TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — The Kansas House gave first-round approval to a plan to overhaul the state’s school funding scheme.
The move to advance the bill passed 64-58.
Republican Rep. Amanda Grosserode from Lenexa carried the bill and said that it is possible some votes could change before the chamber takes final action on the bill Friday. The bill will need 63 votes to pass Friday.
The plan incorporates Brownback’s proposal to give districts “block grants” based on their current aid for the next two school years, until lawmakers draft a new formula. He and other Republicans say the current formula is too complex and directs too much away from classroom learning.
Opponents argued that the Legislature is moving too fast on the bill and its impact on schools is still uncertain.
The Spot Vision Screener by Welch Allyn will soon be used to test the eyes of Hays children before they enter kindergarten.
By BECKY KISER Hays Post
Children’s vision problems, if detected at an early age, are 95 percent correctable. If not treated, vision disorders in children may lead to blindness and may result in development issues.
Young children in Hays will soon benefit from the Kansas Lions Sight Foundation Children’s Vision Screening program. “The goal,” according to Hays Lions Club member Jim Huenergarde, “is to try to get all kids screened before they enter kindergarten.”
The Hays Lions Club, together with Hays First Care Clinic, have purchased a portable $7,800 Spot Vision Screener made by Welch Allyn.
The handheld device looks similar to any other digital camera, with a couple exceptions.
Hays Lions Club member Jim Huenergarde demonstrates the Spot Vision Screener.
“Spot” emits an audible upbeat chirping noise while the lens screen is filled with a miniaturized laser light show. The noise and blue lights work to attract attention toward the camera. The patient may be an infant as young as six months, or an uncooperative child. It takes just one-second for Spot to capture a binocular (both eyes) screening. The patient is a noninvasive three feet from the screener.
The new technology also allows for names and dates of birth to be entered.
The information is sent to a wireless printer for an immediate color printout of a vision screen summary. The information can also be retained on a thumb drive and handed over to an early childhood teacher, for example, who would print out the results later for parents.
If an anomaly is detected, the results will include the statement “Complete Eye Exam Recommended.” “Vision screening does not replace a complete eye examination by an ophthalmologist or optometrist” is printed at the top of each report.
Seven Hays Lions Club members are trained to use the portable device. Huenergarde is training the staff at First Care Clinic this week.
The device can detect vision issues on patients from six months of age through adults.
According to Huenergarde, “the plans are to keep it at First Care Clinic to be used on their patients on a regular basis.
“As we (Hays Lions Club) schedule screenings with preschools, day cares or the school system, we’ll be screening 50 to 200 people at a time,” he said.
Huenergarde demonstrated the Spot Vision Screener at Tuesday’s Lions Club pancake feed fundraiser so supporters could see how their donations are used.
CHAPMAN – Two people were injured in an accident just before 2 p.m. on Thursday in Dickinson County.
The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 1999 Mercury Mountaineer driven by James Wayne Lightfoot, 29, Junction City, was northbound on Oat Road in Chapman.
The driver lost control of the vehicle. It entered the east ditch, struck an embankment and overturned.
Lightfoot and a passenger Rachelle Rose Gloth, Milford, were transported to the hospital in Abilene.
The KHP reported Gloth was not wearing a seat belt.
FHSU Director of University Relations Kent Steward
By KARI BLURTON Hays Post
Fort Hays State University’s Re-Engineering Task Force is presenting recommendations on improving efficiencies at Fort Hays State University from 3:30 to 5 p.m. Thursday at the Memorial Union Ball Room.
In October, FHSU President Mirta Martin charged two task forces to examine operations at the institution. One task force is focusing on academic programs, and the other task force is focusing on overall operations.
According to Director of University Relations Kent Steward, when Martin became president in July she didn’t want to just “come here and start changing things,” but wanted to create a process with “grassroots participation.”
Steward said Thursday’s meeting includes the merged reports from both task forces and is “not an announcement of what will come” but are only recommendations the task force will present.
“The point of (Thursday’s meeting) is to say ‘Here are the kinds of things we found based on previous surveys and what the task force thinks might be good to change’ and then say ‘Now, what do the rest of you think?’ ”
Steward said the next step in the process will involve input and the completion of a comprehensive survey to garner input from university staff and faculty.
Addressing concerns over job instability, Steward said fear of change is understandable. He said reductions are not expected, but some faculty and staff could be assigned new duties or positions.
Steward said re-engineering process should will be complete by June, in time to issue contracts that reflect changes in personnel assignments and duties.
TOPEKA – The Kansas Department of Health and Environment has issued a boil water advisory for the public water supply in the City of Smith Center located in Smith County. KDHE officials issued the advisory because of a loss of pressure. Failure to maintain adequate pressure may result in a loss of chlorine residuals and bacterial contamination.
The advisory took effect Friday and will remain in effect until pressure is restored and all other conditions which place the system at risk of contamination are deemed by KDHE officials to be adequately resolved.
Customers should observe the following precautions until further notice:
• Boil water for one minute prior to drinking or food preparation, or use bottled water.
• Dispose of ice cubes and do not use ice from a household automatic icemaker.
• Disinfect dishes and other food contact surfaces by immersion for at least one minute in clean tap water that contains one teaspoon of unscented household bleach per gallon of water.
• Water used for bathing does not generally need to be boiled. Supervision of children is necessary while bathing so that water is not ingested. Persons with cuts or severe rashes may wish to consult their physicians.
• If your tap water appears dirty, flush the water lines by letting the water run until it clears.
Public water suppliers in Kansas take all measures necessary to notify customers quickly after a system failure. Regardless of whether it’s the supplier or KDHE that announces a boil water advisory, KDHE will issue the rescind order following testing at a certified laboratory.
MANHATTAN –Law enforcement authorities in Riley County have made an arrest in connection with Tuesday’s early morning shooting in Ogden.
According to a Press Release Tierre Wall, 26, of Fort Riley was arrested Thursday after turning himself in shortly after walking into a law enforcement center in McDonough, Georgia.
Wall is suspected in the shooting death of Casey Lindley, 27, of Ogden.
Officers were dispatched to a location outside of Ogden at 2:10 a.m. Tuesday to report of a shooting.
Police found Lindley suffering from a gunshot wound. He was transported to a Topeka hospital where he later died of his injuries.
Wall was arrested on a warrant listing the offense of voluntary manslaughter with a bond of $150,000.
FORT SCOTT, Kan. (AP) — A Kansas manufacturer of water tanks and other products is facing proposed fines of $60,200 for allegedly exposing welders to toxic fumes and other violations endangering workers.
The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration said in a news release Thursday that Niece Products of Kansas received 15 serious safety and health citations.
Those include failure to use respiratory equipment for welders in confined spaces like large tanks at its Fort Scott facility. OSHA says that during an October inspection it also found electrical hazards, improper storage of flammable materials and other safety issues.
Patrick Flanagan, a managing partner at Niece Products, says the company is working closely with OSHA. He says they have every expectation they run a safe company and will continue to do so.
The official deadline to round-up new USD 489 kindergarteners is Friday.
Post-deadline, Katt said staff will begin contacting registered parents in Ellis County to see if their kindergarten-aged children will be attending kindergarten in Hays USD 489 schools.
“At that point, we will see where we are at and whether we need to add an extra session,” Katt said earlier this week at the USD 489 Board of Education meeting, noting the district estimated approxiamtely 250 new kindergarten students for the 2014-15 school year.
According to Katt, the district-wide, one-day Kindergarten Roundup event last week wrangled in 247 new kindergarten students into USD 489, but spaces are still available at a few schools for the 2015-16 school year.
The number is down from the current kindergarten class of 268.
Katt said the one-day roundup hosted at Hays High School will most likely continue next year.
“There are some things we will change. We gathered some good input from the parents,” Katt said.
Last summer, USD 489 enacted a permanent $150 enrollment fee for all-day kindergarten. Katt said he and other teachers and administrators noted they heard little to no complaints about the fee during the roundup.
Contact Rockwell Administration at (785) 625-2300 or visit the USD 489 website for enrollment information.
A town hall meeting is scheduled at Fort Hays State University to discuss the “Re-Engineering” Thursday, March 12 from 3:30 to 5 p.m. in the Memorial Union Ball Room.
According to minutes from a Fort Hays State University Faculty Senate special meeting Oct. 1, 2014, the Re-engineering Task Force was designed to “look at what we do well and consolidate services in order to the meet the needs of our students; both administrative and academic,” in which FHSU President Dr. Mirta Martin asked for “bottom-up information for top-down support.”
According to a handbook published in January and posted online titled “Fort Hays State University, Moving Kansas Forward,” FHSU President Mirta M. Martin “named two re-engineering task forces to examine operations at Fort Hays State. One task force is focusing on the organization and delivery of academic programs, and the other task force is focusing more generally on the overall operations of the University.”
The document also states it “will be necessary to create new positions” and “following an extensive review process, operational changes will be determined in time to issue contracts in June that reflect changes in personnel assignments and duties.”
FHSU’s Director of Budget and Planning Larry Getty chairs the operations task force, and FHSU assistant professor in teacher education Dr. Lorie Cook-Benjamin heads the academic task force.
Robert “Smitty” Smith, age 72, passed away at his home near Ransom, Kansas on March 11, 2015 after a long battle with cancer. He was born on May 28, 1942 in Ransom the son of Wilbur and Lova Pearl (Boone) Smith.
He was a Vietnam Veteran serving as a Sargent in the United States Army. He is a member of both the Arnold and Ransom United Methodist Churches.
He is survived by his dedicated wife of 25 years, Karri; loving son, Cody and his wife Cortney; two granddaughters, McKenna and Mila all of Ransom; step-daughter, Erin Tillitson; step grandchildren, Riley Jayme and Mackenzy all of Hays.
Funeral service will be held on Monday, March 16, 2015 at 10:30 AM at the Ransom United Methodist Church. Interment will be in the Ransom Cemetery for immediate family members only.
Memorial contributions may be given to St. Jude’s Children’s Cancer Research, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38015.
Lucia Bain is Kansas Room librarian at Hays Public Library.
Some say that March “comes in like a lion and goes out like a lamb.”
I don’t know about you, but I’m ready for a little less lion and a little more lamb. I think everyone feels this way, which is odd since we’ve had a fairly mild winter with little snow or ice. However, this has been the worst cold and flu season I can remember. Everyone’s been sick at least once and some families have been sick since the dawn of 2015 (mine). If the end of winter means the end of this perpetual season for sickness, then I say bring on spring.
What better way to celebrate the end of winter than with music? On Sunday, March 15 at 2 PM the library will be hosting the City of McPherson Bagpipe Band. This extremely popular annual concert ushers in the new season of spring with traditional Celtic music played by an ensemble of bagpipes and drums. The players also take time to explain the traditional attire and accessories worn by bagpipers. Fun for the whole family, this concert is free, but you better come early if you want a good seat. Usually it’s standing room only by 2 PM!
Last month’s inaugural meeting of the Genealogy Group was very well attended! We’ll be having regular meetings on the third Saturday of each month. This month our meeting will be held on the 21st at 10 AM in the gallery. To be part of the group, you needn’t come to every meeting or have tons of experience with genealogy research. The meetings are open to everyone with all levels of experience. The group is focused on answering each other’s questions about genealogy research by learning from each other and using the group’s collective brain. Please consider attending the genealogy group if you have questions, reservations or an interest your family history.
One thing I miss about Missouri are the Lenten fish-fries on Fridays. Almost every Catholic and Lutheran parish has one. My home-parish has a catfish fry every Friday during Lent and sometimes I’m tempted to drive the eight hours to Missouri just for the fish. For whatever reasons, fish fries in western Kansas are few and far between. So this month, I’ll be borrowing a recipe from the Volga Germans for “fish medallions.” These fried fish cakes make a delicious, meat-free meal for Lenten observers or fish lovers. I’ll be teaching a cooking class on fish medallions on Friday, March 27th at 5 PM. You’ll be able to make and enjoy your own fish for dinner! Registration is required, so please call 625-9014 or email [email protected] to reserve your spot.
Here’s hoping that March and the beginning of spring usher in a new season of health and happiness for all Hays families.
The Kansas Room is located in the basement of the Hays Public Library and is open from 9 AM to 4 PM Tuesday through Saturday, and by request.
Lucia Bain is Kansas Room librarian at the Hays Public Library.
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas officials say a second state waterway deserves a federal designation that is aimed at encouraging recreation.
The Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks said in a news release Thursday that it wants the Great Bend to Oklahoma border stretch of the Arkansas River added to the National Water Trails system. The Kansas River received the designation in 2012. It encourages state, local and federal governments to work together to increase water recreation, promote tourism and help local economies.
Department Secretary Robin Jennison said in a written statement that the designation would “help draw tourists.” He said the Kansas and Arkansas river “offer some really great opportunities to get outdoors and enjoy parts of the state that are often overlooked.”
WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — Authorities say two people are dead and two others are hurt after a Sedgwick County crash.
The Wichita Eagle reports that the crash happened early Wednesday afternoon when a car went off a road and struck a utility pole on the passenger side. The Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office says the victims were 17-year-old Derrick Burnett and 15-year-old Dontrez J. Williams. The 19-year-old driver and a 20-year-old passenger were taken to area hospitals.
Lt. Lin Dehning says investigators think speed played a role in the crash.
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WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — Authorities say two people are dead and two others are hurt after a Sedgwick County crash.
The Wichita Eagle reports that the crash happened early Wednesday afternoon when a car went off a road and struck a utility pole on the passenger side. Sedgwick County sheriff’s Lt. Lin Dehning says the victims were 17- and 15-year-old passengers. The 19-year-old driver and a 20-year-old passenger were taken to area hospitals.
Dehning says investigators have talked to several witnesses. But authorities continue asking anyone who may have seen the crash to call 911.
