By LESLIE MANNING <a href="https://www.facebook.com/southeastspotlight/">The Spotlight</a> “We’ve never really been a one size fits all,” Mason Winter said. “In the sale barn industry, you get a taste of it all, and make due with what you’ve got.”

In December, Winter came on board at Farmers and Ranchers Livestock, Salina, representing the new ownership, Winter Livestock.

“We are going to keep everything the same,” Winter said. “Salina is the largest sale barn in Kansas, so whatever they were doing is working really well for them.”

Winter was born and raised in Dodge City, where his family owns and operates a sale barn, Winter Livestock, that began with his great-grandpa.

“I’m the fourth generation,” Winter said. “My family came to Dodge in 1936. My great-grandpa, Karl, bought stock yards from the railroads, and turned it into the local sale barn. It’s treated us pretty well ever since.”

Winter Livestock expanded throughout the generations, to its current capacity of three sale barns in Kansas, one in Colorado and one in Wyoming. Winter, one of four siblings, earned a degree in ag business from Oklahoma State, while returning home on weekends and for Wednesday sales to help operate the Dodge City sale barn. Upon graduation, Winter ran the Dodge City location.

“(Growing up) I was around the sale barn as much as possible,” Winter said. “I tried to dive in as much as I could. Once I got to high school, I started helping and not being in the way of everybody.”

Since December, Winter has dove in at Farmers and Ranchers Livestock, learning everything he can from sale barn manager, Mike Samples.

“It’s no secret in the state of Kansas that this is Mike Samples’ sale barn,” Winter said. “This place was built on his shoulders. We are happy to build off of what he has built.”

Samples will stay on as manager for two more years, to teach Winter the ropes of the structures in place at Farmers and Ranchers Livestock.

“There’s not really a secret formula,” Winter said. “You work really hard and treat people well, and they seem to do the same back to you. (Sale barns) all kind of follow the same plan, and the same systems, with their own personal touches on them.”

Farmers and Ranchers Livestock will continue to operate with a flat rate commission per head. Preparing cattle for the auctions on Mondays and Thursdays, with special auctions for vaccinated calves on Tuesdays, will remain a priority.

“The feeding, the watering and the facilitating of the cattle is a job in and of itself,” Winter said. “We’re trying to get as close to what they weighed at home. We want the smallest amount of shrink as possible. Through grass hay and pellets, we try to mitigate that shrink as much as possible.”

Kyle Elwood, will remain the assistant manager at Farmers and Ranchers Livestock, preparing the cattle for sale days. Elwood has been the assistant manager and an auctioneer for Farmers and Ranchers Livestock for over 30 years.

“Kyle has about as good of eye as anyone I’ve met,” Winter said. “He knows what is going to sell each week, and what the buyers are looking for. It’s impressive how in tune he is with where the cattle need to be and how they need to be sorted.”

Packaging the producer’s cattle, by characteristics like color, weight and sex, will remain the same.

“Each producer’s cattle is represented in categories in and of themselves,” Winter said. “Buyers are looking for the biggest bunch of like cattle that they can put together. As long as there’s something for them to buy, they make our job really easy. They are competing against each other, so their competitive spirits drive up the costs.”

Buyers will continue to see a selection of bottle calves, weaned calves, cow/calf pairs, cows and bred cows.

“We’ve got every facet covered and the buyers make our job really easy,” Winter said.

According to Winter, the hardest part of the job is unloading and loading and keeping everything straight.

“Everything that comes in has to go back out to its new home with low stress and no injuries,” Winter said. “It’s a lot of thankless jobs, that we wouldn’t be able to do without. It’s a lot of getting cattle in and getting cattle out.”

Horse sales will also continue at Farmers and Ranchers Livestock, with the 2025 sales scheduled for May 17 and one in October. Hog sales will continue on the second and fourth Mondays of the month. A buffalo sale is planned for December.

“I am here to learn as much as I can from Mike and Kyle,” Winter said.

Mike Samples began managing Farmers and Ranchers Livestock on August 31, 1987. Raised on an 80-acre farm north of Erie, he joined the FFA chapter in high school under the direction of vo-ag teacher, Ken Nuntin. Samples’ first FFA project was raising six pigs, leading him into raising hogs and cattle.

Also, while in high school, Samples went to the sale barn in Parsons as often as he could. Wanting to be a part of the auction world, he started driving and traveling with famous cattleman, E.J. Peck, learning about the cattle industry.

Samples worked for the Fredonia market, later running the Chanute Sale Barn for a short while before becoming the manager of the Parsons Livestock Market for Russell and Mark McKee. He had been running the sale barn in Parsons, when he left to take over Farmers and Ranchers Livestock in Salina.

“It was in pretty sad shape when I got here,” Samples said. “I’ve never had a lot of give up in me. I just went to driving around the country and meeting people. A lot of places I went to, people actually ran me off their property, because they didn’t like Farmers and Ranchers. I just kept coming back. Most of those people made really good customers of mine.”

In 1987, Farmers and Ranchers Livestock was owned by Joe Clemence, John Clemence, Chris Hoffman and Bill Hoffman. Joe Clemence was the son of an original owner, Laurence Clemence. Laurence Clemence started Farmers and Ranchers Livestock with Merrill Christiansen and Bob Muir in 1966.

“There were two sale barns already in Salina,” Samples said. “They shut the other two barns down. They got all the cattle and the other barns just went away.”

According to the Kansas State Department of Agriculture, by 1987, numbers were down, with Farmers and Ranchers Livestock running 88,606 head of cattle across the auction block during the year. By building relationships with producers and buyers, Samples increased those numbers to over 200,000 head each year.

“They didn’t have buyers and they didn’t have an active market,” Samples said. “Roger Johnson told me when I got here, ‘You’ll never be able to fill this barn back up, because you don’t have the buyers.' I got the buyers, I got the cattle and I got the market and all is good.”

Samples knew buyers, and began calling people. Now, every major feeding group in the Midwest is represented in the buyers’ seats at Farmers and Ranchers Livestock.

“When I got here, Junction City was getting a lot of cattle,” Samples said. “I just, slowly but surely, got the farmers to bring their cattle to us. It was not an easy task and it was not a quick task. It took time. After I got the thing going and started, then we became the largest livestock auction in Kansas.”

Winter Livestock owned the two largest sale barns in Kansas, Dodge City and Pratt. According to Samples, Dodge City had the biggest sale barn in Kansas for 50 years. Mike Lewis, a friend of Samples, ran the Winter Livestock sale barn in Pratt.

“When I started getting the business going, Mike Lewis was trying to pass Dodge,” Samples said. “Nobody had every passed Dodge. We joked with each other that I was going to pass them both after Pratt passed Dodge.”

Samples attributes the success of Farmers and Ranchers Livestock to several factors, including the location. With Salina at the junction of I-135 and I-70, the sale barn was easily accessible to both buyers and sellers. In addition, Samples notes, the conditions of the region allows for good livestock production.

“I like this part of the world, because there’s grass,” Samples said. “There are cattle and crops to feed the cattle.”

The success is also rooted in Samples’ drive and motivation.

"I had always wanted to run a big successful sale barn,” Samples said. “You gotta love what you do, people have to know that you like what you do and enjoy what you are doing.”

In 2021, Samples was inducted into the Cattle Marketing Hall of Fame. The honor recognizes individuals who have made extraordinary contributions to competitive marketing, as the backbone of true price discovery.

“Farmers and Ranchers is very highly respected in the auction business in Kansas and the Midwest,” Samples said. “We get sellers from Western Kansas, from Oklahoma, from Missouri and all over the state of Kansas.”

Samples intends to manage the barn for the next two years, and introduce Mason to the network of buyers and producers composing the business of Farmers and Ranchers Livestock.

“The main thing, I have a very tight relationship with my customers,” Samples said. “I thought when I first met Mason he would fit in. He’s met the people well, and they like him. People were looking for a home. They were going other places, and we give them a home.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1740163753293.jpeg" alt="Mason Winter Photos Courtesy Leslie Manning" />
 <figcaption>Mason Winter Photos Courtesy Leslie Manning</figcaption>
 </figure>By LESLIE MANNING <a href="https://www.facebook.com/southeastspotlight/">The Spotlight</a> “We’ve never really been a one size fits all,” Mason Winter said. “In the sale barn industry, you get a taste of it all, and make due with what you’ve got.”In December, Winter came on board at Farmers and Ranchers Livestock, Salina, representing the new ownership, Winter Livestock.“We are going to keep everything the same,” Winter said. “Salina is the largest sale barn in Kansas, so whatever they were doing is working really well for them.”<h2>Under new ownership</h2>Winter was born and raised in Dodge City, where his family owns and operates a sale barn, Winter Livestock, that began with his great-grandpa.“I’m the fourth generation,” Winter said. “My family came to Dodge in 1936. My great-grandpa, Karl, bought stock yards from the railroads, and turned it into the local sale barn. It’s treated us pretty well ever since.”Winter Livestock expanded throughout the generations, to its current capacity of three sale barns in Kansas, one in Colorado and one in Wyoming. Winter, one of four siblings, earned a degree in ag business from Oklahoma State, while returning home on weekends and for Wednesday sales to help operate the Dodge City sale barn. Upon graduation, Winter ran the Dodge City location.“(Growing up) I was around the sale barn as much as possible,” Winter said. “I tried to dive in as much as I could. Once I got to high school, I started helping and not being in the way of everybody.”Since December, Winter has dove in at Farmers and Ranchers Livestock, learning everything he can from sale barn manager, Mike Samples.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1740163646969.jpeg" alt="Mike Samples" />
 <figcaption>Mike Samples</figcaption>
 </figure>“It’s no secret in the state of Kansas that this is Mike Samples’ sale barn,” Winter said. “This place was built on his shoulders. We are happy to build off of what he has built.”Samples will stay on as manager for two more years, to teach Winter the ropes of the structures in place at Farmers and Ranchers Livestock.“There’s not really a secret formula,” Winter said. “You work really hard and treat people well, and they seem to do the same back to you. (Sale barns) all kind of follow the same plan, and the same systems, with their own personal touches on them.”Farmers and Ranchers Livestock will continue to operate with a flat rate commission per head. Preparing cattle for the auctions on Mondays and Thursdays, with special auctions for vaccinated calves on Tuesdays, will remain a priority.“The feeding, the watering and the facilitating of the cattle is a job in and of itself,” Winter said. “We’re trying to get as close to what they weighed at home. We want the smallest amount of shrink as possible. Through grass hay and pellets, we try to mitigate that shrink as much as possible.”Kyle Elwood, will remain the assistant manager at Farmers and Ranchers Livestock, preparing the cattle for sale days. Elwood has been the assistant manager and an auctioneer for Farmers and Ranchers Livestock for over 30 years.“Kyle has about as good of eye as anyone I’ve met,” Winter said. “He knows what is going to sell each week, and what the buyers are looking for. It’s impressive how in tune he is with where the cattle need to be and how they need to be sorted.”Packaging the producer’s cattle, by characteristics like color, weight and sex, will remain the same.“Each producer’s cattle is represented in categories in and of themselves,” Winter said. “Buyers are looking for the biggest bunch of like cattle that they can put together. As long as there’s something for them to buy, they make our job really easy. They are competing against each other, so their competitive spirits drive up the costs.”Buyers will continue to see a selection of bottle calves, weaned calves, cow/calf pairs, cows and bred cows.“We’ve got every facet covered and the buyers make our job really easy,” Winter said.According to Winter, the hardest part of the job is unloading and loading and keeping everything straight.“Everything that comes in has to go back out to its new home with low stress and no injuries,” Winter said. “It’s a lot of thankless jobs, that we wouldn’t be able to do without. It’s a lot of getting cattle in and getting cattle out.”Horse sales will also continue at Farmers and Ranchers Livestock, with the 2025 sales scheduled for May 17 and one in October. Hog sales will continue on the second and fourth Mondays of the month. A buffalo sale is planned for December.“I am here to learn as much as I can from Mike and Kyle,” Winter said.<h2>Building a sale barn</h2>Mike Samples began managing Farmers and Ranchers Livestock on August 31, 1987. Raised on an 80-acre farm north of Erie, he joined the FFA chapter in high school under the direction of vo-ag teacher, Ken Nuntin. Samples’ first FFA project was raising six pigs, leading him into raising hogs and cattle.Also, while in high school, Samples went to the sale barn in Parsons as often as he could. Wanting to be a part of the auction world, he started driving and traveling with famous cattleman, E.J. Peck, learning about the cattle industry.Samples worked for the Fredonia market, later running the Chanute Sale Barn for a short while before becoming the manager of the Parsons Livestock Market for Russell and Mark McKee. He had been running the sale barn in Parsons, when he left to take over Farmers and Ranchers Livestock in Salina.“It was in pretty sad shape when I got here,” Samples said. “I’ve never had a lot of give up in me. I just went to driving around the country and meeting people. A lot of places I went to, people actually ran me off their property, because they didn’t like Farmers and Ranchers. I just kept coming back. Most of those people made really good customers of mine.”In 1987, Farmers and Ranchers Livestock was owned by Joe Clemence, John Clemence, Chris Hoffman and Bill Hoffman. Joe Clemence was the son of an original owner, Laurence Clemence. Laurence Clemence started Farmers and Ranchers Livestock with Merrill Christiansen and Bob Muir in 1966.“There were two sale barns already in Salina,” Samples said. “They shut the other two barns down. They got all the cattle and the other barns just went away.”According to the Kansas State Department of Agriculture, by 1987, numbers were down, with Farmers and Ranchers Livestock running 88,606 head of cattle across the auction block during the year. By building relationships with producers and buyers, Samples increased those numbers to over 200,000 head each year.“They didn’t have buyers and they didn’t have an active market,” Samples said. “Roger Johnson told me when I got here, ‘You’ll never be able to fill this barn back up, because you don’t have the buyers.' I got the buyers, I got the cattle and I got the market and all is good.”Samples knew buyers, and began calling people. Now, every major feeding group in the Midwest is represented in the buyers’ seats at Farmers and Ranchers Livestock.“When I got here, Junction City was getting a lot of cattle,” Samples said. “I just, slowly but surely, got the farmers to bring their cattle to us. It was not an easy task and it was not a quick task. It took time. After I got the thing going and started, then we became the largest livestock auction in Kansas.”Winter Livestock owned the two largest sale barns in Kansas, Dodge City and Pratt. According to Samples, Dodge City had the biggest sale barn in Kansas for 50 years. Mike Lewis, a friend of Samples, ran the Winter Livestock sale barn in Pratt.“When I started getting the business going, Mike Lewis was trying to pass Dodge,” Samples said. “Nobody had every passed Dodge. We joked with each other that I was going to pass them both after Pratt passed Dodge.”That is exactly what happened.Samples attributes the success of Farmers and Ranchers Livestock to several factors, including the location. With Salina at the junction of I-135 and I-70, the sale barn was easily accessible to both buyers and sellers. In addition, Samples notes, the conditions of the region allows for good livestock production.“I like this part of the world, because there’s grass,” Samples said. “There are cattle and crops to feed the cattle.”The success is also rooted in Samples’ drive and motivation."I had always wanted to run a big successful sale barn,” Samples said. “You gotta love what you do, people have to know that you like what you do and enjoy what you are doing.”In 2021, Samples was inducted into the Cattle Marketing Hall of Fame. The honor recognizes individuals who have made extraordinary contributions to competitive marketing, as the backbone of true price discovery.“Farmers and Ranchers is very highly respected in the auction business in Kansas and the Midwest,” Samples said. “We get sellers from Western Kansas, from Oklahoma, from Missouri and all over the state of Kansas.”Samples intends to manage the barn for the next two years, and introduce Mason to the network of buyers and producers composing the business of Farmers and Ranchers Livestock.“The main thing, I have a very tight relationship with my customers,” Samples said. “I thought when I first met Mason he would fit in. He’s met the people well, and they like him. People were looking for a home. They were going other places, and we give them a home.”

'Winter Livestock' takes ownership of 'Farmers and Ranchers Livestock'

Dwight Rural Water District is under a BOIL WATER ADVISORY from W of HWY 57 to the Morris County Line until further notice. More information will be forth coming when we know more information and posted on the Facebook page of Geary County Emergency Management

Dwight Rural Water District is under a BOIL WATER ADVISORY from W of HWY 57 to the Morris County Line until further notice. More information will be forth coming when we know more information and posted on the Facebook page of Geary County Emergency Management

Boil water advisory issued for Dwight Rural Water District

BY&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/aj-dome/">AJ DOME</a> <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/09/21/kansas-board-of-regents-sculpts-plan-for-boosting-state-aid-to-public-higher-education/?emci=78717300-c858-ee11-9937-00224832eb73&amp;emdi=fc107f78-2659-ee11-9937-00224832eb73&amp;ceid=115039">Kansas Reflector</a>

OVERLAND PARK — Weather enthusiasts across the Plains are concerned about&nbsp;<a href="https://oklahomavoice.com/2025/02/04/oklahoma-house-advances-controversial-bill-giving-some-storm-chasers-emergency-vehicle-status/" target="_blank">a proposed Oklahoma bill</a>&nbsp;that they fear could empower some storm chasers over others.

Oklahoma Rep. Scott Fetgatter introduced&nbsp;<a href="https://www.oklegislature.gov/BillInfo.aspx?Bill=hb2426&amp;Session=2500" target="_blank">House Bill 2426</a>&nbsp;last month to create a special license that would allow personnel from legacy TV stations and weather researchers affiliated with specified universities operating around severe thunderstorms, to act as emergency responders in the immediate aftermath of a tornado.

The Oklahoma House Business Committee passed the bill on Feb. 4. If it becomes law, the measure would allow licensed storm chasers to affix flashing lights on their vehicles, giving them right-of-way through red lights and on closed roads. The storm tracker license would cost about $500 with a renewal fee of $250. In a statement, Fetgatter, a Republican from Okmulgee, Oklahoma, said the bill is still a work in progress.

WeatherNation meteorologist and storm chaser Erik Fox said he is actively trying to kill the bill because it could potentially create “some constitutional issues” from people simply watching the weather, although he understands the need for enhanced road safety measures as more people pursue storms.

“When I started chasing, I was lucky to see maybe five chasers on any storm,” Fox said. “Now it’s more like 20 to 30.”

Roughly 5,000 people across the country and internationally come to the Great Plains every year to chase storms. Alongside the growing number of chasers is the higher likelihood of them encountering damaged structures and injured people because of their proximity to a storm.

Nemaha County emergency management director and storm chaser Eddie Aldrine said anybody who wants to learn about storm chasing should also take a CPR class and “get to know your first aid kit.”

“Having the knowledge to save your life or someone else’s life is paramount because you may be the only help for miles around, due to the rural environments storm chasers normally operate in,” Aldrine said.

Aldrine taught a first aid class at the National Storm Chaser Summit, which took place Feb. 14-16 in Overland Park. Previous storm chaser conventions were held in Dallas, Denver, and Oklahoma City.

The event was originally called ChaserCon and was created in 2002 by storm chasers Tim Samaras and Roger Hill to provide an opportunity for weather enthusiasts to gather and share stories about their chases. Fox went to his first ChaserCon in 2008 and said he made some lifelong friends there.

Severe weather researcher Tim Samaras, along with his son, Paul, and their friend, Carl Young, were killed in 2013 by a 2.6-mile-wide multi-vortex tornado near El Reno, Oklahoma. Following their deaths, the convention morphed from a loosely organized social party with a couple of speakers into a professional education and networking-focused event with two days of presentations.

Fox is now president and founder of the chaser summit.

“I vowed when I took it over I was going to move it around to give everybody a chance to attend,” Fox said. “The Overland Park area has a very, very huge chaser contingent.”

This is the second year the summit has sold out of tickets, as interest in both severe weather and storm chasing continues to grow following the 2024 release of “Twisters,” a sequel to the 1996 Hollywood film “Twister,” which popularized storm chasing and studying tornadoes.

Kansans have other opportunities to learn more about severe weather this spring. National Weather Service meteorologists across the state are preparing for storm spotter talks, which are held annually in all 105 Kansas counties.

Spotter presentations began earlier in February in Labette and Neosho counties. Schedules for the spotter talks can be found on individual National Weather Service sites for<a href="https://www.weather.gov/ddc/2025spottertalks" target="_blank">&nbsp;Dodge City</a>,<a href="https://www.weather.gov/gld/2025StormSpotterTrainingSchedule" target="_blank">&nbsp;Goodland</a>,<a href="https://storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/c82156f248964163b87ff425aad288d1" target="_blank">&nbsp;Topeka</a>&nbsp;and<a href="https://www.weather.gov/ict/spottertalks" target="_blank">&nbsp;Wichita</a>.

A virtual spotter training program is also offered through the NWS Topeka office. It will take place March 17. People interested in the virtual program<a href="https://register.gotowebinar.com/register/4811465527032641113" target="_blank">&nbsp;can register online</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1740152975847.png" alt=" Storm chasers watch rotating clouds hovering over in May 2024 in Gove and Ness counties in western Kansas. (AJ Dome for Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption> Storm chasers watch rotating clouds hovering over in May 2024 in Gove and Ness counties in western Kansas. (AJ Dome for Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>BY&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/aj-dome/">AJ DOME</a> <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/09/21/kansas-board-of-regents-sculpts-plan-for-boosting-state-aid-to-public-higher-education/?emci=78717300-c858-ee11-9937-00224832eb73&amp;emdi=fc107f78-2659-ee11-9937-00224832eb73&amp;ceid=115039">Kansas Reflector</a>OVERLAND PARK — Weather enthusiasts across the Plains are concerned about&nbsp;<a href="https://oklahomavoice.com/2025/02/04/oklahoma-house-advances-controversial-bill-giving-some-storm-chasers-emergency-vehicle-status/" target="_blank">a proposed Oklahoma bill</a>&nbsp;that they fear could empower some storm chasers over others.Oklahoma Rep. Scott Fetgatter introduced&nbsp;<a href="https://www.oklegislature.gov/BillInfo.aspx?Bill=hb2426&amp;Session=2500" target="_blank">House Bill 2426</a>&nbsp;last month to create a special license that would allow personnel from legacy TV stations and weather researchers affiliated with specified universities operating around severe thunderstorms, to act as emergency responders in the immediate aftermath of a tornado.The Oklahoma House Business Committee passed the bill on Feb. 4. If it becomes law, the measure would allow licensed storm chasers to affix flashing lights on their vehicles, giving them right-of-way through red lights and on closed roads. The storm tracker license would cost about $500 with a renewal fee of $250. In a statement, Fetgatter, a Republican from Okmulgee, Oklahoma, said the bill is still a work in progress.WeatherNation meteorologist and storm chaser Erik Fox said he is actively trying to kill the bill because it could potentially create “some constitutional issues” from people simply watching the weather, although he understands the need for enhanced road safety measures as more people pursue storms.“When I started chasing, I was lucky to see maybe five chasers on any storm,” Fox said. “Now it’s more like 20 to 30.”Roughly 5,000 people across the country and internationally come to the Great Plains every year to chase storms. Alongside the growing number of chasers is the higher likelihood of them encountering damaged structures and injured people because of their proximity to a storm.Nemaha County emergency management director and storm chaser Eddie Aldrine said anybody who wants to learn about storm chasing should also take a CPR class and “get to know your first aid kit.”“Having the knowledge to save your life or someone else’s life is paramount because you may be the only help for miles around, due to the rural environments storm chasers normally operate in,” Aldrine said.Aldrine taught a first aid class at the National Storm Chaser Summit, which took place Feb. 14-16 in Overland Park. Previous storm chaser conventions were held in Dallas, Denver, and Oklahoma City.The event was originally called ChaserCon and was created in 2002 by storm chasers Tim Samaras and Roger Hill to provide an opportunity for weather enthusiasts to gather and share stories about their chases. Fox went to his first ChaserCon in 2008 and said he made some lifelong friends there.Severe weather researcher Tim Samaras, along with his son, Paul, and their friend, Carl Young, were killed in 2013 by a 2.6-mile-wide multi-vortex tornado near El Reno, Oklahoma. Following their deaths, the convention morphed from a loosely organized social party with a couple of speakers into a professional education and networking-focused event with two days of presentations.Fox is now president and founder of the chaser summit.“I vowed when I took it over I was going to move it around to give everybody a chance to attend,” Fox said. “The Overland Park area has a very, very huge chaser contingent.”This is the second year the summit has sold out of tickets, as interest in both severe weather and storm chasing continues to grow following the 2024 release of “Twisters,” a sequel to the 1996 Hollywood film “Twister,” which popularized storm chasing and studying tornadoes.Kansans have other opportunities to learn more about severe weather this spring. National Weather Service meteorologists across the state are preparing for storm spotter talks, which are held annually in all 105 Kansas counties.Spotter presentations began earlier in February in Labette and Neosho counties. Schedules for the spotter talks can be found on individual National Weather Service sites for<a href="https://www.weather.gov/ddc/2025spottertalks" target="_blank">&nbsp;Dodge City</a>,<a href="https://www.weather.gov/gld/2025StormSpotterTrainingSchedule" target="_blank">&nbsp;Goodland</a>,<a href="https://storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/c82156f248964163b87ff425aad288d1" target="_blank">&nbsp;Topeka</a>&nbsp;and<a href="https://www.weather.gov/ict/spottertalks" target="_blank">&nbsp;Wichita</a>.A virtual spotter training program is also offered through the NWS Topeka office. It will take place March 17. People interested in the virtual program<a href="https://register.gotowebinar.com/register/4811465527032641113" target="_blank">&nbsp;can register online</a>.

Storm chasers concerned about potential Oklahoma ‘tracker’ bill as chasing grows in popularity

LEAVENWORTH COUNTY—One person died in an accident just after 5 p.m. Friday in Leavenworth County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2018 Nissan Altima driven by Elania King, 17, Topeka, was eastbound on Interstate 70 near Bonner Springs. As the Nissan passed a 2024 Isuzu driven by Gabino Garcia, 53, Kansas City, Kansas, the Nissan drifted and collided with the Isuzu.

The impact cause Garcia to lose control of the Isuzu. The vehicle traveled across the eastbound lanes and over the median barrier wall.&nbsp; The Izusu then collided with a 2018 Acura ILX driven by George Barrett, 63, Abilene, in the westbound lanes of the Interstate.&nbsp;&nbsp;

After impact with the Acura, the Izusu rolled and collided with a 2019 Infinity X50 driven by Douglas McCann, 54, Kansas City, Missouri, in the outside lane of westbound traffic.

EMS transported Garcia, McCann and a passenger in the Infinity identified as Lili McCann, 50, Kansas City, Missouri, to KU Medical Center where she was pronounced deceased.&nbsp; EMS transported King to Children's Mercy.&nbsp; The other drivers&nbsp; and three juveniles in the Nissan were not injured.&nbsp; All eight were properly restrained, according to the KHP.

LEAVENWORTH COUNTY—One person died in an accident just after 5 p.m. Friday in Leavenworth County.The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2018 Nissan Altima driven by Elania King, 17, Topeka, was eastbound on Interstate 70 near Bonner Springs. As the Nissan passed a 2024 Isuzu driven by Gabino Garcia, 53, Kansas City, Kansas, the Nissan drifted and collided with the Isuzu.The impact cause Garcia to lose control of the Isuzu. The vehicle traveled across the eastbound lanes and over the median barrier wall.&nbsp; The Izusu then collided with a 2018 Acura ILX driven by George Barrett, 63, Abilene, in the westbound lanes of the Interstate.&nbsp;&nbsp;After impact with the Acura, the Izusu rolled and collided with a 2019 Infinity X50 driven by Douglas McCann, 54, Kansas City, Missouri, in the outside lane of westbound traffic.EMS transported Garcia, McCann and a passenger in the Infinity identified as Lili McCann, 50, Kansas City, Missouri, to KU Medical Center where she was pronounced deceased.&nbsp; EMS transported King to Children's Mercy.&nbsp; The other drivers&nbsp; and three juveniles in the Nissan were not injured.&nbsp; All eight were properly restrained, according to the KHP.

Abilene man involved in fatal 4-vehicle I-70 crash

Junction City won the opening tip, but it was Manhattan that scored the first basket and then controlled the game. Manhattan jumped out to a 16-0 lead and then led 20-4 at the end of the first quarter. 

MHS controlled the second quarter, but JC managed to score a little more than in the first. The Lady Indians led 39-12 at the half. 

In the second half, Manhattan took off and extended their lead to over 30 points, which led to a running clock in the fourth quarter. Manhattan beat the Lady Jays 68-27. The Lady Indians swept JC on the season. 

Manhattan was led in scoring by Kat Ball, with 15 points. Junction City was led by freshman Isabel Pruitt, who scored 21. 

Manhattan improves to 12-6 on the season and will host Emporia on Tuesday night. 

Junction City falls to 1-17 and will play at Topeka Hayden on Tuesday. 

The first meeting in mid-January was down to the wire, and Friday night's game between the two rivals was the same. Junction City once again edged out a victory and beat Manhattan 53-47. 

The Blue Jays got out to a fast start on both ends of the floor. JC led 15-4 at the end of the first quarter. 

JC extended their lead to 15 in the second quarter, but Manhattan went on a 7-0 run to end the first half, and cut the Blue Jay lead to six, at 28-22. 

The Indians continued their strong shooting into the third quarter and extended their run, to take their first lead of the game. Manhattan led by four, 39-35 at the end of the third quarter. It was a 35-20 run for the Indians, from the end of the first quarter through the end of the third. 

In the fourth quarter, Manhattan grew their lead to seven, at 44-37. Junction City head coach Nick Perez called timeout, and his team regrouped. The Blue Jays then went on a 14-0 run down the stretch and led 51-44 with less than a minute to go. Junction City held on and won the game 53-47. 

Junction City swept Manhattan on the season, their first season sweep over the Indians since the 2008-2009 basketball season. 

JC was led in scoring by Jackson Austin with 13 points, while Manhattan was led in scoring by Noah McFadden with 16. 

The Blue Jays go to 12-6 on the year and will play at Topeka Hayden Tuesday. 

Manhattan falls to 6-12 and will host Emporia on Tuesday night.

By Anthony GorgesGirls recapJunction City won the opening tip, but it was Manhattan that scored the first basket and then controlled the game. Manhattan jumped out to a 16-0 lead and then led 20-4 at the end of the first quarter. MHS controlled the second quarter, but JC managed to score a little more than in the first. The Lady Indians led 39-12 at the half. In the second half, Manhattan took off and extended their lead to over 30 points, which led to a running clock in the fourth quarter. Manhattan beat the Lady Jays 68-27. The Lady Indians swept JC on the season. Manhattan was led in scoring by Kat Ball, with 15 points. Junction City was led by freshman Isabel Pruitt, who scored 21. Manhattan improves to 12-6 on the season and will host Emporia on Tuesday night. Junction City falls to 1-17 and will play at Topeka Hayden on Tuesday. Boys recapThe first meeting in mid-January was down to the wire, and Friday night's game between the two rivals was the same. Junction City once again edged out a victory and beat Manhattan 53-47. The Blue Jays got out to a fast start on both ends of the floor. JC led 15-4 at the end of the first quarter. JC extended their lead to 15 in the second quarter, but Manhattan went on a 7-0 run to end the first half, and cut the Blue Jay lead to six, at 28-22. The Indians continued their strong shooting into the third quarter and extended their run, to take their first lead of the game. Manhattan led by four, 39-35 at the end of the third quarter. It was a 35-20 run for the Indians, from the end of the first quarter through the end of the third. In the fourth quarter, Manhattan grew their lead to seven, at 44-37. Junction City head coach Nick Perez called timeout, and his team regrouped. The Blue Jays then went on a 14-0 run down the stretch and led 51-44 with less than a minute to go. Junction City held on and won the game 53-47. Junction City swept Manhattan on the season, their first season sweep over the Indians since the 2008-2009 basketball season. JC was led in scoring by Jackson Austin with 13 points, while Manhattan was led in scoring by Noah McFadden with 16. The Blue Jays go to 12-6 on the year and will play at Topeka Hayden Tuesday. Manhattan falls to 6-12 and will host Emporia on Tuesday night.

Manhattan girls win big, JC boys rally late to win on senior night

The City of Manhattan says starting&nbsp;Monday, February 24, the next phase of Juliette Avenue construction will begin, with a closure extending south from Poyntz Avenue to the alley between Houston Street and Pierre Street.&nbsp;

Pierre Street will remain open to through traffic during this phase, which may last through the spring semester into&nbsp;May 2025. Detours during this phase will be:

Access to&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://cityofmhk.us8.list-manage.com/track/click?u=e92cc4cc1e09dc1dafa7ba9da&amp;id=1d604c10d3&amp;e=8c33f27c6f">Manhattan Public Library</a>&nbsp;will remain from the north on Poyntz Avenue and from the south parking lot on Houston Street from the east only.

During the second phase of construction starting in May, the closure on Juliette will move south, from the alley between Houston Street and Pierre Street south to the Pierre Street intersection.

This second phase in front of Manhattan Catholic Schools will be completed during summer break, from approximately&nbsp;May 16&nbsp;to&nbsp;August 8, 2025.

The estimate is about&nbsp;12 weeks&nbsp;to complete the first phase, depending on weather.

The City of Manhattan says starting&nbsp;Monday, February 24, the next phase of Juliette Avenue construction will begin, with a closure extending south from Poyntz Avenue to the alley between Houston Street and Pierre Street.&nbsp;Pierre Street will remain open to through traffic during this phase, which may last through the spring semester into&nbsp;May 2025. Detours during this phase will be:<ul>
 <li>For westbound traffic on Houston or Pierre Streets, divert north on 6th Street to Poyntz Avenue.</li><li>For northbound traffic on Juliette Avenue, divert east to 6th Street and follow this same detour to Poyntz.</li><li>For eastbound traffic on Poyntz or Houston, divert south to Pierre and either turn south on Juliette or continue on to 6th Street detour.</li><li>For southbound traffic on Juliette, divert east on Poyntz to 6th Street detour.</li>
 </ul>Access to&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://cityofmhk.us8.list-manage.com/track/click?u=e92cc4cc1e09dc1dafa7ba9da&amp;id=1d604c10d3&amp;e=8c33f27c6f">Manhattan Public Library</a>&nbsp;will remain from the north on Poyntz Avenue and from the south parking lot on Houston Street from the east only.During the second phase of construction starting in May, the closure on Juliette will move south, from the alley between Houston Street and Pierre Street south to the Pierre Street intersection.This second phase in front of Manhattan Catholic Schools will be completed during summer break, from approximately&nbsp;May 16&nbsp;to&nbsp;August 8, 2025.The estimate is about&nbsp;12 weeks&nbsp;to complete the first phase, depending on weather.

Juliette closing from Poyntz to Houston/Pierre alley

MANHATTAN, KS – kstate CREDIT UNION has presented a check for $6020 to Katie’s Way. These funds were raised during kstate CREDIT UNION’s annual employee jeans donation charity program which allows Credit Union employees to wear jeans at work throughout the year, in exchange for a $5 charitable donation per day. They can choose to donate in a lump sum or have the money payroll deducted. Employees select a local organization to receive the proceeds from this year-long program.

LaRae Kraemer, President/CEO for kstate CREDIT UNION said, “I am always amazed at the employee participation in the program each year! Our team loves to wear jeans. This charitable program has raised a lot of money over the years, mostly because our employees truly enjoy donating to a cause and helping in our community.”

Katie’s Way is a mental health care clinic dedicated to providing personalized care for individuals including psychotherapy and psychiatry. They emphasize a team-based approach in a non-institutional environment, aiming to make personal connections.

Jack Hess, Facility Director for Katie's Way said, "We are so honored to be selected as this year’s recipient of the donations from the employee jeans program. We want to thank the KState Credit Union and their team for supporting our community and behavioral health services.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1740174562104.jpeg" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>MANHATTAN, KS – kstate CREDIT UNION has presented a check for $6020 to Katie’s Way. These funds were raised during kstate CREDIT UNION’s annual employee jeans donation charity program which allows Credit Union employees to wear jeans at work throughout the year, in exchange for a $5 charitable donation per day. They can choose to donate in a lump sum or have the money payroll deducted. Employees select a local organization to receive the proceeds from this year-long program.LaRae Kraemer, President/CEO for kstate CREDIT UNION said, “I am always amazed at the employee participation in the program each year! Our team loves to wear jeans. This charitable program has raised a lot of money over the years, mostly because our employees truly enjoy donating to a cause and helping in our community.”Katie’s Way is a mental health care clinic dedicated to providing personalized care for individuals including psychotherapy and psychiatry. They emphasize a team-based approach in a non-institutional environment, aiming to make personal connections.Jack Hess, Facility Director for Katie's Way said, "We are so honored to be selected as this year’s recipient of the donations from the employee jeans program. We want to thank the KState Credit Union and their team for supporting our community and behavioral health services.

kstate CREDIT UNION donates $6,020 to Katie’s Way

Riley County Police (RCPD ) have reported the arrest of Keavoyan Brown, 19, of Manhattan, in connection with a lewd and lascivious conduct report filed earlier this month.

The investigation began on February 3 at approximately 1:19 AM, when officers responded to a report of alleged lewd and lascivious conduct in the 2800 block of Kelly Drive. Following an extensive investigation, officers obtained a search warrant for a residence in the 2200 block of Browning Avenue.

Today, officers executed a search warrant and arrested Brown without incident. He was charged with two counts of criminal trespass, two counts of stalking, and one count of lewd and lascivious conduct, with his bond set at $13,000. Additionally, Brown was arrested on two separate Riley County District Court warrants. The first was for failure to appear, carrying a $6,000 bond. The second was for two counts of criminal threat, stalking, and harassment, with a bond set at $26,000.

Riley County Police (RCPD ) have reported the arrest of Keavoyan Brown, 19, of Manhattan, in connection with a lewd and lascivious conduct report filed earlier this month.The investigation began on February 3 at approximately 1:19 AM, when officers responded to a report of alleged lewd and lascivious conduct in the 2800 block of Kelly Drive. Following an extensive investigation, officers obtained a search warrant for a residence in the 2200 block of Browning Avenue.Today, officers executed a search warrant and arrested Brown without incident. He was charged with two counts of criminal trespass, two counts of stalking, and one count of lewd and lascivious conduct, with his bond set at $13,000. Additionally, Brown was arrested on two separate Riley County District Court warrants. The first was for failure to appear, carrying a $6,000 bond. The second was for two counts of criminal threat, stalking, and harassment, with a bond set at $26,000.The investigation remains ongoing.

Manhattan man jailed for alleged lewd and lascivious conduct  

MANHATTAN — Celebrate Irish music in style with premier folk group Shamrock Tenors as part of Kansas State University's&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://mccain.k-state.edu/">McCain Performance Series</a>&nbsp;at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, March 6.

Featuring performers from across the province of Ulster, vocalists from London's West End, the country's best multi-instrumentalists and a champion Irish dancer, the Shamrock Tenors show takes you on a journey through Ireland's most beloved classic songs in beautiful five-part harmony. With all your favorites, including "Danny Boy," "Whiskey in the Jar," "The Parting Glass" and "Wild Rover," this is a show for all ages.

The group recently filmed their debut concert TV special, and their first two singles have shot straight to No. 1 on the iTunes World Music Charts. Tickets are available online at&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://mccain.k-state.edu/">mccain.k-state.edu</a>&nbsp;or at the ticket office in the McCain lobby from noon to 4 p.m. Wednesdays through Fridays. Tickets are also available by phone at 785-532-6428 during the same hours.&nbsp;&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1740167257542.jpeg" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>MANHATTAN — Celebrate Irish music in style with premier folk group Shamrock Tenors as part of Kansas State University's&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://mccain.k-state.edu/">McCain Performance Series</a>&nbsp;at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, March 6.Featuring performers from across the province of Ulster, vocalists from London's West End, the country's best multi-instrumentalists and a champion Irish dancer, the Shamrock Tenors show takes you on a journey through Ireland's most beloved classic songs in beautiful five-part harmony. With all your favorites, including "Danny Boy," "Whiskey in the Jar," "The Parting Glass" and "Wild Rover," this is a show for all ages.The group recently filmed their debut concert TV special, and their first two singles have shot straight to No. 1 on the iTunes World Music Charts. Tickets are available online at&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://mccain.k-state.edu/">mccain.k-state.edu</a>&nbsp;or at the ticket office in the McCain lobby from noon to 4 p.m. Wednesdays through Fridays. Tickets are also available by phone at 785-532-6428 during the same hours.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Shamrock Tenors cross the pond to perform at McCain Auditorium

KDOT has announced that a pavement rehabilitation project on Juliette Avenue in Manhattan is scheduled to begin on Monday, Feb. 24. The project will remove the existing pavement from Poyntz Avenue to Pierre Street and replace with brick surface; and also includes improvements to storm drainage, sidewalks and sideroad tie-ins in the area.

In Phase 1, Juliette Avenue will be fully closed from Poyntz Avenue to Pierre Street while the area between Poyntz Avenue and the Houston/Pierre streets alley is completed. Houston Street will also be closed at the intersection of Juliette Avenue.

A marked detour will direct traffic around the closure area via Poyntz Avenue, 6th&nbsp;Street and Pierre Street. Traffic coming from the west will utilize 8th&nbsp;Street rather than Juliette Avenue. This phase is expected to be complete by mid-May.

In Phase 2, Juliette Avenue will be fully closed from the alley to just south of Pierre Street, while the area is completed.&nbsp;Pierre Street will also be closed at the Juliette Avenue intersection. &nbsp;

<a>The marked detour will direct traffic to Houston Street, 6th&nbsp;Street and Colorado Street. Traffic coming from the west will continue to utilize 8th&nbsp;Street. This phase is expected to be complete, and the area reopened to traffic, by early August.</a>

Bayer Construction Co., of Manhattan, is the prime contractor on the $1.2 million project, which is expected to be fully complete in early September

KDOT has announced that a pavement rehabilitation project on Juliette Avenue in Manhattan is scheduled to begin on Monday, Feb. 24. The project will remove the existing pavement from Poyntz Avenue to Pierre Street and replace with brick surface; and also includes improvements to storm drainage, sidewalks and sideroad tie-ins in the area.In Phase 1, Juliette Avenue will be fully closed from Poyntz Avenue to Pierre Street while the area between Poyntz Avenue and the Houston/Pierre streets alley is completed. Houston Street will also be closed at the intersection of Juliette Avenue.A marked detour will direct traffic around the closure area via Poyntz Avenue, 6th&nbsp;Street and Pierre Street. Traffic coming from the west will utilize 8th&nbsp;Street rather than Juliette Avenue. This phase is expected to be complete by mid-May.In Phase 2, Juliette Avenue will be fully closed from the alley to just south of Pierre Street, while the area is completed.&nbsp;Pierre Street will also be closed at the Juliette Avenue intersection. &nbsp;<a>The marked detour will direct traffic to Houston Street, 6th&nbsp;Street and Colorado Street. Traffic coming from the west will continue to utilize 8th&nbsp;Street. This phase is expected to be complete, and the area reopened to traffic, by early August.</a>Bayer Construction Co., of Manhattan, is the prime contractor on the $1.2 million project, which is expected to be fully complete in early September

 Pavement project scheduled on Juliette Avenue in Manhattan

House budget boosts aid by $10 million, not promised $73 million surge

BY:&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/tim-carpenter/">TIM CARPENTER</a> <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/01/03/kansas-state-garden-city-cc-striving-to-shrink-bachelors-degree-educational-desert/?emci=8e6f56cf-3bca-ef11-88d0-0022482a9b45&amp;emdi=a9416bb1-82ca-ef11-88d0-0022482a9b45&amp;ceid=115039">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA — Rep. Steven Howe’s disappointment that state appropriations to school districts for special education hadn’t kept pace with legal thresholds for the past 14 years reflected a personal connection with students grappling with developmental, emotional, hearing or vision disabilities in the classroom.

“I want to represent students of my district and their families — students like Murray, who is confined to a wheelchair,” Howe said. “I think about people I know and people I’m neighbors with and people their kids go to school with my kids and the teachers that do come alongside them to support them.”

Howe, a Salina Republican, said it was frustrating lawmakers in the House voted to abandon a commitment made by the Kansas Legislature and Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly in 2024 to get behind an appropriation this year of $73 million for reimbursement of special education services delivered by school districts.

The amount was part of a four-year plan to gradually come into compliance with a law mandating the state pay 92% of extra costs of special education. Currently, the state reimburses districts for 75.4% of excess costs.

A House subcommittee had proposed a $30 million increase this year, but Rep. Kristey Williams, R-Augusta, proposed the funding be deleted from the budget. The House Appropriations Committee settled on a $10 million enhancement. That’s the amount included in the budget bill passed Wednesday by the House.

During debate on House spending priorities, Howe said he contemplated offering an amendment to amplify state aid to special education. He said there were House colleagues who would be upset by his decision, but he was convinced the amendment had no chance of passing.

“My motivation is the ability to come alongside our school kids and their families and to support them and equip them,” Howe said. “I didn’t come here to play political games or to get likes on Facebook. I’m not insinuating that anybody here is motivated by that, but I just don’t participate in that. I don’t understand all the politics that go on here at the Capitol.”

If the special education provision in the House budget were to be subsequently approved by the Kansas Senate and signed into law by the governor, Kansas school districts would be expected to continue diverting resources from general instructional areas to meet demand for special education services.

In Olathe, the annual shortfall stood at $36 million. The comparable annual deficit in the Blue Valley school district was $13.7 million. The hit in the Shawnee Mission district was $23 million annually. In Salina schools represented by Howe, the difference amounted to $5.4 million annually.

The bill forwarded to the Senate added $10 million to the estimated $601 million annually devoted by the state to special education in K-12 schools. It’s not clear whether that amount would keep pace with inflationary pressure on public schools or allow the state to slip further behind in the quest for 92% compliance.

Rep. Jared Ousley, D-Merriam, did propose an amendment to the budget that would have increased special education funding to local school districts by a total of $30 million.

He also proposed the additional $20 million for special education be drawn from a special fund fed by sports gambling revenue and designated to support recruitment of a professional sports franchise to Kansas.

A bill signed into law last year created a mechanism for the state to finance 70% of the cost of building new stadiums for the Kansas City Chiefs or Kansas City Royals, which have been located in Missouri for decades.

The idea of using sports stadium seed money to get closer to the state’s obligation to special education students was opposed by Rep. Sean Tarwater, a Stilwell Republican involved in developing the stadium legislation. He urged the House to reject Ousley’s amendment, and it was crushed 40-76.

“The fact that you’re going to take the money out of this sports fund in the middle of negotiating with a couple of great opportunities for the state of Kansas …. one of the teams is close to announcing a deal. What if that deal is in the state of Kansas? We’re sending them a message that says, ‘Hey, you know, never mind. We’re going to be just like Jackson County and we’re going to pull the rug out from underneath you and look like a bunch of idiots.'”

In April 2024, voters in Jackson County, Missouri, voted against a sales tax extension that would have supported renovations at Arrowhead Stadium for the Chiefs and built a new ballpark for the Royals in downtown Kansas City, Missouri.

Rep. Alexis Simmons, D-Topeka, said she understood what it meant to attend a Kansas public school with inadequate resources. She recalled attending school in classrooms that didn’t have enough desks for students. She recommended Kansas legalize cannabis sales and devote that tax revenue to K-12 education.

In this region, recreational marijuana sales have been made legal in Missouri and Colorado while Nebraska and Oklahoma legalized medicinal cannabis sales.

“We’re telling these kinds in special education that their needs are going to come last,” Simmons said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1740146010870.png" alt="Rep. Steven Howe, R-Salina, chose not to offer a budget amendment in the House to increase state aid to special education because he decided it had no chance to pass. The point was proven when Rep. Jarrod Ousley, D-Merriam, proposed an amendment to raise state aid for special education by $30 million, and it was defeated 40-76. The budget sent to the House contains a $10 million increase for special education. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>Rep. Steven Howe, R-Salina, chose not to offer a budget amendment in the House to increase state aid to special education because he decided it had no chance to pass. The point was proven when Rep. Jarrod Ousley, D-Merriam, proposed an amendment to raise state aid for special education by $30 million, and it was defeated 40-76. The budget sent to the House contains a $10 million increase for special education. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>House budget boosts aid by $10 million, not promised $73 million surge</h2>BY:&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/tim-carpenter/">TIM CARPENTER</a> <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/01/03/kansas-state-garden-city-cc-striving-to-shrink-bachelors-degree-educational-desert/?emci=8e6f56cf-3bca-ef11-88d0-0022482a9b45&amp;emdi=a9416bb1-82ca-ef11-88d0-0022482a9b45&amp;ceid=115039">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — Rep. Steven Howe’s disappointment that state appropriations to school districts for special education hadn’t kept pace with legal thresholds for the past 14 years reflected a personal connection with students grappling with developmental, emotional, hearing or vision disabilities in the classroom.“I want to represent students of my district and their families — students like Murray, who is confined to a wheelchair,” Howe said. “I think about people I know and people I’m neighbors with and people their kids go to school with my kids and the teachers that do come alongside them to support them.”Howe, a Salina Republican, said it was frustrating lawmakers in the House voted to abandon a commitment made by the Kansas Legislature and Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly in 2024 to get behind an appropriation this year of $73 million for reimbursement of special education services delivered by school districts.The amount was part of a four-year plan to gradually come into compliance with a law mandating the state pay 92% of extra costs of special education. Currently, the state reimburses districts for 75.4% of excess costs.A House subcommittee had proposed a $30 million increase this year, but Rep. Kristey Williams, R-Augusta, proposed the funding be deleted from the budget. The House Appropriations Committee settled on a $10 million enhancement. That’s the amount included in the budget bill passed Wednesday by the House.During debate on House spending priorities, Howe said he contemplated offering an amendment to amplify state aid to special education. He said there were House colleagues who would be upset by his decision, but he was convinced the amendment had no chance of passing.“My motivation is the ability to come alongside our school kids and their families and to support them and equip them,” Howe said. “I didn’t come here to play political games or to get likes on Facebook. I’m not insinuating that anybody here is motivated by that, but I just don’t participate in that. I don’t understand all the politics that go on here at the Capitol.”<h2>Amendment intercepted</h2>If the special education provision in the House budget were to be subsequently approved by the Kansas Senate and signed into law by the governor, Kansas school districts would be expected to continue diverting resources from general instructional areas to meet demand for special education services.In Olathe, the annual shortfall stood at $36 million. The comparable annual deficit in the Blue Valley school district was $13.7 million. The hit in the Shawnee Mission district was $23 million annually. In Salina schools represented by Howe, the difference amounted to $5.4 million annually.The bill forwarded to the Senate added $10 million to the estimated $601 million annually devoted by the state to special education in K-12 schools. It’s not clear whether that amount would keep pace with inflationary pressure on public schools or allow the state to slip further behind in the quest for 92% compliance.Rep. Jared Ousley, D-Merriam, did propose an amendment to the budget that would have increased special education funding to local school districts by a total of $30 million.He also proposed the additional $20 million for special education be drawn from a special fund fed by sports gambling revenue and designated to support recruitment of a professional sports franchise to Kansas.A bill signed into law last year created a mechanism for the state to finance 70% of the cost of building new stadiums for the Kansas City Chiefs or Kansas City Royals, which have been located in Missouri for decades.<h2>‘Bunch of idiots’</h2>The idea of using sports stadium seed money to get closer to the state’s obligation to special education students was opposed by Rep. Sean Tarwater, a Stilwell Republican involved in developing the stadium legislation. He urged the House to reject Ousley’s amendment, and it was crushed 40-76.“The fact that you’re going to take the money out of this sports fund in the middle of negotiating with a couple of great opportunities for the state of Kansas …. one of the teams is close to announcing a deal. What if that deal is in the state of Kansas? We’re sending them a message that says, ‘Hey, you know, never mind. We’re going to be just like Jackson County and we’re going to pull the rug out from underneath you and look like a bunch of idiots.'”In April 2024, voters in Jackson County, Missouri, voted against a sales tax extension that would have supported renovations at Arrowhead Stadium for the Chiefs and built a new ballpark for the Royals in downtown Kansas City, Missouri.Rep. Alexis Simmons, D-Topeka, said she understood what it meant to attend a Kansas public school with inadequate resources. She recalled attending school in classrooms that didn’t have enough desks for students. She recommended Kansas legalize cannabis sales and devote that tax revenue to K-12 education.In this region, recreational marijuana sales have been made legal in Missouri and Colorado while Nebraska and Oklahoma legalized medicinal cannabis sales.“We’re telling these kinds in special education that their needs are going to come last,” Simmons said.

Kansas House punts funding increase commitment to special education in K-12 schools

Riley County Police Director Brian Peete told the Riley County Commission on Thursday that there's a lot of anxiety surfacing about Fake Patty's Day.

The Department is launching an online campaign, explained Peete.&nbsp;"What comes to us is the focus on safety and the position that at large we're hearing more people in the community that are dissatisfied with the behavior associated with it than there are people saying this is a good thing for the community."

Peete added, "We're breaking up with Fake Patty's Day."

The RCPD Director noted that they don't want to put out menacing messages threatening arrests and zero tolerance. "That's not how we operate, but we are saying that there are consequences to bad behavior and that we will be enforcing those consequences to that bad behavior."

Peete said there will be local media campaigns and a one minute video. He noted the topic will also be addressed during two virtual Town Hall meetings on Feb.24.

Fake Patty's Day is held in March before spring break. RCPD has noted that for some it is an opportunity to enjoy the company of friends but in the past the event has also been associated at times with sexual assault, overcrowding, public intoxication, traffic congestion, illegal parking and acts of violence.

Riley County Police Director Brian Peete told the Riley County Commission on Thursday that there's a lot of anxiety surfacing about Fake Patty's Day.The Department is launching an online campaign, explained Peete.&nbsp;"What comes to us is the focus on safety and the position that at large we're hearing more people in the community that are dissatisfied with the behavior associated with it than there are people saying this is a good thing for the community."Peete added, "We're breaking up with Fake Patty's Day."The RCPD Director noted that they don't want to put out menacing messages threatening arrests and zero tolerance. "That's not how we operate, but we are saying that there are consequences to bad behavior and that we will be enforcing those consequences to that bad behavior."Peete said there will be local media campaigns and a one minute video. He noted the topic will also be addressed during two virtual Town Hall meetings on Feb.24.Fake Patty's Day is held in March before spring break. RCPD has noted that for some it is an opportunity to enjoy the company of friends but in the past the event has also been associated at times with sexual assault, overcrowding, public intoxication, traffic congestion, illegal parking and acts of violence.

Fake Patty's Day comes into the spotlight

WABAUNSEE COUNTY—Law enforcement are investigating a Kansas felon on new allegations after a high speed chase in Wabaunsee Countuy.

While on an overnight patrol, a Wabaunsee Sheriff's Sergeant attempted to perform a lawful traffic stop on a brown Pontiac, according to a social media report from the Wabaunsee County Sheriff's office.

Upon activating emergency lights and audible sirens the driver, later identified as 36-year-old Justin Case Goodspeed of Eskkridge, attempted to flee from the Sheriff's Sergeant.

The Sergeant initiated a pursuit and gave chase of the suspect vehicle which attempted to evade law enforcement at high speeds on snow and ice. 

The Sergeant, out of an abundance of caution, deactivated emergency lights and sirens and reduced his own speed yet persisted forward towards the suspects last known direction of travel. 

Shortly thereafter Sergeant again activated emergency lights after discovering the suspect vehicle crashed the 15550 block of Wakarusa Road in Eskridge.

The Sergeant performed a felony car stop and arrested Goodspeed, the lone occupant, without incident and transported him to Wabounsee County Jail where he is being held on requested charges of Flee or attempt to elude LEO by engaging in reckless driving;&nbsp; Felong Driving while a habitual violator; Operate vehicle without registration or w/ expired tag; Vehicle liability insurance; Liability coverage required; Basic rule governing speed of vehicle; too fast for conditions; Maximum speed limits; Failure to wear seatbelt; Transporting open container; Possession of opiate, opium, narcotic or certain stimulant (meth); Possession of marijuana; Use/possess w/intent to use drug paraphernalia into human body and Traffic contraband in correction facility. There were no injuries or property damages from the incident.

Goodspeed has previous convictions for theft, burglary, domestic battery and for drugs, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1740077810278.png" alt="Goodspeed -photo Wabaunsee County" />
 <figcaption>Goodspeed -photo Wabaunsee County</figcaption>
 </figure>WABAUNSEE COUNTY—Law enforcement are investigating a Kansas felon on new allegations after a high speed chase in Wabaunsee Countuy.While on an overnight patrol, a Wabaunsee Sheriff's Sergeant attempted to perform a lawful traffic stop on a brown Pontiac, according to a social media report from the Wabaunsee County Sheriff's office.Upon activating emergency lights and audible sirens the driver, later identified as 36-year-old Justin Case Goodspeed of Eskkridge, attempted to flee from the Sheriff's Sergeant.The Sergeant initiated a pursuit and gave chase of the suspect vehicle which attempted to evade law enforcement at high speeds on snow and ice. The Sergeant, out of an abundance of caution, deactivated emergency lights and sirens and reduced his own speed yet persisted forward towards the suspects last known direction of travel. Shortly thereafter Sergeant again activated emergency lights after discovering the suspect vehicle crashed the 15550 block of Wakarusa Road in Eskridge.The Sergeant performed a felony car stop and arrested Goodspeed, the lone occupant, without incident and transported him to Wabounsee County Jail where he is being held on requested charges of Flee or attempt to elude LEO by engaging in reckless driving;&nbsp; Felong Driving while a habitual violator; Operate vehicle without registration or w/ expired tag; Vehicle liability insurance; Liability coverage required; Basic rule governing speed of vehicle; too fast for conditions; Maximum speed limits; Failure to wear seatbelt; Transporting open container; Possession of opiate, opium, narcotic or certain stimulant (meth); Possession of marijuana; Use/possess w/intent to use drug paraphernalia into human body and Traffic contraband in correction facility. There were no injuries or property damages from the incident.Goodspeed has previous convictions for theft, burglary, domestic battery and for drugs, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections.

Kan. felon jailed after high-speed chase, crash on icy highway

The Junction City Comission and the Geary County Sheriff's Department have approved a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), re-establishing the joint interdiction team.This specialized unit is dedicated to interdicting criminal activity, with a focus on narcotics and firearms trafficking. 

According to the JCPD as part of this initiative, K9 Detective Blake has been deputized at the Geary County Sheriff's Office, allowing him to operate throughout the county alongside Geary County Sheriff's Deputies. We are excited to work together with the Geary County Sheriff’s Office to strengthen our efforts in combating crime and keeping our community safe.&nbsp;

The Junction City Comission and the Geary County Sheriff's Department have approved a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), re-establishing the joint interdiction team.This specialized unit is dedicated to interdicting criminal activity, with a focus on narcotics and firearms trafficking. According to the JCPD as part of this initiative, K9 Detective Blake has been deputized at the Geary County Sheriff's Office, allowing him to operate throughout the county alongside Geary County Sheriff's Deputies. We are excited to work together with the Geary County Sheriff’s Office to strengthen our efforts in combating crime and keeping our community safe.&nbsp;

Joint interdiction team reestablished

Fort Riley, Kan. (February 19, 2025)&nbsp;– Corvias, a leading energy and infrastructure solutions provider, in collaboration with Sunstone Energy Development and City, Light &amp; Power, completed Phase III of an ongoing energy independence and security effort at U.S. Army Garrison Fort Riley, recently marking a month of successful operations as part of its broader mission to support the U.S. Department of Defense’s operational resilience and readiness goals.

The project supports the DOD’s goal to provide 100% of the energy load required to sustain the critical mission of each U.S. military installation by the end of fiscal year 2030.&nbsp;

This latest phase consisted of two solar PV arrays, both of which finished interconnection in December and provide rate stabilization and energy security to Fort Riley housing communities. The program offsets nearly 40% of annual electricity consumed by the housing community and also contributed to the $2 billion of community economic impact recently announced by Fort Riley’s Garrison Commander, Col. Jerry Nunziato.

“This work continues to ensure a reliable and secure supply of energy to on-post housing and the surrounding area,” said Jim Champagne, Corvias Senior Vice President of Asset Management at Fort Riley. “Along with our partners, Corvias continues to implement strategies to mitigate vulnerabilities and potential disruptions that may affect the readiness of service members and their families.”

Over the past 10 years, Sunstone Energy Development, a joint venture between Corvias Solar Solutions and Onyx Renewables, has provided renewable energy solutions across the Corvias Army housing portfolio.

“For Onyx, delivering quality, resilient clean energy solutions is at the core of our mission,” said Kevin Cox, SVP of Origination at Onyx Renewables. “These onsite solar installations at Fort Riley not only enhance energy security and reliability for service members and their families but also underscore the long-term benefits of renewable energy in strengthening critical infrastructure.”

Corvias’ industry-first Solutions Through Partnerships approach is built on a shared commitment to assisting the Department of Defense in sustaining the critical mission of each U.S. military installation by supporting readiness.

The newly completed solar arrays add to two previously completed rooftop phases for the of the Corvias-led solar program at Fort Riley – already one of the largest in the state of Kansas.

For more information on Corvias improvements on Fort Riley, visit our&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.corvias.com/news?keywords=Fort%20Riley&amp;division=14">website</a>.

Fort Riley, Kan. (February 19, 2025)&nbsp;– Corvias, a leading energy and infrastructure solutions provider, in collaboration with Sunstone Energy Development and City, Light &amp; Power, completed Phase III of an ongoing energy independence and security effort at U.S. Army Garrison Fort Riley, recently marking a month of successful operations as part of its broader mission to support the U.S. Department of Defense’s operational resilience and readiness goals.The project supports the DOD’s goal to provide 100% of the energy load required to sustain the critical mission of each U.S. military installation by the end of fiscal year 2030.&nbsp;This latest phase consisted of two solar PV arrays, both of which finished interconnection in December and provide rate stabilization and energy security to Fort Riley housing communities. The program offsets nearly 40% of annual electricity consumed by the housing community and also contributed to the $2 billion of community economic impact recently announced by Fort Riley’s Garrison Commander, Col. Jerry Nunziato.“This work continues to ensure a reliable and secure supply of energy to on-post housing and the surrounding area,” said Jim Champagne, Corvias Senior Vice President of Asset Management at Fort Riley. “Along with our partners, Corvias continues to implement strategies to mitigate vulnerabilities and potential disruptions that may affect the readiness of service members and their families.”Over the past 10 years, Sunstone Energy Development, a joint venture between Corvias Solar Solutions and Onyx Renewables, has provided renewable energy solutions across the Corvias Army housing portfolio.“For Onyx, delivering quality, resilient clean energy solutions is at the core of our mission,” said Kevin Cox, SVP of Origination at Onyx Renewables. “These onsite solar installations at Fort Riley not only enhance energy security and reliability for service members and their families but also underscore the long-term benefits of renewable energy in strengthening critical infrastructure.”Corvias’ industry-first Solutions Through Partnerships approach is built on a shared commitment to assisting the Department of Defense in sustaining the critical mission of each U.S. military installation by supporting readiness.The newly completed solar arrays add to two previously completed rooftop phases for the of the Corvias-led solar program at Fort Riley – already one of the largest in the state of Kansas.For more information on Corvias improvements on Fort Riley, visit our&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.corvias.com/news?keywords=Fort%20Riley&amp;division=14">website</a>.

Corvias Partnership Accelerates Army’s Fort Riley Energy Resiliency

A public hearing will be conducted at 10:00 a.m. on Wednesday, February 26, 2025, to consider changes to the administrative regulations relating to meat and poultry inspection. The hearing will be held in person at the Kansas Department of Agriculture at 1320 Research Park Dr. in Manhattan, as well as via video conferencing system.

KDA is proposing amendments to two regulations and the revocation of one existing regulation for the administration of the Kansas Meat and Poultry Inspection Act, K.S.A. 65-6a18,&nbsp;et seq. These proposed changes will incorporate the currently adopted federal code sections into a single, complete document that will allow the state meat and poultry inspection program’s regulatory scheme to remain at least equal to that of the federal inspection program.

A copy of the proposed regulation changes, as well as an expanded notice of public hearing, may be accessed on the KDA website at&nbsp;<a href="http://www.agriculture.ks.gov/PublicComment">agriculture.ks.gov/PublicComment</a>. Anyone desiring to participate via video conference must pre-register to be provided with a video link; the registration is available in the notice of public hearing. Written comments can be submitted prior to the hearing on KDA’s public comment web page, or sent by email to&nbsp;<a href="mailto:Ronda.Hutton@ks.gov">Ronda.Hutton@ks.gov</a>&nbsp;or by mail to the Kansas Department of Agriculture, Attn: Ronda Hutton, 1320 Research Park Dr., Manhattan, KS, 66502.

Kansas Department of AgricultureA public hearing will be conducted at 10:00 a.m. on Wednesday, February 26, 2025, to consider changes to the administrative regulations relating to meat and poultry inspection. The hearing will be held in person at the Kansas Department of Agriculture at 1320 Research Park Dr. in Manhattan, as well as via video conferencing system.KDA is proposing amendments to two regulations and the revocation of one existing regulation for the administration of the Kansas Meat and Poultry Inspection Act, K.S.A. 65-6a18,&nbsp;et seq. These proposed changes will incorporate the currently adopted federal code sections into a single, complete document that will allow the state meat and poultry inspection program’s regulatory scheme to remain at least equal to that of the federal inspection program.A copy of the proposed regulation changes, as well as an expanded notice of public hearing, may be accessed on the KDA website at&nbsp;<a href="http://www.agriculture.ks.gov/PublicComment">agriculture.ks.gov/PublicComment</a>. Anyone desiring to participate via video conference must pre-register to be provided with a video link; the registration is available in the notice of public hearing. Written comments can be submitted prior to the hearing on KDA’s public comment web page, or sent by email to&nbsp;<a href="mailto:Ronda.Hutton@ks.gov">Ronda.Hutton@ks.gov</a>&nbsp;or by mail to the Kansas Department of Agriculture, Attn: Ronda Hutton, 1320 Research Park Dr., Manhattan, KS, 66502.

Hearing for proposed changes to meat and poultry inspection regulations

<a href="mailto:melgares@ksu.edu" target="_blank">By Pat Melgares</a> K-State Research and Extension&nbsp;

MANHATTAN, Kan. – An idea spawned at Kansas State University to support rural grocery stores in transition to new ownership has grown into a network of resource providers in 11 states.

Clara Misenhelter, a program manager with&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ruralgrocery.org/">K-State’s Rural Grocery Initiative</a>, credits an online course for helping to address a growing concern in rural communities.

“In 2021, the Rural Grocery Initiative surveyed rural Kansas grocers and found that nearly 1 in 4 planned to retire within five years,” Misenhelter said. “Of those, the vast majority – 73% – did not have a plan for how store ownership would transition after their retirement.”

Beginning last year, the Rural Grocery Initiative hosted an online course to train those already working in rural communities with a baseline knowledge around what it takes to successfully transition a rural grocery store.

In 2024, 19 students in 11 states – Kansas included – completed the course, according to Misenhelter.

“Supporting grocery store owners through times of transition is critical to ensuring that rural communities retain access to their local grocery stores,” Misenhelter said.

Between 2008 and 2018, 1 in 5 Kansas grocery stores closed, a trend that Misenhelter said is also seen across the United States.

“Rural grocery stores are critical infrastructure in rural communities,” Misenhelter said. “Locally owned grocery stores contribute to their community’s health, economy and society. Keeping these stores open is critical.”

The online course is designed for extension professionals, community economic developers and others who provide resources and support to rural grocery stores across the country. Misenhelter said classes address such topics as building relationships with grocery store owners and managers; transition planning; business valuation; and other tools to support rural grocery stores.

“The assignments in the course are intentionally designed to have real-world applications,” she said.

More information, including how to sign up for a future course,&nbsp;<a href="https://ruralgrocery.org/specialist">is available online</a>&nbsp;from the Rural Grocery Initiative.

<a href="mailto:melgares@ksu.edu" target="_blank">By Pat Melgares</a> K-State Research and Extension&nbsp;MANHATTAN, Kan. – An idea spawned at Kansas State University to support rural grocery stores in transition to new ownership has grown into a network of resource providers in 11 states.Clara Misenhelter, a program manager with&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ruralgrocery.org/">K-State’s Rural Grocery Initiative</a>, credits an online course for helping to address a growing concern in rural communities.“In 2021, the Rural Grocery Initiative surveyed rural Kansas grocers and found that nearly 1 in 4 planned to retire within five years,” Misenhelter said. “Of those, the vast majority – 73% – did not have a plan for how store ownership would transition after their retirement.”Beginning last year, the Rural Grocery Initiative hosted an online course to train those already working in rural communities with a baseline knowledge around what it takes to successfully transition a rural grocery store.In 2024, 19 students in 11 states – Kansas included – completed the course, according to Misenhelter.“Supporting grocery store owners through times of transition is critical to ensuring that rural communities retain access to their local grocery stores,” Misenhelter said.Between 2008 and 2018, 1 in 5 Kansas grocery stores closed, a trend that Misenhelter said is also seen across the United States.“Rural grocery stores are critical infrastructure in rural communities,” Misenhelter said. “Locally owned grocery stores contribute to their community’s health, economy and society. Keeping these stores open is critical.”The online course is designed for extension professionals, community economic developers and others who provide resources and support to rural grocery stores across the country. Misenhelter said classes address such topics as building relationships with grocery store owners and managers; transition planning; business valuation; and other tools to support rural grocery stores.“The assignments in the course are intentionally designed to have real-world applications,” she said.More information, including how to sign up for a future course,&nbsp;<a href="https://ruralgrocery.org/specialist">is available online</a>&nbsp;from the Rural Grocery Initiative.

K-State online course aids efforts to keep rural grocery stores open

Fort Riley and the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/1stInfantryDivision?__cft__[0]=AZXcsULwgYe_a4GGwjTfnW7M8Khzu3nK9BC5okDHOT6vbxwiKw7yBDQ54R2fi-8epwVKKRow_8icr9EDFA2cEK88eRnFOzZHfgbChFpUh-kfOj8tl-mauBcjtlR4TII0pbE8FsvsYvLA58DA6b83cQbY-U5d76QRdpkeI3U0ZDZpTRKpbS68EO17GTMTZa1fAYDtRVX-X8V3T3Bkh_4dN8ni&amp;__tn__=-]K-R">1st Infantry Division</a> will resume normal operations Thursday, February 20, 2025. Installation agencies, services, facilities and gates will operate on regular weekday schedules&nbsp;&nbsp;

Fort Riley and the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/1stInfantryDivision?__cft__[0]=AZXcsULwgYe_a4GGwjTfnW7M8Khzu3nK9BC5okDHOT6vbxwiKw7yBDQ54R2fi-8epwVKKRow_8icr9EDFA2cEK88eRnFOzZHfgbChFpUh-kfOj8tl-mauBcjtlR4TII0pbE8FsvsYvLA58DA6b83cQbY-U5d76QRdpkeI3U0ZDZpTRKpbS68EO17GTMTZa1fAYDtRVX-X8V3T3Bkh_4dN8ni&amp;__tn__=-]K-R">1st Infantry Division</a> will resume normal operations Thursday, February 20, 2025. Installation agencies, services, facilities and gates will operate on regular weekday schedules&nbsp;&nbsp;