ULYSSES, Kan. (AP) — A 17-year-old Kansas student will collect diplomas from high school and Harvard University this month.
Braxton Moral photo courtesy KCTV
Braxton Moral received his high school degree from Ulysses High School Sunday. He will graduate with a bachelor’s degree from Harvard on May 30.
Moral’s parents are likely to miss both graduations because his mom, Julie Moral, had kidney transplant surgery at the University of Kansas Medical Center Wednesday after being on a wait list for nearly a year.
The teen majored in government and minored in English through Harvard’s extension program. He took classes online during the school year and on the Harvard campus during summers. Some Harvard classes substituted for high school class credits.
Moral now plans to attend law school but he hasn’t chosen a school.
By KIM BALDWIN McPherson County farmer and rancher
We’re beginning to notice small changes in our wheat crop. The short green fields are growing tall. Before long, the wheat will begin turning from the vivid greens to the golden hues signaling the nearness of summer harvest.
While driving into town for school with my son recently, the topic of summer came up. For many kiddos, summer means sleeping in, swim lessons, drive-in movies or summer camps.
When I asked my boy what his plans were for this summer, his answer included swimming, fishing, riding his bike, playing baseball, visiting a museum and going on a trip.
“But we have to harvest the wheat first, Mom,” he concluded matter-of-factly.
My boy knows how we kick off summer on our farm.
For many families, once school is out, vacations, barbecues, a slower pace and freedom are all imminent.
Once classes are over for my family, our days consist of finishing up the planting of our corn, soybeans and sorghum, rushing to get ready for wheat harvest and then racing storms to get the crop out of the fields. It’s the busiest time of the year, and it’s a family affair that both of my children have always been a part of.
During harvest my son helps with delivering meals, riding in the combines next to his dad and grandpa, and helps deliver the grain to our local elevator. He takes his harvest jobs very seriously. The jobs require a lot of time, so we try not to schedule a lot during this period.
Swim lessons and afternoon fishing trips are often substituted by playing with a water hose in the front yard and practicing casting techniques off the front porch after coming in for the evening. Sleeping in generally doesn’t happen because we want to utilize the coolness of the mornings before the heat rolls in to accomplish other tasks on the farm. Drive-in movies just don’t work because we are either out harvesting late into the night or are too tired to stay awake for a show.
Simple pleasures like campouts in the living room, popsicles, taste testing freshly baked cookies for our harvest crew and running through the sprinklers when the opportunity presents itself are the norm for my children during the summer harvest. Although they are simple, they are thoroughly enjoyed and embraced by my kids. It’s all part of being a farm kid during the summer months.
My boy knows wheat harvest is what we do first before we can start checking off our other fun summer activities from our to-do list.
I always find it interesting how he accepts our crazy schedule. I suppose it is because it’s what he has always known. I’m still thankful he recognizes the importance of getting the wheat harvested while also finding ways to enjoy his summer.
“Insight” is a weekly column published by Kansas Farm Bureau, the state’s largest farm organization whose mission is to strengthen agriculture and the lives of Kansans through advocacy, education and service.
OLATHE, Kan. (AP) — The co-founder of a suburban Kansas City school has been found not guilty of aggravated indecent liberties with a child.
Dennis Creason – photo Johnson County
49-year-old Dennis Creason was acquitted Tuesday on several counts of aggravated indecent liberties with a child.
Creason and his wife, of Bonner Springs, co-founded founded Oaklawn Christian School in Shawnee. He was accused of lewd fondling or touching of children under the age of 14 between 2009 and early 2018.
Oaklawn Christian School closed following Creason’s arrest.
Creason testified during the trial that he never had sexual contact with the children. His attorneys argued the five girls who testified were coached about what to say.
But prosecutors argued the children were afraid of Creason and had no reason to lie.
SEDGWICK COUNTY —The Wichita Police department has honored two officers with the bronze wreath of valor for their outstanding service and acts of bravery.
Wichita Police Chief Gordon Ramsay with officer Dulohery
According to a social media report, Officer Dulohery responded to a domestic disturbance that led to a short vehicle and then a foot pursuit. When Officer Dulohery caught up to the suspect, he observed a gun in his hand. Officer Dulohery pinned the suspects arm against the side of a garage, allowing other officers to take the suspect into custody.
The suspect was booked into jail for 3 counts of aggravated assault of a law enforcement officer, aggravated interference with law enforcement and violation of a court order. No one was injured.
Officer Gerlach witnessed an armed robbery at the Jimmy Johns at 21st and Maize Rd. Officer Gerlach approached the business and arrested the suspect as he exited the rear door.
Wichita Police Chief Gordon Ramsay and Officer Gerlach
The suspect was armed with a handgun when he was arrested and had a second handgun nearby. The suspect was booked into jail. Eventually the suspect was charged with 15 counts of aggravated robbery, 2 counts of robbery and 18 counts of kidnapping. No one was injured.
HUTCHINSON — Amtrak has once again suspended the Southwest Chief between Hutchinson and Kansas City because of flooding. Bus service between Oklahoma City and Newton has also been suspended.
Amtrak passengers board buses at Hutchinson during the flooding May 10. Similar busing will be used for Southwest Chief passengers during this round of flooding
Eastbound passengers in Hutchinson will be bused to Kansas City with stops along the way. Westbound passengers will board in Hutchinson as normal. Those getting on or off at Newton should be advised again that the through service bus to Wichita and on to Oklahoma City will not run.
Passengers could experience long delays because of flooding and are asked to go to amtrak.com or call 1-800-USD-RAIL.
WICHITA, KAN. – A man was sentenced Monday to 10 years in federal prison for smuggling almost 30 pounds of methamphetamine into Kansas, according to U.S. Attorney Stephen McAllister.
Delgado-Lopez- photo Meade Co. Sheriff
Christian Delgado-Lopez, 30, Dana Point, Calif., pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. According to court documents, Delgado-Lopez was driving a rented Ford F-150 when the Kansas Highway Patrol stopped him on U.S. Highway 54 in Meade County, Kan. Delgado-Lopez and his passenger told the trooper they were on their way to Wichita.
A search of the vehicle turned up the methamphetamine, which was hidden in a spare tire.
McAllister commended the Kansas Highway Patrol, the Drug Enforcement Administration and Assistant U.S. Attorney Debra Barnett for their work on the case.
JUNCTION CITY — There were confirmed tornado sightings in Dickinson, Geary and Riley counties Tuesday. No injuries have been reported.
Tornado on Tuesday in north central Kansas photo courtesy Rick Dykstra
The first tornado occurred in the 2100 Avenue/Rain Road area in Dickinson County where emergency management from Geary County reported there was a debris field. A later tornado was reported on the K-244 spur on the southeast corner of Milford Lake, and it then moved northeast
Geary County Emergency Management Director Garry Berges reported tree damage. “So far it looks like mainly tree damage. We’re not seeing any structural damage at all. Our deputies, emergency management and the fire department have been out tracking where they saw the storms at, the funnel, the tornado. ”
Berges stated it appeared that the tornado went across Milford Lake, went across the area just north of Klem’s, the housing area there, some tree damage down on McGeorge Road, across 77, and then was aloft and damaged some trees over in the 10000 block of Quarry Road. ” That storm stayed south of the town of Milford.
It is unclear at this point how many tornado cells actually touched down in Geary County.
The storm cell moved across into Riley County where there were tornado warnings for portions of the western and southwestern sides of the county. A severe thunderstorm warning was issued for central Riley County and Pottawatomie County.
MCPHERSON —Normal water usage can resume throughout the City of McPherson as of 4:45 p.m. on Tuesday, May 21. Temporary repairs have been completed at the Waste Water Treatment Facility according to Public Works Director Jeff Woodward. “We are grateful to the many employees from the Waste Water Treatment Facility, BPU and Stevens Contractors of Salina,” said Woodward. “They worked diligently to provide a temporary solution, and all residents will benefit from their efficiency and dedication.”
The Public Works Department will continue to monitor wastewater equipment and keep the public informed of any changes. Updates will be provided on Facebook (McPherson, Kansas) and Twitter (@McPhersonKSInfo). For more information, contact the Public Works Department at 620.245.2545.
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MCPHERSON — All residents are advised to refrain from using water during the next 48 to 72 hours. Heavy rains and equipment failure at the McPherson wastewater treatment facility are preventing the ability to process water flow properly, according to a media release from the city.
The plant is processing at less than half the normal capacity. The Public Works Department indicates the only solution available is water conservation and reduced rains. Residents are asked to eliminate daily water use such as showers, toilets, dishes and laundry. All are advised the situation could potentially result in sewer backup into homes.
The water is safe to drink. The conservation request is being initiated to drastically limit water going down the drains. This will reduce the strain on the flow and infiltration system at the wastewater treatment facility. The public’s cooperation in limited water use is appreciated.
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. (AP) — The Latest on severe weather in the central United States:
First responders on the scene of the tornado damage photo courtesy KYTV
The Missouri State Highway Patrol says all the animals are accounted for after a tornado hit a drive-through wild animal park.
Patrol Sgt. Jason Pace says only minor damage was reported Tuesday to buildings at the Wild Animal Safari in Strafford, about 10 miles northeast of Springfield.
Webster County Emergency Management Director Tom Simmons says there were no reports that people or animals were injured. The park boasts on its website of having more than 450 animals.
Simmons also estimated that half a dozen homes were damaged in the county. In neighboring Wright County, a suspected tornado also damaged some homes and a grocery store.
Pace says there also were several water rescues, including one of an 18-year-old woman who was swept off a flooded road near Joplin and stranded overnight.
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WEBSTER COUNTY, Mo. (AP) — The Latest on severe weather in the central United States (all times local):
Authorities say a tornado has hit a drive-through wild animal park in central Missouri and blown a tractor-trailer off a nearby road.
Webster County Emergency Management Director Tom Simmons says the tornado damaged some buildings Tuesday at the Wild Animal Safari near Strafford, about 10 miles northeast of Springfield. He said there were no reports that people or animals were injured.
The phone number to the animal park rang unanswered. The park boasts on its website of having more than 450 animals on 350 acres.
Simmons estimates that half a dozen homes were damaged in the county. He says damage assessments are underway.
The tornado came amid storms that have brought flooding and strong winds to parts of Oklahoma, Kansas, Missouri and Arkansas.
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OKLAHOMA CITY — A tornado touched down Tuesday near Tulsa International Airport, injuring at least one person and damaging about a dozen homes, amid storms in the Southern Plains that brought a deluge of rain and powerful winds, closing an interstate and flipping campers at a raceway.
Storms could bring more tornadoes and flash flooding to parts of Arkansas, Illinois, Kansas, Missouri and Oklahoma on Tuesday.
Storms Monday evening flipped campers at Lucas Oil Speedway in Hickory County, Missouri, injuring seven people, four of whom were taken to hospitals. The speedway’s grandstand also was destroyed, forcing cancellation of racing this weekend that was expected to draw about 3,000 campers. Details about injuries were not immediately available.
The tornado Tuesday morning in Tulsa didn’t damage the airport, but passengers were moved into shelters for about 30 minutes, according to spokesman Andrew Pierini said. Many flights were canceled or delayed because of the storms.
The twister touched down at about 6:30 a.m. about 4 miles from the airport.
“We had to rescue a man, he was pinned under a tree this morning,” said Tulsa Area Emergency Management spokeswoman Kim MacLeod. The man’s condition was not immediately known.
“We’ve had some other reports of damage to homes and trees down,” and damage assessments would continue throughout the day, MacLeod said.
Flooding was also an issue. The Oklahoma Department of Transportation shut down Interstate 40 in El Reno, about 25 miles west of Oklahoma City, because of high water. The National Weather Service says up to 5 inches of rain had fallen since Monday.
In El Reno and Stillwater, home to Oklahoma State University about 55 miles northeast of Oklahoma City, emergency responders were rescuing people from their homes because of high water.
St. Louis’ major sports teams — the NHL’s Blues and baseball’s Cardinals — said they were both prepared for storms that could be rolling through just as they’re playing blocks apart on Tuesday night.
The Blues said in a statement that they are coordinating with St. Louis emergency managers and police to monitor the weather. Fans are told to stay in their seats if a strong storm hits during one of the biggest games in franchise history: A win against the San Jose Sharks would send the Blues to their first Stanley Cup Finals since 1970.
The Cardinals, in a statement, said Busch Stadium has clearly marked storm shelters and a detailed plan to alert fans in case of a weather emergency. The Cardinals are playing the Kansas City Royals in the opening of a series against their cross-state rivals.
“Busch Stadium is the first ballpark in Major League Baseball certified as a ‘Storm Ready Facility’ by the National Weather Service,” the Cardinals said.
Heavy snow melt from the north and significant spring rains have led to waves of flooding in Missouri, and President Donald Trump on Monday issued a major disaster declaration for 13 counties in the state damaged by March flooding.
The Missouri River is expected to reach major flood stage by the end of the week at Jefferson City, Hermann, St. Charles and elsewhere. The levee near Jefferson City’s airport holds back water up to 30 feet, Cole County Emergency Manager Bill Farr said, but the National Weather Service expects a crest of 32.3 feet Thursday. Sandbagging won’t help because the levee is too long, he said.
“We’re just keeping our fingers crossed,” Farr said.
The Missouri National Guard wasn’t taking any chances. Maj. John Quin said the Guard was relocating its four helicopters stationed at the airport to Whiteman Air Force Base. Meanwhile, the organizers of a Memorial Day weekend airshow planned for the airport canceled it due to the rising water. The show was expected to attract at least 10,000 people.
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Associated Press writer Jim Salter contributed to this report from St. Louis.
WICHITA – A man and woman from Great Bend have been charged in a 10-count indictment alleging possession or sale of cocaine, fentanyl, LSD, heroin, methamphetamine and marijuana, U.S. Attorney Stephen McAllister said in a news release Tuesday.
Iban Martinez-Enriquez, 21, Great Bend, and Kennedy Christine Beakey, 19, Great Bend, are charged with one count possession with intent to distribute LSD (count six), one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine (count seven), one count of possession with intent to distribute cocaine (count eight), one count of possession with intent to distribute heroin (count nine) and one count of possession with intent to distribute marijuana (count 10). In addition, Martinez-Enriquez is charged with two counts of distributing cocaine (counts one and two), one count of distributing fentanyl (count three), one count of distributing heroin (count four) and one count of distributing methamphetamine (count five).
The crimes are alleged to have occurred in September and October 2018 in Finney and Barton counties.
The indictment seeks the forfeiture of a .22 caliber rifle and $21,915 in cash.
Upon conviction, the crimes carry the following penalties:
• Counts one through five and eight through 10: Up to 20 years in federal prison and a fine up to $1 million.
• Counts six and seven: Not less than 10 years and a fine up to $10 million.
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Governor Laura Kelly has signed into law a bill that would allow profoundly ill people who have been unable to find relief with pharmaceutical medications to avoid prosecution for possessing certain blends of oil extracted from cannabis plants.
The cannabidiol oils, also known as CBD, shielded by the Kansas bill could contain no more than 5% THC, the compound that gives marijuana its high.
Known as “Claire and Lola’s Law,” it was pushed by Gwen and Scott Hartley, whose 12-year-old daughter, Lola, suffers from microcephaly, a medical condition in which a child’s brain doesn’t fully develop. The condition has already claimed the life of Lola’s older sister, Claire, who died in December 2018 at the age of 17.
It’s going to be a week before we find out whether Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly is actually going to get her wish of putting the state back in a fiscally sound posture.
And that wait will come when the House votes sometime around noon May 29 on the governor’s veto of a whittled-down income tax bill that Kelly says the state can’t afford now and might or might not be able to afford next year when the entire Legislature stands for reelection.
She, or rather, she and the calendar, won her first veto battle over a giant income tax-cut (some say tax relief) bill passed in the regular session of the Legislature. That earlier tax bill, which would have cost the state coffers more than $500 million over the next three years, was a Kelly/calendar victory because the Legislature was on spring break when it got her veto message and couldn’t vote on overriding that action.
This new tax bill, which legislators received in time for a veto consideration during its final adjournment day on May 29, is the real test of the governor and count on it…there will be a vote on override.
The three-year, $238 million reduction in taxes—call it a tax cut or a tax maintenance bill because it pays down some of the increase that the December 2017 federal income tax bill triggered for mostly corporations doing international business which saw more of their income subject to state taxes—is the issue.
It’s the biggest test for a new Kelly era because a majority of Republicans in the House and Senate want to pare taxes for Kansans, both the corporations which make millions of dollars of campaign contributions to Republicans and to upper-income candidates who are also heavy donors to GOP campaigns.
Win the veto battle? That means Kelly has the chance to maintain revenues that her administration will spend on social services, education, management of the state and infrastructure which means largely smoother roads.
Lose the battle? That means less money for those projects.
Oh, and it also means that members of the House and Senate next year will likely not be able to offer up that election-year candy, brand new and voter-targeted income tax cuts that would be at the top of their campaign literature, a demonstration that they—not some challenger who doesn’t have a track record—should be sent back to Topeka for the winter.
Kelly plans to assemble a tax advisory committee this summer that will outline just what sort of tax cuts she believes the state can afford in terms of lost revenue and that Kansas voters will actually enjoy. Oh, and one that will undoubtedly include some genuine reduction in sales tax on food, likely to be returned to grocery buyers in a manner that will improve their living standards, not just a dime or a quarter every time they go to the store.
Can she see her veto sustained?
That’s the tough one. That tax bill that was sent to her during the veto session passed the House—where the first vote on overriding the veto will be taken—on a vote of 83-41, with a likely pro-tax cut representative not present. That’s one vote shy of the 84 needed to override the veto in that chamber and send it to the Senate where it was approved in the veto session on a 27-13 vote. Key there is that 27 votes are needed for an override, which means if nobody changes their mind, the veto will be overridden.
That’s when we find out who the political winner is. Because, frankly, who in November 2020 is going to still be euphoric over a smaller tax bill they paid in April 2020?
Syndicated by Hawver News Company LLC of Topeka; Martin Hawver is publisher of Hawver’s Capitol Report—to learn more about this nonpartisan statewide political news service, visit the website at www.hawvernews.com
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (AP) — Alabama Public Television has chosen not to air an episode of the PBS children’s show “Arthur” because it included a same-sex wedding.
The episode “Mr. Ratburn and the Special Someone” aired nationally on May 13, showing Arthur attending the wedding of his teacher and partner.
APT showed a re-run instead.
AL.com reports that APT director of programming Mike Mckenzie defended the decision by saying parents trust that their children can watch the station without supervision.
The station had previously pulled an episode of “Arthur” in 2005 when a character had two mothers.
Misty Souder, a substitute teacher from McCalla, Alabama, says she’s disappointed. She says she’s using this to teach her 9-year-old daughter about the importance of standing up for minority groups.
