TOPEKA – To celebrate the modernization of liquor laws in the state of Kansas, which now allow for beer greater than 3.2 percent Alcohol By Weight to be sold in select locations, the Budweiser Clydesdales will symbolically deliver beer to the Kansas Capitol Thursday.
The delivery is reminiscent of the Budweiser Clydesdale delivery of beer in 1933 to President Roosevelt to celebrate the repeal of Prohibition.
The Clydesdale visit just before 2p.m. will include the presentation of a plaque with a Clydesdale horseshoe to Speaker of the House Ron Ryckman.
Anheuser-Busch has a long-standing relationship with the state of Kansas, working with 15 distributors that employ approximately 500 Kansans. The brewer is happy to celebrate with all of Kansas today as the state embraces modern beer laws that will help the Kansas beer industry and entire state economy grow.
HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The suspect in a kidnapping and rape case entered a plea Tuesday to an amended complaint, which dropped the kidnapping charge and also changed five rape charges to aggravated sexual battery.
Pedraza
Victor Pedraza, 21, also entered a plea to aggravated domestic battery and possession of marijuana.
He requested a departure before sentencing, but that was denied by Reno County District Judge Joe McCarville. He was then sentenced to just under six years in prison.
Pedraza was convicted for the beating and sexual battery of the Japanese student he had been dating. She had been attending Hutchinson Community College.
Pedraza set her passport and documents on fire. Police also said the victim was tied to a bed and beaten, then forced into sex twice. The crimes occurred in June of 2017.
Pedraza entered a plea last year, but then withdrew it. He apparently had a change of heart and entered a plea in the case Tuesday.
Deputy District Attorney Tom Stanton had agreed to the plea earlier so the victim wouldn’t have to testify in the United States. She was allowed to stay home in Japan.
Submitted by
Judith Deedy, Game On for Kansas Schools
Patty Logan, Stand Up Blue Valley
Megan Peters, Education First Shawnee Mission
Nikki McDonald, Olathe Public Education Network
Susan DeVaughn, Educate Andover
House Speaker Ron Ryckman’s recent op-ed was extremely disappointing to Kansas public education parent advocates.
We disagree with Rep. Ryckman’s assertion that the Legislature should have passed his “better” school funding plan. We oppose the way his plan attempts to resolve the inflation issue and believe it would fail constitutional muster. We can’t go into much detail, though, because Rep. Ryckman submitted only an outline of his “better” plan to his fellow legislators over 250 days after the Court issued its opinion and with only two days remaining in the regular session. Rep. Ryckman’s “better” plan had no public hearings, no budget runs, no legal basis, and yet he complains because his last-minute deal wasn’t adopted.
Instead of proposing a last-minute problematic plan, Rep. Ryckman should have provided constructive leadership through the regular session. The Senate understood how narrow the Gannon VI school finance ruling was and how close lawmakers are to reaching constitutional adequacy for the first time in over a decade. They passed a bill to fund inflation in mid-March. House leadership failed to resolve the inflation issue, choosing instead to usurp the role of our state and local boards of education through controversial policy changes and entered the final days of the regular session without having passed a funding bill.
More offensive than the procrastination and lack of focus exhibited by House leadership is the way Rep. Ryckman rewrites history. If the Legislature had returned to the promises made in the Montoy case as the national recession lifted in 2010, there would be no Gannon lawsuit. Instead leadership prioritized continued budget cuts and later the 2012 tax plan that many of us correctly predicted would put Kansas in a huge fiscal hole, leaving it unable to meet its financial obligations. The Block Grant plan Rep. Ryckman championed in 2015 is more typical of past obstinance that ensured school finance litigation would continue as our children progressed from elementary to middle to high school. The bill passed by the Legislature this session is not “the same failed approach,” but is rather a refreshing good-faith effort to end the litigation.
Rep. Ryckman’s concept of how to deal with fiscal uncertainty in the future defies common sense and abdicates his responsibility. His overall theme is that we must “help” our children by avoiding promising them adequately funded schools, because that promise might be challenging to keep in the future. Instead, he urges Kansans to ignore actual estimates on the cost of educating our children, and instead for schools to make do with less, regardless of needs, regardless of state standards. Rep. Ryckman’s stance is particularly ironic given his support for SB 22, a tax cut proposal that would blow a much bigger hole in the budget than the inflation adjustment that just passed.
Funding inflation into the future is not a “poison pill.” Unless the Legislature plans to prohibit school vendors from increasing their prices, the inflation adjustment merely maintains district purchasing power from year to year. Failure to adjust for inflation was the lesson we learned from the Montoy case and results in functional cuts to our schools.
Rep. Ryckman knows we were watching the votes on the inflation funding bill. He voted against it. He says the vote was not about who loves schools and who doesn’t, but about whether “we want to make promises we can keep.” We understand the competing demands on the state budget, but the Legislature has never been able to demonstrate our schools don’t need the funding they agreed to provide last year. The expert hired by the Senate last year only bolstered the claims of education advocates. The real question isn’t how do we avoid making promises we can’t keep, it’s how do we keep the promises we need to make for the sake of Kansas children?
After 40 years as a doctor interacting with patients, in the last two and a half years the tables turned, and I’ve become the patient. Although most are good, I’ve found some doctors are detached, some are too quick, some would rather be somewhere else, some are even angry; but, when a physician who cares walks into the room, and I’m not exaggerating, the day becomes better, the pain becomes less, and hope fills my heart. Scientific knowledge is important, but the ability to convey honest concern, human thoughtfulness and compassion is equal in importance in this healing profession. So, how do we select pre-med students for that, or teach compassion in medical school?
There are studies that show those interested in humanities or taught disciplines that explore how people tick, do better in the compassion department. These disciplines include history, literature, religion, ethics, anthropology, psychology, cultural studies and the arts of theater, film, painting and poetry. Some explain that the humanities give us the very reason to learn science and mathematics.
Several studies support the value of humanities in medicine. Seven hundred medical students were surveyed about their lifetime exposure to the humanities and the results indicated that those who had more humanities knowledge had more empathy, tolerance to ambiguity, resourcefulness, emotional intelligence and less burnout. Another study found that a med student’s ability to recognize diagnostic clues increased by more than 35 percent after taking a visual arts class. Another study found practicing improv theater helped med students learn to prepare for unexpected questions and conversations. A fourth study showed how writing exercises helped med students have foresight into what a patient may be experiencing. Clearly, an exposure to the humanities makes a better doctor.
I believe that care providers who have had a well-rounded humanities education have a better chance of understanding about how it feels to face pain, nausea, loss of bodily functions or even a cancer diagnosis. Those steeped in good literature or art have a better opportunity to tap creative juices to problem solve and tolerate a life that can be ambiguous and unpredictable. Those who are knowledgeable of history, ethics, cultural ways will find it easier to know when it is time to stop aggressive care and move toward comfort.
This is a call for all students to become readers, to find time to enjoy the humanities, to exercise your caring and compassion muscles; so, when you come into the room of a person suffering, it makes their pain less and day better.
For free and easy access to the entire Prairie Doc® library, visit www.prairiedoc.org and follow The Prairie Doc® on Facebook, featuring On Call with the Prairie Doc® a medical Q&A show streaming live most Thursdays at 7 p.m. central.
Master storyteller Roy Wenzl will discuss his book “The Miracle of Father Kapaun” at the Hays Public Library on April 20 at 2 p.m. in the Schmidt Gallery.
Father Emil Kapaun, a Kansas native, was a priest and U.S. Army chaplain who won the Medal of Honor for actions in combat and in a North Korean prisoner of war camp. Kapaun also is being considered by the Vatican for canonization as a saint.
The book, authored by Wenzl and Travis Heying, chronicles Kapaun’s service and alleged miracle healings. Kapaun died in captivity in 1951.
Wenzl is an award-winning Wichita journalist, who is also the primary author of “Bind, Torture, Kill: The Inside Story of BTK, the Serial Killer Next Door.”
You can find out more about this and other library programs at hayslibrary.org or by calling 785-625-9014.
SHAWNEE, Kan. (AP) — Authorities say a man has died after being electrocuted while working in the garage of a suburban Kansas City home.
Police say the man’s death Wednesday morning at a homein the 6500 block of Hallet Street in Shawnee, Kansas, is under investigation but appears to be an accident.
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — Some Republican lawmakers are calling for the resignation of University of Missouri-Kansas City Chancellor C. Mauli Agrawal over what they say was his inadequate response to the disruption of a conservative speaker’s appearance last week.
Police arrest protester image courtesy UMKC News
Lawmakers also threatened to reduce the university’s budget to “make a statement” about what they consider an increase in liberal intolerance on college campuses.
University students on Thursday interrupted an anti-transgender speech by conservative Michael Knowles, a contributor to the Daily Wire website. As other students booed and began to walk out, one student rushed the stage and used a water gun to shoot a mix of lavender oil and other nontoxic substances toward Knowles, who wasn’t injured.
The student, Gerard Dabu, was tackled by campus police and later charged with disturbing the peace, assault on law enforcement, property damage and resisting arrest. He was also suspended and banned from campus during the investigation.
Agrawal issued a statement the next day saying the students’ treatment of Knowles “crossed a line.” He said the school was committed to free speech and maintaining a safe environment for all points of view, “even extreme ones.”
The chancellor also called Knowles “a speaker whose professed opinions do not align with our commitment to diversity and inclusion and our goal of providing a welcoming environment to all people, particularly to our LGBT community.” Knowles denounced the chancellor’s statement during an appearance later on Fox News.
Agrawal issued a second statement as lawmakers discussed the issue Monday night.
“My original statement may have given an indication that UMKC does not support freedom of expression for all. I apologize if I’ve given that impression, for that was not my intention,” Agrawal wrote. “It is not the university’s role to take sides, but to rise to the higher principle of promoting a respectful exchange of ideas for our students to form their own views and engage in critical thinking.”
University of Missouri System President Mun Choi told House lawmakers during a Wednesday hearing on the incident that he still has faith in Agrawal and is confident that he’s committed to free speech.
Choi later told reporters that he doesn’t feel pressured to fire the chancellor, although Republican Rep. Robert Ross during the hearing had asked him “at what point would a staff member not be worth that trade off in a reduced amount of your budget?”
“Am I willing to sacrifice a person for the sake of getting more money from the state?” Choi said. “The answer is, in my case I’m going to be fair to the individual.”
On Monday night, Sen. David Sater, a Cassville Republican and a member of the Appropriations Committee, was among those calling for Agrawal’s resignation during a discussion on the floor of the Missouri Senate. Sen. Gary Romine, a Farmington Republican, said the Senate needed to make a statement, adding: “Intolerance has taken on a different swing of the pendulum at this time.”
Democratic Sen. Jason Holsman, who district includes the university, urged lawmakers to give Agrawal time to clarify.
“The rest of the students do not deserve to be in the cross-hairs of an appropriations battle over words you find distasteful from the chancellor,” Holsman said.
St. Louis Democratic Rep. Peter Merideth told Agrawal during the House hearing that he’s “much more concerned with our reaction to your reaction.”
“That I find much more troubling than anything you said,” Merideth said.
Police said the liquid shot at Knowles was a mixture of lavender oil and nontoxic household liquids. The color and scent of lavender have been adopted by the LGBTQ community as a symbol for transgender solidarity.
Thursday A 20 percent chance of showers after 2pm. Mostly sunny, with a high near 64. Very windy, with a northwest wind 10 to 20 mph increasing to 20 to 30 mph in the afternoon. Winds could gust as high as 41 mph.
Strong cooler north to northwest winds are expected Thursday afternoon. Some gusts may approach 50 mph during the afternoon hours. #kswxpic.twitter.com/m87GUvvu6Q
Thursday Night A 20 percent chance of showers before 8pm. Mostly cloudy, then gradually becoming clear, with a low around 36. Windy, with a north northwest wind 21 to 26 mph decreasing to 8 to 13 mph after midnight. Winds could gust as high as 37 mph.
Friday Sunny, with a high near 70. North northwest wind 8 to 10 mph.
Friday NightClear, with a low around 44. North wind 6 to 9 mph becoming south after midnight.
Saturday Sunny, with a high near 82.
Saturday Night Mostly clear, with a low around 51.
Sunday A chance of showers between 8am and 2pm, then a chance of showers and thunderstorms after 2pm. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 65. Chance of precipitation is 30%.
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — The Kansas Supreme Court has ruled that Gov. Laura Kelly cannot file a brief in support of a law that would add about $90 million annually to public school funding.
The governor on Monday asked the court for permission to file the brief in support of a bill she signed April 5.
The court said on Wednesday that such motions, called amicus briefs, must be filed 30 days before oral arguments in a case. The arguments on the latest effort to address school finance litigation are scheduled for May 9.
Four school districts sued the state over education funding in 2010.
Attorneys representing the schools argued that late request to file the brief didn’t leave them enough time to respond to her argument.
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — The families of victims of a mass shooting at a central Kansas business in 2016 have won a $2 million legal settlement from a pawn shop that sold the firearms to the shooter’s girlfriend.
Law enforcement near the parking lot of Excel in Hesston on the day of the tragedy -Courtesy photo
The settlement of three lawsuits in Harvey County District Court was announced Wednesday by Brady, a national center against gun violence.
Brady attorneys represented the wife and young son of one of three people shot to death at the Excel Industries factory in Hesston. Fourteen people also were wounded.
The victims’ families argued that the now-defunct A Pawn Shop should have known that shooter Cedric Ford’s girlfriend was a straw buyer. He was a convicted felon barred from possessing the firearms.
An attorney for the pawn shop did not immediately return a telephone message seeking comment.
LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — Authorities have arrested a man suspected of driving away after crashing into the rear of a stalled car as people tried to push it off a Lawrence road.
Walden photo Douglas County
Andrew Walden, 25, Iola, faces one count of leaving the scene of the May 2017 crash that sent four people to a hospital, two of them in critical condition. Although that count and two felony aggravated battery charges were filed in January, Walden wasn’t arrested until this week. Jail records show he has been released on $7,500 bond.
A civil lawsuit filed against Walden says he was under the influence of alcohol when he crashed into the car. Walden acknowledged hitting the car in his written response to the suit but denied that he’d been drinking.
TOPEKA – Encouraging Kansas National Guard members to participate in peer counseling sessions, Governor Laura Kelly signed House Bill 2365 in an official signing ceremony today, exempting any notes or records of National Guard members’ counseling sessions from the Kansas Open Records Act (KORA).
“Mental health matters – for civilians and guard members alike. It’s important that we do all we can to decrease the stigma around mental health and encourage guardsmen and women to seek the necessary help,” Kelly said. “This is an issue of great importance to me personally and I’m proud to sign this legislation into law.”
Kelly was joined by Major General Lee E. Tafanelli, mental health representatives from the Kansas National Guard, and legislators at the signing ceremony.
“We must work together to expand access to affordable healthcare and mental healthcare for our men and women in uniform,” Kelly said.
House Bill 2365 amends the law concerning the peer support counseling session communication privilege within the Code of Civil Procedure. By adding references to National Guard members throughout the section, their records would be inadmissible and not subject to disclosure or discovery in judicial or other proceedings. This legislation will become effective upon its publication in the Kansas Statute Book.
Governor Kelly also ceremonially signed House Bill 2123 at the event. This legislation was officially signed on April 2, 2019 and amended the Kansas National Guard Education Assistance Act.
The governor signed four additional bills yesterday, bringing the total number of bills signed in the 2019 Legislative Session to 42, with one being vetoed. By law, the Kansas governor has 10 calendar days to sign bills into law, veto bills or allow bills to become law without her signature.
House Bill 2040
Designates a portion of United States highway 75 as the John Armstrong Memorial Highway and a bridge on United States highway 77 as the SGT Kevin A. Gilbertson Memorial Bridge. This legislation will become effective upon its publication in the Kansas Statute Book.
House Bill 2084
Amends the Kansas 911 Act, including making changes to the membership of the 911 Coordinating Council. This legislation will become effective upon its publication in the Kansas Statute Book.
House Bill 2085
Clarifies that if a rural water district has available capacity, the board of the district must adhere to the benefit unit reinstatement requirements in continuing law. Also, the bill increases the maximum repayment period from 20 years to 40 years for loans provided by the Secretary of Health and Environment to municipalities for the payment of all or part of a project associated with a public water supply system. This legislation will become effective upon its publication in the Kansas Statute Book.
House Bill 2144
Amends the law related to community college student fees and enacts the Community College Taxpayer Transparency Act. The bill includes findings and conclusions generally noting the structure and financing of community colleges; the duty of transparency owed by community colleges to property taxpayers and students of community colleges; and reaffirming the students and taxpayers of community colleges as the priority in financial decisions, reporting processes, and transparency measures of community colleges. The bill takes effect on and after July 1, 2020.
Area law enforcement officials are on the lookout for a suspect who fled a traffic stop early Wednesday morning in Ellis County and are asking the public’s helping in locating the suspect.
According to Ellis County Undersheriff Scott Braun, at approximately 5:30 a.m. Wednesday, an Ellis County Sheriff’s deputy conducted a traffic stop at mile marker 172 on Interstate 70 on a car driven by 56-year-old James D. Pfaff.
Braun said the deputy because suspicious of the possibility of illegal drugs in the vehicle and detained Pfaff in order to search the vehicle. While waiting for a K-9 unit to arrive on scene, Pfaff was able to flee the scene in his vehicle, according to Braun.
Pfaff proceeded east on I-70 into Russell County at speeds in excess of 100 mph, Braun said, leading enforcement officials on a chase south of Gorham toward the south county line. There, he drove into a field and was able to escape from law enforcement.
Pfaff’s car was found unoccupied a short time later.
Law enforcement officials from the Barton, Ellis, Rush and Russell County sheriff’s departments, the Kansas Highway Patrol, and Hays Police Department all assisted in the pursuit.
Braun said Pfaff is not considered a danger to the community, but they are asking for the public’s helping in locating him. Anyone with information on his whereabouts is urged to contact law enforcement.
