DODGE CITY (AP) — Dodge City and Ford County commissions are officially supporting a proposed merger of Dodge City Community College and Fort Hays State University.

The commissions approved resolutions this week at separate meetings saying they support the merger.

The Dodge City Daily Globe reported the resolutions of support were not necessary for the merger to proceed. But the commissions were urged to pass the resolutions to show the Kansas Board of Regents the merger has local support.

The merger would create an Institute of Applied Technology on the Dodge City campus, with Fort Hays State offering some four-year degree programs. FHSU administrators would run both campuses.

The plan must be approved by the Kansas Board of Regents, the state Legislature and the governor.

FHSU University Relations

Fort Hays State University has received a $66,000 healthy living grant from the Kansas Health Foundation. FHSU is one of 22 new grantees in the state to receive healthy living grant funding, which will help support the Campus Food and Hunger Initiatives.

The initiatives include the Victor E. Garden, which is a community garden, the Tiger Food Exchange, which is a campus food pantry, and healthy living educational programming aimed at making healthy food accessible to members of the Tiger community.

“This has been such a terrific collaboration across the university community,” said Dr. Shala Mills, chair and professor of political science and co-chair of the Campus Food and Hunger Initiatives. “Results from our Campus Food Insecurity Survey indicate that FHSU students have a food insecurity rate higher than the national average. That’s alarming data, and it has brought students, faculty and staff together around the issue of providing access to healthy foods. This grant will make it possible for our community garden, food pantry and educational programs to reach even more members of our campus community, whether they are food insecure, want to be part of a community garden or would just like to learn more about gardening or how to cook healthy meals.”

Funding for healthy living initiatives represents one way the Kansas Health Foundation seeks to address issues of tobacco use and obesity in Kansas. Grants were specifically targeted toward programs and initiatives supporting healthy eating, active living and tobacco prevention. Smoking and obesity remain the leading causes of preventable death and illness in the state and combine to cost Kansas more than $2 billion annually in unnecessary health care costs.

“Providing funding to organizations poised to make an impact on major health issues like obesity and tobacco use is crucial to our work and the overall health landscape in Kansas,” said Jeff Willett, vice president for programs at the Kansas Health Foundation. “These are health problems that affect the lives of many Kansans and are increasingly concentrated among Kansans of lower socioeconomic status, further compounding health and economic disparities in our state.”

FHSU will be hiring three student coordinators to assist with the new projects made possible by the KHF grant. The Victor E. Garden student coordinator will work with Dr. Jean Gleichsner, associate professor of agriculture; the Tiger Food Exchange student coordinator and the Web/social media student Coordinator will work with Dr. Mills; and all three of the student coordinators will assist Dr. Jenny Manry, associate professor of nursing, with educational programming. Students interested in one or more of the student coordinator positions may apply through FHSU’s JobX system.

For more information about FHSU‘s food and hunger efforts or to learn how you can participate, please call Shala Mills at (785) 628-4425 or send an email to [email protected].

All grantees — including universities, nonprofit organizations, state agencies and municipalities — received funding through a competitive application process, with individual grant awards of up to $100,000. In total, the Kansas Health Foundation provided approximately $2 million in healthy living grants across the 22 grantees. Initiatives that were funded emphasized strategies intended to lead to implementation of policy, systems and environmental interventions with the potential to impact a broad population. Through this type of grant making, the KHF helps Kansans with experience, know-how and inspiration tackle some of the toughest issues facing public health today and provides the funding needed to see their mission accomplished.

The Hays Arts Council last week hosted its annual Famous Figures contest for fifth graders in Ellis County. Each fifth-grade classroom was allowed two participants, and each participant dressed and acted as a famous figure in history.

Listed below are the winners and their Famous Figure:

First Place-Thomas Drabkin from O’Loughlin Elementary as Ghandi

Second Place-Caitlin Leiker from Roosevelt Elementary as Carol Burnett

Third Place-Olivia Rankin from O’Loughlin Elementary as Rosa Parks

Fourth Place-Anne Wasinger from Holy Family Elementary as Dolores Hart and Alicia Feyerherm, a home school student, as Ruth Bader Ginsberg

Fifth Place-Nick Park from Washington Elementary as Steve Erwin, Zach Schiel from Ellis Grade School as Jim Valvano, and Allison Applequist from Holy Family Elementary as Dr. Richard Theriault.

 

By BECKY KISER
Hays Post

Hays city commissioners awarded two bids and one contract Thursday night for waterline improvements and leak detection services.

As recommended by city staff, the bid of $233,458 from Stripe and Seal was accepted for waterline improvements on Hickory and Ash streets between 27th and 29th streets. The project will start Oct. 1 and be complete within 60 working days.

The $151,406 bid from APAC-Kansas was accepted for waterline improvements on Elm Street from Fort to Fourth streets. The work will be done during Fort Hays State University’s summer break.

Both waterline projects will be funded from the Water and Sewer Capital Reserve Fund.

Commissioners also voted to accept the $43,920 bid from Wachs Water Services for leak detection services in 180 miles of raw and potable water lines. The funds will come from the 2014 Utilities Department Water Conservation budget.

The presentations were made by Nick Willis, who is now the Assistant Director of Utilities, as announced by city manager Toby Dougherty. Willis had been in that position on an interim basis.

In other business, city commissioners approved several mayoral appointments:

Airport Advisory Committee
Errol Wuertz – 3-year term to expire 4-30-17 (5th term)

Hays Area Planning Commission
Justin McClung – 3-year term to expire 4-30-17 (1st term)
Kris Munsch – 3-year term to expire 4-30-17 (1st term)

Hays Beautification Committee
Dorothy McRae – 3-year term to expire 8-1-17 (1st term)

Hays Public Library Board
David Goodlett – 4-year term to expire 4-30-18 (3rd term – nonconsecutive)
Kathleen Schukman – 4-year term to expire 4-30-18 (1st term)

In other business, Mayor Henry Schwaller was appointed as the city commission’s representative to the Ellis County Coalition Board.

By JONATHAN ZWEYGARDT
Hays Post

The Hays Post Office will conduct its 21st annual Letter Carriers Food Drive this Saturday.

Residents can put nonperishable food next to their mailbox to be picked up by their letter carrier and then delivered to the Community Assistance Center.

Lester Robben, a carrier with the Hays Post Office, said the drive was started nationwide as a way to help food banks heading into the summer months, which is a very busy time.

“All you have to do is put out your food by your mailbox on Saturday and your carrier, when he comes by on his regular rounds, picks it up,” said Robben.

Robben said last year carriers collected 7,800 pounds of food.

If you forget to put out items Saturday, Robben said carriers will continue to pick items up over the next week. Food items also can be dropped off at the Post Office or taken to the Community Assistance Center.

Related story: Food drive the topic of KAYS morning show.

Mark your calendars for the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure, scheduled for Saturday at Hays Municipal Park.

The series of 5K run/fitness walks help raise funds and awareness in the fight against breast cancer.

The Hays race will begin at 7:15 a.m. with registration, with a survivor breakfast set to begin at 8:30 a.m at the Armory.

The competitive portion of the event starts at 8:15 a.m. Awards will be five to the top three placing survivors and male and female participants.

The Kids for the Cure portion of the race will begin at 8:30 a.m., and the Family Fun Walk will step off at 9:15 a.m.

The day will culminate with an awards ceremony and survivor celebration at 10 a.m.

Up to 75 percent of the money raised serves women in the 95 counties in Kansas served by the Mid-Kansas Affiliate, according to executive director Lindsay Smith. The remaining 25 percent of funds will benefit global research:

Eagle Communications is a sponsor of the event.

For more information or to register, click HERE.

The city of Hays released the following regarding the race:

Komen Race for the Cure – Saturday, May 10th

Tomorrow – Saturday, May 10th, 2014 the City of Hays will be hosting the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure. The 5K run is expected to have over 1,000 participants. In an effort to ensure the safety of all those involved, a portion of the route will be closed to vehicular traffic.

Komen Race for the Cure Route:

1.    Start – Big Creek bridge on south Main St. heading NORTH to 8th St.
2.    Turn LEFT on 8th St. heading WEST.
3.    Turn LEFT on College Drive heading SOUTH.
4.    Turn RIGHT onto Gustad Drive heading WEST.
5.    Turn LEFT onto US183 Alternate heading South.
6.    Turn LEFT onto Main St. heading NORTH to the finish – in front of the Armory.

South Main Street will be closed between 183 Alternate and 5th St beginning at 5:00 AM. At 8:00 AM Main Street will be closed to 8th Street, and 8th Street will be closed between Main and College Drive. Traffic control devices will be in place. Motorists can expect limited access along the race route until 9:30 AM. Main Street will remain closed until approximately noon.

We urge motorists traveling through this area to drive with caution due to the increased pedestrian traffic. Please obey all traffic control devices and the directions of law enforcement officers. Please be prepared for traffic delays in this area.