Fort Hays State will be represented by three athletes at the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships in Allendale, Mich., May 22-24. Earning the right to compete at nationals are Brady Tien, Madison Wolf and Samantha Woodburn.
Tien, a junior, enters nationals with the seventh-best effort in the pole vault this year at 16′ 8.75″. That is also a personal best for him, just 1.25″ short of the school record at FHSU. He earned All-America honors during the indoor season with a sixth-place finish and a height of 16′ 4.75″. He will compete on Saturday (May 24) at 2:30 pm ET/1:30 pm CT.
Wolf, a freshman, enters nationals with the ninth-best effort in the javelin this year at 155′ 1″. She was the MIAA Champion in the event and was an automatic qualifier in the event with her mark. She is set to compete at 2 pm ET/1 pm CT on Saturday (May 24).
Woodburn, a junior, will compete in both the 100 and 200 meters. She had the 12th-best time nationally in the 200 meters at 23.95 seconds, and the 14th-best time in the 100 meters at 11.71 seconds. She was third at the MIAA Championships in both events. Prelims for the 100 meters are Thursday (May 22) at 6:25 pm ET/5:25 pm CT and the prelims for the 200 meters are Friday (May 23) at 5:45 pm ET/4:45 pm CT. Finals for both events are Saturday evening.
Another pleasant day is in store Thursday with mild temperatures topping out in the upper 60s to lower 70s. We will likely see more clouds than sun again today with a few widely scattered showers or sprinkles during the afternoon hours like we saw yesterday.
Today A slight chance of sprinkles after 8am. Mostly sunny, with a high near 66. North wind 6 to 11 mph. Tonight A slight chance of sprinkles after 2am. Partly cloudy, with a low around 41. North northwest wind 6 to 9 mph becoming east southeast after midnight. Friday A chance of showers, with thunderstorms also possible after 3pm. Partly sunny, with a high near 67. East wind 7 to 15 mph. Chance of precipitation is 30%. Friday Night A slight chance of showers and thunderstorms before midnight, then a slight chance of showers and thunderstorms after 4am. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 41. East wind 6 to 8 mph becoming south after midnight. Chance of precipitation is 20%. Saturday A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly sunny, with a high near 63. Southeast wind 8 to 13 mph. Saturday Night A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 47. Sunday A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly before 7am. Partly sunny, with a high near 72. Breezy.
By RON WILSON Huck Boyd National Institute for Rural Development
“Prometo: Mi cabeza para pensar claramente, mi corazon para mayor lealtad, mis manos para mejor servicio …” No, I don’t speak Spanish, but I have learned that those are the opening words of the 4-H pledge in Spanish. Today we’ll meet an innovative 4-H club which is helping extend the benefits of 4-H to a new dimension of Spanish-speaking families.
Ron Wilson is director of the Huck Boyd National Institute for Rural Development at Kansas State University.
This is the last profile in our three-part series about Steve Irsik, an agricultural entrepreneur in southwest Kansas. We have previously learned about how his family developed their farming operation, including the creation of Royal Farms Dairy east of Garden City. Kyle Averhoff was brought in as manager. A key element to the success of such large, modern dairies is the workforce – many of whom are Hispanic.
In October 2012, Steve Irsik contacted Debra Bolton, the K-State Research and Extension family and consumer sciences specialist for the southwest area of Kansas.
“We were brainstorming how 4-H could reach more families,” Debra said. Specifically, they discussed how the benefits of 4-H could be applied to the newly immigrated families who had come to work in southwest Kansas.
“Royal Farms Dairy is home to over 14,000 cows and heifers and about 65 employees, many from El Salvador, Guatemala, and many other countries throughout Central America, South America and up through Mexico,” Kyle Averhoff said. “Southwest Kansas is an economic empire in how it’s developed and grown. Without the Hispanic culture and the culture of many other immigrant populations, it wouldn’t have been possible.”
K-State Research and Extension faculty in the southwest area developed a pilot program to reach out to this segment of the population. It was supported by state 4-H leader Barbara Stone and the Kansas 4-H Foundation. Bertha Mendoza is a nutrition specialist in the southwest area of Kansas, and her existing relationship with several Hispanic families was a major help.
These families and those of the workers at the dairies became a target for this innovative 4-H program. Alejandra Romero and Ruddy Yanez were hired as summer interns to assist with the project.
The goal was to create one club of 25 to 30 youth, but the interest grew faster than expected. The end result was four clubs involving 90 youth, with hundreds more on a waiting list. The clubs are located in Finney, Gray, and Kearney counties. These new 4-H members live in or near rural communities such as Garden City, Ingalls, Pierceville, and Deerfield, population 892 people. Now, that’s rural.
The 4-H organization has been around for a long time, but it was new to these immigrant families. Club meetings were implemented bilingually. For example, the 4-H pledge would be said in Spanish and then in English. The club involved youth, parents and even grandparents.
“The concept of 4-H caught on,” Debra Bolton said. “This 4-H club is more than youth development, it is family development. It’s family, it’s education, it’s learning, it’s all the things that integrate a family into a community.”
“They are very family focused,” Kyle Averhoff said of his working Hispanic families. “We think that 4-H is a nice add-on to that, to help their children have opportunities to develop. We can look at countless stories of how our employees have grown and how their children have grown and become successful members of society.”
“It’s created such a great learning community,” Debra said. “It’s even received national recognition. The National 4-H wants one of our 4-Hers to sing at the national gala.”
“The more we can do for the children, that’s going to lift up the whole family,” Steve said. “It will truly lift up these families.”
“Mi salud para mayor bienestar, para mi club, mi comunidad, mi patria, mi mundo.”
Those are the closing words of the 4-H pledge in Spanish. We salute Steve Irsik, Kyle Averhoff, Barbara Stone, Debra Bolton, Bertha Mendoza, Alejandra Romero, Ruddy Yanez, and all those involved who are making a difference by helping more families experience the benefits of 4-H in a whole new way. I believe this is very good: Muy bueno.
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Gov. Sam Brownback has signed legislation phasing out the fees paid by Kansas lenders to counties to register home mortgages.
The Kansas Legislature’s website said Brownback signed the measure Wednesday.
Bankers and real estate agents have argued that home buyers are getting what amounts to a tax break. But county officials fear they’ll be forced to boost local property taxes to offset what is expected to be $53 million in lost revenue over the next five years.
The new law will phase out the mortgage registration fee by 2019. The fee is now $2.60 for every $1,000 borrowed, and almost all of the revenues raised go to the state’s 105 counties.
The law raises other fees to partially offset the lost revenues.
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas is doubling the presumed prison sentence for premeditated first-degree murder to life with no chance of parole for at least 50 years.
Gov. Sam Brownback announced Wednesday that he signed a bill this week to make the so-called “Hard 50” the presumed sentence for premeditated first-degree murder. The provision will apply to killings committed after June.
The new law will allow judges to decide whether a more lenient sentence than the “Hard 50” is warranted in first-degree murder cases.
Currently, prosecutors can seek a “Hard 50” sentence, but it can only be imposed by juries after weighing factors presented during a trial.
The new law also sets a minimum 25-year prison sentence for defendants convicted of attempted capital murder or committing murder during another felony.
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) – Much-maligned Mike Moustakas hit a three-run double in the second inning, and Jason Vargas and the Kansas City bullpen made the meager offense work in a 3-2 victory Wednesday over the Colorado Rockies for a two-game sweep.
Vargas (4-1) did not allow a hit until the fourth inning and did not allow a run until Drew Stubbs belted a two-run homer to left in the seventh that made things interesting.
Louis Coleman got the Royals out of the inning without any more damage, and Kelvin Herrera worked a perfect eighth before Greg Holland survived a shaky ninth for his 10th save.
Jhoulys Chacin (1-1) allowed the three runs that Moustakas drove in but otherwise pitched well for Colorado. He allowed seven hits and two walks over six gritty innings.
GARDEN CITY (AP) — The Kansas Water Authority plans to hear updates on dredging at the John Redmond reservoir when it meets later this month in Garden City.
The agency has set aside two days for its public meetings at the Garden City Clarion Inn and Conference. They begin at 1 p.m. on May 21 and 8:30 a.m. on May 22.
The $25 million project at the John Redmond reservoir includes the cost of dredging, landowner compensation for disposal sites and stream bank stabilization.
Other topics on the agency’s agenda for the meeting include updates on the Kansas water plan and the weather modification program.
The agenda and meeting materials are available on the Kansas Water Office website, www.kwo.org.
HUTCHINSON — Police are investigating 19 business burglaries in the city overnight Tuesday. The suspect is a white male approximately 5 foot, 8 to 6 foot, slender build with short hair, possibly brown. The suspect was wearing a dark zip-up jacket with light-colored undershirt, jeans and white tennis shoes.
Police say he used a crow bar to gain entry by breaking out glass to businesses or prying open a door. The only items reported missing was petty cash and change. Police are asking anyone who recognizes the suspect or has knowledge of the crimes to contact the Police Department or Reno County Crime Stoppers at (785) 694-2666
Police released the list of businesses that they know of so far, including:
At 2404 N. Main
Sara Lee Bakery
State Farm Insurance – Andy Fry
Papa Murphy’s
Hutch Vapor
Schroeder Chiropractic
At 2500 N. Main
Think Ink and Toner
Allstate Insurance
Star Lumber
Midwest Hearing Aids
Physical Therapy Consulting Services
Shelter Insurance
Others include:
2913 N. Plum – State Farm Insurance
2911 N. Plum – Unknown business at this time
1305 Wheatland Dr – Chiropractic Health Clinic
1311 Wheatland Dr – Pediatric Dentistry
2520 N. Main – The Strand
2411 N. Main – John Dahm Family Dentistry
510 E. 17th – Clear Choice Hearing
1223 E. 30th – Poormans Auto Supply
Miranda Lambert will launch her Platinum Tour July 10 in Fort Loramie, OH. “Platinum represents a lifestyle for me,” says Lambert. “It’s the color of my hair, my wedding ring [and] my Airstream trailer, so it’s just a natural fit for the name of my new album and it’s why we decided to name the tour ‘Platinum,’ too.” Valory’s Justin Moore and Thomas Rhett join the tour Aug. 8. See a complete list of dates here.
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GOODLAND, Kan. (AP) — Hundreds of motorcycle riders will cross Kansas on Interstate 70 beginning Saturday on their way to a massive gathering in the nation’s capital to honor military veterans.
The annual “Run for the Wall” begins in California and ends at the Vietnam Memorial in Washington, D.C. The riders take three different routes before joining back together in Washington.
Motorcyclists taking the central route are scheduled to arrive Saturday evening in Goodland. Sunday’s itinerary takes them to Junction City, where they’ll take part in a ceremony at Heritage Park.
Many of the riders are expected to stop Monday at the Kansas Turnpike service area in Topeka, where they’ll be welcomed by state and local officials before proceeding into Missouri.
This year’s 10-day Run for the Wall began Wednesday in Rancho Cucamonga, California.
