Holly Dickman is Ellis County Horticulture Extension Agent.
Fall is an excellent time to plant trees. However, to have success, the right tree must be planted in the right place, the right way.
Holly Dickman, Ellis County Horticulture Extension Agent, is offering an informational program for those interested in learning more about trees suited for this area of the state. This program will be at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 23, in the Ellis County Meeting Room at 601 Main.
Participants will learn about recommended trees for northwest Kansas as well as planting tips and best management strategies to help ensure a healthy tree for years to come. Trees to avoid planting in northwest Kansas will also be discussed.
This program is free to the public, but it is requested that those interested in attending pre-register with the Ellis County Extension Office at (785)628-9430, no later than Monday, Sept. 22.
The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The second best time is now.
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — The head of a school efficiency task force is recommending several changes, including incentives for Kansas school districts to consolidate and potential restrictions on teacher bargaining rights.
The Topeka Capital-Journal reports Wichita businessman Sam Williams mailed his recommendations to the members of the task force last week.
The panel’s vice chairman, Jim Hinson, superintendent of Shawnee Mission district, said the recommendations are only a draft and the entire commission has not considered them. He says he personally has questions on several of the proposals.
Hinson said commission members will discuss the draft at meetings later this week.
That commission must submit a report to the Legislature by Jan. 9.
TailGreat returns to Lewis Field Stadium this Saturday — and time is running out to get a spot reserved.
The annual Hays Area Chamber of Commerce fundraising event was created to help draw more community support to Fort Hays State football games while establishing an event where the community can get together and have fun.
Tammy Wellbrock, Hays Chamber of Commerce Executive Director
Chamber Executive Director Tammy Wellbrock said the event has turned into an opportunity to celebrate the relationship between FHSU and the city of Hays.
“We have people that every year this is the event they come back for and we have those people who are just avid tailgaters,” she said. “It’s interesting to see this collection of different collection of backgrounds and different people.”
There are a limited number of spots offered for $15, and Wellbrock said every year is close to a sellout — and this year is no different.
Earlier in the week, Wellbrock said they had fewer than 30 spots available. Approximately 130 spots are available, with some additional space for overflow.
To reserve a TailGreat spot, contact the chamber at the Welcome Center, 2700 Vine, or (785) 628-8201.
For the first time this year, the chamber and the FHSU Athletic Department are partnering with Big Brothers and Big Sisters of Ellis County to allow people to donate a ticket to a Big or Little.
Wellbrock said if a ticket is donated for a Big, FHSU will donate a children’s ticket for their Little.
“It’s a great opportunity for that bonding event opportunity for those Bigs and Littles,” Wellbrock said.
FHSU hosts Lindenwood University at 7 p.m. Saturday at Lewis Field Stadium.
FLINT, Mich. (AP) — Police in Flint, Michigan, say a woman gave birth after she and her family captured a purse snatcher in a grocery store parking lot.
The Flint Police Department says the woman was putting groceries in her car Tuesday on the city’s east side when an unarmed man grabbed her purse. Police say she ran after him, and he pushed her down.
The Flint Journal reports two bystanders stopped the man and retrieved the woman’s purse. The man tried to keep running but the woman’s family held him until police arrived.
They arrested 30-year-old Mark Newton. He was arraigned on one count of unarmed robbery and ordered held on $8,000 bond. It wasn’t immediately available if he has an attorney.
Kansas Medical PAC election spending- click to enlarge
By Andy Marso
KHI News Service
TOPEKA — Political action committees for medically related groups in Kansas tended to throw their money behind incumbent House members before this year’s primary — even if those members did not support all of the groups’ political initiatives.
Fifteen medically related PACs raised about $253,000 and spent about $125,000 this year in the reporting period that ended July 24. Updated reports are due to the Kansas Governmental Ethics Commission on Oct. 23, before the upcoming general election.
Seven of the smaller medical PACs spent less than $1,000 and didn’t get into any direct support of candidates. Their spending was mostly on administrative matters, like registering with the ethics commission.
The other eight doled out donations of up to $500 for House candidates and $1,000 for those running for statewide offices.
The Kansas Hospital Association PAC spending of about $21,500 included donations to almost 40 House members, including several who are strong opponents of the association’s effort to expand Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act.
“There’s a number of different topics and legislative issues in determining those individuals who support hospitals,” said Chad Austin, the association’s vice president of government relations. “Medicaid expansion, or KanCare expansion, is just one of those topics we look at.”
Austin said the group also took a great interest in Senate Bill 311, which gradually raises the cap on non-economic damages for medical malpractice from $250,000 to $350,000. The hospital association and several other medical groups supported the bill, under the assumption that the modest increase would keep the cap in place by satisfying the Kansas Supreme Court’s concerns about the cap remaining static for decades.
The bill had broad support in the House, passing 120-4.
Austin also said Attorney General Derek Schmidt’s work on that bill was part of what spurred the association to give $1,000 to the Republican’s re-election effort.
“We’ve had some other intersections with the AG’s office in the past as well,” Austin said.
Jerry Slaughter, executive director of the Kansas Medical Society, said preserving the non-economic damages cap has been “probably our largest issue” lately.
The medical society delved into dozens of House races by donating to incumbents this year but did not donate to Schmidt or anyone else running for statewide office. Slaughter said the society has a policy of avoiding statewide races financially.
“We encourage physicians to get involved in those races, but we do not provide support for statewide office candidates from our PAC,” Slaughter said.
Slaughter said that policy extends to the Kansas insurance commissioner, who leads the state agency that regulates health insurance.
The medical society PAC, pumped up by donations from doctors across Kansas, is the state’s most well-funded medical PAC, with about $167,000 in cash on hand at the end of July after spending about $47,000 during the primary season.
It’s a substantial amount, but nothing compared to the Kansas National Education Association teachers’ union PAC, which was sitting on $610,000 at the end of July.
Bob Beatty, a professor of political science at Washburn University, said the strategy by the 15 medical PACs of donating to House candidates rather than competing for broadcast air space in hotly contested statewide races was sound.
“These statewide races, they are sucking up a lot of money and attention, so in politics when you have resources like these PAC groups have, you want to see where you can make a difference,” Beatty said. “This year, it sure looks like it would be the Legislature.”
The Physician Hospitals of Kansas PAC also stuck mostly with donations to House incumbents but notably strayed from that philosophy in two races. The group supported Lonnie Clark in his bid to unseat Allan Rothlisberg in the 65th District Republican primary and Fred Patton in his bid to unseat Josh Powell in the 50th District Republican primary.
Patrick Vogelsberg, a lobbyist for the Physician Hospitals of Kansas, said the group generally has an incumbent-friendly policy but it “shouldn’t take control in all situations.”
“Any time we deal with an incumbent, it’s a fairly strong consideration to get involved and support a challenger,” he said. “But in these situations we felt alright about it.”
Vogelsberg said the group spent time vetting the candidates and was looking for “a candidate who is at least open to our issues” and does “not just summarily dismiss whatever our arguments may be.”
But the group also is looking for candidates who can win.
With about $40,000 in cash on hand, Vogelsberg said the Physician Hospitals PAC had to be “very precise” in its donations, and the decision to support Clark and Patton was vindicated only after the two prevailed in their primaries.
“Any time you’re trying to make recommendations on how clients should contribute, you definitely want to pick who’s going to be the winner in the end,” Vogelsberg said. “You don’t want to throw good money behind a bad candidate just because that candidate is favorable to you. In those situations we tried to pick who was the strongest candidate.”
Fort Hays State football coach Chris Brown and selected players met with the media Tuesday during their weekly football news conference to discuss the Tigers game with Lindenwood on Saturday.
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — One swing by Conor Gillaspie ended long shutout streaks for Kelvin Herrera and Wade Davis.
Both relievers gave up runs for the first time in nearly three months as the Kansas City Royals’ dominant bullpen was touched up Tuesday night in a 7-5 loss to the Chicago White Sox.
Davis replaced Herrera with two on in the seventh inning and walked Jose Abreu to load the bases for Gillaspie, who cleared them with a triple to right-center on a 2-2 pitch to give Chicago a 7-5 lead.
That ended Herrera’s scoreless streak at 30 2-3 innings, dating to June 24. Also snapped was Davis’ shutout streak of 31 2-3 innings, a club record for a reliever, with the first run charged to him since June 25.
“I felt comfortable and confident the whole time,” Davis said. “I just didn’t make the pitches I needed to make to keep the game where it was, and it ended up costing us some runs.
“We’ve thrown well as of late, but tonight we didn’t get the job done and it was unfortunate.”
Eric Hosmer is thrown out at the plate in the 2nd inning Tuesday vs. Chicago White Sox. (Photo: Chris Vleisides)
The rare bullpen failure prevented Kansas City from gaining ground on AL Central leader Detroit, which lost at Minnesota. The Royals remained 1 1/2 games behind the Tigers, but still lead Seattle for the second wild-card spot.
“Guys make mistakes,” Gillaspie said. “You have to be able to take advantage. Truthfully, I don’t wish having to face them on anybody. They are the best relievers in baseball. I honestly feel that their stuff is nasty, the whole staff and a filthy bullpen. I got a big hit and helped us win a game. When you are facing guys like this, if you take a pitch off, you’re out. If you’re not in focus every single pitch you might as well walk back to the dugout.”
Kansas City used nine pitchers, a club record for a nine-inning game, in a contest that lasted 4 hours, 16 minutes — the longest nine-inning game in Royals history.
Nori Aoki had his second straight four-hit game, including a sixth-inning single that put the Royals up 5-4, but this time the bullpen couldn’t hold it.
Adam Eaton had four hits, matching his career high, and scored two runs for Chicago.
“That doesn’t happen very often,” Eaton said about beating the Royals’ bullpen.
Kansas City manager Ned Yost went to his bullpen early when starter Liam Hendriks was pulled after three-plus innings. He gave up four runs on seven hits and a walk.
“I’m very disappointed in the way I pitched,” Hendriks said.
In his past three outings, Hendriks has allowed 11 runs and 18 hits in 9 1-3 innings.
White Sox rookie right-hander Chris Bassitt also failed to make it out of the fourth. He threw 94 pitches in 3 2-3 innings, allowing three runs on six hits and four walks.
Eric Surkamp (2-0) got the win, and Zach Putnam worked a perfect ninth for his fifth save.
RARE WALK
Royals catcher Salvador Perez walked in the second inning, his first free pass since Aug. 12. He went 122 plate appearances without a walk.
TRAINER’S ROOM
White Sox: DH-1B Paul Konerko, who has not played since breaking his left hand on Sept. 2, took extended batting practice. “When he’s fit to play, he’ll get some time,” manager Robin Ventura said. “I don’t necessarily want him going out there not having swung a bat in two weeks. He’ll get an at-bat here or there to acclimate him.”
Royals: LHP Danny Duffy, who skipped two starts because of a sore shoulder, threw a four-inning simulated game. “There’s nothing wrong,” Duffy said. “I felt stronger than I did for about the past month.” He is slated to start Monday in Cleveland.
UP NEXT
White Sox: LHP Chris Sale, an AL Cy Young Award contender, starts the series finale. He has trouble with Royals DH Billy Butler, who has a .359 career average against him with three home runs, two doubles and 10 RBIs in 39 at-bats.
Royals: RHP Yordano Ventura has nine made consecutive quality starts, a club record for rookies.
LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — The University of Kansas has joined a national effort to help students from low-income families graduate.
The university announced Tuesday that it and 10 other schools have formed the University Innovation Alliance. The group will work to find ways to help low-income and first-generation college students.
The alliance says studies show students from wealthy families are seven times more likely to graduate from college than low-income students.
Other members of the group include Arizona State, Georgia State, Iowa State, Michigan State, Oregon State, Purdue, Ohio State, University of California-Riverside, Central Florida and University of Texas-Austin.
The alliance has raised $5.7 million from major private funders.
WASHINGTON, D.C.– Today at the weekly press conference with Republican leaders, Congresswoman Lynn Jenkins (KS-02) highlighted the House’s relentless legislative efforts to create jobs and kick-start the economy and urged the President and the Senate to act on the House-passed jobs bills.
“In the last year and a half, this House has had a relentless legislative focus on jobs and the economy.
“Last week, we passed even more jobs bills bringing the total to over 40 bills that we have passed to improve job growth that remain stuck in the Senate. Meanwhile in the Senate, zero jobs bills passed.
“At a time when folks are struggling to find work, wages are stagnant, and everything costs more. The American people deserve a government that works. The President and the Senate are banking on inaction and blame carrying the day. The House is moving forward, but we need willing negotiating partners.
“Our sensible, bipartisan legislation deserves to become law, but we can’t do it alone. This week we will continue our work and send the Senate more legislation focused on jobs, creating a healthier economy, and making life more affordable.”
HUTCHINSON, Kan. (AP) — Reno County is taking early steps to develop a comprehensive route for bicycle riders in the county.
The first step came Tuesday, when county commissioners agreed to install four bike-route advisory signs on Old Kansas 61. That reversed a vote last week, when commissioners voted against the signs.
The Hutchinson News reports the approval came after bicycling supporters agreed to pay the estimated $690 cost of installing the signs.
Commission Chairman James Schlickau recommended that the county form a group of interested people to discuss and propose a comprehensive bike route for the county.
Commissioners also were told that a committee with members from Hutchinson, South Hutchinson, Haven, Colwich and Wichita is working to develop a bicycle route from Hutchinson to Wichita, though the plan is “in its infancy.”
Fort Hays State pushed nationally-ranked Nebraska-Kearney to the brink, but couldn’t pull off the upset as the Tigers fell, 3-2 (11-25, 25-23, 20-25, 25-15, 12-15), to No. 4 UNK. The Tigers (5-4, 0-1 MIAA) forced a fifth set with the Lopers for the first time since 2003, when FHSU last defeated UNK.
Rebekah Spainhour and Mallory Flagor had 11 kills apiece to lead the team, followed by Taylor Mares‘ 10 kills. Callie Christensen, a true freshman, played heavily in the match and had nine kills and six blocks (a team-high). Mares added five blocks as well.
Libby Ary had 28 assists to lead the squad, sharing the rotation with Kristin Conor, who had 19 assists. Defensively, FHSU had three players with double-digit digs, led by libero Keanu Bradley‘s 19. Kelsey Broadwell played well as a reserve, digging up 15 attacks, while Sara Hewson had 12 digs. FHSU struggled in the opening frame against a Loper attack that hit .500, digging up just eight attacks and hitting .032 as a team. Trailing 7-3 early in the first, a called timeout helped the Tigers start a 4-2 run to climb back within three (9-6). From there, however, UNK strung together nine unanswered points, pushing the lead to 12 (18-6), and never looked back. The Tigers broke the run with two quick points of their own, but couldn’t recover as the Lopers took the set, 25-11. Down 1-0 in the match, Fort Hays State rebounded in the second set to tie the match, using a negative hitting percentage by the Lopers (-.050). Early in the set, with FHSU trailing 5-4, both teams traded three-point bursts before a 6-1 run by the Tigers (including a streak of four unanswered) pushed the visitor’s lead to four (13-9). Fort Hays State held a lead for much of the second set, though a 5-0 run by UNK midway through the second gave the Lopers a brief 19-18 lead. FHSU answered to break the run, though back and forth play took it to 21-all, and 23-all. The Tigers wouldn’t yield, however, and scored two quick points, taking the set on Callie Christensen‘s third kill of the evening, 25-23. Out of the intermission, Fort Hays State hung tough with the nationally-ranked squad, but were unable to take the set. Tied at 3-all, a kill from Rebekah Spainhour and a Loper attack error gave FHSU a 5-3 lead, but UNK responded to tie it at 6-all and take the lead for good, though the Tigers stayed within striking distance throughout. Behind 16-13, the Tigers allowed fell behind five (18-13) before stalling the momentum and answering with three points of their own – two of which came on a block assist and kill from Christensen. It was all Tigers in the fourth, capitalizing on a .306 hitting percentage, 13 kills and an 86 percent side-out percentage to roll to a 25-15 set victory. Tied 6-6 early on, the Tigers broke out on a 7-3 run to take a 13-9 lead on a kill from Flagor, forcing a UNK timeout. Though the Lopers answered with a point after the pause, FHSU started a 5-0 run to jump ahead eight points and take control for good. The Tigers’ largest lead of the night, 10, came at 24-14 and set point, 25-15. For the fifth and decisive set, Fort Hays State battled tough but couldn’t pull out the road victory. Down 8-6 at the switch, FHSU gave up one more point before rebounding with a two-point run, pulling back within one on a block assist from Christensen and Taylor Mares. Facing match point, 14-10, FHSU rallied to 14-12 with kills from Flagor and Wade, but couldn’t complete the upset as they fell, 15-12. Fort Hays State returns to Gross Memorial Coliseum for its home opener on Friday (Sept. 19) against Missouri Southern at 6 p.m.
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The port of Kansas City’s barge-shipping terminal will reopen after being closed since 2007.
The Port Authority of Kansas City said Tuesday it is partnering with Kaw Valley Companies of Kansas City, Kansas, to operate the Woodswether Terminal. It will initially employ five to seven people.
Port Authority vice president Marissa Cleaver Wamble says the partners hope to have the terminal open for barge traffic before this year’s shipping season ends in early December.
The Kansas City Star reports the city-owned terminal can store about 750,000 tons. It closed seven years ago because low water levels on the Missouri River reduced barge traffic.
Wamble says about $6 million in upgrades is needed to also reopen the port to rail traffic.
