TOPEKA–Macey Hensley, Council Grove, is being featured in a statewide television ad campaign from the Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism (KDWPT).
The popular six-year old is shown visiting Exploration Place in Wichita and the Eisenhower Presidential Library, Museum and Childhood Home in Abilene. The commercials encourage family travel in Kansas and will run in the Kansas City, Pittsburg, Topeka and Wichita markets April 25 through May.
Last year Hensley was tagged as one of Kansas’ Finest by Kansas! Magazine.
She has appeared on the Ellen DeGeneres Show seven times where she won the hearts of millions of viewers by demonstrating her in-depth knowledge of U.S. presidents from Washington to Obama. She will soon be visiting the Smithsonian Museum in Washington. D.C. courtesy of DeGeneres and is scheduled to appear on the show again on April 29, 2016.
Watch below to see Macey visit the Eisenhower Presidential Library, Museum and Childhood Home in Abilene.
Television commercials are among a variety of print, media and digital tools the Division of Tourism uses to promote Kansas travel across the nation and overseas.
Advocacy organizations joined forces Wednesday at the Statehouse and asked Kansas legislators to change course on tax policy.
The event coincided with the Legislature’s return to Topeka to wrap up the session.
One major issue that stands between them and adjournment is a $290 million revenue shortfall.
Gov. Sam Brownback recently proposed three options to address the projected shortfall, but the groups at Wednesday’s event say he should consider a fourth: reversing a 2012 tax cut bill that exempted more than 330,000 business owners and farmers from state income taxes. Annie McKay, with the Kansas Center for Economic Growth, is a frequent critic of the governor’s tax policy.
She said the state needs a long-term budget fix. Without one, she said, growing costs for services such as education and Medicaid will produce continued budget deficits. “We don’t have the ongoing revenue to pay for those, so this idea that we can cut our way out of this is simply a false choice that’s being presented,” McKay said.
“It’s not a long-term solution.” That plan will be a tough sell in the Statehouse, where Brownback and his supporters in the Legislature maintain the tax cuts are helping boost the economy. They also say now is not the time to raise taxes.
The three options established by state revenue leaders and the governor would take money from higher education, the Kansas Department of Transportation and early childhood programs, among other programs.
However, McKay and others said a revamped tax plan could help the state avoid repeated revenue shortfalls.
“We are going to be in this situation year after year after year, because we will be facing budget shortfalls and gaps year after year after year until we address the structural issue that we face,” she said.
Groups participating in the event included the Kansas-National Education Association, Kansas Action for Children, Kansas Organization of State Employees and Kansas Contractors Association. —
Submitted from the office of Congresswoman Lynn Jenkins
WASHINGTON, DC– On Thursday, April 28th, the House Homeland Security Committee will be holding a hearing entitled, “Transferring Guantanamo Bay Detainees To The Homeland: Implications For States And Local Communities.”Congresswoman Lynn Jenkins (KS-02) invited Todd Thompson, the Leavenworth County Attorney, as a witness to speak about how the President’s plan to close the detention center at Guantanamo Bay and potentially transfer the remaining terrorists to the Disciplinary Barracks at Fort Leavenworth would impact the Leavenworth community.
“Time and time again, the folks of Leavenworth have voiced their opposition to the President’s plan to potentially transfer Guantanamo detainees to Fort Leavenworth. That’s why I have been fighting, since January of 2009, to stop the President’s campaign promise from being fulfilled,” said Congresswoman Jenkins. “I am thrilled that Todd will be a key witness at this important hearing. His testimony will help provide another local viewpoint as to why the President’s campaign promise is deeply flawed and how it will adversely affect the Leavenworth community.”
Ahead of the hearing, Todd Thompson, the Leavenworth County Attorney, stated the following:
“The lack of communication from the President and Department of Defense with the Leavenworth community has made it nearly impossible for us to prepare for the possibility of the detainees from Guantanamo Bay coming here. There are national and international leaders and their families that live in this community. Families have loved ones buried a short distance from where the detainees would be housed. That, coupled with the strain of already-limited resources in our area, would be detrimental to our community.”
LEAVENWORTH, Kan. (AP) — Another patient has filed a lawsuit accusing a former physician assistant at the Veteran’s Administration hospital in Kansas of sexual abuse.
The complaint filed Tuesday in U.S. District Court of Kansas brings to at least four the number of civil lawsuits filed against Mark E. Wisner, and the federal government. Wisner also faces criminal charges of aggravated criminal sodomy, solicitation and sexual battery.
Wisner did not return a phone message. The hospital in Leavenworth reiterated that once accusations were brought to the attention of its leadership Wisner was immediately removed from patient care and an investigation initiated.
The Iraq war veteran alleges that Wisner conducted improper genital examinations and comments. He contends Wisner suggested he would withhold pain medications if the patient did not allow the examinations.
KINGMAN COUNTY – Two people were injured in an accident just before 10 a.m. on Wednesday in Kingman County.
The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2000 Chevy Pickup driven by Paul Rohlman, 86, Cunningham, was eastbound on the south shoulder of U.S.54 one mile west of Kingman.
The pickup backed onto the eastbound lane of U.S.54 in the path of a 2011 Dodge Pickup driven by Wayne L. Deakman, 77, Chochise, Arizona.
The Dodge attempted to avoid the Chevy. It entered the westbound lane, struck a westbound 2006 Acura Sedan driven by Sandra Haugen, 56, Wichita, and continued into the north ditch.
The Acura avoided to the left and struck the driver’s side of the Chevy pickup..
Rohlman was transported to Wesley Medical Center.
Haugen was transported to the hospital in Kingman.
Deakman was not injured.
Rohlman was not wearing a seat belt, according to the KHP.
SUMNER COUNTY – Law enforcement authorities continue to investigate an accident that injured two people just after 3 a.m. on Wednesday in Sumner County.
The Kansas Turnpike Authority reported a van driven by Britt E. George, 50, Wichita, was northbound on Interstate 35 and stopped for a toll-booth ticket at the Arkansas City/South Haven plaza.
The van was rear-ended by a semi driven by Christopher J. McGahey, 32, Commerce City, Colorado.
Both drivers were transported to a local hospital.
George was properly restrained at the time of the accident, according to the KTA.
The accident did significant damage to the toll plaza.
WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — A homeless man has pleaded guilty to criminal use of explosives after he went to apply for a job a Wichita abortion clinic with a small bottle of gunpowder and a wick in his backpack.
The Wichita Eagle reports that 20-year-old Moises R. Trevizo Jr. admitted Monday to the charge and is scheduled to be sentenced June 24 in Sedgwick County District Court.
Police have said he didn’t mean any harm and carried everything he owned in the backpack when he showed up to the South Wind Women’s Center in August. Police said the device was too small to damage the clinic.
The clinic operates in the building once owned by slain abortion provider George Tiller.
MANHATTAN -The Interfraternity Council (IFC) at Kansas State University is calling for change in the university’s sexual assault policy.
It was confirmed last week that the University is under a federal Title IX investigation and two female students filed civil rights lawsuits alleging K-State refused to investigate their rapes at off-campus fraternity houses.
Zach Lowry, president of the IFC said the resolution passed unanimously on Monday is not necessarily in response to the allegations. “The allegations are misleading – those events happened a long time ago, he said.
“The lawsuit has highlighted the policy that the Interfraternity Council has been attempting to change.”
Lowry has served on the council for the last three years and indicated the organization has brought the issue of investigating off campus Title IX violations to the university every semester he’s been on board.
“Whether it was from media attention or not, the endgame is for the positive regardless, the end goal is to provide better resources for the students,” he said.
The IFC resolution states, “Over the past two years members of the IFC Board of Directors and Panhellenic Council Board of Directors have met with University officials requesting a change in policy to allow the Office of Institutional Equity to investigate Title IX violations that occur off campus. These meetings have provided no clear plan of action.
We salute the bravery of victims during this time whose allegations were not fully investigated and adjudicated by the university. Specifically, the actions of Sara Weckhorst and Tessa Farmer, two students who have filed lawsuits against Kansas State for its refusal to investigate accusations of Title IX violations, including acts of sexual violence, which occurred off campus. Their fight against sexual violence has shed light on a university policy which has negatively impacted the lives of students for far too long.
As the leaders of our Greek community and in the interest of all students at Kansas State, we are specifically calling on our university to begin investigating allegations of sexual violence off campus.
Students of Kansas State who are victims of sexual assault have not received the care which should be provided to them by the university. This includes but is not limited to;
Immediate action by the university to ensure the students can continue their education free of sexual violence or harassment
Financial accommodations to ensure students receive counseling, tutoring, medical expenses, or a change in residence, class schedule, campus job, or extracurricular activity if needed
Investigation into the allegation whether it occurred on-campus or off which should be concluded in a 60 day time span
Training for university employees on how to identify, report, and handle sexual violence
We also recognize the need for additional funding, resources, and staff at the Kansas State CARE Office to better assist survivors of sexual assault, sexual violence, and sex discrimination. We believe that this measure, paired with an additional investigator hired for the Office of Institutional Equity to help with the investigation and adjudication process, would be the best steps toward providing the adequate support required.
As member organizations part of a university which holds Family as its core value we will collectively be taking further steps to educate, train, and prevent sexual assault from happening within our community. While the university does have a mandatory online education program for all students, these additional steps will ensure all members of fraternities are better trained on bystander intervention, consent, and sexual violence awareness.
As members of the K-State family we are committed to End Rape on Campus, and off.
SALINA – Law enforcement authorities in Saline continue to investigate a Tuesday shooting death at a Salina motel.
Just before 6:15 a.m., police were sent to the Starlite Motel, 211 E. Pacific, on a report of shots fired, according to a media release.
Officers found 21-year-old Adonis Loudermilk of Nebraska lying in the motel’s north parking lot. He had suffered a gunshot wound and was deceased at the scene, according to
Police Captain Chris Trocheck.
An intensive investigation identified 21-year-old DiAntre Lemmie as the primary suspect.
Lemmie was taken into custody after an alert officer spotted him driving a white pickup. A short high-speed pursuit ensued.
The pickup, after being blocked by a Union Pacific train, traveled on south on Santa Fe and then veered west along the railroad tracks until it became stuck in a vacant lot near the intersection of 7th and Lincoln.
Amber Craig
Lemmie, and a passenger, 34-year-old Tyi Daniel, bailed out of the vehicle and led officers on a short foot chase before they were both captured.
Trocheck said Loudermilk was acquainted with Lemmie and Daniel. The three men had been in a room at the motel when an altercation took place just prior to the shooting.
Also in the room was 24-year-old Amber Craig. According to Trocheck, Craig was also involved in the altercation.
Lemmie and Craig have both been booked on requested charges of conspiracy to commit aggravated robbery, aggravated robbery, and felony murder.
Daniel was booked on a requested charge of obstructing apprehension or prosecution.
Trocheck declined to comment on a motive for the crime, but did indicate that a weapon had been recovered.
The Salina Police Department is asking anyone with information to call 785-826-7210 or Crime Stoppers at 785-825-TIPS. Tips can also be sent via text message by texting SATIPS to CRIMES (274637) or online by following the Crime Stoppers link at
Tyi Daniel
www.pd.salina.org. You may receive a cash reward of up to $1,000 and you are not required to give your name.
DETROIT (AP) â Ford is recalling nearly 202,000 pickup trucks, SUVs and cars in North America because the automatic transmissions can suddenly downshift to first gear.
The recall covers the 2011 and 2012 F-150 and the 2012 Expedition, Mustang and Lincoln Navigator. Ford says a speed sensor can force vehicles into a downshift.
The company says the problem has caused three crashes but no injuries.
Dealers will inspect the sensors. If they find no trouble codes, they’ll update software. If trouble codes are present they’ll replace parts.
The company also is recalling over 81,000 Explorer SUVs to fix a rear suspension problem that can cause loss of steering control. That recall covers SUVs from 2014 and 2015. Suspension links could fracture due to poor welds.
Wednesday morning water rescue- photo Shawnee Co. Emergency Management
SHAWNEE COUNTY- Authorities are warning of flooding after a spring storm dumped heavy rain across a large swath of eastern Kansas.
The National Weather Service says flood warnings are in effect until mid- to late Wednesday morning for more than a dozen counties. The counties include Douglas, Geary, Riley, Shawnee, Johnson, Leavenworth, Wyandotte, Atchison, Coffey, Franklin, Jackson, Lyon, Osage, Pottawatomie and Wabaunsee.
Meteorologist Matt Walters says fire crews helped a handful of Shawnee County families evacuate Wednesday morning after water surrounded their homes. He says a water rescue also was reported in Osage County.
Late Tuesday several areas throughout Shawnee County had water coming over the roadway due to heavy rainfall., according to the Shawnee County Sheriff’s Department.
Localized flooding was occurring on rural roads and low lying farm grounds.
Forecasters also are warning that the Marais Des Cygnes River at La Cygne and the Delaware River near Muscotah are at risk of flooding in coming days.
Several areas received more than 4 inches of rain.
