Today Mostly sunny, with a high near 73. North northeast wind 13 to 17 mph.
Tonight Mostly clear, with a low around 45. East northeast wind 8 to 13 mph becoming light after midnight.
Saturday Sunny, with a high near 74. South southeast wind 6 to 9 mph.
Saturday Night Clear, with a low around 52. South wind 6 to 8 mph.
Sunday Sunny, with a high near 80. South wind 6 to 13 mph.
Sunday Night Mostly clear, with a low around 60.
TREGO COUNTY — One person was injured in an accident just before 5:30p.m. Thursday in Trego County.
The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2018 Freightliner semi driven by Joselito E. Calusayan, 24, Newberry, FL., was eastbound on Interstate 70 seven miles east of Kansas 147 and directly behind a 2018 Ford pickup driven by James E. Graham, 43, Hays.
The semi rear-ended the Ford when it slowed for an accident up ahead.
Graham was transported to Hays Medical Center. Calusayan and a passenger in the semi were not injured. All three were properly restrained at the time of the accident, according to the KHP.
STEVEN COUNTY —Officials with USD 210 Hugoton reported Thursday afternoon that the cases of meningitis are viral and not the more serious bacterial meningitis, according to the KDHE.
————-
STEVENS COUNTY —Officials with USD 210 in Hugoton are reporting a student with bacterial meningitis. According to a letter sent to parents, Hugoton Middle School officials were notified Wednesday afternoon about the student who was locally diagnosed.
The letter informs parents that meningitis causes inflammation of the tissue surrounding the brain and spinal cord. Bacterial meningitis is a serious that can cause brain damage and death. It is often spread from person to person by eating or drinking after someone with the infection.
In many cases, early stages of meningitis are similar to the flu. Symptoms typically develop over 3-7 days after being exposed, according to the letter to parents. Early treatment can prevent serious complications.
The letter urges parents to seek immediate medical care if their student has any of the symptoms including sudden high fever, stiff neck, severe headache, confusion, difficulty concentrating or vomiting.
To prevent meningitis, the letter reminds everyone should wash hands; don’t share drinks, food straws, eating utensils, lip balm or other items; cover your mouth when you cough or sneeze and learn more about meningitis vaccines.
HOLTON, Kan. (AP) — Authorities say a Kansas man has been charged with fatally shooting his father while he was in bed and then barricading himself in the home for hours.
49-year-old Derrick Bohnenkemper, of Holton, is charged with first-degree murder and six other felonies in the death of 73-year-old Gaylen Bohnenkemper. Police responded Tuesday after a 911 caller said her son had shot his father in the head.
Jackson County Sheriff Tim Morse says deputies were able to extricate the woman from a bedroom window while the man tried to break down the door.
After speaking to the man on the phone for hours, tear gas was used. Morse says he fired a shotgun at deputies, striking a vehicle they were using for cover, before he eventually surrendered.
WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — A 24-year-old Kansas man has been convicted of raping and trying to kill a young girl.
A Sedgwick County jury deliberated for about an hour Thursday before finding Corbin Breitenbach of Wichita guilty of attempted capital murder, rape, criminal sodomy and burglary.
Witnesses said Breitenbach broke into a west Wichita apartment in June of 2017 where the then-7-year-old girl was staying with her brother and a family friend. Prosecutors say he choked the girl until she was unconscious and then raped her.
Breitenbach, who acted as his own attorney during the trial, was already registered as a sex offender for an aggravated sexual battery case from 2012.
His sentencing is scheduled for Nov. 13.
9:20 p.m. – According to the Rooks County Emergency Management Coordinator Butch Post, Highway 183 is now open.
A portion of the highway was closed in Rooks County for about three hours Thursday night due to an accident.
The Rooks County Sheriff’s Office Facebook page said the highway was closed because of power lines laying across the road.
——————
Highway 183 between Plainville and Stockton is closed in Rooks County due to an accident.
Rooks County Emergency Management Coordinator Butch Post said the accident involved power lines and that the road will be closed until further notice.
MANHATTAN — Dan Glickman, the former U.S. secretary of agriculture and longtime congressman from Kansas, will receive an honorary doctorate from Kansas State University.
The awarding of the honorary doctorate was approved by the Kansas Board of Regents at its Sept. 20 meeting and is the highest honor Kansas State University can give. Glickman will be presented with the honor at the Graduate School’s fall commencement ceremony at 1 p.m. Friday, Dec. 7, in Bramlage Coliseum.
Glickman was nominated for the recognition by several current and former Kansas State University administrators and faculty members as well as several distinguished colleagues, including Sen. Pat Roberts of Kansas; Peter McPherson, president of the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities; and Dorothy Reddel Caldwell, retired deputy administrator of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food and Nutrition Service.
“Few individuals can match Dan Glickman’s distinguished record of service to Kansas, the nation and the world, particularly on issues involving food and agriculture, and hunger prevention and food secure communities,” said Charles Taber, university provost and executive vice president. “Through this work, he has helped champion and advance K-State’s longstanding work with global food systems. We are truly pleased to honor him with the university’s highest honor.”
Glickman represented the state’s 4th Congressional District from 1977-1995. During that time, he was a member of the House Agriculture Committee, including six years as chair of the subcommittee with jurisdiction over federal farm policy issues. He also was an active member of the House Judiciary Committee, chair of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence and was a leading congressional expert on general aviation policy.
In 1995 Glickman was appointed secretary of agriculture by President Bill Clinton and served in the post until 2001. As secretary, he administered farm and conservation programs; modernized food safety regulations; and forged international trade agreements to expand U.S. markets.
Glickman earned a bachelor’s in history from the University of Michigan and a law degree from the George Washington University Law School. He served as a trial attorney for the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission from 1969-1970, and then as a partner in the Wichita law firm Sargent, Klenda and Glickman from 1970-1977. He also was president of the Wichita School Board in 1976.
Since leaving his cabinet post, Glickman has remained active in several organizations involved with agriculture, public health and more. He is a senior fellow at the Council on American Politics, a part of the Graduate School of Political Management at George Washington University. He also is a senior fellow at the Bipartisan Policy Center, focusing on public health, national security and economic policy issues. He is executive director of the Aspen Institute Congressional Program and senior fellow at the Center on Communication Leadership and Policy at the University of Southern California’s Annenberg School of Communication and Journalism. In addition, he is member of the Council on Foreign Relations and Chicago Mercantile Exchange; chair of the U.S. Global Leadership Coalition at the Center for U.S. Global Engagement; and a member of the board of trustees of the National 4-H Council.
As a member of the Meridian Institute, Glickman co-chairs an initiative at the Institute of Medicine on accelerating progress on childhood obesity. He is co-chair of the global agricultural development initiative of the Chicago Council on Global Affairs and is a director of Oxfam America Inc. He also served as chair and CEO of the Motion Picture Association of American from 2004-2010, and taught at Harvard University’s School of Government and Institute of Politics from 2002-2004.
Glickman has been a speaker twice for Kansas State University’s prestigious Landon Lecture Series: On Sept. 8, 1995, he presented the lecture “Securing Our Place in the Global Economy,” and on Oct. 21, 2013, he joined five other former secretaries of agriculture for a Landon Lecture panel, “A Conversation With the Secretaries.”
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — The Kansas Board of Regents has approved an $85 million funding increase for state universities during the next two years.
The request approved Thursday would restore funding cut by the Kansas Legislature in 2009. Lawmakers will have to approve the funding increase.
The request includes $50 million for fiscal year 2020, which begins in July, and an additional $35 million for the fiscal year 2021.
The board’s official budget document will be submitted to the governor and Legislature by Oct. 1.
The state’s current funding of state universities is about $588 million out of a total state general fund budget of $7 billion.t
HUTCHINSON — Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect for alleged sex assault and aggravated burglary.
Just before 8a.m. Thursday, police were dispatched to the Yes Way convenience store located at 1000 West 30th in Hutchinson regarding a “trouble with subject” call, according to a media release.
Once Officers arrived, they discovered 34-year-old Zachary Starlin driving a tan colored Oldsmobile trying to leave the store.
According to police, Starlin intentionally rammed two patrol cars causing minor damage and wrecked into the Yes Way building before he headed eastbound on 30th Street.
Starlin was later located in the area of 4th and Grandview and subsequently taken into custody by two police detectives.
Starlin was arrested for potential charges of rape, aggravated assault of a law enforcement officer, aggravated burglary, felony stalking, felony flee and elude and theft. He was also served with a felony warrant.
According to authorities he allegedly broke into a residence that belonged to a woman with whom he had a prior relationship. He then drove her to the Yes Way store on west 30th.
Starlin has previous convictions for drugs and aggravated assault, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections.
PLAINVILLE — With over 63 years of service, Rooks County Health Center has experienced tremendous growth in the last ten years since moving to the current facility. In celebration of this ten-year milestone, RCH is hosting a public open house 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday at 1210 N. Washington, just off U.S. 183 north of Plainville.
Attendees will enjoy free refreshments of brisket, cake, sno cones, popcorn and beverages. Free entertainment for the open house includes, bounce houses, Sunflower Clydesdales wagon rides, Nex-Tech train rides, human foosball, fly-in and tour by Eagle Med, an ambulance tour and a tour of the Rooks County Transportation Van. Tours of the hospital require a reservation as groups are limited to 10 people at a time. To reserve a time for a tour of the RCH campus, call Eric Sumearll 785-688-4428. Door prizes will be awarded during the open house with the Rooks County Healthcare Foundation’s 50/50 raffle drawing concluding the day’s activities.
“Change is never easy. Thirteen years ago, the community was faced with a decision, to renovate the Plainville Rural Hospital as it was, or, make the bold move of building a new facility with a new name,” commented Eric Sumearll, RCH Director of Communications and Development. “Looking back is easy and Saturday we want to celebrate with our community, who had the vision to create Rooks County Health Center and share a little of the vision soon to come.”
According to Sumearll there are many achievements to recognize. Most recently, RCH received a national award for creating awareness and improving treatment for sepsis, the body’s life-threatening response to infection. RCH was the first critical access hospital in the nation to receive the honor. This national award is one of many since moving to the new facility ten years ago, however, the greatest recognition according to Sumearll is seeing the increase of services for Rooks County residents and the surrounding communities. Especially when compared to the fate of so many other rural hospitals in the nation who have either had to close or make severe cutbacks to services in order to survive.
“Rooks County has a long tradition of great healthcare, the ‘then’ new facility allowed for better recognition of these services provided room for growth,” explained Sumearll. For example, the former Saturday walk-in clinic was rebranded and expanded to become Doctors Without Delay, open six days a week with extended hours from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Being the first daily, walk-in clinic in the region brought patients to RCH from all over, according to Sumearll, attributing to a 479% growth in the last ten years. Prior to Doctors Without Delay, patients, who felt too ill to wait for an appointment with their primary caregiver, would have to go to the emergency room at great expense.
Deciding to build the new facility with an eye towards attracting young families to the area led to creating two, state-of-the-art, labor and delivery suites complete with a jacuzzi bath for mothers and fold-out beds for family. Mothers could now remain in one room throughout labor, delivery and recovery and had a variety of birth plan options. This foresight led to a 267% increase in births over the last ten years.
Inpatient services have increased 24% while emergency room registrations dropped 11%. A possible indicator that Rooks County residents are being more proactive in their healthcare. Lab tests and digital imaging procedures have increased by 39% and 43% respectively. Some of these increases are due to initiatives like First Friday Screenings, which allow the public to order their own health screenings without a doctor’s order and receive them at a discount. Most notably is the growth of in-house physicians and visiting specialists that the current facility now hosts.
“While some may think if you build it, they will come,” explained Sumearll. “That simply is not true. Alongside the physical transformation, our staff’s chosen culture of caring grew to be one of the best examples in healthcare and our greatest recruiting tool. These physicians could set up their practices anywhere but it’s the staff and the community that keeps them coming back to RCH. They love coming here.”
On the heels of Saturday’s open house celebration is the 35th anniversary of the founding of RCH’s Auxiliary, a group of dedicated volunteers who promote and advance the welfare of Rooks County Health Center. Details regarding the Auxiliary’s anniversary and service will be on display at Saturday’s open house.
— RCH
Gilbert Kent Selfridge, 64, died on Tuesday, September 18, 2018 at Hays Medical Center in Hays. He was born on February 21, 1954 at Garden City the son of Gilbert Lee & Lila Ann (Dyer) Selfridge.
Kent was a 1972 graduate of Dighton High School and was a farmer until 1996 when he moved to Wakeeney and worked at a convenience store and monument company. In 1998 he moved back to Dighton to work for Jerry Sharp and later Adams Dirt Construction. In 2004 he moved to Hays and to Lacrosse in 2011 and back to Hays in 2014. He was a member of the Free Tomorrow Motorcycle Club for 34 years. He enjoyed riding motorcycles, hunting, fishing, cooking especially BBQ and being with his Grandchildren and Killer his dog.
He is survived by his Daughter- Tanya (Jared) Adamson of Salina, 3 Sons- William Selfridge of Hoisington, Patrick (Anne) Selfridge of Otis & Kerry (Brandy) Selfridge of Hutchinson, 2 Brothers- His twin Paul Selfridge of Sunnyside, Washington & Brian Selfridge of Dighton, 3 Sisters- Susan Daniels of Leavenworth, Shelley Selfridge of Dighton & Jill Obrock of Kingman, 13 Grandchildren & 1 Great-Granddaughter.
Funeral Service will be at 2:00 PM Monday at United Methodist Church in Dighton with Rev Berniece Ludlum officiating. Burial will be in Dighton Memorial Cemetery. Memorials are suggested to Fresenius Kidney Care of Hays in care of Boomhower Funeral Home. Condolences may be posted at www.garnandfuneralhomes.com
By MADELINE FOX
The alleged rape of a 13-year-old girl while she was waiting for a foster care placement in May has many asking about consequences for the contractor, responsible that day for both the girl and the 18-year-old accused of assaulting her.
On a Facebook Live session Wednesday, Department for Children and Families secretary Gina Meier-Hummel fielded a question about why the contractor hasn’t been dropped.
A day before, lawmakers promised tough questioning of KVC Kansas officials at this month’s meeting of a task force investigating the Kansas child welfare system.
Kansas privatized its foster care system in the mid-1990s. KVC Kansas handles foster care for the Kansas City area and the eastern part of the state. St. Francis Community Services covers Wichita and western Kansas.
Since privatization, DCF has only penalized a contractor financially once, when Meier-Hummel worked in DCF’s Office of Prevention and Protection Services.
Meier-Hummel said financial repercussions were discussed after the incident at KVC Kansas’ Olathe office, and could still be on the table for a provider failing to meet expectations in child safety. But she said KVC Kansas hasn’t been financially sanctioned for the alleged assault.
That doesn’t mean the contractor couldn’t still stand to lose a lot more money.
The current child welfare contracts run out at the end of June. New four-year grants to manage foster care and family preservation will be awarded in December.
Meier-Hummel said past performance comes into play when the agency is weighing who can be trusted with the state’s kids.
She said that when kids get hurt because of “a lapse in judgment,” as KVC described the social worker leaving youth in the office unattended, that’s one factor that could swing a contract over to a different provider.
Because they’re carrying out the state’s responsibilities to foster kids, contractors are bound by no-eject, no-reject policies — meaning they have to serve every child DCF refers to them.
Taking every child has become complicated as larger numbers of kids have flooded into the foster care system over the past several years. More than 7,000 children are currently in state custody, up from 5,500 in 2013. That’s overloaded capacity and contributed to hundreds of kids sleeping in contractor offices over the past year.
May, the month of the alleged rape, was a peak month for KVC Kansas. It kept 49 kids overnight that month. The contractor then drove that number down to zero, not keeping any kids overnight again until the end of August, when three kids spent the night.
KVC Kansas spokeswoman Jenny Kutz said in an email that keeping children out of offices “is a daily challenge because of a lack of placements in communities.”
DCF and its providers have been working to add beds to the system that can help children with a range of ages and needs. Many of the children who stay in an office overnight are hard to place, often because they’re older, have acute mental health needs or have a history of violent or delinquent behavior.
Meier-Hummel said the agency is also working to divert kids away from the foster care system when it’s safely possible by working with families to connect them with resources and build parenting skills that will allow kids to remain with their parents.
The number of kids in care has been decreasing each month for the past five months, which could point to progress. However, the number of children coming into care will often slow in the summertime as teachers, who are legally required to report abuse, don’t have access to kids.
Madeline Fox is a reporter for the Kansas News Service. You can reach her on Twitter @maddycfox.
Weldon M. Brooks, son of Glen L. and Blanche (Garton) Brooks, was born October 10, 1922, in Clayton, Kansas, and passed away at his home at the Whispering Pines Assisted Living Center in Norton, Kansas, on September 15, 2018, at the age of 95.
Weldon grew up in the Clayton community and attended the local schools, graduating from the Clayton High School. On August 12, 1942, Weldon married the love of his life, Merrice Goodman, in Salt Lake City, Utah. Weldon served in the U.S. Army during World War II from 1943 until 1945. Following his honorable discharge with the rank of Sergeant, they returned to Clayton where they farmed and raised livestock. Following their retirement, they moved into Norton and later to the assisted living facility.
Weldon was a member of the Clayton United Methodist Church where he held many positions including Trustee and Sunday School teacher, and he served as a 4-H leader for many years. He also served as a member of several boards including the Jennings and Clayton school boards, Norton County Commissioners, Co-op, Norton County Hospital, Andbe Home, FSA, and as a Director at The Bank. Weldon was a member of the American Legion, VFW, Rotary International Paul Harris Fellow, Mason, Scottish Rite and the Shriners.
Weldon leaves his loving wife, Merrice Brooks, of Norton; two children, Bill (Gail) Brooks, Norton; Barbara (Don) Kelly, Lawrence, Kansas; one brother, Dale Brooks, Mason, Ohio; five grandchildren, Steve (Kelly) Brooks, Sammy (Todd) Strickler, Bart (Cheri) Brooks, Angie (Brent) Schniers, and Kara (Eric) Huffman; 15 great-grandchildren; other relatives and many friends.
Weldon was preceded in death by his parents, his son, Bart Brooks, and two sisters, Reva Brooks and Nila Sheneman.
FUNERAL SERVICE – Saturday, September 22, 2018 – 2:00 PM
PLACE – United Methodist Church – Clayton, KS
INTERMENT – Clayton Cemetery – Clayton, KS
VISITATION – Friday, September 21, 2018 – 6:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.
PLACE – Enfield Funeral Home – 215 W. Main – Norton, KS
MEMORIAL – Clayton Cemetery and Whispering Pines in Norton
