WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry Chairman Pat Roberts, R-Kan., and Ranking Member Debbie Stabenow, D-Mich., Thursday released the following statement after the House Agriculture Committee released its version of the 2018 Farm Bill.

Read the full text of the bill here.

“We continue to be committed to working on a Farm Bill for all farmers and families. With low commodity prices, worsening conditions in farm country, and unmet needs in communities across the country, we need to get this Farm Bill right. We’re working together as quickly as possible to produce a bipartisan bill that can pass the Senate and be enacted into law.”

Photo courtesy Rep. Roger Marshall

“This has been a long time coming, and I am thrilled to have this bill released, and for it to be considered by the committee in the near future.  I have heard my producers loud and clear. They want certainty; they want assurance that Washington is still working for them, this bill proves that we are listening,” Rep. Roger Marshall said.

The Senate Agriculture Committee has held nearly 30 hearings and business meeting during the 115^th Congress, including nine hearings on all titles of the 2014 Farm Bill.

MANHATTAN—The Little Apple Renaissance Festival will you take you back into the 16th century this Saturday April 14, 10am-5pm and Sunday April 15, 10am-5pm in City Park, Poyntz and 14th Street.

Admission is free. Parents, students, children, and folks of all walks of life are all invited to join the fun with food, festivities, games, interactive displays, and a trip to the medieval marketplace.

For more information, visit our website here.

The following is a summary of arrests, citations by the Riley County Police Department. Those arrested are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

Nemeth has previous convictions for burglary, battery, drugs, DUI and criminal damage to property, according to the Kan. Dept. of Corrections

KELSIE JOAN SUPER, 22, Manhattan, DUI; 1ST CONV; COMPETENT EVIDENCE OF BLOOD/; Bond $1500

MANHATTAN—The 25th annual Boy Scouts of America, Coronado Council, Konza District Merit Badge Conference and Target First Class Program will be hosted at Kansas State University on Saturday, April 28.

This year is special because it is the Silver Anniversary of the K-State Merit Badge Conference. We plan on having record attendance of over 1,050 Scouts and adult leaders from 118 Troops throughout Kansas, Nebraska, and Missouri.

Peter K. Dorhout-Photo courtesy KSU

52 merit badge classes will be taught by 75 faculty members at K-State and experts from the Manhattan community. Merit badge classes will take place at Colbert Hills Golf Course, Manhattan Airport, Manhattan Arts Center, Manhattan Area Technical College, Manhattan Dental, Manhattan Fire Station, Riley County Historical Museum, and throughout the campus of Kansas State University.

Keynote speakers for the past 3 years have been Dr. Kirk Schulz (an Eagle Scout and 13th president of Kansas State University), Jerry Moran (Coronado Area Council Executive Committee member and US Senator for Kansas), and Richard Myers (a Star Scout, retired four-star general in the US Air Force, 15th Chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff, and 14th president of Kansas State University).

This year, Dr. Peter Dorhout (an Eagle Scout, award-winning Chemistry professor, and K-State’s Vice President for Research) will be the keynote speaker.

For more information, please visit Coronadoscout.org
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MANHATTAN —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a reported theft and asking for help with informaion.

Just after 5p.m. Thursday, officers filed a report for theft in the 2200 block of McDowell Avenue in Manhattan, according to the Riley County Police Department activity report.

A 32-year-old Manhattan woman reported an unknown suspect took her wedding ring worth an estimated $6,818.00.

Police ask that anyone with information contact RCPD or the Manhattan Riley County Crime Stoppers. Using the Crime Stoppers service can allow you to remain anonymous and could qualify you for a cash reward of up to $1,000.00.

OJA

TOPEKA—The Kansas Supreme Court is seeking a parent who pays child support to serve on an advisory committee that reviews Kansas child support guidelines used to tailor child support obligations to meet families’ needs.

The volunteer selected to fill the position will be a voting member of the committee and will serve a four-year term. He or she will be eligible for travel reimbursement to attend meetings, and reimbursement will be calculated at the same rate as for state employees.

To be considered for the committee position, individuals must complete an online application athttps://www.surveymonkey.com/r/csgparentapp.

Applications will be accepted until April 30, 2018.

The 13-member Kansas Child Support Guidelines Advisory Committee includes parents who either pay or receive child support, and attorneys, judges, and tax professionals with expertise in child support. The committee:

• reviews the general rules governing how child support is established;
• evaluates the economic basis of the guidelines; and
• analyzes how courts may use adjustments to tailor child support obligations to meet the needs of families.

The committee identifies whether updates to the Kansas Child Support Guidelines are needed and it makes those recommendations to the Kansas Supreme Court.

The child support guidelines are reviewed every four years to ensure that the roughly $35 million mothers and fathers pay in support each month is equitable for the parents and appropriate for the day-to-day essential needs of the children they support.

Questions about the application or the child support guidelines review may be sent to kansascsg@kscourts.org.

The following is a summary of arrests, citations by the Riley County Police Department. Those arrested are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

Manhattan, Kan. – The Flint Hills Discovery Center will offer daily registration for its summer Adventure Camp.  Sessions are offered on an every-other-week basis for students entering grades 1-3 and grades 4-6.

This unique program offers children the chance to engage in both educational and entertaining activities such as experiments, excursions and crafts that are focused on a specific theme.  Parents choose between enrolling their child in a half day (7:30 AM-12:15 PM) or full day (7:30 AM-5:30 PM) session.  Those enrolled in a full day must bring their own sack lunch.

photo courtesy Flint Hills Discovery Center

Pricing for Flint Hills Discovery Center Members is $26/full day and $14/half day.  Non-Members are $28/full day and $16/half day.  Pre-registration is required.

Each week of the camp includes a new theme, which are then offered by daily themes.

Program themes for children entering grades 1-3:

June 4-8                                              Dive Into Dinosaurs

July 2-6                                               Science Alive

July 30-Aug. 3                                     Prairie Keepers

Program themes for children entering grades 4-6:

June 11-15                                          Dive Into Dinosaurs

July 9-13                                             Science Alive

Aug. 6-10                                            Prairie Keepers

To learn more about or register for Adventure Camp at the Flint Hills Discovery Center, visit www.flinthillsdiscovery.org/adventurecamp, call 785-587-2726 or visit 315 S. 3rd St. in Manhattan.

By CELIA LLOPIS-JEPSEN

Kansas lawmakers voted last weekend to increase public school funding over the next half decade — the latest chapter in a long and winding court battle.

            Five things about Kansas’ school finance fight

The story is far from over. Here’s what’s ahead in the coming weeks and months, and where it could all spin out of control.

Gov. Jeff Colyer plans to sign the school finance bill early next week.

After that, the funding boost is scheduled to start on July 1 — the new fiscal year — and ratchet upward in the four years after that one.

There’s just one problem …

… As it turns out, that bill had a pretty big error in it.

Lawmakers thought they were voting to ratchet up K-12 spending year by year so that schools would, by Year Five, get more than half a billion dollars above what they get today.

Instead, schools will get $80 million less per year than planned.

Colyer wants that fixed. So when lawmakers get back from spring break on April 26, expect some legislative deja vu: Conservatives arguing Kansas can’t afford another $80 million, moderates arguing it can, and Democrats arguing $80 million isn’t enough.

They won’t have much time to fight about it before the state and the school districts suing it have to turn in their homework.

April 30 is when the Kansas Supreme Court wants to see legal arguments — in writing — about that five-year plan.

If Kansas wants to end seven years of legal headaches, it needs to convince the justices the plan is enough to give kids an appropriate education.

Because one thing is clear — the plaintiffs will be arguing the opposite.

In the middle of brief-filing season, watch for a vote on changes meant to stop lawsuits like the current one.

Business groups and conservative Republicans are chomping at the bit to amend the state constitution.

But can they? It takes a two-thirds majority in each chamber to get to a public referendum. With 40 Democrats in the House, Republicans spearheading the charge there can only afford to lose a single vote from their side of the aisle.

A few moderate Republicans are already telling them to take a hike. So proponents either need to change some Republicans’ minds or win over some Democrats.

Lawyers for both sides will face off — yet again — for oral arguments.

The plaintiffs will say the five-year plan isn’t enough money to help the tens of thousands of students who aren’t even on grade level in math and reading. Why? They say schools will spend most of it just on keeping up with the inflation for all their regular expenses. So … not much will be left over for after-school tutoring, smaller class sizes or other changes needed for such large-scale academic progress.

The burden is on the state to prove them wrong. It will likely argue lawmakers took a look at school finance research, checked in with educators, and worked hard to target money where it’s needed.

In October, the justices said they would rule by the last day of June — just in time for the new fiscal year.

That would be pretty fast. The last time they ruled on the adequacy of state aid, it took them about three months after receiving each side’s briefs. The time before that, it took more than half a year.

And what will the court decide?

Well … any number of things.

• The justices could say Kansas needs to spend more. If that happens, they could give lawmakers time — say, another year — to fix it, or make them rush straight back to Topeka to get it done in a special session. And, yes, they could even shut down summer school or delay the coming school year by blocking the state from sending money to districts until it complies.

                Read about the year Kansas came closer than ever to constitutional crisis

• Or the state could win its case. Though even if that happens, the court could retain jurisdiction to make sure Kansas follows through on that five-year plan. (In the 2000s Kansas ditched a multiyear court-approved school finance plan part-way through.)
• Or the state could partly win and partly lose. For example, the justices could decide the state’s plan is pretty much okay, but unfair to poorer school districts and in need of some tweaks.
• Or neither party might win. The justices could decide a lower court or a specially appointed third party needs to take another look at some of the underlying facts. That would potentially mean many more months of legal wrangling before coming back to the Supreme Court for even more.

Celia Llopis-Jepsen is a reporter for the Kansas News Service. You can reach her on Twitter @Celia_LJ.

The following is a summary of arrests, citations by the Riley County Police Department. Those arrested are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

Swinson has a previous drug conviction, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections

ERIK ALEXIS LOYA, 24, Overland Park, DRIVING WHILE SUSPENDED; 1ST CONVICTION; Bond $750

LINDSEY ANNE THIELE, 35 , Manhattan, Failure to Appear; Bond $232

FREDRICK DARRELL SWINSON, 30, Junction City, CRIMINAL DAMAGE PROPERTY; $1K-$25K; Bond $2000

CITATION REPORT

MARIA BARRAGAN, 27, HUTCHINSON, KS WAS CITED WHILE AT 100 MANHATTAN TOWN CTR IN MANHATTAN FOR THEFT (PETTY) (22-26) ON APRIL 11, 2018 AT APPROXIMATELY 5:15 PM.

MICHAEL BARNES, 50, MANHATTAN, KS WAS CITED WHILE AT CASEMENT RD & HAYES DR IN MANHATTAN FOR FTY RIGHT OF WAY STOP/YIELD (159) ON APRIL 9, 2018 AT APPROXIMATELY 5:30 PM.

KATHLEEN BALDWIN, 31, MANHATTAN, KS WAS CITED WHILE AT N MANHATTAN AVE & BAKERS WAY IN MANHATTAN FOR FOLLOWING TOO CLOSELY (8-47), FOR INATTENTIVE DRIVING (14-104) AND FOR NO DRIVERS LICENSE IN POSSESSION (19-193) ON APRIL 9, 2018 AT APPROXIMATELY12:50 PM.

RHONDA RAND, 47, MANHATTAN, KS WAS CITED WHILE IN THE 700 BLK MARLATT AVE IN MANHATTAN FOR POSSESSION OF MARIJUANA (22-91) AND FOR POSSESS DRUG PARAPHERNALIA (22-92) ON APRIL 12, 2018 AT APPROXIMATELY 1:48 AM.

CHRISTINA BAXTER, 19, MANHATTAN, KS WAS CITED WHILE IN THE 1200 BLK KIMBALL AVE IN MANHATTAN FOR FOLLOWING TOO CLOSELY (8-47) ON APRIL 10, 2018 AT APPROXIMATELY 5:40 PM.

JOYCE TSUMA, 38, MANHATTAN, KS WAS CITED WHILE AT 5935 CORPORATE DR IN MANHATTAN FOR LEAVE SCENE OF INJURY ACC (5-23) ON APRIL 11, 2018 AT APPROXIMATELY 8:30 AM.

AOFIE MOONEY, 20, MANHATTAN, KS WAS CITED WHILE AT 710 N MANHATTAN AVE; EIGHTEEN63 IN MANHATTAN FOR POSSESSION OR CONSUMPTION OF ALCOHOL BY MINOR (4-3(B)) ON APRIL 11, 2018 AT APPROXIMATELY10:58 PM.

BRADY JENSEN, 19, MANHATTAN, KS WAS CITED WHILE IN THE 3100 BLK AMHERST AVE IN MANHATTAN FOR INATTENTIVE DRIVING (31-18) ON APRIL 8, 2018 AT APPROXIMATELY 7:53 PM.

ASHLEY STEWART, 24, WASHINGTON, KS WAS CITED WHILE AT CLAFLIN RD & N MANHATTAN AVE IN MANHATTAN FOR FOLLOWING TOO CLOSELY (8-47) ON APRIL 9, 2018 AT APPROXIMATELY 3:14 PM.

 

RILEY COUNTY — One person was injured in an accident just before 3p.m. Monday in Riley County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2015 school bus driven by Laura P. Kumle, 36, Manhattan, was westbound on Walters Drive. The driver failed to yield to the right of way by driving across the intersection of Walters Drive and U.S. 24.

A northbound 2000 Peterbilt semi grain hauler driven by Delbert L. Henson, 45, Beluve, steered right and applied the breaks to avoid colliding with the bus.

The truck traveled into the ditch and the driver attempted to correct back onto the paved roadway. In the process the truck flipped onto its right side and came to rest in the East ditch.

Henson was transported to the hospital in Manhattan.

Kumle was not injured. The KHP did not report the number of students on the bus. Both drivers were properly restrained at the time of the accident, according to the KHP.

The following is a summary of arrests, citations by the Riley County Police Department. Those arrested are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

Henry Lemus-Osario, was jailed on allegations of felony possession of drug paraphernalia and other charges in November in Geary County

WILLIAM CHARLES HAMAN, 29, Wamego, BURGLARY;NON DWELLING FELONY,THEFT,SEX CONSPIRACY TO COMMIT; Bond $9000

HENRY BALDAMAR LEMUS OSARIO, 46, Ogden, Failure to Appear; Bond $25,000

BEIJING (AP) — China on Tuesday ordered importers of U.S. sorghum to pay deposits for possible higher tariffs in an anti-dumping investigation, adding to growing trade conflict with Washington.

A preliminary ruling by the Commerce Ministry said U.S. sorghum was being sold at improperly low prices, hurting Chinese farmers. It said importers must post bonds of 178.6 percent of the value of their goods to cover possible anti-dumping duties while the probe is completed.

Beijing launched the sorghum investigation on Feb. 4 in what some businesspeople saw as a warning shot after President Donald Trump hiked tariffs on Chinese-made washing machines and solar modules.

Since then, Trump has threatened to raise duties on up to $150 billion of Chinese goods in a dispute over technology policy. Beijing has responded with its own list of U.S. goods for possible retaliation.

The measures on sorghum, a grain used in animal feed and for making the fiery traditional Chinese liquor baijiu, target farm areas that voted for Trump in 2016. China is one of the biggest foreign markets for U.S. sorghum growers.

Investigators concluded dumping of U.S. sorghum “substantially damaged” Chinese competitors, the Commerce Ministry said. It said prices of U.S. sorghum fell 13 percent from 2013 to 2017, while shipments increased 14-fold.

According to the Kansas Grain Sorghum Commission, the Sorghum Belt runs from South Dakota to Southern Texas and the crop is grown primarily on dryland acres.  In addition to animal feed it is used for ethanol production. Kansas, Texas and Arkansas are among the top Sorghum producing states, according to the the commission’s web site.

MANHATTAN —  Law enforcement authorities are investigating two reports of forgery.

Just after 4:30p.m.Monday, officers filed two reports for forgery at Dillons in the 1100 block of Westloop Place in Manhattan, according to the Riley County Police Department activity report.

Two unknown suspects used fraudulent checks at the business. The estimated total loss associated with both cases is approximately $6,832.00.

Police ask that anyone with information contact RCPD or the Manhattan Riley County Crime Stoppers. Using the Crime Stoppers service can allow you to remain anonymous and could qualify you for a cash reward of up to $1,000.00.

Menear has a previous drug conviction in Riley County, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections

The following is a summary of arrests, citations by the Riley County Police Department. Those arrested are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

MANHATTAN — Fire crews rescued two dogs after an apartment fire in Manhattan.

Just before 9a.m. Wednesday, the Manhattan Fire Department was dispatched to 1010 Garden Way for a report of a structure fire.

Upon arrival, crews found a three-story apartment building with smoke showing from Apartment A.

The fire was quickly contained in less than 10 minutes. There was no one inside the apartment that had the fire and all other occupants exited prior to fire department arrival. Crews were able to remove two dogs and were able to resuscitate them.

A total of 19 firefighters responded on 5 fire apparatus with the last units still on scene at the time of this release.

The building is a three-story, six-unit apartment building. All occupants were able to return to their apartments, other than Apartment A where the fire occurred.

Loss is estimated at $5,000 to contents and $25,000 to the structure. The owner is listed as 3SC Venture I LLC of Liberty, Missouri. The fire cause is under investigation, but preliminary investigation appears to indicate it was accidental.

Riley County Police Department, Riley County Emergency Medical Service, and City of Manhattan Animal Control assisted at the scene.

GEARY COUNTY —A 25-year-old Kansas man has been sentenced to 44 years in prison for fatally shooting a Manhattan man during a robbery in 2016.

Craig-photo Geary Co.

Joseph “DoDa” Craig was sentenced Wednesday in Geary County.

In February, a jury in Junction City found him guilty in the January 2016 shooting death of David Phillips, 23, Manhattan., at a West 12th Street Apartment in Junction City.

Craig was also found guilty of Intentional Second Degree Murder, Conspiracy to Commit First Degree Murder, Conspiracy to Commit Aggravated Robbery, Aggravated Robbery, and Felon in Possession of a Firearm,

Williams-photo Geary Co.

A second defendant in the case, 20-year-old Gabby Williams was sentenced in February to 15-years in prison for her role in the murder and robbery.

By DAN MARGOLIES

The owner and operator of 15 Kansas nursing homes has consented to be placed in receivership after defaulting on payments to vendors and failing to meet payroll.

Tim Keck, secretary of the Kansas Department for Aging and Disability Services, says the state is moving quickly to find a new owner for the nursing homes.
FILE PHOTO-Kansas News Service

Kansas Department for Aging and Disability Services Secretary Tim Keck has been appointed receiver and will oversee operations of the homes, which are scattered across the state.

The owner, Skyline Health Care LLC of Wood-Ridge, New Jersey, previously acknowledged that it had insufficient funds to pay basic utilities and food service vendors.

The 15 Kansas facilities have about 845 residents and 950 employees, according to court documents. Three of the nursing homes are in Wyandotte County, one is in Johnson County and one is in Leavenworth County.

Keck said that Mission Health, a Tampa, Florida-based operator of nursing homes that already operates 14 skilled nursing facilities in Kansas, has assumed day-to-day oversight of the Skyline nursing homes.

“They have done a really good job of getting things organized and back to some level of certainty in the last week or so,” Keck said.

The next step, he said, is to find a new owner.

“It may or may not be Mission Health,” Keck said. “I don’t know if they will be interested in it or not. We have heard from several people that they are interested in some or all of the facilities.”

“Our end goal,” he added, “is to get all the facilities back on sound footing with some certainty and then turn them over to another operator in the next few months. We’ve got a pretty aggressive timeline.”

Mission Health has operated in Kansas since mid-2015, when it took over facilities previously operated by Deseret Health Group, which had become insolvent. In that case too, the Kansas Department for Aging and Disability Services facilitated the takeover.

Northjersey.com, a Gannett-affiliated website, reported Monday that Skyline had received millions of dollars in Medicaid revenues for the care of thousands of elderly residents in eight states. It said that Skyline, which operates out of a second-floor office above a pizzeria and barbershop, had expanded rapidly in the last couple of years, acquiring dozens of skilled-nursing homes from financially troubled chains.

Last month, Nebraska health officials placed 21 nursing homes and 10 assisted living facilities operated by Skyline in receivership. Kansas officials moved to take over the 15 facilities in Kansas five days later.

Keck said that legal action against Skyline could be in the offing.

“I think that’s something we will attack on many fronts, probably through some litigation,” Keck said. “And we probably need to take a fresh look at our regulations on that, as to what the state has the ability to look at going forward. … But I can tell you we’ll be very aggressive to make sure that Kansas gets what we’re entitled to make us as whole as possible when it’s all said and done.”

Skyline is owned by Joseph Schwartz. A bio he provided to the Pennsylvania Department of Health says he was born and raised in Brooklyn, New York, and is married with four children. It says he began his career in 1986 as an independent insurance broker and “has built a profitable portfolio of real estate investments throughout the North East Region.”

The bio goes on to say that Schwartz founded Skyline in 2005 “with the purpose of purchasing and managing health care facilities.” From November 2015 to the present, it says, he has acquired 76 health care facilities, including the ones in Kansas.

Calls to Schwartz were referred to Juda Engelmayer, president of a public relations firm called Herald Strategies. Engelmayer said Skyline was not trying to run away from its problems but it wasn’t in a position to discuss them now.

“I expect within a week you’ll be hearing from me,” he said.

Here’s a list of the 15 nursing homes:

• Chase County Care & Rehabilitation Center
• Downs Care & Rehabilitation Center
• Edwardsville Care & Rehabilitation Center
• El Dorado Care & Rehabilitation Center
• Eskridge Care & Rehabilitation Center
• Kaw River Care & Rehabilitation Center
• Lansing Care & Rehabilitation Center
• Neodesha Care & Rehabilitation Center
• Parkway Care & Rehabilitation Center
• Pittsburg Care & Rehabilitation Center
• Spring Hill Care & Rehabilitation Center
• Wakefield Care & Rehabilitation Center
• Wellington Care & Rehabilitation Center
• Wichita Care & Rehabilitation Center
• Wilson Care & Rehabilitation Center

Dan Margolies is a senior reporter and editor for the Kansas News Service/KUCR. You can reach him on Twitter @DanMargolies.