SALINE COUNTY- Law enforcement and fire officials are investigating a rural house fire in Saline County.
Sheriff’s deputies were sent to a residence in the 7900 Block of Whitmore Road southwest of Gypsum on Wednesday morning, according to Saline County Sheriff Glen Kochanowski
Jimmy Andrew, who was caring for the property for his son, told deputies that he had last been at the property at around 6 p.m. Tuesday evening.
When he returned to the property just before 9 a.m. on Wednesday, he found only the basement and foundation of the home remaining.
Kochanowski said the fire was never reported to Saline County Rural Fire and that no one living in the area reported seeing smoke or flames.
Kochanowski said there were no immediate indications of foul play associated with the fire, but the Saline County Rural Fire Chief and the Fire Marshall are assisting with the investigation.
The home and its contents were valued at $115,000.
GREAT BEND -Those who want to get a look a the first veterans memorial stone in Golden Belt Memorial Park do not have to wait for a special ceremony on Veterans Day.
The first stone has been set at the Veterans Memorial that is located North of Great Bend on NW 50 Road.
“All branches of the military are represented and there are 377 names on the first stone,” according to Barton County Administrator Richard Boeckman.
“There are more lines than that but some individuals purchased two lines,” he said.
“It has been a fascinating project as individuals have come to my office to purchase a line and share their stories.”
On Veterans Day at 2 p.m., a dedication will be held to commemorate the first stone.
The county is now trying to sell the remaining space on a second stone. Just over 100 lines have been purchased.
Those wanting to purchase a spot on the memorial should contact the Barton County Administrator’s Office in the Courthouse.
Charles C. Haynes is director of the Religious Freedom Center of the Newseum Institute.
According to conventional presidential campaign wisdom, loose talk denigrating a religious tradition practiced by millions of Americans would seriously damage — if not sink — a candidate’s bid for the nomination of either major party.
But in what is already the most unconventional presidential primary contest in modern history, Republican presidential hopefuls Ben Carson and Donald Trump continue to rise in the polls despite statements suggesting that American Muslims are somehow dangerous and un-American.
Not only has anti-Islam rhetoric become politically acceptable in this campaign, it may actually be good politics in the fight for the Republican nomination.
Carson — leading the field in the most recent national poll — made headlines this month when he declared that Muslims should be barred from the presidency unless, as he clarified later, they “reject the tenets of Islam.”
Not to be outdone, Donald Trump, who is close behind Carson in the polls, let it be known during a television interview that he would consider closing some mosques as part of his anti-ISIS effort.
When pressed about a mosque-closing strategy because of something called religious freedom, Trump said: “It depends, if the mosque is, you know, loaded for bear, I don’t know. You’re going to have to certainly look at it.”
Trump and Carson are echoing a false and disturbing message about Islam disseminated over the past decade by a small number of anti-Muslim groups: Islam is America’s enemy — not extremists acting in the name of Islam, but Islam itself.
Much like the nativists of the 19th century who warned that Roman Catholicism is incompatible with American principles, nativists of the 21st century are sounding the alarm about Islam in the United States. “Islam,” argues Ben Carson, “is not consistent with the Constitution.”
Propaganda demonizing an entire faith community has consequences, especially when reinforced by leading candidates for the presidency.
It’s worth recalling that in the heyday of anti-Catholicism in America discredited rumors about the evils of convent life and “papist” plots to take over the country fueled widespread animus towards Catholics. Over a period of several decades, fear and hatred of Catholicism sparked periodic riots resulting in the loss of life and destruction of Catholic churches.
More than one hundred years later, American Muslims are the new Catholics. Mosques are frequently vandalized, Muslims are facing workplace discrimination, and hate groups are organizing anti-Islam campaigns.
Last spring, the anti-Muslim frenzy was on full display outside a mosque in Phoenix, Arizona. Hundreds of anti-Muslim demonstrators attended what they called a “patriotic” protest; most of them carrying guns and wearing profanity-laced T-shirts. Similar anti-Muslim protests were held outside mosques across the country this fall.
Of course, these attacks on Islam are not undertaken in a vacuum. Violent terrorists and extremists calling themselves “Muslims” have done much to fuel the blanket condemnations of Islam by anti-Muslim groups in the United States.
But propaganda only works when people are susceptible to the message. In addition to horrific world events, religious illiteracy, fear of the unknown and changing demographics are powerful drivers of prejudice.
Ben Carson is simply wrong about Islam in America. Millions of American Muslims are simultaneously faithful followers of Islam and patriotic Americans.
And Donald Trump is wrong about the danger of mosques in America. The hundreds of mosques and Islamic centers that dot the American landscape today are not hotbeds of terrorism. On the contrary, they are places where people of faith are actively engaged in serving the community, promoting understanding across faiths, and preventing radicalization among young people.
Here’s the good news: When it comes to building bridges across religious divides, familiarity breeds understanding and respect.
According to various studies, people who actually know a Muslim or take time to visit a mosque are far more likely to have favorable views of Islam.
As reported last spring in The Washington Post, Jason Leger — one of the protesters outside the Phoenix mosque wearing a hate message on his T-shirt — accepted an invitation to join the evening prayer inside the mosque.
“It was something I’ve never seen before,” Leger told the Post. “I took my shoes off. I kneeled. I saw a bunch of peaceful people. We all got along. They made me feel welcome, you know. I just think everybody’s points are getting misconstrued, saying things out of emotion, saying things they don’t believe.”
Anyone who is serious about being president of “We the People” — including Ben Carson and Donald Trump — should visit a mosque, talk to the Americans worshipping there, and find out the truth about Islam in America.
Charles C. Haynes is vice president of the Washington-based Newseum Institute and executive director of the Religious Freedom Center. [email protected]
“This backroom budget deal is a prime example of how Washington never runs out of excuses or budget gimmicks. Instead of a Republican-controlled Congress working towards more responsible spending practices and keeping our campaign promises, we got the opposite.
“This last-minute, secret deal Speaker Boehner and Senator McConnell wrote with President Obama was finalized without any input from the rest of the Republican Conference. However, I am confident that hordes of unelected staffers and highly-paid D.C. consultants had plenty of access to the ‘select’ three.
“And for Kansas farmers, this budget scheme would not only $85 billion in new spending, it could also dismantle the private crop insurance market and potentially replace it with one issued by government bureaucrats.”
DODGE CITY- One person was injured in an accident just before 2:30a.m. on Thursday in Ford County.
The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2004 Ford F150 driven by Marcos Guereca- Medina, 24, Mabton, WA., was eastbound on U.S 50 seven miles west of Dodge City.
The pickup went left of center and struck a westbound semi.
Guereca- Medina was transported to Western Plains Medical Center.
The semi driver Rafael Arrieta, 57, Garden City, was not injured.
Both drivers were properly restrained at the time of the accident, according to the KHP.
KANSAS CITY, Kan. (AP) — Two people have been charged in the death of a man in Kansas City, Kansas.
The Kansas City Star reports that Joel T. Solis-Robles of Shawnee was shot Monday. He was taken to a hospital, where he died.
The Wyandotte County prosecutor’s office has charged Ladarrious R. White and Kimberly C. Winn with murder. They’re also charged with attempted aggravated robbery and conspiracy to commit robbery.
White also faces an additional charge of criminal discharge of a firearm.
They’re both being held on $750,000 bond in the Wyandotte County jail.
MCPHERSON – Law enforcement authorities in McPherson County are investigating a phone scam.
Police reported on social media that officers received a second report Wednesday of a McPherson residents losing money to another scam.
The caller claimed to be with Publisher’s Clearing House and offered cash and a Mercedes-Benz if the subject would just send in a “small portion of the taxes on the prizes”.
Police reminded, “be suspicious of callers who claim you’ve won but ask you to send money.
You have not heard from a legitimate sweepstakes company, if you receive a telephone call from someone claiming you have won a sweepstakes prize and asking you to send money to claim it.”
Publishers Clearing House does not notify contest winners by phone.
DALLAS (AP) — Authorities say a missing Wichita man has been found dead in a car in Dallas.
According to Wichita police Lt. Todd Ojile, the Dallas Police Department contacted Wichita authorities on Oct. 20 and informed them that they had identified 46-year-old Otis Kelley’s body in a vehicle that residents say had been left in a neighborhood alley for several days. It is unclear how Kelley died.
Kelley was last seen on Oct. 16 at his Wichita auto shop with a friend. His family and friends filed a missing person report Oct. 18.
Lt. James Espinoza says authorities have located Kelley’s friend in Oklahoma. Ojile say police believe Kelley and his friend traveled to Dallas together.
The Dallas Police Department continues to investigate the incident.
WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — The U.S. Agriculture Department has awarded Kansas a $1.3 in matching funds for a program to increase the availability of ethanol blended fuels for motorists.
The Kansas Corn Growers Association said in a news release Wednesday that Kansas is one of 21 states to receive funding from the U.S. Agriculture Department to expand infrastructure.
Those moneys will allow a coalition called the Kansas Better Blends Initiative to begin a substantial effort to help Kansas fuel retailers offer their customers choices for higher ethanol blends.
The coalition provides awards that cover 90 percent of the cost of installation for blender pumps and 75 percent of the cost of E15 pumps that provide higher blend ethanol products.
WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — A 20-year-old woman has been charged in the death of a Wichita State University student.
Eboni Fingal was charged Wednesday with first-degree murder and aggravated robbery in the fatal shooting of 23-year-old Rayan Ibrahim Baba.
Baba, a Saudi undergraduate student majoring in electrical engineering, was found lying in a Wichita State parking lot on Aug. 8 with multiple gunshot wounds. He later died at a hospital.
Fingal was arrested Tuesday after being initially arrested Aug. 9 and released in September pending charges. Police say another suspect in the shooting is currently in prison on a parole violation. He has not been charged in the shooting.
It wasn’t immediately clear if Fingal has an attorney.
LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — The National Science Foundation has awarded a $4.2 million grant to research how climate change affects river systems in the U.S. and Mongolia.
Half of the money from the five-year grant will support work at the University of Kansas, where ecology and evolutionary biology professor James Thorp is the grant’s lead investigator. He says that North American river systems, with their dams and presence of non-native fauna, could foreshadow the future of rivers in Mongolia. And he says what is observed in Mongolia could indicate changes U.S. rivers will undergo in the future.
Also participating are researchers from Ball State University, Drexel University, Kansas State University, the National University of Mongolia, Rutgers University, the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology, the University of Nevada Reno and Wayne State College.
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — The spokeswoman for the Kansas Department for Aging and Disability Services is facing criticism over a Facebook posting in which she used the phrase “slow learners” while criticizing a proposed voter registration program.
Agency Secretary Kari Bruffett said in an email Wednesday that spokeswoman Angela de Rocha’s posting wasn’t referring to the developmentally disabled. Bruffett said de Rocha was “stunned” by that interpretation.
The posting was on an Associated Press reporter’s Facebook page, under a link to a story about a proposal for a special course for college students struggling with voter registration requirements. The posting said, “Do we want these slow learners voting?”
Executive Director Tim Cunningham of the Chanute-based Tri-Valley Developmental Services called the comment offensive. Kansas Senate Democratic Leader Anthony Hensley said disciplinary action should be considered.
PLAINS – Three people were injured in a pair of accidents on Wednesday afternoon in Meade County
The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2005 Ford pickup driven by Kenneth C. Papay, 54 Meade, was eastbound on U.S. 54 just west of Plains just before 4:30p.m.
The pickup went left of center and struck a westbound semi.
Papay was transported to the hospital in Minneola.
Just after 5p.m., the Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 1995 Ford pickup driven by Caleb F. Tatro, 20 Plains, was eastbound on U.S. 54 at Grand Avenue in Plains.
The pickup slowed, pulled to the right hand shoulder, attempted to make a u-turn and struck the driver’s side of an eastbound semi.
Tatro and a passenger David B. Ratzlaff, 58, Plains, were transported to the Meade Hospital.
Tatro and Ratzlaff were not wearing seat belts, according to the KHP.
The semi drivers from California were not injured.
Kochanowski said the fire was never reported to Saline County Rural Fire and that no one living in the area reported seeing smoke or flames.
