Small chances for thunderstorms will spread into mainly Western and Central parts of Kansas for Today into Friday, as a warm front lifts northward through the region.

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Here Is Your 7-Day Forecast For Hutchinson And South Central Kansas

Today: Partly sunny with scattered showers and thunderstorms. Highs 70 to 75. Northeast winds 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 30 percent.

Tonight: Mostly cloudy with a 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Lows 55 to 60. East winds 10 to 15 mph.

Friday: Mostly cloudy with a 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Highs in the mid 70s. Southeast winds 10 to 20 mph. Gusts up to 25 mph in the afternoon.

Friday Night: Mostly cloudy with a 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Lows in the mid 60s. South winds 10 to 20 mph. Gusts up to 25 mph in the evening.

Saturday: Partly sunny with a 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Breezy. Highs in the mid 80s. South winds 15 to 25 mph with gusts to around 35 mph.

Saturday Night: Partly cloudy in the evening then becoming mostly cloudy. A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Lows in the mid 60s.

Sunday: Partly sunny with a 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Highs in the mid 80s.

Sunday Night: Mostly cloudy with a 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Lows 65 to 70.

Memorial Day: Mostly sunny with a 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Highs in the mid 80s.

Monday Night: Mostly cloudy in the evening then becoming partly cloudy. A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Lows in the mid 60s.

Tuesday: Mostly sunny with a 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Highs in the mid 80s.

Tuesday Night And Wednesday: Breezy. Mostly cloudy with a 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Lows 65 to 70. Highs 80 to 85.

This week, Governor Brownback and his GOP allies made themselves clear: raising sales taxes on working Kansans is the only way forward.
That’s why the governor let it be known among Republican legislators that he would veto any budget bill that didn’t include hundreds of millions of dollars in new sales taxes. It’s also why the legislature is at a complete standstill on the budget and any tax plans – Kansas House members don’t want to be held responsible for
cleaning up the mess Brownback created when he passed the worst tax plan in America.
It appears that Governor Brownback is falling back on his most common tactic: bully and threaten legislators until he gets his way. It’s how he got his 2012 tax bill passed, it’s how he defeated moderate GOP senators who opposed his agenda, and it’s how he’s now trying to pass his unpopular tax hike on working Kansans.
Brownback is getting assistance from other right wing legislators like Senate President Susan Wagle who led the Kansas Senate to pass a tax plan that would raise sales taxes by .6 cents and phasing out the home mortgage interest deduction for Kansas homeowners.
Sen. Wagle’s blind support for Governor Brownback has led her to do a complete reversal on sales taxes, leading her to lay out this whopper of a statement:
Sales taxes may not matter to Governor Brownback or Senate President Wagle, but they matter to working families whose groceries, gas, and clothing will all cost more now. Sales taxes matter to small businesses who have to compete across state lines. And sales taxes matter when you look at how Kansas is shifting its tax burden even more heavily onto the backs of the working poor and middle class.
Kansas taxes are already grossly regressive, asking the poorest 20% to pay over 2.5 times as much in taxes as the richest 1%. Middle-class Kansans aren’t getting off easy either, paying well over twice as much in state and local taxes.
So why does the governor and his GOP allies want to worsen this already sad situation? Because it’s the only way they can afford to pay for the tax breaks they doled out to the richest Kansans and big business.
So there you have it – Governor Brownback has backed himself into a corner and is now demanding that the Kansas Legislature bail him out and raise taxes on Kansas families. These actions go to show that KDP Chair Joan Wagnon was right when she said that the governor’s only real priority is protecting tax breaks for the richest Kansans.

A Hutchinson couple facing felony and misdemeanor charges after a drug bust was scheduled to be in court Wednesday for a preliminary hearing, but as happens often, it was continued at the request of the defense.

The case against 32-year-old Jeramy Zwickl and 36-year-old Melissa Hamby of 719 East C, starts back on August 27 when a drug related search was executed on a 2006 Ford Mustang registered to the pair. Allegedly located in the trunk of the car was three individual vacuum sealed bags of marijuana weighing about a pound each. Also located were maps and drug paraphernalia.

The Reno County Drug Unit then served a search warrant on their home on East C, where they allegedly found drug paraphernalia, mushrooms, marijuana as well as growing equipment in a hidden room in the basement.

Both face charges of possession of marijuana with intent to sell, no drug tax stamp, possession of drug paraphernalia with intent to cultivate more then five plants of marijuana, possession of hallucinogenic mushrooms and possession of personal use drug paraphernalia.

The hearing was scheduled in front of Judge Joe McCarville, but has now been set for July 25.

The preliminary hearing for two men arrested back on May 5 on drug distribution charges has already been set by Judge Joe McCarville.

24-year-old Rayland Brown of 1600 Center Street in Hutchinson and 21-year-old Dwayne Lewis of 1149 N. Meridian in Wichita are charged with possession of crack cocaine and marijuana, both with intent to to distribute and possession of drug paraphernalia with intent to package. Lewis was also arrested for driving while suspended, allegedly an habitual violator.

The judge set the preliminary hearing for both men for June 11.

The case starts just after 5 p-m, Sunday when a Hutchinson Police Officer made a traffic stop in the 500 block of East 1st. That led to the discovery of crack cocaine and marijuana, both allegedly in a distribution amount.

Both men are under supervision here in Reno County for previous drug cases.

Brown has convictions for sale of drugs, being in possession of a precursor for the manufacture of meth, possession of opiates and no drug tax stamp.

Lewis is also under supervision for the sale of drugs, possession of drug paraphernalia and no tax stamp.

A $50,000 contribution from the Hutchinson Regional Medical Center Auxiliary has resulted in the purchase and installation of new equipment needed in the hospital’s Rehabilitation Services department.

The new equipment, called the BTE II (Baltimore Therapeutic Unit II), is designed to serve Physical, Occupational, and Speech Therapy patients. According to Lori Hartnett, Interim Director of Rehabilitation Services, “the BTE II will help speed the recovery of patients undergoing rehabilitation therapy. It offers a diverse array of applications that can be used not only in general rehabilitation, but also with hand therapy, general orthopedics, neuro rehabilitation, and work simulation for injured workers. This is an updated version of computerized therapy equipment used at the hospital for the past 25 years.

The 350-member Hutchinson Regional Medical Center Auxiliary volunteers their time daily throughout the hospital to assist patients and guests at the hospital. Funds generated through the hospital Gift Shop and other special events and sales are used to expand and enhance the hospital’s services.

Lois Schlickau, Chairperson of the Auxiliary Board of Directors, said the contribution will be put to good use for a hospital department that is experiencing growth.

“The Rehabilitation Department is growing rapidly, and the Auxiliary wants to be a part of that expansion through the funding of a vital piece of equipment that will improve the treatment of the increasing number of patients they are serving,” Schlickau said.

Lori Hartnett explained that the Auxiliary’s contribution was very timely and appreciated in that the original BTE machine, installed during the 1980s, was in need of an upgrade.

Hartnett emphasized that personal involvement is a key motivating factor in any recovery, and the BTE II involves the patient in each step of their therapy and provides them with instant feedback.

“Also, installation of this new equipment will be a giant step forward for Hutchinson Regional Medical Center in maintaining our competitive edge in the healthcare rehabilitation market,” Hartnett said. “The updated technology provides computerized data to allow for better evidence-based treatments and evaluations.”

Kevin Miller, President and CEO of Hutchinson Regional Healthcare System (HRHS), labeled the hospital Auxiliary as an indispensable part of the hospital, whose involvement grows each year.

“The Hutchinson Regional Medical Center could not function without the thousands of hours of volunteer time given each year by the Auxiliary,” Miller said.

The preliminary hearing is scheduled for Thursday for six men accused of being involved in the beating and stabbing of Jeffrey Payne back in February.

John Robert Cantu is charged with conspiracy to commit aggravated burglary and aggravated battery and believed to be the one who was driving the vehicle over to Payne’s home, but its unclear if he went inside.

The other 5-suspects arrested in association with the beating and stabbing of Payne are charged with attempted murder and other serious felonies. The five include Jordon LeShore, Sean Arevalo, Desmond Cantu, Troy Bell and Joseph LeShore.

The attack on Payne occurred back on February 18, when these men allegedly broke into Payne’s home and physically attacked and stabbed him numerous times in the leg and torso.

As we told you previously, the hearing is expected to last all day with Senior Assistant District Attorney Steve Maxwell describing the hearing as a mini-trial with several witnesses expected to testify.

Because of the number of defendant’s and lawyers, the hearing will be held in the much bigger courtroom of Judge Trish Rose, although it will be Judge Joe McCarville presiding over the hearing.

A 35-year-old Hutchinson man arrested back on September 11, of last year for being involved in a meth manufacturing case and offered a plea deal only to turn it down, waived his right to a preliminary hearing Wednesday.

Matthew Foulk is charged with manufacturing methamphetamine, possession of lithium, anhydrous ammonia and possession of ephedrine, all with intent to manufacture meth. He’s also charged with possession of anhydrous ammonia in an unapproved container and possession of drug paraphernalia with intent to distribute.

Foulk also faces allegations of failing to register as a drug offender, nine counts to be exact.

The original case begins when the Reno County Drug Unit served a search warrant on a home on North Herren Road back in September after he had been stopped by a deputy for an expired tag in the 400 block of North Adams. During that stop, he allegedly threw out a blue bag from his car which allegedly contained a zip-lock bag of white pills, later identified as ephedrine.

They did a search of the home on Herren and found another floor mat that matched the one in his vehicle. They also allegedly found peeled lithium batteries, Coleman fuel containers, empty starting fluid cans, acids, salts and numerous empty plastic containers and pitchers. There was also a grunge substance and a propane tank which allegedly contained the ammonia.

Foulk has served time for meth manufacturing charges in Reno County in 2003 and 2004, and a flee and elude case in Harvey County from 1999.

With the waiver, he faces trial and if convicted could be looking at as much as 281-months in prison. Had he taken the plea, he could have seen a sentence as low as 100-months.

Authorities in Seward County were notified of the children’s disappearance Tuesday evening. A citizen spotted them around 9:30 a.m. Wednesday in Liberal and took them to a business. They were reported to be tired and hungry.

A family member had been looking after the children — two girls, ages 3 and 5, and a 7-year-old boy — at their rural Seward County home Tuesday while other relatives went to Liberal on errands.

Law enforcement officers and first responders from southwest Kansas and nearby Oklahoma searched for the children throughout the night, scouring fields on ATV’s. Search dogs from Wichita and Hutchinson also took part.

Three persons from North Hollywood, Calif., have been arrested in an alleged scheme in which semi-trailer loads of goods were stolen from companies in California and an attempt to steal a load of processed beef was made in southwest Kansas, U. S. Attorney Barry Grissom said Wednesday.

Two of the three persons, Oganes Nagapetian, 53, and his wife, Larisa Nagapetian, 46, are scheduled to be arraigned on a federal indictment in the U.S. District Court in Wichita on June 4; the third defendant, Tigran Nagapetian, 50, a brother of Oganes Nagapetian, appeared Tuesday before a U.S. magistrate judge in Los Angeles. He also is scheduled to appear for arraignment in Kansas on June 4. All three are charged in the Kansas federal indictment, Grissom said.

“The defendants are alleged to have engaged in a scheme to steal semi-loads of cargo by pretending to be legitimate freight haulers,” Grissom said. “They are charged with conspiracy, wire fraud and aggravated identity theft. The USDA Office of Inspector General and the FBI, together with their state and local law enforcement partners, are aggressively investigating these cases.”
Grissom said such schemes have become more common across the country in the past few years, and that the large meat packing plants in Kansas – including Dodge City, Liberal, Holcolm and Garden City — have been targeted on several occasions. A total of seven large plants load dozens of semi-loads per day of packaged meat, which is a commodity that is valuable and relatively easy to sell, he said. A semi-trailer-load of processed beef can be worth $100,000 wholesale, Grissom said. Meat packing plants in Nebraska also have been victimized, he said.

The indictment, which was returned by a federal grand jury in Wichita April 23, alleges that the defendants conspired in November 2011 to steal a load of beef from the Tyson Fresh Meats plant in Holcomb, Kan., and the brothers dropped off a trailer to be loaded, but never came back to pick it up because they thought they were under law enforcement surveillance. In the weeks before the attempted Holcomb theft, loads of shoes, fans and almonds were stolen from three companies in California, according to the indictment.

The indictment alleges that the three conspired to use the identity of a legitimate trucking company in Pennsylvania to bid on hauling the load of Kansas beef to California through a freight broker based in Ohio. Once the hauling contract was awarded, a man allegedly fitting the description of Oganes Nagapetian but using a counterfeit California commercial drivers license in another person’s name dropped off a trailer at the Tyson plant in Holcomb to be loaded. The man never returned, according to the indictment.

The indictment charges all three defendants with conspiracy to commit wire fraud and to steal shipments of freight, which carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison. Oganes Nagapetian and Tigran Nagapetian also are charged with wire fraud, which has a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, and aggravated identity theft, which has a statutorily-required sentence of two years in prison. In addition, Oganes Nagapetian, a lawful permanent resident from Russia, faces various document fraud charges. Tigran Nagapetian is a naturalized U.S. citizen from Armenia, as is Larisa Nagapetian.

In addition to the USDA OIG and FBI, agencies working on the investigation include Homeland Security Investigations; the Kansas Highway Patrol; the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Dept. and its “Cargo Cats” unit; the Finney County, Kan., Sheriff’s Dept.; the California Highway Patrol Cargo Theft Interdiction Program; the National White Collar Crime Center; and the National Insurance Crime Bureau. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Brent Anderson.

If convicted of the conspiracy count, the defendants face a maximum sentence of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Wire fraud carries a maximum of 20 years in prison and a $250,000. Document fraud has a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison, and aggravated identity theft has a mandatory sentence of two years in prison. As in any criminal case, a defendant is innocent unless proven guilty; an indictment merely alleges criminal conduct.

U.S. Senators Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) and Pat Roberts (R-Kan.), as well as Representatives Mike Pompeo (R-Kan.) and Lynn Jenkins (R-Kan.), issued the following statements today upon learning that the U.S. Air Force selected McConnell Air Force Base (AFB) as the Main Operating Base (MOB) #1 for replacing KC-135R tanker aircraft with KC-46A’s beginning in 2016. Kansas was the only state to have both of its Air Force bases, Forbes Field in Topeka and McConnell Air Force Base, selected as finalists for the KC-46A Tanker Program.

“I couldn’t be more proud that McConnell Air Force Base has been selected as the Main Operating Base for the new KC-46A tankers,” Sen. Moran said. “Our state and the city of Wichita have a long history of supporting air mobility and standing behind the air men and women who call McConnell home, and I’m pleased the U.S. Air Force agrees that McConnell is the option whose location, capacity and mission will best meet our country’s needs.”

“The Air Force’s refueling tankers have a long history in Kansas at both McConnell Air Force Base and Forbes Field, and it is great to learn that this esteemed history will continue with the KC-46A tanker mission,” Sen. Roberts said. “Kansas airmen and airwomen time and again have demonstrated their steadfast dedication and hard work in contributing to the security of the United States, and our state, with its immense aviation infrastructure, has a great support network of civilian staff, neighbors and friends that help each installation achieve excellence. We welcome this new mission to Kansas and look forward to helping protect this nation for years to come.”

“America’s Air Force has once again called upon Kansans and McConnell Air Force Base to serve the nation with the world’s finest equipment,” said Rep. Mike Pompeo, R-Wichita, member of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, Co-Chairman of the Congressional Mobility Air Forces Caucus, West Point graduate, and Army veteran. “We’re thrilled that McConnell AFB has been recognized as an indispensable part of America’s defenses and excited about the opportunities this creates for the rest of Kansas. I look forward seeing the new KC-46A tanker contribute to our national security, from right here in the heartland for decades to come.”

“Kansans play an essential role in supporting our nation’s defense programs, and I commend the U.S. Air Force for naming McConnell AFB as the Main Operating Base for the new KC-46A tankers. This is good news for our state, and McConnell’s distinguished history and capabilities make it an excellent choice,” said Rep. Lynn Jenkins (KS-02), Vice Chair of the House Republican Conference. “Although I am disappointed Forbes Field in Topeka was not selected, I am proud the 190th Air Refueling Wing was recognized as a finalist for the tanker program. As the member of Congress representing Forbes Field, I will continue to work with them to ensure they remain a strong candidate for future basing decisions.”

The selection of not just one, but both Kansas Air Force bases as candidates is a testament to the critical role our state plays in supporting all branches of our military and allied partners as they carry out missions overseas and at home. Strategically positioned in the heart of the United States, the location, capacity and mission of McConnell and Forbes make both bases exceptionally equipped to provide air mobility globally at a moment’s notice.

As the largest air tanker base in the world, McConnell Air Force Base is a key stakeholder in the Wichita community. The base has been the recipient of numerous awards since its beginning in 1941, and received more awards over the past 16 months than all other Air Mobility bases combined. McConnell supports more than 17,000 people, military and civilian, and has an economic impact of $619 million. It assists all branches of the military and allied partners, refueling off of either coast and around the world every day.

Additionally, as part of the selection process, the Wichita Metro Chamber of Commerce and the Wichita Independent Business Association teamed up to form a coalition, the Tanker Task Force, to help demonstrate that the business community is behind McConnell. Last month, the Air Force hosted an event on KC-46A basing selection that boasted more than 300 area residents showing their support for the base.

Forbes is considered a reasonable alternative and will continue to be considered for future installments of KC-46A tankers, and the Kansas Delegation intends to meet with the U.S. Air Force to discuss specific selection details. Forbes Field Air National Guard Base has a force of approximately 980 military personnel and employs more than 30 federal civilian and 60 state employees supporting missions overseas and here at home. It is one of the 10 largest employers in Topeka and Shawnee County and has an estimated economic impact of $75 million.