Lorenzo Cain scores on Eric Hosmer’s double in the 4th inning of the Royals win over Cleveland. (Courtesy Chris Vleisides)
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Francisco Lindor broke up Kansas City’s no-hit bid with a bunt single off reliever Ryan Madson leading off the seventh inning, and the AL Central champion Royals beat the Cleveland Indians 3-0 Sunday with a five-pitcher two-hitter.
Chris Young (11-6), making his first start since July 28 after nearly two months in the bullpen, pitched five hitless innings. He allowed one walk, struck out two and threw 68 pitches.
Danny Duffy struck out two in a perfect sixth for the Royals, who already have clinched their first division title in 30 years.
On the first pitch from reliever Ryan Madson, who was pitching from the stretch, Lindor laid down a bunt that third baseman Mike Moustakas, who was playing back, picked up with his bare hand about 40 feet from home plate. Moustakas’ one-hop throw to first was not nearly in time.
The Indians fell four games behind Houston for the AL’s second wild card with eight games left.
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas officials say the state will know its underfunded pension system is back on solid financial ground when its revenues and investment earnings are expected to cover 80 percent of the benefits promised retirees over the next two decades.
Their rule of thumb has popped up repeatedly as Republican Gov. Sam Brownback and GOP legislators have touted their efforts to improve the public pension system’s health. The funding figure was only 62 percent at the end of last year but is expected to rise.
The 80 percent benchmark has been cited in federal reports, but its value is questioned by actuaries, a national financial rating agency and a group for state pension system administrators.
Such experts say a pension system’s health depends on multiple factors and not a single benchmark.
CUNNINGHAM – A teenage driver died in an accident during a pursuit by law enforcement just after 7:30a.m. on Sunday in Kingman County.
The Kansas Highway Patrol reported Pratt County Deputies were notified of a 2013 Toyota Highlander with Oklahoma license plates driven erratically westbound on U.S. 54 just south of Cunningham.
Officers attempted to stop the vehicle and pursued it into Kingman County at speeds in excess of 100mph.
The vehicle exited the highway at 170th Avenue. The driver, Rebeca Vandermerwe,15, lost control of the Toyota.
It traveled down the shoulder of the exit ramp, and rear-ended the trailer of a semi that was legally parked on the shoulder of the exit ramp.
Vandermerwe was pronounced dead at the scene and transported to Sedgwick County Forensics.
A sheriff in Stanton County, Texas notified the family of the death.
———————-
CUNNINGHAM – Law enforcement authorities in South Central Kansas are investigating a fatal crash just after 7:30a.m. on Sunday in Kingman County.
The Kansas Highway Patrol reported Pratt County Deputies were notified of an erratic driver westbound on U.S. 54 just south of Cunningham.
Officers attempted to stop the vehicle and pursued it into Kingman County at speeds in excess of 100mph.
The vehicle exited the highway at 170th Avenue. The driver lost control of the vehicle.
It traveled down the shoulder of the exit ramp, and rear-ended the trailer of another vehicle that was legally parked on the shoulder of the exit ramp.
The accident remains under investigation. Check Hays Post for additional details as they become available.
WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas education officials say the state’s public school system might need a complete overhaul to meet the demands of the future workplace.
Education Commissioner Randy Watson says that could include changes in school culture, new roles for counselors and getting students more real-life work experience.
The Wichita Eagle reports Watson spoke on Friday to a group of about 100 educators in Wichita. Earlier this year he and deputy commissioner Brad Neuenswander held discussions across the state to find out what residents want from their education system.
Most said students need non-academic skills such as conscientiousness, persistence, teamwork, emotional stability and work ethic.
Business leaders said personality traits and soft skills are more important for success than academic knowledge.
HUTCHINSON– A Reno County Correctional Facility inmate was taken to a Wichita hospital after a beating incident inside the facility just before 8:30 p.m. on Saturday.
Darrell Beachy, 30, was flown to a Wichita hospital for undetermined head injuries after being beaten in his pod by inmates Antoine Alexander and William Alexander, according to a media release from Reno County Sheriff Randy Henderson.
Both Antoine and William Alexander now face an aggravated battery charge added to there original charges and should appear before a judge on Monday.
Antoine Alexander is in custody on Fail to appear charges from Hutchinson and South Hutchinson. William Alexander is being held on a Fail to appear charge in Salina.
Beachy is in custody on numerous charges of theft, burglary, forgery and interference with law enforcement.
FORT RILEY -Soldiers from the First Infantry Division at Fort Riley will soon deploy to Kuwait for a nine-month rotation.
According to a media release from the Defense Department, approximately 4,000 soldiers from the 2nd Brigade, the so-called “Dagger Brigade,” will deploy “to support multinational partners and build coalition capacity” in support of cooperation agreements in the CENTCOM area of responsibility.
The announcement did not offer specific dates, saying the rotation would begin in late fall.
“I’m extremely proud of the 2nd Armored Brigade Combat Team, and I know they’ll accomplish any mission they’re given,” said Maj. Gen. Wayne W. Grigsby Jr., the commanding general of the 1st Infantry Division.
“As we continue to train and deploy forces forward to assist our coalition teammates, the Dagger Brigade is ready to execute this mission. Their leaders have decades of combined experience in the region – this is the right team for the task.
WASHINGTON (AP) — Religion, birth control and President Barack Obama’s health care overhaul are about to collide at the Supreme Court — yet again.
Faith-affiliated charities, colleges and hospitals that oppose some or all contraception as immoral are battling the administration.
At issue are rules that allow them to opt out of covering the contraceptives for women that are among a range of preventive services required to be in health plans at no extra cost.
The administration has provided a work-around for the religious-oriented nonprofit groups. But those groups say it doesn’t go far enough.
A recent federal appeals court ruling is the first to agree with the nonprofits, after seven other appellate panels sided with the administration.
Such disagreements among lower courts often are a trigger for consideration by the Supreme Court.
For the third time at Fort Hays State University, the “Supervising with Confidence” workshop will offer participants an opportunity to refine their supervisory skills at 8:30 a.m. on Thursday, Oct. 8, in the Memorial Union’s Trails Room.
“Being an effective supervisor requires examining your supervisory skill strengths and improvement areas,” said Sabrina William, director of the Management Development Center. “This workshop provides an opportunity for participants to enhance their use of the five supervisor skills through experiential activities.”
The workshop is designed to provide participants with a more thorough understanding of how to lead. Participants will gain exposure on topics such as effective and ineffective supervisors, handling shifting priorities, goal setting, effective planning, managing employee performance and relationship building.
Workshop registration by Friday, Oct. 2 is $21. Hays Area Chamber of Commerce members are eligible for a 15-percent discount.
Each person who completes the workshop will receive a completion certificate.
For more information, registration and discount codes, contact Conni Dreher at (785) 628-4121 or [email protected]. Registration is also available online at www.fhsu.edu/mdc.
Seth Kastle, instructor of leadership studies in FHSU’s Virtual College International, and William will facilitate the workshop offered by the Management Development Center.
HUTCHINSON – A Kansas man, found guilty of two counts of abuse of a child, was granted community corrections on Friday.
District Judge Tim Chambers sentenced Brent Burton, 29, Hutchinson, to three years in prison, but then granted three years community corrections.
He then sanctioned Burton with 60-days in the Reno County Correctional Facility as part of the corrections. That will be worked out with his corrections officer as to when he will actually have to serve that time.
This coming after the judge denied a request for a new trial by the defense because of statement made at trial by a witness that the children involved were placed in foster care.
Defense Attorney Bonnie Corrado noted to the court that in fact the kids were taken from the mother and Burton was allowed to care for them. Judge Chambers having already ruled on this issue denied the request.
In May of 2014, Burton was left in charge of the two children, ages 5 and 2, while the mother was away.
He apparently fell asleep, the children left the home and were across the street in a park near a busy city street.
Burton woke up and could not find the kids. He then went looking for them and after finding them in the park apparently punished them to the point that the state said it was abuse.
In closing arguments, the defense contended that he was doing his job as a parent.
The Center for Life Experiences will host Family Night Out this week.
The event is for all families with children age 0 to 10 and is designed to be a time for families to spend the evening together while parents share with other parents and children can participate in their own supervised and planned activities.
Family Night Out will be Tuesday at the Center for Life Experiences, 2900 Hall. The evening begins with a meal served from 6 to 6:30 p.m. and is scheduled to last until 8 p.m.
Participants will be able to share with other parents what works and does not work in raising healthy children and building strong families. A variety of professionals will be on hand to offer specialized advice.
RSVP for child care and the meal by noon Monday by calling (785) 259-2430 or (785) 623-2440.
The FHSU club will set up telescopes and have binoculars available for the viewing, set for 8:30 to 10 p.m. Viewers are welcome to bring their own binoculars or telescope.
The viewing location will be on the Big Creek dike near the walking bridge that connects the main campus to the Gross Memorial Coliseum/Cunningham Hall complex.
For more information, contact Jack Maseberg, assistant professor of physics and advisor of the Astronomy and Photography Club.
Developmental Services of Northwest Kansas will host its annual Awards Luncheon on Tuesday, September 29, 2015, at 12:00 p.m. The event will take place at the Ellis County Fairgrounds in Hays.
“Awards will be presented to DSNWK employees for years of service with one receiving the Employee of the Year honor,” said Steve Keil, Director of Development, in a news release. Recognition will also be made for the achievements made by men and women in DSNWK services, Keil added.
These awards will be for employment and independent living accomplishments, with special awards given for individual achievement. DSNWK will also present awards to several community members for their support of people with disabilities through opportunities in employment and other community support.
Photo by Andy Marso Chris Tuck, a school nurse and health director of Topeka’s Seaman USD 345, said the district of about 4,000 students had 31,762 health room visits last year. Seaman has a nurse in every building, but Tuck said that’s a luxury many school districts can’t afford.
The Kansas Legislature’s in-house auditors released an efficiency study of Topeka’s Auburn-Washburn USD 437 in July, part of a series of school district audits commissioned by lawmakers looking to cut public education costs for kindergarten through 12th grade.
One of the auditors’ findings was that the district could save about $68,000 in salary and benefits and the state could save an additional $9,000 in pension contributions if Auburn-Washburn replaced four of its 10 school nurses with “health aides.”
Brenda Dietrich, who was in the process of retiring as Auburn-Washburn’s longtime superintendent, floated the idea to the district’s parents.
It was not well-received. “A lot of our families in the school district have medical backgrounds,” Dietrich said. “They’ve just come to expect to have a nurse in every building.” But that’s not a reality in many districts, and with state budgets tight and legislators increasingly focused on making sure more K-12 funding goes to the “classroom,” nurses are among the non-classroom staff that could be in the crosshairs.
Dietrich said the medical professionals who live in her district understand that the job of a school nurse is not what it was 50 or even 20 years ago.
Chronic conditions like asthma and diabetes are on the rise among children, as are serious allergies. The movement to mainstream kids with disabilities means there are now far more students in public schools who rely on things like well-functioning feeding tubes, tracheostomy tubes and catheters to not only keep them learning but keep them alive.
“When I was in school I don’t remember a child with a disability in any of our classes, and now it’s very common,” Dietrich said. “It’s a good thing, but you’ve got to have professionals who can take care of those kids in your buildings.”
Nurses also help form individualized education programs (IEPs) for students with disabilities in special education and screen children for vision, hearing and obesity-related problems.
Most districts are not flush with nursing staff.
The total number of school nurses in Kansas did not recover to pre-recession levels until last school year and, because of increases in enrollment, the ratio of students to nurses is still not back to where it was in 2008.
Even so, Dietrich said cutting the number of nurses is “absolutely” a discussion going on in other districts across the state, and it may be one Auburn-Washburn has to revisit soon because of the ongoing budget crunch at the state level.
“I think it will be something the district will have to consider going forward as revenues continue to decline,” Dietrich said. “But I think it’s going to be one of those things where there is nothing left (to cut).”
Student-to-nurse ratios
According to data from the Kansas State Department of Education, there were 701 registered nurses and licensed practical nurses in the state’s public schools during the 2008-2009 school year. The following year that number dipped to 680 and stayed below 700 until last year, when it rose to 715.
The ratio of students per nurse last year was about 690:1. That’s less than the previous five years but still does not match the 674:1 ratio of the 2008-09 school year.
Kansas’ student-to-nurse ratio remains far lower than some other states, and it’s within the general recommendation from the National Association of School Nurses of one nurse for every 750 students.
But Chris Tuck, a school nurse and health director of Topeka’s Seaman USD 345, noted that the one-per-750 recommendation assumes the 750 students in question have no disabilities or chronic illnesses.
“Those are regular ed kids,” Tuck said. “I don’t know of a single school that doesn’t have kids with an IEP.”
The national association recommends ratios of one nurse for every 225 students for populations that require daily professional nursing services.
Tuck, who until recently was on the national association’s board of directors, said the Seaman district of about 4,000 students had 31,762 health room visits last year.
Like Auburn-Washburn, Seaman has a nurse in every building. But Tuck said that’s a luxury many school districts can’t afford.
A survey the national association conducted in 2013 found that 62 of the state’s 286 school districts had no full-time nurse in the entire district.
No state standard for health aides
The staff who audited Auburn-Washburn for the Legislature suggested that district officials substitute “health aides” for some of their nurses, noting that some “peer districts” had more health aides and fewer nurses.
Health aides must work under the supervision of district nurses, but those nurses are not required to be in the same building. And while school nurses are licensed and regulated by the Kansas State Board of Nursing and subject to the board’s training and education requirements, there are no minimum training requirements for health aides under state law. Each district sets its own.
Tuck said in her district health aides must be trained in first aid and CPR. They’re especially valuable to nursing staff when it comes to managing immunization and health screening records, she said.
But in a different setting, like a hospital or nursing home, they would not be allowed to do things like dispense medications or perform tube feedings.
“They can’t do the job of the registered nurse,” Tuck said. “Not legally or safely.”
In a school setting, the health aide can do those things if a licensed nurse delegates those duties. In some Kansas schools, nurses who feel stretched thin are deputizing teachers to dispense medications.
Tuck said she’s aware of the current Legislature’s emphasis on prioritizing classroom spending over other K-12 costs, but she hopes it does not come at the expense of nursing staff. “If a child is not healthy and they do not feel safe, it isn’t going to matter if they’re sitting in that seat at school,” Tuck said. “What we do as school nurses is we support teachers to educate the kids.”
Kansas school nurse numbers
2008-09
Total registered nurses and licensed practical nurses: 701
Students per nurse: 674
2009-10
Total RNs and LPNs: 680
Students per nurse: 704
2010-11
Total RNs and LPNs: 692
Students per nurse: 695
2011-12
Total RNs and LPNs: 678
Students per nurse: 712
2012-13
Total RNs and LPNs: 696
Students per nurse: 697
2013-14
Total RNs and LPNs: 697
Students per nurse: 706
2014-15
Total RNs and LPNs: 715
Students per nurse: 690
(All figures rounded to nearest whole number)
Source: Kansas State Department of Education
Andy Marso is a reporter for Heartland Health Monitor, a news collaboration focusing on health issues and their impact in Missouri and Kansas.
