Month: July 2014
Target asks customers to leave firearms at home
NEW YORK (AP) — Target is asking its customers to not bring firearms into its stores, even where it is allowed by law.
In a statement on the retailer’s corporate blog, interim CEO John Mulligan said that Target wants a “safe and inviting” atmosphere for its shoppers and employees.
“Bringing firearms to Target creates an environment that is at odds with the family-friendly shopping and work experience we strive to create,” he said.
Target Corp. made the announcement after questions arose in recent weeks about its policy on the “open carry” of firearms in its stores.
The Minneapolis company’s stock added 53 cents to $58.90 in Wednesday morning trading.
KHAZ Country Music News: Kenny Rogers Sings For Geico
LOS ANGELES (AP) – Kenny Rogers appears in a new commercial for Geico insurance. It’s a play on his song “The Gambler.” The commercial is running now.
Join fans of 99 KZ Country on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/99KZCountry
Woman hospitalized following Wednesday rollover accident
RIVERVIEW, Kan- A Kansas woman was injured in a rollover crash just before 8 a.m. on Wednesday in Wyandotte County.
The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2006 Toyota driven by Carlos G. Pineda, 54, Topeka, was passing a 2008 Hyundai driven by Samantha S. Quinn, 38, Topeka, on the ramp of southbound Interstate 435 south of Interstate 70 near Riverview. There was only one lane.
The Toyota collided into the side of the Hyundai causing both vehicles to lose control, and the Hyundai to roll multiple times.
Quinn was transported to Overland Park Regional Medical Center. Pineda was not injured.
The KHP reported both drivers were properly restrained at the time of the accident.
Western Kan. man pleads guilty to 2013 murder in Colby
Kansas Attorney General’s Office
COLBY — A Garden City man charged with a Colby murder today pleaded guilty to charges against him, Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt said.William Andrew Shank, 25, pleaded guilty to charges of first-degree premeditated murder, aggravated arson and aggravated burglary. The charges stemmed from the February 2013 death of 27-year-old Teri L. Morris in Colby. Chief Judge Glenn D. Schiffner accepted Shank’s plea and scheduled sentencing for 9 a.m. Sept. 10.
The case was investigated by the Colby Police Department, Thomas County Sheriff’s Office, Kansas Fire Marshal, Kansas Highway Patrol and Kansas Bureau of Investigation. Assistant Attorneys General Jessica Domme and Nicole Romine of Schmidt’s office prosecuted the case.
Fort Hays State University’s Cunningham Hall undergoes renovations
FHSU University Relations
Summer activities are in full swing at Fort Hays State University: swimming lessons are being held, the Wellness Center is busy as ever, and Gross Memorial Coliseum has had its share of action as well.
In the midst of this chaos, orange is blocking off a portion of Cunningham Hall where construction is under way.
Signs were posted in late April announcing that all lockers in the faculty and student locker rooms needed to be emptied by a given date. Then, in mid-May, the first phase of a four-phase renovation project was launched.
“Deterioration of the plumbing in Cunningham Hall” is what initiated the need for this renovation, said Troy Steiner, architectural project designer. The project will last for four years, each phase launching and ending with the summer seasons.
While the overall structure and content of the locker rooms and restrooms will remain unchanged, sanitary sewer lines, pipes and plumbing underneath floors are being replaced, said Steiner.
Although these changes are being made during a busy season, Glen McNeil, chair of the Department of Health and Human Performance said, “Some locker space is available in Gross Coliseum, and the renovations are not affecting the operation of the Wellness Center or pool.”
Most of this summer’s renovations should be complete by the start of the school year. Only renovations for the faculty locker rooms and restrooms will remain after that time.
USD 489 sets enrollment dates, explains new or increased fees
Hays USD 489
USD 489 schools will be ready to enroll students beginning in August. The elementary schools will be accepting walk-in and online enrollments beginning Aug. 1. Walk-in enrollment will begin at Hays Middle School on Aug. 5 and 6, and Hays High on Aug. 6 and 7.
Online enrollment for current middle and high school students will open on Aug. 1.
If you are enrolling a kindergarten student or are new to USD 489, contact the school you plan to enroll in and save the date for walk-in enrollment. Kindergarten and new students should plan to bring a copy of immunization records and a completed physical, as well as contact information from the school that they have recently left.
Forms for physicals and applications for the federal free and reduced lunch program can be obtained on the USD 489 district website, under the “parents” link, at www.usd489.com.
If you have any questions, prior to the enrollment date, contact Elizabeth Jaeger at Rockwell Administrative Center at (785) 623-2400 or [email protected].
As a reminder, here is a summary of the transportation changes and fee schedule parents can expect for the 2014-15 school year:
• Transportation: The Board of Education recently opted to discontinue transportation within a 2.5-mile radius of the student’s attendance center and continue to transport students city and rural routes over 2.5 miles from their attendance center. There will also be a change in the mileage reimbursement rate from 56 cents per mile to 17.5 cents per mile.
• Workbook/materials fee: The Board of Education approved a workbook/materials fee increase from $100 to $160 per student, for the 2014-15 school year only.
• Activity fee: The Board of Education approved an activity fee increase of $50 per student for sixth through 12th grades, for the 2014-15 school year only. The change would result in an increase in the activity fee for HHS students from $16 to $66 and Hays Middle School students from $12 to $62.
• Kindergarten fee: The Board of Education approved a fee of $150 per kindergarten student; with a reduced fee of $75 per student for families that qualify for reduced lunch and no fee for families that qualify for free lunch under the qualifications set forth by the Federal Free and Reduced Lunch program. The kindergarten fee will be applied until future action by the Board of Education.
Click on the image for a complete breakdown of enrollment fees.
Susan Schlicting – Ellis County Fair 2014
It’s fair time, once again, and if you plan on entering Grandma’s famous pickles, Susan Schlicting tells us to start now.
Bartlett Grain to build elevator near Great Bend
GREAT BEND, Kan. (AP) — Bartlett Grain says it plans to build a grain elevator near Great Bend that will employ more than 10 people year round.
The company, based in Kansas City, Missouri, says construction will start this month off U.S. 56 east of Great Bend. The site is on the Kansas and Oklahoma Railroad.
The Wichita Eagle reports the elevator is designed to hold nearly 3 million bushels and load 110 car shuttle trains.
It is scheduled to be opened for the 2015 wheat harvest.
This will be the company’s 10th elevator in Kansas.
Cousteau ends month-long undersea mission (VIDEO)
ISLAMORADA, Fla. (AP) — After 31 days undersea, Cousteau stepped off a boat wearing flip-flops and a beach towel wrapped around his waist, saying he was torn about leaving his underwater home, but he missed his family and friends.
Cousteau and his team of filmmakers and scientists dove June 1 to Aquarius to study the effects of climate change and pollution on a nearby coral reef.
.
The crew started decompression Tuesday afternoon inside Aquarius Reef Base, 63 feet below the ocean’s surface off Islamorada in the Florida Keys.
Because they’ve spent so much time underwater, Cousteau and his “Mission 31” crew needed to undergo roughly 16 hours of decompression inside the school bus-sized lab so that they could return to the surface without suffering the bends.
They’re returning to the Aquarius command center in Islamorada on Wednesday
Fabien Cousteau comes from a famous family of filmmakers, advocates and ocean explorers, and now he’s added to their legacy of sea stories a 31-day expedition at an underwater laboratory in the Florida Keys. Here are five things to know about Cousteau’s “Mission 31,” which ended Wednesday.
THE AQUANAUTS
Cousteau spent 31 days living and working underwater at Aquarius Reef Base. Filmmakers and researchers from Florida International University, Northeastern University and MIT also joined him for two-week-long stretches during the expedition.
AQUARIUS REEF BASE
The 460-square-foot pressurized lab sits 63 feet below the ocean’s surface in the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary with bunks for six. It’s owned by the federal government and operated by Florida International. It allows its inhabitants to scuba dive for up to nine hours without needing to resurface or undergo decompression.
SCIENTIFIC PURPOSE
Cousteau says living underwater allowed the FIU researchers to do six months’ worth of data gathering in two weeks. The researchers tested new sonar equipment that produces video without additional lighting, studied the relationship between predator fish with their prey and set up experiments on a nearby reef focused on the effects of climate change and pollution on nearby corals and sponges.
FAMILY LEGACY
Cousteau is the grandson of ocean exploration pioneer Jacques Cousteau, who helped develop the advanced diving techniques used at Aquarius. “Mission 31” was conceived as a nod to Conshelf II, a 30-day underwater living experiment in the Red Sea that the elder Cousteau filmed for his Oscar-winning documentary “World Without Sun.”
UNDERWATER PERSPECTIVE
Aquarius isn’t the only unusual vessel Fabien Cousteau has employed to explore and film the oceans. For a 2006 documentary on sharks, he built a shark-shaped submarine that he called Troy, which enabled him to closely observe real sharks without scuba divers or shark cages.
Police: Eleven injured, 2 critical in food truck explosion (VIDEO)
JOSH CORNFIELD, Associated Press
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Police say a propane tank on a food truck exploded in Philadelphia, injuring at least 11 people including a mother and daughter who are in critical condition.
The truck exploded Tuesday outside an auto body shop in the city’s Feltonville neighborhood.
Philadelphia Police Chief Inspector Scott Small says the mother and daughter worked on the truck and suffered substantial burns. Two others also are in the hospital in stable condition and the remaining victims have been treated and released.
Small says surveillance video from businesses near the La Parrillada Chapina food truck shows a huge fireball engulfing the truck and crossing to the other side of the street.
The city’s bomb squad is investigating the explosion.
Larks rally for win over the Dodge City
The Hays Larks scored in all but two innings and pounded out 13 hits in an 8-3 win over the Dodge City A’s Tuesday night at Larks Park in Hays.
Trailing 3-0 in the third inning Ziar Koeiman led off the inning with a homerun. Tyler Lefler and Ty Detmer also added RBIs in the inning to tie the game at three.
The Eagles added one run in each of the next five innings to pick up the win.
Hays reliever David Koll allowed just one hit in two inning of relief for his third win of the season.
Ziar Koeiman was four-for-four with two homeruns and three RBI’s. Derrick Mount finished three-for-four and scored two runs in the win.
The Larks have won five of their last six games and they are now 15-9 overall and 11-9 in the Jayhawk League.
Hays travels to Dodge City Wednesday night for another matchup with the A’s.
Job Opening – Tractor Trailer Delivery Person
Position Title: TRACTOR TRAILER DELIVERY (PERSON)
Supervisor: Delivery Operations Supervisor or Operations Manager
Position Purpose: Tractor Trailer Delivery drivers deliver and unload products at ATD customers, as well as pick-up returns, warranty items, and truck-tire casings. These driving positions within large geographic regions usually require some overnight travel.
The primary and ultimate responsibility of TRACTOR TRAILER DELIVERY (PERSON) is as follows:
1) The Tractor Trailer Delivery person must have the ability to understand, communicate, and follow through with American Tire Distributors’ policies regarding acceptance of returns, warranty items, and truck-tire casings from customers
2) Responsibilities include completion of all paperwork including pre and post trip vehicle inspection forms, Federal Department of Transportation (DOT) regulatory logbooks, mileage reports, and various Company product sales and credit documents.
3) Problem resolution and communication skills are essential to effectively deal with any unanticipated customer related issues and to resolve those issues in a manner that results both ethical and positive customer relations
4) The ATD driving/delivery position incorporates interaction with sales staff, customer service staff, and our customers, as well as to safely operating equipment on the open road
Success Factors/Key Metrics:
- Drivers must safely operate assigned vehicles according to federal traffic laws and regulations
- Drivers will be required to have general knowledge of the assigned route and additional routes within the assigned region (for back-up purposes)
- Drivers must maintain safe working practices in accordance with OSHA regulations and Company policy to minimize risk of injury to others and self.
- Product knowledge is a necessity to ensure unloading of correct product at each customer site, as well as pick-up of items according to documentation
- Drivers must be able to complete Company-standardized paperwork in an accurate and legible manner to ensure credits are posted to accounts on a timely basis
Key Partners (Positions):
- Delivery Operations Supervisor or Operations Manager
- Delivery Staff
- General Manager
- Director of Operations
- Sales Staff
- Customer Service Representatives
Experience(s) that Best Prepares You:
- Education: Minimum 4 years High School or GED
- Required: A current Class “A” CDL and valid in-state license
- 21 Years of Age or older
- Must pass a DOT (Dept. of Transportation) physical and drug screen
- Physically able to handle loading and unloading of all products
- Experience: Prior work experience sufficient to work under general supervision
- Such alternatives to the above qualifications as the company, in its discretion, may find appropriate and acceptable.
Key Competencies:
- Basic reading and legible writing skills
- Good aptitude for math to perform basic calculations in handling sales transactions, including collection, reconciliation and depositing of receivables
- Drivers are required to have knowledge of the delivery area, which includes multiple counties in the states assigned
- Drivers are required to have knowledge of the delivery areas around their assigned routes and be ready to assume other route assignments when needed
- Drivers should enjoy working with people and be able to interact with customers to effectively coordinate customer-transactions, as well as enjoy working with our sales and customer service staff.; Drivers are ATD’s primary connection to the marketplace..
- Think Strategically and Innovatively: Identify and act on ideas which further the Company’s strategic goals and business plan.
- Plan and Execute for Success: Identify and address root causes when solving problems. Work collaboratively with other departments and functional teams to coordinate effective solutions.
- Act Collaboratively: Communicate effectively across teams, functions and departments.
- Communicate Effectively: Communicate clearly and concisely and adjust communication style to improve performance
- Demonstrate Respect: Handle all business matters ethically and in full compliance with American Tire Distributors “Code of Conduct”
- Be Accountable for Results: Assume full responsibility for the consequences of one’s behaviors, decisions and results.
Physical Demands/Work Environment/Travel Requirements:
- Physical demands: While performing the duties of this job, the employee is occasionally required to stand; walk; sit; use hands to finger, handle or feel objects, tools or controls; reach with hands and arms; climb stairs; balance, stoop, kneel, crouch or crawl; talk, hear, taste and/or smell; the employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 150 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by the job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception and the ability to adjust focus.
- Work environment: While performing the duties of this job, the employee is exposed to weather conditions prevalent at the time. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.
This job description in no way states or implies that these are the only duties to be performed by the employee occupying the position. Employees will be required to follow any other job-related instructions and to perform any other job-related duties requested by their supervisor, subject to reasonable accommodations. Nothing in this job description creates a contract of employment in any way for any person. All employees hired by American Tire Distributors, Inc. are employees at will and the Company reserves the right to terminate employees at any time for any reason or no reason at all.
ALL INTERESTED AND QUALIFIED CANDIDATES SHOULD SUBMIT A RESUME TO: [email protected]