.
Survivors include: her son, Mark Krug, La Crosse, Kansas; her daughter, Michelle Keogh (Jerry), Wichita, Kansas; one granddaughter, Wendy Bublitz (Erich), Lawrence, Kansas; two great granddaughters, Mikala Bublitz, and Sofie Bublitz; and one sister, Holly Brack, Spearman, Texas.
She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband; six brothers, Robert Edwards, Everett “Peck” Edwards, Jr., Thomas Edwards, Forrest Edwards, Zane Edwards, and Elbert “Bert” Edwards; and five sisters, Ladine Peterson, Lois Edwards, Elma Edwards, Hazel Stump, and Minetta Smith.
Visitation will be Friday, February 8, 2019, from 4:00 P.M. to 8:00 P.M. at the Janousek Funeral Home, La Crosse, Kansas, with the family receiving friends from 6:00 P.M. to 7:00 P.M.
Funeral service will be Saturday, February 9, 2019, at 1:30 P.M. at the Janousek Funeral Home, La Crosse, Kansas, with Pastor Norma McNair officiating. Interment will be in the La Crosse City Cemetery, La Crosse, Kansas.
The Hays Police Department reports it is no longer looking for the silver pickup from the Colby gas station.
“There is an arrest warrant for Tre M. Carrasco and we are still actively searching for him,” the HPD said in a release Monday. “Carrasco is to be considered armed and dangerous.If anyone has information on the whereabouts of Tre M. Carrasco please contact the Hays Police Department at (785) 625-1011.”
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UPDATE: 4 p.m. Sunday:
Wanted sexual assault suspect, Tre M. Carrasco was observed getting into the below silver pickup at 10:08 a.m. Sunday at a Colby gas station. The pickup was observed leaving the truck stop heading south toward Interstate 70.
The photograph is of Tre Carrasco at the gas station and he was wearing a hoodie that says “HUSTLE” on the front of it.
Carrasco is to be considered armed and dangerous. If anyone has information on the whereabouts of Tre Carrasco please contact the Hays Police Department at (785) 625-1011. Carrasco is innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
At 5:42 a.m. Sunday, the Hays Police Department received a report that a female had been sexually assaulted in the 400 block of west 7th Street in Hays, according to a media release.
The suspect has been identified as 23-year-old Tre Miekale Carrasco. He is described as a light skinned black male who is 5-foot-8 tall, weighs 173 pounds, has brown eyes, and black curly hair that is in a short afro. Carrasco may have facial hair and be wearing a red shirt.
Carrasco should be considered armed and dangerous.
Carrasco reportedly stole a 2011 four-door navy blue Chevy Malibu with tinted windows from the scene which has since been located.
Carrasco has three previous convictions that include aggravated sexual battery and aggravated battery, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections.
If anyone has information on the whereabouts of Tre Carrasco, contact the Hays Police Department at (785) 625-1011.
Gary Shorman, president of the Schmidt Foundation, presents a check to the United Way of Ellis County to bring it to its 2018 campaign goal. Pictured are Josh Dreher, former UWEC board member; Sherry Dryden, UWEC executive director; Scott Boomer, UWEC campaign chairman; Phil Smith-Hanes, UWEC board member; Gary Shorman, president of the Schmidt Foundation; Kara Denton, UWEC board president; and Kelly Lewis, UWEC board vice-president.
Submitted
The United Way of Ellis County announced the close of its 2018 campaign with a donation of more than $53,000 from the Bob and Patricia Schmidt Foundation to meet its $400,000 goal.
Sherry Dryden, executive director of the United Way, said she is appreciative of the volunteers, donors and businesses who give every year; however, there has been a continued decline in donations. This donation will help solidify the importance of the United Way and challenge the agency to re-align their vision for the future as they just completed a new strategic plan.
The United Way evolved from the Hays United Fund, which was founded in 1953 by Bob Schmidt.
Gary Shorman, president of the Schmidt Foundation said, “Bob and Pat not only helped start the United Way in Ellis County, but believed fully in the mission of supporting the people and agencies tasked with helping our friends and neighbors in need.”
Through the years, a CARE Council was created in 1992 to review applications and give funding recommendations for potential partner agencies who applied for United Way Funding. The CARE Council is made up of community volunteers who also give recommendations for city and county funding to human service agencies.
United Way funding helps those partner agencies from having to do as much individual fundraising so staff can provide direct services to individuals, youth, and families. One of the many new goals for the United Way is to build on their Endowment Project for a goal of moving administrative expenses completely out of the campaign fund.
Additionally, the United Way applies for grant dollars and sponsorships to fund Community Impact projects ensuring donations for the campaign go directly to the partner agencies. The United Way accepts donations throughout the year at www.liveunited.us, Facebook at “United Way of Ellis County,” or at their offices at 205 E. Seventh St., Suite 111.
SALINE COUNTY — A Kansas high school police resource officer was arrested early Sunday morning after a traffic stop.
Amanda Londono. Photo Saline County Sheriff’s Office
Just before 2a.m. a Saline County deputy traveling southbound on Interstate 135 noticed the car in front of him attempt to pass a car.
The white 2018 Honda Accord pulled into the passing lane and then kept moving left, driving on the inside shoulder, according to Saline County Sheriff Roger Soldan.
The deputy stopped the car, which was occupied by four people, near the Crawford exit. The deputy detected the odor of alcohol in the vehicle, according to Soldan.
The car was driven by Amanda Londono, who Soldan said was a Salina Police Department school resource officer at Salina High School Central.
The deputy tried for 20 minutes to get Londono to step out of the car, but she refused, so she was arrested on suspicion of interference with a law enforcement officer, Soldan said.
Salina Police Captain Paul Forrester said Monday that the department was aware of Londono’s arrest and was conducting an internal affairs investigation.
The other three occupants of the car were not arrested and made arrangements for someone to pick them up, according to Soldan.
Top Row (L-R, Freshmen):Lakyn Fischer, daughter of DJ and Julie Fischer; Easton Burton, son of Corey and Amy Burton; Madison Gottschalk, daughter of Dean and Julie Gottschalk; Sam Honas, son of Randy and Wendy Honas; Michelle Gottschalk, daughter of Dean and Julie Gottschalk; and Tyson Jimenez, son of Javi and Jessica Jimenez.
2nd Row (L-R, Sophomores):Grace Eck, daughter of Mark and Sarah Eck; Zach Schiel, son of Jared and Beth Schiel; Morgan Bittel, daughter of Brady Bittel and Tammy Rudd; Brady Frickey, son of Brad and Stacy Frickey; Abigail North, daughter of Travis and Ava North; and Trace Patee, son of Terry and Dena Patee.
3rd Row (L-R, Juniors):Rylee Werth, daughter of Rodney and Cristi Werth; Noah Lohrmeyer, son of David Lohrmeyer and Amy Hudson; Breonna North, daughter of Travis and Ava North; John Gamez, son of Domingo and Martha Gamez; Abigail Mattheyer, daughter of Dustin and Mara Mattheyer; and Jake Eck, son of Geoff and Mindy Eck.
Front Row (L-R, Seniors):Cameryn Kinderknecht, daughter of Tim and Rhonda Kinderknecht; Kennedy Burgess, daughter of Justin Burgess and Christina Burgess; and August Sinclair, daughter of Mark Sinclair and Katie Armstrong.
The annual KAY Snowball Dance will be on Saturday, February 9. Promenade will be at the Ellis Good Samaritan Nursing Home from 6:00 to 7:45 p.m. Pictures start at 7:30 p.m. & the dance begins at 8:00 p.m. Crowning for Snowball Royalty will be at approximately 10:00 p.m.
Hello from Topeka! Happy 158th Birthday Kansas! On Tuesday January 29th, the Kansas House joined citizens across the state in celebrating the 158th birthday of our great state. Representatives raised their voices in the singing of our state song, Home on the Range. Home on the Range has its origins in the poem, “My Western Home,” written by Dr. Brewster M. Higley in 1871 near Athol.
This week begins the budget hearing process. In Higher Education Budget Committee we will hear from the regent universities, community colleges and technical schools over the next two weeks.
Last week, the Commerce Committee, the Department of Commerce presented an overview of the state’s economic incentive programs. They highlighted their 2018 top successful projects: Geico in Lenexa, Spirit AeroSystems in Wichita, Great Plains Manufacturing in Abilene, and Hopkins Manufacturing Corp. in Emporia. Additionally, they reviewed the state’s various incentive programs including Promoting Employment Across Kansas (PEAK), High Performance Incentive Program (HPIP), Rural Opportunity Zones (ROZ), Sales Tax Revenue (STAR) Bonds, Angel Investor Tax Credit, and the Job Creation Fund. Per the department, during the 2018 calendar year there were 138 successful tax credit projects, which generated 11,548 jobs, with a total capital investment of $1.7 billion. The committee did express a desire to improve transparency with data concerning economic incentives.
The Commerce Committee also heard testimony on HB 2006, a bill that would require the Department of Commerce to establish a database for publishing information on economic development incentive programs. This database must be easily accessible digitally to the public, and would be managed and updated by the department, and would include any tax credits, locally-granted property tax exemptions, and other various programs. This bill is an exact duplicate of 2018 HB 2572, which passed the House with a vote count of 114-7 last year, and also passed the House 119-0 in the form of 2018 SB 449.
Proponents including Rep. Kristey Williams (R-Augusta), the Kansas Policy Institute, and Johnson County Commissioners Michael Ashcraft and Mike Brown (both of whom were testifying as private citizens). They asserted that a public database that is easily accessible would improve transparency efforts, and the state needs to ensure that there is a tangible return and mechanism of accountability with these programs. Opponents to HB 2006 included the Kansas Chamber of Commerce and the Kansas Economic Development Alliance. They contended that the Kansas Legislative Research Department ought to conduct an independent review of each tax credit, rather than placing taxpayer information online. This would also allow the Legislature to make informed decisions on whether to continue each economic development incentive program. Taxpayer confidentiality was also a concern of the opponents. No action has taken place on this bill.
On Tuesday, Wichita State University’s Center for Economic Development and Business Research (CEDBR) presented their Kansas Economic Outlook report to the committee. Chiefly their research found that a recession is looming, with a 30% chance of occurrence in 2020, and a 50% chance of one taking place in 2021 or later. Jeremy Hill, Director of CEDBR, expressed serious concern for the Kansas economy, specifically the aerospace industry—a decline of aerospace production in the past couple of years and civilian aircraft exports have remained flat. However, he remains optimistic as aerospace employment has increased recently, and also expansion of national defense spending is likely. Hill also highlighted crude oil production in Kansas, which has been steadily declining since the 1980s, but also stressed how Kansas has avoided overproduction, and related issues.
Another issue which is seeing a lot of attention is sports betting. Last week, the Federal and State Affairs Committee heard testimony on HB 2032, which would require that any sports gambling authorized by the Kansas Lottery be conducted exclusively at racetrack gaming facilities. This bill was sponsored by Rep. Stan Frownfelter (D-Kansas City), who was also the sole proponent. Additionally, testimony was presented on HB 2068, a bill that would create the Sports Wagering Act. Essentially, this would legalize sports betting through the Kansas Lottery. The Lottery would able to conduct and operate sports betting itself and would be allowed to do so by entering into a contract with lottery vendors and racetrack facilities. As the bill is written, 0.25% of the total amount wagered is paid to the appropriate “sports governing body” (MLB, NBA, NFL, etc.). 6.75% of the total amount wagered minus what is paid to the governing body will then be deposited into either the Sports Wagering Receipts Fund, or the Lottery Operating Fund. No action has taken place on either of these bills.
Chairman John Barker (R-Abilene) appointed a subcommittee to study sports wagering, specifically to examine the logistics of sports betting mobile apps, and to also assess how much governing bodies ought to receive from sports betting earnings. Dates for this subcommittee have yet to be determined.
This past week there were several folks from the district in Topeka: Tim Driggs, City of Phillipsburg; Bret Greenwood from Plainville and many folks from Prairieland, Wheatland and Midwest Energy who were in town for meetings. It was a busy weekend with an appearance on “Kansas Week” on Wichita Public TV on Friday, then Saturday began in Hays for a chamber legislative update, on to the Phillipsburg Chamber and Main Street annual banquet and then Norton Community Foundation Gala. The week was complete by attending the annual Ground Hog Day pancake feed in Agra. It is always great to see so many folks and have the opportunity to meet one on one, so they can share concerns or ask questions on pending legislation.
If you come to Topeka during the session, my office is in Room: 149-S. My phone number is (785) 296- 7463 and email is: [email protected] and you can always try my cell number is (785) 302-8416.
I look forward to seeing you around the 110th District. It is my honor to by your representative.
Rep. Ken Rahjes (R-Agra), is the 110th state representative and chairman of the Higher Education Budget Committee. House District 110 includes Norton and Phillips counties as well as portions of Ellis, Graham, and Rooks counties.
Last week Kansas Farm Bureau appeared before our Senate committee on Financial Institutions, Insurance, Benefits and Pensions providing testimony to seek authority for the largest farm organization to develop member health care benefit coverage.
SB32 will allow Kansas Farm Bureau to establish health care benefits that offers coverage specifically and solely for Farm Bureau members in Kansas. One of the most expensive items in a farm family’s budget is health care cost. Farm Bureau testified that “at times 30% to 40% of the annual budgeted expenses” goes towards health care cost. Many of these farm families do not qualify for Affordable Care Act subsidized products. The purpose of the program is to reduce the number of uninsured Kansans and offer coverage with lower premiums. This bill will offer Farm Bureau members another health care option and our committee hopes to work this bill this coming week.
It was great to see Farm Bureau family members travel to Topeka to testify in favor of this legislation, including Tim Franklin and family from the 40th Senate district.
Our Ways and Means committee passed out SB 9 last week. This legislation will be debated on the Senate floor this Monday, February 4th. SB 9 is a KPERS bill, which will make a $115 million payment that was not made at the end of 2016. At that time revenues were lagging behind and the committee was not sure if the revenue was sufficient to make the payment. At that time the legislature promised to make the payment with interest. The $115 million includes accrued interest from 2016. In next week’s newsletter I will let you know how the Senate votes on this bill.
SB 22, the Tax Windfall Bill, was passed out of the special tax committee last week. This bill would allow Kansans to deduct interest on their mortgage, property taxes, charitable contributions and health care expenses.
The three groups affected by this bill are: 1. Those who don’t have enough deductions to itemize at the Federal or State levels. 2. Those whose deductions now make it better to take Federal standard deductions, but would still like to itemize at the State level. 3. Those who have enough deductions to itemize at both the Federal and State levels.
The first group will see no changes and will benefit from the larger Federal standard deduction and should see larger refunds. The third group who currently itemize and have sufficient expenses to deduct will continue itemizing at the State and Federal level and will see no change. The group that will benefit from this legislation is group two which are currently itemizing at the State and Federal level. With the changes at the Federal level and the change to a larger standard deduction many in this group will be better off taking the larger standard deduction than itemizing. This is where the problem begins. Kansas law mirrors Federal law and if you take the standard deduction at the Federal level you are also required to take the standard deduction on your Kansas tax return. This bill changes Kansas’s law to allow small businesses and individuals to continue to itemize even though they will take the standard deduction at the Federal level.
It was a pleasure to see many people from Senate District 40 last week, including people from the Kansas Electric Cooperatives, Rural Telephone, Nex-Tech and S&T, Kansas Farm Bureau, Kansas Highway Patrol and Sheriff’s Association, County Clerks and Appraisers, Kansas Title Insurance Agents, High Plains Mental Health, Kansas Family Physicians, Public Accountants, KEDA, Sunflower State Trails and the City of Hays.
Middle school and high school students (12 years of age or older) are invited to come to our Kansas State Capitol, in order to be my sponsored Senate Page for a day. The dates available are February 11th, 18th, 25th and March 11th. Please contact my office if you know a student who may have an interest in being a Senate Page.
I am honored and grateful to represent the 40th Senate District in Kansas. Please do not hesitate to contact or call me with your questions and concerns, my office number is 785-296-7399 or my cell is 785-899-4700. If you are in Topeka stop by my office at 236-E.
Sen. Rick Billinger, R-Goodland, is the Kansas state senator for the 40th District, which includes Cheyenne, Decatur, Ellis, Gove, Graham, Logan, Norton, Rawlins, Sheridan, Sherman, Thomas, Trego and Wallace counties as well as portions of Phillips county.
ELLIS — Steven E. Pegram will be interviewing for the position of superintendent with the board of education on Monday evening.
Pegram is the first of three candidates that the USD 388 Ellis Board of Education will be interviewing.Candidates were selected for interviews based on their fit with desired characteristics that were developed with input from a focus survey which were utilized throughout the search process.
Pegram is currently serving as the Superintendent at USD 434 Carbondale and has been in that position for 11 years.Previously, he served as the superintendent of USD 372 Silver Lake for seven years.Pegram also fulfilled duties as superintendent at Cherryvale USD 447 for five years and in that district, he was the high school principal for three years and an elementary principal for one year.
Ellis High School Principal will interview for the superintendent position on Wednesday via videoconference. The name of the third candidate will be released Thursday.
Steven E. Pegram’s Schedule
12:00-1:00 pm Meet at district office with John and Connie – lunch @ Riverside Esp.
(Time permitting:Bus Barn – Weightroom/Wrestling Room)
1:00-2:20 Tour district facilities – 2 Stuco reps. – Connie will bring candidate
1:00-1:30 – HS
1:35 -2:05 – GS
2:10-2:20 – OHS – Stuco reps returned to HS
2:25 – 2:55 Tour of the community – Jeff Augustine, Comm. rep will pick up at OHS
3:00 – 3:30 Candidate meets with Superintendent Young @ HS
3:40 – 4:30 Meet and greet for public and staff – HS Lobby – South End
4:30 – 5:30 Break – Connie will return candidate to district office to personal vehicle
5:30 – 6:30 Dinner with candidate, guest/spouse and BOE @ Arthurs
6:30 – 9:30 Formal interview, Special BOE meeting in executive session @ HS Library
The board of education will conclude interviews on Feb. 7.They will then determine which candidate is the best fit for the superintendent position in USD 388 Ellis.
Just after 10a.m. Wednesday, police responded to a vehicle fire at 561 NE Sardou Street in Topeka, according to Fire Chief Michael Martin.
Upon arrival, fire crews reported a fully involved vehicle fire located behind the residence. While in route to the fire, crews were informed that an individual later identified as 54-year-old Russell Dean Harris, Sr. had self-evacuated from the vehicle.
As fire crews began an attack on the fire, emergency crews found Harris and transported him to local hospital. On Monday authorities reported Harris had died.
The Topeka Fire Department Investigation unit determined the fire was accidental associated with a space heater within the vehicle. Harris was living in the vehicle, according to Martin.
Ivan LeRoy Holt was born in Russell, Kansas on December 30, 1938 to Enoch Ivan and Olive Loretta (Atkisson) Holt. His early childhood was spent living with his parents and sisters, Barbra Sue and Sandra Lou, in the Skelly Oilfield Camp near Russell.
The family eventually moved to Russell where LeRoy was active in sports and music. He graduated from Russell High School in 1956 and attended Kansas State University and Fort Hays State College where he earned his bachelor’s degree in 1961. While in college, he spotted a young woman in the town of Gorham, Kansas and declared “I am going to marry that girl.” He married the love of his life, Barbara Mae Withrow, on October 18, 1958 in Gorham. Following his graduation from college, he joined his parents, Ivan and Loretta, in the operation of the family business, Ivan Holt Well Servicing, Inc. He remained active in the oil industry throughout his life, both as an oil operator and oil investor.
The year after they were married, LeRoy and Barbara became proud parents with the birth of their son, Ivan LeRoy Holt II. Their family was completed with the birth of their daughter, Tonya, and son, Brett, in the next few years.
An avid outdoorsman, LeRoy was passionate about fishing and hunting. Some of his happiest hours were spent on his bass boat at Lake Wilson catching bass, walleye, and crappie. In later years, both he and Barbara became involved in shooting sporting clays. They both achieved national and regional titles in this sport. The competitions that they attended gave them the opportunity to travel over much of the United States and abroad, making friends along the way.
LeRoy was blessed with the gift of gab. He was quick to strike up conversations with all those that he encountered and no one was left with any doubt of where he stood on any given topic. His friendships spread far and wide, some lasting since childhood. LeRoy was a generous soul and frequently assisted others in their hour of need. He was a member of many organizations including the Masonic Lodge #177 of Russell, Kansas; the Scottish Rite and Isis Shrine Temple of Salina, Kansas; the Oklahoma City Gun Club; the National Rifle Association; and Ducks Unlimited.
In 2010, LeRoy and Barbara moved to Edmond, Oklahoma to be near their children. With their outgoing personalities, they quickly made friends in their neighborhood and community. Both LeRoy and Barbara battled cancer over the past three years. Her passing in May 2018 after 59 years of marriage left him heart broken and his health declined. He passed away peacefully on January 30, 2019 with his son, LeRoy II, by his side.
LeRoy is survived by his son, LeRoy II, and wife, Patti, of Edmond; his daughter, Tonya, of Hsinchu County, Taiwan; his son, Brett, of Edmond; former daughter-in-law, Jill Holt, of Edmond, former daughter-in-law, Marixa Holt, of Oklahoma City; and grandson, Aaron Janiec, of Edmond. Other survivors include his sisters, Barbra (Jay) Simpson of Manhattan Beach, California and Sandy (Don) Krug of Russell, Kansas as well as several nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his wife, Barbara, and his parents, Ivan and Loretta Holt.
LeRoy’s family would like to express their appreciation to the doctors, nurses and staff of Mercy Hospital for the loving care that they gave both LeRoy and Barbara. They also extend a special thank you to the caregivers from Home Care Assistance of Edmond whose care allowed LeRoy to remain at home in the final weeks of his life.
Services will be held at 10:00 a.m. on Tuesday, February 5, 2019, at Matthews Funeral Home in Edmond, Oklahoma with burial following at the Pleasant Hill Cemetery in Edmond. Visitation will be held at the mortuary on Monday, February 4, 2019 from 3:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Contributions in LeRoy’s memory may be made to the Justin Corbet Memorial Shooting Foundation, 5735 SW Urish Road, Topeka, Kansas, 66610.
