By RICKY KERR
Hays Post
The Fall Art Walk in downtown Hays last month featured an abundance of art and a great crowd turnout. Check out the video below if you missed it:
Hays Post video by Ricky Kerr
Month: September 2015
KHP releases details in fatal pickup, lawnmower accident
CHETOPA – A Kansas man died in an accident just after 7 p.m. on Friday in Labette County.
The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a Dixon lawn mower driven by Jason Simpson, 42, Chetopa, exited a yard at 2434 County Road 4000, into the path of a westbound 1995 Ford F 150 driven by Dustin Fraker, 23, Oswego.
The vehicles collided and ultimately came to rest on 4000 Road.
Simpson was transported to Mercy Hospital in Joplin where he died.
Fraker and two children in the Ford were not injured.
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CHETOPA – A Kansas man died in an accident just after 7 p.m. on Friday in Labette County.
The Kansas Highway Patrol is investigating an accident involving a Dixon 54 inch zero-turn lawnmower driven by Jason Simpson, 42, Chetopa, and a 1995 Ford F 150 driven by Dustin Fraker, 23, Oswego, on 4000 Road just East of U.S. 59, north of Chetopa.
Simpson was transported to Mercy Hospital in Joplin where he died.
Fraker and two children in the Ford were not injured.
Details of the crash have not been released.
HR certification prep course offered by FHSU Management Development Center
FHSU University Relations and Marketing
A partnership between Fort Hays State University’s Management Development Center and the Society for Human Resource Management will offer a 10-week online course starting Monday, Sept. 14.
The course will help human resource professionals prepare for the society’s new competency-based certification exams, the Certified Professional (SHRM-CP) and the Senior Certified Professional (SHRM-SCP). The next testing window for the SHRM certification exam begins Tuesday, Dec. 1.
“With the help of outstanding certification preparation tools from SHRM, our course will help professionals prepare for the SHRM-CP and the SHRM-SCP exams, giving professionals the recognition and flexibility to use their knowledge, skills and competencies anywhere their career takes them,” said Sabrina William, MDC director.
SHRM, the world’s largest association devoted to human resource management, announced in May 2014 that it was developing a new certification based on the SHRM Competency Model. The model identifies eight behavioral competencies and one technical competency, HR Knowledge or HR Expertise that HR professionals need to advance their careers and improve the effectiveness in the workplace.
“The Society for Human Resource Management is delighted at the opportunity to partner with the FHSU MDC and to help HR professionals acquire both the competencies and knowledge essential for success in today’s global economy,” said J. Robert Carr, senior professional in human resources and SHRM senior vice president for membership, marketing and external affairs.
SHRM focuses on ensuring that HR professionals seek and attain certification.
“SHRM is committed to ensuring that the certifications our certificants receive are recognized as best-in-class and distinguishes them in the marketplace. We regard the SHRM-CP and SHRM-SCP as the new standard in certification for the HR profession,” said Carr.
The MDC is a division of FHSU’s College of Business and Entrepreneurship. The college also offers an SHRM-endorsed B.B.A. in management with a concentration in human resource management and a Master of Professional Studies in human resource management.
For more information on SHRM certifications, visit www.shrmcertification.org.
For more information or to register for MDC’s preparation course, contact William at (785) 628-4124 or visit www.fhsu.edu/cob/mdc/SHRM-Certification-Course.
CDC: US adult smoking rate continues decline
MIKE STOBBE, AP Medical Writer
NEW YORK (AP) — A new government report says the smoking rate for U.S. adults continues to fall.
The smoking rate dropped to 17 percent last year, down from about 18 percent in 2013.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released the findings Tuesday, based on a large national survey.
The smoking rate has been falling for decades. Experts attribute recent declines decline to anti-smoking advertising campaigns, cigarette taxes, smoking bans, and the growing popularity of electronic cigarettes and other alternatives to traditional cigarettes.
Smoking is the nation’s leading cause of preventable illness.
The smoking rate was about 15 percent for the first three months of this year. However, beginning-of-the-year survey data tends to be skewed by the temporary impact of New Year’s resolutions.
Kan. man dies in a 3-vehicle motorcycle crash
TOPEKA –A Kansas man died in an accident just before 4 p.m. on Saturday in Shawnee County.
The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2004 Chevy passenger vehicle driven by Vickye S. Still, 71, was eastbound on U.S. 24 just west of Goodyear Road north of Topeka.
The vehicle struck a 2003 Honda motorcycle driven by Ryan T. Scott, 36, Wamego.
The motorcycle then struck a 2010 Mazda passenger vehicle driven by Leslie R. E. Gordon, 37, Topeka.
Scott was pronounced dead at the scene.
Still was transported to Stormont Vail. Gordon were not injured.
Scott was not wearing a helmet, according to the KHP.
Report: Some top baby monitors lack basic security features
BREE FOWLER, AP Technology Writer
NEW YORK (AP) — Several of the top Internet-connected baby monitors lack basic security features, making them vulnerable to hackers, according to new report from a cybersecurity firm.
The research released Wednesday by Boston-based Rapid7 Inc. looks at nine baby monitors made by eight different companies.
The researchers found security problems and design flaws in all of the cameras they tested. Some had hidden, unchangeable passwords that could be used to gain access. And some didn’t encrypt their data streams, or some of their web or mobile features.
Video baby monitors are very popular with many parents and the idea of someone else watching is frightening.
In addition, a hacked camera could provide access to other Wi-Fi-enabled devices in a person’s home, such as a personal computer or security system.
4 judges sue to overturn Kansas court system funding law
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Four district court judges are challenging the constitutionality of a new state law that threatens the budget of the judicial branch.
The lawsuit was filed Friday in Shawnee County District Court on behalf of judges from the counties of Douglas, Kingman Labette and Riley.
Issues first arose in 2014 with the passage of a law that said judges in each of the state’s 31 judicial districts pick their chief judges, taking that power from the Kansas Supreme Court. A Shawnee County judge ruled this month that the law was unconstitutional. But that ruling doesn’t address another law, which is the focus of the new lawsuit.
The new law declares that if the administrative policy is invalidated, the court system’s funding through June 2017 is “null and void.”
Kansas State rolls past South Dakota
By ASHLEY DUNKAK
Associated Press
MANHATTAN, Kan. (AP) — Winston Dimel punched in two touchdowns Saturday and helped lead Kansas State to a 34-0 win over South Dakota in the season opener for both teams.
Kansas State overwhelmed its FCS opponent from the first play of the game, when Morgan Burns returned the opening kickoff 100 yards for a touchdown. But the Wildcats lost starting quarterback Jesse Ertz on their first offensive series of the game, when Ertz came up limping after only two snaps. He was replaced by Joe Hubener, who completed 9 of 18 attempts for 147 yards and a touchdown.
Dominique Heath led Kansas State receivers with three catches for 54 yards. The Wildcats relied heavily on their fullbacks in the red zone, giving the ball eight times to Dimel, who delivered touchdown runs from the 2 and the 1.
South Dakota’s Ryan Saeger converted 18 of 30 passes for 205 yards.
Quintana throws 7 shutout innings; White Sox beat Royals
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Jose Quintana pitched seven scoreless innings and Alexei Ramirez hit a three-run homer as the Chicago White Sox beat the Kansas City Royals 6-1 Saturday night.
Quintana (8-10) defeated the Royals for the first time in 17 career starts after losing his first six decisions.
Quintana, who is 4-1 in nine starts since July 24, yielded five doubles — including two to Kendrys Morales. He struck out four and walked none.
Ramirez homered — his eighth hit in nine at-bats — in the fourth inning with Jose Abreu and Avisail Garcia aboard. Ramirez was down in the count 1-2 before parking a Danny Duffy curveball over the left-center wall.
Geovany Soto hit a solo homer in the seventh, his fifth home run in 21 games
Duffy (7-7) was pulled after seven innings, allowing four runs on seven hits, while striking out seven and walking two.
FHSU volleyball falls twice Saturday at Wildcat Open in Michigan
Fort Hays State Volleyball fell twice on Saturday (Sept. 5) at the Wildcat Open in Marquette, Mich., hosted by Northern Michigan University. After a win in the season opener on Friday, the Tigers have now dropped three straight and sit at 1-3 overall.
Upper Iowa 3, Fort Hays State 0
Fort Hays State fell by just two points in the opening set against Upper Iowa, but could not recover in a straight set loss. Upper Iowa took the match by scores of 26-24, 25-22, and 25-19.
The Tigers fell behind 5-0 in the first set before slowly crawling back. With Upper Iowa leading 13-9, the Tigers went on a 6-0 run to take a 15-13 lead. Crystal Whitten had a pair of kills and Morgan McKean had a service ace in the run, coupled with three hitting errors by UIU. FHSU went on to lead by three twice at 19-16 and 20-17 on kills by Rebekah Spainhour, then led 23-20 after a kill from Whitten. But the Peacocks stormed right back with a pair of kills and a hitting error by the Tigers to tie the set 23-23. The Peacocks eventually came up with the final two points on a kill and a Tiger attacking error to win 26-24.
FHSU never led the rest of the match, trailing by as many as seven in the second set and nine in the third set. The Tigers hit less than .100 in the first and third sets and finished the match at .127. Upper Iowa was under .200 in the first and third sets, but hit a strong .316 in the second set. The Peacocks hit .210 overall for the match.
Mallory Flagor led the Tigers with 11 kills, while Whitten added 10. Hannah Wagy had 26 assists and Azlyn Cassaday and Whitten tied with a team-high 12 digs.
Northern Michigan 3, Fort Hays State 2
Fort Hays State let the opportunity to finish with a weekend split slip through their hands in the second match on Saturday. The Tigers took a 2-0 lead in their match with tournament host Northern Michigan, only to see the home team rally for three straight sets. Northern Michigan took the match 23-25, 20-25, 25-14, 25-21, 15-8.
The Tigers held on for the first set win. FHSU led 24-20 before seeing NMU rally for three straight points, but Rebekah Spainhour ended the home team’s hopes with a kill. In the second set FHSU rallied for eight straight points after trailing 15-12 to take a 20-15 lead. FHSU cruised to closing out the set on consecutive kills by Spainhour and Azlyn Cassaday.
Northern Michigan started its comeback by getting ahead of FHSU by five points early in the third, then methodically pulled away for an 11-point win. FHSU was in good shape leading by four at 10-6 in the fourth before NMU took nine of the next 15 points to tie the set 15-15. FHSU led 20-18, then NMU rallied for five straight points to take a 23-20 lead. The Wildcats took two of the final three points to win by four.
The Wildcats used the momentum to take command early with a 5-1 lead in the decisive set and eventually led 10-2 before closing the Tigers out by seven.
Kayla Chosa had 14 of her game-high 21 kills over the final three sets for Northern Michigan. With just three errors, she hit a scorching .514 in the match.
Rebekah Spainhour had a big match for the Tigers, putting down 17 kills with just four errors to hit .394. Crystal Whiten added 11 kills, but with nine errors, hit just .053. Hannah Wagy produced 39 assists and Mallory Flagor had a team-high 13 digs followed by Taylor Denney with 12.
Northern Michigan hit .221 for the match, while the Tigers hit .148.
The Tigers return to action next week in Oklahoma at the Tiger/Savage Storm Classic, held in both Durant and Ada, Okla. The Tigers will be in Durant for their first two matches on Friday(Sept. 11) and then Ada for their final two matches on Saturday(Sept. 12).
Help with taxes lets Kansas woman keep Ford Fairlane
HUTCHINSON, Kan. (AP) — A 78-year-old Hutchinson woman who planned to sell her beloved 1955 Ford Fairlane to pay back property taxes received a helping hand from a stranger who paid the bill for her.
Dorce Stapleton told The Hutchinson News she was stunned Tuesday when a man showed up in her driveway offering to pay her back property taxes.
Stapleton’s predicament was described in the newspaper earlier. She said she was selling the old car to pay two and a half years of back property taxes.
After telling Stapleton of his plans, the donor went to the courthouse and paid the $2,100 in back taxes and returned with the receipts.
The donor asked to remain anonymous and said he had a good life and just wanted to help.
Kan. woman hospitalized following crash while passing a semi
CUNNINGHAM -A Kansas woman was injured in an accident just before 3 p.m. on Saturday in Kingman County.
The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2000 Yamaha motorcycle driven by Jennifer Annette Vieux, 44, Wichita, was eastbound on U.S. 54 just west of Cunningham.
The driver attempted to pass a semi and lost control in the median.
Vieux was transported to Wesley Medical Center.
She was not wearing a helmet, according to the KHP.
HFD responds to Saturday deck fire at Hays home
HFD
At 6:08 PM on Saturday, the City of Hays Fire Department, assisted by the Hays Police Department and Ellis County EMS, was dispatched to a building fire in the 1300 block of Schwaller Avenue. On arrival, firefighters found a fire on an outdoor wood deck at 1339 Schwaller Avenue.
The resident was able to control the fire prior to the arrival of firefighters. Firefighters used two fire extinguishers with penetrating foam to extinguish hot spots and make sure the fire would not rekindle.
In addition to fire damage to the wood deck, the fire extended to the exterior wall of the building.
The most probable cause of the fire was determined to be from improperly discarded smoking materials.
Four fire trucks and fourteen firefighters responded. The last firefighters left the scene at 6:37 PM.