Rabbi Moti Rieber is the executive director of Kansas Interfaith Action.
Kansas Interfaith Action (KIFA) today condemned the Trump Administration’s new policy on “Inadmissibility on Public Charge Grounds” as inhumane and unjust.
Immigrants are part of the fabric of our communities. To single them out in this way is a direct contravention of the Scriptural command to ‘treat the immigrant the same as a native-born citizen’ (Lev. 14:34).
The new “public charge” policy, which appeared yesterday on the Federal Register’s website, was proposed months ago for public comment and the comments were overwhelmingly in opposition. Nonetheless, the Trump administration has moved forward with the proposal as part of its anti-immigrant program. There is no reasonable public policy justification for this change—only hatred toward the immigrant.
Under current policy, a public charge is defined as an immigrant who is “likely to become primarily dependent on the government for subsistence.” The proposed rule radically expands the definition to include any immigrant who simply “receives one or more public benefits,” including services to which they are legally entitled, such as nutrition, health care, or housing. This shift drastically increases the scope of who can be considered a public charge to include not just people who receive benefits as the main source of support, but also people who use basic-needs programs to supplement their earnings from low-wage work.
(Kansas Action for Children)
KIFA sees this policy change as part of the Trump Administration’s wide-ranging assault on immigrants. From drastically cutting the number of refugees accepted into the United States, to criminalization of asylum seekers at the southern border, and now this attack on legal immigrants, the Administration is seeking to harass, limit and force out immigrants of all kinds.
Kansas Interfaith Action condemns this new policy. People of faith from across the spectrum oppose the Administration’s policy attacks on immigrants. Care and concern for the immigrant is a core faith value. The Administration’s actions are an affront to morality, as well as to the US’ ethos of ‘Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,’ as emblazoned on the Statue of Liberty.
Kansas Interfaith Action invites congregations and individuals wishing to “welcome the immigrant’’ to join with the organization to help register and encourage people to vote, advocate just immigration policies, and stand with immigrants in their communities.
Rabbi Moti Rieber is executive director of KIFA.
Kansas Interfaith Action, based in Lawrence, is a statewide, multi-faith issue-advocacy organization that “puts faith into action” by educating, engaging and advocating on behalf of people of faith and the public regarding critical social, economic, and climate justice issues.
Macie Price, a Cervs employee, rings up Snoballs and beverages for a family at the Vine Street Cervs. Cervs will celebrate its 25th anniversary Aug. 16 to 18.
By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays Post
The first Cervs at 27 and Vine streets in Hays when it opened in 1994. Photo courtesy of Russ Pfannenstiel.
From a single gas station to an independently owned chain of convenience stores that is beloved for its Popt Popcorn and Snoballs, Cervs has been a Hays staple for 25 years.
The business began in 1994 when Verlin and Elaine Pfannenstiel opened their first location at 27th and Vine in Hays. They bought what was then a gas and service station from the Brown family.
The family developed the name Cervs by combining a letter from each member in the family.
That first store had a single Snoball machine with two flavors. The Snoball did not originate at Cervs. They started at the Stop and Shops, which was another area convenience store chain.
During the school year, you can go into Cervs after school gets out, and there is a line at the Snoball machines. But it’s not just kids, adults seem to love the syrupy, icy drinks too.
Owner Russ Pfannenstiel, 50, said it seems to be a phenomenon unique to this part of the state.
Verlin and Elaine sold the business to their son, Russ, in 1999. Russ graduated from Fort Hays State University in 1991 with a business degree. He worked at a lumberyard in Russell for eight years before moving back to Hays to run the family business.
Russ expanded the business to three locations in Hays, including Hall Street in 2002 and Main Street in 2007.
At left, you can see the original Cervs Snowball machine. Photo courtesy of Russ Pfannenstiel.
In 2008, two more stores were added to the Cervs family, including a store in Hoisington in June 2008 and a store in Great Bend in July 2008.
The company started making flavored Popt! popcorn out its Main Street store in 2014. That business, run by Russ’ wife, Bonnie, eventually moved to a stand-alone location on 27th Street. The Popt! retail store also sells candy, homemade fudge and assorted bottled sodas.
Cervs is also known for its handmade bierocks. You can get the traditional beef in the afternoon along with taco or ham and cheese and breakfast bierocks in the morning, including bacon, egg and cheese or sausage, egg and cheese.
Russ Pfannenstiel is self-admittedly a guy who does not like to be in the limelight. He seldom does interviews and he would prefer someone else to cut his commercials for the stores.
In an industry that used to be dominated by independently owned gas and service stations, Cervs is today a rare example of an independently owned and operated business in a chain-dominated industry.
“I think the single mom-and-pops are becoming harder to operate — keeping up with the fuel and keeping up with the investment in it,” Russ said.
He said he thought the support of the community has been important in the success of the business.
The Snowball machines at the Cervs at Vine and 27 streets in Hays.
“I have been surrounded by some great people,” he said. “I have had some fantastic employees, and we’ve had the support of community in western Kansas.”
Cervs employs 50 to 55 employees across all five locations.
Pfannenstiel, as do most employers in Hays’ tight market, sometimes struggles to find employees. However, he said he has employees who have been with him for some time. He often hires students and said he finds it rewarding to see those young men and women graduate and move on to jobs in their fields.
Why do people like working at Cervs? Pfannenstiel jokes, “You get free Snoballs.”
“It is clean. It is well lit,” he said. “We try to make it a fun place to work.”
Three employees at the Great Bend store came to work for Pfannestiel when he purchased those operations 11 years ago, and they are still with the business. Pfannenstiel said having dependable, long-term employees has made branching out into Great Bend and Hoisington easier.
Pfannenstiel continues to update and look for new product lines that will bring customers into the store. Five years ago, the Cervs at 27th and Vine was renovated and yogurt machines were added. Two years ago, the Hall and Main Street stores were renovated, the Great Bend store was renovated this spring.
“It is fun going through the remodel process and seeing the finished process,” he said, “and getting customers’ feedback and seeing what they would like to see different and incorporating it into the store and the layout.”
The beverage area a the original Cervs. Photo courtesy of Russ Pfannenstiel.
The business also recently made the transition from Conoco branding to Phillips 66. Both brands are owned by the same company, and the parent company preferred to brand its gas stations as Phillips 66 from Kansas City to Denver, Russ said.
Russ said he continues to enjoy the challenge of running Cervs despite its demands.
“Every day is different,” he said. “There is not the same thing. You have a different challenge every day. The people are fun to work with, not only the employees, but the customers and the vendors you work with. It is never the same thing from day to day.”
Russ said Cervs is a fun business, but it is a constant learning process. His hopes for the future …
“To keep it going, keep it a fun place, always coming up with the next new and unique item to bring into the store and be open to any additional possibilities that are out there and being in a position to act upon them,” he said.
His advice for entrepreneurs who are just starting out is this, “You live and breathe it. It is on your mind 24 hours, seven days a week. It is not an 8 to 5 job. It is an extension of you and your family.”
Cervs will have a 25th anniversary celebration Friday, Aug. 16, through Sunday, Aug. 18. During the event, Cervs will be collecting food for the Community Assistance Center in Hays and the Community Food Bank of Barton County. Bring in two or more canned goods and you can be entered to win Royals tickets with a parking pass and a year’s supply of Snoballs. Additional giveaways will include concert tickets, bicycles, coolers and other items.
The anniversary event will also include 10 cent 16 ounce coffee Aug. 16 and Aug. 18, a Snoball drinking contest at the Vine and Great Bend locations on Aug. 16 and 25 cent 20 ounce Snoballs on Aug. 17.
FINNEY COUNTY — Kansas First District Congressman Roger Marshall is scheduled to make a stop in Finney County Tuesday following the weekend fire at the Tyson meat processing plant.
Smoke rising from the Tyson plant fire early Sunday photo courtesy Shrimplin Photography
In a media release, Marshall said, “I will personally thank the fire crews in both Garden City and Holcomb, as well as all first responders who assisted with the fire. I am thankful no one was hurt, and will continue to keep first responders and Tyson employees on the forefront of my mind as rebuilding moves forward.”
Cattle producers are concerned a fire at a Tyson meat processing plant in Holcomb could disrupt already strained processing operations.
The plant is closed indefinitely and Tyson has said it will reopen the plant but the timeline will depend on the extent of the damage.
Industry experts say the Holcomb plant processes about 6,000 cattle a day — about 6% of all the cattle processed in the U.S.
Finney County commissioner Larry Jones, a partner at J&O Cattle Co., said meat packing plants are already running at capacity because a record number of cattle are going to market.
In the first day of trading since the fire, cattle futures on Monday dropped $3 per hundred pounds, the maximum fluctuation allowed for a single day.
In its latest weekly report, the government said our gasoline stockpiles grew by 4.4 million barrels, a figure the auto club AAA called “astonishing.” After four consecutive declines, the national average price for a gallon of regular was $2.648 on Monday. That’s down six cents from last Monday, nearly 13 cents lower than a month ago, and 21 cents lower than last year at this time. The average across Kansas is $2.447. We found prices as low as $2.22/gallon in Hays. It’s going for $2.33 across Great Bend. You’ll save about two dollars on your 15-gallon fill-up compared to a month ago.
China and South Korea appear ready to join the U.S. and Britain in offering military protection for oil tankers in the Persian Gulf, according to Reuters quoting an ambassador and local newspaper reports. According to EIA estimates, 76 percent of the petroleum that moved through the Strait of Hormuz last year went to Asian markets, including China, India, Japan, South Korea, and Singapore. Germany and other European nations have said they would not commit military vessels to the escort mission.
The U.S. Energy Information Administration reports another near-record for weekly crude oil production. For the week ending August 2, operators pumped 12.253 million [[“twelve point two five three million”]] barrels per day. That’s the fourth-highest weekly production total ever, and an increase of nine thousand barrels per day over the week before.
U.S. Crude inventories increased by 2.4 million barrels. The government reported total inventories of nearly 439 million barrels, about two percent above the five year average for this time of year.
Imports averaged 7.1 million [[“seven point one million”]] barrels per day last week, an increase of 485,000 from the week before. The four-week average for U.S. imports is down nearly 15% compared to the same four weeks a year ago.
Independent Oil & Gas Service reports another drop in its statewide drilling rig count. There are 11 active rigs in eastern Kansas, down one, and 20 west of Wichita, down two. Operators were drilling on one Russell County lease, and were about to spud one well in Barton County and three in Ellis County.
Baker Hughes reported 934 active drilling rigs across the U.S. Friday, a decline of six oil rigs and two seeking natural gas. The count in Alaska was down four and Oklahoma was down two. Texas was down one while New Mexico was up two rigs. Canada reported 140 active drilling rigs, up three for the week.
Regulators approved 17 permits for drilling at new locations across Kansas last week, three east of Wichita and 14 in Western Kansas, including two in Barton County, three in Ellis county and one in Stafford County. There are just 586 new drilling permits in Kansas so far this year. Independent Oil & Gas Service reports 26 newly-completed wells for the week, 869 so far this year. There were five wells completed in eastern Kansas, and 21 west of Wichita, including one in Ellis County.
The government predicted the spread between national and international benchmark crude-oil prices will narrow next year. The U.S. Energy Information Administration predicted Brent crude will average $65 per barrel in 2020, and that West Texas Intermediate will average about $5.50 less, or just under $60. That would put the spread about a dollar less than the agency’s previous prediction.
The bigger players are increasing their stakes in the Permian Basin of Texas and New Mexico, even as smaller energy companies are pulling back. Exxon Mobil and Chevron are keeping their promises to ramp up production in the Permian. According to the Houston Chronicle, Exxon Mobil is by far the Permian’s most active driller with more than 50 rigs operating, increasing production there by nearly 90 percent in 12 months. Chevron and Occidental Petroleum produce more than 420,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day from the region. The Permian, now the world’s most productive oil and gas basin, is producing about 4.2 million barrels of crude oil a day, more than one-third of the nation’s record output of more than 12 million barrels a day. The basin, by far the central focus of the shale boom, also is the country’s second-most prolific natural gas producer.
Domestic railroad freight traffic continues to decline in weekly and year-on-year comparisons. But, oil-by-rail continues to grow, and remains one of only two types of freight to show gains on the nation’s railroads. During the week ending August 3, 12,561 rail cars filled with petroleum and petroleum products hit the rails. That’s an increase of nearly 16% over the same week last year. The year-too-date total is 21% higher than last year. Canadian traffic was up 24%. The Association of American Railroads Senior Vice President John T. Gray said total combined U.S. rail traffic is down three and a half percent, held back by declines in coal, grain and inter-modal shipments.
Vearl (Sinclair) Sparkman, beloved daughter of James and Mary (Walton) Sinclair, was born August 31, 1912, in Wapanuka, Oklahoma, and passed away August 9, 2019, at the Andbe Home in Norton, Kansas, at the age of 106.
Vearl moved with her family by covered wagon to Lyndsay, Oklahoma, where she attended country school to the 8th grade. On February 15, 1934, Vearl and Knox Sparkman were united in marriage in Lyndsay. They made their home in Wewoka, Oklahoma until 1940 when they moved to Los Angeles, California. In 1963 they moved to Edmond, Oklahoma, where they owned and operated the local Tasty Freeze. They moved back to Lyndsay and finally to Norcatur, Kansas in 1980.
Vearl was a member of the Norton Christian Church. She enjoyed writing stories about her life, cooking, crafts, and quilting. Her greatest love of all was her family, especially her children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and great-great-grandchildren.
Survivors include: two daughters, Mary Jo Horesky, Norton; Alice Jones, Norton; 11 grandchildren; 19 great-grandchildren; several great-great-grandchildren; many other relatives and friends.
Vearl is rejoicing in heaven with her parents; husband, Knox; one son, Kenney; two brothers; three sisters; and two son-in-laws, Bob Horesky and Francis Jones.
GRAVESIDE SERVICE – Wednesday, August 14, 2019 – 10:30 A.M.
PLACE – Norcatur Cemetery – Norcatur, Kansas
VISITATION – Tuesday, August 13, 2019 from 5:00 P.M until 7:00 P.M. at Enfield Funeral Home in Norton.
MEMORIALS – Vearl Sparkman Memorial Fund or Northwest Kansas Hospice Services
Dalbert Don Bruning, 81, of Oberlin, KS passed away Aug. 9, 2019 at his home in Oberlin. He was born Dec. 15, 1937 to Paul and Martha Bruning in Phillips County, at his family’s country home.
Dalbert attended/started school in a one room schoolhouse northeast of Logan. He graduated from Logan High School in Logan, KS in 1956. After high school, he joined the Army and was stationed in the Alaskan Territory in Fairbanks, Alaska. He became acquainted with Karen Bolte through a high school Kayette project, where members wrote to servicemen. When Dalbert finished his term of duty, they began dating and then got engaged and married.
Dalbert and Karen married on June 17, 1960 in Plainville, KS. To this union, five children were born: Donna, Kim, Roy, Paula and Kristin. Over the years, the family lived in Plainville, Hill City, Palco, Phillipsburg, Logan, Atwood, Herndon, and Oberlin.
Over the years, Dalbert worked in an oilfield and owned and operated Bruning Repair. He belonged to the VFW, American Legion, and Masons. His hobbies were fishing, making birdhouses and squirrel feeders, mowing, being a handyman, working on vehicles and spending time with his beloved pets, Trudy, his dog and Cookie, his cat.
Dalbert was preceded in death by his parents, Paul and Martha Bruning and his wife, Karen Bruning.
He is survived by his five children and their spouses: Donna and Rick Weeks of Cawker City, KS, Kim and Steve Dempewolf of Colby, KS, Roy and Teresa Bruning of Atwood, KS, Paula and Bryan Keffeler of Holdrege, NE and Kristin and Kurt Grafel of Natoma, KS; 12 grandchildren: Nicholas Weeks of Downs, KS, Nathan Weeks of Cawker City, KS, Natasha (Weishapl) Flora of Quinter, KS, Bethany and Cameron Weishapl of McCook, NE, Ryan Bruning of Joplin, MO, Renae (Bruning) Malan of Joplin, MO, Katelyn and Brayden Keffeler of Holdredge, NE, Keaston Grafel of Oberlin, KS, Kayla Grafel of Herrington, KS, Kourtney Grafel of Lawrence, KS; 3 step-grandchildren: Renee Sagel of Atwood, KS, Kimberly Sagel of Atwood, KS, Brett Sagel of Sheridan, MO; 14 great-grandchildren: Hadley Flora, Carter and Sterling Grafel, Aubrie, Daymond, Jameson and Evelyn Malan, Ryker Weeks, and Chevee LaToush and step-great-grandchildren: Fiona, Conner, Luca and Baylor Sagel, and Liberty Sharpe.
Memorial services will be held 10:30 am Saturday, August 17, 2019 at Faith Lutheran Church in Oberlin.
Inurnment at a later date at St. Peters Lutheran Cemetery in Logan, KS. Memorial contributions may be made to Hospice Services, Inc. Palliative Care of Northwest Kansas. Condolences may be left at paulsfh.com
Jo Kay Lepej, 72, passed away May 24, 2019, at Woodhaven Care Center, Ellinwood. She was born January 31, 1947, at Great Bend to Joe F. & Elma M. (Laughlin) Lepej. Jo Kay was a 1965 Council Grove High School graduate, then pursued her higher education from K.S.U., graduating in 1969.
A long time Topeka resident, Jo Kay was a CNA at Stormont Vail Hospital. She was a member of the First United Congregational Church and the Hot Air Balloon Club in Topeka. She enjoyed QVC, Royals baseball, Jeopardy and was a passionate Marion High School sports fan.
Surviving her passing was her mother, Elma M. Lepej (passed away August 11, 2019); sister, Patti Smith and husband George of Isle, MN; two nieces and one nephew, Tyler Mermis of Marion, Taryn Baca of Goodyear, Ariz., and Tierney Mermis of Great Bend; and five great nieces and nephews, Blaine, Bryce and Brynn Mermis of Marion, Haley Suchy of Great Bend, and Kamryn Baca of Goodyear, Ariz. She was preceded in death by her father, Joe F. Lepej.
Jo Kay’s visitation will be held jointly with her mother, Elma M. Lepej, from 1:00 to 9:00 p.m., Tuesday, August 13, 2019, at Bryant Funeral Home and from 9:00 a.m. to service time, with family receiving friends from 1:00 to 2:00 p.m., Wednesday, August 14, 2019. Joint services for Jo Kay and Elma will be held at 2:00 p.m., Wednesday, August 14, 2019, at Bryant Funeral Home, with The Reverend Adam Wutka and Pastor Mike Munz presiding. Memorials are suggested to the First Congregational United Church of Christ, St. Mark Lutheran Church, or Masonic Lodge #15, in care of Bryant Funeral Home.
Elma M. Lepej, 103, passed away August 11, 2019, at Woodhaven Care Center, Ellinwood. She was born on June 30, 1916, in Rush County to George Raymond & Nellie (Burky) Laughlin. She was raised by her paternal grandparents after the death of her mother in childbirth.
At 10 years of age, her father married Bessie Burkch of McGhee, Ark., and the twins, Elma and Elmer, moved to Arkansas with them. To this marriage were born William J. and Elizabeth Alice. They moved back to Hoisington at the end of their sophomore year in high school. Elma and Elmer moved back to LaCrosse with their grandparents and graduated from LaCrosse High School in 1934.
Elma married Joseph “Joe” Lepej on April 17, 1943, at Great Bend. He died May 15, 1988. They moved to Junction City where Joe had a Civil Service job at Ft. Riley. After Joe was called into the Army in World War II, Elma returned to Great Bend where she worked at Western Paper until Joe returned from overseas. They then purchased a shoe repair shop in Council Grove in June 1947. Their daughters Jo Kay was born January 31, 1947, and Patti Jean was born February 7, 1951. The family returned to Great Bend in 1965.
Elma was an active member of the First Congregational United Church of Christ in Great Bend. She sang in the church and community choirs from high school through her eighties. From 1966 – 1973, Elma was a secretary/receptionist for Dr. Richard Herold, D.D.S. and then worked for 12 ½ years as the secretary at First Congregational United Church of Christ, until she retired in 1987. She was a life member of the Order of Easter Star (Golden Sheaf Chapter 26), V.F.W. Auxiliary #3111, Central Kansas Thread Benders, Dorcas Circle, and A.A.R.P. After her retirement, Elma was also a board member of the Barton County Emergency Aid and also worked part-time at the Barton County Community College Center for Adult Education as a secretary.
Survivors include, one daughter, Patti Smith and husband George of Isle, MN; one sister, Elizabeth Wilson of Chicago, IL; three grandchildren, Tyler Mermis, Taryn Baca and Tierney Mermis; and five great grandchildren, Blaine Mermis, Bryce Mermis, Brynn Mermis, Hayley Suchy and Kamryn Baca. She was preceded in death by her husband Joseph “Joe” Lepej; one daughter, Jo Kay Lepej; twin brother, Elmer Laughlin; and brother, Judge William Laughlin.
Visitation will be held from 1:00 to 9:00 p.m., Tuesday, August 13, 2019, at Bryant Funeral Home and from 9:00 a.m. to service time, with family receiving friends from 1:00 to 2:00 p.m., Wednesday, August 14, 2019.
Funeral Service will be held at 2:00 p.m., Wednesday, August 14, 2019, at Bryant Funeral Home in Great Bend with The Reverend Adam Wutka and Pastor Mike Munz presiding. Interment will be in the Great Bend Cemetery. Memorials are suggested to the First Congregational United Church of Christ, St. Mark Lutheran Church, or Masonic Lodge #15, in care of Bryant Funeral Home.
Dorothy May (Mosher) Renner, 98, of Colby, passed away Thursday, August 8, at Fairview Estates. Funeral Services will be at 10:30 a.m., Saturday, August 17th at Baalmann Mortuary, 190 S. Franklin in Colby. Her grandson, Trent Renner, will officiate. Burial will be at the Oakley Cemetery preceding the funeral at 9 a.m.
Dorothy was born on July 31, 1921 in Rexford, KS to Martha (Tucker) and Chris Mosher. She attended school in Rexford all 12 years and graduated in 1939. She received a teaching certificate from Fort Hays and taught for 2 years in a country school near Rexford before marriage.
She met her husband, John Renner at County 4-H Days. They were married on November 22, 1941 in Oberlin, KS. He passed away on March 9, 1985.
In 1946, she moved with her husband to his family’s farm near Mingo, where she spent the next 37 years of her life. They farmed with John’s parents, Pete and Emma and his brother, Remigus (Mege). In 1983, Dorothy and John moved to Oakley, KS where she lived until she moved to Fairview Estates in 2010.
Mrs. Renner taught 4th grade at Oakley and Monument schools (after consolidation) for 29 years and finished her college degree from Fort Hays in 1962.
Dorothy was a member of Oakley Christian Church, a 50-year member in both Eastern Star Lodge and Kappa Gamma, a member of the Legion Auxiliary and the Royal Neighbor’s Lodge.
Survivors include a daughter, Penney Lee, and husband Michael (Jim) Walker and their two children, Erin Stegman and Whitney (Travis) Foxx all of Overland Park, KS; her son, Robert Mosher Renner, of Colby and his five children, Craig (Cheri) Renner, of Norton, KS; Trent (Kelli) Renner, of Fountain Hills, AZ; Travis Renner, of Gilbert, AZ; Robin (Brent) Kejr, of Salina, KS and Johnna (Austin) Frantz, of Oakley, KS; 23 great-grandchildren and 1 great-great grandchild.
She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, a son, Jay, who was stillborn in 1946 and her three sisters, Irma Hibbs, Jennie Rico and Blanch Barnett.
Memorials can be made to Heartland Christian School in Colby and sent in care of Baalmann Mortuary, PO Box 304, Colby, KS 67701. For information or condolences visit www.baalmannmortuary.com
TOPEKA – Governor Kelly appointed Aubrey Streit-Krug, Abby Killingsworth, Jamie Oliver and Brittany Novotny to the Kansas Creative Arts Industries Commission (KCAIC).
“The creative arts industry is a very important piece of our state’s history,” Kelly said. “In difficult times, the arts bring people together – from all across Kansas. Creativity is what makes Kansas an extraordinary place to live. It amplifies everything we find important and celebrates our greatest accomplishments. When our creative arts industry thrives, so does our state. Aubrey, Abby, Jamie and Brittany have dedicated their lives to the creative arts, and I know that they will work hard to create jobs in our state and enhance Kansans’ quality of life. We are lucky to have them on the team.”
The commission, which is part of the Department in Commerce, is focused on measuring, promoting, supporting and expanding Kansas’ creative industry to grow the state’s economy and foster creative industry-related jobs. The commission’s 11 members must be representative of the major arts fields.
Aubrey Streit-Krug, Salina, currently is the Director of Ecosphere Studies at The Land Institute in Salina. She also has worked as a professor of writing and literature at Kansas Wesleyan University, Bethany College, and the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Streit-Krug received a doctorate in English and a master’s degree in English from the University of Nebraska- Lincoln, and a bachelor’s degree in English from Bethany College. She has several published books, articles and essays.
Abby Killingsworth, Goodland, is currently the executive director of the Carnegie Arts Center in Goodland. She previously worked as the career services coordinator at Northwest Kansas Technical College. Killingsworth received a bachelor’s degree in fine arts from Fort Hays State University, and was a national exchange participant at California State University in Chico, Calif.
Jamie Oliver, Pittsburg, currently teaches art courses at Pittsburg State University, and is the chairperson of PSU’s Art Department. Previously, he was an assistant professor of painting and drawing at Denison University. Oliver received a Master of Fine Arts from Tulane University, a master’s degree from Easter Illinois University and a Bachelor of Fine Arts from Denison University.
Brittany Novotny, Pratt, currently works as the co-executive director of the Vernon Filley Art Museum. Previously, she worked as a finance and administration intern at the Indiana University Art Museum. Novotny received a master’s degree in arts administration from Indiana University, and a bachelor’s degree in trumpet performance from the Lamont School of Music at the University of Denver.
Two members of the Creative Arts Industries Commission are appointed by the president of the Senate; one member appointed by the minority leader of the Senate; two members appointed by the speaker of the House of Representatives; one member appointed by the minority leader of the House of Representatives; and five members appointed by the governor.
NEW YORK (AP) — Lil Nas X is galloping his way to two new records on the Billboard charts thanks to the massive success of “Old Town Road.”
The song that beat out Mariah Carey and “Despacito” to become the longest-running No. 1 hit in the history of the Hot 100 chart has now set records on Billboard’s Hot R&B/Hip-Hop songs and Hot rap songs charts, respectively.
“Old Town Road,” which features Billy Ray Cyrus and is spending its 19th week at No. 1, surpasses the record set by Drake’s “One Dance” on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop songs chart. Drake’s track spent 18 weeks at No.1.
On the Hot rap songs chart, where Lil Nas X’s county-rap tune is also spending its 19th week on top, the 20-year-old beats the record set by Drake’s “Hotline Bling,” Iggy Azalea’s “Fancy” and Missy Elliott’s “Hot Boyz.” The latter three songs each spent 18 weeks at No.1.
Last month Lil Nas X’s viral song became the most successful No. 1 song of all-time when it reached its 17th week at No. 1 on the all-genre Hot 100 chart — Billboard’s main chart for singles — surpassing the 16-week record held by Carey and Boyz II Men’s “One Sweet Day” and Luis Fonsi, Daddy Yankee and Justin Bieber’s “Despacito.”
“Old Town Road” is now spending its 19th week on top of the Hot 100 chart.
Lil Nas X’s song, which has achieved most of its success through audio streaming, was originally a solo song but he added Cyrus to the track. The song also has remix versions featuring Diplo, Young Thug, Mason Ramsey and BTS, and Billboard counts the original song and its remixes as one when calculating chart position, thus helping “Old Town Road” stay on top.
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — A Pennsylvania appeals court on Monday questioned why actor Bill Cosby never got a supposed non-prosecution agreement in writing as his lawyers asked the panel to overturn his sexual assault conviction.
Cosby, 82, is serving a three- to 10-year prison term for drugging and molesting a woman at his home in what became the first celebrity trial of the #MeToo era.
The three-judge panel asked why Cosby’s top-shelf lawyers didn’t follow the norm and get an immunity agreement in writing, and approved by a judge, when accuser Andrea Constand first came forward in 2005.
“This is not a low-budget operation. … They had an unlimited budget,” said Superior Court Judge John T. Bender. “Could it be they knew this was something the trial court would never have allowed?”
Cosby’s lawyers have long argued that he relied on the promise before giving testimony in Constand’s 2005 lawsuit that proved incriminating when it was unsealed a decade later.
Judge Carolyn Nichols echoed Bender’s point, asking, “how can the elected district attorney bind that office in perpetuity?”
Cosby’s lawyers also attacked Montgomery County Judge Steven O’Neill’s decision to let five other accusers testify when Cosby went on trial last year, after more than 60 accusers came forward and his deposition was unsealed. Prosecutors said they chose women whose accounts showed that Cosby had a “signature” crime pattern. Bender seemed to agree, interrupting defense arguments that their stories had significant differences.
“The reality of it is, he gives them drugs and then he sexually assaults them,” he said. “That’s the pattern, is it not?”
Kristen L. Weisenberger, representing Cosby, said one of the women wasn’t even sure she’d been violated. But prosecutors said that’s how Cosby planned it.
“The defendant should not be . rewarded because she has no recollection because of the drugs he gave her,” Assistant District Attorney Adrienne Jappe argued.
The court’s decision on how many other accusers should be allowed to testify will be closely watched by sexual assault survivors and defense lawyers as men like movie mogul Harvey Weinstein await trial in #MeToo-type cases.
O’Neill had allowed just one other accuser at Cosby’s first trial in 2017, when the jury failed to reach a verdict.
Cosby’s lawyers called the decision to let five testify at the retrial arbitrary and prejudicial. However, the panel said judges are not bound by their earlier trial rulings.
Cosby, who is serving time at a state prison near Philadelphia, was not in court for the arguments at the Pennsylvania Capitol in Harrisburg. The court typically takes several months to issue decisions.
Long beloved as “America’s Dad” for his TV role as Dr. Cliff Huxtable, Cosby has called his encounters with Constand and other accusers consensual.
In his deposition, Cosby acknowledged getting quaaludes in the 1970s to give to women before sex, including 19-year-old Therese Serignese, whom he had met at a Las Vegas hotel. Serignese traveled from Florida to attend Monday’s hearing.
“Remember, there are 60 accusers,” she said. “Out of 19 prior bad act witnesses requested by the prosecutors, the judge only allowed five. I say Bill Cosby got a good deal there.”
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — A Pennsylvania appeals court on Monday questioned why actor Bill Cosby never got a supposed non-prosecution agreement in writing as his lawyers asked the panel to overturn his sexual assault conviction.