Beef-related information, food and fun will be offered to the campus community through the Department of Agriculture at Fort Hays State University from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Thursday, May 7, on the Quad on the FHSU campus.
The Agriculture Department will hold multiple presentations and displays about agriculture. Food will be provided by the Kansas, Ellis County and Collegiate Farm Bureau.
Dr. Dan Thomson, KSU Beef Cattle Institute
Dr. Dan Thomson, an internationally recognized cattle production and health expert and the 2015 National Beef Quality Assurance Educator of the Year, will emcee. Thomson is also the director of the Kansas State University Beef Cattle Institute and the host of “Doc Talk” morning TV show.
Bob Seger turns 70 on Wednesday, and just in time for the Michigan rocker’s milestone birthday comes word that his breakthrough album, 1976’s Night Moves, will be reissued on 180-gram vinyl June 16.
Night Moves was Seger’s first studio effort to feature his longtime backing group, The Silver Bullet Band, and was his first album to reach the top 10 of the Billboard 200 chart, peaking at #8.
Bob recorded much of the album in Muscle Shoals, Alabama, with the Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section.
Night Moves yielded two top-40 singles — the title track, which reached #4 on the Billboard Hot 100, and the #24 hit, “Mainstreet.” It also includes the enduring tunes “Rock and Roll Never Forgets,” “Fire Down Below,” and “Mary Lou.”
The album has gone on to sell more than six million copies in the U.S., according to the Recording Industry Association of America.
Seger recently wrapped up a North American tour in support of his latest album, Ride Out.
Hays City Commissioners will review two bids Thursday night for rehabilitation of the crosswind runway at the Hays Regional Airport.
City staff is recommending the low bid from National Sealant & Concrete, LLC of Oconto, Wisconsin in the amount of $651,672.19, contingent upon Federal Aviation Administration grant funding.
According to Hays Assistant City Manager Paul Briseno, approximately 90 percent of the cost would be reimbursed by the FAA, with the city responsible for the remaining 10 percent.
The base bid and two alternates include removal and replacement of failed pavement panels, repairing spalled joints, repainting the pavement marking and resealing of all the pavement joints on the runway.
All the National Sealant & Concrete bids are below the engineer’s estimates.
In other business, commissioners will discuss an extension of allowable watering hours for newly seeded warm season lawn permits and look at a resolution authorizing the sale of general obligation bonds for completed improvements in the Golden Belt Estates 5th Addition and the 46th Street 2nd Addition.
The City Commission Rules of Procedure will also be reviewed which is done every two years upon the governing body’s reorganization.
The city commission work session starts at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, May 7, in Hays City Hall.
WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — Participants in the winter wheat tour are forecasting low crop yields in fields along northern Kansas counties that they looked at during the first day.
The industry group Kansas Wheat reports that the expected average yield of 34.3 for the first day was slightly lower than last year’s estimate for the first leg. It was the lowest first day average since 2001.
The tour’s estimate reflects the findings of the 92 participants who traveled in 21 vehicles along six routes to inspect 284 fields on Tuesday before ending up for the day in Colby.
Participants in the annual Wheat Quality Tour are findng drought stress, stripe rust disease, winter kill and pest infestations.
The tour continues Wednesday across western Kansas.
Its statewide forecast is announced Thursday in Kansas City, Missouri.
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — The Topeka City Council has voted down a plan to buy the Heartland Park Topeka racetrack.
The council Tuesday night rejected a resolution to allow the city manager to reissue STAR bonds with an estimated value between $4.8 million and $5.5 million to buy the track.
The vote apparently ends a controversy that began when the city voted in 2006 to issue $10.46 million in STAR bonds to finance improvements at Heartland Park, expecting that revenue from around the park would help pay off the bonds. That never happened and the city was facing millions of dollars in debts on the bonds.
Last August, the council voted to buy racetrack to try and develop it but that decision was criticized and caused months of controversy, leading to Tuesday’s vote.
Lang Diesel Inc. has issued a call for entries to all Kansas-based 4-H groups to showcase their creativity in an online video contest called Growing Together now through May 31. The video with the most fan votes when the contest ends will win a grand prize consisting of a $1,000 donation to their 4H club and an LDI educational grill-out for the whole 4-H group. Videos must be no longer than one minute and creatively describe why the group deserves to win the contest and what they would do with the scholarship money. Registration and voting are open now on the LDI Facebook page, and each Facebook user is limited to one vote per day.
The Growing Together Video Contest is being presented in celebration of LDI’s commitment to serving Kansas through its full-service dealerships, product support and the “doing what it takes” attitude to provide customers with the best quality products, parts and service.
“4-H programs provide essential tools for youth as our future leaders and help them make a positive impact in the local communities,” stated Shelly Macumber, Marketing Director at LDI. “At LDI we strive to help the communities across Kansas and are thrilled to support 4-H programs.”
For more information on the LDI Growing Together Video Contest, stop into one of the 12 dealerships located throughout Kansas or visit www.langdieselinc.com.
The winning 4-H group will be presented with a $1,000 check signed from LDI following the contest’s completion, and winning video will be posted to the LDI Facebook page.
Dr. Joey Linn, who had been serving on an interim basis since last fall, was named today as the new vice president of the Division of Student Affairs at Fort Hays State University. The appointment takes effect immediately.
Joey Linn
Linn took over as interim in October 2014 after Dr. Tisa Mason departed to become president of Valley City State University in North Dakota.
In making the appointment permanent, Dr. Mirta M. Martin, FHSU president, said she had complete confidence that Linn would always put the well being of students first and foremost in his decisions. “This appointment was the result of a long and thorough national search using an outside firm to identify the most qualified applicants,” she said. “In making the appointment, I sought the recommendations of the search committee and listened to the input of my trusted executive leadership team. In the end, the values that exemplify the new era at Fort Hays State — excellence, trust, loyalty, integrity, and a love for students and the university — yielded an internal candidate. Dr. Linn brings years of applicable experience, a love for Fort Hays State, a commitment to our students and a record of helping our students succeed. At the end of the day, he bleeds Black and Gold for our students and the entire Tiger family.”
“I am extremely humbled and honored to serve as the next vice president at Fort Hays State,” Linn said. “To lead a division that comprises professionals with a long history of success and accomplishments is truly exciting. Fort Hays State is committed to student success, and I look forward to working with President Martin, faculty, staff and students as we move our university forward into the future.”
One of the important issues he will address immediately, Linn said, is to benchmark and identify best practices and implement a wide range of recruitment, retention and outreach projects and initiatives as well as increasing the percentage of students who graduate. Other pressing initiatives include assuring the effective use of technology and analysis of data in achieving enrollment objectives; monitoring trends in the economy to identify and capitalize on potential growth markets; and enhancing the university’s visibility and market position. He will work with the university’s leadership team to advance Fort Hays State’s academic quality and diversity in the student body.
As the chief student affairs officer for Fort Hays State, the vice president serves as a member of the president’s executive leadership team responsible for the successful implementation of the FHSU strategic plan. Linn also will be responsible for the day-to-day operations of the Division of Student Affairs, which includes several administrative units: Enrollment Management (Admissions, Financial Assistance/Scholarships, Registrar and Kansas Academy of Mathematics and Science); Student Support Services (Academic Advising & Career Exploration, Career Services, Student Health Services, and the Kelly Center); and Student Life (International Student Services, Persistence and Retention, Residential Life, the Memorial Union and Student Activities, Greek Life, Multicultural Affairs, Student Government Association, Learning Communities, Title IX, and Judicial Affairs).
In addition to earning bachelor’s and master’s degrees in communication from Fort Hays State in 1987 and 1991, Linn earned a Ph.D. in curriculum and instruction from Kansas State University in 2005. At Fort Hays State, he served as an admissions counselor, the assistant director of admissions, the director of admissions, and associate vice president for student affairs/registrar prior to his appointment last year as interim vice president.
Tim Chapman, president and CEO of the FHSU Foundation, chaired the search committee. “I would like to thank the members of the committee for their time and effort in this vitally important process,” he said. “The vice president for student affairs is a crucial position on this campus, and to be the chair of the search committee was an honor. All three candidates the committee carried forward to President Martin were qualified for the job. I’m pleased to know that Dr. Linn has been selected.”
Other members of the search committee were Dr. Jeff Briggs, dean of the College of Health and Life Sciences; Dr. Greg Farley, chair of the Department of Biological Sciences; Judy Getty, director of student fiscal services; Dr. Patti Griffin, director of the Academic Advising and Career Exploration Center; Charlene Nichols, assistant director of the FHSU Alumni Association; Arin Powers, a Woodward, Okla., senior and president of the Student Government Association; and Carol Solko-Olliff, director of international student services.
Areas of Manhattan received over 4 inches of rain in a brief period of time on Monday.
MANHATTAN — The May 4 thunderstorm and heavy rainfall caused some damage on Kansas State University’s Manhattan campus.
According to a release from KSU, the Division of Facilities staff cleaned water damage in portions of Seaton Hall, Anderson Hall, McCain Auditorium and the President’s Residence.
The storm caused roof leaks in Edwards Hall, eastern Weber Hall, Ahearn Field House, the Power Plant and Dykstra Hall.
Many of these buildings are scheduled for future roof replacements.
The storm also caused minor road damage and road erosion from heavy water flow on streets.
Division of Facilities staff continues to clean up any remaining water damage or leaks. Most damage was cleaned by the end of the day on Tuesday.
NOON UPDATE from the NWS: Severe thunderstorms are forecast to develop around 4 p.m. near a dryline, mainly east of Dodge City, then progress eastward through 7 to 8 p.m. Wednesday. Hail up to golf ball-size is expected. A few tornadoes also could develop with the most likely area from Saint John to Pratt and Medicine Lodge.
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The National Weather Service is warning a series of storms expected Wednesday afternoon could be severe.
The hazardous weather outlook includes much of northwest Kansas, including Ellis County.
“There’s been an upper-level storm system that’s been sitting out to our west … producing daily rain and thunderstorms,” said NWS meteorologist Fritz Kruse. “It finally moved here this morning.”
That system will bring with it the possibility of tornadoes and up to baseball-size hail. Kruse said the area most at risk will be from Dodge City to east of Scott City.
Unfortunately, the storm isn’t expected to bring much moisture.
“The storm is moving at 20 to 30 mph,” Kruse said. “It will be hit or miss … not a widespread deluge. Might get a quick half-inch or might get nothing.”
More severe weather is possible Thursday and Friday but is expected to stay near Dodge City and south.
Kruse said, however, that one prediction shows Hays getting heavy rain on Saturday.
“There’s another warm front setting up on Saturday,” Kruse said. “Some models have it in Oklahoma … another has it coming north. Wherever that warm front sets up, there could be strong potential (for severe weather).”
Click HERE for a recap of Tuesday’s storms and HERE for a complete weather forecast.
Stay tuned to Eagle Radio for the latest severe weather updates.
JUNCTION CITY – The trial of a Kansas man accused in the death of an 8-month old boy is underway in Geary County District Court.
Christopher Lyman, 29, Junction City, is charged with one count of premeditated murder, three counts of felony murder based on an underlying felony of child abuse in three instances involving torture, shaking, and cruelly beaten.
He also faces three counts of child abuse, and one count each of aggravated battery and aggravated criminal sodomy.
The infant boy was taken to the Emergency Room at Geary Community Hospital on September 15, 2013 and then transported to Children’s Mercy Hospital in Kansas City, Mo., with major injuries. Three days later, the child died.
The Hays Arts Council would like to maintain its legacy, which began in 1967, partly by saving money on its power bill.
HAC, along with Midwest Energy, is conducting a fundraising campaign, Empowering the Arts, to raise money to purchase 26 solar panels in hopes of cutting its electric bill.
According to HAC Director Brenda Meder, the agency began taking donations April 1 and will continue until July 1.
“It’s basically to raise as much as we can, as close to $20,000,” she said. “Some people are donating panels, some people are donating money.”
To make donations, the public can visit, www.crowdrise.com/empoweringthearts or mail or drop off a check at the Hays Arts Council. Donations are tax-deductible.
“The idea is if we can spend less money on utility costs that means more money for programs or money freed up in light of budget and funding cuts,” Meder said. “Make sure we are doing our part and always stay ahead of what could compromise the stability and the future of the Hays Arts Council.”
Another benefit in this campaign is the environmental component.
“It’s always good as a citizen on this planet to have a smaller footprint,” Meder said, “and we will be able to slash the electricity bill.”
With the Community Foundation of Ellis’ “Giving Back to Ellis” campaign coming to a close, the Foundation would like to thank our entire community for your support. You’ve already given over $35,000 to make our community an even better place to live than it already is, and our town’s generosity is already making a difference in our community. Because of your overwhelming support, here are a few new and exciting things that are happening through the Community Foundation of Ellis.
This year, your support of the Foundation will have started two new programs that provide food for children in our community, one of which is being funded by donations you’ve given. For many students, school lunches provide steady meals through the week, but weekends and summer breaks lack the consistency of nutrition that kids need.
The Community Foundation of Ellis is striving to meet that need. One of the programs, Food4Kids Backpacks, has been helping our town beat hunger since February. Funded and run by the Kansas Food Bank, this program provides two meals each Friday for any grade-school student who needs a little food to help them through the weekend. Our second program kicks off this summer.
Starting June 1, Food4Kids: Summer will provide kids in Ellis with food that’s in when school is out. For many kids in Ellis, summer’s a time when the lack of school lunches creates a real need for help, so we’re aiming to provide 45 children ages 2-18 with six meals per week to meet the need. This initiative is being funded by the Foundation, and so it depends on our community’s support. All of this is in addition to the excellent work of the Ellis Food Box, which has provided food to 124 families this year to help beat hunger in Ellis. Through your continuing support, we’re going to make a difference in our community.
Beyond meeting our community’s need for food, your gifts to the Foundation are helping our community grow by supporting all kinds of established and budding organizations in our community. This year, we’ve been able to increase the number of grants awarded from 7 to 10, giving nearly $4,900 back to organizations in Ellis.
This year’s grant recipients include Ellis United Methodist Church’s 5th Quarter, the Nutrition Center, The Ellis Public Library, the Senior Advisory Board, St. Mary’s Preschool, Ellis Soccer Club, the Ellis Columbian Board, the Ellis Baptist Church Youth Group, the Polar Express Committee, and Ellis Girl Scout Troop #10020. Congratulations to all of this year’s grant winners!
Once again, the Community Foundation of Ellis would like to thank our entire community for your support. Our food programs and grants depend on your donations.
If you’d like to find out how you can make a difference in our community through the Foundation, visit our website at www.ellisfoundation.net or contact the Ellis Alliance office at (785) 726-2660.
FHSU University Relations
