GREAT BEND — The Barton Community College Foundation presents scholarships each year from funds received through its fundraising events, endowments and annual scholarship gifts.
For the 2015-16 academic year, the Foundation has selected the following northwest Kansas students for scholarship offers:
Dighton
Rebecca Harmison, Ramona J. Goering Keenan Memorial Music Scholarship
Ellis
Alexis Mattheyer, Ira and Eunice Farmer Memorial Scholarship
Goodland
Adam Garbin, William C. Wells Memorial Scholarship
Hays
Brittany Newacheck, Donna Schmidt Memorial Scholarship
Erin Pennington, Yvonne Robbins Women In Leadership & Entreprenuer Studies Scholarship
Brooke Russell, Western Kansas Manufacturers Association Scholarship
Ryan Schippers, G. E. and Lois Alban Academic Scholarship
Hill City
Joshua Dennett, Lynn and Hazel Duke Scholarship
Hoxie
Wade Niermeier, Roger and Mary Lou Murphy Scholarship
La Crosse
Kerri Mitchell, Golda Underhill Bailey Memorial Scholarship
Natoma
Riley Chrisler, Bill E. Sowles Memorial Scholarship
Oakley
Randyll Smith, Lynn and Hazel Duke Scholarship
Rush Center
Patrick Jacobs, Ray “Jiggs” Schulz Scholarship
Russell
Kayla Alexander, Craig and Jolene Biggs Scholarship
Nichole Crowell, Marilyn K. Funk-Charles Scholarship
Susanne Yarmer, Frank and Lelia Smith Scholarship
Timken
Katie Tammen, Ernest Grossardt Memorial Scholarship
WaKeeney
Mikayla Cody, Marilyn K. Funk-Charles Scholarship
Tickets for the seventh Star Wars movie went on sale this week, crashing ticket purchasing websites around the county, but for the local Hays theater, the opening was only slightly higher than an average movie release.
The Mall 8 Theatre, 2918 Vine in Hays, currently owned by Starplex Cinemas, didn’t have any unexpected issues and tickets are still available.
“There are plenty,” said Tim Schulte, general manager. “Nothing’s really happening here.”
Without the big push for tickets, there were no issues for the two websites that sell tickets for the local theater — starplexcinemas.com and movietickets.com.
“I don’t think ours had any issue. … From what I know, nothing really happened on our end,” Schulte said.
In Hays, movie goers usually wait until closer to the release date, rather than buy when tickets become available.
Sales are “better than your average movie, obviously, but they don’t usually sell until we get closer. Since we’re two months out, people aren’t coming yet. Generally, for us anyway, it’s the week of, or two or three weeks before, they will really start cranking out,” Schulte said. “Even with Avengers, with how big that was supposed to be, it didn’t do much until two weeks before it came out and then everyone started buying tickets.”
Starplex will have a 7 p.m. showing in both 2D and 3D on opening night Dec. 17.
The trailer that accompanied the opening ticket sales has already been viewed almost 28 million times on YouTube as of Wednesday morning.
Rain showers and a few thunderstorms are likely to occur today, however total coverage will be generally much less than half the area. An isolated strong thunderstorm capable of 50 to 60 mph winds and nickel size hail is possible the late afternoon hours, mainly west of highway 283. A more significant surge of rain and numerous thunderstorms will develop late this evening toward midnight across southwest Kansas, and persist across the area before weakening over central Kansas late Thursday. Rainfall totals by Thursday evening will likely average between one and two inches, although locally higher amounts in excess of 2 inches are possible. Friday into Sunday is likely to bring plenty of sun and seasonal temperatures.
Today A 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly after 11am. Cloudy, with a high near 69. Southwest wind 6 to 14 mph becoming northeast in the afternoon.
Tonight A chance of showers and thunderstorms, then showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm after 8pm. Cloudy, with a low around 55. Northeast wind 9 to 13 mph. Chance of precipitation is 70%. New rainfall amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible.
ThursdayOccasional showers and possibly a thunderstorm. Some of the storms could produce heavy rainfall. High near 67. Breezy, with an east wind 11 to 16 mph becoming south southeast 18 to 23 mph in the afternoon. Chance of precipitation is 80%. New rainfall amounts between a half and three quarters of an inch possible.
Thursday NightShowers likely and possibly a thunderstorm before midnight, then a chance of showers and thunderstorms after midnight. Cloudy, with a low around 54. South southeast wind 10 to 18 mph, with gusts as high as 28 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%. New rainfall amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.
FridayA 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly before 8am. Mostly sunny, with a high near 72. South wind 8 to 13 mph becoming west northwest in the afternoon.
Friday NightA 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms before 4am. Partly cloudy, with a low around 47.
SaturdaySunny, with a high near 66.
OSAGE CITY- A Kansas man was injured in an accident just after 12:30a.m. on Wednesday in Osage County.
The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2009 Nissan Altima driven by Elijah D J Savage, 20, Osage City, was westbound on Kansas 31 three miles east of Osage City.
The vehicle left the roadway and overturned in a field.
A private vehicle transported Savage to the hospital in Topeka. He was properly restrained at the time of the accident, according to the KHP.
WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — A man has been charged in the fatal shooting of a 23-year-old man in Wichita.
Emmanuel E. Crosby was charged Tuesday with first-degree murder in the death of David Ingram. Prosecutors say Crosby shot Ingram Thursday afternoon when the victim and his girlfriend picked up Crosby and another man for a drug deal. Police say Crosby and the other suspect were in the backseat of a vehicle and Ingram was in the front passenger seat at the time of the shooting.
Ingram was taken to a hospital, where he later died.
Crosby said in court in Tuesday that he plans to hire an attorney. His next hearing is set for Nov. 3.
WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — A Wichita man has been sentenced to 24 years and one month in prison in the death of a concrete company worker.
The Wichita Eagle reports that 35-year-old Donnie Lalonde was sentenced Tuesday in the February 2014 shooting of 44-year-old Efren Antonio Villarreal-Alvarado. He had pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and aggravated robbery.
Authorities say co-workers found Villarreal-Alvarado in his car in the parking lot of Santana Concrete with a gunshot wound to the chest. He later died at a hospital.
Deon Nolan Hale faces first-degree murder and aggravated robbery charges in the case. His trial is set to begin Nov. 2.
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Some Kansas officials question the value of data collected in annual reports meant to identify state buildings using excessive amounts of energy.
The Department of Administration presented such a report Tuesday to a joint legislative committee that oversees state construction projects. The report said 120 of the 328 buildings surveyed, or nearly 37 percent, had excessive energy use over the past five years.
But department officials cautioned that state agencies aren’t consistent in how they report the information and some appear to misunderstand what data is being requested. The officials also said some data is out of date.
The committee voted to recommend that legislators next year consider repealing the law requiring the reporting. But Democratic Sen. Marci Francisco of Lawrence said collecting such information is useful.
KANSAS CITY, Kan. (AP) — A 70-year-old Missouri woman has been sentenced to 20 months in federal prison for defrauding a federal program designed to award contracts to businesses owned by service-disabled veterans.
U.S. Attorney Barry Grissom says Mary Parker of Blue Springs, Missouri, pleaded guilty in federal court in Kansas City, Kansas, to one count of aiding and abetting wire fraud. She admitted helping her son, Warren Parker, and her son, Michael Parker, in making false claims for their company, Silver Star Construction of Blue Springs and Stilwell, Kansas.
Prosecutors say the company obtained more than $6.7 million in contracts from the Veterans Administration.
An investigation determined that Warren Parker never was classified as a service-disabled vet.
The Hays High volleyball team picked up two more wins heading into Saturday’s sub-state tournament in Buhler. The Indians swept Maize (25-13, 26-24) and Salina Central (25-13, 26-24) at their own triangular at the own triangular Tuesday night.
Against MaizeTessa Stickel recorded nine kills, Taylor Groen-Younger 12 assists, Albany Schaffer 16 digs, Kylie Brown three blocks and Madison Prough two service aces.
In the Salina Central match, Tessa Stickel and Kylie Brown each had nine kills. Madison Prough recorded 12 assists, Albany Schaffer 19 digs and Kylie Brown three blocks. Schaffer, Prough and Audra Schmeidler each had three service aces.
The Indians will take a 29-7 record into Saturday’s sub-state tournament in Buhler.
WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — Efforts to reform the juvenile justice system in Kansas are gaining new momentum with the launch this week of a grassroots campaign.
Kansans United for Youth Justice on Tuesday released a report outlining problems and proposing reforms. Kansas ranks eighth in the nation for its overuse for the confinement of youth even though the juvenile crime rate is lower than the national average.
A series of community meetings are planned across the state beginning Tuesday in Overland Park. Similar events are planned in the coming days in Ottawa, Kansas City, Wichita and Garden City.
The effort aims to end the practice of sending low and moderate risk youths to prison or out-of-home placements. It wants to shift funding away from incarceration and to local intensive rehabilitation programs.
TORONTO (AP) — Ben Zobrist hit a two-run homer on knuckleballer R.A. Dickey’s fourth pitch of the game, Alex Rios connected an inning later and the Kansas City Royals routed the Toronto Blue Jays 14-2 Tuesday to move one win from a second straight World Series.
Kansas City moved ahead 3-1 in the best-of-seven AL Championship Series and can win the pennant Wednesday, when Edinson Volquez starts against Toronto’s Marco Estrada in a Game 1 rematch.
Lorenzo Cain scored on a passed ball and Mike Moustakas had a sacrifice fly in an LCS-record four-run top of the first.
Kansas led 5-2 in the seventh before breaking away.
Blue Jays infielder Cliff Pennington relieved in the ninth inning, becoming the first primarily position player to pitch in the postseason, STATS said.
FHSU students in front of the Harry Truman home. (Photo courtesy Kim Perez)
By Randy Gonzales FHSU University Relations and Marketing
A group of Fort Hays State University students recently learned about the decision-making process President Harry Truman used when it came to dropping the atomic bomb on Japan at the end of World War II.
Fourteen students traveled from Hays to Independence, Mo., to tour the Harry S. Truman Library and Museum as part of their class, “Harry Truman and the Second World War.”
They were joined at the museum by a Virtual College student also taking the class. Alyson Burnett-Rawitch, Stilwell graduate student, met Truman when she was young. Burnett-Rawitch’s father took her to the movie theater to see “The Sound of Music,” and she said sitting next to her was an older gentleman who resembled her grandfather.
“I would not leave the man alone,” Burnett-Rawitch said. “He eventually got up and left.” Only later did Burnett learn the man she was pestering was the former 33rd president of the United States.
Fast forward to the present day, and Burnett-Rawitch marveled at Truman’s presidential library and museum, which she has toured before. There was the Oval Office as it looked in Truman’s day. There was an artillery field piece identical to the one used by the battery Truman commanded during World War I. There were interactive exhibits for the children. There was even the famous sign, protected in a glass case: “The Buck Stops Here.”
“I love this class,” Burnett-Rawitch said, adding she had read David McCullough’s biography on Truman before, but never studied it.
“There’s a difference between reading casually and trying to analyze it,” she said. “So, that’s been fascinating.”
This was the first time the class was taught as a short course.
“It was eight weeks. They said they were going to jam an entire semester into it, and they definitely did. It was really stressful,” said Hays senior Trevor Henningsen, who is majoring in organizational leadership and elementary education.
Henningsen liked looking at the breadth of exhibits on display.
“There was stuff other than what we studied in class,” he said. “They had a little bit about the bomb, but it showed a lot of everything else he did and how peaceful the man he was, compared to the things we studied in class.”
The class brought together students majoring in history, leadership studies and political science. It was team-taught for the first time, said Dr. Kim Perez, chair of the Department of History. Dr. Curt Brungardt, director of the Center for Civic Leadership, and Omer G. Voss Distinguished Professor of Leadership Studies, joined Perez in teaching the course.
“I learned a lot about leadership theory,” Perez said. “It actually enables me now to apply it to history.”
Perez was impressed by her students’ enthusiasm for a course which required approximately 1,400 pages of reading in the first six weeks.
“I was reminded again how incredibly capable Fort Hays State students are when they are motivated by something and digging into something,” Perez said. “This group was an impressive group of students.”
The Truman museum had something for everybody.
“I think they do a really good job with the World War II stuff, and I liked how much they had about the Cold War, since that’s my favorite,” said Libby Ary, a senior history major from Cañon City, Colo.
Before making the trip, students read McCullough’s 992-page biography, “Truman” in three weeks. In addition, students read another 292-page book in one week, as well as a short graphic novel about the bomb and selected primary documents.
“Actually getting here and being able to see everything we put a lot of time into reading, it was pretty cool to see it all in front of you,” Henningsen said.
After the readings, after the tour of the library and museum, after participating in a decision-making scenario about dropping the bomb, Ary looked at Truman in a new light.
“I think what I came out with was the importance of his presidency,” Ary said. “You hear about Harry Truman, and a lot of people only think about the bomb.
“He made so many key decisions throughout his presidency,” she added. “I think we kind of skip over how in that era how different the presidency was. I think the biggest thing, really looking into detail, especially about the atomic bomb, all the other options he had. And the science behind it, how it changed the world so much.”
Class members took part in a three-hour scenario at the White House Decision Center at the library. Each student portrayed a key figure in the decision-making process of whether the atomic bomb should have been used. Ary, one of two students who portrayed Truman, ran a cabinet meeting where the issue was discussed, then she made the final decision. Ary announced her decision to drop the bomb in the White House briefing room before being grilled by her classmates, who were acting as members of the Senate Intelligence Committee and the press.
“I think the biggest part for me was how much pressure I felt when we got into the (cabinet) room,” Ary said.
“Everyone just started talking at the same time,” she said. “Even in just a simulated little exercise knowing I didn’t have to make a real decision, imagining what he could have possibly felt like in one of those moments, I felt even a little bit of it. My heart was racing, my face was flushing.”
The next day, class members toured Truman’s residence in Independence. In one room was the grand piano Truman gave his young daughter, Margaret, for Christmas instead of the train set she wanted. Another room was Truman’s study, with a soft easy chair and lighted lamp beside it. One could almost imagine Truman sitting down to read a book, a favorite pastime. Across the street students toured the house where his cousins lived, and where the young Truman met his future wife, Bess.
“I really enjoyed the class itself,” Henningsen said. “Being able to be here kind of put a polish on the end. You have a picture in your mind what everything’s going to be like. You get here, it’s like — whoa — it’s spectacular.”
Perez said the department also has taught a class on President Dwight Eisenhower. That class tours his presidential museum in Abilene and discusses the D-Day invasion of France. The courses have alternated every two years. Eisenhower would be next, in two years, and the next Truman course would be in four years.
“It’s really kind of unusual to build a class around a particular event,” Perez said. “It’s less about the event than the decision-making. We use the event like a case study to understand historical decision-making.”
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — State officials say a new power plant for the Kansas Statehouse and nearby office buildings will cost $3.3 million more than previously expected.
The disclosure Tuesday to a legislative committee prompted Republican Rep. Mark Hutton of Wichita to ask Department of Administration officials to re-examine their plans for the new plant.
Department official Mark McGivern said the previous estimate was $13 million and is now $16.3 million.
The department plans to build the new plant on the site of a parking lot north of the Statehouse. The existing plant is at the Docking State Office Building west of the Statehouse.
The department plans to demolish the Docking building after building the new plant.
McGivern said savings on demolition costs would offset part of the extra costs from the new plant.
