Valley Center, KS 67147 Center, Valley Main W. 120 • 210 PO Box The Bel Aire VALLEY Permit No. 10 PRSRT. STD. PRSRT. U.S. Postage 67147 PAID CENTER, KS Vol. 14, No. 7 reeze AUGUST 2019 Complimentary copy BFOR THE BEL AIRE REC CENTER Man The show must go on guilty of pill Pharmacistscheme from Bel Aire By The Breeze staff A jury in U.S. District Court in Wichita found a Bel Aire pharmacist guilty July 16 of unlawfully dispensing opioid prescrip- tion drugs. Ebube Otuonye, 46, was convicted of conspiracy to unlawfully distribute prescription drugs, unlawfully distribut- ing prescription drugs and two counts of health care fraud. U.S. Attorney Stephen McAllister said the crimes occurred while Otuonye owned and operated Neighborhood Pharmacy at 2810 E. 21st in Wichita, where he filled prescriptions for patients of Dr. Steven R. Henson. In October 2018, Henson was con- victed of unlawfully distributing prescrip- Photos by Taylor Messick tion drugs outside the usual course of The Bel Aire Recreation Center hosts basketball camp with some Sunrise Christian Academy players professional medical practice and without on July 23. a legitimate medical purpose. In March 2019, Henson was sentenced to life in federal prison. During trial, prosecutors presented evidence that Henson’s patients had Roof replacement doesn’t slow pace of summer, fall difficulty filling Henson’s prescriptions By Taylor Messick at pharmacies other than Neighborhood Pharmacy. Otuonye’s pharmacy charged The Bel Aire recreation building is undergoing See PILLS, Page 2 repairs, but that hasn’t slowed down the activities one bit. The Bel Aire council unanimously accepted a bid of $56,373.83 from Farha for roof repairs at the Bel Aire Recreation Center. The rec center has about eight buckets suspended above the ceiling tiles to Utility catch leaking water. Some of the buckets have been up there for 15 years. The roof supposedly leaked from day one and the city has tried to patch it several times over the rate years, but to no avail. Most of the leaking is on the south side of the building but there is no presence of mold. Farha will be repairing the roof in The rec center hosts Dive In Movie Night at the Central Park pool July 19. study early August. The metal roof is es- “Home Alone” was shown. sentially flat and has a lot of In Movie Nights this summer screw holes. The building is at the Central Park pool. In 25 years old. June, they watched “Finding By Taylor Messick A Thermoplastic Poly- Nemo” and this month they ahead olefin or TPO roof will be watched “Home Alone.” Rec- On July 16, the Bel Aire City Council fitted over the south section reation coordinator Ashley approved a bid of $30,000 from PEC for of the building with the lower Sherwood said the events a utility rate study. The firm will be look- roof. That smaller section of were a hit and the rec hoped ing at the city’s water and sewer rates. the building houses the rec to bring them back next sum- The city’s last rate study was in center’s offices and that’s mer. Sherwood came up with 2012. The item was discussed during where the leaking has oc- the idea last year and said the council’s last budget workshop and curred. The TPO roof is a it gained support from the $30,000 was budgeted. The city received single-ply reflective roofing lifeguard who encouraged her four bids for the job. The other three bids membrane made from poly- to make it a reality. were Baker Tilly for $28,500, Gov Rates prophylene and ethylene-pro- Upcoming events include for $27,800 and Ranson Financial for pylene rubber polymerized The roof over the office at the rec center has the return of the Bel of the $14,500. together. It will be fitted over been leaking for years. Ball father-daughter dance Finance director Ted Henry reviewed the top of the existing roof from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Aug. the proposals with city engineer Anne and has a very good track preventative measure. In the Director Brian Hayes to have 9. The fees are $20 per adult Stephens and the Bel Aire Utility Advi- record for durability. There back of that part of the build- his own office. and $5 per daughter; there sory Committee. Henry said the parties is a 20-year manufacturer’s ing, the recreation center add- Even with the renovations, will be photobooths and food. unanimously agreed that the most expen- warranty and a two-year ed new office space in March. the rec center is pushing Sherwood also wanted to sive option would be worthwhile. workmanship warranty. Three desks were crammed ahead with its busy schedule offer something for mothers “There’s really two types of compa- The taller roof over the into one office at the front of of events. The recreation and sons this year, so the cen- nies that do these studies,” said Henry. gymnasium area in the the building before this year. center is responsible for some ter hosted a Mom & Son live “There’s more-or-less the bean counters, northern part of the build- The new office space, which of the city’s most popular action version of the popular people like me, finance people. And then ing doesn’t leak as bad and was previously used for stor- activities. will be getting a coating as a age, has allowed Recreation The rec hosted two Dive See REC, Page 6 See RATES, Page 3 PAGE 2 AUGUST 2019 • BEL AIRE BREEZE Mayor’s CBy Taylorouncil Messick negotiations.” O CouncilKs businessLLC. Council agreements also unani- funding. The costs will corner member Jeff Elshoff was The building, which mously approved an be spread as special as- By David Austin On July 2, the Bel Aire absent. is at 9720 E. 50th North agreement with Garver sessments to the affected City Council passed two The council unani- in Sunflower Commerce LLC for a detention pond parcels. items unanimously. They mously approved an Park, is leased to Nordic in Sunflower Commerce The council also held a took executive sessions assignment resolution Stone. The city controls Park. The cost was set at public hearing for a pro- s I get of 30 and 15 minutes for allowing the transfer of the property while the an amount not to exceed posed industrial revenue older, I am consultation with the city property from Midwest bonds are still outstanding $28,731.50. Garver will bond for WAM Invest- amazed at attorney about “proposed Sunflower LLC to Sun- so it had to approve the be paid on an hourly basis ments No. 11. No one how smarter agreements and related flower Property Partners transfer. within the bounds of that spoke on the item. my par- ents become with each A fill is (a) narcotic prescrip- prescriptions for Henson’s tions for more than 21,600 scriptions. passing year. They were right. Days go by faster Pills tion.” patients despite warn- tablets of oxycodone, Sentencing is set for Evidence at trial showed ing signs, including large more than 48,600 tablets Oct. 23. Conspiracy to and time seems to speed Continued from Page 1 Henson’s patients took numbers of prescriptions of methadone, more than unlawfully distribute up, too. It seems like just their prescriptions to for highly addictive drugs, 18,000 tablets of hydro- prescription drugs and yesterday we were look- more than other pharma- cies and he set up a system Otuonye himself because customers paying cash, morphone and more than unlawfully distributing ing at our city budget. It is another pharmacist at multiple patients coming 7,800 tablets of alprazo- prescription drugs carry a a several-month process. requiring Henson’s patients to fill three non-narcotic Neighborhood Pharmacy in at once with Henson’s lam. penalty of up to 20 years in In fact, the budget, while prescriptions when filling a refused to fill them. prescriptions and patients Prosecutors also federal prison and a fine up it is adopted months in narcotic prescription. Prosecutors argued that from the same family pre- presented evidence that to $1 million. Health care advance of implementing, A sign in the pharmacy Otuonye failed to perform senting identical prescrip- Otuonye submitted claims fraud carries a penalty of planning and forecasting said: “You may use another his professional responsi- tions. to Medicare and Medicaid up to 10 years and a fine up are continuous. pharmacy if all you want to bilities by continuing to fill Otuonye filled prescrip- for filling Henson’s pre- to $250,000. This year, we were able to use our healthy surplus to make some much-need- ed capital improvements, CHURCH HIGHLIGHTS catch up some salaries, seriously look at a much- Christ Lutheran-ELCA provided. Methodist North in northeast Wichita. doxchurch.com or email needed gathering space/ Christ Lutheran is at Wednesday study Located at 4533 E. 61st You can reach us at inquiries to [email protected]. commons area and contin- 53rd North and Hillside, groups at 6:30 p.m. include North in Kechi. Sunday 683-5538 or via email at The Very Rev. Dr. John ue the trend of increasing across from Wichita adult studies, youth and worship is at 9:03 a.m. postmaster@risensavior. Flora is archpriest and funding for street repairs. Heights High School. Awana. (contemporary) and 11 net. pastor. The Rev. Father All of this without raising During August, we will Cornerstone Christian (traditional), with Sunday Sunday morning ser- Basil Anderson is dea- one penny in taxes.