The baseball and softball fields at Bicentennial Park in Hoisington have not been upgraded since the massive tornado went through the town in 2001.
The Hoisington Recreation Commission along with other interested individuals are wanting to fundraise more than $200,000 to attract more tournaments and make the facilities safer.
Hoisington City Manager Jonathan Mitchell says the plan is to close the roadway around the ballfields.
Jonathan Mitchell Audio
The plan also calls for work on the concession stand, restrooms, flattening the fields again, and expanding the outfield fences.
As of now, the Hoisington Rec is the only entity that has pledged to the project financially. Other businesses have offered to donate their labor to help with the improvements.
No one knows exactly how much it will cost Barton County to conduct a capital murder case, not even County Attorney Amy Mellor. But Mellor, who stopped by to visit with Commissioners in study session Monday, says the cost will be significant.
Four carnival workers have been charged in Arkansas in the murders of Alfred and Pauline Carpenter of Wichita during this year’s Barton County Fair. Those four are also accused of dumping the bodies of the slain Kansas couple at a remote Arkansas location.
Mellor says the four suspects will eventually be returned to Barton County to face murder charges here. She says the county will start to see bills coming in soon for the preliminary work in the case. Those bills will be small compared to the bills that will pile up to conduct a trial.
Amy Mellor Audio
That case isn’t the only murder case that the County Attorney’s Office is handling right now. Chaz Stephens of Hoisington is charged with first-degree murder in the death of his girlfriend’s daughter, Ivionna, “Ivy” Lewis last March.
Amy Mellor Audio
Kimberly Younger, Michael Fowler, Rusty Frasier and Christine Tenney have already been charged in Crawford County Arkansas Circuit Court. The charges include abuse of a corpse in the deaths of the Carpenters.
NORRISTOWN, Pa. (AP) — The Latest on Bill Cosby’s sentencing hearing (all times local):
3:35 p.m.
Cosby -photo courtesy Montgomery County Correctional Facility
Bill Cosby will spend the first few days of his prison sentence at the Montgomery County Correctional Facility outside Philadelphia.
Cosby left the suburban Philadelphia courthouse in a dark SUV after a judge sentenced the 81-year-old to three to 10 years in state prison for sexual assault.
A spokeswoman for the Montgomery County district attorney’s office says Cosby will be held at the county jail for at least the next few days. From there, he’ll be taken to SCI Phoenix, a new state prison outside Philadelphia, where staff will assess his physical, medical and security needs.
Cosby could end up in a long-term medical care unit.
Dozens of women have accused Cosby of sexual misconduct during his 50-year career in entertainment. The 2004 assault on Andrea Constand was the only one to lead to criminal charges.
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2:55 p.m.
Bill Cosby has left a Pennsylvania courtroom in handcuffs to begin serving a three-to-10 year prison sentence for sexual assault.
Defense lawyers tried to keep the 81-year-old out of prison while he appeals his conviction, saying he’s frail and legally blind. Judge Steven O’Neill refused their plea for Cosby to remain on house arrest, ruling Tuesday that Cosby will be locked up immediately.
O’Neill says Cosby could “quite possibly be a danger to the community.”
Cosby was convicted of drugging and molesting Temple University athletics administrator Andrea Constand.
Dozens of women have accused Cosby of sexual misconduct during his 50-year career in entertainment. The 2004 assault on Constand was the only one to lead to criminal charges.
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2:25 p.m.
A judge has denied Bill Cosby that he’s not entitled to bail while the 81-year-old comedian appeals his sexual assault conviction.
Judge Steven O’Neill sentenced Cosby on Tuesday to three to 10 years in state prison. His lawyers are arguing that Cosby should remain on home confinement pending appeals. O’Neill says Cosby had no right to it.
The judge said it’s “time for justice” as he sentenced Cosby to state prison and fined him $25,000. The former “Cosby Show” star was convicted in April of drugging and molesting Temple University women’s basketball administrator Andrea Constand in 2004.
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Bill Cosby has been sentenced to three to 10 years in state prison for drugging and molesting a woman at his suburban Philadelphia home.
Judge Steven O’Neill sentenced Cosby on Tuesday, five months after his conviction in the first celebrity trial of the #MeToo era.
Prosecutors were seeking a sentence of five to 10 years in prison. The defense asked for house arrest.
The 81-year-old comedian did not make a statement in court. Cosby sat back in his chair, his head on the headrest, as the sentence was read.
The entertainer once known as “America’s Dad” was convicted in April of sexually assaulting Temple University athletics administrator Andrea Constand in 2004.
Constand is one of about 60 women who have accused Cosby of sexual misconduct.
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11:35 a.m.
A judge has ruled that Bill Cosby is a “sexually violent predator.”
The classification means that Cosby must undergo lifetime counseling and report quarterly to authorities. His name will appear on a sex-offender registry sent to neighbors, schools and victims.
Judge Steven O’Neill made the decision Tuesday as he prepares to sentence the 81-year-old comedian for drugging and molesting a woman at his suburban Philadelphia home in 2004.
Prosecutors are asking for five to 10 years in prison. The defense wants Cosby sent home on house arrest.
Cosby’s lawyers had fought the “sexually violent predator” designation, arguing that Pennsylvania’s sex-offender law remains unconstitutional despite several revisions.
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11:15 a.m.
Andrea Constand says she’s had to cope with years of unrelenting pain, anxiety and self-doubt after Bill Cosby drugged and sexually assaulted her at his home in 2004.
Constand writes in a victim-impact statement released Tuesday that Cosby’s 2004 attack on her was just “the tip of the iceberg” for the suffering that followed.
Constand says her training as a professional basketball player had led her to think she could handle anything, but “life as I knew it” ended on the night that Cosby knocked her out with pills and violated her.
She says the Cosby team’s subsequent attacks on her character left her with “insurmountable stress and anxiety.”
Constand says she now lives alone with her two dogs, “stuck in a holding pattern” as a middle-aged woman because she has trouble trusting people.
GREAT BEND – Patricia Marie Koch, 87, passed away August 24, 2018, at Cherry Village Nursing Home, Great Bend. She was born March 18, 1931, in Lucas to James and Anna (Stodola) Aksamit. She married John Koch, April 4, 1954, in Lucas. He died May 20, 1975.
Patricia worked at an orphanage in Denver and as an in home caregiver for many years. She also had worked at the K18 Café and Lucas Nursing Home for many years. She was a member of the Cornerstone Fellowship in Great Bend and loved to garden.
Survivors include, two daughters, Patsy Hiss and husband Bob of Great Bend and Susan Hayes and husband Allen of Reno, Nevada; four grandchildren; six great-grandchildren; two brothers, Carrol Aksamit of Sausalito, California and Richard Aksamit of Russellville, Arkansas and one sister, Camilla Smith of Alexandria, Virginia. She was preceded in death by her parents; two brothers, Leonard and Allan Aksamit; and four sisters, Anna Meitler, Joan Conklin, Agnes DeForest and Dorothy Tomkins.
There will be no visitation as cremation has taken place. Memorial Service will be held at 10:30 a.m., Tuesday, October 2, 2018, at the First Christian Church, Great Bend, with Rev. Joshua Leu presiding. Graveside Inurnment will be at 2:30 p.m., in the Lucas Cemetery, Lucas. Memorials are suggested to be made In Lieu of Flowers to the First Christian Church Outreach Fund, in care of Bryant Funeral Home.
Condolences may be sent and notice viewed at www.bryantfh.net
Even though Jeremy Lewis realizes it is no one’s favorite subject, he wants to share information about life insurance from personal and professional perspectives.
Lewis, a licensed insurance agent, is taking this educational opportunity now because September is Life Insurance Awareness Month. He is employed by Panzer Insurance, an independent insurance agency at 1023 Jackson in Great Bend’s Jackson Square.
“My father passed away with no life insurance when he was in his 60s,” Lewis said. “This left my family with the burden of figuring out how to pay final expenses and handle debts. My mother also had to make up for his lost income. This took years to straighten out.
“Dad didn’t do this on purpose,” he continued. “He never imagined he would die young or suddenly from cancer. We were left with the grief of his death, as well as the financial stresses.”
Since “anything can happen at any time,” Lewis encouraged families to learn more about the type of coverage they need.
“Once we are gone, bills still have to be paid and debts settled,” he said. “The average cost of final expenses is more than $7,000. Do your loved ones have the ability to pay this and, more important, do you want to leave this expense for them?”
There are several reasons people shy away from discussing life insurance, including: they think they can’t afford it; they are too young or too old; they are not married; they have no children; and they have no debt.
“However,” Lewis said, “life insurance is tailored to your specific needs. Not everyone needs $1 million in coverage. If you are young and single you may need only enough to cover small debts and funeral expenses.”
In other situations, people should consider: mortgage and car payments; a savings account; and children’s college funds.
“Yes, these topics are difficult for families,” Lewis acknowledged. “But I have seen young friends have to rely on Facebook donations or GoFundMe requests to cover funeral expenses.
“Then they have to worry about making up for lost income. You need time to grieve and honor your loved ones without financial problems.”
The numerous types of policies range from short-term coverage to permanent options. Newly developed policies not only provide benefits following an untimely death, they also offer benefits for those who live long lives and need additional income.
“A young parent who is working and raising three children has different needs than an empty-nester planning for retirement. You and a trusted adviser can determine if you have the proper coverage.”
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — An iconic gay bar in New York City is hosting a fund-raising event for a Democratic Kansas congressional district candidate.
Sharice Davids courtesy photo
The Stonewall Inn will host the event Tuesday for Sharice Davids, a gay Native American, who is running against Republican incumbent Rep. Kevin Yoder in Kansas 3rd congressional district.
Tickets for the event start at $100, with prices ranging up $2,700 to be a host.
The Stonewall Inn was declared a national monument in 2016. Riots that began at the bar in 1969 when gay patrons protested against police raids are considered a turning point in the gay rights movement.
TOPEKA – Former U.S. senators Bob and Elizabeth Dole will be in attendance with Jerry Farley, president, Washburn University, and other dignitaries to unveil a bronze statue celebrating the lifetime achievements of Bob Dole, a proud Washburn graduate and Russell native.
Senator Dole during a birthday celebration in July
This is the first commissioned bronze statue of him ever created. It is a gift to Washburn University from John Pinegar, BA ’82, and the Doug and Kathleen, BA ’84, Smith family.
The statue will be unveiled in a ceremony at 11 a.m., Fri., Sept. 28, north of Carnegie Hall, Washburn University, 1700 SW College Ave.
Sen. Bob Dole, a native of Russell, graduated from Washburn University in 1952 earning both a bachelor of arts and a juris doctorate in the same year because of credits he earned before enlisting in the U.S. Army during World War II.
He has developed a worldwide reputation for public service, holding elected positions in the Kansas House of Representatives, as Russell County (Kan.) attorney and as a U.S. congressman before spending nearly 30 years as a U.S. senator. He was chair of the Republican National Committee, Senate Minority Leader and Senate Majority Leader, where he set a record as the longest-serving Republican leader. Dole was President Gerald Ford’s vice presidential running mate in 1976 and a Republican presidential candidate in both 1988 and 1996, earning the GOP nomination in 1996.
A World War II veteran, he served as national chair of the World War II Memorial Campaign and authored the autobiographical “One Soldier’s Story,” among other books.
Washburn conferred on him an honorary doctorate of laws in 1969 and an honorary doctorate of civil law in 1985. He received the Washburn Alumni Association Distinguished Service Award in 1966. The Washburn University School of Law Alumni Association honored him with the Distinguished Service Award in 1981 and the Lifetime Achievement Award in 2007.
WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — A couple has been convicted of participating in the torture and killing of a Wichita man over $185 in missing drug money.
Heidi Hillard -photo Sedgwick CountyJeff Hilliard
Jeff and Heidi Hillard were found guilty Monday in Sedgwick County of first-degree murder in the death of 33-year-old Scottie Goodpaster Jr.
Court documents say Goodpaster and a woman were kidnapped in November 2016 and that the woman was beaten and sexually assaulting before she blamed Goodpaster “out of fear.” He was attacked with an ax, knife and staple gun and suffered genital injuries. His body was found six days later in neighboring Harvey County.
The Hillards also were convicted of rape, kidnapping, and battery. But they were acquitted of robbery.
Two other defendants are awaiting trial and a third has been convicted.
The Great Bend Recreation Commission is now accepting enrollment for fall programs. These programs will begin the first week of October, so stop by the Rec and get your child registered this week so they don’t miss out on the fun. Afterschool activities will be offered at the Recreation Center, Activity Center, Park, Lincoln, Jefferson and Eisenhower schools. A variety of enrichment and recreation programs are available for children, ages 5 to 12 years, at these school sites and at the Recreation Center and Activity Center. These programs include Arts & Crafts, Ceramics, cooking classes, Cartooning & Painting and a variety of holiday mini classes.
Preschool programs for children, ages 2 to 5, will be held at the Recreation Center, 1214 Stone Street, and the Activity Center, 2715 18th Street, throughout the day. Such programs include Family Cooking classes, Preschool Art classes, Moving & Grooving with Music, Jr. All-Star, Little Zoo Critters, and a variety of one-time holiday theme-based classes. Enjoy family activities during mini classes that meet on Saturday mornings.
Adult programs are scheduled in the evening for your convenience. Enroll in Painting, Cupcake Decorating 101, Beginner’s Woodcarving, Halloween Painting Night Out, Fall Ceramic Girls Night Out, Line Dancing, Yoga, Zumba, Cardio Blast, Noon Body Shaping, Wake Up Workout, Tai Chi, and a number of one-time seasonal craft projects.
Get registered today because a lot of the programs will begin the first week of October. Go to the GBRC web site at www.greatbendrec.com for more information, sports schedules, cancellations and a registration form. For more information or to register for these programs, contact the Recreation Commission office at 793-3755, ext 110, stop by the office located at 1214 Stone Street or e-mail recreation@gbrec.net.
The baseball and softball fields at Bicentennial Park in Hoisington have not been upgraded since the massive tornado went through the town in 2001.
GREAT BEND – Patricia Marie Koch, 87, passed away August 24, 2018, at Cherry Village Nursing Home, Great Bend. She was born March 18, 1931, in Lucas to James and Anna (Stodola) Aksamit. She married John Koch, April 4, 1954, in Lucas. He died May 20, 1975.
