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Author: Hays Post

Police make 2nd arrest in Kansas Christmas Day murder

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GEARY COUNTY — Law enforcement authorities are investigating a second suspect in connection with a fatal Christmas Day shooting.

Baker -photo Geary County
Green -photo Geary Co.

Just after 2p.m. Wednesday police arrested Mashaun Jay Baker, 33, Junction City, was arrested on suspicion of Capitol Murder, in connection with the crime, according to Junction City Police.

At 9:30 a.m. Christmas Day officers were sent to 948 Grant Avenue number 154 in Junction City after report of deceased person. Upon arrival officers found the body of 31-year-old Jenna Schafer who died from an apparent gunshot wound, according to police.

Baker was transported to the Geary County Detention Center where he was held without bond pending a first appearance in Geary County District Court.

This is the second arrest reported in the case. On Christmas night the JCPD reported that Dion Green, 33, Junction City, had been arrested on suspicion of First Degree Murder in connection with the shooting.

Ellsworth L. Murphy

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August 25, 1933 – January 03, 2019

Ellsworth L. Murphy, 85, passed away Thursday, January 3, 2019, in Humble, Texas.

Arrangements are pending with All Faiths Funeral Chapel, Smith Center.

Alison Ann (Clutter) Caro

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Larned – Alison Ann (Clutter) Caro, 69, passed away December 31, 2018 in Larned, KS after a three year battle with Glioblastoma brain cancer.

Born January 9, 1949 in Larned, Alison was the fourth child born to Charles Edgar and Norma Frances Hofsess Clutter. She was a healthy, strong willed, independent wife, mother, grandmother, sister and friend. A lifetime area resident, Alison had the privilege of being able to pursue her passion early on, studying music and ballet in Michigan and then furthering her education too South Florida. After a short time of teaching dance in Colorado; she came home to earn her Master’s degree in Special Education from Fort Hays State University. Alison taught special education at the Larned State Hospital and later worked for the United States Postal Service.

She was a member of the First Presbyterian Church and the church choir, Larned. Some of her most precious hobbies in life were enjoying her grandchildren, cooking, reading, gardening and being a foster care provider.

On August 1, 1981, she married Cecil Bradley with whom she had two precious boys, Miles and Malcolm. She later married Lloyd Vernon Caro, August 3, 1998 in Wichita; with whom she built a wonderful life of housekeeping, gardening and foster parenting.

Her beloved survivors include: husband, Lloyd Caro, Larned; two sons, Malcolm Joseph Bradley, Ruidoso, New Mexico, Miles Dustin and Lindsey Bradley, Topeka; step-son, Chris Caro, Hudson; two step-daughters, Leah and Matt Alexander, Garfield, Suzan Lohr, Larned; brother, David Clutter, Parachute, Colorado; sister, Cydney and Frank Pearce, Richland Springs, Texas; six grandchildren, Logan Bradley, Dakota Bradley, Aliah Alexander, Avah Alexander, Asher Alexander, Abe Alexander and foster daughter, Kassandra Razo, Larned.

She was preceded in death by her parents and a brother, Curtis Clutter.

Memorial service will be at 11 a.m. Saturday at the First Presbyterian Church, Larned, with Pastor Bill Stapleton presiding. Visitation will be from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Friday at Beckwith Mortuary, Larned.

Memorials may be given to American Cancer Society Hope Lodge-Kansas City, MO in care of Beckwith Mortuary, P.O. Box 477 Larned, KS 67550. Condolences may be left at www.beckwithmortuary.com.

Derek M. Pfannenstiel

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Derek M. Pfannenstiel, beloved son of Alden and Judy (Janssen) Pfannenstiel was born on August 2, 1982, in Norton, Kansas, and passed away at his home in Norton on January 1, 2019, at the age of 36.

Derek grew up in Norton and graduated from the Norton Community High School. He worked at New Age Industrial Inc. in Norton as a welder.

Derek was confirmed into the Catholic faith. Some of his greatest joys were hunting, fishing, cruising around backroads, and spending time with his friends and family, he especially loved his dog, Ryder. He took great pride in his job, and thoroughly enjoyed being able to make friends that became family to him.

Survivors include: his parents, Alden and Judy Pfannenstiel, Norton; one brother, Blake, and wife, Rachael Pfannenstiel, Norton; one sister, Nicole, and husband, Joe Henry, Norton; five nieces, Jessa, Annie, and Avery Pfannenstiel, Phoenix and Jazlynn Henry; one nephew, Kaine Henry; one daughter, Kyndal Peck; several other relatives and friends.

Derek was preceded in death by his paternal grandparents, Felix and Betty Pfannenstiel; maternal grandfather, Gilbert Janssen; numerous aunts, uncles, and cousins.

MEMORIALS – Derek Pfannenstiel Memorial Fund

Lois Yvonne Hubert

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Lois Yvonne Hubert passed away Tuesday, January 1, 2019, at the age of 92.

Lois was born March 5, 1926, in Upland, Nebraska, to Gust A. and Frances (Danielsen) Jameson. Lois attended Upland Schools until she transferred to Minden High School her senior year and graduated in 1944. After graduating she worked at Wright Patterson Army Base in Dayton, Ohio. On April 6, 1947 she married Delton W. Hubert. They lived in Kearney, NE while Delton finished his schooling.

They moved to Kansas in 1950 and farmed and ranched in the Oakley, Monument, Winona area. Lois was a member of the Monument Mothers Club, Immanuel Lutheran Church and the American International Charolais Association.

She was a homemaker and along with her husband raised their seven children, Susan (Rich) Pfannenstiel, Ozawkie, KS; Greg (Brenda) Hubert, Oakley, KS; Lynne Wheeler, Fort Scott, KS; Dianne (Steve) Swanson, Bay, MO; David (Shelby) Hubert, Oakley, KS; Randall (Toni) Hubert, Garden Plain, KS and Tim (Michelle) Hubert, Oakley, KS. She was also blessed with 15 grandchildren, 17 great grandchildren and one great-great grandchild; Craig (Cheri) Renner, children John (Briana) and son Paxton Renner, Cole Renner and Peyton Renner; Tracey (Marc) Welsh, children Parker, Carter and Reagan; Mark (Andrea) Hubert, children Maddox and Mackenzie; Loralea Hubert, children Jovea and Cooper; Scott (Sara) Sutton, children McKinley, Marley and Tucker; Kyle Swanson; Kristin (Corey) Van Natta, children Mila and Maxwell; Whitney (Jeff) Dennis, children Vada and Sutton; Lindsey (John) Behrendt; Hannah Hubert; Austin (Nicole) Hubert; Camille Hubert; Blake Hubert; Cayle Hubert and Braydon Hubert.

Lois was preceded in death by her husband, Delton; her parents; two sisters, Hazel Schroeder and Ruby Cole and her son-in-law Rex Wheeler.

Visitation is 5-7:00 p.m. Friday, January 4, 2019, at Baalmann Mortuary, Oakley. Funeral Service is 10:00 a.m. Saturday, January 5, 2019, at the Immanuel Lutheran Church, Oakley, with burial to follow in the Oakley City Cemetery. Memorials are suggested to the Logan County Healthcare Foundation or Prairie Senior Living Complex, in care of Baalmann Mortuary, PO Box 204, Oakley, KS 67748. For condolences or information visit www.baalmannmortuary.com

Moran: Medicaid expansion could help Kansas hospitals

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LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — Republican U.S. Sen. Jerry Moran says many rural hospitals are “hanging on by a thread” and could benefit from the additional revenue that Medicaid expansion would generate.

Moran meeting with hospital administration in Lawrence -photo courtesy LMH

But Moran says he wants to leave the decision in Kansas to the Legislature.  Moran made the comments Wednesday after speaking to LMH Health president and CEO Russ Johnson during a visit to Lawrence.

Kansas has rejected accepting additional federal funding provided through the Affordable Care Act to expand the jointly state and federally funded Medicaid program for the poor and disabled. But the idea is being revisited now that incoming Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly has expressed interest.

Moran says Kansas needs to weigh a funding increase against “how long those federal dollars will be in place.”

INSIGHT KANSAS: Jenkins gets her beak wet

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Well, that sure did not take long.

Former Kansas Congresswoman Lynn Jenkins is becoming a lobbyist. Via Twitter, she recently announced the formation of a new venture, LJ Strategies LLC, already registered to lobby in the state of Kansas.

Michael A. Smith is a Professor of Political Science at Emporia State University.

Ethics laws prohibit ex-members of Congress from lobbying that body for one year after leaving, so LJ Strategies will formally lobby only at the state level during its first year. After that, the field is wide open for Jenkins to use her years of institutional knowledge and insider connections to lobby her former colleagues.

Nothing about this is illegal. Jenkins and her partners know the law and followed it to the letter. But that does not make it right.

Jenkins’ gambit perfectly encapsulates voters’ anger at the so-called political establishment. Rage against it helped fuel President Trump’s rise among rank-and-file Republicans, who still approve of his performance in office at levels approaching 90%. Hillary Clinton came to personify The Establishment, also provoking the surprise challenge of Senator Bernie Sanders for the Democratic nomination in 2016. Sanders is still in the game, and continued frustration also propels Democrats’ adoration for younger figures like the outspoken new Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York. Ocasio-Cortez has even been discussed as a possible presidential candidate, despite the fact that she just took office and has yet to shape policy decisions.

By contrast, Jenkins and her ilk are seasoned politicos, with decades of real-world experience learning how Congress, state legislatures, and executive agencies really work. For example, Jenkins’ role in moving the National Bio- and Agro-Defense Facility (NBAF) to Manhattan was so important that it interfered with redistricting in 2012. Though population shifts seemed to dictate that Manhattan and NBAF be moved out of Jenkins’ district, the Kansas Legislature refused. Moving NBAF could jeopardize the whole project. Unable to agree on a map, legislators chucked the whole thing into the federal courts, making Kansas one of the last states to redistrict after the 2010 Census. The judges immediately and logically moved Manhattan to the First District.

Jenkins was also instrumental in a successful, multi-year effort to pass a new farm bill that was spearheaded by Senate Agriculture Committee chair Pat Roberts. The bill finally came to fruition last month, just weeks before the end of Jenkins’ term. Controversies, including changes in eligibility for SNAP benefits (formerly called Food Stamps), had delayed progress. This time, farmers’ alarm over the possible impact of Trump’s tariffs propelled the bill to passage. In addition, Jenkins was a member of House Republican leadership. Among other roles, she served on the powerful House Ways and Means Committee, writing tax policy.

Jenkins is respected, but her knowledge and skill cast a dark shadow. She is part of that inside-baseball, political culture that cannot resist—in Stephen Colbert’s pithy phrase—getting their beaks wet. They dip in, keeping up with their old friends in power and using their connections for a little extra cash.

Maybe more than a little.

Governing is complicated. We desperately need experienced hands at the tiller. Unfortunately, that is become a tough case to defend, when so many long-timers see themselves as part of an elite political class, trading on political connections far removed from the lives of those they used to represent.

Lynn Jenkins accomplished some remarkable things as a state legislator, state treasurer, and Member of Congress. Now, with the formation of LJ Strategies, LLC, she becomes part of the problem.

Michael A. Smith is a Professor of Political Science at Emporia State University.

Police: Kansas couple jailed after chase with stolen gun

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SEDGWICK COUNTY — Law enforcement authorities are investigating two Kansas felons on new charges after a police chase.

Jensen -photo Sedgwick Co.
Detrich-photo Sedgwick Co.

Just after 2:30 a.m. Wednesday, police attempted to stop a white 1997 Jeep Grand Cherokee near Interstate 235 and Kansas 42 in reference to suspicious activity reported at the Motel 6, 5736 W. Kellogg, according to officer Charley Davidson.

Upon attempting to stop the vehicle, a suspect later identified as 39-year-old Michelle Detrich of Great Bend threw a handgun out of the window and the other suspect later identified as 36-year-old Jonathan Jensen accelerated, refused to stop and fled from police. A short vehicle pursuit ensued to the intersection of Mt. Vernon and Pallisade where Jensen then fled from the vehicle on foot.

Officers arrested Detrich from the vehicle, and arrested Jensen after a short foot pursuit. Officers recovered the handgun, stolen out of Hutchinson, according to Davidson.

They duo face charges of felon in possession of a firearm, aggravated weapons violation, evade and elude, traffic charges and outstandingwarrants.

Jensen has previous convictions for burglary, arson, theft, failure to stop at an injury accident and for drugs, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections.  Detrich has previous convictions for drugs and for an attempt to fee or elude law enforcement, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections.

16-year-old killed during Kansas robbery was armed

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WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — Authorities say a 16-year-old boy who was fatally shot during a Wichita gas station robbery was armed.

Police on the scene of the armed robbery investigation -photo courtesy KWCH

A police report lists the teen’s death as a justifiable homicide. Police say a 42-year-old customer pulled out his gun and fired multiple shots Friday after he was robbed. Three others suspected of participating in the robbery then fled.

Police say the robbery is related to an earlier robbery at a Family Dollar Store in which three people held up an employee at gunpoint and took money and cigarettes. A 17-year-old has been arrested in the robberies and police continue searching for two other suspects.

In Kansas, killings are justifiable when a person reasonably believes deadly force is necessary to prevent death or extreme harm to themselves or others.

Hays VFW Stars and Stripes Breakfast Jan. 13

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Come get an awesome breakfast at the Hays VFW, 2106 Vine, Sun. Jan. 13, at 7:30 a.m.

Tickets at the door are:
Adults- $9.00/ in Advance $8.50
Kids(5-12)- $4.00/ In Advance $3.50
Kids under 5 eat free.

Menu:
Bacon, Eggs, Hash Browns, Pancakes, Sausage, Gravy, Toast, Coffee, and Orange Juice. ALL YOU CAN EAT!!!

Sponsor is Hays High Chamber Singers.

Sharon A. Barraza

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Sharon A. Barraza, age 57, passed away on Tuesday, January 1, 2019 at the St. Catherine Hospital in Garden City, Kansas.

She was born on January 8, 1961 in Gallup, New Mexico, the daughter of Raymond and Grace Etcitty Warner. A resident of Scott City, Kansas, since 1999 moving from Mariano Lake, New Mexico, she was a retired dietitian aide and worked for Park Lane Nursing Home.

She was a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints of Scott City. She was a US Army Veteran from 1980 until 1983 with the rank of SP4.

Survivors include her Two Sons – Jonathan Warner of Scott City, Kansas, Carlos Barraza of Scott City, Kansas, Three Daughters – Terri Warner of Garden City, Kansas, Crystal Morgan of Crownpoint, New Mexico, Lisa Barraza of Scott City, Kansas, Ex Spouse Roy Barraza of Mexico, Five Brothers – Leon Warner, Standing Rock, NM, Raymond Warner JR, Smith Lake, NM, Virgil Warner, Gallup, NM, Harold Warner, Farmington, NM, Dan Etcitty, Mariano Lake, NM, Nine Sisters – Lana Nez, Zuni NM, Rose Warner, Crownpoint NM, Elaine Morgan, Crownpoint NM, Sonya Largo, Crownpoint, NM, Raquel Warner, Mariano Lake, NM, April Warner, Gallup, NM, Yvonne Long, Casamero Lake, NM, Helen McCay, California, Eunice Brown, Dilkon, AZ, and Fifteen Grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her Parents, Three Brothers – Hubert Warner, Van Warner, Paul Warner, Four Sisters – Ruth Warner, Janice Brown, Karon Warner, and Lavern Warner.

Memorial Services will be held at 1:00 p.m. Saturday, January 5, 2019 at the First Baptist Church in Scott City, Kansas with Rev. Kyle Evans presiding.

Memorials in Lieu of Flowers may be made to the Sharon Barraza Memorial Fund in care of Price & Sons Funeral Homes.

There will be no calling times.

2 Kan. felons jailed after counterfeit cash investigation

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DICKINSON COUNTY — Law enforcement authorities are investigating two suspects in connection with counterfeit cash.

Nuss -photo Dickinson Co.
Loomis-photo Herington Police

On Wednesday, police began an investigation involving counterfeit u.s. currency at 1207 North C Street in Herington, according to Police Chief Brian Hornaday.

During the search of the residence, police arrested Nathan David Nuss, 41, Herington, on suspicion of Felony Interference with a Law Enforcement Officer. When the search warrant was executed investigators located methamphetamine, marijuana, drug paraphernalia and county money.

Hornaday said as a result of the investigation Nuss was also arrested on suspicion of Possession of Methamphetamine with Intent to Distribute, Possession of Marijuana, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, and Criminal Use of Weapons. He was transported to the Dickinson County jail where he remains jailed without bond pending a first appearance in District Court.

In connection with the investigation, police also conducted a search for Ashley Brook Loomis, 30, Herington.

Just after 12:30 a.m. Thursday she was located in Herington and taken into custody, according to Hornaday.

Nuss and Loomis have previous drug convictions, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections.

Netflix issues warning about ‘Bird Box Challenge’

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Netflix has issued a warning to viewers against a challenge meme that has gone viral after the success of the horror film “Bird Box.”

The challenge involves fans blindfolding themselves and then trying to navigate surroundings.

Netflix offered this tweet Wednesday.

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