Farmers, make plans to attend an update on growing corn and grain sorghum offered by the Cottonwood Extension District in Hays on Wednesday, Feb. 14, from 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at the Extension Office meeting room in Hays, 601 Main. There will be a free noon meal.
Extension agronomy specialist will discuss production practices for corn & sorghum such as seeding rates, row spacing, hybrid selection and as always there will be time for your questions and answers.
RSVPs are requested for the meal count by Tuesday, Feb. 12, at noon. Call the Cottonwood Extension Office at 785-628-9430 or email Theresa at [email protected].
Newly installed Kansas Gov. Jeff Colyer described his state Wednesday as vibrant but with trouble spots, telling lawmakers he plans to charge ahead at its problems.
Colyer promised to reform the state’s struggling foster care system, improve its privatized Medicaid program, open government activities into clearer public view and help more Kansans find jobs.
Kansas Gov. Jeff Colyer delivers his State of the State speech in the Kansas House on Wednesday. He promised to find a long-term solution to the state’s school funding problems, but was vague about what he’d agree to with lawmakers. CELIA LLOPIS-JEPSEN / KANSAS NEWS SERVICE
The speech was effectively a State of the State speech by a former two-term lieutenant governor now one week into higher office and trying to distinguish himself from his unpopular running mate, former Gov. Sam Brownback. Brownback delivered a formal State of the State address last month.
Yet Colyer gave few specifics on the looming issue vexing legislators: how to find hundreds of millions of dollars potentially needed to bring the state in compliance with a court order to shore up its funding for local school districts.
“We must keep our schools open,” he said. Like Brownback, he called for doing so without a tax hike.
But Colyer didn’t repeat the proposed $600 million funding increase that featured in the former governor’s speech — and that drew a swift backlash from lawmakers who felt it was unattainable. Instead, he called for gradual increase.
Senate Majority Leader Jim Denning saw that as a signal Colyer is backing off of that number and letting lawmakers figure out what’s possible.
“That gives us all the assurance in the world that he trusts our work,” Denning said.
Colyer also said he wants lawmakers this year to bring him “a definitive solution that ends the school finance lawsuits for good.”
Some Republicans want to amend the state constitution to prevent courts from weighing in anymore on school funding. Colyer didn’t clarify whether that’s what he wanted.
Democratic Rep. Valdenia Winn said Colyer’s comments concerned her because the judiciary is part of Kansas’ system of checks and balances.
“He has a positive tone,” she said. “But tone is one thing — and equal opportunity before the law is another.”
Colyer has repeatedly promised to “change the tone in Topeka.” That theme featured in Wednesday’s speech, where he noted that in his first week in office, he met with Democratic leaders, signed an executive order requiring thousands of state workers to undergo annual training on preventing sexual harassment, and promised to push for government transparency.
“It’s time for the executive branch to do its part,” he said.
Colyer said he would cut costs for people who seek open records, improve online access to schedules and materials for public meetings, and push officials to use government instead of private email accounts.
On the state’s foster care system, which is struggling to offer refuge for children from troubled families, he pledged to hire more child welfare workers and investigators and add emergency placement options.
He promised to fight sexual harassment and investigate and handle allegations promptly and appropriately.
“Harassment in any form, at any time, in any place,” he said, “will not be tolerated in my administration.”
A recent Kansas Human Rights Commission investigation found a state contractor likely fired a woman as retaliation for her reporting a high-ranking Brownback administration official’s habitual sexual harassment.
Lawmakers stood to applaud Gov. Jeff Colyer when he described Kansas as a pro-life state. CREDIT CELIA LLOPIS-JEPSEN / KANSAS NEWS SERVICE
He vowed to continue Brownback’s efforts to curtail abortion and questioned court decisions that protect a women’s right to end a pregnancy.
Any argument that state and federal constitutions include a right to abortion “is violence against basic facts,” he said. “We are a pro-life state.”
Colyer cited the state’s low jobless rate, less than 4 percent, but said too many jobs go unfilled.
He promised to launch a “My (Re) Employment” program to help job hunters polish their resumes and find high-demand fields, and to continue investing in career and technical education.
Colyer inherited a tough budget situation.
One Kansas administration after the next has underfunded the state’s pension system and diverted funds from highway infrastructure. And state revenue woes in recent years — widely blamed on Brownback’s signature 2012 tax cuts — cut into higher education and other government functions.
Colyer called for ending the the practice of borrowing from the state’s highway fund to pay for other state government services.
On the day of his speech, the Kansas Department of Commerce announced a dealthat would bring the headquarters of hospital chain HCA Midwest Health to Overland Park from Kansas City, Mo. The state said it wasn’t making the government incentives in the deal public because the contract hadn’t been finalized.
Colyer, who works for an HCA hospital as a physician, said he was not involved in putting together the package.
“I was unaware of it,” he said. “I became aware of it when I became governor.”
Celia Llopis-Jepsen is a reporter for the Kansas News Service, You can reach her on Twitter @Celia_LJ.
RILEY COUNTY — Law enforcement authorities are investigating two men from Alabama on drug allegations.
Just before 6p.m. Wednesday, police arrested Stephon Hussey, 33, of Huntsville, Alabama and Virgil Koppenheffer Jr., 37, of Moulton, Alabama in the 1000 block of El Paso Lane in Manhattan, according to the Riley County Police Activity report.
Hussey is being held on a $7,000 Bond for alleged possession of methamphetamine, possession of drug paraphernalia and possession of marijuana. Koppenheffer Jr. is being held on a $6,000 Bond for alleged possession of methamphetamine and possession of drug paraphernalia.
In March of 2017, Koppenheffer was the driver of a vehicle involved in a fatal crash in Wabaunsee County.
The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2013 Toyota Prius driven by Madison C. Connally, 23, Ellsworth, was eastbound on Interstate 70 two miles east of Paxico.
The vehicle hit a 1999 Chevy Cavalier driven by Koppenheffer that had run out of fuel and was stopped partially in the left lane of the Interstate with one occupant outside attempting to push the vehicle out of the roadway.
A passenger in the Chevy Tammy J. Patterson, 41, Junction City, was pronounced dead at the scene.
Connally, Koppenheffer, a passenger in the Chevy Keturah P. Anderson, 32, Moulton, AL, and Michael W. Smothers, 40, Junction City, a passenger in the Chevy but outside attempting to push it out of the roadway were transported to Stormont Vail in Topeka.
SEDGWICK COUNTY— Law enforcement authorities are investigating a rape suspect on additional child sex charges.
Just before 9p.m. Wednesday, police arrested Caleb Gaston, 21, after the Wichita/Sedgwick County Exploited and Missing Child Unit (EMCU) detectives identified a three-year-old girl as the victim in a child sex crime that occurred at the Downtown YMCA, 402 N. Market Street in Wichita, according to officer Charley Davidson.
He was arrested in the 1400 Block of east Cresthill in Derby and booked into the Sedgwick County Adult Detention Facility on one count of Aggravated Indecent Liberties with a Child.
Gaston was arrested last week in a separate alleged child sex abuse case involving a four-year-old girl. On Tuesday, he was released on bail.
The latest case will be presented to the Sedgwick County District Attorney’s Office, according to Davidson.
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SEDGWICK COUNTY— Law enforcement authorities are investigating a rape suspect on additional charges.
Caleb Gaston charged with the rape of a 4-year-old girl while working at the Downtown Wichita YMCA bonded out of jail earlier this week. He is back in jail.
Police have not released additional details on Wednesday’s arrest.
The Greater Wichita YMCA did report they will begin daily sex offender registry checks. Prior to working for the YMCA, Gaston was fired from a church preschool last year after a complaint about inappropriate touching. The Kansas Department of Health and Environment concluded the allegation was not substantiated.
Marvin James PfannenstielMarvin James Pfannenstiel, 81, formerly of Hays, died Tuesday, February 6, 2018 at Palmetto Health Baptist Hospital in Columbia, SC.
He was born August 27, 1936 in Munjor, Kansas the son of John and Rosa (Degenhardt) Pfannenstiel, Jr. He was a 1957 graduate of Hays High School and a Kmart store manager for 27 years. He enjoyed coaching little league sports, visiting his family, genealogy research and traveling.
Survivors include his three sons; Randy Pfannenstiel and wife Leighann of Chapin, SC, Rodney Pfannenstiel and wife Michele of Northborough, MA, and Roger Pfannenstiel and wife Marquita of Peachtree City, GA, seven grandchildren; Jason Pfannenstiel and wife Marilyn, Jacob Pfannenstiel and wife Chelsea, Luke Pfannenstiel and wife Dawn, Amanda Pfannenstiel, Alyssa Pfannenstiel, Leah Pfannenstiel, and Matthew Pfannenstiel, and four great grandchildren; Samantha Pfannenstiel, Avalene Pfannenstiel, Rory Pfannenstiel, and Roman Pfannenstiel.
He was preceded in death by his parents, four brothers; Edwin, Edward, Arthur, and Vernon Pfannenstiel, and four sisters; Leona Befort, Virginia Pfannenstiel, Irene Rome, and Helen Younger.
Mass of Christian Burial will be at 10:00 am on Saturday, February 10, 2018 at St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church, Munjor, Kansas with Fr. Jarett Konrade officiating. Burial will follow in the St. Francis Cemetery. Visitation will be from 5:00 pm until 8:00 on Friday and 8:30 am until 9:30 on Saturday all at Hays Memorial Chapel Funeral Home, 1906 Pine Street, Hays. A parish vigil and rosary will be at 6:30 pm on Friday. Memorials are suggested in Marvin’s memory to the St. Francis Cemetery Fund in care of the funeral home. Condolences may be left for the family at www.haysmemorial.com.
When Kaizer Michael Dechant was born on June 1, 2017, his parents Jason and Krista Dechant and big brother Braxton, 12, could not wait to take their healthy newborn home. Kaizer had no issues until a heart murmur was heard at his routine two-month checkup.
“We thought it was no big deal. We will just go get an echo test done on his heart to see if there is any other issues and we did that and it came back with all sorts of stuff,” said Kaizer’s father Jason. “Then we just said ‘OK, what’s the next step, what do we have to do’ because obviously it’s your child and nothing is really going to stop you from getting the care that they need.”
After several cardiologists reviewed tests to look at Kaizer’s heart, he was diagnosed with supravalvular aortic stenosis and pulmonary artery stenosis. A month later, Kaizer was diagnosed with Williams syndrome. Williams syndrome is a rare genetic condition present at birth and is caused by the spontaneous deletion of genes on the 7th chromosome. Williams syndrome affects 1 in 10,000 people worldwide with an estimated 20,000-30,000 people affected in the United States.
Children with Williams syndrome tend to be social, friendly and endearing. However, many babies have life-threatening cardiovascular problems and need costly ongoing medical care and early interventions such as speech, occupational, and physical therapy. As they grow, they struggle with things like spatial relations, numbers, and abstract reasoning, which can make daily tasks a challenge.
Although Kaizer is succeeding in many areas, his heart continues to look small and his aorta is very narrow. He is seeing a Williams syndrome pediatric cardiologist at Stanford University Children’s Hospital in California. His recent visit and testing at Stanford revealed Kaizer has severe right coronary artery stenosis in addition to his other heart defects. This puts him at a high risk for a heart attack.
His physicians are certain that he will need open heart surgery at some point in the future to patch his aorta. Unfortunately as of now, his doctors do not think there is anything they can do to fix his coronary artery, which was devastating news to the family.
Kaizer will be going to Children’s Mercy in Kansas City on February 19 for a repeat echo test of his heart. He will continue going to Stanford University for other tests and surgery when needed.
Despite the chaos and busy schedule for the Dechants, Jason said the rest of their family have been very supportive.
“Our families have been wonderful in supporting us with anything we need. If Braxton has to stay somewhere they pick it up. If Krista and I are both at work there’s always somebody to watch Kaizer for us,” said Dechant. “Our families have just been awesome.”
The Benefit Bake Sale for Kaizer will be Friday, February 9 at Golden Plains Credit Union, 2720 Broadway Avenue, Hays.
The bake sale will run from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Financial donations can be made to Golden Plains Credit Union in care of Kaizer Dechant.
SHAWNEE COUNTY — Law enforcement authorities continue their search for a suspect who fled on foot from a US Marshal’s service unit Wednesday.
Just after 12:30 p.m., authorities were serving a warrant at a home in Topeka for 24-year-old Tommy Sherrill, Jr., in connection with a parole violation. He fled the home on foot.
The Shawnee County sheriff’s office assisted the US Marshals Service in an attempt to locate Sherrill, according to Sgt. Todd Stallbaumer. Two schools in the area were notified of the search and placed on alert.
A Kansas Highway Patrol aircraft and K-9 units were used in the search, according to the Marshal’s service.
Sherrill has six previous convictions for theft, aggravated burglary, flee/attempt to elude and obstruction, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections.
Shawnee County officials had no updated on the search early Thursday.
MANHATTAN— Kansas State University Associate head football coach Sean Snyder has reached out to the community and others to say thank you following the death of his son Matthew.
On social media Wednesday night, Snyder said, “Wanda and I want to share our deepest thanks for the love, thoughts and prayers that so many of you have shared with our family.”
Today Sunny, with a high near 55. Light west southwest wind becoming south southwest 6 to 11 mph in the morning.
Tonight Partly cloudy, with a low around 21. South wind 9 to 15 mph becoming north after midnight.
Friday Mostly cloudy, with a temperature falling to around 20 by 5pm. Wind chill values as low as 5. Blustery, with a north northeast wind 17 to 21 mph.
Friday Night A 20 percent chance of snow after midnight. Cloudy, with a low around 9. Wind chill values as low as -5. North northeast wind 13 to 17 mph.
Saturday A 30 percent chance of snow, mainly after noon. Cloudy, with a high near 18. North northeast wind 10 to 13 mph.
Saturday Night A 50 percent chance of snow before midnight. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 10.
First responders on the scene of Wednesday fire-photo courtesy WIBW TV
MERIDEN, Kan. (AP) — The owner of a Topeka-area auto body and restoration shop says it was “brutal” watching his business burn, knowing that six classic cars inside the building were destroyed.
High Torque Racing Auto Body and Paint in Meriden was destroyed in the fire early Wednesday.
The company owner, Mike Garrison, said the fire destroyed a 1967 Buick GS-400 convertible, one of only 421 ever built. Other cars included a ’69 Camaro convertible Restomod, a 1957 Chevy and a 1972 convertible.
Garrison says he hopes his insurance is enough to cover a claim that could reach $1 million. The cause of the fire is under investigation.
TOPEKA—The Office of the Kansas Securities Commissioner has issued a cease and desist order against Jesse W. Harris, Sedgwick, KS, and Harris Custom Projects LLC, Wichita, for alleged violations of the Kansas Uniform Securities Act (KUSA).
The cease and desist order alleges that Harris violated the KUSA by soliciting more than $5 million in investment funds during 2017 from multiple investors, purportedly for use in the purchase and resale of concrete in connection with construction jobs.
Investigators in the Securities Commissioner’s office allege Harris used the money for purposes unrelated to investment in concrete. In addition, investigators said, Harris used money from some investors to pay back money received from other investors, which is generally regarded as a Ponzi scheme.
The Kansas Securities Commissioner urges any individuals who have had dealings with Jesse W. Harris and Harris Custom Projects LLC to contact the Office of the Securities Commissioner at 785-296-3307 or email [email protected].
The violations listed in the order are currently allegations. Harris and Harris Custom Projects LLC may request a hearing to dispute the allegations within 33 days after service of the order.
The cease and desist order can be viewed online at www.ksc.ks.gov.
WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — Two teenagers were each sentenced to nearly 13 years in prison for beating a man with a baseball bat and stealing about $20, two guns and some food.
The man, Horace Johnson, was beaten in May of last year in his Wichita home and remains in a coma. Police say a relative found him unconscious on the floor, likely two days after he was attacked.
The family went to the home after police found Johnson’s car abandoned and couldn’t reach him.
District Attorney Marc Bennett says 16-year-old Jalen Oliver and 17-year-old Matthew Florez-Duran broke into Johnson’s home, robbed him and beat him in the head with the bat several times.
The teenagers were prosecuted as adults for attempted first-degree murder.
Florez-Duran was sentenced Wednesday. Oliver was sentenced two weeks ago.
