The Kansas Department of Transportation plans to begin work in mid-June on a pair of resurfacing projects in Russell, Osborne and Smith counties.
The first project will cover a 35-mile portion of U.S. 281 from the K-18 junction in Russell County to the Smith County line. Crews will also be working on an additional resurfacing project on a 13-mile stretch of K-18 in Russell County from the east U.S. 281 junction to the Lincoln County line.
Traffic will be reduced to one lane through the work zones and controlled by flaggers and a pilot car during daylight hours. Minor delays not exceeding 15 minutes should be anticipated. Both projects are expected to be complete by the end of July, weather permitting.
Venture Corporation is the primary contractor for the projects with total contract costs of $2.1 million for the U.S 281 project and $1.1 million for the K-18 project. For more information, contact Phillipsburg area construction engineer Jim Riener at 785-543-2163 or [email protected].
Food spoils faster in the summer. Why? Bacteria grow fastest in the heat and humidity. Also, more people cook outside at picnics, barbecues and on camping trips, where refrigeration and washing facilities can be hard to find. Fortunately, you can take steps to make sure your food is safe to eat even during the heat of summer.
Here is the “Top 10” list of summer food safety tips shared in an issue of the Dining on a Dime newsletter.
When planning a picnic, barbecue or camping trip, find out if there will be a source of safe drinking water. If not, take water for preparation and cleaning.
Pack disposable washcloths and use them to clean your hands.
Keep beverages in a separate cooler, since it will probably be opened frequently.
Pack perishable foods (such as luncheon meats, cooked meat and chicken, and potato or pasta salads) in sealed plastic bags under several inches of ice, ice packs or containers of frozen water in an insulated cooler. If packing raw meats, do not allow raw meat juices to touch ready-to-eat food. Pack just the amount of perishable food that you can use.
Keep the perishable food cooler in the coolest part of the car. Place it in the shade or shelter it from the sun at the picnic site. Preserve the cold temperature of the cooler by replenishing the ice as needed.
If an insulated cooler is not available, do not take perishable foods. Instead, pack foods such as hard cheese, canned meats, chicken and tuna; nuts, peanut butter, dry cereals, bread, crackers, fruits and vegetables.
Do not partially cook food ahead of time. Pack either raw or fully-cooked meat and poultry. Bacteria can survive and multiply in partially cooked foods.
Pack a food thermometer. Meat cooked on a grill often browns fast on the outside. Check meats with a food thermometer to be sure they reach an internal temperature of 145 degrees F. for beef, 160 degrees F. for pork and 165 degrees F. for poultry.
Wash all plates, utensils and cutting boards that held raw meat or poultry with hot soapy water before using them again for cooked food.
Perishable food that is not kept cold for more than 2 hours is not considered safe to eat. When summer heat gets above 90 degrees, foods left out of the cooler for as little as 1 hour should be thrown away.
Let me end my column with the phrase you may have heard related to food safety decisions. “When in doubt, throw it out,” really is good advice.
Donna Krug is the Family & Consumer Science Agent and District Director for the Cottonwood Extension District. You may reach her at: (620)793-1910 or [email protected]
The Hays Larks will host Little League Night/Father’s Day at 7 p.m. Sunday when they take on Park City at Larks Park.
Teams will be announced and go on the field prior to the start of the game for the playing of the national anthem. Little Leaguers also will be able to run the bases after the game. All players will receive a freeze pop. All Little Leaguers who attend will be entered into a raffle for Larks autographed baseball. Players are asked to be at the park by 6:45 p.m.
Also, the first 50 dads will receive a gift from the Larks, and there will also be a raffle for a special Father’s Day bat autographed by the Larks.
Check in at the table next to the apparel stand when you arrive at the ballpark.
TOPEKA — Incoming Washburn University students have been awarded the Garvey Scholarship for the fall 2019 semester. The Garvey Scholarship is a renewable scholarship worth up to $2000, awarded to students with the highest scores on the Garvey Competitive Exam.
The exam is offered several times a year at Washburn University. High school seniors with a GPA of 3.25 or higher, who have previously applied for admittance to Washburn, qualify to take the exam. To learn more about the Garvey Scholarship, and other scholarships offered at Washburn University, visit washburn.edu/scholarships.
Scholarship recipients include:
• Kaleigh Ashbaugh of Hays, graduate of Hays High School
• Kade Urban of Hays, graduate of Thomas More Prep Marian HS
BARTON COUNTY — Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect on child porn allegations.
Jurado-Garcia-photo Barton Co.
Detectives with the Great Bend Police Department received information in reference to the possession of child pornography by a suspect in Great Bend, began investigating and received additional assistance from the local officials with Department for Children and Families, according to a media release.
Detectives were able to obtain a search warrant for an individual’s cellphone contents. A preliminary search of the device confirmed the child pornography on the phone.
On Tuesday, police arrested 31-year-old Juan Manuel Jurado Garcia on requested charges of sexual exploitation of a child and him booked into the Barton County Detention Center with a bond set at $50,000.
Thursday Mostly sunny, with a high near 77. South wind 6 to 11 mph increasing to 13 to 18 mph in the afternoon. Winds could gust as high as 29 mph.
Thursday Night A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms after 8pm. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 60. South wind 14 to 18 mph, with gusts as high as 28 mph.
FridayA 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms before 8am. Mostly sunny, with a high near 87. South wind 11 to 17 mph.
Friday NightA chance of showers and thunderstorms between 8pm and 2am. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 61. South wind 5 to 9 mph becoming west northwest after midnight. Winds could gust as high as 22 mph. Chance of precipitation is 50%.
SaturdayMostly sunny, with a high near 87.
Saturday NightA 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms after 8pm. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 61.
SundayA 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly before 8am. Partly sunny, with a high near 82.
Sunday NightA 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly between 8pm and 2am. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 59.
HUTCHINSON— A man on community corrections for aggravated assault for a case from 2016 was arrested once again in another domestic case.
Cantu-photo Reno County
Deangelo Cantu, 22, is accused of battering his girlfriend, punching her in the face and cracking her tooth. Cantu fled before police arrived.
Police were familiar with his his black pickup. They conducted a traffic stop and believed he was under the influence of alcohol, according to statements in court Wednesday.
Cantu faces potential charges that include aggravated battery, driving under the influence and driving while suspended. Cantu is on corrections for aggravated assault with a deadly weapon for allegedly threatening another person with a gun in September 2016.
WASHINGTON —U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue on Thursday announced the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) will relocate the Economic Research Service (ERS) and National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) to the Kansas City Region, according to a media release from the USDA.
Ag Secretary Sonny Perdue photo USDA
“Following a rigorous site selection process, the Kansas City Region provides a win win – maximizing our mission function by putting taxpayer savings into programmatic outputs and providing affordability, easy commutes, and extraordinary living for our employees,” said Secretary Perdue.
Kansas First District Congressman Roger Marshall said of the News on Twitter, “Great team effort by so many people to make this happen. Shout out to @KState and @KUnews in working so diligently with our federal delegation to help make the case for Kansas City. Agriculture and Kansas are truly synonymous – so we thank you, @SecretarySonny!
“The Kansas City Region has proven itself to be hub for all things agriculture and is a booming city in America’s heartland. There is already a significant presence of USDA and federal government employees in the region, including the Kansas City ‘Ag Bank’ Federal Reserve.
This agriculture talent pool, in addition to multiple land-grant and research universities within driving distance, provides access to a stable labor force for the future. The Kansas City Region will allow ERS and NIFA to increase efficiencies and effectiveness and bring important resources and manpower closer to all of our customers.”
USDA conducted a Cost Benefit Analysis and conservative estimates show a savings of nearly $300 million nominally over a 15-year lease term on employment costs and rent or about $20 million per year, which will allow more funding for research of critical needs like rural prosperity and agricultural competitiveness, and for programs and employees to be retained in the long run, even in the face of tightening budgets. On top of that, state and local governments offered generous relocation incentives packages totaling more than $26 million. Finally, this relocation will give USDA the opportunity to attract a diverse staff with training and interest in agriculture. To learn more about USDA’s Cost Benefit Analysis, you may view the USDA Cost Benefit Analysis document (PDF, 143 KB).
“We did not undertake these relocations lightly, and we are doing it to enhance long-term sustainability and success of these agencies. The considerable taxpayer savings will allow us to be more efficient and improve our ability to retain more employees in the long run. We will be placing important USDA resources closer to many stakeholders, most of whom live and work far from Washington, D.C. In addition, we are increasing the probability of attracting highly-qualified staff with training and interests in agriculture, many of whom come from land-grant universities. We look forward to this new chapter as we seek to fulfill our motto at USDA, which is to ‘do right and feed everyone,’” added Secretary Perdue.
Secretary Perdue sent this letter (PDF, 39.1 KB) to all USDA employees this morning and will be holding an all hands meeting with ERS and NIFA employees today to discuss the decision, the process, and next steps.
In addition, USDA announced in August the realignment of ERS under the Office of the Chief Economist. While we believe there is considerable synergies and benefits to a realignment, after hearing feedback from stakeholders and Members of Congress, USDA will not move forward with the realignment plans. The agency of ERS will remain under the Research, Education, and Economics mission area.
Background:
USDA announced in August it would undertake the relocations for three main reasons:
To improve USDA’s ability to attract and retain highly qualified staff with training and interests in agriculture, many of whom come from land-grant universities. USDA has experienced significant turnover in these positions, and it has been difficult to recruit employees to the Washington, D.C. area, particularly given the high cost of living and long commutes.
To place these important USDA resources closer to many of our stakeholders, most of whom live and work far from the Washington, D.C. area.
To benefit the American taxpayers. There will be significant savings on employment costs and rent, which will allow more employees to be retained in the long run, even in the face of tightening budgets.
Quality of Life: Subcategory examples include Diversity Index, Residential Housing Costs, Access to Healthcare, and Home and Community Safety Ranking.
Costs (Capital and Operating): Subcategory examples include Commercial Real Estate Costs, CPI Index, and Wage Costs.
Workforce: Subcategory examples include Labor Force Growth Rate, Unemployment Rate, and the Labor Force Population.
Logistics / IT Infrastructure: Subcategory examples include Lodging Availability, Proximity to Customers, and Airport Accessibility.
The top Expressions of Interest were reviewed in detail, and USDA selected a short list of locationsoffering existing buildings with sufficient space to meet ERS and NIFA requirements.
While 90% of USDA employees are located outside of the D.C. area, ERS and NIFA are the only USDA agencies that don’t have representation outside of the national Capital Region (NCR). Upon the relocation announcement, USDA proposed that sufficient staff levels would remain in the NCR to complete mission critical activities that require physical presence in or near Washington, D.C. at the recommendation of customers and stakeholders. In both the cases of ERS and NIFA, leadership reviewed the critical functions and staffing needs within and outside the NCR. Senior ERS and NIFA staff, with input from partner agencies and stakeholders, recommended to Secretary Perdue the critical functions to be retained within the NCR.
Out of NIFA’s 315 positions, 294 will relocate while 21 will stay in the NCR. Of the 329 ERS positions, 253 will relocate while 76 will stay in the Washington, D.C. area.
As a result of this move, no ERS or NIFA employees will be involuntarily separated. Every employee who wants to continue working will have an opportunity to do so, although that will mean moving to a new location for most. Employees will be offered relocation assistance and will receive the same base pay as before, and the locality pay for the new location.
USDA will be working with the General Services Administration to secure a permanent lease space through a competitive process in the Kansas City Region. USDA will continue to keep ERS and NIFA employees apprised as updates occur.
KANSAS CITY, KAN. – A federal indictment unsealed Wednesday in Kansas charges a Massachusetts man with distributing counterfeit oxycodone pills that contained the powerful synthetic opioid fentanyl, according to U.S. Attorney Stephen McAllister.
Anthony Stokes, 32, South Deerfield, Ma., is charged with five counts of distributing fentanyl and five counts of selling counterfeit drugs. The indictment alleges the crimes took place during December 2018 through Feb. 2019 in Wyandotte County, Kan.
The indictment alleges Stokes sold 114 tablets with counterfeit identifying marks belonging to Mallinckrodt Pharmaceuticals. The tablets contained more than 14.6 grams of fentanyl.
Stokes was arrested June 11 in Massachusetts.
If convicted, he faces a penalty of up to 20 years in federal prison and a $1 million fine on the fentanyl charge and up to 10 years and a fine up to $250,000 on the counterfeit drug charges.
ST. LOUIS (AP) — A man who used fake nurse credentials to get jobs at three health care facilities has been sentenced to nearly five years in prison.
Benjamin Danneman / photo Illinois Dpt. of Corrections
Benjamin Danneman, 38, of Eureka, Mo., pleaded guilty in March to health care fraud, aggravated identity theft and Social Security fraud. He was sentenced Wednesday in federal court.
Danneman used the name of a real nurse and made other false claims to obtain jobs at Sherbrooke Village in St. Louis County and the Rehabilitation Institute of St. Louis. He also was assistant director of nursing at the Quarters of Des Peres, a 122-bed nursing home.
Court records say Danneman never had any license to provide medical services.
Danneman is already serving a prison sentence in Illinois for crimes that include attempted burglary and theft.
Robert G. Boese, 73, passed away June 12, 2019 at Diversicare of Larned.
He was born October 21, 1945 in Santa Ana, California to Vernon and Ella Eilts Boese.
A lifetime area resident he was a laborer.
He is survived by; children, Shannon Boese, Shadd Boese, Shaun (Jamie) Boese, Shaela Tullis, Joe Freel, Lynda Freel; siblings, Glenna Belcher, Lavern (Rosa) Boese, Sandra (Dennis) Sauer, Rodney (Janie) Boese, Brent Boese, Marva D. McDonald; twelve grandchildren and three great grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by his parents; a sister, Shirley Shank; and a brother-in-law, Joe Belcher.
Cremation has taken place and no services are planned at this time. Memorials may be given to the Robert Boese Memorial Fund in care of Beckwith Mortuary, PO Box 477, Larned, Kansas 67550.
