The Kansas Small Business Development Center (Kansas SBDC) statewide network recently announced the 2015 Existing and Emerging Businesses of the Year. Sixteen Kansas small businesses will be recognized at a ceremony in Topeka on Tuesday, March 10.

Each of the eight Kansas SBDC regional centers selected one emerging and one existing business for the award. Businesses were selected from more than 2,392 businesses that received Kansas SBDC services in 2014.

Jared Broyles, KSNT News anchor and reporter, will serve as this year’s master of ceremonies.

“The selected businesses were given careful consideration by our Kansas SBDC regional directors and consultants,” said Greg Panichello, Kansas SBDC state director. “Collectively, the Kansas SBDC team feels these 16 small businesses are excellent examples of small business innovation, growth and success in the midst of economic recovery.”

Existing Businesses of the Year:
Garden City Propane, Dennis and Risa DeVaney, Garden City.
CS Gas Inc., Karen Horinek, Atwood.
Leading Edge Aerospace LLC, Stan Unruh, Wichita.
The Merchant, Lisa Boyd, Topeka.
The Walters Farm, Becky and Carroll Walters, Burns.
McDonald Marketing, Brad McDonald, Bonner Springs.
Enhanced HomeCare LLC, Randy Block and Cindy Singer, Overland Park.
Advanced Systems Homes Inc., Darin Luebbering, Chanute.

Emerging Businesses of the Year:
Women’s Specialists of Liberal, PA, Dr. Lamberto Flores, Liberal.
Kingsbury Service, Marty and Rhett Kingsbury, Smith Center.
ReJuvv’ Spa, Tracie Gordon, Winfield.
Kansas Regenerative Medicine Center LLC, John Farley, Manhattan.
Flint Hills Music, Thomas Silkman, Emporia.
Cat Clinic of Lawrence, Dr. Jennifer O’Driscoll.
Velo+ Maps Coffee, Vincent Rodriguez, Lenexa.
Art in Iron, Mike Hill, Garnett.

About Kansas Small Business Development Center:

The Kansas SBDC network provides existing Kansas small businesses, start-ups and pre-venture entrepreneurs with no-cost business consulting, low- and no-cost training, and resources for every stage of the business life cycle.

The Kansas SBDC network is funded in part through a cooperative agreement with the U.S. Small Business Administration and the state of Kansas. The network receives funding from and partners with higher education and economic development organizations. The Kansas SBDC is nationally accredited through America’s Small Business Development Centers.

The statewide host for Kansas SBDC is Fort Hays State University.

For more information on the Kansas SBDC Network, visit kansassbdc.net or call 877-625-7232. For more information about this event, contact Lisa Roberts, KSBDC marketing and project manager, at 785-296-6514 or [email protected]

KDOT

SHARON SPRINGS — Starting in early March, a roadway modernization project will begin on a 5-mile stretch of Kansas 27 in Wallace County near Sharon Springs.

The scope of the project involves new construction on offset alignment to straighten curves and add shoulders on a span of road starting 7 miles north of the Wallace/Greeley County line and ending 2 miles south of the U.S. 40 junction.

Traffic will remain on the current highway while the new roadway is constructed.
Construction will last through the summer and fall, and the road expected to be open to the traveling public by mid-November. The project should be fully completed by spring 2016.

KDOT urges all motorists to be alert, obey the warning signs and “Give ‘em a Brake!” when approaching and driving through the construction zone.

KDOT awarded the construction contract, totaling $9.3 million, to Venture Corporation of Great Bend. The project is funded by T-WORKS, the transportation program passed by the Kansas legislature in May 2010. More information about this and other T-WORKS projects can be found at https://kdotapp.ksdot.org/TWORKS.

The Hays Police Department responded to 12 animal calls and 17 traffic stops Tuesday, March 3, 2015, according to the HPD Activity Log.

Criminal Damage to Property–700 block E 6th St, Hays; 1:20 AM
Animal Cruelty/Neglect–500 block W 35th St, Hays; 8:08 AM
Animal At Large–1700 block Henry Dr, Hays; 8:54 AM
Civil Dispute–500 block E 11th St, Hays; 11:29 AM
Found/Lost Property–2400 block Vine St, Hays; 12:39 PM
Lost Animals ONLY–1100 block Downing Ave, Hays; 3:20 PM
Contempt of Court/Fail to Pay–300 block W 8th St, Hays; 3:29 PM
Animal Bite Investigation–2200 block Canterbury Dr, Hays; 4:10 PM
Drug Offenses–1700 block Vine St, Hays; 4:42 PM
Disturbance – Noise–100 block E 7th St, Hays; 4:48 PM
Battery – Domestic–1700 block Volga Dr, Hays; 7:45 PM
Disorderly Conduct-100 block W 8th St, Hays; 8:32 PM
Lost Animals ONLY–400 block E 7th St, Hays; 9:54 PM

By JONATHAN ZWEYGARDT
Hays Post

The Ellis County Commission once again heard complaints regarding staffing and the ongoing wage and benefit study at Monday night’s meeting.

Public Works employee Mike Fisher approached the commission with a concern regarding the wage and benefit studies that he had received in the mail.

Fisher received multiple drafts of the study, which is not yet complete, and said he believes because the drafts do not match up the whole process “seems shady.”

“If I thought there was a shady moment in any of it, I would tell you that,” Commissioner Barb Wasinger said.

She said the county does not have the money to fully implement the results of the study right away, and it will take time.

Wasinger added the county has set aside some money during the budgeting process to help implement the study.

“When you start any kind of study or do any kind of plan, it’s going to have many different drafts involved,” she said. “It’s not to hide anything from you guys.”

Public Works Director Mike Graf also asked the commission for a direction when it comes to filling vacancies within his department.

Wasinger suggested Graf present the commission with a list of positions he needs to fill.

Graf said his department has scaled back and has “less employees than we’ve had in many, many years.”

In other business:

• The commission approved a change order at the Administrative Center for door locks for $2,175.80. This is the 13th change order for construction at 718 Main. During construction, the county has exceeded the contingency by about $9,000.

The contingency fund is set up for any unforeseen issues that come up during construction.

• Brad Teeter with Spangenberg Phillips Tice Architects updated the commission on the construction process at the Emergency Services building. Teeter said they will begin installing the structure for the metal building this week and, with warmer weather on the way, he expects the project to be complete by the middle of September.

• The commission voted against paying membership dues to the Kansas Natural Resources Coalition for $5,045. In past meetings, the commission had expressed concern with the priorities of the KNRC and said they did not believe it was in the county’s best interest to continue to be a part of the coalition.

• Graf also presented the commission with an update on possible funding for 230th and 55th improvements. He said the Kansas Department of Transportation has allocated $1.5 million for the project. That is less than what Graf estimated it would cost to upgrade the intersection, east on 55th just east of Doonan Truck and north on 230th approximately 1,000 feet.

• EMS Director Kerry McCue and Terry Siek presented the commission with information on the Kansas Heart and Stroke Collaborative.

• Health Administrator Butch Schlyer presented the commission with the January public health report.

• Commissioner Dean Haselhorst was absent from the meeting.

FHSU University Relations

Students at Thomas More Prep-Marian High School were looking forward to hearing Fort Hays State University President Mirta M. Martin speak to them in Spanish.

Martin’s visit to the Hays Catholic high school Monday gave them so much more than a real-life lesson in her native tongue.

Martin, who took over as FHSU’s ninth president last July, is a native of Cuba who spent her childhood in Spain and attended college in America.

Melissa Pinkney, who teaches Spanish at TMP, came up with the idea to have Martin speak to her students in Spanish Club after attending an inservice.

“They encouraged us to think outside the box,” said Pinkney, who actually already had done that.

Pinkney, in her eighth year at TMP who teaches Spanish to nearly 100 students every day, started the Spanish Club just this year and had about 30 students join. The club comes up with an activity each month, and Pinkney said March’s choice was a dandy.

“This was great,” she said after Martin’s visit. “She’s so personable that it didn’t feel like a speech to the kids.”

“They really enjoyed it when she started sharing her life story,” Pinkney added.
Martin’s story, of course, involves a little something about the Spanish language; she also is fluent in French and Portuguese and knows seven languages in all.

But, she told the 30-some students in attendance, it isn’t so much cracking a language barrier but learning about other cultures and earning people’s trust that are at the top of her list of goals for success.

“Language just opens a portal into the culture, and that’s what’s important,” said Martin, who also encouraged the group — which also included some students from Pinkney’s Spanish classes — to study abroad, even if they didn’t have a handle on that country’s native tongue.

“They don’t care if you can’t speak their language,” Martin said. “But if you know how to behave in their culture, that’s what’s important.”

“What allows you opportunities is earning people’s trust,” she added. “If they don’t trust you, you won’t be successful.”

Martin definitely earned the students’ attention Monday.

They asked lots of questions, including if she spoke to her children in Spanish while they were growing up and if she dreamed in Spanish.

Martin confirmed that, indeed, her two children were taught Spanish early in life.

“They asked for a drink of agua before they asked for water,” she said.

Martin made the students feel so at ease that two of them dared ask the president of the local university questions in Spanish.

Rodrigo Saldana-Galindo, a junior resident student from Mexico and a member of TMP’s Spanish Club, asked Martin how she deals with cultural differences.

Martin answered in Spanish, then translated it in English.

She told a personal story of cultural differences, telling about the first time she met her future mother-in-law, who didn’t hug. Hugging is a common characteristic among Hispanics.

“I hug everyone,” Martin said with a big smile, “and I ran up and hugged her.”

Martin stopped with her hands held tightly at her side, describing the reception she got. She rolled her eyes, much to the delight of the students.

Alondrea Ontiveros, a Hays freshman in Pinkey’s Spanish II class, asked Martin if she preferred to speak English or Spanish, to which Martin quickly replied she speaks whatever language is pertinent to the conversation at the time.

“You reinforced a lot of the things I tell them as a teacher,” Pinkney said afterward as she thanked Martin for coming.

Martin said it was her pleasure.

“If I’m with students, I’m happy,” she said. “Their ability to see a future much brighter than today’s gives me hope.”

Submitted

The Alzheimer’s Association is offering information and giveaways as a thank-you to past volunteers and to give newcomers a chance to learn about what the organization does.

The staff, along with the new Outreach Coordinator Denise Vann, will be at Thirsty’s Brew Pub & Grill, 2704 Vine, Hays from 4 to 6 p.m. March 5.

The Alzheimer’s Association couldn’t offer the many services and supports it does without the tireless efforts of community volunteers. There are those who are in our office every week making phone calls, putting mailings together, even vacuuming the floor. Others help out at events or speak about their experiences at community functions. Volunteers also lead groups, set up health fairs, and do community outreach calls and visits. What do all the volunteers who help us have in common? They are all helping to further the mission to provide care, education, advocacy, research and support to the thousands of families affected by Alzheimer’s disease or a related dementia.

In recognition of those efforts the Central and Western Kansas Chapter would like to say “Thank you!” Whether you’re a seasoned veteran in our volunteer lineup, or are looking to get involved, the group invites you to come by and enjoy snacks and refreshments while they provide information and support to help you find the best place to put your talent and experience to work.

A small thank-you token will be given to past volunteers in recognition of support.

Widespread snow is expected this morning, making roads slick and reducing visibility. The highest snowfall amounts should be found from around Liberal through Meade and the Greensburg and Pratt areas where 3 to 4 inches could be common. One to two inches will be the likely elsewhere with areas north of Kansas highway 96 perhaps seeing less than an inch.

Today A 40 percent chance of snow, mainly before 9am. Cloudy, then gradually becoming mostly sunny, with a high near 31. North wind 10 to 14 mph.
Tonight Mostly clear, with a low around 6. Wind chill values as low as -2. North wind 5 to 10 mph becoming light and variable.
Thursday Sunny, with a high near 43. Wind chill values as low as -6. Southwest wind 6 to 14 mph.
Thursday Night Clear, with a low around 20. South southwest wind 8 to 10 mph.
Friday Sunny, with a high near 61. West northwest wind 7 to 11 mph.
Friday Night Mostly clear, with a low around 27.
Saturday Sunny, with a high near 60.
Sunday Sunny, with a high near 62.