Fort Hays State University Student Government Association President Chris Roberts told the FHSU student senate Thursday night he will stay in office but will take an “indefinite leave of absence to begin the fall term next year.”
Roberts was arrested April 25 arrest on allegations of driving under the influence and transporting an open container of alcohol, his second arrest of the school year.
“Over this past week, I have had time to contemplate the future direction of SGA, and also my personal life,” Roberts said.”I apologize for any unintentional attention that I may have brought to the student government association.”
Click HERE for Tiger Media Network’s coverage of the issue and a transcript of Roberts’ statement.
WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — A massage parlor manager has admitted in a court document to recruiting a woman living in China to come to Wichita to work at the business and engage in prostitution.
The U.S. attorney’s office says Yan Zhang pleaded guilty Friday to a federal charge of transportation for prostitution under a deal with the government for a recommended sentence of time served.
The 50-year-old Wichita woman has been in jail since her arrest in September. Her plea comes a day after her husband, Gary Kidgell, pleaded guilty to obstruction of justice and harboring an immigrant living illegally in the United States.
The couple are accused of recruiting women to come to Wichita to work at massage parlors, then coercing them into prostitution.
WASHINGTON (AP) — Noah sailed past Jacob to become the most popular baby name for boys in 2013, ending Jacob’s 14-year run at the top. Sophia was the most popular baby name for girls for the third straight year.
The Social Security Administration announced the most popular baby names Friday. Noah was followed by Liam, Jacob, Mason and William. Sophia was followed by Emma, Olivia, Isabella and Ava.
The most popular baby names aren’t nearly as popular as they used to be.
A little more than 18,000 babies born last year were named Noah. In 1950, when James was No. 1, more than 86,000 newborns got that name.
About 21,000 newborns were named Sophia last year. In 1950, more than 80,000 were named Linda.
DODGE CITY, Kan. (AP) — A gun club’s proposal to build a shooting range in western Kansas is gaining support.
The Santa Fe Trail Gun Club is in the process of planning a shooting range near a landfill in Ford County. It would be the first shooting range in the county, home to Dodge City.
Ford County Sheriff Dean Bush, Dodge City Police Chief Craig Mellecker and the county commission this week gave informal support to the range, if it’s is properly supervised.
The Dodge City Daily Globe reports the gun group has created bylaws, elected a board and is accepting dues.
The proposed range would also be open to law enforcement agencies and Dodge City Community College. Organizers hope to have it open sometime this year.
Dear Dave,
My wife and I have a friend we met through the Big Brothers Big Sisters program. She has a 1-year-old child, and she recently asked us for some money. We don’t really approve of how she’s choosing to spend her money—she’s spending a lot of it on alcohol and cigarettes—but she does need financial help. What should we do? Mike
Dave Ramsey
Dear Mike,
I have a very simple rule for situations like this. If someone is bold enough to ask me for my money, I can be bold enough to attach requirements to the money for their own good.
One of two things will happen when you handle things in this manner. They’ll welcome the help and graciously accept your conditions, or they’ll get mad and act like you have no right interfering in their business. I don’t have a problem helping people who have a good heart and really need a break. But if someone cops an attitude with me in this situation, I wouldn’t break out my wallet anytime soon.
Regardless, if you choose to do this, I’d make the money a gift and not a loan. Concentrate on trying to get her on a path where she thinks a little straighter, and, as a result, she will make better choices. Teach her how to make and live off a budget or help her enroll in a personal finance course. But right now, just handing her money is like giving a drunk a drink.
This whole situation is a lot bigger than giving someone $35 for diapers. The answer to that is easy. It’s yes. But in this case I’d probably give it to her in the form of a grocery store gift card. Many of those don’t allow alcohol and cigarette purchases. Or, I’d just go buy diapers and baby food and take them to her. Actually helping people is a lot more work than just throwing money at them. To really help someone, you have to get down in their mess and walk beside them.
Financially speaking, her problem is just as much mismanagement of money as it is a lack of money. Anyone who chooses smokes and alcohol over diapers for their kid needs to be smacked. But since you can’t really do that, you can put conditions on your help that are designed to help her improve her decision-making abilities and, by doing that, improving her life. —Dave
Dave Ramsey is America’s trusted voice on money and business. He has authored five New York Times best-selling books: Financial Peace, More Than Enough, The Total Money Makeover, EntreLeadership and Smart Money Smart Kids. His newest best-seller, Smart Money Smart Kids, was written with his daughter Rachel Cruze, and recently debuted at #1. The Dave Ramsey Show is heard by more than 8 million listeners each week on more than 500 radio stations. Follow Dave on Twitter at @DaveRamsey and on the web at daveramsey.com.
The 26 members of the 2014 class of the Kansas Academy of Mathematics and Science will graduate at 3 p.m. Saturday in Fort Hays State University’s Memorial Union, Fort Hays Ballroom.
This is the academy’s fourth graduating class. Members voted to name their class the Vanguards.
“This group of students has a phenomenal road ahead of them,” said Ron Keller, KAMS director. “They have a great start with what they have accomplished while in the program. Seven of the 26 students will remain here at FHSU, while nine of them will be attending other Kansas state schools, for a total of 16 students staying in state. We are very proud of them and know they will do great things.”
Dr. Edward H. Hammond, FHSU president, will give the address. Also in attendance will be the academy’s co-founders, Dr. Donald Norwood and Professor Jerry Magliano.
Ron Keller
The Kansas Board of Regents sited KAMS on the FHSU campus in 2008 following an extensive selection process. The Kansas Legislature established the Academy to promote mathematics and science education, to reduce the “brain drain” in which many of the best and brightest young Kansans go out-of-state universities and never return, and to promote economic development by providing a well-educated workforce.
Some of the many notable accomplishments by the members of the Vanguard class are:
• Pratik Patel has been accepted for the Self Engineering Leadership Fellows Program in the Engineering School at the University of Kansas.
• Amber Perdew has been awarded the Presidential Scholarship to attend the University of Colorado at Boulder beginning in fall 2014. This scholarship is awarded only to the top 1 percent of all out-of-state students.
• Samuel DeVore was selected to represent FHSU at the Global Initiatives Conference in Washington in November 2013.
• Arynne Smallback received the Chancellor Scholarship and the Trustee Scholarship to attend John Brown University in fall 2014. In February 2014, she also served as the “head delegate” of Cuba for the Model United Nations in St. Louis.
• Junyu Zhang was named a Global Scholar by the Stevens Institute of Technology in New Jersey for the 2014-2015 school year.
• Michael Cory was named a Kansas State Scholar by the Kansas Board of Regents during spring 2014.
The Vanguards are listed by hometown with their parents and sending high schools.
Alexander: Tanner Swartz, son of Edward and Louise Swartz, La Crosse High School.
Anshun, China: Junyu Zhang, son of Zhongequan Zhang and Dangling Liu.
Baldwin City: Morgan Linder, daughter of Brett and Renee Linder, Baldwin High School.
Beijing, China: Tianhao Yu, son of Jinging Yu and Airong Duan.
Chapman: Shelby Young, daughter of Elmer and Darbie Young, Chapman High School.
Goodland: Amber Perdew, daughter of Don Perdew and Joanie Brighton, Goodland High School.
Gtwang Ju, South Korea: MinYoung Kim.
Hiawatha: Elliot Bicker, son of Micah and Cindy Bicker, Hiawatha High School.
Lawrence: Libby Lewis, daughter of Jeffry and Christine Lewis, Lawrence Free State High School.
Abigail (A.J.) Ladner, daughter of John and Christine Ladner, Lawrence Free State High School.
Lyons: Samuel DeVore, son of Ronald and Angela DeVore, Lyons High School.
Manhattan: Mason Gates, son of Randall and Renee Gates, Manhattan High School.
Olathe: Adam Stenson, son of Philip Stenson and Lisa Allen, Olathe Northwest High School.
Olsburg: Codie Webster, son of Lynn and Marla Webster, Blue Valley High School.
Overland Park: Eleanor (Elle) Justin, daughter of Jean Justin, Shawnee Mission South High School.
Salina: Pratik Patel, son of Jitendra and Amita Patel, Salina Central High School.
Topeka: Arynne Smallback, daughter of William and Michelle Smallback, Topeka High School.
Abigail Dishman, daughter of Kevin and Julie Dishman, Washburn Rural High School.
Gabriel (Gabe) Horton, son of Michael and Christine Horton, Seaman High School.
Alexa Melvin, daughter of Vince and Barb Melvin, Washburn Rural High School.
Wamego: Nathan Nehring, son of Ronald and Kelly Nehring, Wamego High School.
Wichita: BreAnna Terry, daughter of J.D. and Heather Terry, Goddard High School.
Michael Cory, son of Robert and Beverly Cory, Andover High School.
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — The state director of Americans for Prosperity says he helped a new Kansas group find an attorney to organize opposition to renewable energy standards.
Jeff Glendening on Wednesday said AFP had nothing to do with postcards sent out opposing the standards. But on Thursday, Glendening told The Wichita Eagle he forgot to mention that he helped link attorney W. Robert Alderson with Virginia Crossland-Macha, the founder of the Kansas Senior Consumer Alliance.
He says he simply responded to a request from Crossland-Macha and not as a representative of AFP.
The alliance sent mailers to House members last week supporting repeal of the state’s standards, which require utility companies to get 20 percent of their power from renewable sources by 2020.
WASHINGTON – On Thursday, Senator Pat Roberts (R-KS) joined Senate Western Caucus Chairman John Barrasso (R-WY) and Congressional Western Caucus co-chairs Stevan Pearce (R-NM), Cynthia Lummis (R-WY) and 43 other Caucus Members in sending a letter to Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Gina McCarthy.
In their letter, the Caucus members call on the EPA to refrain from moving forward with their controversial “Waters of the U.S.” (WOTUS) rule that will drastically expand federal regulatory authority under the Clean Water Act. The members also highlight how this rule will negatively impact farms, small businesses, energy production, commercial development and substantially interfere with the ability of individual landowners to use their property.
“Kansans are fed up with the overregulation coming out of the Obama Administration,” Senator Roberts said. “The EPA’s dramatic expansion of its regulatory role over the last six years has put a boot on the neck of rural America, and they simply won’t let up. The proposed Waters of the U.S rule is yet another attempt to insert big government into our daily lives. The notion of the Federal Government regulating farm ponds is the height of absurdity, and I sincerely hope the EPA and the Obama administration rethink this ill-conceived rule.”
“We urge you to change course by committing to operating under the limits established by Congress, recognizing the states’ primary role in regulating and protecting their streams, ponds, wetlands and other bodies of water. We also again ask that you consider the economic impacts of your policies knowing that your actions will have serious impacts on struggling families, seniors, low-income households and small business owners.”
Flats of canned and boxed foods donated to the Hays Community Assistance Center
By BECKY KISER Hays Post
Letter carriers in Hays and across the country will be collecting food for families in need tomorrow.
This is the 21st annual “Stamp Out Hunger” food drive organized by the National Association of Letter Carriers.
Last year in Hays, 7,800 pounds of non-perishable food items were donated and delivered to the Community Assistance Center (CAC), according to postman Lester Robben.
“Just leave your items in a plastic bag by your mailbox or the neighborhood box and we’ll pick it up during our regular Saturday mail routes,” said Robben.
This is one of two major food drives for the year, said CAC co-director Laurie Mortinger, “and the cupboard is nearly empty:”
All the food is taken back to the post office where it’s weighed, then it’s on to the Community Assistance Center.
“We load the food into pickups, drive it over and unload,” said Robben. “It’s pretty amazing to see it all in one place.”
TOPEKA – As the warming weather beckons outdoor enthusiasts to their favorite lake or river, Kansans should remember that they play a critical role in helping stop aquatic invaders that threaten lakes and rivers in Kansas and many other states. Aquatic nuisance species are animals and plants not native to Kansas that can threaten lake and river ecology, harm native or desirable species, and interfere with our economy. They often hitchhike on the boats and equipment used by unsuspecting people who may unknowingly transport them to a previously uninfested body of water.
“Zebra mussels, Asian carp and white perch are already established in our state,” said Gov. Sam Brownback. “They and other unwanted aquatic species pose serious environmental and economic threats, not only to Kansas waters, but also those of other states. Unwary travelers can spread these species between states. As Vice Chair of the Midwestern Governors Association, I share the concerns of other governors in our region and urge everyone who visits a body of water in any state to take precautions to avoid spreading these species to other waters.”
“These species don’t respect political boundaries, and they occur in public and private water bodies of all sizes,” said Jessica Howell, Kansas Aquatic Nuisance Species Program Coordinator. “Whatever your destination, it’s important to follow the local laws and regulations concerning aquatic invaders. In Kansas, visit ProtectKSWaters.org for information about aquatic nuisance species and the necessary precautions.”
There are three primary ways to help stop the spread of ANS:
• CLEAN, DRAIN, DRY boats and equipment after every visit to any lake or river (including anything that gets wet, such as tackle, swim gear, footwear, etc.).
• DON’T MOVE LIVE FISH between bodies of water or up streams.
• DON’T DUMP PLANTS OR ANIMALS IN THE WATER OR DRAINAGE DITCHES. Instead, discard unused bait on dry land or in an approved receptacle, and find a new home with a pet shop or friend for unwanted aquarium species or pets.
In addition to stopping the spread of ANS, it is also important to prevent the introduction of new species such as aquarium pets. In 2013, three tropical fish specimens were discovered in Kansas – an arowana at Lake Shawnee, Topeka; a pacu at Stone Lake, Great Bend; and a tilapia at Mill Creek, upstream from Shawnee Mission Park. None of the exotic fish likely would have survived the winter. However, in 2013 and early 2014, two new populations of Chinese and Japanese mystery snails were reported in Kansas – both of which now have reproducing populations in several Kansas waters. These snails are popular with aquarium and water garden enthusiasts.
For more details about aquatic nuisance species in Kansas and precautions, visit ProtectKSWaters.org.
