By KARI BLURTON
Hays Post

A performance of the national anthem by Hays High School’s Full Chord Press will open Monday’s Hays USD 489 school board evening.

A new portion of the agenda, “School Spotlights,” will showcase the district successes and initiatives such as last week’s Kindness Day at O’Loughlin Elementary in honor of National Bullying Prevention month.

The board will also honor the first student and first staff member to receive a “Best of the Best Award.”

At a September work session, board President James Leiker said the awards are intended to recognize the accomplishments of one student and one staff member each month of the school year — “those who are not always given the attention they deserve.”

Financial representatives from Piper Jaffray and architects from HTK Architects are also scheduled to update a proposed $100 million in building improvements recommended by the district’s Facility Needs Committee. The upgrades were recommended after a two-year study by the 10-member team of community members.

The FNC report to update the district’s safety, security and space issues are listed HERE.

A full agenda for Monday’s meeting is listed HERE.

The meeting begins at 6:30 p.m. at the Toepfer Board Room in Rockwell Administration Center, 323 W. 12th.

The meeting is scheduled to be broadcast live on Eagle Community Television Channel 13.

 

By NICK BUDD
Hays Post

Republican incumbent Sen. Pat Roberts is putting it plain and simple to voters.

“The choice is pretty simple folks: A vote for Pat Roberts is a vote for a majority in the Senate for the Republican Party,” Roberts said to a crowd of approximately 100 people on Saturday morning. “We will then have the responsibility and obligation to govern on your behalf, and we will be able to operate it like it did for 225 years before Harry Reid took over.”

Roberts visit to Hays on Saturday was his sixth and final stop in his Big First District bus tour as his campaign for re-election enters the final week. Roberts is caught up in a close race with Greg Orman, a newcomer to the political spectrum. Roberts contended Orman’s independent tag is misleading voters.

“(Greg Orman) is not shooting straight with Kansans.” Roberts said. “He ran against me in 2008 as a Democrat and he has given thousands of dollars to Democrats and Hillary Clintons so we know where he is headed in that direction. “ Roberts said.  “He has also given money to Barack Obama and Harry Reid.”

Robert’s criticism of Majority Leader Reid has been one of his main themes throughout his campaign. He said if the Republicans get the Senate back, they can start getting things done again.

“With Harry Reid, he will not accept any Republican amendments,” Roberts said. “There have been over 350 bills that have been passed in the House, and some of them have been very good bills, including some that repeal and replace Obamacare, protect the life of the unborn and the life of all of us when we are about to meet our Lord.”

Roberts also that he disagrees with Orman on “almost every single issue in this election.”

“With abortion, he says ‘ya know we ought to just get past this,’ ” Roberts said. “He’s also for Obamacare. I want to repeal it and replace before we lose all of our doctors and rural health care.”

Roberts said the biggest issue in this election coming up is national security. With the threat of ISIS looming over America along with several attempted White House break-ins, he said he has fought hard to keep the issue at the top of his priority list.

“(National security) is our first obligation,” Roberts said. “When you raise your hand to take the oath, which I’m very proud to do as the senior Marine in the Senate, you say I will protect our individual freedoms, we will do what needs to be done with national security.

“The president of the United States has an obligation to come to the Congress and ask for authorization, to say we are at war with ISIS. We’re bombing another country.”

Roberts also talked about how he prevented Obama from sending prisoners from Guantamano Bay to Fort Leavenworth in Kansas. He said Obama is now trying to do the same thing by executive order. Roberts said he will “shut down the Senate” if that happens.

A recent NBC poll has Orman leading Roberts 45 percent to 44 percent. The general election is set for Nov. 4.

Hays Med

Hays Medical Center’s Cardiovascular-Stroke Team has received the 2014 Leadership in Hospital Setting Award from the Kansas Healthcare Collaborative, a partnership of the Kansas Hospital Association and the Kansas Medical Society.

The awards honor patient safety champions across Kansas. Hospitals and medical professionals throughout the state are invited annually to nominate recipients.

The team was recognized for improving patient outcomes in the areas of heart attack and stroke. Through their efforts, they have significantly reduced the amount of time from a patient entering Hays Medical Center with Chest Pain to the cardiologist opening the blocked vessel in the Cardiovascular Lab.

They have also decreased the amount of time from presentation with Stroke symptoms to receiving a clot busting drug, if indicated. Both of these achievements improve the outcome for the patient and reduce mortality.

The award was presented on Oct. 17 at the sixth annual Summit on Quality meeting held in Wichita.

Hays Post is giving away three pairs of tickets to the upcoming Sebelius Lecture Series.

The guest lecturer will be Jay Carney, former White House press secretary in the Obama administration.

The event is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. Nov. 3 at Beach/Schmidt Performing Arts Center on the campus of Fort Hays State University.

To register for the free tickets, email your name, along with daytime or cellphone number, to [email protected] no later than noon Tuesday. Winners will be contacted Wednesday.