March 2015 – Page 69 – Hays Post Archive

Kansas farm experts plan webinar on crop insurance

Posted on March 10, 2015March 10, 2015

WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas State University is offering an hour-long webinar to help farmers and others make decisions on crop insurance as the signup deadline at the end of March nears.

The university’s Department of Agricultural Economics hour-long webinar at 11 a.m. Wednesday by crop insurance experts Art Barnaby and Mykel Taylor. It will cover topics like changes in rules that may impact farms, new county data, and other resources to estimate payments and prices.

The link to register for the $25 webinar is https://commerce.cashnet.com/KSUAGECON

Pittsburg gets EPA grant for new downtown area

Posted on March 9, 2015March 9, 2015

LENEXA–Pittsburg has been chosen to receive funding from EPA’s Brownfields Grant Program to conduct area-wide planning in support of community redevelopment efforts aimed at the revitalization of properties that may be contaminated by hazardous substances or pollutants, EPA officials announced today.

The two grants in EPA Region 7 – $200,000 to Dubuque, Iowa, and $196,400 to Pittsburg – are among a total of approximately $4 million in new area-wide planning grants that EPA will provide to help strengthen the economies of 20 communities in 16 states across the country.

EPA’s Brownfields Program empowers states, communities and other stakeholders to work together to prevent, assess, safely clean up and sustainably reuse brownfields. A brownfield is defined as real property, the expansion, redevelopment or reuse of which may be complicated by the presence or potential presence of a hazardous substance, pollutant or contaminant.

EPA’s Brownfields Area-Wide Planning (AWP) Program helps communities respond to local challenges, particularly where multiple brownfield sites are in close proximity, connected by infrastructure, and limit the environmental and social prosperity of their surroundings. AWP grants help communities perform the research needed to develop area-wide plans and strategies for brownfields assessment, cleanup and reuse.

The City of Pittsburg will use its $196,400 AWP grant to work with the community and other stakeholders to develop an area-wide plan and implementation strategy for the 350-acre Mid-City Renaissance area, located near the city’s newly revitalized downtown.

The site was home to several zinc smelters dating from the late 1800s, a clay pipe manufacturing plant, and an industrial site that generated hazardous materials. The area is ideally located for many redevelopment options, which could include retail businesses, restaurants, housing, and transportation choices such as expanded biking and hiking trails.

Report: Kansas wheat, livestock in generally positive shape

Posted on March 9, 2015March 9, 2015

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — A government report shows that the Kansas wheat crop and livestock are in generally positive shape so far this winter.

The National Agricultural Statistics Service reported Monday that 46 percent of the state’s winter wheat crop is in good to excellent condition. Another 41 percent is rated in fair condition. Only 13 percent was reported as being in poor or very poor shape.

Temperatures over the past month were near normal in most of the state but averaged between 6 and 9 degrees below normal in southeast Kansas.

The agency also positively graded livestock, as animals continue to graze on crop residue with supplemental feeding. It reported that 65 percent of cattle were in good or excellent condition; 32 percent were fair and only 2 percent were poor.

FDA keeps boxed warning about suicide on Chantix

Posted on March 9, 2015March 9, 2015

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Food and Drug Administration says it will keep a bold-letter warning on Pfizer’s anti-smoking drug Chantix about suicidal behavior and other psychiatric problems.

Pfizer Inc. asked the agency last year to drop the so-called black box warning, pointing to its own analyses that found no difference in psychiatric problems between people taking Chantix and other stop-smoking treatments.

But the FDA said in an online posting Monday that Pfizer’s data did not examine all types of psychiatric problems and had limitations preventing regulators “from drawing reliable conclusions.”

The agency’s decision follows the recommendation of a panel of outside experts, who voted last October to keep the warning on the drug. New York-based Pfizer is expected to complete a larger study of Chantix’s psychiatric side effects in late 2015.

Obama calls for effort to boost high-tech training, hiring

Posted on March 9, 2015March 9, 2015

JIM KUHNHENN, Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Barack Obama is calling for a home-grown, high-technology workforce to will help boost higher-wage employment at a time of stagnant incomes.

Obama announced a $100 million federal government grant program to improve training and hiring of high-tech workers.

He says the U.S. needs to position itself for a constantly changing global economy. He says: “If we’re not producing enough tech workers, over time that’s going to threaten our leadership in global innovation.”

Obama made his remarks Monday at a meeting of the National League of Cities. The White House says high-tech jobs pay 50 percent more than average private-sector American jobs.

Twenty-one cities and about 300 employers have made commitments to work jointly to train low-skilled workers to make them proficient for jobs in software development, network administration and cybersecurity.

Former director of Great Bend Honor Flights found guilty of theft

Posted on March 9, 2015March 9, 2015

GREAT BEND -The verdict was announced Monday afternoon at the Barton County Courthouse shortly before 4 p.m. in the LaVeta Miller case. The 12-member jury found Miller guilty on two counts of theft by deception of more than $25,000 but less than $100,000.

Miller, was the former program director for Central Prairie Honor Flight until she was fired in July, 2012. The Great Bend group raised nearly $1.2 million and conducted 17 Honor Flights that took 1,100 Second World War veterans to Washington from 2008 through 2011. Miller canceled two Honor Flights in June because she said there was a shortage of funds, and the Central Prairie chapter was disbanded around the time she was fired July 1, 2012.

Miller was was accused of stealing more than $100,000, but was found guilty on separate counts of less than $100,000.

The trial has been stretched out over the last two and half years due to complications of a psychiatric evaluation and problems between her and her attorney, Robert Anderson.

The jury reconvened Monday morning around 9 a.m. before quickly deliberating for more discussion. Just under seven hours later, the jury came to an unanimous decision of guilty on both counts.

Sentencing for Miller will be held two months from now on May 8 at 1 p.m. at the Barton County Courthouse.

Former city rec director accused of embezzling

Posted on March 9, 2015March 9, 2015

WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — The former recreation director for an eastern Kansas city has been indicted on federal charges alleging he embezzled more than $125,000 on the job.

Fifty-three-year-old Ron Maring of Osawatomie is charged with four counts of tax fraud and 10 counts of money laundering. His first court appearance is scheduled for March 27.

The indictment alleges that Maring embezzled the funds 2008 to 2011 while heading the Osawatomie Recreation Commission.

He’s accused of writing checks from the commission’s account to himself and to American Legion Baseball, then converting the money to his own use.

The indictment alleges he failed to report the embezzled money as income on his federal income taxes from 2008 through 2011.

Online court records do not show Maring as having an attorney reachable for comment.

Tigers headline NCAA II Central Region Tournament at home

Posted on March 9, 2015

FHSU University Relations

Gross Memorial Coliseum at Fort Hays State University and its 6,814 seats will host the NCAA II Central Region Women’s Basketball tournament this weekend.

The Tigers are the No. 1 seed on their home court for the regional and are ranked No. 4 nationally.

Three MIAA women’s basketball teams — all from Kansas — are in the regional, and all three are also nationally ranked. No. 2 tournament seed Emporia State is ranked 10th nationally, and Pittsburg State, the No. 3 tournament seed, is ranked 13th nationally.

FHSU’s first-round game will be against No. 8 seed Minnesota State University-Mankato, scheduled for 5 p.m. Friday, March 13.

All tickets for the tournament will be general admission. Sales begin at noon Tuesday, March 10. Prices are $10 per day for adults and $5 for K-12 students. Admission for FHSU students is free with a valid student ID, said Sports Information Director Ryan Prickett.

Gates open an hour before game time.

The first round begins at noon Friday, March 1, when Pittsburg State plays No. 6 seed Northern State University, Aberdeen, S.D.

At 2:30 p.m., Emporia State plays No. 7 seed Arkansas Tech University, Russellville.

The Tigers and Minnesota-Mankato are up next, at 5 p.m. The final game of the first round, at 7:30 p.m., features No. 4 seed Wayne State University, Wayne, Neb., against No. 5 seed Harding University, Searcy, Ark. Wayne State is ranked 17th nationally.

The semi-final round on Saturday begins at 5 p.m. with the Pittsburg State-Northern State winner taking on the Emporia State-Arkansas Tech winner.

The second game, 7:30 p.m., is the FHSU-Mankato winner against the Wayne State-Harding winner.

The championship game will be at 7 p.m. Monday, March 16.

The online ticket link is https://fhsuathletics.com/sports/2011/6/27/GEN_0627111608.aspx?id=99

Dr. Mirta M. Martin, FHSU president, predicts the regional tournament will be a great event.

“This group of student-athletes has already enjoyed phenomenal success under Coach Tony Hobson and assistants Talia Miller and Kelsie Sorenson,” she said. “They ran away with the conference championship over the long grind of the regular season, finished second in the conference tournament and they’re ranked No. 1 in the Central Region. They play with heart, they support each other, and they exemplify excellence at its best.”

She added, “They are also just a whole lot of fun to watch. Wear your Tiger gold, and let’s pack Gross Coliseum on Friday night to cheer them on to another victory. Roar, Tigers!”

“It’s a privilege to host an NCAA event, and this rewards the success for our women’s program for this season,” said Curtis Hammeke, athletic director at FHSU. “It’s a very, very exciting event, one that will bring eight teams from across the region to town.”
“It’s hard to host, because you have to earn that No. 1 seed,” said Hammeke. “So it was a great job by our women’s basketball program to play a lot of good basketball the past month to keep themselves in position to host. I’m very happy that it came to fruition that we have the opportunity to host.”

The FHSU Alumni Association will host Tiger Spirit pregame parties in Eagle Communications Hall, located inside of the Robbins Center, throughout the tournament, pending advancement.

Parties will feature family-friendly events and complimentary refreshments, “adult and kid beverages, prizes and visits by the FHSU cheerleaders, Tiger Debs, Pep Band and Victor E. Tiger,” according to a statement from the Alumni Association.

All parties are free to attend but RSVPs are requested to ensure enough food and seating. Register online or by contacting the Alumni Association at 785-628-4430, toll-free at 888-351-3591 or by email at [email protected].

Advocate: ‘Education’ is key to remediating radiation (VIDEO)

Posted on March 9, 2015

By BECKY KISER
Hays Post

Four years after the Fukushima nuclear accident in Japan, Hays resident Chuck Hindman remains alarmed about the consequences of radiation fallout in the United States, and he’s determined to convince the populace of the problems and to take action.

It was on March 11, 2011, that an earthquake and subsequent tsunami tore through coastal towns in northern Japan and set off meltdowns at Tokyo Electric Power’s Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant.

Hindman is conducting a week-long “education event” next to the Northwest District Kansas Department of Health and Environment office in Hays, 2301 E. 13th.

“We have to do what’s right so our grandkids’ grandkids have a chance,” Hindman said. “We’ll be there from noon to 6 p.m. each day handing out information about radiation effects on human beings, animal life and, particularly here in the nation’s breadbasket, the damage to our soil, air and water. In a nutshell, it’s an environmental issue … Mother Nature is on life-support.”

Hindman believes the federal government, especially the Environmental Protection Agency and the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, have downplayed the dangers, while also increasing allowable safety limits for human exposure to radiation.

“There are no safe limits,” Hindman said with conviction.

Hindman is owner of Mid America Land Restoration, which uses natural microbes to remediate environmentally damaged soil and ponds. Restoring a natural ecological balance is of paramount concern to Hindman, particularly in areas of the nation where food crops are grown.

“The high levels of radiation that are plaguing this country as well as the whole northern hemisphere. … This is an educational event about that to show the people — to educate the people — things we can be doing all the way around. If we don’t do anything with it, it takes hundreds of thousands of years to break this down in nature. When you simplify things: What is in nature that breaks this down? It is microbes,” Hindman explained.

Hindman has a Facebook page in which he posts information from around the world about nuclear fallout concerns, including the Feb. 14, 2014, accident at the WIPP plant near Carlsbad, N.M., the nation’s only dump for nuclear weapons waste.

Hindman said he has worked with 1st District Congressman Tim Huelskamp, R-Kan., to bring national attention to the matter and he expects a “candidate for state office in Missouri” as well as 111th Dist. State Rep. Sue Boldra, R-Hays, to attend this week’s educational event in Hays.

Brownback supports rural incentives program amid skepticism

Posted on March 9, 2015March 9, 2015

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas Gov. Sam Brownback says he continues to support the state’s rural opportunity zone program after some lawmakers questioned whether it is luring new residents and businesses to areas with declining populations.

The Topeka Capital-Journal reports that Brownback called it “a good concept.” He most recently talked about the program Thursday during a visit to St. Louis.

The Rural Opportunity Zones program spans 77 counties, covering wide swaths of western and southeastern Kansas. It seeks to lure people to rural areas with student loan forgiveness and income tax waivers.

At a Senate Commerce Committee hearing in late February, senators were less than convinced of the initiative’s usefulness. The state lost about $800,000 in revenue in 2014 from income tax waivers issued through the program.

Kansas lawmaker compares abortion to Holocaust

Posted on March 9, 2015

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — A Kansas lawmaker has compared abortion to the Holocaust in arguing against a procedure used in about 8 percent of abortions in the state.

The House Federal and State Affairs Committee held a hearing on a bill Monday that would prohibit doctors from performing an abortion by removing a fetus from the womb in pieces.

Republican Rep. Dick Jones of Topeka called the ban a no-brainer. He said after the hearing that he views abortion as being a Holocaust against fetuses.

Opponents to the bill testified that banning the procedure would increase health risks to women. Some argued that the Legislature was unqualified to regulate medicine and accused politicians of harboring ulterior motives.

Suspect in Norton shooting death identified

Posted on March 9, 2015March 9, 2015

Norton Police Department

At approximately 9:13 p.m. on Friday, Norton Police responded to reports of a man with a gun in the 300 block of Ward Avenue. A resident advised the dispatcher that there was a male subject walking in the area carrying a firearm.

Upon arrival the responding officer began to search the area known as “Pool Park” near North West Street and West Wilton Street for the individual and as he searched the area the officer was fired upon. Multiple rounds struck the patrol unit, but the officer was able to make his way to cover and was not injured. As additional officers responded to the area other shots were fired as officers began to try and isolate the shooter.

As officers swept the park, they discovered that 47-year-old Norton resident, Joseph A. Sweet, had been shot and killed in the park. Officers continued to search for the gunman and additional 911 calls about the man lead police to U.S. Highway 36 near the west edge of Norton where the suspect was spotted walking on the highway. The subject was confronted by a Norton Police Officers and the suspect fired multiple shots at these officers. An officer’s vehicle was struck several times, but the officer was uninjured.

The subject fled towards a subdivision in northwest Norton as Norton Police, the Norton County Sheriff’s Office, and the Kansas Highway Patrol responded to the new scene along and north of U.S 36. As police continued to search for the suspect he stole a vehicle from a residence and fled westbound on Highway 36 at speeds over 100 mph. Troopers from the Kansas Highway Patrol pursued the vehicle into Decatur County and the individual who was driving the vehicle was eventually taken into custody without further incident approximately 5 miles north of Oberlin at approximately 12:41 a.m. on Saturday.

The Kansas Bureau of Investigation is assisting the Norton Police Department with the multiple crime scenes within the City of Norton. There are also scenes to be processed in Norton County and Decatur County. Numerous area law enforcement agencies sent officers to Norton to assist NPD due to the nature and scope of this incident. All crime scenes have now been processed and the investigation is continuing.

The suspect has been identified as Bobby J. Tallent, 37, Norton. He appeared before the District Court Magistrate Sunday night for a determination of probable cause for his arrest and detention. Tallent is being held in the Norton County Jail on the following charges: murder in the first degree, three counts of attempted first degree murder, two counts of aggravated assault on a law enforcement, burglary, theft, and felony flee and elude. His bond is currently set at $1 million.

To green or not to green?

Posted on March 9, 2015

John Schlageck writes for the Kansas Farm Bureau.

Caring for the environment used to be tough duty. However, during the last couple of decades, it’s become a marketing opportunity.

Manufacturers are churning out more and more environmentally friendly products and retailers are finding in many cases they can be sold at a premium. But beware – not everything sold in the green garden is all roses. Over the long haul, selling “green” may be a lot more difficult than selling soap flakes.

Phosphate-free detergent, lead-free gas, aerosol sprays minus the chlorofluorocarbons and other green garden goodies have been available in some form or another since the early ‘80s. Today, they are nearly as common, or in some cases, more so than farm-fresh eggs, free-range chickens, hogs and cattle, fresh vegetables – you name it.

During this nearly 30-year growing period, consumers embraced the notion of buying green with a zeal that was almost patriotic. As they become more environmentally tuned in day by day, week by week, month by month and year by year, greenies bought beyond what was even required by law in a religious frenzy.

Some companies have launched their own label green brands. Many of these companies have grown their green products by the hundreds.

Many of these items are simply repackaged old ideas, you know, what’s old becomes new when introduced to a new generation of consumers especially those who choose to paint themselves green.

One such item is baking soda, which has been marketed as a more environmentally friendly way to scour pots and pans.

Can you believe it?

My mother and her mother before her used and understood that baking soda was the only real way to keep their kitchens clean or green nearly a century ago.

Another green product that has rocketed off the supermarket shelves are biodegradable garbage bags made from corn extract.

One item that’s become green is dishwasher detergent and it’s worthless. The only way to clean your dishes, knives and forks and pots and pans with today’s detergent is to run your machine half full or a couple times. I know this is the truth, because I’ve had to do so.
I’ve even visited with appliance dealers that have told me today’s dishwasher detergents no longer have phosphates (banned as unsafe for our environment) which cleaned our tableware and did it right. Today’s dishwasher detergents are not formulated to remove hard water minerals during the main wash cycle.

Lemi Shine promises to solve this problem.

Combined with your auto dish detergent, Lemi Shine removes tough hard water spots, stains and film during the main wash cycle, so says the product commercial. You will be pleased to know that Lemi Shine is comprised of 100 percent all natural fruit acids and oils. That’s right, Lemi Shine contains no phosphates or fillers.

Now don’t you feel better?

Even that revered group that I now belong to, the aging Baby Boomers, is boarding the green train.

Just the other day I read U.S. residents older than 55 are opting for unbleached bathroom paper. Not only is it the correct way to help Mother Earth, it’s also softer and easier on the ole’ bottom. I swear to God I didn’t make this up, although I kinda’ wish I had.

When will the pendulum swing the other way – toward a common-sense compromise?

Maybe it already is. Some companies who have wrapped themselves in green are finding doing so has not seemed to raise their credibility with consumers. Some in the public who walk among us are skeptical of any large organization that board the green bandwagon, particularly those that have little direct contact with the environment.

Although consumers, myself included, may want to accept social responsibility, few want to forgo quality in the products they buy.

To green or not to green?

John Schlageck, a Hoxie native, is a leading commentator on agriculture and rural Kansas.