News – Page 341 – Hays Post Archive

Gov. Colyer speaks at 30th anniversary of Spitak earthquake in Armenia  

Posted on December 10, 2018December 10, 2018

Kansas governor Jeff Colyer speaks at the 30th anniversary of the Spitak earthquake in Armenia.

OFFICE OF GOV.

TOPEKA – Governor Jeff Colyer spoke Friday at an event commemorating the 30th anniversary of the Spitak earthquake in Armenia, a disaster Gov. Colyer assisted with as a medical first responder in 1988.

Gov. Colyer was sent to Armenia by then President Ronald Reagan after the earthquake hit. He was one of the first medical responders to arrive in the country after the 6.8 magnitude earthquake destroyed Spitak within 30 seconds, killing 25,000 people and injuring nearly 140,000 people.

“The disaster I saw 30 years ago was tragic, and through the tragedy the Armenian nation showed courage and resilience,” said Colyer.

“Many lives were lost, and many other lives were changed that day. It is important that as humanitarians we always answer the call for help when others need it.”

Kansas Adjutant General Maj. Gen. Lee Tafanelli also attended the commemoration with Gov. Colyer.

Kansas and Armenia first established a bilateral affairs agreement in June 2003. Fifteen years later, the partnership continues to foster strong relations between the United States and the Republic of Armenia.

Kansas and Armenia enjoy an enduring relationship built upon mutual understanding, trust and genuine friendships shared across and throughout our forces. Collaborative efforts between Kansas and Armenia have paved the way for the modernization of the Armenian Armed Forces in the areas of defense reform, enhanced interoperability, defense education reform and civil emergency planning.

“These types of partnerships are critical to international security cooperation,” said Tafanelli.

“The United States is most successful when it partners with friends and allies to achieve mutual security goals. Armenian peacekeepers have trained alongside Kansas Guardsmen as a result of the State Partnership Program, and many other enduring relationships have been developed benefiting both Armenia and the United States.”

EPA and Army propose new “Waters of the United States” definition

Posted on December 10, 2018December 12, 2018

EPA

WASHINGTON — Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Department of the Army (Army) are proposing a clear, understandable, and implementable definition of “waters of the United States” that clarifies federal authority under the Clean Water Act. Unlike the Obama administration’s 2015 definition of “waters of the United States,” today’s proposal contains a straightforward definition that would result in significant cost savings, protect the nation’s navigable waters, help sustain economic growth, and reduce barriers to business development.

“Our proposal would replace the Obama EPA’s 2015 definition with one that respects the limits of the Clean Water Act and provides states and landowners the certainty they need to manage their natural resources and grow local economies,” said EPA Acting Administrator Andrew Wheeler. “For the first time, we are clearly defining the difference between federally protected waterways and state protected waterways. Our simpler and clearer definition would help landowners understand whether a project on their property will require a federal permit or not, without spending thousands of dollars on engineering and legal professionals.”

The agencies’ proposal is the second step in a two-step process to review and revise the definition of “waters of the United States” consistent with President Trump’s February 2017 Executive Order entitled “Restoring the Rule of Law, Federalism, and Economic Growth by Reviewing the ‘Waters of the United States’ Rule.” The Executive Order states that it is in the national interest to ensure that the nation’s navigable waters are kept free from pollution, while at the same time promoting economic growth, minimizing regulatory uncertainty, and showing due regard for the roles of Congress and the states under the Constitution.

“EPA and the Army together propose this new definition that provides a clear and predictable approach to regulating ‘waters of the United States.’ We focused on developing an implementable definition that balances local and national interests under the Clean Water Act,” said R.D. James, Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works. “I have heard from a wide range of stakeholders on Clean Water Act implementation challenges. This proposed definition provides a common-sense approach to managing our nation’s waters.”

The agencies’ proposed rule would provide clarity, predictability and consistency so that the regulated community can easily understand where the Clean Water Act applies—and where it does not. Under the agencies’ proposal, traditional navigable waters, tributaries to those waters, certain ditches, certain lakes and ponds, impoundments of jurisdictional waters, and wetlands adjacent to jurisdictional waters would be federally regulated. It also details what are not “waters of the United States,” such as features that only contain water during or in response to rainfall (e.g., ephemeral features); groundwater; many ditches, including most roadside or farm ditches; prior converted cropland; stormwater control features; and waste treatment systems.

The agencies believe this proposed definition appropriately identifies waters that should be subject to regulation under the Clean Water Act while respecting the role of states and tribes in managing their own land and water resources. States and many tribes have existing regulations that apply to waters within their borders, whether or not they are considered “waters of the United States.” The agencies’ proposal gives states and tribes more flexibility in determining how best to manage their land and water resources while protecting the nation’s navigable waters as intended by Congress when it enacted the Clean Water Act.

Robust, publicly accessible data is also a key component of common-sense, cost-effective environmental protection. In response to requests from some states, EPA and the Army are exploring ways the agencies can work with our federal, state, and tribal partners to develop a data or mapping system that could provide a clearer understanding of the presence or absence of jurisdictional waters.

The agencies invited written pre-proposal recommendations and received more than 6,000 recommendations that the agencies have considered in developing this proposal. The agencies listened to those directly affected by the regulations, and this proposal balances the input the agencies received from a wide range of stakeholders.

The agencies will take comment on the proposal for 60 days after publication in the Federal Register. EPA and the Army will also hold an informational webcast on January 10, 2019, and will host a listening session on the proposed rule in Kansas City, KS, on January 23, 2019.

More information including a pre-publication version of the Federal Register notice, the supporting analyses and fact sheets are available at: https://www.epa.gov/wotus-rule.

Kan. woman faces 30-years in prison for embezzlement

Posted on December 10, 2018December 10, 2018

KANSAS CITY– A former bank teller pleaded guilty Monday to embezzling from a savings and loan where she worked, U.S. Attorney Stephen McAllister said.

Theresa Williams, 49, Leavenworth, Kan., pleaded guilty to one count of theft by a bank employee. In her plea, she admitted she embezzled $13,000 from Mutual Savings Association in Leavenworth. To cover up the crime, she made false entries in bank reports.

Sentencing is set for Feb. 25. She faces a sentence of up to 30 years in federal prison and a fine up to $1 million.

Chris Klieman named head football coach at Kansas State

Posted on December 10, 2018

Courtesy Kansas State Athletics

MANHATTAN, Kan. – Chris Klieman, a proven winner with a championship pedigree, has been named the 35th head football coach in Kansas State history, Athletics Director Gene Taylor announced Monday.

Klieman (pronounced KLY-men) has won five conference championships and three national championships in five seasons as the head coach at North Dakota State, and he currently has the Bison in the FCS Semifinals with a perfect 13-0 record prior to taking on South Dakota State in Fargo on Friday night.

Klieman has done all this despite losing 23 seniors and welcoming seven new assistant coaches prior to his first season at NDSU in 2014. That season, the Bison went 15-1 and won the national championship before going 13-2 with another national championship in 2015, 12-2 with a semifinal appearance in 2014 and 14-1 with a third national title last season.

“I’m very excited to have Chris Klieman lead our program,” Taylor said. “He is a perfect fit for us, both from a personal standpoint and as a head coach. He’s a tremendous teacher who I had the pleasure to hire at NDSU and watched him turn into a very successful coach. He will bring a ton of energy and excitement. His teams play extremely hard, disciplined football. He’s a winner. That’s all he does is win, and we’re excited to have Chris, Rhonda and the entire Klieman family join our K-State family. They will be a great fit not only for Kansas State Football and Kansas State Athletics, but also the entire community of Manhattan.”

Klieman has agreed to a six-year contract with a base salary of $2.3 million in 2019 with a $200,000 increase each year.

“This is an absolute dream job,” Klieman, a four-time finalist for the Eddie Robinson Award as the FCS Coach of the Year, said. “I’m so happy and thrilled to follow a legend in Coach Snyder. I’ve followed him from afar, went to his camps while playing in Waterloo, Iowa, and played against his Kansas State team when I was at Northern Iowa. The opportunity to follow in an icon’s footsteps is something I don’t take for granted and don’t take lightly. I know I have huge shoes to fill, and I’m excited to carry on his legacy. I have prepared my entire life for this opportunity and had great experiences at many institutions, most notably North Dakota State where we’ve had unmatched success over the last eight years. I can’t express how pleased I am and thank President Myers, Gene Taylor and the search committee for trusting in me and handing over the keys to this great program.”

Klieman holds a 70-13 record in his six seasons overall as head coach, including a 67-6 mark at North Dakota State. His 84.3 winning percentage as a head coach is the third-highest mark by an active coach among all NCAA Divisions, while it is the top mark among current FCS coaches by nearly seven percent.

Klieman’s record is even more impressive considering 37 of his 67 wins at North Dakota State (55.2 percent) have come over ranked opponents, while he has two wins in two tries over FBS competition – a 34-14 win at Iowa State in his first game at the helm of NDSU and a 23-21 triumph at 11th-ranked Iowa in 2016. His teams have also been stellar in protecting home field as evidenced by his 42-3 home record at NDSU, which includes a current 18-game home winning streak.

The Bison have won the Missouri Valley Football Conference each of his five years as head coach and have put together a collective 36-4 (90.0 percent) record against conference foes since 2014. He was named the Bruce Craddock MVFC Coach of the Year in 2017, while he was the 2014 Rawlings Football/American Football Monthly FCS Coach of the Year.

“We’re pleased to welcome Coach Klieman to Kansas State University,” President Richard Myers said. “Athletic Director Gene Taylor conducted a high-quality, thorough search and we are confident Chris puts us in a great position for future success. We look forward to introducing Coach Klieman to the K-State family and know he will receive the tremendous support for which we have become nationally known. This is a great time to be a Wildcat!”

Klieman’s teams have been a model of success, ranking highly in many of the key statistical categories throughout his tenure. The Bison scoring offense has ranked in the top 10 each of the last three seasons – including a current ranking of sixth at 41.5 points per game – while their total offense mark has ranked in the top 20 the last two years with a current clip of 460.0 yards per game to rank 18th.

Klieman, who came up through the coaching ranks on defense, has always produced on that side of the ball as NDSU currently ranks in the top 15 in scoring defense (2nd; 11.1), total defense (4th; 278.8), rushing defense (12th; 106.6) and passing defense (10th; 172.2). The Bison have ranked in the top six in scoring and total defense in four of his five seasons as head coach, including a No. 1 national ranking in total defense a year ago (237.4).

Elevated from defensive coordinator to head coach at NDSU on December 15, 2013, Klieman’s defensive units during his two-year run as coordinator each included top-10 rankings in scoring defense, total defense, rushing defense and passing defense. Highlighting that run were No. 1 rankings in scoring defense in both 2012 and 2013, and total defense in 2012, the latter when he was named the Football Scoop FCS Coordinator of the Year. NDSU also led the nation in scoring defense when he was the defensive backs coach in 2011.

Klieman began his coaching career as a graduate assistant at his alma mater, Northern Iowa, from 1991-92 before being promoted to an assistant coach in 1993. He went on to Western Illinois as an assistant coach from 1994-96 before serving as a GA at Kansas in 1997 and an assistant coach in 1999.

Kleiman then moved on to Division III Loras College in Dubuque, Iowa, where he was the defensive coordinator from 2002-04 before taking over as head coach for the 2005 season. He returned to Northern Iowa in 2006 as an assistant coach before being elevated to defensive coordinator for the 2009 and 2010 seasons.

A native of Waterloo, Iowa, Klieman was a three-time All-Gateway Conference defensive back at Northern Iowa and four-year letterwinner from 1986-90. He graduated from UNI in 1990 with a bachelor’s degree in health education and a master’s degree in physical education in 1992.

Klieman and his wife, Rhonda, are parents of two sons, Devin and Colby, and one daughter, Haley.

THE CHRIS KLIEMAN FILE
Hometown: Waterloo, Iowa
High School: Columbus Catholic High School
College: Northern Iowa – Bachelor’s degree in health education (1990), master’s in physical education (1992)
Family: Wife: Rhonda; Children: Devin, Colby, Haley
Playing Career: Northern Iowa (defensive back), 1986-90

CHRIS KLIEMAN COACHING CAREER
1991-92, Northern Iowa (Graduate Assistant)
1993, Northern Iowa (Assistant Coach)
1994-96, Western Illinois (Assistant Coach)
1997, Kansas (Graduate Assistant)
1999, Missouri State (Assistant Coach)
2002-2004, Loras College (Defensive Coordinator)
2005, Loras College (Head Coach)
2006-07, Northern Iowa (Assistant Coach)
2008, Northern Iowa (Co-Defensive Coordinator)
2009-10, Northern Iowa (Defensive Coordinator)
2011, North Dakota State (Assistant Coach)
2012-13, North Dakota State (Defensive Coordinator)
2014-18, North Dakota State (Head Coach)

5 await extradition to Kansas for killing Barton Co. fair vendors

Posted on December 10, 2018December 10, 2018

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) — Three carnival workers have been charged with capital murder in the fatal shooting of a couple at a Kansas fair whose bodies were found days later in shallow graves in a national forest in Arkansas.

The Kansas Attorney General said 52-year-old Kimberly Younger, of McIntosh, Florida; 54-year-old Michael Fowler Jr., of Sarasota, Florida; and 35-year-old Rusty Frasier, of Aransas Pass, Texas, are jailed on $1 million bond in Arkansas, where they also face charges.

Capital murder carries a sentence of execution or life imprisonment.

Alfred “Sonny” Carpenter and Pauline Carpenter of Wichita had been selling crafts, jewelry, purses and other handmade items at the fair in Barton County, Kansas, in July when they were killed. Investigators believe the carnival workers used the couple’s recreational vehicle to drive the bodies 320 miles (515 kilometers) to Van Buren, Arkansas. Their bodies were found buried in shallow graves next to a creek outside the small community of Natural Dam in the Ozark National Forest.

Police in Arkansas have said Younger texted the other suspects posing as a carnival mafia boss named Frank Zaitchik and ordered them to kill the Carpenters and dispose of the bodies. Fowler told investigators that he believed this was an initiation into the carnival mafia, so he shot the couple and Frasier stabbed Alfred Carpenter.

Asked whether a carnival mafia even exists, Van Buren police spokesman Jonathan Wear said in an email that this was something Younger “definitely made up.”

When told that the order to kill had come from Younger, not Zaitchik, Fowler said she had “suckered” him in and that he had thrown his life away, according to police reports.

Fowler is also charged in Kansas with theft, while Younger faces charges in that state of conspiracy to commit murder, solicitation and theft.

A spokeswoman in the Kansas Attorney General’s office didn’t immediately respond to questions about whether the suspects have attorneys who can speak on their behalf.

Two others — 38-year-old Christine Tenney, of Santa Fe, Texas, and 31-year-old Thomas Drake, of Van Buren, Arkansas — are charged with obstructing apprehension. All five are awaiting extradition to Kansas.

Younger, Fowler, Frasier and Tenney have pleaded not guilty in Arkansas to charges that include abuse of a corpse.

Kan. felon with a gun arrested for aggravated assault

Posted on December 10, 2018December 10, 2018

SHAWNEE COUNTY — Law enforcement authorities are investigating a convicted felon on new charges.

Just after 9:00 pm, Saturday, officers were dispatched to a call for service, in the area of 200 NW Gordon in Topeka involving a person causing a disturbance and discharging a firearm, according to Lt. Jerry Monasmith.

On arrival officers took a subject identified as Xavian Marquise Locke, 19, into custody for warrants and found him to be in possession of a firearm.

Locke is a convicted felon and prohibited from possessing firearms. He was arrested for criminal possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, aggravated assault, criminal discharge of a firearm, and unrelated warrants.

Wichita seeks Amtrak service, county shows hesitance

Posted on December 10, 2018December 10, 2018

WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — Wichita officials are pushing for Amtrak to restore rail service in the city that hasn’t had a passenger train service for nearly 40 years, but Sedgwick County officials aren’t ready to embrace the plan.

Bringing back the rail service is near the top of the city’s lobbying agenda when the state legislative session begins next month.

“Passenger rail is evolving as a key component for keeping and attracting young people as part of a strong workforce,” the legislative platform said. “In addition, it provides a safe travel option for an aging population.”

But Sedgwick County didn’t even put Amtrak service on its list of transportation priorities to a state committee evaluating Kansas’ long-term transportation plans.

David Dennis, the county commission’s chairman, said he can’t make a decision on the issue until he knows the service’s cost and benefits.

Wichita may have better chances of getting Amtrak restored this year, considering available federal funding and healthier state finances.

Amtrak has also decided to continue the route from Los Angeles to Chicago, which any Wichita train service would need to connect to. The railway currently offers a bus that passes through Wichita to fill a gap in rail service between stations in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, and Newton, Kansas, according to Amtrak spokesman Marc Magliari.

More than 1,700 Wichita travelers took the bus to connect to the train in Newton over the past year, Magliari said.

Pete Meitzner, a leading advocate for Wichita’s passenger rail, recently won a seat on the Sedgwick County Commission. He hopes to change the county’s stance on the service when he joins this commission in January.

Meitzner said cost estimates for the rail service have been requested but haven’t been completed. He expects initial costs to be minimal, since the passenger rail could use the city’s existing tracks.

Amtrak conducted a test run on the tracks last year that was determined to be successful.

2 arrested after 4-county Kansas high-speed chase

Posted on December 10, 2018December 12, 2018

ELLSWORTH COUNTY — Law enforcement authorities are investigating two suspects on numerous charges after a high-speed chase through four Kansas counties.

Just after midnight Sunday, authorities attempted to stop a reported stolen 2018 Hyundai passenger vehicle eastbound on Interstate 70 just east of the Kansas 156 exit in Ellsworth County, according to the Kansas Highway Patrol.

The driver later identified as 37-year-old Kevin Frye of Colorado refused to stop. The chase at speeds of 100 miles per hour continued into Saline County. The driver left Interstate 70 at the Hedville-Culver exit traveling south and then continued eastbound on Crawford until he decided to travel northbound on Interstate 135 through Ottawa County and into Cloud County.

The vehicle finally pulled over in an alley in Concordia. The KHP arrested Frye and a passenger 32-year-old Candias Chavez. She was wanted after not returning to a Denver County halfway house. A second passenger in the Hyundai was detained for questioning and he was released, according to the KHP.

The suspects are being held for warrants from Colorado and requested charges that include felony flee and attempted to elude law enforcement, possession of stolen property, possession of personal use marijuana and a number of additional traffic violations, according to the KHP.

10,000 affected by reported data breach attack in Topeka

Posted on December 10, 2018December 10, 2018

TOPEKA — Authorities are investigating a data breach that may have affected hundreds of customers in Kansas.

On Friday, the City of Topeka was notified by their Utility Billing Payment System software vendor Central Square that the city had been a potential victim cyber-attack, according to a media release.

This potential data breach has not been confirmed at this time. Central Square has turned over their information to a forensics investigator to confirm the potential breach of the City of Topeka Utility Billing Payment System.

On Saturday, the City of Topeka Information Technology team went through the data breach system and did not see any malicious activity.

As a potential victim of a cyber-attack, the City of Topeka wants to keep our costumers information safe and city Information Technology staff worked with the software vendor on December 7th to transition the current online Utility Billing Payment System to a more secure platform as advised by the software vendor. Local law enforcement and the FBI have been notified of the potential breach.

The City of Topeka is working with very limited information at this time regarding the potential cyber- attack. The data breach occurred between October 31st and December 7th. The data breach would affect any City of Topeka Utilities customer who made a one-time payment or set up autopay during this time. E-checks and customers who set up autopay before October 31st will not be affected. While this potential compromise has not been confirmed by a qualified forensic investigator yet, the City is strongly recommending, as a precautionary measure, customers who make credit card or debit card transactions using the online Utility Billing Payment System between October 31st and December 7th to contact their credit card issuer for advice related to the potential exposure of their credit card information.

As the potential victim of a cyber-attack, the City of Topeka has identified that up to 10,000 customers have been potentially impacted by the data breach.

City of Topeka Utilities Department will be sending a letter to customers whose information has potentially been impacted.

Information on the potential breach will be on the City of Topeka website front page and updated as information becomes available. You can find more information on how to respond to a data breach here.

Massive KC tuba ensemble blasts its way to world record

Posted on December 10, 2018December 10, 2018

KANSAS CITY (AP) – A massive tuba ensemble has smashed a Guinness World Record in Kansas City and spread some Christmas cheer.

835 tuba players performed “Silent Night” on Friday at a downtown arena, setting a new Guinness World Records. The previous record of 502 tuba players in California in 2007.

A Guinness official was on hand to verify the feat.

The concert was part of the annual TubaChristmas event organized by the Kansas City Symphony. Symphony executive director Frank Byrne says the musicians ranged in age from 11 to 86.

A few performed on a tenor version of the tuba, called a euphonium.

Oklahoma police shoot, kill man after store robbed in Kansas

Posted on December 10, 2018December 10, 2018

PERRY, Okla. (AP) — Investigators are looking into a police shooting in northern Oklahoma that left a man wanted for robbery in Kansas dead following a chase.

Wentling has previous drug related conviction, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections

The Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation says it’s looking into the shooting death early Monday of 39-year-old Shane Adair Wentling after a police pursuit involving officers from the Perry Police Department and Noble County Sheriff’s Office.

The OSBI says Wentling brandished a gun after a clerk at a convenience store in Wichita, Kansas, refused to sell him beer Sunday night. After Kansas authorities released details of the robbery, Oklahoma police spotted Wentling’s vehicle near Perry and a chase ensued.

Investigators say police used a tactical maneuver to stop Wentling’s car and he was shot and killed after he exited his vehicle while brandishing a firearm.

Kansas auto theft suspect arrested after crash

Posted on December 10, 2018December 10, 2018

SEDGWICK COUNTY — Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect for burglary and alleged auto theft.

Just after 4:30 a.m. Sunday, police responded to a burglary at ABC Liquor, 2221 N. Woodlawn in Wichita, according to officer Charley Davidson.

Upon arrival, officers located damage to the front of the business. Also, a 49-year-old employee reported a suspect driving a silver Chevy Traverse into the business, taking an item and fleeing.

At approximately 7 a.m., a Sedgick County EMS unit was flagged down by a concerned citizen regarding an unresponsive male in a silver Chevy Traverse at Douglas and Oliver.

Officers on scene located evidence of the earlier burglary and through the continued investigation discovered another burglary to a south Broadway car lot where the Traverse was taken.

Police arrested and booked 31-year-old Marvell Correia on charges of burglary, destruction of property, possession of methamphetamine and auto theft.

Beach Boys announce Salina performance

Posted on December 10, 2018December 10, 2018

SALINA — The Beach Boys are coming to Salina.

Jane Gates, executive director of the Stiefel Theatre, announced Monday morning the Beach Boys are scheduled to play in the historic Stiefel at 8 p.m. May 3, 2019.

Tickets go on sale at 10 a.m. Friday in the Stiefel Theatre box office, and start at $49.

You can capsulize most pop music acts by reciting how many hits they’ve had and how many millions of albums they’ve sold. But these conventional measurements fall short when you’re assessing the impact of The Beach Boys. This band has birthed a torrent of hit singles and sold albums by the tens of millions. But its greater significance lies in the fact that The Beach Boys’ songs have forever changed the musical landscape, profoundly influencing countless performing artists to follow.

The Beach Boys are led by Mike Love and Bruce Johnston, who, along with Jeffrey Foskett, Tim Bonhomme, John Cowsill, Keith Hubacher, Christian Love and Scott Totten continue the legacy of the iconic American band. Grammy-winning songwriter Bruce Johnston joined The Beach Boys in 1965, replacing Glenn Campbell, who filled-in for Brian Wilson, on vocals/bass, when he retired from touring. Highly regarded in his field, Johnston’s vocal work with such legendary artists as Elton John and Pink Floyd firmly established him among rock’s elite artists.

Captained by Mike Love, The Beach Boys play an astoundingly busy schedule of concerts, averaging 150 shows a year, ranging from sundrenched summer festivals to gala New Year’s celebrations and special events across the globe.

The Beach Boys have continued to create and perform with the same bold imagination and style that marked their explosive debut over 50 years ago. In 2013, their Capitol Records release, Sounds of Summer (RIAA certified triple platinum with over three million in sales and climbing), and its companion The Warmth of the Sun marked a resurgence in Beach Boys interest that again rocked the world.