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Year: 2019

Police: Another Kansas felon caught with a handgun

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SHAWNEE COUNTY – Law enforcement authorities are investigating a Kansas felon on new charges after a traffic stop.

Anderson photo Shawnee Co.

On Friday, a police officer observed Dominique Anderson 27 of Topeka leaving the Law Enforcement Center, according to Lt. Aaron Jones.

The officer recognized Anderson and knew he was wanted for a felony criminal damage domestic case which occurred January 20.

Anderson left the property in a vehicle which was stopped at 4th and SW Jackson in Topeka. Police took him into custody without incident.

A search of the vehicle revealed a small amount of marijuana, other suspected narcotics, drug paraphernalia and a stolen Taurus 9mm handgun. Anderson has at least one prior felony conviction leading to a charge of Criminal Use of a Firearm, according to Jones.

He was transported to the Shawnee County Department of Corrections under suspicion of felony Criminal Damage (Domestic), Criminal use of a Firearm, and narcotic related charges.

This is the 6th case in 2019 with a charge involving a felon in possession of a firearm reported by the Topeka Police Department.

Chiefs wide receiver arrested on marijuana charge

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ALLEN COUNTY — Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver De’Anthony Thomas is out on bail after a weekend arrest, according to a report by the Allen County Sheriff’s Department.

Thomas -photo Allen Co. Sheriff

De’Anthony M. Thomas, 26, Lee’s Summit, Missouri, was booked Saturday into the Allen County Jail on suspicion of Possession of Marijuana and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia.

He was no longer in custody Sunday, according to online jail records.

The Chiefs selected Thomas from the University of Oregon in the 2014 NFL Draft. He played in  five games in the 2018-19 season before a leg injury in practice ended his season.

The Chiefs had not released a statement on the arrest late Sunday afternoon.

Study: Most people overestimate total number of U.S. gun owners

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Don Haider-Markel

KU NEWS SERVICE

LAWRENCE — Most people vastly overestimate the population of gun owners in the United States, and it potentially influences how groups approach gun policies, according to a study by two University of Kansas political scientists.

“Because gun owners are actually a minority, perceiving their group as larger and even as a majority could make them feel more empowered to advocate on gun issues,” said Don Haider-Markel, professor and chair of the Department of Political Science. “Likewise, non-gun owners that perceive a larger gun owner population now and in the future might be less likely to advocate for gun regulations.”

Mark Joslyn

Mark Joslyn, professor of political science, and Haider-Markel are co-authors of the study, recently published in the journal Politics & Policy. They examined results from a 2016 nationally representative survey of 1,290 American adults who answered questions on a variety of policy, election-specific, psychological and political questions, including a number on gun ownership and regulation.

Specifically, the survey asked people to give their “best guess” on what percentage of Americans owned firearms. The actual percentage of U.S. individual gun owners is roughly 25 percent, and about 33-40 percent of U.S. households have at least one gun in the home, the researchers said.

However, the researchers found that more than 75 percent of respondents overestimated the number, and only a small minority, 2.3 percent, underestimated the number of gun owners.

The most common estimate was 50 percent, and nearly one-fifth of respondents estimated the gun owner population was 70 percent or higher.

“Generally speaking, less knowledgeable people tend to overestimate the size of groups, but so, too, do people who belong to the group, have contact with the group or have positive affinity towards the group,” Haider-Markel said. “In short, we inflate the size of groups we belong to or are close to.”

The overestimation of the population among both gun owners and non-gun owners could provide some explanation for the level of support surrounding pro-gun policies or the lack of support for federal gun control measures, even in wake of high-profile mass shootings, such as Newtown, Connecticut; Las Vegas; and Orlando and Parkland, Florida, though the professors said future research would likely examine potential trends after more recent advocacy efforts by gun violence victims.

“We see this as another in a line of politicized issues where facts are contested and factual beliefs might influence policy attitudes on the issue. As such, we wanted to explore basic knowledge about gun owners, perceptions of future gun ownership, and determine whether these perceptions influenced gun attitudes,” Haider-Markel said.

He added that past research in this area is built around the notion of a perceived threat of a group, but rarely is that threat actually assessed.

The researchers have conducted similar research on how people overestimate the gay population in the United States.

“As with the earlier study, people are not very good at estimating the size of groups, and this has implications for their policy preferences,” Haider-Markel said. “Here we can also show that people tend to think that the gun owner population will grow in the future even though all indications are that the gun owner population is getting smaller.”

Lawmakers push again to end economic border war with Kansas

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KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Some lawmakers are pushing legislation that could end a long-running economic borderwar between Missouri and Kansas that has prompted both states to spend millions of dollars in the last decade to lure businesses in the Kansas City metropolitan region across the state line.

Kansas spent $184 million in incentives since 2010 to entice businesses to move, while Missouri spent about $151 million in the same time period, according to the Hall Family Foundation. Those millions resulted in a net of about 1,200 jobs in Kansas.

“We’re using (economic development incentives) to divide the pie, not increase the pie,” said Bill Hall, president of the foundation and a Kansas City metro area civic leader.

Missouri passed a law in 2014 that prohibited the use of state incentives to poach businesses in Douglas, Johnson, Miami and Wyandotte counties. But the law required Kansas to pass a similar bill pledging not to go after businesses in Clay, Cass, Jackson and Platte counties in Missouri, The Kansas City Star reported.

Kansas lawmakers and then-Republican Gov. Sam Brownback rejected the plan. Brownback suggested a similar proposal two years later but it ultimately failed.

Missouri’s bill expired in 2016. Sen. Mike Cierpiot, a Republican from Lee’s Summit, has filed a bill this session that would renew the legislation through 2021 to provide a chance for further discussion.

“I don’t understand why reasonable people can’t sit down and figure this out,” Cierpiot said. “It’s just bad policy.”

Critics of the tax incentives say companies get millions of dollars in tax breaks to move a few miles and often add only a few new jobs.

For example, Kansas spent $3 million in tax breaks to move about 60 jobs at HCA Midwest Health four miles from Kansas City, Missouri, to Overland Park, Kansas.

New Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly said in a statement that everyone agrees the current situation doesn’t make sense “but the devil is in the details.”

“We will be looking at this issue and reviewing the legislation to determine if it is in the best interest of Kansas,” she said.

Some Kansas City metro area question the need for legislation, saying the economic realities are different than they were in 2014.

Blake Schreck, president of the Lenexa Chamber of Commerce, questioned how urgent the problem is now because the economy is healthy and both sides of the state line are flourishing.

“We’re all growing and doing fine, so it hasn’t been a huge issue,” he said.

But he said getting a bi-state agreement to award incentives only for net new jobs would help both sides.

“I would anticipate we’ll take a crack at it sometime this year,” he said.

Bill Hall, who has spent years advocating for a cease-fire in the incentives border war, said now is a good time to get an agreement because of the strong economy.

“The economy is not always going to stay good,” Hall said. “This is the perfect time to deal with it because emotions aren’t as high and more reason can be brought to it, because people aren’t fighting for every last job.”

Pamela (Pam) Jean Herrenbruck

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St. John – Pamela (Pam) Jean Herrenbruck, 53, passed away January 24, 2019 at Stafford County Hospital, Stafford.

She was born October 26, 1965 in St. John, the daughter of Glenn Arnold and Betty Jean Farmer Pound. A lifetime area resident she was an LPN II, at Leisure Homestead, Stafford, Kansas.

Pam enjoyed gardening, canning, attending basketball games, spending time with her family and friends, and has spent her entire life helping anyone in any way she could.

On April 30, 2002 she married Roy Robert Herrenbruck; he survives.

Other survivors include; her mother, Betty, St. John; two sons, Christopher (Marisa) Mansel, St. John, Shane Herrenbruck, Ellinwood; a daughter, Melissa (Troy) Mead, Larned; two brothers, Arnold R. Pound, Wichita and Terry Lee (Cindy) Pound, Lyons; brother-in-law; Ronald Tanner, St. John; seven grandchildren; numerous nieces, nephews, great nieces, great nephews along with extended family and friends.

She was preceded in death by; her father, Glenn, an infant brother, Dennis Pound, sister, Glenna Tanner and sister-in-law Cynthia Ann Pound.

Celebration of Life service will be 11:00 a.m. Saturday, February 2, 2019 at the IOOF lodge, 700 E. 1st Ave., St. John, Kansas 67576; with Pastor Wade Russell presiding. Cremation has taken place and a private Inurnment will be at a later date.

Memorials may be given to Leisure Homestead, Stafford, in care of Beckwith Mortuary, P.O. Box 477, Larned, KS 67550.

Donald T. Brummer

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Donald T. Brummer, 94, of Downs, KS passed away on January 25, 2019 at the Mitchell County Hospital in Beloit, KS. Donald was born on April 21, 1924 to Frank & Katherine (Ketter) Brummer in Tipton, KS. He had 7 siblings.

Donald married Maxine M. Mans on October 15, 1946 and to this union 5 children were born. Donald & Maxine made Down, KS their home. They attended both the St. Mary Catholic Church of Downs, KS & the St. Aloysius Catholic Church of Osborne, KS. Donald was a farmer/cattleman.

Donald was preceded in death by his parents; wife, Maxine in 2005; 2 infant sons, Lonnie Brummer & Gilbert Brummer both who died in infancy; 1 brother & 1 sister.

Donald is survived by daughters: Jolene Aquilera of Edmond, OK; Deborah Bernard of Russell, KS; son Danny Brummer of Bennington, KS; sisters Vivian Steerman of Osborne, KS; Ruth Ellen Dubbert of Downs, KS; Carol Suter of Aurora, CO; brothers: Wendell Burmmer of Downs, KS; Wayne Brummer of Great Bend, KS; 15 grandchildren & 28 great-grandchildren.

Click HERE for service details.

Richard M. Basye

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Richard M. Basye, 88, born April 27, 1930, to Richard and Viola (Kempke) Basye in Kanopolis, Kansas.

He was a patient at Clara Barton Hospital when our Heavenly Father decided to receive him on January 24, 2019. He was preceded in death by his wife of 64 years, Joyce Mae (Mathews) Basye.

He was preceded in death by his mother Viola (Kempke) Basye and father Richard, and mother Velma Basye; two sisters, Roxie and Alyssa Basye; four brothers, and two sisters-in-law, Marvin Basye, Lewis and Roberta Basye, James and Eileen Basye, Del Basye; and brothers-in-law, Dick Condit and Jim Mathews.

Survivors include; brothers, Ronnie and wife Judy Basye, Dennis (DK) Basye, Garland Basye; sisters, Janice and husband Doug Martin, Janet and husband Bob Stephens; and sister-in-law, Ginny Condit.

They had three sons; Steve and wife Vickie Basye of Hoisington, Bruce Basye and Jan McKee of Derby, and Doug and wife Linda Basye of Great Bend.

Eight grandchildren plus their spouses; Sheven and husband John Copp, Stacie and husband Shelby Stone, Katey Basye and Josh Gonzalez, Addie and husband Tane Brown, Amanda Basye, Jordan and wife Brynne Basye, Olivia and husband Daniel Hotujac, and Brett Basye.

Nine great grandchildren; Jacob Basye, Jayme Bradley, Jaicie Bradley, Gentry Stone, Dylan Stone, Liam Stone, Daphne Copp, Brayden Copp, and Elliott Copp.

On April 28, 1950 Richard married Joyce Mae Mathews and they resided in Hoisington their entire life. He was a courier for the Military Army. After the service he worked for Shirer Oil Service, Marlette Homes, Duke Drilling, Big Springs Drilling, and Brower Oil. He had a TV repair shop in Hoisington for three years. After retiring he worked for Town and Country Grocery Store. Throughout his younger years he was a baseball coach for his boys and their friends.

He was a devoted father, grandfather, and great grandfather. He loved his wife and family and in return was loved very much and will be deeply missed. He also loved to fish and watch football on TV and was always ready to go to his sons sporting events.

Funeral service will be 10 a.m., Tuesday, January 29, 2019, at Nicholson-Ricke Funeral Home, with Pastor Sandy Kennedy officiating. Interment in Hoisington Cemetery.

Visitation 9 a.m. to 8 p.m., with the family attending from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., Monday, January 28, 2019, at Nicholson-Ricke Funeral Home, Hoisington, Kansas.

In lieu of flowers memorials may be made to Wounded Warriors Family Support, Hoisington Stray Animal Fund, or any cancer group of your choice (Kans for Kids, etc.), in care of Nicholson-Ricke Funeral Home, PO Box 146, Hoisington, KS 67544.

Darlene Miller

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SMITH CENTER – Darlene Miller, age 86, passed away on Friday January 25, 2019 at the Smith Center Health & Rehab Center in Smith Center, KS. Darlene was born the daughter of Louis & Hilda (Suhr) Rahjes on December 24, 1932 in rural Agra, KS. She was a homemaker.

She was preceded in death by her parents, husband Dean, sister Arvella Riat; 3 grandchildren Jason, Courtney and Jacob.

Survivors include her daughters Janese (Ed) Erickson of Kearney, NE, Mary (Steve) Hagedorn of Tuscon, AZ; sons Stan (Lisa) of Denton, TX, Kent (Denise) of Gage, OK, Tim (Denise) of the family farm near Agra, KS. Brother Wes Rahjes of Kensington; 11 grandchildren; 12 great grandchildren.

Click HERE for service details.

Illegal vapes with cartoon packaging seized in Kansas

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WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — A county sheriff is warning parents in the Wichita area about illegal vape cartridges that are packaged with cartoons and contain high levels of THC, the compound that gives marijuana its high.

Image courtesy Sedgwick Co. Sheriff

Sedgwick County deputies recently seized THC-infused vape cartridges intended for medical marijuana use, which were smuggled into the state from California, according to Sheriff Jeff Easter. The cartridges contain 80-90 percent THC, which is more than most marijuana products seized by the federal Drug Enforcement Administration.

Kansas law prohibits possessing or distributing THC vape products. It’s also illegal for anyone under 18 to sell, buy or possess any type of electronic cigarette.

The vapes found in the Wichita area may cause symptoms of cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome , such as nausea and vomiting, Easter said. It’s unclear whether any children have been affected by the product.

The county sheriff said police are concerned that children are being targeted because the colorful packaging is decorated with cartoon characters, such as Looney Tunes’ Pepe Le Pew and Disney’s Goofy.

The vape flavoring masks the odor of marijuana, which could make it difficult for parents to identify the smell, Easter said.

“I guarantee you there’s kids that have been bringing this home or people bringing it home living with their parents and grandparents and they have no idea what it is,” he said.

The sheriff directed parents to call 911 if they find their kids in possession of the products.

USD 489 board member receives recognition from KASB

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USD 489

Board member Sophia Young has been recognized by the Kansas Association of School Boards for earning her Level Two Certificate for board member training.

Board members must earn 75 points or more to qualify for level two certification. Points are awarded on an annual basis for attendance at regional and state conferences.

Only 146 KASB members received level two certification from KASB this year.

Now That’s Rural: Kansas firsts

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Ron Wilson is director of the Huck Boyd National Institute for Rural Development at Kansas State University.

By RON WILSON
Huck Boyd National Institute for Rural Development

“We’re number 1!” That cry goes up in sports arenas across the country. Today, around Kansas Day, the state of Kansas can point to many Kansas firsts. These are accomplishments in addition to sports where our state was number one in historic developments.

Marci Penner is executive director of the Kansas Sampler Foundation, author, and passionate advocate for rural Kansas. Her organization’s website, www.kansassampler.org, plus Kansapedia and other online sources list numerous cases where Kansas was number 1.

For example, the first U.S. patent for a helicopter was issued to Kansans William Purvis and Charles Wilson of Goodland. They invented the helicopter in 1909. A replica of their original helicopter can be viewed at the High Plains Museum in Goodland.

In addition to helicopters, other Kansans made their mark in aviation. The booming airplane production in Wichita led to that city being called the “air capital of the world.”

In the 1920s, Clyde Cessna of Kingman, Lloyd Stearman of Wellsford, and Walter Beech worked on one of those pioneering airplane companies in Wichita. Walter Beech and his wife Olive Ann from Waverly started their own business, Beech Aircraft Company, in 1932. When Walter became ill, Olive Ann Beech took over the company. Olive Ann was the first woman to receive the National Aeronautic Association’s Wright Brothers Memorial Trophy.

Of all women in aviation, Amelia Earhart was the most famous. Earhart, from Atchison, was the first woman to fly across the Atlantic Ocean. She was preceded by the first man to fly solo non-stop across the Atlantic. His name was Charles Lindbergh. When Lindbergh was barnstorming as a young pilot, he lived near Bird City.

On a more down to earth note, the world’s first bulldozer was invented by J. Earl McLeod and Jim Cummings in Morrowville.

There are many, many other Kansas firsts. Several involve women in politics. Susanna Salter of Argonia was the first woman elected mayor in the U.S. in 1887. She was a member of the Prohibition Party, which reminds me that Kansas was the first state to pass a law to prohibit all alcoholic beverages (that one didn’t work out so well.)

In 1949, banker Georgia Neese Clark of Richland was appointed by President Harry Truman as the first woman Treasurer of the United States. That meant her signature was printed on millions of dollars’ worth of U.S. currency.

In 1978, Nancy Landon Kassebaum was elected to the U.S. Senate, becoming the first woman elected to a full term in the Senate without being preceded by a husband. She would later retire to the family ranch near Burdick.

Kansas women and minorities made their mark in other fields also. Hattie McDaniel of Wichita was the first African-American woman and, for that matter, the first African-American of any gender, to win an Academy Award for her role in “Gone with the Wind.” Another woman founded the first black women’s academy in New England. She came to Kansas and is buried at the rural community of Elk Falls, population 107 people. Now, that’s rural.

In sports, Lynette Woodard of Wichita was the first woman to play for the Harlem Globetrotters. In politics, Charles Curtis of Topeka was the first Native American to become U.S. vice president.

Some firsts are less prominent. The nation’s first chain restaurant was the Harvey House restaurants which served Kansas railroad travelers. A Harvey House Museum is in Florence. Decades later, the country’s first national hamburger chain was founded when White Castle opened in Wichita.

The world’s first synthetic diamond was made by Dr. Willard Hersey on the McPherson College Campus in 1926. Also in McPherson was an amateur athletic basketball team sponsored by the local oil refinery. In 1936, the first year that basketball was an Olympic sport, the Globe Refiners from Kansas became the first basketball team to win a gold medal in the Olympics.

“We’re number 1!” These are some of the Kansas firsts which we find in our history. We salute Marci Penner and others who are making a difference by finding and sharing these Kansas accomplishments. I appreciate the way that they have helped put Kansas first.

State agencies announce 5th-annual scholarship essay contest

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TOPEKA —Kansas Insurance Commissioner Vicki Schmidt, Acting Bank Commissioner Tim Kemp, and Shannon Santschi of the Office of the Kansas Securities Commissioner announced the opening of the 2019 Kansas Financial Scholars Essay Scholarship Contest Monday. The contest will run from January 17 through April 1, 2019.

“Kansas High School seniors will soon make decisions about post-secondary education that will impact their future for years to come,” said Insurance Commissioner Vicki Schmidt. “I’m pleased to support this program because it not only provides a scholarship to help offset the rising cost of post-secondary education, but it also provides a solid financial education that prepares students to make better financial choices for their future.”

Acting State Bank Commissioner Tim Kemp added, “Financial literacy is integral to the future success of Kansas which includes our Kansas youth. The Office of the State Bank Commissioner is proud to contribute scholarship funds to promote increased financial knowledge and support further educational opportunities. I encourage all Kansas educators to promote this opportunity and Kansas seniors to participate.”

New this year: The top scholarship award has increased to $3,000. Subsequent awards are as follows: second place — $2,000, third, fourth and fifth places —$1,000 each.

Students who choose to participate in the competition will be asked to write a two-part composition. Part one requires students write an essay about an experience that has influenced their views on money management. In Part two, students will interview someone who is active in the field they aspire to, and provide analysis on how they will apply what they’ve learned from the essay and interview to their life as they prepare for the future.

“Since we initiated this contest five years ago, the goal has always been to promote financial education in our high schools and invest in young Kansans’ vision for the future,” said Shannon Santschi, director of Investor Education for the Securities Commissioner’s Office. “To date, nearly 400 students have participated in an approved financial literacy programming and submitted essays to our contest. Additionally, $30,000 in scholarships has been awarded to high school seniors who have committed to attending schools of higher learning here in Kansas.”

To be eligible, students must be in their senior year and attending a Kansas public, private or home school. They must plan to attend a Kansas technical school, trade school, college or university after high school graduation. Eligibility is also dependent on students participating in one of six approved financial education courses; among them: EverFi/Kansas Financial Scholars Program, The Stock Market Game and Foundations in Personal Finance.

For a complete list of eligible programs and contest rules, visit www.ksc.ks.gov/essaycontest.

Teachers, parents or students may inquire with the director of Investor Education at [email protected] or 785-296-4756 to sign up today for one of the complimentary prerequisite programs.

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