JUNCTION CITY –– A Texas man pleaded guilty to murder and involuntary manslaughter while driving under the influence, according to Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt.
Thompson and her two children -photo from Gofundme
Steven W. Johnson, 45, of Houston, pleaded guilty to one count of murder in the second degree – reckless and two counts of involuntary manslaughter (DUI). Judge Steven L. Hornbaker accepted the pleas Monday in Geary County District Court.
The charges stemmed from a fatal crash on Interstate 70 in November 2016 that resulted in the deaths of Jessica Michelle Thompson and her two minor children.
Scene of the Nov. 2016 crash-photo courtesy WIBW TV
Sentencing is scheduled for June 1 at 1:30 p.m.
The case was investigated by the Kansas Highway Patrol. Assistant Attorney General Corey Kenney of Schmidt’s office is prosecuting the case.
Bonnie (Mallory) Reid, 88, of Brewster/Goodland, died March 26, 2018. Bonnie was born in 1929, in Brewster, Kansas to Lloyd and Lina (Andregg) Mallory, the fourth of four children. Bonnie attended Brewster Grade School and Brewster High School, graduating in the class of 1947. She attended Kansas State for two years.
Bonnie married Warren Reid on August 10, 1949 and resided on a farm north of Brewster. Three children; Lance, Nathan, and Laurie were born while the family lived on the farm. Bonnie and Warren lived on the same block in Brewster as children and in 1964, moved into a home in Brewster on that same block. They lived in that home for more than 53 years before moving to Goodland’s Wheat Ridge Center five months ago.
Bonnie was baptized in the Methodist Church and was a member of the Brewster United Methodist Church. She held offices in the United Methodist Women, taught Sunday School, and worked practically every church function. Bonnie began each day with a devotional time and many benefitted from her encouragement and comfort as she tried to live her life as a servant of God.
As co-editor of the biannual Brewster High School alumni newsletter, Bonnie helped alumni maintain their connections to classmates and to Brewster for more than 25 years.
Bonnie enjoyed many social activities including her morning aerobics group, the “What’s Trump” bridge club, and the Prairie Gem 4-H club. She grew up in a card-playing family and shared her love of card games, especially cribbage, with friends, her children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren. Watching sports was also a passion. Bonnie often kept her own scoresheet for baseball and basketball games, her favorite sports. She travelled the state to support her children and grandchildren in their grade school, high school, and college competitions in basketball, baseball, track, volleyball, and football. In her final days in the hospital her purse carried a Final Four bracket so she wouldn’t miss a state school’s game.
Baking was something that Bonnie enjoyed and shared with family and the Brewster community. Her cinnamon rolls and bread won awards at the county fair and “Grandma Reid’s bread was the best ever”. Neighbors eagerly borrowed her sourdough starter and new families were welcomed to the Brewster community with a loaf of freshly baked bread. Roses of various colors bloomed in Bonnie’s backyard with pink roses her favorite.
Family and friends will miss the flower arrangements, the baked goods, the encouraging cards, and the phone calls on their birthdays and other special occasions. Bonnie’s kitchen was where kids could color Easter eggs, decorate Christmas cookies, or make homemade ice cream.
Bonnie was preceded in death by her parents Lloyd and Lina Mallory, and her older siblings Alma Louise, Bill, and Nadine Kammer.
Those left to remember Bonnie include her husband Warren of Goodland, sons Lance of Andale KS and Nathan (Judy) of Topeka KS, and daughter Laurie Jones of Kismet KS. Grandchildren include Josh (Brit) Reid of Atlanta GA, Jordan (Amanda) Reid of Brewster, Jay (Brianna) Reid of Atlanta GA, Jalyn (Heath) Baird of Atlanta GA, Jeff (Stevi) Reid of Edwardsville KS, Jayde Reid of Atlanta GA, Eric (Angela) Jones of Meade KS, Amanda (Ryan) Kisner of Kismet KS, Mallory Jones of Oklahoma City OK, and Julie (Braydon) Robinson of Turpin, OK. There are also 27 great grandchildren.
Funeral Services will be held Saturday, March 31, 2018 at 1:30 PM CT at the Brewster United Methodist Church with Pastor Mike Baughn officiating, followed by a graveside service at the Brewster Cemetery. A visitation time will be held one hour prior to the funeral service at the church.
Memorials may are designated to the Brewster Methodist Church and may be left at the services or mailed to Koons-Russell Funeral Home, 211 N. Main Ave., Goodland, KS 67735-1555.
Online condolences for the family may be left at www.koonsrussellfuneralhome.com.
Funeral services are entrusted to Koons-Russell Funeral Home in Goodland.
Since 1974, the Ronald McDonald House Charities have opened houses in more than 64 countries.
In the year of 2016, 5.5 million families were helped. In 2017, a member of the Hays High School staff needed the Wichita houses.
“My daughter was in the NICU at Wesley Medical Center, and that was two and a half hours away from my house,” librarian Erin Holder said. “I knew we were planning on being there for an extended amount of time, so we were either going to have to pay for a hotel room every night or find an alternative. We didn’t have any family down there.
“The first time I was there for 11 weeks to the day, and she’s had a lot of follow up appointments in Wichita. Every time we go down and stay the night before or the night after depending on the time. We also stayed in Denver when she had her open-heart surgery.”
During that amount of time, Holder said the Houses helped her with everything, from expenses of room and board to food.
The Houses were created for an inexpensive way for families to stay near their children during times when they were severely ill.
There are two houses in Wichita, one in Topeka and one in Kansas City where instructor Matt Brooks had to stay while his son was in the hospital.
“Our son had to do a heart procedure,” Brooks said.
Before using the Houses, Brooks was aware of them and participated in events put together in the school to help them.
“I knew what it did,” Brooks said. “I didn’t know the extent of what it did. Staying there is a completely different experience. We give to certain charities, but as far as monetary donations go, we didn’t really do that before.”
After using the houses, however, Brooks and Holder found the Houses were a needed resource for families who were struggling through an event such as an ill child.
“It was overwhelming for sure, just having everybody there for you, having somebody to talk to about similar issues that you’re going through, having a staff that was completely willing to give you everything you needed,” Holder said. “I had no idea what the Ronald McDonald House really was until I stayed there, until there was a need for it.”
In the Houses, families can find 10 bedrooms that have private bathrooms as well as a kitchen, toy room, laundry room and outdoor space. Families also have access to the full pantry, Wi-Fi and T.V.
For Holder and Brooks, the Houses and amenities were something they could depend on.
“I understood what it did, but I didn’t quite understand the importance of it,” Brooks said. “I think one of the biggest things about the Ronald McDonald Houses is the locations are right next to the hospital, or very close. You don’t have to worry about where you’re going to be staying, the expense of where you’re staying, the meals.
“One of the biggest benefits, and I’ve said this before, is you can concentrate on the health of your kid. That’s one of the biggest things for parents because it’s a stressful time.”
After their experience with the Houses, Brooks and Holder have changed the way they participate in helping the charity.
“Every time I’m at the drive through, I put change in or a dollar,” Holder said. “(It’s important) so people like me sill have a place to stay when something crazy happens. I don’t think there’s any other facility that does what the Ronald McDonald House does, so it’s very important that they stay available.”
HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The Hutchinson/Reno County Chamber of Commerce issued a response to legislation introduced in Topeka Monday that could pave the way for moving the Kansas State Fair out of Hutchinson.
In response to the proposed legislation that would allow cities to host the Kansas State Fair, the Hutchinson/Reno County Chamber, along with Visit Hutch and the City of Hutchinson, stay committed to hosting the annual event that attracts over 350,000 people to the community each year. The City of Hutchinson and Reno County value the 105-plus year history the community has as home of the Kansas State Fair, according to a release from the Chamber Tuesday afternoon.
The city and county have a longstanding spirit of partnership and cooperation with the State of Kansas, the Kansas State Fair and its leadership board. In 2000, the City of Hutchinson and Reno County worked together with the State of Kansas to fund a Master Plan for the Kansas State Fairgrounds. The city and county both committed a combined $3 million over a 10-year period. The City of Hutchinson and Reno County upheld that commitment.
One of the reasons cited for this proposed legislation is the recent increase in Hutchinson’s stormwater utility fee. In 2016, to help Hutchinson start work on a backlog of needed improvements to its drainage infrastructure, the City of Hutchinson implemented a change to how the stormwater utility fee would be assessed to local citizens and business owners. The adjustments to the stormwater utility fees were catching up for years of funding for deferred maintenance of the stormwater system. The fees were also consistent with stormwater management of other Kansas municipalities.
“The City of Hutchinson currently offers a variety of in-kind services to the State Fair in exchange for use of State Fair property for recreational purposes and has been working over the last two years with fair staff to identify ways to offset the stormwater fees,” John Deardoff, Hutchinson City Manager, said.
In addition, a portion of the city’s Transient Guest Tax funds tourism efforts through Visit Hutch, which in return recruits, submits proposals, and financially supports events year-round at the Kansas State Fairgrounds. Recent national and statewide events held at the fairgrounds include: the Kansas Junior Livestock Show, American Maine-Anjou Association Junior National Show, and the All-American Junior Sheep Show. Those three events combined had an economic impact that surpassed $2.5 million.
“The Kansas State Fairgrounds is truly a valuable asset for our community,” LeAnn Cox, Vice President of Operations and Tourism for the Hutchinson/Reno County Chamber, said. “It allows us to recruit events from all across the country that provides Hutchinson and Reno County with a much-needed economic boost.”
In the last two years, Visit Hutch has provided financial contributions of approximately $8,000 directly to 15 events held on the Kansas State Fairgrounds.
“Hutchinson/Reno County Chamber of Commerce, Visit Hutch, City of Hutchinson and Reno County have long stood behind and support all joint efforts to enhance improvements to the fairground facilities in Hutchinson,” Debra Teufel, Hutchinson Reno County Chamber President & CEO, said. “Hutchinson is a place where Kansans from across the state come to celebrate and learn about agriculture and commerce. We support and will remain steadfast in solidarity with local elected officials and community partners to ensure that the Kansas State Fair remains in Hutchinson for years to come.”
The bill stems from numerous questions regarding the support — or what some say is a lack of support — from the city, county and CVB. Some feel that, since the fair alone generates an economic impact of more than $46 million in just a 60-mile area around Hutchinson, more needs to come from those entities.
The questions stem from hearings on a proposal to allow the fair to collect the sales tax is generates. The bill would offset needed funds the state is supposed to pay the fair for its capital improvements fund, but rarely has in the past several years. That senate bill is making its way to the floor after being passed in committee.
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HUTCHINSON, Kan. (AP) — Kansas lawmakers have introduced a new bill that would allow the State Fair to leave the city of Hutchinson after more than 100 years.
Rep. Schroeder
State Rep. Don Schroeder, R-Hesston, said the bill proposed Monday was inspired by the people “involved” with the fair who are unhappy with the city. He declined to identify anyone by name.
Schroeder said one of the contributing factors to the dissatisfaction is the city’s stormwater fees, which jumped to approximately $50,000 per year.
“Obviously, it’s not anyone that serves on the fair board,” said State Fair Board President Virginia Crossland-Macha about those who inspired the bill.
She said the board hasn’t discussed moving from Hutchinson.
“I don’t know where this comes from,” she said.
Hutchinson City Manager John Deardoff said he also was “a little perplexed” by the legislation.
“We’re just not sure what’s driving this,” Deardoff said.
If passed, the bill would require the fair’s board to request proposals from other cities in Kansas to host the event. The board would also be required to submit a report detailing the results of the proposals to several legislative committees on or before Jan. 11, 2020.
State Reps. Steven Becker and Jason Probst, and state Sen. Ed Berger oppose the bill, saying Hutchinson is a perfect location for the fair.
“It is concerning to me, for sure,” said Becker.
Probst said the city has been managing the annual influx of the State Fairground’s visitors “very well” for more than a century. He added that it would be costly for a potential host city and for the state to replicate the fairgrounds.
The Sternberg Museum of Natural History is hosting its first Pokemon Day. The event will be on April 14 from 10 a.m. – 3 p.m.
The Sternberg staff wanted to offer this event for a couple of reasons.
“We wanted to celebrate the 20th anniversary of Pokemon, which is happening this year,” said Darrah Steffen, public relations assistant.
The other reason is Pokemon has been very interesting to those at Sternberg. The creatures that are in the game/show are based off of real-life animals and the uses of science principles such as metamorphosis and evolution.
“We expect people to learn about the guiding science principles that inspired the game/show,” said Steffen.
There will be six interactive tables where participants can learn about the animals Pokemon characters are based upon. You can also explore different evolutions and discover the biogeography of the different Pokemon.
“We want to draw attention to the differences in how Pokemon portrays it to real life and want people to have fun while learning,” Steffen said.
Be sure to bring Nintendo DS, trading cards or your phone. There will also be a Pokemon scavenger hunt to “catch ‘em all” and earn a Sternberg Museum gym badge.
As all school districts must eventually face, USD 489 (Hays) and USD 466 (Scott City) had both determined that their facilities needed major upgrading and decided to float bond issues in their respective districts last fall.USD 489 is about three times larger, but they both provide for rural Kansas schools with similar types of need.However, one decided to use science-based community input and the academic resources of FHSU to help them inform the voters and obtain high quality data for determining how large of a bond the voters would support and what types of projects would cause them to oppose the bond.The other decided to balk at using research to measure what the voters want, opting instead for a strategy of informing the voters what they “should” want and basing community input on highly biased sources.Here are the results.
After listening to a proposal by the Docking Institute, USD 466 commissioned a bond survey that provided them with data estimating the proportion of voters who would support a bond of various sizes.The bond survey also identified which tentative construction projects were popular and which ones were bond killers.The USD 466 Board used the information to build a $25,000,000 bond proposal that the bond survey indicated would likely pass.The survey cost the district about $5,000.On Nov. 7, the bond passed 745 to 710.On their first try, USD 466 passed the largest bond a majority of voters would support, and the children attending school in Scott City will soon be getting the upgrades they urgently need.
After listening to a similar proposal in October of 2016 during a strategic planning session, one which the Docking Institute facilitated for free at the Superintendent’s request, the USD 489 Board subsequently ventured off on their own to prepare a bond reflecting what they thought the community “should” support.Numerous attempts by the Docking Institute to warn the Board of research suggesting their bond would fail or encourage them to conduct a bond survey were curtly ignored or rejected.The Board wasted undisclosed sums of money to develop and provide color mailings, Power Point presentations and food to the very few who attended their promotional events or read their condescending mailings.After publicly humiliating their critics, the Board floated a totally unrealistic bond in spring 2017 that, as predicted by Docking researchers, failed.But did they admit their mistakes, change strategies and commission a bond survey?No!Instead they lowered their expectations by $30 million and proceeded to repeat the exact same strategy six months later.This second bond, though tens of millions of dollars lower, failed by a greater margin than the first bond, suggesting that the voters are extremely frustrated with the gross incompetence demonstrated by their BOE.In less than one year, this Board wasted tens of thousands of taxpayer dollars (my estimate) trying to pass unpassable school bonds.As I predicted in my previous letter, re-elected Board President Lance Bickle’s response was, oh well, we’ll just try again next year.Who knows how many attempts it will take using this “shot in the dark” strategy, with each iteration costing precious time and money?
I had hoped the newly elected Board members, especially Greg Schwarz and Mike Walker, would bring some rationality and innovation to the process, which it has to a degree.But choosing the same Board President who has failed twice already and current discussions by the Board to bring in more consultants who know nothing of Hays and its culture suggest the Board is pursuing the same flawed strategies for a third time. Meanwhile, the Scott City kids get their learning resources now, while Hays kids will have to wait, and wait, and wait.
Stacy CampbellBy STACY CAMPBELL Cottonwood Extension District
Many areas of Kansas had good rains early last fall, but limited precipitation the rest of the fall and winter. Most early-planted wheat fields have good stands and advanced stages of growth, but later planted fields may have variable stands and limited tillering coming into spring. Producers should pay close attention to the growth stage of their wheat before making their herbicide applications.
Dicamba can be applied to wheat between the 2-leaf and jointing stages of wheat. Application of dicamba after wheat reaches the jointing stage of growth causes severe prostrate growth of wheat and significant risk of yield loss. Dicamba is effective for control of kochia, Russian thistle, and wild buckwheat, but is not good for control of mustard species. Kochia, Russian thistle, and wild buckwheat are summer annual weeds that may emerge before or after wheat starts to joint, so timing of dicamba for control of these weeds can sometimes be difficult. Fortunately, dicamba provides some residual control of these weeds following application.
Other herbicides that must be applied prior to jointing include Agility SG, Olympus, Orion, PowerFlex HL, Pulsar, and Rave. Beyond should be applied to 1 gene Clearfield wheats after tiller initiation and prior to jointing, but can be applied to 2-gene Clearfield wheats until the second node is detected at the soil surface.
MCPA and 2,4-D have different application guidelines. In general, MCPA is safer on wheat than 2,4-D, especially when applied prior to tillering. We recommend that 2,4-D not be applied to wheat until it is well-tillered in the spring. Application of 2,4-D prior to tillering hinders the tillering process, causes general stunting and can result in significant yield loss.
2,4-D is labeled for application to wheat from the full-tiller stage until prior to the boot stage of growth, but is probably safest between full-tiller and jointing stages of growth. Wheat will sometimes exhibit prostrate growth from 2,4-D applications applied in the jointing stage of growth, but yields generally are not significantly affected if applied before the boot stage of growth.
MCPA is relatively safe on young wheat and can be applied after the wheat is in the three-leaf stage (may vary by product label) until it reaches the boot stage of growth. Consequently, MCPA would be preferred over 2,4-D if spraying before wheat is well-tillered. Neither herbicide should be applied once the wheat is near or reaches the boot stage of growth, as application at that time can result in malformed heads, sterility, and significant yield loss.
Both 2,4-D and MCPA are available in ester or amine formulations. Ester formulations generally provide a little better weed control than amine formulations at the same application rates, but also are more susceptible to vapor drift. However, the potential for vapor drift damage in early spring is minimal. Ester formulations generally are compatible for use with fertilizer carriers, while amine formulations often have physical compatibility problems when mixed with liquid fertilizer.
Other herbicides used in the spring on wheat can be applied up to the time the flag leaf is visible, or later. Affinity BroadSpec, Affinity TankMix, Ally Extra SG, Express, Harmony + 2,4-D or MCPA, Harmony Extra, Huskie, Quelex, and Supremacy must be applied before the flag leaf is visible. Huskie, Weld, and WideMatch can be applied through the flag leaf stage. Herbicides that can be applied later in the spring – prior to the boot stage — include Ally + 2,4-D, Amber, Finesse, Starane Ultra, and Starane Plus Salvo. Starane is a better choice than dicamba products for control of kochia after wheat moves into the jointing stage of growth. Remember that weeds are most susceptible at early growth stages and coverage becomes difficult as the wheat canopy develops, so the earliest practical and labelled applications generally result in the best weed control.
Information provided by Dallas Peterson, Extension Weed Management Specialist.
KANSAS CITY (AP) – The plummeting number of refugees resettling in Kansas City mirrors a national trend, particularly among predominantly Muslim countries.
Syrian refugee Ahmad al-Abboud (right) tells his story through interpreter Fariz Turkmani at a press conference in Kansas City. photo by ALEX SMITH / Kansas News Service
U.S. Department of State data compiled by The Associated Press show that fewer than 480 refugees resettled in Kansas City last year, compared to more than 740 in 2016. Just over 50 refugees resettled in the city this fiscal year, which is halfway over.
The Kansas City Star reports that the city’s biggest drop has been among refugees from Somalia. Kansas City welcomed nearly 160 Somali refugees last year. But this fiscal year, there’s been five.
The numbers reflect federal policy changes starting early last year. President Donald Trump has lowered the cap on refugee admissions, suspended a program that reunites families split during resettlement and banned arrivals from several countries, mostly Muslim, including Somalia.
At 10:45 a.m. Sunday, Hays Christian Church will be celebrating Resurrection Sunday by starting a new message series called, “Searching for Jesus.” Through the series, Pastor Kevin Daniels will help discern what we know to be true about Jesus versus what many in our culture believe about Jesus. The series begins on Easter and runs through the month of April.
Immediately following the worship service there will be an Easter Egg Hunt for children of all ages, along with cookies and snacks. The church will also be unveiling their newly redesigned Children’s Church space.
Hays Christian Church is a non-denominational, independent Christian Church, seeking to meet people where they are at and introduce them to the joy of a relationship with Jesus. The setting is casual – come as you are, wear what’s comfortable, and bring your whole family.
“Easter is a great time for people to reconnect with a faith community. No matter what has been going on in your life, there is always a place for you at HCC,” says Pastor Kevin. “Join us!”
For more information about what to expect as a guest at HCC, visit hayschristianchurch.org.
SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating an alleged battery, kidnapping and have made an arrest.
Just after 11p.m. Monday, police responded to a home in the 2400 Block of SW 24th Street in Topeka, according to Lt. Chris Heaven.
Harris-photo Shawnee County
Witnesses told police man was seen arguing with and dragging a woman through a yard as she yelled for help. They also pointed out the residence where the man dragged the woman.
Officers went to the home to check the welfare of the woman. As officers approached the residence, she ran out the front door, to the officers, according to Heaven. She was transported to the Law Enforcement Center to be interviewed by a detective.
The two were found to be boyfriend and girlfriend. The woman had been the victim of Domestic Battery and was forcibly dragged into the home by the man, according to her statement to police.
The man, later identified as Cain Harris, 27, Topeka, was initially reluctant to exit the residence but after some time and discussion with the officers came out on his own accord.
Police transported Harris to the Department of Corrections on charges of Aggravated Kidnapping and Domestic Battery.
Authorities on the scene of the suspicious package Tuesday at the Salina Post office-photo Marnie Mattek.
SALINA—According to Salina Police Captain Paul Forrester, the bomb squad pulled the suspicious package out into the parking lot. A water shot was used to rip the package apart. No explosives were found.
There was a separate bag found inside the post office. The police are collecting evidence and are hoping to get some leads from what they collect.
Just after 3:30p.m. authorities opened the streets but the post office remained closed due to the ongoing investigation.
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SALINA – Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspicious package delivered to the Salina Post Office in the 200 Block of East Ash Street Tuesday.
The package addressed to the Salina Police prompted the evacuation of the post office just before 9:30a.m., according to police Captain Paul Forrester.
Street near the Post office were close during the investigation- photo Marnie Mattek.
Authorities closed streets in the area. The Fort Riley Bomb Squad responded to the scene to assist. There are no injuries reported and no additional details available.
