Columbia, MO — The Josh Hawley for U.S. Senate Campaign released a statement Tuesday from U.S. Senator Pat Roberts calling on Senator Claire McCaskill to remove Roberts’ quote from her new campaign ad entitled “Independence.” Hawley is challenging incumbent McCaskill in a very close race for the U.S. senate.
Sen. Roberts said, “Senator Claire McCaskill’s days of bipartisanship are long over. On critical issues over the last year, I’ve watched her vote to raise taxes on Missourians and oppose conservative judges including Judge Kavanaugh for the Supreme Court.
“I’m very disappointed that she’s sided with her party’s leadership and opposed the Trump Administration against the best interests of Missouri at every turn.
“When President Trump was elected, she made it her mission to obstruct the administration’s agenda. Higher taxes. Liberal courts. That’s not what Missourians want.
“That’s why I am supporting Josh Hawley and calling on Senator McCaskill to remove my name and quote from her ad.”
SHAWNEE COUNTY — Law enforcement authorities are investigating an aggravated battery and have a suspect in custody.
Williams -photo Shawnee County
Just before 1a.m. Wednesday, police responded to the Traveler’s Inn in the 3800 Block of SW Topeka Boulevard in Topeka, according to Lt. John Trimble. A victim told police she had been stabbed by a family member following a dispute.
Additional officers and Shawnee County deputies responded to the scene and located the suspect 39-year-old Randy Williams. He was arrested without incident and booked into the Shawnee County Department of Corrections on requested charges of Indecent Liberties with a Child, Sexual Battery and Aggravated Domestic Battery, according to Trimble.
Williams has a dozen previous convictions for battery, theft, robbery criminal threat and drugs, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections.
COLBY — The internationally acclaimed Jazz Ambassadors of Washington, DC continues its long tradition of presenting free public performances when it appears at Colby Community College’s Cultural Arts Center, on Thursday, Oct. 25 at 7:30 p.m. CDT. The Jazz Ambassadors’ concert in Colby is sponsored by Western Plains Arts Association.
While the concert is free, the military band requests all those attending send a self-addressed stamped envelope to request free tickets by mail, indicating the number of tickets requested. Please write Jazz Ambassadors Tickets, c/o Pat Ziegelmeier, WPAA, 1255 S. Range Ave., Colby, KS 67701.
The Jazz Ambassadors is the official touring big band of the United States Army. Formed in 1969, the 19-member ensemble has received great acclaim at home and abroad performing America’s greatest original art form, jazz.
Concerts by the Jazz Ambassadors are programmed to entertain all types of audiences. The band’s diverse repertoire includes big band swing, bebop, Latin, contemporary jazz, standards, popular tunes, Dixieland, vocals, and patriotic selections, many of which are written or arranged by members of the Jazz Ambassadors.
The Jazz Ambassadors has appeared in all 50 states, Canada, Mexico, Japan, India, and throughout Europe. Recent notable performances include concerts at the Toronto Jazz Festival, the Richmond Jazz Festival, the Kennedy Center Honors, the Jazz Education Network Conference, and an appearance on the Colbert Report.
Notable performers who have shared the stage with the Jazz Ambassadors are: Gordon Goodwin, Bobby Shew, Ernie Watts, and the Dave Brubeck All-Star Quintet. The band has appeared in joint concerts with Marvin Hamlisch and the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, the San Diego Symphony Orchestra, the Seattle Symphony Pops, the Colorado Pops Orchestra and the New York Pops at Carnegie Hall. The band’s rigorous touring schedule and reputation for excellence has earned it the title “America’s Big Band.”
DATE CHANGE: Due to gloomy weather in the forecast for the 5th, we are rescheduling this event to Friday, Oct. 19.
The event features the M31 Andromeda Galaxy, a spiral galaxy approximately 2.5 million light years from Earth, along with the planets Jupiter, Saturn, other Messier objects and more.
Dr. Jack Maseberg, associate professor of physics, and Dr. Paul Adams, dean of the College of Education, and the Astronomy Club will provide telescopes and be on hand to offer assistance.
Those interested can meet at the KWEC northeast of Great Bend to start off with an indoor activity and snacks and finish off the evening at Cheyenne Bottoms for a tour of the night sky.
The KWEC, 592 NE K-156 Highway, is at the southeast side of Cheyenne Bottoms Wildlife Area, northeast of Great Bend.
For more information, contact Mandy Kern at 877-243-9268 or 620-566-1456.
Randy ClinkscalesA few weeks ago, I related to you that my wife and I went on vacation in August for a couple of weeks. We took the trip to Colorado, and then we had various friends and family come out and visit us there. It was a no-television vacation. I did a lot of cooking, relaxing, and reflecting.
The vacation was a little more significant in that a week after we got back, my wife, Barbara, was to retire from her job at the Department of Children and Family Services (it used to be SRS). She had been there for over 25 years.
My wife and I met after the very first year of law school. It was the summer before our second year. We were both taking a course in commercial transaction. We dated for the next two years, and then married in September of 1980 after graduating from law school in May.
I have only known her as a lawyer or as a law student.
As you may imagine, two lawyers/spouses can have animated conversations. Particularly, during the law school years, Barbara was very hard on me. I was a terrible writer, with terrible writing skills. That is not a good attribute for law school.
I would write a brief for a class, or for my job as a law clerk, and Barbara would go through it with her red pen. She would challenge my thought process. By the time we graduated law school, I had actually become a pretty good writer and could argue effectively in appellate briefs.
Throughout the years, Barbara has been my sounding board. While we respect client confidentiality, we would exchange the dilemmas our clients or employers were facing. Much of that occurred right after work, but more especially, right before I left for work in the morning. That time from about 7:00 in the morning until 8:00 was a time for us to talk about our upcoming day, and what we were struggling with.
Barbara is ready for retirement. I am just not sure I have wrapped my head around the idea that she’s no longer going to be a practicing attorney. In a way, I think it has been harder on me to accept that she is at that stage.
I understand now, maybe for the first time, the impact it may have on a person when their best friend retires. I do not think you can help keep from wondering what, if anything, will change in the relationship?
DCF hosted a very nice farewell gathering for Barb on September 7th. As I expected, Barb held her emotions well, almost.
I strongly suspect that one day soon, Barb is going to be into some new project, and frankly, I would not be surprised if it was somehow law related.
I do not think that there is a good or bad time to retire. I think it is up to the individual person. I am not there yet. Watching Barb retire, I realized I am not there yet. But I did get a feeling of urgency that there are some things that I want to get accomplished before that day comes, either voluntarily or involuntarily.
Randy Clinkscales of Clinkscales Elder Law Practice, PA, Hays, Kansas, is an elder care attorney, practicing in western Kansas. To contact him, please send an email to [email protected]. Disclaimer: The information in the column is for general information purposes and does not constitute legal advice. Each case is different and outcomes depend on the fact of each case and the then applicable law. For specific questions, you should contact a qualified attorney.
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) – member of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation; member of the Aviation Operations, Safety and Security Subcommittee; and co-chair of the Senate Aerospace Caucus – today applauded the passage of the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2018, H.R. 302, by a 93-6 vote in the Senate. This legislation will provide critical reforms and a five-year extension to the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) authority.
Last week, the House of Representatives passed this legislation on a vote of 398-23.
The bill will now go to President Trump’s desk for signature, making this five-year authorization the longest enacted since 1982.
“After years of negotiations, this long-term, bipartisan and bicameral FAA extension is welcome news for travelers, aerospace manufacturers and industry innovators,” said Sen. Moran. “Not only does this reauthorization elevate the over 40,000 Kansans who make a living manufacturing, operating and servicing the aircraft industry, but it includes important provisions I championed to close the aviation skills gap and to bring more women into this field.”
“I have been a vocal opponent of misguided proposals to privatize our nation’s air traffic control system, and I am pleased this extension does not include any of these controversial provisions,” continued Sen. Moran. “ATC privatization threatens access to airspace for all but the largest cities with largest airports, causing significant harm to the long term economic viability of rural America. I will continue to advocate instead for proposals that provide greater protections for the general aviation industry and small airports nationwide that are so critical to connecting Americans in rural communities with the rest of the world. Overall, this legislation will make airline travel smoother, safer and more transparent for all Americans.”
More on the FAA Reauthorization Act, H.R. 302, here:
· H.R. 302 bolsters aviation manufacturing by streamlining the aircraft certification process. These reforms will strengthen U.S. aviation sales and exports, help bring new safety technology to market and more effectively utilize the resources of the FAA and general aviation industry. In addition, the FAA Aircraft Registry office is exempted from closure during a government shutdown that would otherwise prevent the delivery of newly manufactured aircraft.
· H.R. 302 reauthorizes the FAA Center of Excellence for Advanced Materials at Wichita State University. Advanced materials research at WSU has played a critical role in the evolution and integration of aircraft materials and technologies by providing invaluable research to validate the safety and integrity of new aircraft to the general public.
· H.R. 302 helps close the skills gap in the aviation workforce. Sen. Moran is an original cosponsor of legislation, included in the FAA bill in its entirety, to create a pilot program within the FAA through which grants would be authorized to support technical education and career development. The grants would encourage collaboration between businesses, schools and local government to develop innovative workforce development programs supported by all three types of entities to help close the skills gap in the aerospace industry, which is struggling from a shortage of skilled workers.
Today Sunny, with a high near 92. South wind 11 to 17 mph becoming west in the afternoon.
Tonight A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms after 1am. Partly cloudy, with a low around 54. Northeast wind 11 to 17 mph.
ThursdayScattered showers, with thunderstorms also possible after 4pm. Mostly cloudy, with a temperature falling to around 51 by noon. Northeast wind 9 to 17 mph. Chance of precipitation is 30%.
Thursday NightScattered showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 48. East northeast wind 5 to 10 mph becoming south after midnight. Chance of precipitation is 50%.
FridayScattered showers before 1pm. Mostly sunny, with a high near 79. South wind 5 to 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 30%.
Friday NightScattered showers. Partly cloudy, with a low around 48. Chance of precipitation is 50%.
SaturdayScattered showers before 1pm. Partly sunny, with a high near 56. Chance of precipitation is 30%.
HARPER COUNTY — Another earthquake shook Kansas early Wednesday. The quake at 2:36 a.m. measured a magnitude 3.5 and was centered approximately 5 miles northeast of Harper, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.
Image courtesy Kansas Geological Survey
Wednesday’s quake follows a series of four weekend earthquakes in Sumner County, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.
The agency reported a 2.8 and a 3.0 magnitude quakes on Saturday afternoon, a 2.6 magnitude quake early Sunday and a 2.7 magnitude quake Sunday afternoon.
There are no reports of damage or injury from Wednesday morning’s quake, according to the Harper County Sheriff’s Department.
WASHINGTON (AP) — About 225 million electronic devices across the United States will wail and buzz Wednesday afternoon as the Federal Emergency Management Agency conducts an emergency alert test.
On Wednesday, October 3rd, at about 1:20 pm CDT, there will be a national test of the Wireless Emergency Alert system. #kswxpic.twitter.com/A5SlQtOyrX
A tone will sound at 2:18 p.m. EDT, similar to that of an Amber Alert or flood watch warning, and the subject of the alert will read: “Presidential Alert” and text will say: “THIS IS A TEST of the National Wireless Emergency Alert System. No action is needed.”
It is the first test of the national wireless emergency system by FEMA. The message will be broadcast by cell towers for 30 minutes, so it’s possible some people may get it at a different time. The alerts will sound as long as the device is turned on — even if it’s on mute or do not disturb, and it may also appear on smart watches, officials said.
A second alert on television broadcast and radio will go off at 2:20 p.m. EDT. The TV and radio alert has been tested for several years.
The system test is for a high-level “presidential” alert that would be used only in a nationwide emergency. It is being completed in coordination with the Federal Communications Commission. FEMA officials said Tuesday they would share test result data on how the testing went with mobile carriers to help ensure the system works well in a true emergency.
Phones with mobile carriers that participate in the wireless emergency alert system, which sends out information on hazardous weather, or missing children, will get the alert. FEMA officials estimate it will reach about 75 percent of all mobile phones in the country, including phones on all of the major carriers.
The wireless alert system launched in 2012. While users can opt out of messages on missing children and natural disasters, they can’t opt out of the presidential alerts, which are issued at the direction of the White House and activated by FEMA.
FEMA officials said the administration can only send such an alert for national emergencies or if the public were in peril, rules outlined in a 2006 law, and they say it can’t be used for any sort of personal message from the president.
A group of New Yorkers filed a lawsuit in federal court in New York arguing they should not be compelled to receive the alerts under their right to free speech.
WICHITA– A Kansas man was sentenced to over 170-years in prison Monday for kidnapping and sexually assaulting three women, according to a media release from the Sedgwick County Attorney.
Dixon -photo Sedgwick County
On August 22, a jury found De’Andrew Dixon, 33, Augusta, guilty of two counts of aggravated kidnapping, three counts of aggravated sodomy, one count of rape, two counts of criminal possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and one count of battery.
In September and October of 2017, Dixon kidnapped and sexually assaulted two women in separate incidents. Dixon also sexually assaulted a third woman in 2016. He found the women walking alone at night and would hold them at gunpoint. The women were driven to secluded locations in Wichita and sexually assaulted, according to the Sedgwick County Attorney.
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — A political novice who rode his profile as an outsider-adventurer to the Republican nomination in a competitive Kansas congressional district is facing scrutiny about some of the biographical details he shares with voters.
Steve Watkins courtesy photo
Steve Watkins’ campaign website featured a since-removed testimonial to his “heroic leadership” when a deadly earthquake shook Mount Everest during an expedition. He has acknowledged inaccurately claiming that he started a Middle East business, expanding it from three to 470 people. And there are doubts about Watkins’ self-description as a devoted, sixth-generation Kansan.
Even before Watkins won the crowded primary to succeed retiring GOP Rep. Lynn Jenkins in eastern Kansas’ 2nd District, some fellow Republicans were skeptical. One former GOP foe, state Sen. Steve Fitzgerald, called him “a charlatan, a fraud and an opportunist,” though he now won’t criticize him.
Watkins’ campaign website calls him “an accomplished athlete and explorer,” citing his 2015 attempt to be the first person to race in the Iditarod and scale Mount Everest in the same year.
In that year’s 1,000-mile dogsled race as a rookie, he finished 58th out of 78. Watkins started the race in March 2018 but didn’t finish.
His 2015 expedition on the world’s tallest mountain was cut short by an earthquake in Nepal that killed nearly 8,900 people. Watkins’ website previously quoted Everest outfitter Guy Cotter as saying he relied on Watkins’ “heroic leadership amid the chaos.” Watkins said it was in response to his calm and the moral support he offered his group of stranded climbers.
Cotter told The Associated Press that he never said it and was unaware Watkins had put the quote on his campaign website. It was removed after the AP questioned Watkins about Cotter’s comments.
“There was not really anything heroic to be able to do,” Cotter said in a phone interview from New Zealand. “We all felt quite hopeless … because we were not there, where all the injured and dying people were, through that event. We were actually up on the mountain, so there was very little we could contribute.”
Watkins said: “I captured the statement, to the best of my memory. He and I spoke frequently and often when we were up there, and he shared the sentiment.”
As for the Iditarod, four-time winner Jeff King saw Watkins’ entry this year as a stunt for his political campaign and Watkins’ self-portrayal as an adventurer as a “gigantic fallacy.”
Musher Tara Cicatello was at the back of the pack with Watkins, and both were forced to quit 11 days into the contest because they were so far behind. She said Watkins’ chief concern after being forced to withdraw was the publicity he had lined up. He was on the phone talking about speaking engagements and left the dogs that had carried him more than 700 miles in the care of people who were already overwhelmed with other dogs, she said.
“People were irritated with Steve because they were doing more work for his dogs than he was,” Cicatello said. “I don’t think he mistreated them. It just sounds like he was all about his campaign and the show of it than the actual doing of it.”
Watkins said he entered the 2018 dogsled race because he believed it could be his last chance to compete.
Recently the Kansas City Star reported that while Watkins claimed to have started a company and built it from scratch, in fact he joined an existing company as a contractor. To explain the discrepancy, Watkins said he helped create products and services for the company’s clients.
And public records show the 42-year-old Army veteran hadn’t lived in Kansas since he left high school — nearly two decades before returning to the state last year to run for Congress. During the AP interview, he acknowledged a “transient” life.
“It was exciting, and it was dangerous, challenging and meaningful,” he said.
Military records show Watkins spent five years on active duty with the Army, including six months in Afghanistan. His work as a contractor began late in 2004.
He said his priorities shifted after being injured as a contractor in Afghanistan in 2013. In a 2015 Washington Post interview, he described it as a traumatic brain injury and also said he’d been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder nearly a decade earlier. He told AP the 2013 injury was a “tipping point” that pushed him toward “a more conventional life” but would not discuss details.
Watkins said Kansas “was always home in my heart.” However, he applied 11 times between 2002 and 2015 for the Alaska Permanent Fund Dividend, a payment to those who have lived in the state for a full year and say they intend to remain indefinitely.
Property records show Watkins owns two condos in Alaska, purchased in 2005 and 2015, while the Topeka residence on his voter registration is rented.
Days before Watkins won the seven-candidate August primary, 40 local Republican leaders signed an open letter expressing concerns including his absence from the district. Some GOP leaders also were wary of him after three Democrats said publicly that he met with them last year about running as a Democrat — something he strongly disputes.
Many GOP doubters have since endorsed him because the stakes for the party are high. Even though President Donald Trump won the district by nearly 17 percentage points in 2016, Democrats see the seat as a prime opportunity. Watkins’ better-known Democratic opponent, attorney and former Kansas House minority leader Paul Davis, carried the district when he narrowly lost the 2014 governor’s race.
Davis has his own baggage after representing a legislative district in the liberal-for-Kansas city of Lawrence. Republicans have revived a 1998 incident in which Davis, then a 26-year-old attorney, was present during a drug raid at a strip club while visiting its owner, a client. Police did not accuse him of wrongdoing.
But in nominating Watkins, the GOP took a risk because he’s not been active politically until now, said Bob Beatty, a Washburn University of Topeka political scientist.
“The party does not know what he was doing in Alaska and in the other places he lived,” Beatty said. “It may be a good leap of faith, but it’s still a leap of faith.”
