The Hays High girls had three individual winners and finished fourth as a team at the McPherson track and field meet on Thursday.
The Indians finished with 72 team points, five behind third place Valley Center and 31points behind first place. Goddard Eisenhower finished second with 92 points.
Ashlyn Parish won the both 100 meter hurdles (16.19) and 300 meter hurdles (49.27).
Mattie Schlaefli placed first in the girls javelin (126-3.5).
The Hays High boys placed third as a team.
Salina Central won the meet with 95.3 team points and Valley Center was second and finished with 91.3 points.
Shane Berens and Hayden Kreutzer were the highest finishers for the Indians.
Berens finished second in the discus (152-6). Peyton Harris was third and Brandon Hardwick fourth.
Berens also finished second in the boys shot put (48-5). Brandon Hardwick placed third.
Kreutzer cleared a high of 14-00 feet to finished second in the boys pole vault.
WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — Preparations for a new line of KC-46A tankers are keeping construction workers busy at McConnell Air Force Base in Wichita.
Sixteen military construction projects are underway at the base, with a total estimated cost of $267 million. Ben Davis, project manager with the Kansas City district of the Army Corps of Engineers, says the projects are on schedule.
McConnell was selected in 2013 to be the first active-duty base in the country to receive new KC-46A tankers, which will replace its aging fleet of 1950s-era KC-135 refueling tankers. The base will eventually receive 36 of the new tankers.
The Wichita Eagle reports the first three hangars for the tankers are scheduled to be completed by March 2016 at the latest, with the following three completed about a year later.
The Fort Hays State University Department of Music and Theatre will combine with the Hays Symphony Orchestra at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, May 2, in the FHSU Beach/Schmidt Performing Arts Center to perform “A German Requiem” by Johannes Brahms.
“This astounding work is one of the most widely performed large works for orchestra, chorus and soloists over the world, and it is filled with soaring harmonies, singable melodies and extensive use of the orchestral moods.” said Dr. Terry Crull, associate professor of music and theater.
Tickets are $6 for adults and $4 for senior citizens. Children through grade 12 enter free and FHSU students enter free with their student ID.
Soloists are Max Haverfield and Eriana Holle, who are preparing for graduate studies in voice after leaving FHSU. Two movements of the work will be led by guest conductor Merle Muster, Professor Emeritus of Calvin College in Michigan.
Hays musician Randy Sauer traveled to Hollywood on April 26 for the Indie Music Channel Awards Show.
Sauer had eight nominations for the awards show that included songs in the Children’s, Instrumental, Christian and Album categories.
He was awarded Best Children’s Song of the Year for the song “Soda Pop Bop.” This is the second year in a row Sauer has won the award. In 2014, he also won 2014 Best Children’s Songwriter of the Year.
LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — Haskell Indian Nations University officials are planning to meet with university athletes to determine if they will stay at the school after learning that its athletics conference will be dissolved.
The school announced Thursday that it had been informed the Midlands Collegiate Athletic Conference was dissolving because has only three members and an effort to stabilize it failed.
Haskell will compete independently in the next school year.
The Lawrence Journal-World reports it is unclear if the school will join another intercollegiate athletic conference after the upcoming year.
The Midland Collegiate Athletic Conference’s other two remaining schools, Central Christian College of McPherson, Kansas, and the College of the Ozarks in Point Lookout, Missouri, also will be independent next year.
In May, the Ellis County Extension Office will team up with the Northwest Kansas Area Agency on Aging to offer helpful information for those at or nearing retirement age. A joint program on “Medicare Basics” will be held on Thursday, May 7, at 4:00-5:30 p.m. in the Extension meeting room, 601 Main, Hays.
This free educational program will cover Medicare eligibility, how and when to apply, what is covered by the various parts, and how to fill the gaps. Programs available to assist low income individuals will also be discussed.
Anyone interested in learning more about Medicare would benefit from this program, particularly those who are nearing age 65 or those who help aging parents with insurance and financial matters.
Presenters for the program are Glenna Clingingsmith, from the Northwest Kansas Area Agency on Aging, and Linda Beech, Ellis County Extension FCS Agent.
Medicare is the federal government program that provides health insurance to those who are age 65 or older, and some disabled people under age 65, no matter their income.
Medicare has different parts that cover inpatient services, outpatient services and prescription drugs at the pharmacy. Unless someone makes another choice for how to get benefits when they become eligible for Medicare, they will have Original Medicare, the traditional fee-for-service program offered directly through the federal government. In Original Medicare, you are covered to go to just about any doctor or hospital in the country.
People can also choose to get their Medicare benefits instead through a Medicare Advantage plan (such as an HMO or PPO). These plans, which are also called Medicare private health plans, must offer at least the same benefits as Original Medicare but can have different rules, costs and coverage restrictions.
Medicare is different from Medicaid, which is a state and federal program offering health care coverage to people with low incomes.
Everyone has a choice about how to get Medicare health benefits. Whether making decisions for yourself, or helping parents, grandparents, relatives or friends make health care decisions, it is important to understand Medicare options and to choose Medicare coverage carefully. The decisions you make about Medicare benefits can affect costs and quality of care.
To learn more, plan to attend the free program on “Medicare Basics” on May 7 at 4:00 pm at the Ellis County Extension meeting room, 601 Main in Hays. Enter the rear door from the north parking lot. Please pre-register by calling the Extension Office, 785-628-9430, to ensure adequate materials.
Linda K. Beech is Ellis County Extension Agent for Family and Consumer Sciences.
The City of Hays is offering a “Cash for Grass” program. With more on this program and other tips for water use this Summer, is Jason Riegel with the City of Hays.
Car enthusiasts all of ages are invited the second annual Hot Rods for Humanity car show to help raise money for Habitat for Humanity of Ellis County.
Saturday’s show will be held at the Ashley Furniture parking lot at 27th and Vine.
Habitat for Humanity of Ellis County Executive Director Leslie Goodspeed said car registration is $25 and will be from 10 a.m. to noon Saturday.
The car show begins at noon with the awards presentation at 3 p.m.
Goodspeed said proceeds will go toward Habitat for Humanity of Ellis County and its programs.
That includes Brush with Kindness, which is a home repair program Goodspeed said helps people who cannot fix up the exterior of the home because of physical ailments or for those who cannot afford to make the improvements.
Habitat for Humanity also builds or refurbishes house for people in need.
Awards will be given in a number of categories that includes best project, paint, rat road and most unique.
Freewill donations also will be accepted during the car show.
Hays financial adviser Jeff Seibel of Edward Jones is in Washington this week to meet with state congressional representatives and Sens. Jerry Moran and Pat Roberts to discuss upcoming legislation that will make it easier for small businesses to implement 401(k) plans.
Seibel said the SAFE Act (S 1270), sponsored by Senate Finance Chairman Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, is a “simplified” retirement plan the allows 32 million Americans who don’t already have a plan at work a better opportunity to start investing.
“It’s really a problem that in smaller firms — employers with less than 100 people — half of those companies do not have a retirement plan at work where employers can participate so they are left on their own savings,” Seibel said, adding the simplified 401(k) makes the administration easier for smaller companies so more employers are more likely to offer the plan.
Seibel said the bill is enjoying broad support.
“Kansas is a state where people are self-reliant, and our representatives and our senators understand that people need to save for themselves and not rely on the government for their retirement,” he said.
Seibel is one of 50 financial advisers from across the United States meeting with legislators from their home state.
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) – Danny Duffy pitched shutout ball into the eighth and Eric Hosmer hit a two-run homer as the Kansas City Royals beat the Detroit Tigers 8-1 on Thursday night.
The Royals lost 13 of 19 to Detroit last year to finish a game behind the Tigers, who have won the past four AL Central titles.
Duffy gave up his first run when Rajai Davis’ single scored Jose Iglesias, who led off the inning with a triple. Duffy (2-0) struck out seven and walked two, while allowing seven hits before being replaced by Jason Frasor with no outs in the eighth.
Hosmer, who also homered Wednesday at Cleveland, drove an Alfredo Simon pitch to center with Mike Moustakas aboard in the Royals’ three-run third. Moustakas doubled home Alex Gordon with the first run.
