By LESLIE EIKLEBERRY
Salina Post

The St. John’s Military School (SJMS) campus now has a new, though somewhat similar mission.

SJMS closed at the end of the school year in May. On Thursday, leaders of Saint Francis Ministries and SJMS announced a collaboration that they say will create a positive, empowering future for the school’s Salina campus.

Saint Francis Ministries has agreed to take over the SJMS campus and will lead a collaborative effort to establish future plans for the property. The campus will become part of the long-time Salina-based nonprofit that provides child welfare and adult services in six states and internationally.

Additionally, SJMS’s history and mission will be honored on the campus with the establishment of a historical museum in Linger Hall.

The collaboration was announced Thursday afternoon on the SJMS campus. More than 50 community leaders and representatives were on hand in the campus’ Teardrop for the announcement.

William J. Clark, St. John’s president and CEO, welcomed the crowd and announced the merger.

“Today, St. John’s Military School and Saint Francis Ministries officially announce the merger of St. John’s with Saint Francis. Upon this merger, St. John’s will be officially renamed the St. John’s Ministries and School,” Clark said. “As a component of Saint Francis Ministries, the new St. John’s will strive to help, educate, and develop youth and families alike, providing a holistic approach to healing, hope, and education.”

Clark then invited Salina banker Larry Britegam, who has been associated with SJMS for more than 50 years, to speak on behalf of the SJMS Board of Trustees. Britegam is the vice-chair of the SJMS trustees.

Britegam said that 52 years ago this month, he was an eighth-grade student marching around the teardrop and going through a hard time in his life.

“In 1967, there was more dirt out here than there were beautiful bricks and beautiful buildings as there are today, but the mission of the school was the same and the core values of those who established this school never wavered over the years. Its impact on young men became life-changing and I personally experienced that,” Britegam said.

“I feel compelled to tell you that I stand here today representing thousands of alumni scattered throughout the world who also love this school and what it did for each and every one of us. But through hard times, as has been the situation over the last 10 years at St. John’s, comes change and through our hard times we learned it doesn’t mean the end, but simply different,” he said.

Britegam noted that both SJMS and Saint Francis Ministries were started by the Episcopal Church.

“How ironic is it that these two storied institutions are now together fulfilling the mission of helping children and families in need? This campus will once again become very vibrant. From a board of trustees standpoint, we could not be happier for Saint Francis Ministries, along with their board, for becoming the new tenant of this beautiful campus,” Britegam said. “We know we’re leaving this special place in the hands of a very special group of people.”

The Very Rev. Robert N. Smith, Saint Francis dean, president and CEO, then talked about the shared history of the two organizations.

“Our institutions have a shared history that goes back to the very founding of Saint Francis and goes back to the earliest days of St. John’s,” Smith explained. “Mize Hall that sits here on campus is named after former Bishop Robert Mize Sr. That Bishop Mize was the father of the future Bishop Mize, our Father Bob, who founded Saint Francis. Our Father Bob was a student here at St. John’s. His family was involved beyond his father in the life of St. John’s. Father Bob who had a vision for how it was that his ministry could serve children and families was supported by another priest of the Episcopal Church who was also educated here at St. John’s as a young man, Father Peter Francis.”

The focus for St. John’s campus will be creating a ministry that addresses important needs, while honoring the values of both organizations, Smith said in a news release from Saint Francis Ministries.

Salina Mayor Trent Davis also was among the dignitaries who spoke during the announcement event.

“When I think of Salina, I think of a city of great first impressions. You come here and you see a beautiful downtown, a nice airport, a beautiful campus,” Davis said as he gestured to the SJMS campus. “But in my 20 years here, I see Salina as a community of second chances. The mission here will definitely be that of a second chance.”

Clark said he was excited for the next steps that will occur in the 131-year history of St. John’s.

“The mission of St. John’s lives on in this new partnership, and we have been encouraged by Saint Francis’ commitment to continue our mission of serving youth and families,” he noted in the news release. “The devotion of Saint Francis to youth and families is undeniable. Saint Francis is the perfect partner to carry forward the St. John’s mission. I am excited about what the future will bring and am honored to be moving forward with such a fine organization.”

Saint Francis will partner with the Salina community, local businesses and other organizations to determine potential uses for the campus, located at 110 W. Otis Ave. Under consideration are plans to consolidate Saint Francis’ Salina offices on the campus.

“As we work on the future of St. John’s campus, all options will align with the Saint Francis mission to provide healing and hope to children and families,” Smith said. “One area of passion for us is to find innovative solutions, such as a residential workforce program, to help address the growing numbers of children aging out of foster care who need ongoing support and guidance.”

Such a program would provide training in soft skills needed to be successful in the job market, and also would provide skills training to meet the needs of area businesses, Smith said. Young people aging out of the foster care system face challenges that can make their entry into adulthood difficult, and Saint Francis has been considering for some time ways in which that transition can be better supported.

DONIPHAN COUNTY– The Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI) made three arrests Wednesday evening related to a fight that occurred at a weekend party in Doniphan County.

The KBI was requested by the Doniphan County Sheriff’s Office to assist in investigating a confrontation that occurred at a party at 159 Monument Rd. in Doniphan County on Sunday, Sept. 22.

During the overnight party, a 42-year-old white male received serious head injuries during an altercation with other party attendees. He was transported by a family member to a residence in the 1600 block of Jayhawk Dr., in Atchison, where police and EMS were called around 4:20 a.m. Sunday morning. The injured man was transported by EMS to a local Atchison hospital. He was later transferred to a Kansas City area hospital where he remains hospitalized in critical condition.

Then, on Wednesday evening, Sept. 25, KBI agents served several search warrants and arrest warrants connected to the case. At 6 p.m., 44-year-old Scott A. Vandeloo, of Atchison, was arrested at 1712 Prairie View Rd. in Platte City, Mo. He was arrested for aggravated battery, and booked into the Platte County Jail.

At approximately 7 p.m., 22-year-old Brian A. Spillman Jr., of Atchison, was arrested for aggravated battery after surrendering at the intersection of Mineral Point Rd. and Monument Rd. in rural Doniphan County. Then, at around 8:30 p.m., Matthew C. Scherer, 30, of Atchison, was arrested for aggravated battery when he surrendered at the Doniphan County Sheriff’s Office at 219 S. Main St. in Troy, Kan. Both Spillman and Scherer were booked into the Leavenworth County Jail.

Assisting in these arrests were the Atchison Police Department, the Doniphan County Sheriff’s Office, the Kansas Highway Patrol, the Missouri State Highway Patrol, and the Platte County Sheriff’s Office. The Doniphan County Attorney is expected to prosecute the case.
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SEWARD COUNTY— Law enforcement authorities are investigating an injury accident just before 6:30 p.m. Tuesday in Seward County that resulted in an arrest.

A 1997 Chevy Tahoe driven by a 25-year-old woman was westbound in the 600 Block of East 2nd Street in Liberal at a high rate of speed when she lost control, left the roadway and struck a fence before the vehicle rolled 1/4 time onto its side before coming to rest back on its wheels, according to Police Captain Robert Rogers.

When officers  arrived they located the driver trying to flee the scene in her vehicle.  She was taken into custody for alleged DUI, according to Rogers.

A 3-year-old girl and 2-year-old boy had been ejected from the vehicle and suffered minor injuries. They were treated and released on scene by Seward County EMS. A 5-year-old boy was found to not have any injuries. The driver and  two adults declined to be evaluated.  The driver was the only occupant properly restrained, according to Rogers.

The vehicle sustained disabling damage and was towed from the scene. The Seward County Attorney is expected to file charges in the case.

By DAN MARGOLIES

In a ripple effect of the General Motors strike, now in its second week, 66 maintenance workers have been laid off from their jobs at the Fairfax assembly plant in Kansas City, Kansas.

Jones Lang LaSalle Americas Inc., a commercial real estate firm that provides maintenance services at the plant, said in a letter to the United Auto Workers that the workers were “not deemed critical to operations during this period of labor unrest.”

“I can confirm that they are housekeeping-slash-janitorial suppliers at the plant,” said David Barnas, a GM spokesman.

Wednesday was the 10th day of the strike, the first nationwide walkout at GM since 2007 and already the longest against the company since 1970. Some 46,000 workers at more than 30 GM plants have walked off the job.

The Fairfax assembly plant employs more than 2,400 workers and produces the Chevy Malibu sedan and the Cadillac XT4 crossover SUV.

Jones Lang LaSalle filed a notice last week under the Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act of 1988 (Warn Act) that it was laying off the janitorial employees.

In its letter to the UAW, which was signed by managing director John M. Krieger, Jones Lang LaSalle also said that “(c)ompanies that are signatory to our agreement will also be laying off their UAW represented employees.”

It’s not clear what other companies the letter was referring to. But in addition to the Fairfax plant, the letter said that affected locations included GM assembly plants in Lansing and Lake Orion, Michigan, and a powertrain plan in Romulus, Michigan.

The layoffs at the Fairfax plant took effect on Sept. 16.

Dan Margolies is a senior reporter and editor in conjunction with the Kansas News Service. You can reach him on Twitter @DanMargolies.

SALINE COUNTY — Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect  in connection with theft of a Chevrolet Malibu and a Kymco moped in Salina.

On Thursday  a 26-year-old Salina man reported that early Wednesday morning, his 1989 GMC pickup was stolen from his residence in the 300 block of North 13th Street, according to Salina Police Captain Paul Forrester. Several items, including a Hitachi roofing gun and a DeWalt cordless drill, were in the back of the pickup. Total loss was estimated at $2,275.

Just before 8:30 p.m. Wednesday, police were dispatched to a disturbance at a residence in the 300 block of North Phillips. According to Forrester, the Salina man whose pickup was stolen earlier in the day was at his residence Wednesday evening when he heard what he believed was his pickup.

When he looked out on the street, the man saw his pickup driving by. He got into another vehicle and followed the pickup to the residence in the 300 block of North Phillips, according to Forrester.

When the man confronted the white, redheaded woman driver, a man who was a passenger in the pickup jumped out and ran away.

When the man whose pickup was stolen attempted to get the woman identified as Ashlee Worley, 20, of Salina, out of the pickup, she allegedly punched him in the face.

Meanwhile, neighbors called the police because of what they believed to be a disturbance. The man was able to subdue the Worley until police arrived.

Through the investigation that followed, police were able to recover the Malibu that had been stolen on Friday, as well as the GMC pickup. The moped is still missing.

Police booked Worley on suspicion of two counts of felony theft, criminal threat, battery, criminal damage to property, misdemeanor theft and operating a motor vehicle without a valid driver’s license.

Police continue to search for the suspect who fled from the pickup, according to Forrester.

KANSAS CITY (AP) — The former owner of a popular Mexican restaurant in Kansas City who was accused of raping two women has agreed to a plea deal.

Arturo Cabral, the former owner of El Patron, pleaded guilty Wednesday to one felony count of felonious restraint and another felony count of attempted felonious restraint. He was originally charged with raping two women.

One of the women told police that Cabral drugged and raped her in 2015. The other woman said she was assaulted in 2016 while at a get-together at a Cabral’s house. She said her last memory was of talking to Cabral and his girlfriend. She said her next memory was of being assaulted.

As part of the plea, he’ll serve 10 years in prison, with credit for time served.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Latest on testimony by the acting director of national intelligence and a whistleblower complaint (all times local):

The House Intelligence Committee Thursday released a redacted version of  a whistleblower complaint at the center of Democrats’ impeachment probe of President Donald Trump.

Read the complaint here.

Lawmakers began reviewing a classified version of the complaint Wednesday evening ahead of testimony Thursday morning by acting Director of National Intelligence Joseph Maguire. House Democrats who have read the document say it’s “deeply disturbing.”

The whistleblower’s identity has not been made public.

The complaint is at least in part related to a July phone call between Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy in which Trump prodded Zelenskiy to investigate Democratic political rival Joe Biden.

The White House released a rough transcript of that call Wednesday morning Read it here.

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In the days following the phone call between President Donald Trump and Ukraine’s new president, senior White House officials intervened to “lock down” all records of the call. That’s according to a declassified whistleblower complaint released Thursday by the House Intelligence Committee.

The complaint says that the whistleblower learned about the effort from “multiple U.S. officials.”

Committee members are hearing testimony Thursday on the complaint and details of the July 25 call on which Trump prodded Ukraine’s leader to work with Trump’s personal lawyer Rudy Giuliani and the U.S. attorney general to investigate Democratic political rival Joe Biden.

Trump has said he’s done nothing wrong. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi announced a formal impeachment inquiry.

DETROIT (AP) — Contract talks between General Motors and striking United Auto Workers took a step closer to reaching an agreement Wednesday when committees finished their work and sent it to the top bargainers.

The move means that minor issues largely are resolved, and a few bargainers for both sides will now try to come to terms on wages, use of temporary workers and other contentious issues.

UAW Vice President Terry Dittes outlined the development in a letter to members. He says the union presented material to GM and is waiting for a response.

“This back and forth will continue until negotiations are complete,” Dittes wrote. “We will continue to bargain this contract until your Bargaining Committee is satisfied that we have achieved an agreement that properly addresses our members’ concerns.”

In a statement, GM spokesman Dan Flores said the company will “continue to bargain in good faith, and our goal remains to reach an agreement that builds a stronger future for our employees and our company.”

Art Schwartz, a former GM negotiator who now runs a labor consulting business in Ann Arbor, Michigan, said shifting work to the main table is a good sign. But it’s tough to say how far apart both sides are on the major economic issues, he said.

“It kind of depends on how hard each side holds out. Collective bargaining is the art of compromise,” he said. “This is probably a couple people from each side are going to hammer out the final economics.” Schwartz said.

The strike by about 49,000 workers, in its 10th day, has halted production at more than 30 GM factories nationwide.

Both sides are losing money, with one analyst estimating the strike costs GM $100 million in profits per day. Workers, on the other hand, got their last GM paycheck last Friday and are scheduled to get $250 in weekly strike pay starting this Friday.

GM has been forced to close one Canadian factory and lay off workers at another. Its dealers also are starting to run short of repair parts at their service centers. Companies that make parts for factories also are starting to lay off workers. Canadian supplier Magna International said it has laid off an unspecified number of employees.

HUTCHINSON —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a registered Kansas sex offender for alleged robbery.

Just after 5p.m. Tuesday, police say Trae Taylor tried to take a woman’s purse  outside Dillons at 725 E. 4th Street in Hutchinson, according to police.

He grabbed her purse with so much force that it knocked her to ground. She held on and was dragged five to six feet. This caused some bruising. She managed to hold on and he finally gave up and ran away.

The incident was caught on store video, which police used to locate him just after 11a.m. Wednesday. He was jailed for attempted robbery with a bond of $10,000.

Taylor was on parole for a conviction of indecent liberties with a child in 2014.

He should make an initial court appearance Thursday morning.

FINNEY COUNTY— One person died in an accident just after 8:30p.m. Wednesday in Finney County.

The Kansas. Highway Patrol reported a 1997 Ford F150 driven by Rafael Marino-Ortiz, 54, Schuler, NE., west bound on U.S. 50 six miles east of Garden City.

The pickup had tire damage. The driver lost control of the vehicle. It left the roadway to the north, rolled and a passenger was ejected

Adame-Leon, Guadalupe, 72, Schuyler, NE, was pronounced dead at the scene.

Marino-Ortiz, Rafael and passenger, Cristina Solache-Tellez, 45, Lexington, NE., were transported to the hospital in Garden City. The two passengers were not wearing seat belts, according to the KHP.

LEAVENWORTH – A Kansas woman has been found guilty of Medicaid fraud and committing a computer crime, according to Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt.

Ena Louise Mathis, 53, Leavenworth, pleaded guilty in Leavenworth County District Court to one felony count of Medicaid fraud and one felony count of committing a computer crime.

The case stemmed from an investigation by the Attorney General’s Office Medicaid Fraud and Abuse Division, which revealed Mathis submitted false claims to the Medicaid program to pay for in-home assistance for a Medicaid beneficiary during times when the beneficiary was in a hospital or a resident in a nursing facility.

In total, Mathis falsely billed the Medicaid program for $6,425 over an interactive computer system used by the Medicaid program. The crimes occurred between July 28, 2016, and January 31, 2017.