KIOWA COUNTY – A Kansas man was injured in an accident just before 7a.m. Thursday in Kiowa County.
The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2008 International Truck driven by Rickus Te-Baerts, 27, Haviland, was southbound approaching the railroad crossing on 4th Avenue just west of U.S. 54 two miles west of Haviland.
The driver failed to yield. An eastbound Union Pacific train hit the truck
The Train came to a stop. The truck came to rest on 47th Avenue north of the Railroad tracks.
Te-Baerts was transported to the hospital in Greensburg.
The train’s engineer from Texas was not injured.
Te-Baerts was properly restrained at the time of the accident, according to the KHP
Kansas legislative leaders must satisfy members in disparate but almost equal groups who want to set a school-funding target before voting on tax increases. FILE PHOTO / KANSAS NEWS SERVICE
Kansas legislative leaders working on a plan to end the 2017 session have what amounts to a chicken-and-egg dilemma.
They must satisfy members who want to set a school-funding target before voting on the tax increases needed to fund it and those who first want to close a projected $900 million gap between revenue and spending over the next two budget years.
“There are a lot of folks wanting one before the other. But at this moment I’m expecting the tax issue to be the next to move,” says Rep. Steven Johnson, the Assaria Republican who chairs the House tax committee.
The timing issues are real.
They played a role in last week’s Senate defeat of an income tax bill that would have generated more than $1 billion a year in additional revenue. Only two of the Senate’s nine Democrats joined with 16 moderate Republicans in voting for the measure, leaving it three votes short of the number needed to pass and nine shy of what would have been needed to override a veto by Republican Gov. Sam Brownback.
The governor vetoed a similar bill in February. The House overrode the veto but an attempt in the Senate failed by three votes.
Senate Democrats who joined conservatives last week in opposing the new bill said they feared it wouldn’t generate enough additional revenue to balance the budget and increase state spending on schools by enough to satisfy a Kansas Supreme Court ruling.
The vote frustrated some moderate Republicans, who warned it could force them to negotiate with conservatives on a package that combined smaller tax increases with spending cuts.
That is now under discussion, Johnson says.
“We’re trying to get a sense for what can work, what can get us out of here,” he says.
It’s possible but not likely, Johnson says, that senators on the tax conference committee will accept a proposal floated earlier this week by House negotiators to reinstate the income tax laws that were in place before 2012 when Brownback convinced lawmakers to cut rates and exempt more than 330,000 farmers and business owners.
A total rollback of the tax cuts would raise an estimated $1.4 billion over two years.
If, as expected, the Senate rejects the proposal, House conferees would likely offer “something to the right” of the tax bill defeated last week, Johnson says, meaning something that makes more modest changes, lessening the likelihood of a veto.
Lawmakers still grinding on school finance
The day started with many thinking that efforts to reach agreement on a school funding plan finally might hit top speed, with bills moving in the House and Senate and on to the inevitable conference committee.
By afternoon the pace slowed considerably.
House members were briefed Wednesday on the bill the K-12 Education Budget Committee kicked out Monday, but there was no action on the floor. Many lawmakers think that leadership wants to pass a tax bill before tackling how much to put into school funding.
That House bill, which would add $279 million in school funding over two years and then increase it by the cost of inflation, was the starting point for the Senate Select Committee on School Finance, which met briefly Wednesday.
The Senate committee discussed some minor changes to the House bill and plans on at least two days of testimony. Chairman Jim Denning, an Overland Park Republican, says the panel may work Saturday.
To get this moving, Denning attempted to resurrect his proposal to tack a surcharge onto Kansas utility bills to generate the money needed to fund a school finance plan. His original proposal called for adding $3 to every residential utility bill in the state and $10 to each commercial bill.
The revised proposal, which Denning says is fairer to consumers, would add $2.25 to residential bills only, enough to generate $150 million a year.
“It’s a new fee on consumers, some of them are on fixed income, we tried to get it a low as we can,” Denning says.
Senate Democratic Leader Anthony Hensley says the surcharge idea is a non-starter with his members.
“I just don’t think we ought to be adding surcharges to utility bills that are already too high, particularly as it relates to people who live on fixed incomes,” Hensley says.
However, moderate Republican Sen. Barbara Bollier of Mission Hills says she’s not ready to say “no” just yet. If a surcharge is what it takes to adequately fund schools, she says, she’ll consider it.
Businesses trying to sidetrack sales tax bill
Business officials lined up Wednesday against a plan to impose sales taxes on certain services that Kansas lawmakers are considering to help balance the budget and reduce the sales tax on food.
Irene Hoheusle of Account Recovery Specialists Inc. based in Wichita says the company can’t pass that cost along to customers or it would lose business to out-of-state companies and other competitors.
“They’re all handling the same exact actions and services, but they don’t have that fee assed to them, so of course they can offer lower rates,” she says.
Hoheusle says Account Recovery Specialists, a collections agency, would have to absorb the sales tax cost and layoff some of its 100 employees in Kansas.
Representatives of KC Healthy Kids were the only people who spoke in favor of the bill before a Senate committee.
Members of that group say lowering the sales tax on food is a step in the right direction, even if the lower rate wouldn’t take effect until 2020.
The Kansas News Service is a collaboration of kcur.org, Kansas Public Radio and KMUW covering health, education and politics.
TOPEKA, Kan. – The Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) has issued an Emergency Order of Suspension to Cherished Memories, a licensed day care home located at 1404 N. Monroe in Hutchinson.
According to the order, the licensee has an active case of MRSA and an history of chronic wounds on both legs. The licensee was recently hospitalized for nearly a month due to this condition.
MRSA is a superbug resistant to antibiotics and a danger to children if transmitted, according to the KDHE. Read the full KDHE order here.
FINNEY COUNTY- Law enforcement authorities are asking the public for help to locate a Kansas woman wanted on a parole violation.
Officials issued an absconder warrant for Cheyenne Ortiz, 28, Garden City, possession of meth and drug paraphilia, according to the Garden City police department.
Ortiz is described as 5 foot 2 inches tall, weighs approximately 125 pounds with brown hair and eyes. She most recently lived in the 300 Block of Fair Street in Garden City.
She has two previous drug convictions, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections.
Anyone with information is asked to contact police or call 911.
NEW YORK (AP) — Roger Ailes, who transformed TV news by creating Fox News Channel, only to be ousted at the height of his reign for alleged sexual harassment, died Thursday, Fox News reported. He was 77.
A former GOP operative to candidates including Richard Nixon, Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush, Ailes later turned his media savvy to running TV networks. In early 1996 he accepted a challenge from media titan Rupert Murdoch to build a news network from scratch to compete with CNN.
That October, Ailes flipped the switch on Fox News Channel. It became the audience leader in cable news. It also emerged as a powerful force on the political scene, while the feisty, hard-charging Ailes swatted off criticism that the network he branded as “Fair and Balanced” had a conservative tilt.
He was abruptly dismissed from Fox News in July 2016 in the wake of a lawsuit filed by former anchor Gretchen Carlson accusing Ailes of sexual improprieties.
Below are some article suggestions that can help them outside. There are several diverse subjects that you can use written down process documents. Through this type of composition writing activities, students may find out about various notions by getting within their basics. Utilize that ability to acquire an internet job in freelance writing. These are some of the principal tips you must stay in mind whilst composing a letter which will tell an employee that she or he has been advertised within the firm. As the format of the letter detailing may transform based on the business which you are doing work for the essential factors which should be mentioned inside the letter remain virtually precisely the same. There are numerous examples of the letter outlining function promotion which you might get online on notice writing websites. A great need term paper name sums up simply what the essay is about. The most critical point in this type of essay writing is always to assess the rational principle or plan. Below are a few examples of snappy names in unique regions of writing.
Formerly the word “wicca” was a witch, and “wicce” was a witch that is female.
For example, appear at both sentences below. Possessing this insight supplies the author the opportunity to get rid of any unintentional confusion along with the opportunity to add in something to take care of concerns or arguments that will usually pop up from the composed work. There are a number of critical ideas which you should keep in mind whilst drafting this type of notice. Moreover, since it’s independent composing, you’ren’t attached down to it and can earn a selection seeing simply how much function you would like to simply take up. Though it really is good to present your very own written work a comprehensive examine, I think that the top way is to receive a completely new assortment of eyes to examine through your composed bit. The cause help write my essay and impact issues aren’t restricted merely to issues linked to science. Let’s take a peek at numerous the college level subjects.
Such product might offer a concept of what your relativeis wartime experience may have been like.
Below are a few amazing essay issues that kids may possibly detect easy to compose. Occasionally it really isn’t simple to generate subjects on which to write. Writing on such themes should wind up being a fantastic workout for the thoughts and head. It may range between thesis papers or health care publications to research documents. Instructors also needs to offer the children proper recommendations for each sort of article which they have to compose. As an example, is rather a fascinating issue, but in case you must compose a classification essay with this theme, coursework help it only wont be achievable. Below are some pointers about how to compose a specialist bio. In this writing, we’ll first notice what precisely is a classification essay and after that have a look at some diverse essay theme ideas that may assist you.
Including finding the who, what, where when and just how student was interviewed by of each.
This listing relates to quite a few the straightforward to write composition subjects. In the event your posts or essays are on the web, title performs a substantial function in the total happening. Captivating names have a substantial effect on your own visitor. Additionally, He must write website content and layout a house site which includes a collection of the websites they’ve developed. You need to be the initial supply of your own articles. A web master must enhance the operation of the website. For instance if the site is linked to business, then it will only offer information regarding business.
Storm Damage photos from Barton County Clerk’s Office
BARTON COUNTY – Tuesday’s tornado stayed on the ground over a 30-mile path starting as an EF3 and was an EF2 when it hit Pawnee Rock, according to the National Weather Service.
The tornado finally lifted as it approached Hoisington.
Top wind speeds were reported at approximately 135 miles-per-hour.
Track of the storm-NWS image
The storm destroyed two houses in Pawnee Rock and left another seven in the town heavily damaged. The tornadic
thunderstorm also destroyed another seven houses in rural Barton County.
HUTCHINSON— A Kansas man failed to get his bond lowered Wednesday when he made a court appearance via video from the Reno County Correctional Facility.
On Tuesday, police were called to the 900 block of East 2nd Street in Hutchinson on the report of a stolen vehicle.
Samuel Lemen, 32, is accused of being in possession of the Silverado stolen from Newton. According to police, he painted the fenders on the truck.
Lemen is also accused of using that truck in a theft in South Hutchinson involving a trailer and a criminal damage report. Officers have video of that trailer being stolen with a truck that matches the one found in Hutchinson.
Lemen’s bond is set at $8,250 and he’ll be back in court on May 24. He’s also jailed for failing to appear in another case.
Lemen has prior convictions for aggravated assault and DUI from 2008 and 2009, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections.
Rep. Roger Marshall answering questions at a recent Town Hall gathering
Voters vented this past week over health care and President Trump’s dismissal of FBI Director James Comey in the swing districts crucial to GOP control of the House.
Republicans in some districts faced a backlash at raucous town halls over their votes for the House health care bill. There were plenty of complaints about a provision that would allow insurers to charge seriously ill people higher rates if they let their coverage lapse.
TOPEKA – Kansas is one of 10 states that have been selected to participate in the federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services (SAMHSA) Policy Academy that will devise initiatives to strengthen recovery-oriented behavioral health services and supports for Kansans.
The Kansas Department for Aging and Disability Services’ Behavioral Health Commission is convening a team of agency staff and stakeholders to carry out this initiative, entitled “Bringing Recovery Supports to Scale Technical Assistance Center Strategy” (BRSS TACS).
The Policy Academy will support the state in planning and carrying out initiatives to build and strengthen recovery-oriented services and supports.
The Policy Academy will take place from May to September, 2017, and will include multiple virtual and onsite activities. Team planning sessions will focus on team building, developing a shared recovery vision, analyzing Kansas’ existing strengths, resources, and challenges and drafting an action plan to build, strengthen and sustain recovery-oriented services and supports.
Knowledge-building sessions will feature national experts sharing resources and discussing promising practices on recovery-oriented workforce development topics. Speakers and experts will be available for on-demand consultations with the state team.
By the close of the Policy Academy, Kansas will have developed an action plan for implementation. The team will then finalize the action plan and receive virtual follow-up technical assistance from SAMHSA for up to six months to support implementation.
Kansas team participants will include KDADS’ Mental Health Director Michelle Sweeney, Adult Consumer Affairs Program Coordinator Carrie Billbe, Systems of Care Project Coordinator Kelsee Torrez, Projects Coordinator Charles Bartlett, Problem Gambling Project Coordinator Carol Spiker, along with Manager of Pathfinder Recovery Center at the Central Kansas Foundation in Salina Don Greene, Director of Behavioral Health Initiatives with the Community Engagement Institute at Wichita State University Randy Johnson, Director of Clinical Services for Four County Mental Health Center in Independence Steve Denny, Executive Director of Behavioral Health, Optum Behavioral Health Sandra Hashman, and Director of Regional Contracting/Kansas Provider Relations for Beacon Health Options Frances Breyne.
States participating in the 2017 Policy Academy include Alaska, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Kansas, New Jersey, New York, Utah and West Virginia.
SHAWNEE COUNTY – Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect in a what may have been an attempted bank robbery on Tuesday.
Just after 9a.m. Tuesday, a suspect identified as David Retana-Garcia, 23, entered a bank in the 700 Block of SW Topeka Boulevard with a sword in a scabbard, according to a media release from police spokesperson Lt. Colleen Stuart.
Security staff asked for and Retana-Garcia gave them the sword. He also mentioned wanting money, according to Stuart.
Police transported Retana-Garcia to the Law Enforcement Center for an interview.
He was booked into the Shawnee County Department of Corrections for attempted robbery.
————-
SHAWNEE COUNTY – Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect in a what may have been an attempted bank robbery on Tuesday.
Just after 9a.m., a suspect with a sword in a scabbard entered a bank in the 700 Block of SW Topeka Boulevard, according to police spokesperson Coleen Stuart.
Security staff asked for and the subject gave them the sword. The subject also mentioned wanting money.
Police transported the subject to the Law Enforcement Center for an interview.
WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — The babysitter of a Wichita child whose body was found in a field last year has pleaded guilty to interfering with a police investigation.
The Wichita Eagle reports that 26-year-old Tyerria Miles pleaded guilty Monday to interfering with the investigation of the May 2016 death of 2-year-old Jhornee Bland.
Miles had been caring for Jhornee in the days before her death and had initially told the police she had left the child with a friend. She later admitted that she moved Jhornee’s body to a field after her death.
The coroner wasn’t able to determine the cause of death.
Court records show that Miles is scheduled for sentencing on June 28.
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — A Kansas man won’t be facing a murder charge following a fight earlier this month that killed another man.
The Topeka Capital-Journal reports that 40-year-old Michael Stephen Murphy was released from Shawnee County Jail Tuesday after posting a $10,000 bond for a single charge of a felon in possession of a firearm.
Murphy’s original bond when booked May 10 was $1 million and included second-degree murder and weapons charges.
Police say they responded to a disturbance call reported as a fight on May 9, where they found 39-year-old Reginald A. Moten II suffering from head trauma. Moten died after being taken to a local hospital. Murphy was then taken for interviewing at the Law Enforcement Center.
