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.

SHELBY RAE OCKER, 21, Manhattan, DISORDERLY CONDUCT; BRAWLING/FIGHTING; Bond $500

ALYSIA RAEANNE TILLMAN, 25, Manhattan, DISORDERLY CONDUCT; BRAWLING/FIGHTING; Bond $500

Jason Ward -photo Geary Co.

JASON ALAN WARD, 47, Manhattan, Failure to Appear; Bond $20,000

DUSTIN ALLEN CARTER, 30, Junction City, DISTRIBUTE OPIATES,OPIUM,STIMULANT UNLAWFUL POSS OF DEPRESSANTS; Bond $10,000

JENNIFER MICHELLE KRINHOP, 43, Junction City, Probation Violation, Bond $5000

AMAYA LAJESS FISHER, 18, Manhattan, DRIVING WHILE SUSPENDED; 1ST CONVICTION; Bond $750

DAVID ALLEN OVERBY, 26, St. Mary’s, CRIMINAL TRESPASS; DEFIANCE OF OWNER; Bond $500

 

Megan Kern -photo courtesy Shawnee Co.

MEGAN LYNN KERN, 21, Failure to Appear (2x); Bond $9500  AND  CRIMINAL TRESPASS; DEFIANCE OF OWNER; Bond $500

TYLER JOSEPH HANN, 31, Wichita, MAKING FALSE WRITING, THEFT OF PROP/SERVICES; <$1500; Bond $2500

CITATION REPORT

KOSTIN MERCER, 19, MANHATTAN, KS WAS CITED WHILE IN THE 1400 BLK ANDERSON AVE IN MANHATTAN FOR CELL PHONE-TALKING/HAND FREE (14-126.3) ON SEPTEMBER 19, 2018 AT APPROXIMATELY 7 PM.

COLTON MEADOWS, 21, MANHATTAN, KS WAS CITED WHILE IN THE 2200 BLK CLAFLIN RD IN MANHATTAN FOR INATTENTIVE DRIVING (14-104) ON SEPTEMBER 11, 2018 AT APPROXIMATELY 3:38 PM.

ANTHONY YBARRA, 36,  MANHATTAN, KS WAS CITED WHILE AT S 17TH ST & ROCKHILL RD IN MANHATTAN FOR FOLLOWING TOO CLOSELY (8-47) ON SEPTEMBER 17, 2018 AT APPROXIMATELY 6:32 PM.

NICK KARR, 44,  ST GEORGE, KS WAS CITED WHILE IN THE 1300 BLK KIMBALL AVE IN MANHATTAN FOR FOLLOWING TOO CLOSELY (8-47) ON SEPTEMBER 18, 2018 AT APPROXIMATELY 6:44 PM.

AARON COOK, 29, VALLEY FALLS, KS WAS CITED WHILE IN THE 1300 BLK KIMBALL AVE IN MANHATTAN FOR FOLLOWING TOO CLOSELY (8-47) ON SEPTEMBER 18, 2018 AT APPROXIMATELY 6:44 PM.

SARAH PETERSON, 21,  MANHATTAN, KS WAS CITED WHILE IN THE 1700 BLK ANDERSON AVE IN MANHATTAN FOR CELL PHONE-TEXTING VIOL (14-126.2) AND FOR INATTENTIVE DRIVING (31-18) ON SEPTEMBER 19, 2018 AT APPROXIMATELY 3:13 PM.

AMBER PAXTON, 22,  MANHATTAN, KS WAS CITED WHILE IN THE 1700 BLK ANDERSON AVE IN MANHATTAN FOR CELL PHONE-TEXTING VIOL (14-126.2) AND FOR INATTENTIVE DRIVING (31-18) ON SEPTEMBER 19, 2018 AT APPROXIMATELY 3:56 PM.

SYDNEY BEHRNDT, 21, MANHATTAN, KS WAS CITED WHILE IN THE 1700 BLK ANDERSON AVE IN MANHATTAN FOR INATTENTIVE DRIVING (31-18) ON SEPTEMBER 19, 2018 AT APPROXIMATELY 4:12 PM.

SYDNEY BEHRNDT, 21,  MANHATTAN, KS WAS CITED WHILE IN THE 1700 BLK ANDERSON AVE IN MANHATTAN FOR NO DRIVERS LICENSE IN POSSESSION (19-193) AND NO PROOF OF MOTOR VEHICLE LIABILITY (19-200) ON SEPTEMBER 19, 2018 AT APPROXIMATELY 4:12 PM.

JOSEPH PENTOLA, 19,  MANHATTAN, KS WAS CITED WHILE IN THE 1400 BLK ANDERSON AVE IN MANHATTAN FOR CELL PHONE-TEXTING VIOL (14-126.2), FOR CELL PHONE-TALKING/HAND FREE (14-126.3) AND FOR NO PROOF OF MOTOR VEHICLE LIABILITY (19-200) ON SEPTEMBER 19, 2018 AT APPROXIMATELY 6:25 PM.

JULIE PORTUESE, 38, MANHATTAN, KS WAS CITED WHILE IN THE 1400 BLK ANDERSON AVE IN MANHATTAN FOR CELL PHONE-TEXTING VIOL (14-126.2) ON SEPTEMBER 19, 2018 AT APPROXIMATELY 6:46 PM.

PHILLIP BROOKS, 19,  MANHATTAN, KS WAS CITED WHILE IN THE 1400 BLK ANDERSON AVE IN MANHATTAN FOR FAIL TO STOP AT RED LIGHT (4-13(C)) FOR INATTENTIVE DRIVING (31-18) , FOR NO PROOF OF MOTOR VEHICLE LIABILITY (19-200) AND FOR VEHICLE TAGS-EXPIRE/ILLEGBLE (19-198) ON SEPTEMBER 19, 2018 AT APPROXIMATELY 5:58 PM.

SAMUEL SPENCER, 26, OF 1709 VAUGHN DR, MANHATTAN, KS WAS CITED WHILE AT WESTPORT PL & ANDERSON AVE IN MANHATTAN FOR ADULT SEAT BELT (17-182.1) ON SEPTEMBER 19, 2018 AT APPROXIMATELY 2:01 PM.

MICHAEL GUNN, 21,OGDEN, KS WAS CITED WHILE IN THE 1800 BLK TUTTLE CREEK BLVD IN MANHATTAN FOR CELL PHONE-TALKING/HAND FREE (14-126.3) ON SEPTEMBER 19, 2018 AT APPROXIMATELY 8:50 PM.

ALEJANDRO MARTINEZ,  20, MANHATTAN, KS WAS CITED WHILE IN THE 1600 BLK ANDERSON AVE IN MANHATTAN FOR CELL PHONE-TALKING/HAND FREE (14-126.3) ON SEPTEMBER 15, 2018 AT APPROXIMATELY 6:37 PM.

SARAH WENGER, 27,  CLAY CENTER, KS WAS CITED WHILE IN THE 800 BLK MARLATT AVE IN MANHATTAN FOR SPEEDING (7-33) ON SEPTEMBER 15, 2018 AT APPROXIMATELY 8:05 PM.

COLBY STUCKMAN, 29,  MANHATTAN, KS WAS CITED WHILE IN THE 1600 BLK ANDERSON AVE IN MANHATTAN FOR CELL PHONE-TALKING/HAND FREE (14-126.3) AND FOR NO PROOF OF MOTOR VEHICLE LIABILITY (19-200) ON SEPTEMBER 19, 2018 AT APPROXIMATELY 6:43 PM.

DEVALYN PEREZ, 20, MANHATTAN, KS WAS CITED WHILE AT 4620 EUREKA DR; FLINT HILLS JOB CORP; ROOFTOP IN MANHATTAN FOR POSSESSION OF MARIJUANA (22-91) AND FOR POSSESS DRUG PARAPHERNALIA (22-92) ON SEPTEMBER 18, 2018 AT APPROXIMATELY 8 AM.

CHRISTIAN MARCOUX, 22, MANHATTAN, KS WAS CITED WHILE AT 4620 EUREKA DR; FLINT HILLS JOB CORP; ROOFTOP IN MANHATTAN FOR POSSESSION OF MARIJUANA (22-91) AND FOR POSSESS DRUG PARAPHERNALIA (22-92) ON SEPTEMBER 18, 2018 AT APPROXIMATELY 8 AM.

HUI ZHENG, 52, MANHATTAN, KS WAS CITED WHILE AT AMHERST AVE & N SETH CHILD RD IN MANHATTAN FOR FTY TO PASSING EMERGENCY VEHICLE (161) ON SEPTEMBER 19, 2018 AT APPROXIMATELY10:05 AM.

JENNIFER WALKER, 45, MANHATTAN, KS WAS CITED WHILE IN THE 1900 BLK ANDERSON AVE IN MANHATTAN FOR VEHICLE TAGS-EXPIRE/ILLEGBLE (19-198) ON SEPTEMBER 19, 2018 AT APPROXIMATELY12:50 PM.

DAVID THIBAULT, 22,  MANHATTAN, KS WAS CITED WHILE IN THE 1500 BLK ANDERSON AVE IN MANHATTAN FOR CELL PHONE-TEXTING VIOL (14-126.2) ON SEPTEMBER 19, 2018 AT APPROXIMATELY 6:38 PM.

JAMES TOLIVER, 38, , MANHATTAN, KS WAS CITED WHILE IN THE 2200 BLK CLAFLIN RD IN MANHATTAN FOR SPEEDING (7-33) AND FOR NO DRIVERS LICENSE (19-192) ON SEPTEMBER 19, 2018 AT APPROXIMATELY 8:30 AM.

ALICIA GINGLES, 58,  CLAY CENTER, KS WAS CITED WHILE AT N 4TH ST & BLUEMONT AVE IN MANHATTAN FOR IMPROPER DRIVING ON LANED ROAD (8-46) ON SEPTEMBER 18, 2018 AT APPROXIMATELY11:55 AM.

HUI ZHENG, 52,, MANHATTAN, KS WAS CITED WHILE AT AMHERST AVE & N SETH CHILD RD IN MANHATTAN FOR FAIL TO STOP AT RED LIGHT (4-13(C)) AND FOR IMPROPER TURNING (9-49) ON SEPTEMBER 19, 2018 AT APPROXIMATELY10:05 AM.

HUI ZHENG, 52, OF 102 HARVARD PL, MANHATTAN, KS WAS CITED WHILE AT AMHERST AVE & N SETH CHILD RD IN MANHATTAN FOR IMPROPER DRIVING ON LANED ROAD (8-46) ON SEPTEMBER 19, 2018 AT APPROXIMATELY10:05 AM.

MARTIN LOMELI GARCIA, 47,  JUNCTION CITY, KS WAS CITED WHILE IN THE 1300 BLK PILLSBURY DR IN MANHATTAN FOR SPEED IN LOCAL POSTED ZONE (08-1560) ON SEPTEMBER 19, 2018 AT APPROXIMATELY 8 AM.

ANTONIO HICKS, 41,  MANHATTAN, KS WAS CITED WHILE IN THE 1300 BLK PILLSBURY DR IN MANHATTAN FOR SPEED IN LOCAL POSTED ZONE (08-1560) ON SEPTEMBER 19, 2018 AT APPROXIMATELY 8:20 AM.

 

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Republican Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach is disputing a new television ad in which his Democratic rival in the governor’s race says he’s called the state’s school overfunded.

Kobach says Sen. Laura Kelly should change or take down the ad, which began airing Thursday. In the ad, Kelly says Kobach “actually says our schools are overfunded,” citing his comments at a Republican primary debate in April in Atchison.

Kobach insists he never said “anything like that or use the word ‘overfunded.'” But Kelly’s campaign says Kobach plans to repeat “the Brownback experiment,” a reference to income tax cuts passed under then-Gov. Sam Brownback that led to budget problems.

Kelly says that plan “would lead to another massive cut to our schools.”

OFFICE OF SEN. MORAN

WASHINGTON– U.S. Senator Jerry Moran (R-Kan.), along with U.S. Senators Todd Young (R-Ind.) and Jim Inhofe (R-Okla.), introduced the Developing Responsible Individuals for a Vibrant Economy (DRIVE-Safe) Act, S. 3352, to address the driver shortage in the trucking and logistics industry, and enhance safety training and job opportunities for young truckers.

The apprenticeship program established by the DRIVE-Safe Act would require young drivers to complete at least 400 hours of on-duty time and 240 hours of driving time with an experienced driver in the cab with them. All trucks used for training in the program must be equipped with safety technology including active braking collision mitigation systems, a video event capture system and a speed governor set at 65 miles per hour or below. 

Due to some expressed concern regarding the safety and intent of the DRIVE-Safe Act, below is a fact sheet to highlight the rigorous training all new drivers under this bill would need to complete prior to licensing: 

MYTH #1: “It obviously is going to reduce safety.” This bill will make the roads less safe because there is not adequate training for 18-year-old drivers. 

FACT:

• It is already legal in all 48 contiguous states for 18-year-olds to drive trucks intrastate; this bill would simply allow these drivers to cross state lines with the commodities they are already transporting intrastate upon the completion of the rigorous training program.

• It is currently legal for an 18-year-old Kansas City, Kan.-based truck driver to deliver goods 400 miles away to Goodland, Kan., and yet they are forbidden from crossing the Missouri River to make a delivery 10 miles away.

• Further, those participating in this program would be required to complete a minimum of 400 hours of training and meet 10 performance benchmarks before being allowed to operate trucks interstate. 

MYTH #2: “Younger drivers both lack overall experience and are less safe behind the wheel than their older counterparts.” 

FACT:

• There is no evidence to suggest younger drivers who have completed this training are less safe than their older counterparts. In fact, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, in the last five years for which we have data (2012-2016),[1] 16-20 year old male drivers – of both passenger and commercial motor vehicles – were less likely to be involved in fatal crashes than their 21-24 year old counterparts, and male drivers make up 94 percent of the truck-driver industry, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

• This bill would require training to occur on trucks equipped with industry-leading safety technologies endorsed by the National Transportation Safety Board, like active braking collision mitigation systems, which significantly reduce the frequency and severity of crashes.

MYTH #3: “No small-business truckers are going to be able to take advantage of that [lowered age requirements] simply because small carriers will not be able to get younger drivers insured.”

FACT:

• Insurers have expressed a willingness to work with carriers to get younger drivers insured, so long as carriers comply with the requirements of this bill and demonstrate meaningful investments in safety. 

MYTH #4: “We’ve been hearing the talk of shortage for 25 years, and when you sort through the smoke and mirrors . . . what they call a shortage is actually a retention problem…” 

FACT:

• The industry’s average workforce age, 49, is seven years older than the average American worker. The industry will need to hire 890,000 new workers over the next decade to keep up with demand, and according to the Federal Reserve’s July 2018 report of economic conditions across the country, half of all 12 Federal Reserve Districts reported trucking capacity and truck-driver shortages as an issue, despite this job being one of the most in-demand and with the biggest pay hikes of 2018. 

MYTH #5: This bill will only benefit large companies who want to “pay a starter wage and help the company make more money.” 

FACT:

• All carriers, large and small, will benefit from a stronger labor market. Additionally, this will create good-paying job opportunities for high school graduates that were previously unavailable to them.

[1] U.S. Department of Transportation, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Traffic Safety Facts Annual Report Tables: Table 62 Driver Involvement Rates per 100,000 Licensed Drivers by Age, Sex, and Crash Severity, https://cdan.nhtsa.gov/tsftables/tsfar.htm.

PRATT – In just a matter of days, ink will be drying on freshly-printed copies of Kansas’ 2018 Upland Bird Hunting Forecast, but if you can’t wait any longer, there’s an electronic version to tide you over. Bird hunters can download a PDF version of this year’s forecast at ksoutdoors.com.

How To Download the “2018 Upland Bird Forecast”

1. Visit ksoutdoors.com

2. Click “Hunting”

3. Click “Upland Birds” (found under “What To Hunt”)

4. Click “Upland Bird Forecast”

The annual forecast summarizes data from spring and summer surveys and predicts what pheasant, quail and prairie chicken hunters may experience across Kansas this fall. The verdict? Kansas should have “good” upland bird hunting opportunities this fall.

Biologists create the forecast using surveys of breeding populations and reproductive success of pheasants, quail, and prairie chickens. Breeding population data are gathered with spring whistle count surveys for quail, crow count surveys for pheasants and lek count surveys for greater prairie chickens.

PHEASANT

Kansas reported the second highest pheasant harvest among states in 2017, and Kansas will still have one of the best pheasant populations in the country this fall. Pheasant hunting in Kansas should be “fair to locally good” this year.

Pheasant densities had been slowly recovering from 2013 to 2016 with a few areas reaching relatively high densities. A late 2017 spring blizzard in western Kansas reduced nesting success and resulted in a decline in the 2018 pheasant crow survey. Winter precipitation was limited this year, resulting in short wheat and concern for nesting prospects. Heavy spring and summer showers greatly improved vegetative cover for nesting, but also limited nest success. Conditions shifted peak pheasant hatch later into June and July. While wheat harvest was delayed, which typically benefits pheasant production, the short wheat limited its usefulness for nesting. Roadside counts indicate a below-average pheasant population this year. The combination of heavy cover and a later peak hatch may have reduced the number of detectable birds on the counts, but generally survey conditions were ideal.

The best areas will likely be in the northern half of the Kansas pheasant range with areas of high densities also found in central and far southwestern regions.

QUAIL

Last fall’s Kansas bobwhite quail harvest was the highest recorded in the country, finishing just above Texas, and while hunting isn’t expected to be quite as good in 2018, Kansas will still have one of the best quail populations in the country.

Precipitation patterns observed over the past five years altered vegetation, increasing both the quality and quantity of habitat, allowing for a modern quail boom. While total harvest has remained well below average due to lower hunter participation, the average daily bag has remained at the best levels observed in 20 years. The bobwhite whistle survey in 2018 showed only a slight decline compared to the 2017’s highest values ever recorded from this survey, which began in 1997. Dry weather in the east and wet weather in the west provided optimism for high production and another banner year. Early reports indicated lots of birds along roadsides and throughout wheat fields during harvest. However, observations on the statewide roadside survey were significantly down this year, with only the Osage Cuestas showing improvement. Densities in the eastern-most regions are not as high, but all regional indices remain near or above their respective long-term averages.

The best opportunities will again be found in the central regions, extending east into the northern Flint Hills.

PRAIRIE CHICKEN

Kansas is home to greater and lesser prairie chickens. Greater prairie chickens are found primarily in the tallgrass and mixed-grass prairies that occur in the eastern third and northern half of the state. The Southwest Prairie Chicken Unit, where lesser prairie chickens are found, will remain closed to hunting this year.

Greater prairie chicken hunting opportunities will be best in the Northern High Plains and Smoky Hills Regions this fall, where populations have been increasing or stable.

All prairie chicken hunters are required to purchase a $2.50 Prairie Chicken Permit in addition to their hunting license. This permit allows hunter activity and harvest to be measured and will improve management activities and inform policy decisions.

For more detailed information and regional breakdowns for all three species, consult the 2018 Upland Bird Hunting Forecast at www.ksoutdoors.com or pick one up at any Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism Office. The full forecast will also be featured in the 2018 November/December issue of Kansas Wildlife & Parks Magazine, available for purchase by calling (620) 672-5911.

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.

RYAN WESLEY ESTES, 25, Manhattan, DUI; 1ST CONV; COMPETENT EVIDENCE OF BLOOD; Bond $750

ANTONIO JAMES MCKINLEY, 22, Manhattan, DUI; 1ST CONV; COMPETENT EVIDENCE OF BLOOD; Bond $1500

RONALDO ALONSO OLIVARES MORENO, 18, Fort Riley, BATTERY LEO; PHYSICAL CONTACT W/COUNTY OR; Bond $1000

Roy Cephas -photo Geary Co.

ROY ERWIN CEPHAS JR, 20, Junction City, Failure to Appear (5x) Bond $2000

ANGEL NICOLE CARNE DAVIS, 44, Ogden, Probation Violation (4x) Held without Bond

RODRIGO ARRELLAGA-SOSA, 23, Manhattan, DISORDERLY CONDUCT; BRAWLING/FIGHTING; Bond $750

ALONZO MARCELLA CAGLE, 29, Chapman, DISORDERLY CONDUCT; BRAWLING/FIGHTING; Bond $750

RENEE MARIE FREEMAN, 35, Manhattan,DUI; 1ST CONV; COMPETENT EVIDENCE OF BLOOD; Bond $750

Kristen Reed -photo Saline Co.

JOHN LOGAN LEROY GALLOWAY, 26, Manhattan, Failure to Appear; Bond $1000

BRYAN ANTHONY MOSLEY, 27, Fort Riley, Failure to Appear; Bond $750

KRISTEN ELIZABETH REED, 38, Wichita, Probation Violation; Salina Police

NESHEMAH MEKAYL EVANS KABANCE, 20, Topeka, THEFT OF PROP/SERVICES; <$1500; Topeka Police

 

 

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.

RILEY COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a shooting and have made an arrest.

Just after 7:40p.m. Saturday, the Riley County Police Department received a call of an unresponsive individual in the 1400 block of Vista Lane, according to a media release.

When officers arrived on scene, they found Felix K Flores, 21, Manhattan, with life-threatening injuries, suffering from a gunshot wound. He was transported to Via Christi in Manhattan then life-flighted to Stormont Vail in Topeka where he died.

Early Sunday, police reported the arrest Gregoria Elizabeth Baez, 21, in connection with the shooting. according to the daily arrest report.  She is  being held on a $20,000 bond for involuntary manslaughter; Recklessly, according to the RCPD report.

Police have released no additional details.

By CELIA LLOPIS-JEPSEN

Kansas could end up handing out fewer felonies — and more misdemeanors —  for certain property crimes.

A graphic from the Pew Charitable Trusts shows the trend in property crime and larceny in Kansas. The shaded side of the graph shows rates since Kansas raised the bar for getting a theft-related felony in 2004.

That could mean sending fewer people to state prison, though some might end up in county jail instead.

Until 2016, stealing $1,000 worth of property was the threshold between misdemeanor and felony theft. Then Kansas raised the dividing line to $1,500.

A criminal justice commission looking at prison overcrowding in the state voted this week to ask the Legislature to do the same for a host of other crimes. They include criminal property damage, stealing mislaid property, counterfeiting and Medicaid fraud.

As of August, both the male and female prison populations were above capacity. The proposed changes would free up an estimated four beds a year and spare people a black mark that can make finding work difficult for the rest of their lives, says Scott Schultz, executive director of the Kansas Sentencing Commission.

It can be harder to find employment with a felony record because many employers require disclosure of felonies.

Getting a misdemeanor instead of prison means potential time in county jail, but not state prison. That doesn’t necessarily translate to less incarceration time. In some cases, people could spend more time behind bars in a county jail than they would have in a state prison.

The Kansas Sentencing Commission is making its case for the change based on research from the Pew Charitable Trusts.

Image Pew Charitable Trust

Pew found dozens of states have made similar changes since 2001. That didn’t lead to more crime. Rather, property crime and larceny rates fell in states that changed their thresholds. It dropped slightly more in states that didn’t change, but the difference was statistically insignificant.

Kansas has raised its threshold for felony theft before — in 2004 — and related crime continued to decline, Pew says.

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

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Republican gubernatorial candidate Kris Kobach is proposing capping property appraisal increases, which he said would give taxpayers a more predictable property tax bill, but some experts say the change likely would require changes to the state constitution.

Kobach during the debate at the Kansas State Fair-photo courtesy Kobach for Governor

Kobach’s plan would cap property appraisal increases at no more than 2 percent a year, regardless of how much the property increases in actual fair market value,  He said the change would especially help the elderly and those on fixed incomes.

“Those individuals need to be able to plan out their retirement and have some knowledge that their home value is not going to be jacked up by 50 percent over a four- or five-year period, which is not unusual in some parts of the state,” Kobach said.

Property taxes determine how much tax each property owes, with the higher values meaning higher tax bills for property owners. The taxes are based on annual property appraisals.

Linda Terrill, a Johnson County attorney who has practiced property tax law for about 40 years, said Kobach’s plan might violate a constitutional amendment that requires the state to have “a uniform and equal basis of valuation and rate of taxation of all property subject to taxation.”

She said capping increases would mean properties that appreciate in value over time would no longer be valued or taxed at their actual fair market value, while others would be, and that could cause problems for local governments and some taxpayers.

“The more you move away from uniform and equal, the more difficult it is to fix it when you finally realize it wasn’t a good idea,” she said.

Kobach said he hasn’t decided whether his plan should cap appraisal increases for all time, or whether the state should allow the sale of a property to trigger a new appraisal. He said the Legislature should make that decision.

It is also unclear whether the Kansas Supreme Court would allow any kind of variation from the fair market standard for any extended period of time. In 2016, the court struck down a law that imposed a similar kind of cap for people who successfully protested their appraisal values and had the values lowered.

Kobach said he doesn’t believe that case would apply to his proposal

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.

Marilyn Hobbs -photo Wyandotte Co.

CALEB BLEW JONES, 21, Manhattan, CRIM DISCHARGE FIREARM;RECKLESS-DWELLING CRIMINAL DAMAGE PROPERTY; <$1000; Bond $6,000

MANHATTAN – Law enforcement authorities are investigating a vehicle theft from a Manhattan car dealer.

Just after 11 a.m. Saturday,  police reported a suspect took a 2006 Blue Mustang from Robbins Motor Company,  3100 Anderson Avenue, in Manhattan, according to the Riley County Police Department activity report.

The estimated total loss associated with this case is approximately $7,045.00.  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.

TOPEKA —Preliminary estimates reported by the Kansas Department of Labor (KDOL) and Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) show a seasonally adjusted unemployment rate of 3.3 percent in August. This was down from 3.4 percent in July and down from 3.6 percent in August 2017.

Click to Expand

The unemployment rate in Riley County fell to 3 percent in August from 3.6 percent in July.

Every county in region reported a drop in unemployment in August including a full 1 percent drop from from 6.3 – 5.3 percent in Geary County. Pottawatomie County also saw a dramatic drop by over .5 percent to 2.9 percent in August.

Greeley County in far western Kansas posted the state’s lowest jobless rate at 1.9 percent.

Seasonally adjusted job estimates indicate total Kansas nonfarm jobs increased by 3,600 from July. Private sector jobs, a subset of total nonfarm jobs, increased by 300 from the previous month.

“August estimates indicate a tightening labor market in Kansas. The number of private sector jobs continued to increase and employers reported over the year growth in average weekly earnings for both goods producing and service providing industries,” said Labor Economist, Emilie Doerksen. “The household survey also shows a tightening labor market, with the unemployment rate falling to 3.3 percent.”

Since August 2017, Kansas gained 26,600 seasonally adjusted total nonfarm jobs and 21,000 private sector jobs.

MANHATTAN — Law enforcement authorities are investigating a burglary.  On Thursday, police filed a report of burglary in the 300 Block of Highland Pointe Drive in Manhattan,. The victim told police a suspect took his Smith and Wesson M&P 9 mm and money from his vehicle, according to the Riley County Police Department activity report.

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 $1,000.0

MANHATTAN — The largest pumpkin on record grown in Kansas is on display at the Flint Hills Discovery Center for a short time this fall.

Photo courtesy Jacob Marintzer

The pumpkin officially weighed in on September 8, 2018 in Dewey, OK at 1,176 lbs., a record for any Kansas grown pumpkin, according to grower, owner Jacob Marintzer of Westmoreland, Kansas.

This pumpkin beat Marintzer own official record set in 2016 of 940lbs.

The pumpkin is on display at the Discovery Center Atrium until October 5, so there is no fee to see it.

The seeds, and not the pumpkin are where the real excitement is, according to Marintzer. While the giant pumpkin is a great spectacle to behold, it’s the price that a giant pumpkin seed fetches that really makes all the work worthwhile.

The price for a pumpkin seed that comes from a pumpkin this large can run between $15 to $600 per seed. More info can be found here: www.bigpumpkins.com

The family also has a Youtube channel where they have documented the progress of their pumpkin growing process.

Marintzer described the growing process, “There is a main organization called the GPC Giant Pumpkin Commonwealth. This is the main group which makes all of the rules and regulations. Under them are all of the clubs, some states have 1 club some states have many clubs. These clubs must pay their fees to be part of the GPC and they also must have a certified scale to weigh these pumpkins. I took my pumpkin to a weigh-off in Oklahoma. I took it there and not the State fair because the state fair isn’t part of the GPC and they don’t have a certified scale so any pumpkins weighed there don’t count as an official state record.

The largest ever weighed in Kansas unofficially was 1040 pounds. I had the official state record 2 years ago at 938 pounds that pumpkin was weight in Pawnee City, NE. The pumpkin I grew this year set the record at 1176 pounds. So right now it is the largest pumpkin ever grown in Kansas. Somebody could weigh one here in the upcoming weeks and beat it but I’m not aware of any bigger at the moment.”

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.

KDOT

On Sept. 26 the Kansas Department of Transportation will begin a mill and overlay project on U.S. 77 north from the Rucker Road intersection to the Riley County line.

Traffic will be reduced to one 12’ lane during daylight hours with flaggers and a pilot car to move traffic through the work zone. Drivers should be prepared for a delay of 15 minutes and plan extra time in their travel schedules.

Shilling Construction Co., Inc. of Manhattan is the prime contractor and have scheduled this project to be completed by the end of October, weather permitting, at a cost of $1,680,355.

KDOT urges all motorists to be alert and obey the warning signs when approach and driving through a highway work zone. To stay aware of all road construction projects across Kansas go to www.kandrive.org or call 5-1-1.

LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — The Kansas Board of Regents is seeking $25 million from state lawmakers to fund a financial aid program for college students.

Elaine Frisbie -photo Kansas Board of Regents

The board’s budget request is part of a plan to funnel up to $50 million into need-based financial aid for Kansas students enrolling in technical schools and universities. The financial aid would also be available for private schools that aren’t part of the Regents system.

Qualifying students could receive up to $5,000 each.

Elaine Frisbie is the board’s vice president of finance and administration. She says state funding would be matched with private donations through university endowments or foundations.

Frisbie says lawmakers would consider the $25 million request in the next legislative session but it wouldn’t begin until fiscal year 2021, if approved.

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.

RILEY COUNTY — Three people were injured in an accident just after 10:30a.m. Wednesday in Riley County.

The two vehicle crash in the 300 Block of North Seth Child Road backed up traffic for a considerable amount of time as first responders assisted those involved and offices investigated.

Three individuals were transported to Via Christi for treatment of their injuries. The RCPD is expected to release additional details on the crash Thursday.