KDOR
TOPEKA – Debbi Beavers has been confirmed as director of the Kansas Department of Revenue’s Alcoholic Beverage Control Division.
Beavers has worked with the division since 2004 and previously served as the division’s licensing manager and operations manager.
“Helping our licensees become educated about liquor laws is crucial in our effort to reducing underage drinking and protecting public health and safety,” she said.
KDOR
TOPEKA – Free E-File income tax preparation help will be available at sites across Kansas starting today, Monday, Jan. 30.
The assistance sites are a partnership between the Kansas Department of Revenue and the Internal Revenue Service’s Volunteer Income Tax Assistance Program, called VITA.
Community IRS trained and certified volunteers will be on site to help complete electronically filed Federal and State individual income tax returns and limited Kansas Homestead Claims & Property Tax Relief Claims. The program offers tax help to low- and moderate-income people, generally earning $51,000 or less, who cannot prepare their own tax returns.
The volunteer tax preparers can help with special credits, such as Earned Income Tax Credit, Child Tax Credit and Credit for the Elderly or the Disabled for which some filers may qualify.
AARP Kansas also offers Tax-Aide through the IRS-sponsored Tax Counseling for the Elderly program at additional sites throughout Kansas. Those sites provide free tax help to seniors.
Items taxpayers should bring with them to have their tax returns prepared include:
Due to changes in the law, renters should be aware that they are no longer eligible for a Homestead Claim. The Food Sales Tax credit is also now non-refundable so it does not generate a refund beyond the amount of taxes owed.
Both spouses must be present to sign the required forms if they are filing jointly and bank routing numbers and account numbers must be provided to have the refund deposited directly into a checking or savings account.
For more information, call the Kansas Department of Revenue, (785) 368-8222. To locate the nearest VITA site, call 1-800-906-9887. A list of AARP Kansas Tax-Aide sites is available by calling 1-888-227-7669.
RILEY COUNTY – Law enforcement authorities in Riley County are investigating a suspect for an alleged sexual assault.
A 19-year-old female victim reported to police that a male known to her committed rape, aggravated sexual assault, and breach of privacy in the early morning hours Sunday, according to the Riley County arrest report.
Just after 1:30 p.m. on Sunday, officers filed a report for the alleged crimes.
At 7 p.m. Sunday, Nieko Giesbrecht, 20, of Manhattan, was arrested while at the Riley County Police Department for rape, aggravated sexual battery, and breach of privacy.
His bond was set at $250,000.00.
He is a student at Kansas State University, according online records from Delta Chi Fraternity.
No additional details were released on Monday morning.
SALINE COUNTY – Law enforcement authorities in Saline County are investigating a suspect for auto theft after an interstate accident.
On Friday, a 2005 Dodge Neon driven by Richard Griffin, 40, no known address, was westbound on Interstate 70 in Saline County.
The vehicle traveled into the median and rolled into the eastbound lane, according to Salina Captain Paul Forrester.
Griffin received treatment at the Saline County Health Center and was then booked into jail on requested charges of driving under the influence, driving without a license and theft.
The car belonged to a 63-year-old Salina man who had invited Griffin to his residence. Griffin took the car sometime after 7 a.m. Friday, according to police. The owner didn’t know it was gone until after the accident.
Griffin told police he was planning to return the car, according to Forrester.
Kansas Democratic Party
The Kansas Democratic Party rebukes President Trump’s ban on Muslims entering the United States. The Party urges the state’s Republican leaders to do the same.
The ban, enacted by Executive Order, is antithetical to the very founding principles of our country. It is not based in fact nor reality, but in hatred and inhumanity. The refugees seeking protections in the United States of America are overwhelmingly women, children, elderly, and the sick who need more sophisticated care than their home countries can provide. There is no sanity or cause in turning our backs on the vulnerable. President Trump and Republican leaders must remember that this is a country of immigrants, and that the United States pride itself in this.
The Kansas Democratic Party, like so many others across our nation, stand with the people being affected by the Trump administration’s reckless and inhumane actions. The Party stands beside them in solidarity and will fight for their rights – as well as for the rights of the American people. The Party calls on our Kansas Republicans in Congress to put humanity before party politics and do the same. These are human lives at stake.
“Donald Trump has often spoken of the movement he’s sparked. But the real movement has just begun – this time, against him – and the earth is shaking with the people and protesters on the right side of history,” said Kansas Democratic Party Executive Director, Kerry Gooch. “We stand in opposition of the countless acts of hatred, bigotry, and inhumanity of this administration. We must not accept this from the President of the United Stated of America.”
LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — Kansas sophomore basketball player Carlton Bragg is charged in Lawrence municipal court with possession of drug paraphernalia.
Court administrator Vicki Stanwix confirmed Monday that Bragg was given a notice to appear in court after police said they found two glass smoking devices with residue inside.
The paraphernalia was found Dec. 17 while university police were investigating a reported rape at McCarthy Hall, home to the men’s basketball team and other male students.
Kansas coach Bill Self indefinitely suspended Bragg from the team for violating team rules. He said the suspension is not connected to the alleged assault at McCarthy Hall.
Police also said in a news release there is no indication that the drug paraphernalia is related to the sexual assault case.
Bragg’s first appearance is scheduled for Feb. 14.
LEAVENWORTH, Kan. (AP) — Police are investigating the shooting death of a 54-year-old Kansas man.
Leavenworth Police Chief Pat Kitchens says Gary Frantz died after being shot several times on Friday night.
Investigators determined a 50-year-old woman was a potential suspect. Kitchens says the woman was later arrested in Burlingame.
The Leavenworth Times reports the shooting might have involved domestic violence but no other details were released.
JOHNSON COUNTY, MO – A Kansas man was involved in a fatal pedestrian accident just before 10p.m. on Sunday in Johnson County Missouri.
The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2007 Dodge Charger driven by Aaron D. Collins, 19, Ottawa, was eastbound on U.S. 50 just west of PCA Road.
The vehicle hit a pedestrian Demetrius A. Hayden, 23, in the roadway. He was pronounced dead at the scene and transported to Sweeney,
Phillips and Holdren Funeral Home.
The accident remains under investigation. No additional details were available early Monday.
Dozens of U.S. colleges are opposing President Donald Trump’s sweeping travel ban, which has left some students and professors stranded abroad.
Leaders at universities in Kansas responded on Sunday.
University of Kansas Chancellor Bernadette Gray-Little’s statement read “Last Friday’s executive order suspending immigration from Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, and Yemen has raised concerns for many members of the University of Kansas community. I share these concerns, and I want to assure you we are coordinating with our international programs staff, immigration experts, and peer universities to fully understand the implications of the new federal policies. We have also directly contacted our international students at KU to offer guidance and resources.
This state and nation were settled by immigrants, and immigrants continue to make immeasurable contributions to our society. Moreover, I want to reiterate that accessibility, diversity of thought, and the free and open exchange of ideas remain core values of the University of Kansas. That will never change, and we will continue our work to advance these values. And we will continue to let scholars around the world know this: No matter your country of origin, the color of your skin, your religious beliefs, gender, sexual orientation or political leaning – you belong at the University of Kansas, and we value the contributions you make to our community. Read the full comment from Bernadette Gray-Little-KU here.
Kansas State University statement read in part “An initial count indicates Kansas State University has 63 students and three scholars from those countries. There are likely additional students, faculty and staff who hold green cards and might also be affected.
“K-State deeply values the contributions of our international family members and regrets the disruption this situation is causing in their lives,” said Richard Myers, KSU President. “As a public research university with global connections, we are concerned about the detrimental effects of this policy on those pursuing academic studies and research. Our immediate task is to explore ways to be supportive of the students and families impacted.” The full statement from KSU is here.
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — For the second straight week, people searching for a missing Missouri woman have found a man’s body.
Relatives of Jessica Runions found the man’s body Saturday. Kansas City police say the discovery is being investigated as a suspicious death, but no details have been released.
The Kansas City Star reports that Runions’ relatives have been searching for the 21-year-old woman nearly every week since she went missing in early September.
Last week, they found a man’s decomposing body in a creek bed. He was later identified as a 21-year-old man also from Raytown reported missing in November. His death is being investigated as a homicide.
Runions was last seen leaving a gathering of friends in south Kansas City. Her burned vehicle was found two days later in a nearby wooded area.
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — A large crowd has gathered at Kansas City International Airport to protest President Donald Trump’s suspension of refugee entry into the U.S.
The Kansas City Star reports that hundreds of people rallied at the airport on Sunday, with many chanting: “Say it loud, say it clear: Refugees are welcome here!”
Airport officials said they were aware of the protest but didn’t issue any further statement.
The President issued a statement on the executive order.
Trump’s executive order temporarily bars citizens of seven predominantly Muslim countries from entering the U.S. The order has sparked protests around the country.
KDWPT
PRATT – Most anglers will keep good fishing spots close to their vests, but unfortunately for them, the Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism doesn’t. The 2017 Kansas Fishing Forecast is now available online, just in time for anglers to begin planning fishing trips for this spring. At ksoutdoors.com/Fishing/Fishing-Forecast, anglers can discover where the best fishing will be for all sport fish, taking all the mystery out of deciding where to fish.
The forecast is a compilation of data district fisheries biologists gather throughout the year. Biologists sample fish populations using a variety of methods, including electroshocking, trap nets, and gill nets. Fish are measured and weighed before being released, and the data is compared to that from previous years’ sampling. Creel surveys may also be conducted to find out from anglers what they are catching and what they prefer to catch.
Once sampling data is entered, it is assembled into a format that anglers can use to determine where the best fishing will be for the species they enjoy fishing for. For example, if you like to catch big crappie and lot of them, you should visit John Redmond Reservoir this spring. The 9,400-acre reservoir near Burlington is tops in its category for white crappie. And it’s not only No. 1 in the Density Rating for crappie longer than 8 inches, it’s also near the top for numbers of crappie 10 inches long or longer, which is the Preferred Rating. However, John Redmond really stands above all other reservoirs in the Lunker Rating, which refers to crappie longer than 12 inches, considered trophy-class, or lunkers, to most anglers.
Because sampling methods differ, depending on the size of the water body, the forecast is separated into three groups – ponds (less than 10 acres), lakes (less than 10-1,200 acres) and reservoirs (larger than 1,200 acres).
The forecast rankings are based on numbers of fish within length categories caught per sampling effort, which could be “per hour of electroshocking” or per “gill or trap net set.” Each species has a different set of length categories. For largemouth bass, the Density Rating is based on the number of fish per sampling effort that measured longer than 12 inches. The Preferred Rating for largemouths is the number of fish longer than 15 inches, and the Lunker Rating for largemouths is the number of fish longer than 20 inches. Incidentally, the No. 1 reservoir for largemouths this year is Sebelius Reservoir. And while Sebelius ranks first in the Density Rating, it is second behind La Cygne Reservoir for Preferred Rating. And La Cygne is by far the No. 1 in the Lunker Rating.
The forecast also includes Biggest Fish, Biologist’s and Three-year Average ratings. The weight of the biggest fish sampled is included just to give anglers confidence that big fish are present and the Biologist’s Rating of excellent (E), good (G) or poor (P) allows for human input. Occasionally, the Biologist’s Rating may not agree with the numbers and this can happen when environmental conditions impact the sampling results. The Three-year Average Rating lets anglers see trends.
This year, the online forecast will include a new category: The “Whatever’s Biting” ranking will consider waters that provide good fishing for a variety of species. It is the brainchild of biologists who noted that when creel survey clerks ask anglers what they are fishing for, many answer “whatever’s biting.” Most anglers just want to catch fish, and they don’t care whether they are crappie, catfish or “whatever.” For ponds, the “Whatever’s Biting” rating considers numbers for largemouth bass, bluegill and channel catfish. For Lakes, the rating is based on largemouth bass, channel catfish, bluegill and crappie. And for Reservoirs, the ratings consider largemouth bass, channel catfish, walleye, white bass and wipers. The new category will be available soon on the website, but here’s a sneak preview: the No. 1 “Whatever’s Biting” reservoir is Clinton; No. 1 for Lakes is Pleasanton West Lake; and for Ponds, No. 1 is Severy City Lake.
While you’re online, check out the 2017 Kansas Fishing Regulations Summary to see all fishing regulations, as well as special length and creel limits. The 2017 Kansas Fishing Atlas, which includes maps showing all public fishing locations, as well as private waters enrolled in the F.I.S.H. program. And it won’t be long until the Weekly Fishing Reports will receive regular updates. Let www.ksoutdoors.com help you catch fish this spring.
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Kansas welfare officials rarely release details after a child’s death or serious injury despite a decade-old law designed to provide more transparency.
The Kansas City Star (https://bit.ly/2jcpFXe ) reports that it has made numerous requests for documents to see how officials with the Kansas Department for Children and Families were complying with the 2004 law.
Of 15 media requests, covering 10 cases, the department released information about the department’s involvement in only one instance. In several cases, judges kept information sealed at the request of prosecutors, police departments and even parents suspected of abuse.
Department Secretary Phyllis Gilmore says the agency is “constantly striving to make sure children in Kansas are safe.”
Rep. Jim Ward, a Wichita Democrat, says the current law requiring disclosure has “too many loopholes.”
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