Two Hays residents are among 13 individuals and organizations recently honored for their conservation efforts in 2012 by the Kansas Wildlife Federation (KWF).

The Conservation Achievement Program Awards banquet  February 23 in Emporia was part of KWF’s annual meeting.

Out of the 13 awards given, five of the recipients have been or are currently employed by the Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism (KDWPT) including the Hays couple.

Randy Rodgers and Helen Hands, Land and Soil Wildlife Conservationist Award

Rodgers provided years of valuable service to KDWPT as an upland bird research biologist. He researched and developed options to improve habitat on private land in conjunction with crop production. Now retired, Rodgers and Hands, his wife – also a former KDWPT biologist – are developing wildlife habitat on their private land. They currently reside in Hays.

KWF, an affiliate of the National Wildlife Federation, has been dedicated to the sustainable use, conservation, appreciation, and restoration of Kansas wildlife and natural resources since 1950.

Sixty-three students make up the current class of the Kansas Academy of Mathematics and Science at Fort Hays State University. Director Ron Keller says this fourth year is going well, and interest remains strong around the state for future classes. The fifth year class already has been recruited and work is underway on the sixth.

The academy is made up of high school juniors and seniors, who complete their high school diplomas while earning college credit at Fort Hays State. Eighty percent of the academy graduates have chosen to remain in Kansas to further their education. 

Keller says state budget issues reduced the class sizes, but they are on the increase again. Under the legislation creating KAMS, each class can have 40 students plus eight international.

For the second consecutive month, a record number of people in Kansas has applied for permits to carry concealed handguns.

We want to know..  DO YOU FEEL SAFER OR NOT?  Tell us in the comments section below.

Hays Police were dispatched to an injury accident at 13th and Vine this morning. Police Lt. Brandon Wright told Hays Post, “Nineteen-year old Harlea Stephens of Hays was driving a 1980 Ford Mustang east bound on 13^th Street and was hit by a 2012 Chevy Pickup. The truck, driven by 64-year-old Donald Schlegel of Otis, was northbound on Vine and made a right turn on 13th Street. Hays Police cited Schlegel for failure to yield right of way.”  There were no serious injuries.

Why should someone learn self-defense? A person often realizes that they need to know self-defense when it’s too late, when something has already happened to them. By learning how to defend during an attack, a person may have a better chance of surviving it.
Everyone has the right to be able to fight back when attacked.

If you need to learn how to protect yourself? Come and join the Women’s Leadership Project and the FHSU Defensive Tactics Club on Saturday March 9 at 9:00 a.m. to noon in the FHSU Cunningham Hall Wrestling Room 110 to learn all the right moves!

By learning basic self-defense maneuvers, our hope is that everyone will be more prepared if they ever have to face an assault.

Make sure you wear a shirt with sleeves and leave your jewelry at home.

Must be 12 or older to attend.

Hays High Students participated in the weekend State DECA competition.

DECA an international association of students and teachers of marketing, management, and entrepreneurship in business, finance, hospitality, marketing sales service. Eleven Hays High students qualified for National Competition.

The State DECA Results are as follows.

Entrepreneurship Innovation Plan

Aubree Karlin–3rd

Chance Pitcock–7th

Entrepreneurship Participating-Franchising

Hannah Talkington–2nd

Derek Erbert–3rd

Seth Junk–6th

Entrepreneurship Participating-Independent

Macey Pfeifer–1st

Taylor Johnson–2nd

Entrepreneurship Written

Jessica Stoecklein & Mackenzie Lewis–3rd

International Business Plan

Shelby Dinkel–1st

Victoria Unrein & Laura Engel–3rd

Advertising Campaign

Molly Barnett & Shelby Matlock–4th

Fashion Merchandising Promotion Plan

Landon Munsch–4th

Sports & Entertainment Promotion Plan

Jared Willhoft & Kyler Niernberger–8th

Community Service Project

Arin Straub & Courtney Storer–2nd

Entrepreneurship Promotion Project

Millie Copper & Darian Leiker & Nick Glassman–2nd

Financial Literacy Promotion Plan

Caitlyn Miller & Jessica Carreira–1st

Public Relations Project

Taylor Hodny & Lexsie Ditter–4th

A warming trend will continue into Thursday as winds remain southerly across western Kansas. Expect highs well up into the 60s and 70s across much of central and southwest Kansas Thursday afternoon with the warmest temperatures in extreme southwest Kansas.

Thursday: Sunny, with a high near 56. South southeast wind 8 to 14 mph.

Thursday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 32. East southeast wind around 6 mph becoming calm.

Friday: Isolated thunderstorms, then a chance of showers and thunderstorms after 1pm. Partly sunny, with a high near 62. South southeast wind 8 to 17 mph. Chance of precipitation is 40%.

Saturday: Showers and thunderstorms likely. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 60. Breezy. Chance of precipitation is 60%. New rainfall amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.