October 2014 – Page 49 – Hays Post Archive

Salina Tech works to start trucking institute

Posted on October 19, 2014

SALINA, Kan. (AP) — The Salina Area Technical College is working to start a professional trucking program because demand for drivers is strong.

The Salina Journal reports that the program was discussed last week during a meeting with needy employers.

Vice president of instruction Pedro Leite says the technical school is looking for seed money. The hope is have the program up and running by next spring.

Fort Scott Community College in southeast Kansas offers the only truck driving school in Kansas that’s affiliated with the Board of Regents.

Salina Tech will be the second, and much of the necessary equipment has been donated by local industry players. Great Plains Trucking and Apac-Kansas Shears Division have each supplied a truck. Apac and Schwan’s Global Supply added trailers.

Four hospitalized after trucks collide in Trego County

Posted on October 19, 2014October 19, 2014

COLLYER — Four people were injured in an accident just before 9:30 a.m. Sunday in Trego County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 1998 GMC pickup driven by Gerald Francis Riedel, 50, WaKeeney, was northbound on 120th Avenue three miles northwest of Collyer.

At the uncontrolled intersection Road F, the GMC vehicle struck a westbound 2014 Ford pickup driven by Owen Joseph Johnson, 25, WaKeeney.

The Ford rolled and came to rest on the driver’s side in the west ditch on 120th Avenue.

Passengers in the GMC Colton Riedel, 12, and Taylor Riedel, 14, both of WaKeeney were airlifted from the scene to Wesley Medical Center.

Riedel and Johnson were transported to Gove County Medical Center.

The KHP reported the driver and passengers in the GMC were not wearing seat belts.

New KU addition inspires architects-in-training

Posted on October 19, 2014

Forum at Marvin Hall - photo courtesy University of Kansas — Forum at Marvin Hall – photo courtesy University of Kansas

LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — An auditorium that was designed by architects-in-training at the University of Kansas has opened on the Lawrence campus.

The Lawrence Journal-World reports that the first lecture was conducted Friday at the Forum at Marvin Hall. The School of Architecture, Design and Planning is housed inside the hall, which previously didn’t have an auditorium. Lecture classes took place across the campus.

The privately funded addition was a project of Studio 804, a not-for-profit corporation and a design/build class.

The auditorium features exterior walls that are made of glass, with a naturally ventilated facade using cedar louvers. The addition’s new roof is supported by timber-frame trusses, as is used in the original building. At the back of the room is a green wall of live plants.

Top Republicans make gay marriage issue in Kansas

Posted on October 19, 2014

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Republican Sen. Pat Roberts and Gov. Sam Brownback are raising gay marriage as an issue to help paint their challengers as too liberal for GOP-leaning Kansas in the final weeks of tough re-election races.

Both publicly declared their continued support for the state constitution’s gay-marriage ban after U.S. Supreme Court decisions earlier this month suggested it isn’t likely to withstand a legal challenge.

Roberts’ campaign sent a mailing last week to 300,000 voters, criticizing independent candidate Greg Orman.

Orman has said government should not prohibit same-sex couples from getting married.

Brownback raised the issue without prompting last week during an interview with The Associated Press about his race with Democratic challenger Paul Davis.

Davis voted as a legislator against proposals to add the gay-marriage ban to the state constitution.

Another year, another small Social Security bump

Posted on October 19, 2014

STEPHEN OHLEMACHER, Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — For the third straight year, millions of older Americans who rely on government benefits can expect historically small pay increases come January.

Preliminary figures suggest the annual cost-of-living adjustment for Social Security recipients, disabled veterans and federal retirees will be less than 2 percent.

That translates to a raise of about $20 a month for the typical Social Security beneficiary.

The government is scheduled to announce the increase Wednesday, when it releases the latest measure of consumer prices.

By law, the increase is based on inflation, which is well below historical averages so far this year.

More than 70 million people receive benefits affected by the annual increase.

The average monthly Social Security payment is a little less than $1,200 a month.

Iris D. Schmalzried

Posted on October 19, 2014

Funeral services for lifelong Wallace County, Kansas, resident Iris D. Schmalzried, 86, will be held
Wednesday, October 22, 10:30 AM MT at United Methodist Church, Sharon Springs, Kansas.
Burial will be at Sharon Springs Cemetery.

Visitation is Tuesday from 5 to 7 p.m. MT. at Koons Funeral Home, Sharon Springs.

Memorials to Wallace County Community Care Center may be left at the service or mailed to Koons Funeral Home, 211 N. Main, Goodland, KS 67735-1555.

Online condolences: www.koonsfuneralhome.com

Leonard A. Stoecklein

Posted on October 19, 2014October 19, 2014

Leonard A. Stoecklein, age 80, passed away Saturday, October 18, 2014, at the Ness County Hospital.

Funeral services are pending at Fitzgerald Funeral Home, Ness City.

Missouri, Kansas dealing with fewer deer

Posted on October 19, 2014October 19, 2014

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Missouri wildlife officials and deer hunters agree on one thing — something has to be done to reverse a continuing drop in deer population in the state.

The Department of Conservation reports Missouri hunters took 251,924 whitetail deer during last hunting season, the lowest total in a decade. In response, the state said hunters in some counties could take only one deer, rather than an unlimited number, during firearms season in the spring.

The Kansas City Star reports more restrictions are being considered.

Missouri officials blame the drop on an outbreak of hemorrhagic disease and hunting regulations that allowed hunters to take an unlimited number of does in many counties.

Kansas is dealing with a declining population also but the numbers aren’t down as sharply as Missouri’s.

489 board to prepare questions for architects on $100M upgrade

Posted on October 19, 2014

By KARI BLURTON
Hays Post

Monday’s USD 489 Board of Education work session includes continued discussion on the Facility Needs Committee’s $100 million in recommendations to improve districts buildings, funded with a proposed bond election in November 2015.

The board will develop questions for the Oct. 27 board meeting during which representatives from HTK Architects and a financial adviser from Piper-Jaffray are scheduled to attend and “walk us through some of the questions that we had asked,” said Superintendent Dean Katt.

The board will ask how a three year phase-in of the proposed projects would work and look like financially.

Also on the agenda is a finance report, technology review and updated enrollment data collected Sept. 22.

The work session will take place in the gym of Lincoln Elementary, 906 Ash St, and begin with a tour of the school at 6 p.m. Monday.

In September, the board decided to rotate work sessions within the district’s schools in hopes parents and community members would feel more comfortable coming to the untelevised and public meetings.

A full agenda can be found on the USD 489 website HERE.

Smoky Hills Public Television will rebroadcast candidate debates

Posted on October 19, 2014October 17, 2014

BUNKER HILL – Learn more about the candidates vying for state elections through Smoky Hills Public Television’s “Kansas Candidates” program.

With the Nov. 4 election approaching, SHPTV held several candidate forums for the offices of Kansas governor, U.S. Senate, and the 111th and 112th Kansas House districts.

Beginning at 11:30 a.m. Nov. 2, SHPTV will show all of the debates again and include the secretary of state debate, produced by KTWU in Topeka.

SHPTV can be seen on Eagle Cable channels 9 and 609 (high-definition).

Hays Post feature will begin ‘Exploring Kansas Outdoors’

Posted on October 19, 2014October 19, 2014

Hays Post is excited to announce a new feature geared toward outdoorsmen.

Steve Gilliland’s “Exploring Kansas Outdoors” is a weekly feature focusing on everything from traditional hunting and trapping to falconry and frog hunting.

Gilliland, who resides in Inman, is published in several Kansas newspapers — and HaysPost.com will be his first online-only venture.

“When possible, “Exploring Kansas Outdoors” takes the reader along with my wife Joyce and I and shares our successes and misadventures as we catch catfish from a farm pond, watch turkeys strut in a meadow glistening with morning dew or marvel at a flaming orange Kansas sunset,” Gilliland said.

“Exploring Kansas Outdoors” will run weekly in the Editor’s Choice/Opinion area of Hays Post and is brought to readers exclusively by Whitetail Properties agent Adam Hann.

Have an idea for a new feature on Hays Post? We’re listening! Email your ideas to [email protected].

Sunny and warmer Sunday

Posted on October 19, 2014

A beautiful fall day is in store for the area today. Above normal temperatures are forecast, with highs in the lower to mid 70s this afternoon under mostly clear skies.

Above normal temperatures should continue for at least the next 7 days. A weak cold front will move through Wednesday morning bringing a chance of precipitation Wednesday afternoon through Thursday morning.

Today: Mostly sunny, with a high near 75. South wind 7 to 16 mph.

Tonight: Mostly clear, with a low around 48. South wind 5 to 8 mph becoming calm in the evening.

Monday: Sunny, with a high near 73. North northwest wind around 7 mph becoming east in the afternoon.

Monday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 45. South southeast wind around 6 mph.

Tuesday: Sunny, with a high near 74. South southeast wind 5 to 14 mph.

TMP junior, math teacher honored by Kansas Next Step

Posted on October 19, 2014October 17, 2014

October 2014 next step — Drees and Schoepf

The Board of Directors of Kansas Next Step Inc. have announced the Star Student and Teacher of the Month for October.

This month’s Student of the Month is John Drees, a junior at TMP-Marian. John has been active in Student Council, debate, forensics, band, choir, golf and Boy Scouts. He has been described by his teachers as intelligent, approachable, and compassionate. He is also credited as being “an impressive young man. Virtually unflappable, he strives to see everything in a positive light and doesn’t let challenges get him down.”

The October Star Teacher of the Month is Melissa Schoepf, high school math instructor and Chair of the Math Department at TMP-Marian. In addition to her responsibilities in the classroom and her work as a mentor to new department staff, Schoepf participates on the Academic Council, serves on the School Improvement Committee, and acts as head coach for the TMP-Marian softball team.

Drees and Schoepf will each receive a monetary prize along with a certificate of recognition.

Anyone interested in nominating an outstanding student or teacher may do so by utilizing the applications found on www.kansasnextstep.org. Separate student awards are available for students in grades K-8 and 9-12.

Kansas Next Step is a nonprofit organization dedicated to connecting and facilitating the exploration of unique and exciting educational opportunities for motivated learners.