Hays Post
Month: November 2013
KHAZ Country Music News: Kix Brooks in a Movie
NASHVILLE (AP) – Kix Brooks will appear in his first starring role in a direct-to-video movie. Billboard reports Brooks will appear in the Western “Ambush At Dark Canyon,” along with Randy Houser and Ernie Hudson. It will be released to Walmart stores on January 14, as will the soundtrack. Brooks also produced the direct-to-video movie “A Country Christmas” that came out this week. He was supposed to do a cameo in the film as a cop who pulls over Santa Claus, but he was busy finishing an album. He got Trace Adkins to take the part.
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Kansas home is scene of second deadly shooting
(AP) — Police say a man in his 20s has been shot to death in the same Wichita house that was the scene of a fatal 2007 shooting.
Neighbors called 911 Wednesday afternoon to report the latest shooting.
Capt. Rusty Leeds says police found one man lying in the street and suffering from a leg wound. Police followed a blood trail to the house where the victim was found dead.
A short time later, a man suffering from an abdominal wound was located. Leed says it’s possible that he was involved in the shooting.
The conditions of the two wounded men weren’t immediately known.
Six years earlier, 22-year-old Mario Lewis was shot during a party at the home. He died later at a hospital.
50/50 chance of farm bill in 2013?
The chances of the U.S. Congress passing a five-year farm bill by year’s end are a little better than 50/50 given the gridlock over food stamps for the poor, a top farm policy expert said this week.
“There is a slightly better chance than 50/50 that we will get a bill rolled into a budget at the end of the year. But it’s no better than that,” Barry Flinchbaugh, a Kansas State University agricultural economist who advises legislators shaping the U.S. farm bill.
The farm bill, already a year behind schedule, is the master legislation that directs government supports for farmers and food aid programs.
The bill is now with a conference committee of 41 members of Congress who are hammering out the difference between the House and Senate bills. The biggest difference: the Senate wants $4 billion cut from food stamps while the House wants to reduce the program by $40 billion.
Governor to announce Kansas reading initiative
(AP) — Kansas school officials and other community organizations are joining Gov. Sam Brownback to announce a plan to improve reading proficiency among grade-school students.
The Republican governor scheduled the announcement Thursday afternoon at a Topeka Boys and Girls Club center.
Brownback is to be joined by school officials from Chetopa, Galena and Pittsburg and representatives of the University of Kansas, the Kansas Enrichment Network and other organizations.
Brownback has focused on improving grade-school reading proficiency since he first ran for governor in 2010. This year he proposed legislation to hold back students who were not proficient in reading. The measure was heavily modified before stalling in the Legislature.
Former Hays wastewater manager to change plea
(AP) — Charles L. Blair, a former wastewater manager in Hays, charged with lying about nitrogen levels in the city’s discharges has told a federal court he plans to change his plea.
The formal notice of intent was filed after a court hearing Wednesday in Wichita.
An August indictment charges Blair with making false statements about nitrogen levels in effluent at the Hays wastewater treatment plant.
The court set a Dec. 2 date for the formal change-of-plea hearing.
Prosecutors allege Blair made false statements in discharge monitoring reports. The government also contends he lied to agents of the Environmental Protection Agency when he said he had provided accurate levels for the report.
FHSU Volleyball Falls Short at Home
Fort Hays State fell 3-1 (21-25, 25-17, 26-24, 25-22) on Wednesday evening to Emporia State inside Gross Memorial Coliseum. Despite taking the first set, FHSU struggled in the second set and let late leads slip away in the third and fourth. FHSU dropped to 13-18 (3-12 MIAA) on the season while ESU improved to 17-10 (8-7 MIAA).
Jenna Ulrich’s first block assist of the match gave her the school’s career total blocks record for the NCAA era. Ulrich recorded four blocks in the match and now sits at 435 for her career, passing the old mark of 431 set by Jennifer Brandes, who just was inducted into the Tiger Sports Hall of Fame earlier this month.
FHSU led the entire first set, using consecutive kills by Taylor Mares to jump ahead, stretching the lead to as many as three (9-6) early in the set. Up 16-12 (which tied the largest lead of the set), the Tigers allowed the Hornets close within one, 18-17, before calling timeout. Late in the set, two straight kills by Mallory Flagor and a Hornet setting error gave the Tigers game one, 25-21.
FHSU’s strong effort continued early in the second set, as the team led by as many as three on three occasions before ESU rallied to tie it, 12-12. After battling back and forth to 15-all, the Hornets grabbed control with a 10-2 run and took the set, 25-17.
Out of intermission, ESU led 5-1 before a Tiger rally tied it at 9-9 on Flagor’s 10th kill of the evening. The teams traded points until 14-14, when a quick two-point burst, highlighted by a powerful Camille Hubert kill, gave a small advantage to FHSU. Up 19-16, FHSU controlled the match until 23-21, as two ESU points forced a FHSU timeout. The Tigers could not stop the run and dropped the set, 26-24.
FHSU stalled to start the fourth set, falling behind 14-8 before roaring back with a 7-0 run. Later in the set, down 21-19, FHSU again fought off elimination with a three-point rally to take a one-point lead, 22-21. That was short lived as ESU regained control and took the match, 25-22.
Hubert led the Tigers with 13 kills and added 10 digs for a double-double. Sara Hewson also had a double-double of 12 kills and a team-leading 25 digs. Mares reached double figures in kills as well with 12. Libby Ary recorded a double-double of 28 assists and 13 digs.
Carly Spicer was the only Hornet to reach double figures in kills with 12. Sydney Hartman paced ESU in assists with 24 and libero Kelly Holden had a team-high 19 digs.
The Tigers close out the home portion of their 2013 schedule on Friday (Nov. 15) for a senior night matchup against Oklahoma-Panhandle State. FHSU will honor Hubert, Samantha, Madison Schwartz, Ulrich and Makenzie Weinman prior to the game.
— FHSU Sports Information —
City fees highlight commission agenda
CITY OF HAYS COMMISSION MEETING THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 14, 2013 – 6:30 P.M. Watch LIVE on Eagle Channel 14 or 614. 
AGENDA
1. Call to order by Chairperson.
2. MINUTES: Consider approval of the minutes from the regular meeting held on
October 24, 2013. (PAGE 1)
3. CITIZEN COMMENTS: (non-agenda items).
4. CONSENT AGENDA: (Items to be approved by the Commission in one motion, unless objections are raised).
UNFINISHED BUSINESS
(No business to review)
NEW BUSINESS
5. AMENDMENT TO CITY ORDINANCE REGARDING WATER TAP FEES: Consider approving Ordinance No. 3875, an ordinance amending Sec. 65-219 of the City of Hays, Kansas, Municipal Code, regarding Tap-in fees, to increase fees to represent the actual costs to tap water mains and install water meters.
6. AMENDMENT TO CITY ORDINANCE REGARDING WATER METER FEES: Consider approving Ordinance No. 3876, an ordinance amending Section 65-187 of the City of Hays, Kansas, Municipal Code, regarding ownership of meters and maintenance.
7. AMENDMENT TO CITY ORDINANCE REGARDING FEES FOR DOGS AND CATS IMPOUNDED BY THE HAYS POLICE DEPARMENT: Consider approving Ordinance No. 3877, an ordinance amending Section 5-88 (b) of the City of Hays, Kansas, Municipal Code, allowing the City of Hays to adjust fees to cover the boarding costs for animals impounded by the Hays Police Department. (PAGE 23)
8. FORT HAYS MUNICIPAL GOLF COURSE TOURNAMENT FEE INCREASE: Consider approving the increase of fees for golf tournaments at the Fort Hays Municipal Golf Course. (PAGE 29)
9. FORT HAYS MUNICIPAL GOLF COURSE JUNIOR GOLF FEES: Consider adding a Junior Golf Greens fee at the same rate as Twilight greens fees beginning March 1, 2014 at the Fort Hays Municipal Golf Course.
10. REPORT OF THE CITY MANAGER
11. COMMISSION INQUIRIES AND COMMENT
12. EXECUTIVE SESSION (IF REQUIRED) 13. ADJOURNMENT
A
Domestic violence prevention dollars coming to Ellis County
(AP) — Gov. Sam Brownback’s office has awarded grants totaling more than $1 million to 22 groups that help victims of domestic violence. Ellis County’s Options Domestic & Sexual Violence Services will receive $55,778
The governor’s office said Wednesday that the grants come from federal funds and are designed to ensure that victims can receive free services around the clock. The programs provide shelter, support groups, crisis intervention and help in obtaining court orders against abusers.
The grants went to groups in 21 counties.
The largest grant of almost $106,000 went to Safehome in Johnson County.
Author in Town Today
Hays will play host to an award winning author and illustrator. Jan Brett, whose books portray animals in well-known stories, will be signing books at Hastings Thursday at 10:00 am to promote her newest book, Cinders: a Chicken Cinderella. In addition to having thirty seven million books in print, Brett is also highly acclaimed for the chickens she raises and cares for at her home.
Brett is on a 2 ½ week tour across the country with some of her chickens, including Cinders, the star of her book. She said that the idea for her latest book came from her speaking with her editor about raising chickens and how sometimes the pecking order shifts when one chicken’s feathers grow in and is all of a sudden the “queen of the roost.”
The book was set in Russia because, as Brett put it, the elaborate architecture and clothing associated with the Russian culture were a perfect fit for the story. For research, Brett traveled to Russia to immerse herself in the culture to incorporate as much from the area as possible into her story.
The book signing (and possibly a look at the star of the book herself) will be at 10:00 am at Hastings, located at 3300 Vine St in Hays.
Woman accused of selling phony ID documents
(AP) — A northeast Kansas woman is accused of making and selling hundreds of counterfeit driver’s licenses, resident alien cards and other identity documents over a three-year period.
The U.S. Attorney’s office says 29-year-old Lluvia Fernanda Salinas-Rodriguez was indicted Wednesday on charges of trafficking in identity documents and fraud. The indictment replaces a criminal complaint filed last week against the Kansas City, Kan., resident.
Investigators allege Salinas-Rodriguez used a computer and printer to scan photos and produce counterfeit identity documents, which also included Social Security cards. The charges allege she sold two sets of documents a week for roughly three years, at $80 to $100 apiece.
Salinas-Rodriguez did not have a lawyer Wednesday, and a phone number for her could not be found.
Big Second Half Lifts FHSU Women to Season Opening Win
Sophomore Chelsea Mason scored 32 points in her Fort Hays State debut, leading the Tigers to a 94-55 win over Northwestern Oklahoma State Wednesday night in Alva. Mason hit 12 of 20 from the floor including 5 of 9 from three-point range.
Tony Hobson Postgame Interview
Kate Edwards scored 13 points and grabbed eight rebounds while freshman Jill Faxon added 10 points in her debut as FHSU wins for the first time in six tries in Alva. Kate Lehmen picked up two early fouls and only scored nine points in 18 minutes.
Game Highlights
Fort Hays State led never trailed in the game, leading by nine at the half but put together runs of 8-0, 13-0 and 10-0 in the second half, outscoring Northwestern Oklahoma State 52-22 in the second frame.
FHSU shoots 45-percent (33-73) from the floor and were 10-for-28 from beyond the arc. They connected on 18 of their 22 free throw attempts.
Ex-Kansas teacher sentenced for sex with teen boy
(AP) — A former Kansas teacher will spend 15 weekends in jail for having sexual relations with a 17-year-old male student.
28-year-old Amber Stroda will also serve three days of probation under the sentence she received Wednesday in Dickinson County District Court.
Stroda taught third grade at Solomon Elementary School and was also a dance team sponsor at Solomon High School. She resigned from her teaching job in October 2012.
Stroda was initially charged with six counts of engaging in consensual sex with a student at least 16 years old. She pleaded guilty in August to three counts of having sex with the teen at his home. Prosecutors dropped the remaining counts in exchange.