SMITH COUNTY — The Smith Center Police Department is seeking information on suspects alleged to have used stolen credit cards in the area.

The suspects were in the area as recently as Jan. 19, according to a social media post from the Phillips County Sheriff’s Department.

“Contact us immediately if you see these subjects or suspicious activity around ATMs. Call 911 and do not approach or attempt to detain,” the posting said.

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Washington, D.C.– U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue today announced that all Farm Service Agency (FSA) offices nationwide will soon reopen to provide additional administrative services to farmers and ranchers during the lapse in federal funding. Certain FSA offices have been providing limited services for existing loans and tax documents since January 17, and will continue to do so through January 23. Beginning January 24, however, all FSA offices will open and offer a longer list of transactions they will accommodate.

Additionally, Secretary Perdue announced that the deadline to apply for the Market Facilitation Program, which aids farmers harmed by unjustified retaliatory tariffs, has been extended to February 14. The original deadline had been January 15. Other program deadlines may be modified and will be announced as they are addressed.

“At President Trump’s direction, we have been working to alleviate the effects of the lapse in federal funding as best we can, and we are happy to announce the reopening of FSA offices for certain services,” Perdue said. “The FSA provides vital support for farmers and ranchers and they count on those services being available. We want to offer as much assistance as possible until the partial government shutdown is resolved.”

The U.S. Department of Agriculture has temporarily recalled all of the more than 9,700 FSA employees to keep offices open from 8 am to 4:30 pm weekdays beginning January 24. President Trump has already signed legislation that guarantees employees will receive all backpay missed during the lapse in funding.

For the first two full weeks under this operating plan (January 28 through February 1 and February 4 through February 8), FSA offices will be open Mondays through Fridays. In subsequent weeks, offices will be open three days a week, on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays if needed to provide the additional administrative services.

Agricultural producers who have business with the agency can contact their FSA service center to make an appointment.

FSA can provide these administrative services, which are critical for farmers and ranchers, because failure to perform these services would harm funded programs. FSA staff will work on the following transactions:

Market Facilitation Program.
Marketing Assistance Loans.
Release of collateral warehouse receipts.
Direct and Guaranteed Farm Operating Loans, and Emergency Loans.
Service existing Conservation Reserve Program contracts.
Sugar Price Support Loans.
Dairy Margin Protection Program.
Agricultural Risk Coverage and Price Loss Coverage.
Livestock Forage Disaster.
Emergency Assistance Livestock, Honey Bees, and Farm-raised Fish Program.
Livestock Indemnity Program.
Noninsured Crop Disaster Assistance Program.
Tree Assistance Program.
Remaining Wildfires and Hurricanes Indemnity Program payments for applications already processed.
Transactions that will not be available include, but are not limited to:

New Conservation Reserve Program contracts.
New Direct and Guaranteed Farm Ownership Loans.
Farm Storage Facility Loan Program.
New or in-process Wildfires and Hurricanes Indemnity Program applications.
Emergency Conservation Program.
Emergency Forest Rehabilitation Program.
Biomass Crop Assistance Program.
Grassroots Source Water Protection Program.
With the Office of Management and Budget, USDA reviewed all of its funding accounts that are not impacted by the lapse in appropriation. We further refined this list to include programs where the suspension of the activity associated with these accounts would significantly damage or prevent the execution of the terms of the underling statutory provision. As a result of this review, USDA was able to except more employees. Those accounts that are not impacted by the lapse in appropriation include mandatory, multiyear and no year discretionary funding including FY 2018 Farm Bill activities.

Updates to available services and offices will be made during the lapse in federal funding on the FSA shutdown webpage. Programs managed by FSA that were re-authorized by the 2018 farm bill will be available at a later date yet to be determined.

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BARTON COUNTY —There were no injuries reported in a fire at a home in Barton County on Monday.

Just before 5:30 a.m.,  the Barton County Sheriff’s Office and Ellinwood Fire Department were dispatched to a report of a structure fire near the city of Ellinwood. Sheriff’s officers and fire personnel responded to 211 E. First Street, according to a media release.

Upon arrival, officers discovered a house fully engulfed in flames. Initially, there was some confusion as to whether anyone was in the house, but it was later determined no one was home at the time of the fire. The residence appears to be a total loss.

Sheriff’s detectives and the Kansas State Fire Marshal’s Office were on the scene until late Monday morning. The investigation indicates the fire was accidental in nature, and arson is not suspected. Investigators were unable to determine the exact source of ignition.

The Barton County Sheriff’s Office, Ellinwood Fire Department, Ellinwood Police Department as well as Kansas State Fire Marshal’s Office all responded to the scene.

MONTGOMERY COUNTY — One person died in an accident just after 6p.m. Thursday in Montgomery County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2011 GMC Sierra driven by Ronald L. Rogers, 78, Cedar Vale, was westbound on U.S. 166 three miles east of Niotaze, Kansas.

The pickup rear-ended a farm tractor driven by Kenneth D. Sullivan, 67, Havana, Kansas.

Sullivan was pronounced dead at the scene.

Rogers was transported to a hospital in Bartlesville, Oklahoma.  He was not wearing a seat belt, according to the KHP.

KANSAS CITY (AP) — A University of Missouri-Kansas City professor has resigned after being accused of coercing foreign graduate students to perform work and personal tasks for him.

University officials announced Wednesday that Ashim Mitra resigned from the School of Pharmacy one day before a hearing was scheduled to determine his future at the university.

Mitra was put on paid suspension in November after The Kansas City Star reported former students accused him of forcing students from India to do his lawn work, care for his dog and other tasks. One student likened the work to “slave labor.”

The students said they feared losing their visas if they refused Mitra’s demands.

Mitra has denied any wrongdoing.

Mitra joined the university’s faculty in 1994 and was chairman of the Pharmaceutical Sciences Division until last year.

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ELLIS COUNTY — Law enforcement authorities are investigating after report of gun shots at Walmart, 4301 Vine in Hays.

Just before 7p.m. Wednesday, there were multiple reports of gunshots and people running from the Hays Walmart store, according to a media release from police.

The Hays Police Dept, Kansas Highway Patrol, Fort Hays State University Police Department, and Ellis County Sheriff’s Office responded.

Police detained two people. There were no injuries reported. Walmart was closed while the crime scene was processed and the store cleared. 

Police released no additional details late Wednesday.

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ELLIS COUNTY — Law enforcement authorities are investigating a report of gun shots at Walmart, 4301 Vine in Hays.

Just before 7 p.m. Tuesday emergency responders were called to the scene and had detained at least 2 individuals according to scanner communication.

Authorities asked people to stay away from the store and its parking lot.

Just after 7:30p.m., the situation was downgraded, although the Special Situation Response Team is gathered nearby at Great Clips.

Employees who had been evacuated from the building said that a woman had accidentally discharged a firearm inside of the store.

Employees were allowed to reenter the building, but the store remained closed. Officers said they did not know when the store would be able to reopen. The parking lot entrances were being blocked by officers, and shoppers were urged to stay away until officers can conclude their investigation.

This is a developing story. Expect additional details as they become available.