TOPEKA–Kansas Governor Sam Brownback announced this week recent appointments to boards and commissions.

“Thank you to these men and women for dedicating their time and talents toward making Kansas the best state in the union to raise a family and grow a business,” said Governor Brownback.

State Board of Indigents’ Defense Services
The State Board of Indigents’ Defense Services provides, supervises, and coordinates, in the most efficient and economical manner possible, the constitutionally and statutorily required counsel and related services for each indigent person accused of a felony and for such other indigent persons as prescribed by law. The governor appoints all nine members. There shall be an attorney appointed from each county with a population in excess of 100,000 and the rest of the membership shall be members of the general public, ensuring that each congressional district is represented. All members serve a three-year term and must go through Senate confirmation.
· Roman Rodriguez, Wichita, is being appointed as a public member to serve a three-year term. He earned his bachelor’s degree from Friends University. He currently serves as the Marketing and Communications Brand Manager and Senior Graphic Designer for Friends University.

Kansas State Fair Board
The Fair Board acts as a showcase of Kansas agriculture, commerce and industry, providing education, entertainment, and to presenting a comprehensive format that satisfies the needs and desires of people from all walks of Kansas life. There are thirteen members on the board, with the governor appointing nine. All members serve a three-year term.
· Karen Hibbard, Manhattan, is being appointed to serve a three-year term. She earned her bachelor’s degree from Fort Hays State University. Hibbard currently serves as the Vice President for the Manhattan Area Chamber of Commerce and the Director of Manhattan Convention and Visitors Bureau.

Real Estate Appraisal Board
The board regulates appraisers’ licenses, provides access to appraisers’ education resources, and informs appraisers of industry news. The governor appoints all seven members. Membership includes members from financial institutions, real estate appraisers, and members of the general public. All members serve a three-year term.
· Richard E. Livingston, Edgerton, is being appointed to serve a three-year term. Livingston is the Owner and certified appraiser for Livingston Appraisals Inc. in Olathe, Kansas.

Animal Health Board
The Animal Health Board works with the Department of Agriculture’s Division of Animal Health to advise and assist with legislative initiatives and proposed rules and regulations. The governor appoints nine members to the board who represent major species or phases of the livestock industry, licensed cat or dog breeder, licensed veterinarian, auction markets, the swine industry, dairy cattle industry, and the beef cattle industry. All members serve a three-year term.
· Graydon Dale Springer, Independence, is being appointed to serve a three-year term. Springer sits on the First Neodesha Bank board. He owns and operates a swine and crops production unit.

Real Estate Commission
The commission licenses and regulates realtors. The governor appoints all five members and each congressional district must be represented. All members serve a four-year term.
· Errol Wuertz, Hays, is being reappointed to serve a four-year term. He received his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Fort Hays State University. He is the Broker and Owner of Heartland Realty of Hays, LLC, and also works as a Real Estate Appraiser for Errol Wuertz and Associates.

Governor’s Behavioral Health Services Planning Council
The Council is involved in the planning, implementing, monitoring, evaluating, and advising state government regarding Kansas’ mental health services. There are 33 members on this council, with the governor appointing 24. Membership includes individuals who are mental health consumers, family members of mental health consumers, public members, and mental health service providers. All members serve a four-year term.

· Cherie Bledsoe, Kansas City, is being appointed to serve a four-year term. She currently serves as the Executive Director of SIDE, Inc. in Wyandotte County, Kansas.
· Alison Allen, Shawnee, is being appointed to serve a four-year term. She received her bachelor’s and two master’s degrees from Emory University. She worked as a Nurse Practitioner and Director of Minor Emergency Clinic prior to Co-Owning Care Haven Homes.

African-American Affairs Commission
The African-American Affairs Commission members devise strategies to address the public policy concerns of the African-American community through its partnerships with the state agencies, corporations, and foundations. There are seven members on the commission with the governor appointing three. No more than four members shall be from the same political party and each congressional district must be represented. All members serve a three-year term.
· Rev. Dr. Bobby L. Love, Sr, Olathe, is being appointed to serve a three-year term. He earned a bachelor’s degree from Andersonville Baptist Seminary, and his master’s degree from Andersonville Theological Seminary. He is currently the pastor of Second Baptist Church in Olathe, Kansas.

Kansas Volunteer Commission
The commission prepares a national service plan for the state. They ensure outreach to diverse community-based agencies and administers certain grant programs. The governor appoints 21 members to the commission. Membership is a mix of youth educators, seniors, youth, and individuals involved in local government, labor, and/or business. All members serve a three-year term.
· David Battey, Fairway, is being reappointed to serve a three-year term. He earned his bachelor’s degree from Williams College. He is currently the President and Founder of Youth Volunteer Corps.

· Matthew Fearing, Eudora, is being appointed to serve a three-year term. He earned his bachelor’s degree from Christopher Newport College, and his master’s degree from Washburn University. He currently serves as President and CEO of the Jobs for America’s Graduates Kansas chapter.

Board of Pharmacy
The board licenses and regulates entities conducting business relating to the practice of pharmacy. The governor appoints all seven members. Membership is made up of pharmacists and public members. All members serve a four-year term.
· Chad Ullom, Topeka, is being reappointed to serve a four-year term. He earned his bachelor’s degree from the University of Kansas. He is currently the Pharmacy Supervisor for Walgreen’s.

· Robert Haneke, Sylvia, is being reappointed to serve a four-year term. He earned his bachelor’s degree and doctorate from the University of Kansas. He is currently the National Clinical Director for PharmaSource Healthcare, Inc.

Early Childhood Developmental Services
The Council solicits information and opinions from concerned agencies, groups, and individuals on proposed policies and recommendations for the delivery of health, education, and social services for young children from birth through age five with or at risk for disabling conditions and for their families. There are 16-25 members on the Council, with the governor appointing 8-17. All members serve a four-year term.
· Melinda McDaniel, Hays, is being appointed to serve a four-year term. She earned her bachelor’s degree from Fort Hays State University. She currently serves as the Early Childhood Special Education Teacher for USD 489.

· Karen Pahls, Beloit, is being appointed to serve a four-year term. She earned her bachelor’s degree from Fort Hays State, and her master’s degree from the University of Kansas.

Dealer Review Board
The Dealer Review Board confers on matters related to regulations to improve dealer practices, makes suggestions and recommendations for changes in current law relating to vehicle sales, act as a resource for vehicle industry problems, and provide expertise to uncover operating problems created by current law, while balancing problems against the great public interest. The governor appoints eight members as follows: new vehicle dealers, used vehicle dealers, salvage vehicle dealers, first or second stage manufacturer, and members of the general public. All members serve a three-year term.
· Clifford Van Kooten, Phillipsburg, is being appointed to serve a three-year term. He served in the United States Army as a Head Draftsman for the 540th Engineer Group. He currently owns Cliff’s Welding Service, Inc. in Phillipsburg, Kansas.

Kansas Dental Board
The Dental Board adopts rules, issues licenses, and conducts hearings to revoke or suspend licenses. The governor appoints nine members as follows: six dentists, two dental hygienists, and one public member. All members serve a four-year term.
· Charles Squire, Wichita, is being reappointed to serve a four-year term. He received his bachelor’s degree from the University of Kansas, and his doctorate from the University of Missouri Kansas City School of Dentistry. He currently practices periodontics in the Wichita area.

Board of Barbering
The Board of Barbering eliminates all acts performed by barbers that may cause harm or injury to the public and they insure that only qualified, well-trained barbers and barber instructors are licensed. The Board of Barbering is also charged with insuring all shops and salons are properly operating with licenses. The governor appoints five members to the board, four of whom are barbers and one member shall represent the general public. All members serve a three-year term.
· Victoria Rajewski, Topeka, is being reappointed to serve a three-year term. She received her associate’s degree from Washburn University, and her barber license from Capitol City Barber College. She currently serves as Barber Supervisor at the United States Disciplinary Barracks at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas.

FHSU University Relations

Faculty awards for outstanding teaching, scholarly activity and service have been announced at Fort Hays State University for the spring semester.

Dr. LeAnn Brown, assistant professor of management and marketing, was named the winner of the fall Outstanding Teaching Award; Dr. Yasuhiro Kobayaski, assistant professor of biological sciences, was selected for the Outstanding Scholarly Activity Award; and Dr. Fred Britten, professor of communication disorders, received the Outstanding Service Award.

All three recipients received a $500 check for their accomplishments. Both this semester’s winners and the fall 2014 winners will constitute the pool from which the Faculty Member of the Year will be chosen. That winner will be announced at the Fall Convocation in August. The Faculty Member of the Year Award carries a $1,000 cash prize.

By KARI BLURTON
Hays Post

A flowering pear tree now stands in front of Hays Middle School in memory of Chloe Medina, who died of leukemia in September at age 2, thanks to the fundraising efforts of Hays Middle School’s sixth-grade class.

Hays Middle School sixth-grade social studies teacher Karen Nowak said the tree was planted Friday morning as a gesture of support for Chloe’s parents, longtime HMS custodian Frank Medina, wife Renee and Chloe’s triplet brother and sister, Olivia and Trey.

Nowak thanked the students who gathered $6,000 in donations in October for the Medina family’s medical expenses and to buy the tree.

“She left a handprint on our hearts that we will never want to wipe away. … Her life was short, but she left a lasting impression on this world.” — Renee Medina, Chloe’s mom

“You guys did an excellent job,” Nowak told the students as they surrounded the tree before planting. “Let’s think about (Chloe) and keep her in her thoughts today and every day.”

Renee Medina also thanked the students for honoring Chloe’s memory with the “beautiful tree” that will bloom next spring.

“It is honor to be here today to dedicate this tree in memory of our precious Chloe,” Renee said, adding out of the set of triplets, Chloe was known as the adventurous one, always exploring the world around her.

“When she got sick, it still didn’t keep her down,” Renee said, recalling how Chloe often ate cheese balls at the hospital, leaving a orange-ish handprint on one of her nurse’s pants. The nurse could never bring herself to wipe the handprint away.

“That is how we feel about Chloe. She left a handprint on our hearts that we will never want to wipe away. … Her life was short, but she left a lasting impression on this world.”

Frank Medina also thanked the community.

“The support from the community has been overwhelming,” he said, adding the pain of losing Chloe will never go away but is thankful the tree was planted in memory of “Chloe the Explorer.”

BY AMY BALTODANO
Hays Post

The Hays Rotary Club was at Washington Elementary School on Friday, along with Scholastic Book Club, with a special treat for the 160 students — two free books for the summer.

Club member Larry Dreiling hopes the children will be able to develop a “love and appreciation of reading when they get older.”

A few of the fifth-grade students recall receiving books since kindergarten and were excited when they were informed the Rotary members would be at their school. It will be the last giveaway at Washington, which will close at the end of the year as a Hays USD 489 education center.

The students had several options to choose from. Once, the students selected their books, they made their way over to the members who assisted with the books. Each of the members helped put their name on the books and made sure there was a Rotary Club sticker inside each book cover.

At the end of the line, there was a box to put the books in.

“Put the book in the box,” said Dreiling. “We need to pay for the books first before you go home.”

The students will receive the books on Monday or Tuesday.

The Washington staff and students are going to be greatly missed, according to Dreiling.

“We are going to miss this school so much,” he said. “Mr. Park is a great leader, as well as all the teachers … a lot of love, a lot of caring kids.”

Click below for the latest briefing on Saturday weather from the National Weather Service.

FHSU University Relations

Children in after school programs at Washington, Wilson, O’Loughlin and Lincoln Elementary Schools in Hays are getting informed this spring about clean water by Fort Hays State University students in Soil Fertility and Fertilizers, an agriculture course.

Students are using posters and class activities to teach ways to prevent pollution and protect water sources. Students are also using the EnviroScape, a molded plastic landscape, to demonstrate point and nonpoint pollution from industrial, agricultural, recreational, construction and residential areas.

This service-learning project is a method of teaching and learning that integrates community service activities into academic curricula and expands learning of students from the classroom to the community.

FHSU students participating are Andrew Amerin, Plains senior; Joey Augustine, Hays senior; Matt Crotinger, Bison junior; Erik Ellis, Ness City senior; Levi Prieb, Buhler junior; Cody Prosser, Scott City senior; Lucas Robison, Orleans, Neb., junior; Mykaela Smart, Frankfort junior; Brent Stoss, Olmitz senior; Lindsey Underwood, Esbon senior; and Boone Wells, Garden City junior.

Funding for the project is provided by the Kansas Farm Bureau Foundation for Agriculture.

Picture caption: Brent Stoss (left) explains the differences between rural and urban water quality while Andrew Amerin (right) shows children in the after school program at Washington Elementary School the sources of pollution in the environment. Stoss and Amerin are agriculture majors at Fort Hays State University.

Dana Stanton discusses upcoming Hays event Go Truck Go with Parent Educator Beth Hansen.