Rural homeowners near Victoria and Ellis should see a drop in homeowners insurance thanks to a favorable inspection received by the Ellis County Rural Fire Department.
Klaus said the rating means the department meets standards and ECRF can arrive to a rural home in a timely manner with enough water and manpower to extinguish fires in a rural areas.
“(This) was made possible by the working together of all the fire departments — city of Ellis, city of Victoria, my Ellis County department — that has helped a lot … working together,” said Klaus, noting the Ellis County Fire Department recently bought two new tanker trucks.
Klaus said the new home insurance ratings take effect Aug. 1.
Klaus encourages rural homeowners to contact their insurance agents and inform them of the change as soon as possible.
FORT SCOTT, Kan. (AP) — A southeast Kansas community is getting a new, state-of-the art baseball complex, thanks to a former local athlete who plays in the majors.
The Fort Scott Tribune reports Washington Nationals first baseman Adam LaRoche is the driving force behind the $2 million LaRoche Baseball Complex.
Fort Scott City Manager Dave Martin says groundbreaking could take place in June. The 500-seat stadium and field will be the new home of Fort Scott High School’s baseball team, which LaRoche led to a Kansas Class 4A runner-up finish as a senior in 1989.
Martin says LaRoche is putting up the $2 million to get the complex built.
LaRoche says he hopes it will make life easier for his old high school team, which now shares a facility with Fort Scott Community College.
SALINA, Kan. (AP) — A Salina teenager is recovering from severe burns on his arm after playing a new challenge game with friends.
Fifteen-year-old Zakree Lindsey had to go the emergency room Sunday after doing the “ice and salt challenge.” It involves sprinkling salt on an arm, pressing ice on the salt and seeing who can keep the ice on longest.
The salt lowers the freezing point of water and quickly pulls heat out of the surrounding tissue.
The Salina Journal reports Lindsey suffered a bad case of frostbite and huge blisters on his arm.
Lindsey’s mother, Dawn Parson, says he suffered second- or third-degree burns. She wants other parents to be aware of the new “challenge” game teens are playing.
APAC Kansas of Hays will start a pair of resurfacing projects in Cheyenne County on May 19.
The first project will be Kansas 161, which spans 17 miles from U.S. 36 to the state line. That project will be followed by a mile-long section of U.S 36 from the west junction of Kansas 27 to the west city limits of St. Francis.
On each project the roadway will be milled and overlayed with new asphalt. Both projects are scheduled to be complete by the middle of June at a contract cost of $1.5 million.
ST. LOUIS (AP) — High school agriculture programs sprouting across the nation’s Corn Belt are teaching teenagers that careers in the field often have nothing to do with cows and plows.
Such offerings are taking hold as school budgets tighten and the numbers of farms in the U.S. decline.
Supporters tout the classes as rich in science and as stepping stones for college-bound students considering careers in everything from urban forestry to renewable natural resources and genetic engineering of crops.
Tens of thousands of jobs open up each year in the broader agriculture field, and roughly half are filled by college grads with actual ag-related degrees.
The growth of such programs has swelled membership of Future Farmers of America.
Listen to Mike Cooper interviewing Exercise Physiologist, Carmen Winter, from The Center for Health Improvement at HaysMed, by clicking the link above and then clicking the play button
DETROIT (AP) — General Motors is recalling 51,640 SUVs because the fuel gauges may show inaccurate readings.
The recall involves the Buick Enclave, Chevrolet Traverse and GMC Acadia from the 2014 model year. All of the affected SUVs were built between March 26 and Aug. 15 of 2013.
GM says the engine control module software may cause the fuel gauge to read inaccurately. If that happens, the vehicle might run out of fuel and stall without warning.
The company doesn’t know of any crashes or injuries related to the problem.
GM says dealers will reprogram the software for free, starting immediately. The company will also notify owners by mail.
The recall was posted Saturday on the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s Web site.
TOPEKA – Gov. Sam Brownback this week announced recent appointments to boards and commissions.
“I’d like to thank these Kansans for the time they spend working together and sharing their expertise with one another,” Brownback said. “Their contributions benefit our state and its residents.”
Among the appointments was Harmon Bliss, Jetmore, who was reappointed to the Kansas State Fair Board to serve a three-year term.
Bliss earned both his bachelor’s degree and his master’s degree at Kansas State University. He is an Agricultural Education instructor at Hodgeman County High School and a member of Hodgeman County Foundation Board.
WASHINGTON — U.S. Sen. Pat Roberts, R-Kan., joined other Senate Republicans led by Sen. Bob Corker, R-Tenn., in introducing a bill to provide a bold strategy of expanded NATO operations, broader sanctions and targeted military assistance to curb Russian aggression in Ukraine.
Sen. Pat Roberts
“This legislation provides bold leadership and a comprehensive strategy where Europe and the President have failed to put Vladimir Putin in check,” Roberts said. “I have long called for a national security reset and for America to begin leading by leading once again. As a Marine, my first concern is about the security of our troops and force structure in Europe, including our NATO commitments. I am proud that this legislation requires the President to implement a plan that increases NATO exercises and operations. Additionally, we will start to provide the most vulnerable states, Ukraine, Georgia, and Moldova with major non-NATO ally status so they can begin to receive military support. This Administration allowed Putin to take Crimea without batting an eyelash. This bill draws a hard red line for Putin, and the President, and makes certain that Russian forces are deterred from further land grabs.”
Key provisions of the Russian Aggression Prevention Act, introduced Wednesday, include:
Strengthens NATO
Increases substantially U.S. and NATO support for the armed forces of Poland, Estonia, Lithuania, and Latvia, as well as other countries determined appropriate by the president.
Requires the president to accelerate implementation of missile defense in Europe and provide other missile defense support for our NATO allies.
Deters Russian aggression
Places immediate new sanctions on any Russian officials and agents involved in the illegal occupation of Crimea, as well as on corrupt Russian officials and their supporters, and broadens and solidifies the sanctions already imposed by the administration.
Imposes immediate new sanctions tied to the destabilization of eastern Ukraine on four key Russian banks: Sberbank, VTB Bank, VEB Bank, Gazprombank, as well as on the Gazprom, Novatek, Rosneft energy monopolies, and Rosoboronexport, the major Russian arms dealer.
If Russian armed forces cross further into, or Russia further annexes, the sovereign territory of Ukraine or any other country, even tougher sanctions would (1) cut all senior Russian officials, their companies, and their supporters off from the world’s financial system; (2) target any Russian entities owned by the Russian government or sanctioned individuals across the arms, defense, energy, financial services, metals, or mining sectors in Russia; (3) and cut Russian banks off from the U.S. banking system.
Hardens our non-NATO allies
Authorizes the president to provide $100 million worth of direct military assistance to Ukraine, including anti-tank and anti-aircraft weapons and small arms, based on a needs and capabilities assessment of the Ukrainian armed forces. It also encourages the sharing of intelligence with Ukraine.
Provides authority for exports of U.S. natural gas to all WTO members, including key countries in Europe, and provides support to encourage the U.S. private sector to invest in energy projects in Ukraine, Georgia, and Moldova.
Imposes significant diplomatic measures on Russia, limits Russia’s access to advanced U.S. oil and gas technologies, provides support for Russian civil society, and focuses U.S. attention on corruption in Russia, potential treaty violations, and other strategically important matters.
Provides Ukraine, Moldova, and Georgia with major non-NATO ally status to facilitate their access to military equipment and expands U.S. and NATO military exercises and training with key non-NATO states. It also prohibits U.S. recognition of the annexation of Crimea and provides support for civil society activities in former Soviet countries, as well as expands U.S. government counter-propaganda efforts.
Fort Hays State saw its MIAA Softball Championships run come to an end in a 5-4 loss to Lindenwood in the second round of the consolation bracket on Friday (May 2).
FHSU (29-20) will now wait for the NCAA Division II Softball Selection Show, set for March 5 at 10 a.m. ET, to determine if it advances to postseason play. The eight teams selected will compete in the NCAA Regional, set for May 9-11.
Erin Kinberger Postgame Interview
Game Highlights
Paxton Duran (17-9) started the game, tossing 4.1 innings with five strikeouts, but was tagged for five runs in the fifth. Kelsey Kimminau threw the final 2.2 innings in shutout fashion, not allowing a hit with two strikeouts.
Offensively, Biance Adame was 2-for-4 with two runs scored while Kellsi Olsen was 1-for-3 with a double.
The Tigers jumped ahead early, taking a 1-0 lead in the first on Danie Brinkmann’s RBI single. Adame led off the game with a single to right before stealing second during Courtney Dobson’s at-bat. Dobson reached on an error on a fly ball to right field, pushing Adame to third, and Brinkmann took a 1-1 pitch through the left side to give FHSU a lead by plating Adame.
Fort Hays State pushed that lead to three in the second, starting with Olsen’s one-out double down the left field line. Adame’s bunt single pushed Olsen to third before Adame stole second. Later in the inning, with two down, Brinkmann reached on an error by LWU’s Courtney Kitson, allowing Olsen and Adame to dash home.
A five-run fifth inning proved fatal for the Tigers, however, as LWU strung together four hits and took advantage of an FHSU error to take the lead, 5-3.
In the seventh, Fort Hays State loaded the bases with no outs and looked for its second walk-off win of the tournament, but fell just short of the comeback victory.
Dobson led off the inning with a single to right, and after Brinkmann reached on an error by Kitson, Tori Beltz ripped a pinch hit single up the middle to load the bases. Later in the inning, Kylei Strand hit a sacrifice fly to right field deep enough to score Dobson, but that was it for the Tigers as LWU advanced to the consolation semifinals.
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas legislators have sent a budget bill to Gov. Sam Brownback that increases spending for services for the disabled and gives a $250 bonus to state employees.
The spending is included despite concerns about the state’s ability to sustain it long term.
The House voted 70-54 late Friday on the bill. The Senate approved the same measure, 22-18, earlier in the day.
Most of the state’s $14.6 billion in spending was handled in budgets adopted last year, but legislators took action to fund the Department of Corrections, as well as other state agencies.
Opponents in the House complained about the bill spending more than $200 million above the current year’s budget and that the full House never had a chance previously to debate and amend the spending measure.
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas legislators have preserved a requirement that utilities rely on wind and other renewable resources to generate some of their electricity.
That’s despite months of lobbying by conservative groups for its repeal.
The groups are promising to return to the Statehouse next year to renew their campaign against a law mandating that utilities have renewable resources cover 20 percent of their peak generating capacities by 2020.
Lawmakers on both sides of the issue expect another debate.
Critics of the green-energy mandate could get a bill repealing it through the Senate this year but not the House.
They were pursuing a new proposal Friday as lawmakers were wrapping up their business for the year. But the House voted 63-60 to block debates in either chamber.
By KARI BLURTON
