(AP) — Nine arts groups across Kansas will get state grants to support their work.
The Creative Arts Industries Commission announced Thursday that it was awarding nine grants worth about $350,000. The largest grant was $75,000 for
Henry Schwaller IV of Hays serves on the Creative Arts Industry Commission Board
restoration of the Gray’s Studio in St. John.
It was the second round of grants from the commission this year, following eight grants for a total of $58,400 awarded in July.
Kansas Labor Secretary Lana Gordon, who is the commission’s chairwoman, says the projects chosen are partnerships between arts, economic development and government organizations.
The grants awarded in July were the first state arts funding after a two-year break that began when Gov. Sam Brownback stopped funding for the Kansas Arts Commission, which no longer exists.
Children will have the chance to meet some of their favorite characters this Saturday. Curious George, Daniel Tiger, Clifford, and Sid the Science Kid are among the stars that children will get the chance to meet and take pictures with Saturday at The Mall in Hays.
Smoky Hills Public Television is hosting the 2nd Annual Family Fun Day at the mall Saturday, September 14th from 10am – 3pm.
The event will be entertaining as well as educational: there will be carnival games, Bumpy Knuckles the Clown, Randy’s Music Jam, and food as well as demonstrations by K-State Research and Extension and the Sternberg Museum.
Admission is $10 per person. Children under 2 are admitted free. Parents are encouraged to bring cameras. Tickets can be purchased in advance at www.smokyhillstv.org or by calling 1-800-337-4788.
Gene Policinski is senior vice president of the First Amendment Center
There’s nothing good to find in the current standoff between the Syrian government and the United States – people there are dying as diplomats ponder, politicians posture and nations take strategic sides.
But consider the value of “free press” and “free speech” in taking to an amazing new level the public debate in the United States over what to do next – a process that in many nations surely would have been a secretive discussion.
From town halls of the air to halls in real towns, from Sunday talk shows on TV to curbside talk on Main Street, from mobile devices to desktop computers, Americans of all ranks and views are engaged in what is a historic – at least, by virtue of being largely electronic – national discussion over national priorities and military options.
The discussions were prompted by the near-universal and immediate availability of information from Syria, including horrifying images of victims of gas attacks. President Obama’s Tuesday speech to the nation brought out immediate social media commentary from the powerful to the passionate, from videos on Vine to thoughts on Twitter.
The blog SocialTimes reported this week that the key word “Syria” hit a peak of about 11,498 tweets per minute just as the speech was wrapping up. Some samples:
On Fox News’ HOT Twitter Box: this from “Matt Drudge” (with 221,000 “followers,” possibly the well-known blogger): “Doesn’t everyone realize America deserves Obama? He IS us. He perfectly mirrors our confusion and division. In the end, it wasn’t about him.”
On MSNBC’s site, this tweet from House minority leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif.: “Pres. Obama’s leadership brought diplomatic solutions back to the table, shows his willingness to exhaust every remedy before use of force.”
Twitter reported that the White House turned to the Twittersphere to tout Obama’s upcoming remarks, sending out about 11:15 a.m. ET: “Tonight at 9 pm ET, President Obama will address the nation on #Syria. Tune in here —> https://wh.gov/syria , pic.twitter.com/wJHvk1Y1P2.” And, Twitter noted, British prime minister David Cameron took to tweeting recently that “I’ve just spoken to @BarackObama again on #Syria developments. Details at my Liaison Committee appearance at 4 p.m.”
Where once Twitter’s 140-character limit was held in low regard among those shaping public opinion, it’s now the venue of choice for immediate reaction and commentary. Even the Pope took to Twitter, on Monday, to join in the debate over the proper response to alleged chemical weapon use by the Bashar Al-Assad regime: War never again! Never again war!”
Different media were at play some 215 years ago when sharp political commentary among newspapers in the U.S. over the possibility – and, for some, the desirability – of war with France led to the Sedition Act providing for the jailing of those openly critical of Congress and the White House.
Some 25 people were charged under the Act, with 11 convictions. But the move to suppress free speech left a sour public taste less than a decade after the First Amendment and the Bill of Rights were enacted – and the law was allowed to expire in 1801.
From draft protests during the Civil War to anti-war demonstrations, protesters took to the streets to express contrarian views about government policies. But today, among the most visible protest groups are ones like “Anonymous” and the “Syrian Electronic Army” – a shadowy group of pro-Assad government hackers—who launch so-called “denial of service” cyber-attacks that can effectively shut down a web site for a time, or mangle its content.
Unfettered by and unconcerned about government control, the e-debate in the U.S. over Syria rages openly and broadly. Citizens speaking their minds to the high and powerful.
The irony may well have escaped him, but even Russian President Vladimir Putin – busy putting down freely operating news media in own nation – took to the Op-Ed print and electronic pages of the New York Times, on Sept. 12, to make his case directly to American citizens for a non-military response to the Syrian civil war.
The power of a real “marketplace of ideas,” made possible by freedom of speech and press. And thus far, anyway, no one is calling for Sedition Act II.
Gene Policinski is chief operating officer of the Newseum Institute and senior vice president of its First Amendment Center. Email him at [email protected].
There was near record rainfall in parts of northwest Kansas over the past 24 hours. Goodland received over 4 inches of rain on Thursday and more than 5.5 inches
Flood warning in portions of NW Kansas Friday
over the past two days.
A flood warning is in effect until Friday afternoon for Cheyenne, Logan, Rawlins, Sherman, Thomas and Wallace County in northwest Kansas.
The Eagle Media Center in Hays received .75 of an inch of rain overnight for a total of 1.95 inches over the past 24 hours.
The Hays City Commission met Thursday night and approved ordinances to allow for the adoption of the 2013 Uniform Public Offense Code and the 2013 Standard Traffic Ordinance for Kansas Cities. Hays Police Chief Don Scheibler presented a recommendation for the commission to approve these measures, as they are representative of the latest changes in Kansas Legislation.
The changes to Sec. 10.1 remove a switchblade knife from the list of weapons which are prohibited from being carried, concealed or unconcealed. Sec. 10.1.1 also removes the dagger, dirk, dangerous knife, straight edge razor, and stiletto from the list of dangerous weapons which are prohibited from being carried concealed.
The motion for approval passed 4-1. Before going to a vote, Commissioner Henry Schwaller IV explained he would be voting “no” because he took an oath to protect the safety of Hays residents and to uphold the State and Federal constitutions. He said that this statute conflicts with his commitment.
“I am very concerned about allowing stilettos, straight-edged razors and other knives as devices for protection. There is a reason that these have been illegal for a very long time. Conceal carry is a whole other matter. I think that is an individual’s right and as long as they are licensed, that’s fine.
“This is a matter that I think is just too dangerous, and it is in a conflict of the oath I took when I became a City Commissioner. I cannot vote for this. I know it’s only a symbolic vote because the statute is law, but I do think it’s not a great position to put cities in: to force them to adopt something that goes against the very oath that they took.”
The adoption of the 2013 Uniform Public Offense Code will also allow police officers to accept electronic proof of insurance from motorists instead of only accepting paper documentation. It will also allow for anyone charged with stealing a firearm to face a potential felony charge rather than a misdemeanor.
The Hays High boys soccer team outshot TMP-Marian 24-3 and beat the Monarchs 5-1 in their second round consolation match at the Maize South Invitational. The match was tied 1-1 at the half after a Shawn Herrman goal for the Indians in the second minute and a Tyler Rueschoff goal for the Monarchs in the seventh minute. Nathan Romme broke the tie with a goal for Hays in the 42nd minute on an assist from Jared Thom. Michael Reyes scored on an assist from Lane Clark in the 58th minute. In the 62nd minute, Clark scored with an assist from Greydon Olson. Eirik Legernes scored the final goal with an assist from Jared Thom. The Indians improve to 1-2 while the Monarchs drop to 0-2. Both are back in action at the tournament Saturday.
The Hays High girls’ golf team finished third at the Dodge City Invitational. The Indians shot a 412 in the 18-hole event at the Mariah Hills Golf Course and finished 57 shots behind first place Maize and 35 back of second place Garden City. No one from Hays finished in the top-10. Lexie Schaben and Katie Brungardt both shot 99’s and tied for 16th to lead Hays.
Team Finish: 1. Maize 358
2. Garden City 377 3. Hays High 412 4. Buhler 416
5. Hutchinson 419
6. Dodge City 430
7. Cimarron 430
8. Hoisington 434
9. Great Bend 436
10. Goddard 459
11. Salina South 463
12. Liberal 503
Top 10 Medalists: 1. Taylyn Entriken Maize 75
2. Taryn Torgerson Buhler 79
3. Abbi Shaddix Garden City 81
4. Taylor Schlyer Goddard 86
5. Ashley Resiweig Maize 88
6. Maggie Starr Buhler 91
7. Jessica Ast Cimarron 92
8. Megan Steward Garden City 96
9. Mckenna Mauler Great Bend 96
10. Morgan Ediger Cimarron 97
Hays High Results: Lexie Schaben 99 Tie – 16th
Katie Brungardt 99 Tie – 16th
Taylor Deboer 103 Tie – 24th
Elissa Jensen 111 Tie-31st 412 3rd place
The Hays High volleyball teams goes 1-2 at the Dodge City Quad. The Indians beat Sublette in three (25-13, 21-25, 25-10) then lost to Dodge City in two (25-19, 14-25, 19-25) and Lakin in two (21-25, 16-25). Albany Schaffer led the way with 24 digs, Madison Prough had 26 assists, and Tessa Stickel had 14 kills. The Indians are now 4-4 on the season. They play at Salina Central on Tuesday.
(AP) — An Afghan governor says militants have detonated a car bomb around 60 meters (66 yards) away from the U.S. consulate in the western city of Herat, wounding seven civilians.
A gunbattle between militants and security forces in the area was still going on Friday morning.
Sayed Fazlullah Wahidi, the governor of Herat province, says it’s unclear if any of the militants managed to get inside the compound.
No group claimed responsibility for the attack, but Taliban insurgents have often used combined car bomb and gun assaults against various targets in Afghanistan.
A U.S. Embassy spokesman in Kabul declined immediate comment.
(AP) — Kansas is asking the U.S. Department of Agriculture to extend emergency haying and grazing on Conservation Reserve Program land.
State Agriculture Secretary Dale Rodman urged the agency in a letter Thursday to grant an extension through Nov. 30. The same step was taken during last year’s drought without landowners incurring penalties in the form of a rental payment reduction.
Rodman says that while parts of Kansas have benefited from needed rainfall, many portions of the state remain in a severe drought condition.
There are 2.15 million acres enrolled in CRP in Kansas.
Rodman says in a news release that allowing ranchers to continue accessing that forage could be the difference between maintaining a cow herd or facing liquidation.
(AP) — Gov. Sam Brownback and United Healthcare are preparing to announce an initiative to help disabled Kansas residents find good jobs.
Brownback and United Healthcare CEO Steve Nelson scheduled a news conference Friday at the University of Kansas campus in Overland Park.
Officials offered few details ahead of the announcement, except that they planned to launch the new effort and describe its funding. They also said representatives of groups serving the disabled would be present.
United Healthcare’s Community Plan of Kansas is one of three private health insurers managing most of the Kansas Medicaid program serving the needy and disabled.
Brownback already has said Kansas will move more quickly than planned to boost in-home services for the disabled.
Volunteers sort donations to Trick or Treat So Others Can Eat
Community volunteers will be going door to door in Hays Tuesday, October 8, collecting non-perishable food items during “Trick or Treat So Others Can Eat.”
The donations will go to the Community Assistance Center, which serves low-income residents of Ellis County.
Hays High School’s DECA Club coordinates the annual project. Seniors Macey Pfeifer and Jessica Stoecklein are in charge this year:
This is at least the 14th year for the canned food drive. DECA members who volunteer are also getting valuable experience, says Pfeifer:
The most-needed food items are canned fruits, vegetables and meat products, as well as boxed macaroni and cheese, instant potatoes, Hamburger Helper, and dried pasta.
