TEG
FRIDAY, AUGUST 28, 2015
V V V
PULITZER PRIZE-WINNING
FAMILY OWNED SINCE 1895
V V V
EMPORIA ARTS COUNCIL
BIDS WINDSOR FAREWELL
[email protected]
Please see Windsor, Page 3
VVV
Good luck,
Windsors!
WWW.EMPORIAGAZETTE.COM
MURDER
TRIAL TO
BEGIN
MONDAY
By Jessie Wagoner
For the past 10 years Melissa
Windsor has served as director
of the Emporia Arts Council. On
Thursday night, the board of directors, co-workers and community members bid her farewell.
Windsor and husband Brent will
move to Arizona next week to pursue a new business venture.
When Windsor began her tenure as director it wasn’t in the
beautiful building on Commercial
Street that Emporians have grown
accustomed to. Windsor was a
large part of the campaign to make
a dream of having an arts center in
Emporia a reality. She says she is
honored that she was able to be a
part of the process.
“I am most proud of being able
to be a part of this,” Windsor said.
“I’m most proud of the people that
didn’t know me who joined in and
saw a dream and left a legacy.”
Through tears and laughter
Windsor said her goodbyes to
Good Evening
By Jessie Wagoner
[email protected]
KENDRA JOHNSON/GAZETTE
Melissa Windsor wipes away tears during her farewell reception after stepping down as executive
director of the Emporia Arts Center.
KENDRA JOHNSON/GAZETTE
KENDRA JOHNSON/GAZETTE
Melissa Windsor talks to Bill Barnes during her farewell reception
at the Emporia Arts Center on Thursday.
People talk during the farewell reception for Melissa Windsor on
Thursday.
A jury trial
is scheduled
to begin Monday for Gabino
Ruiz-Ascencio,
the man suspected for a
2013 Emporia
murder. RuizRuiz-Ascensio
Ascensio, 27,
faces primary
charges of one count of attempted first degree murder and one
count of first degree murder.
The case dates back to April
15, 2013 when neighbors were
awakened by gunshots. Two men
were injured in the 600 block of
Washington Street.
Adrian Peralta, 25, and Michael Koy, 22, were discovered
at the address with gunshot
wounds. Koy was shot in the
upper leg, and Peralta was shot
twice in the torso. Peralta died at
Wesley Medical Center in Wichita three days later.
An Emporia Police investigation named Gabino Ruiz-Ascencio as a suspect. Police believe the
weapon was a .40 cal handgun.
Shortly after the killing,
Ruiz-Ascensio fled the country.
Authorities suspected he was
in Mexico and had traveled between the U.S. and Mexico several times since the killing occurred.
Ruiz-Ascensio was initially
arrested on minor charges in
Mexico. When checks were run,
his connection to the Emporia
warrant was confirmed with the
help of the U.S. Department of
Homeland Security, Mexico Attorney General Office (PGR) and
Emporia Police Department.
Ruiz-Ascencio first appeared
in Lyon County District Court on
Dec. 1 after being handed over by
officials in Mexico. Jury selection
begins Monday morning.
COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
STUDY TAX ABATEMENT POLICIES
By Brandy Nance
[email protected]
During their action session
Thursday, the Lyon County
Commission listened to a presentation from Kent Heermann
president of the Regional Development Association of East Central Kansas, who spoke to commissioners about tax abatement
policy. Heermann said the topic
arose when County Commissioner Dan Slater and Heermann
were discussing the topic earlier
this year.
“ Twen ty -p l us years ago ,
city and county had separate
tax abatement policies,” Heermann said. “At an RDA board
meeting, they said ‘we ought to
have similar tax abatement policy.’ So it’s similar anywhere in
Lyon County. … Back then they
adopted one policy.”
There are two methods of tax
abatement: the Constitutional
Method and the Industrial Revenue Bond Method.
“On the Constitutional Method it’s right there in the Kansas
Constitution what businesses
qualify — manufacturing, assembly, research and development and interstate warehousing businesses.” Heermann said.
VOL. 124, NO. 51
TAX ABATEMENT
CONSTITUTIONAL METHOD
The Kansas Constitution determines what businesses qualify
• Manufacturing
• Assembly
• Research and development
• Interstate warehousing businesses
INDUSTRIAL REVENUE BOND
METHOD
BRANDY NANCE/GAZETTE
Kent Heermann, RDA president, talks to Lyon County Commissioners about tax abatement policies
Thursday.
“On the industrial side you can
qualify for tax exempt Industrial
Revenue Bond. You still have
those four primary industries
that qualify.”
Heermann also discussed the
thresholds that qualify for tax
abatement.
“We want more than just a
general business improvement,”
he said. “It has to be a substantial improvement. Ever since
2006 the threshold is on a new
business they have to make at
least a $2 million investment in
a building and create a minimum
of 25 full time jobs.”
The third qualification in
there is a minimum average wage
of $31,514.
If it’s a qualifying existing
business the RDA requires a
company to increase their employment no less than 10 percent
or two employees.
Please see Abatement, Page 3
Businesses can qualify for tax
exempt Industrial Revenue
Bond
• Manufacturing
• Assembly
• Research and development
• Interstate warehousing businesses
Thresholds that qualify:
• Make at least a $2 million
investment in a building/real
property
• Create a minimum of 25 fulltime jobs
• Minimum average wage of
$31,514
• Qualifying existing businesses
must increase employees by
10 percent — with a twoemployee minimum
Partial abatement:
• Can be used if a business
doesn’t meet the threshold
for total tax abatement.