KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Hall of Fame quarterback and broadcaster Len Dawson will be honored with the Lamar Hunt Award for Professional Football at the 101 Awards gala on Saturday.
The award was created in 2007 to honor the life and legacy of the Chiefs founder. It goes to an individual or group that has played a role in shaping the NFL.
Dawson led the Chiefs to its only Super Bowl championship and was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1987. He began broadcasting Chiefs games in 1985, and in 2012 was awarded the hall’s Pete Rozelle Award for radio and television contributions.
Previous winners include The Foolish Club, the name taken on by the eight original AFL owners; coaches Tony Dungy and Don Shula; quarterback Roger Staubach; and Monday Night Football.
ROSE HILL, Kan. (AP) — Police in the southeast Kansas town of Rose Hill say someone is trying to use fake money at the town’s businesses.
Police said Monday that at least three businesses have recently reported people using fake cash to pay for items.
In one case, a clerk at the Rose Hill Apple Market grocery store noticed the $20 bills someone was using to obtain a $300 money order were counterfeit. The clerk refused to take the money and called police.
Fake money also was used at other businesses, including a Sonic restaurant and Casey’s General Store.
Hays High senior Reagan Kaiser signed a national letter of intent to play soccer for Rockhurst University Tuesday morning at Hays High School. Kaiser is the reigning Western Athletic Conference Player of the Year and garnered the award as a defensive player. She was named to the 5A all-state second team as a defender last season. Kaiser says she considered many schools before landing on her choice to play for the Hawks.
Kaiser helped Hays High to the 2013 WAC title and 5A state quarterfinals with a 15-3-1 overall record.
TRIBUNE — In the summer of 2005, Dr. Randy Fahrenholtz came to Greeley County to help serve the health care needs in the farthest reaches of western Kansas. Now, after his death at age 63, he leaves behind a legacy of care and community.
Dr. Randall Fahrenholtz
Fahrenholtz died Saturday when his small, private airplane crashed outside of Tribune.
The community, which has a population of fewer than 800 people, is still reeling after the sudden tragedy.
“We are all doing the best we can,” said Chrysanne Grund, project director for Greeley County Health Services. “This is a small community, and Dr. Randy was involved in so many areas of the community.
“It is like a family here, and he was an important part of our small family.”
Fahrenholtz worked at the 18-bed Greeley County Hospital and saw patients at the family practice offices in Tribune and in the Wallace County community of Sharon Springs.
The community is preparing for Thursday’s 10 a.m. funeral services at First Presbyterian Church, Tribune.
“Dr. Fahrenholtz has a very close family beyond our community, and we are expecting most of them to be here,” Grund said.
The medical clinics also will be closed Thursday.
“We’ll have minimal staffing at the hospital to accommodate those who want to attend the service,” Grund said. “Just enough staff will be working to make sure the patients are well taken care of.”
Fahrenholtz would expect that.
“We are very fortunate to have the kind of physicians we have here at Greeley County Health Services,” Henry Garvin, interim hospital CEO, said in a statement on the hospital’s website. “Dr. Fahrenholtz cared greatly for his patients and was very invested in providing excellent care to all he came into contact with.”
Fahrenholtz and his wife, Janice, were active in the small community members. Fahrenholtz supported the arts, and was a part of the community band and would often volunteer and attend movies at Tribune’s Star Theater.
Janice Fahrenholtz serves on the Greeley and Wallace County Foundation and is president of the Greeley County school board.
“Dr. Fahrenholtz will surely leave a legacy of honor in our health system and our community. He was a kind man, an excellent doctor and a beloved community member and friend, both to his patients and the colleagues,” said Katy Reynolds, hospital human resource director. “His legacy will leave a lasting impact on the continued mission of Greeley County Health Services — to provide trusted care close to home.”
WASHINGTON (AP) — Attorney General Eric Holder says state attorneys general are not obligated to defend laws in their states banning same sex-marriage if they don’t believe that those laws are constitutional.
U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder
Holder made the remarks Tuesday at a winter meeting of the National Association of Attorneys General.
He says decisions not to defend state laws should not be steeped in political disagreements and instead “must be reserved only for exceptional circumstances.” But Holder says “we must be suspicious of legal classifications based solely on sexual orientation” and that upholding equal rights is an important principle.
Democratic attorneys general in six states — Virginia, Pennsylvania, California, Illinois, Oregon and Nevada — have declined to defend same-sex marriage bans against lawsuits filed by gay couples.
A campaign to raise $8 million in scholarship money for current and future students at Fort Hays State University moved closer to its goal today with the announcement of two major gifts.
At a news conference Tuesday morning, FHSU officials announced a gift of land valued at $600,000 from a 1940 alumnus and a second gift of $155,000 from an anonymous donor:
Jack Eades, a pioneer and self-starter from Stockton, has established the Jack and Susie Eades Scholarship, funded by the proceeds from more than 6 acres of land located in South Carolina that he has donated to FHSU. The scholarship fund will give first priority to Stockton High School graduates, then Rooks County graduates and lastly graduates from any high school in western Kansas.
“The money will support students of any major or field of study,” Eades said. “I figure most students don’t know what they want to study anyway. They go to college to find themselves. They find what they can do and can’t do and what they’re interested in when they go to college.”
The Power of One scholarship campaign was launched in part to recognize the leadership of Dr. Edward H. Hammond, FHSU president, who has announced his retirement effective this summer.
“It is gratifying to see how well the campaign is progressing,” Hammond said Tuesday. “Jack Eades and the anonymous donor are among the many wonderful and generous individuals whose support has helped raise FHSU to a position of national prominence. We are counting on other alumni and friends for contributions that will allow Fort Hays State to attract and retain the best and brightest students. Please join me in stepping up to the plate and supporting the Power of One campaign.”
The university has come a long way since President Hammond’s arrival. Throughout his tenure, assets of the FHSU Foundation have grown substantially. The amount of scholarship dollars that were available to FHSU students in 1986, the year before he arrived, was $424,000. In fiscal year 2013 — the most recent period for which an audited total was available — there was $1,583,576 available to well-deserving Tigers.
Eades describes himself as a “product of the Dust Bowl.” He attended FHSU, where he studied botany and ecology, because it was the only school that he could afford. He was greatly influenced by his science teacher, Ralph Emner, who was his mentor and also an FHSU graduate. While attending FHSU, Eades had a job on campus for $17 a month, which he said was big money back then.
After graduating in 1940, Eades lived briefly in Washington before relocating to Charleston, S.C. There he worked for the U.S. Department of Agriculture at a federal research lab. In 1956, Eades started to develop Sylvan Shores, a new neighborhood in West Ashley, North Charleston, where he built his own home on weekends and evenings after working at the USDA lab. His wife, Lorraine, and he started to breed show collies and Charolais cattle, mostly to keep Lorraine company as she got more ill due to her multiple sclerosis.
After Lorraine’s death, Eades eventually became involved with Susie Fender, a resident of Sylvan Shores. Susie was an avid tennis enthusiast, and to win her heart, he built a tennis court at his house. His effort paid off, as they had been married for almost 30 years before Susie passed away in 2007.
“It would be silly to pay capital gains taxes on this ground when I have the charitable intent to support For Hays State,” Eades said.
The second gift announced today was a life income plan, which gives the donor a lifetime income. At the death of the donor, proceeds from the gift will be used to support scholarships at the university. This particular donation is the gift of a home that was sold with the proceeds placed in the life income plan. The donor has been a great partner with the FHSU Foundation and the university over the years.
“This is a win-win situation,” the donor told FHSU officials. “We made deferred gifts to the FHSU Foundation previously and had considered this as a great option in helping us meet our financial needs and also assisting the university.”
The donor added: “Though not alumni of FHSU, we developed a great interest in the university through our many years of partnership. We have always felt that FHSU is of great value in this community and have wished to be a part of helping it thrive. The funding of scholarships fulfills our wish to be of direct assistance to students in gaining their education. This has always been considered an important part of our beliefs and stewardship. The presence of FHSU in Hays has provided many enhancements to our lives personally, and we have felt a real sense of pride in its growth and accomplishments and the place it has made for itself in higher education in Kansas.”
The goal of the Power of One scholarship campaign is to raise $8 million by the end of this year. That represents a 400-percent increase over normal fundraising expectations for the FHSU Foundation over a year’s time. As of today, 30 percent of the campaign goal had been reached.
Supporting the Power of One scholarship campaign and giving to a deserving Tiger is easy. Visit https://foundation.fhsu.edu, click on “Make a Gift TODAY” in the top right-hand corner and select FHSU’s Greatest Need as your area of designation.
Water continues to be a primary topic among Hays city officials. The Hays City Commission will discuss ramping up its water-conservation efforts at meeting, scheduled for 6:30 p.m. Thursday at City Hall.
In the midst of a persistent drought that shows no signs of relenting, commissioners will consider moving the city from a Stage 1 “watch” to a Stage 2 “warning,” a move that would kick off several changes in water-use policy.
If the elevated response is approved:
• Outdoor water use, including lawn watering and car washing, will be limited to 9 p.m. to 10 a.m.
• Newly seeded lawn permits would be issued for warm-season grasses only, and only during designated planting times.
• The city no longer would approve connections or upsizing for irrigation purposes.
• The city will enact its drought-response second-tier conservation rate. High-end water users would see their rate increase from $7.42 to $10.30.
• No permits will be issued for benefit car washes, house washing or the washing of hard surfaces.
• No additional new connections to potable water will be issued outside of city limits.
Upgrading the water-conservation status this early in the year will allow residents time to adjust plans for gardens and lawns for the upcoming growing season.
The city of Hays has been in a water “watch” since August 2012.
The next, and most severe, stage of the drought response would be a Stage 3 water “emergency,” which would heighten restrictions and lead to closure of municipal pools, a complete ban on outdoor watering, a prohibition on filling private swimming pools and a lockout on irrigation meters.
At the current rate of depletion, the city has the potential of reaching the need for a water “emergency” as soon as 2015, according to City Manager Toby Dougherty’s memo to commissioners.
The city recently adopted a resolution declaring the intent to develop a new water resource with the construction of a pipeline to Edwards County, south of Hays. Water from the R9 Ranch, however, is a long-term solution, and Dougherty has said the regulatory approval process alone could take between five and 15 years.
In the latest episode of Community Connections, host Mike Cooper talks with Christie Brungardt and Brenda Meder about an evocative exhibit at Hays Arts Council designed to bring awareness to the issue of gender-based violence.
WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — Wichita State officials are negotiating with several technology companies to create an innovation campus at the university.
University president John Bardo told faculty and students Monday that the school is talking to seven companies, with a goal of bringing new
Wichita State University president John Bardo
technology jobs to Wichita in the future.
Bardo says the innovation campus would be a four-building complex on the southeast corner of the campus, on half of Wichita State’s 18-hole golf course.
The Wichita Eagle reports John Tomblin, an interim vice president, says the university is negotiating with companies from Wichita, the U.S. and outside the country. He refused to identify the companies but said negotiations are going well.
Bardo says the campus would be a public-private partnership that would benefit both the university and the community.
By JANIS LEE Hays Beautification Committee Vice-Chair
One of the programs which the Hays Beautification Committee sponsors in conjunction with the Hays Parks Department is the Adopt-A-Spot program. The purpose of the Adopt-A-Spot program is to create and maintain a clean, litter-free community, providing an optimal appearance to the residents and visitors of Hays alike.
The idea of a public/private partnership for highway and street cleanup programs originated in the 1980s when James Evans, an engineer for the Texas Department of Transportation, noticed the amount of trash that was collecting along the roadsides in his district. Litter cleanup by the city was expensive, so Evans and a Texas DOT public information officer, Billy Black, sought the help of local groups to sponsor the cleaning of sections of the highway. In 1985, their efforts led to quarterly cleanup cycles when the Tyler, Texas Civitan Club became the first group to volunteer, adopting 2 miles along U.S. Route 69. The program proved to be very successful and has since spread to 49 states, Puerto Rico, Canada, New Zealand, Australia, and Japan.
Doris Wing is the coordinator for the Hays Beautification Committee for our Adopt-A-Spot program. Several community organizations and businesses already volunteer to clean along specific streets and green spaces in Hays. Additional volunteers are always needed so if your club or organization would be interested in joining this effort please contact the Parks Department at (785) 628-7375 to sign up for an area where you would like to pick up the litter. The department will provide trash bags, which can be picked up at the Hays Parks Department office. The group should inform the parks department of the date the litter will be collected so workers can promptly pick up and dispose of the trash bags. Groups are asked to complete a litter pick up a minimum of two times per year.
When you join Hays Adopt-A-Spot efforts, you become a vital part of an important public/private partnership that’s dedicated to keeping our city clean and attractive. No special skills or experiences are required – just a commitment to the community and concern for the environment.
In addition to keeping the community clean and beautiful, the city of Hays is continuing its efforts to enhance water conservation by employing Jason Riegel as the water conservation specialist to help coordinate water conservation opportunities with residential and commercial water users. Opportunities for the community to work with the water conservation specialist will be discussed in future articles.
For questions or comments regarding anything discussed in this article, please contact the Hays Parks Department at (785) 628-7375.
TOPEKA — After a 6-6 vote Monday, House Elections Committee Chairman Rep. Scott Schwab, R-Olathe, broke the tie by voting in favor of HB 2227 to move municipal elections to the fall of odd-numbered years.
Schwab introduced the bill in February 2013 to move municipal primary elections to August and general elections to November of odd-numbered years. Rep. Steve Huebert, R-Valley Center, said in the House Elections Committee meeting Monday that the bill was proposed to improve voter turnout.
“This has nothing to do with current school board members, city council members or mayors,” Huebert said. “For me, this has always been about the fact that turnout was bad, and it has only gotten worse.”
Rep. Keith Esau, R-Olathe, agreed increasing voter turnout was a priority but also said the change will benefit military personnel serving abroad because currently there is not enough time between primary and general elections for those individuals to receive ballots.
Through HB 2227, elected officials would begin term in January of the year following election. Rep. John Barker, R-Abilene, proposed an amendment to change term start date to July and maintain the current term commencement.
At the hearing for HB 2227 on Feb. 10, Frank Henderson, president of the Kansas Association of School Boards, said having newly elected board members begin their terms seven months into the fiscal year and halfway through the academic year could be counter-productive and create a platform for making poor decisions.
Huebert said there are benefits to starting a term in January since it allows members to actively take part in forming a budget. Rep. Lance Kinzer, R-Olathe, said beginning a term in July could be problematic if an incumbent is defeated and then stays on the board for another eight months.
The committee voted five in favor and seven opposed and the motion to amend the January term commencement failed.
The Feb. 10 bill hearing also included testimony from proponent Clay Barker, executive director of the Kansas Republican Party, who said the goals of the KRP include making municipal elections partisan. The amended bill passed with no changes to the non-partisan election standard.
Rep. Tom Phillips, R-Manhattan, said HB 2227 will only to lead to more confusion for the public since local elections have been held in spring for over 150 years.
“I think people are going to be wondering why and they’re going to be asking why elected officials in Topeka are getting so involved in local elections,” Phillips said. “I’m not sure why we have to change it here in Topeka.”
HB 2227 will move out of the House Elections Committee to the full House for consideration.
