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Month: October 2015

Tigers sweep MIAA/AstroTurf football Player of the Week awards

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KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Fort Hays State sweeps this week’s individual MIAA awards for football. Running back Shaquille Cooper has been named the MIAA/AstroTurf Offensive Athlete of the Week with teammate Brock Long earning Defensive Athlete of the Week. The Tigers Drew O’ Brien joins NSU’s Garrett Powell as Co-Special Teams Athletes of the Week.

MIAA/AstroTurf Offensive Athlete of the Week

Courtesy Bob Duffy
Courtesy Bob Duffy

Shaquille Cooper, RB, Fort Hays State
Cooper recorded his second 200-yard rushing game of the season with 216 yards on the ground in a 27-24 win over No. 13 ranked Emporia State. Cooper averaged 9.4 yards per carry in the game. With the Tigers trailing 17-13 in the fourth quarter, he broke a couple tackles and ran for an 89-yard touchdown to put FHSU up 20-17 with 7:51 to go in the game. The run pushed Cooper over 1,000 rushing yards for the season, now at 1,009. He also had a team-high four receptions and 25 receiving yards to give him 241 all-purpose yards in the game. The 5-10 sophomore running back is a native of Coral Gables, Fla. where he competed at Coral Gables High School.

MIAA/AstroTurf Defensive Athlete of the Week

Courtesy Bob Duffy
Courtesy Bob Duffy

Brock Long, LB, Fort Hays State
Long had a huge game on defense in a 27-24 win over No. 13 Emporia State. He recorded a career-high 22 tackles, 1.5 sacks, and an interception. The interception was the biggest play of the day as it sealed the win for FHSU with under 10 seconds remaining in the game. With ESU at the FHSU 23-yardline and eight seconds remaining, Long gave FHSU its third interception of quarterback Brent Wilson and he returned it seven yards before going down. The 5-11 senior linebacker is a native of Assaria, Kan. where he competed at Southeast of Saline High School prior to playing at Hutchinson Community College.

MIAA/AstroTurf Co-Special Teams Athlete of the Week

Courtesy Bob Duffy
Courtesy Bob Duffy

Drew O’ Brien, K, Fort Hays State
O’ Brien made two field goals and all three of his extra-point attempts in a 27-24 Fort Hays State win over No. 13 ranked Emporia State. His two field goals in the first half of 36 and 39 yards kept the Tigers within four points of the Hornets at halftime, down 10-6. He tacked on the extra points for all three of Fort Hays States second-half touchdowns. With 220 career points, O’ Brien tied the career scoring record at FHSU with his final extra point of the game on the game-winning touchdown with 52 seconds remaining. The record was set by Bob Johnson from 1963-66. He also broke the school kicking points record in the game, passing Wes Simoneaus 218 from 1997-2001. The 6-0 senior kicker is a native of Hays, Kan. where he competed at TMP-Marian High School.

FHSU football jumps back into receiving votes section of AFCA poll

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FHSU Athletics

WACO, Texas – After a one-week hiatus from the AFCA Division II Poll, Fort Hays State jumped back into the receiving votes section on Monday (Oct. 19). The Tigers dropped out of the receiving votes section last week for the first time this season, but jumped back in following a 27-24 win over No. 13 ranked Emporia State in Hays this past Saturday.

The Tigers (5-2) are receiving 19 votes this week, sixth in order of teams receiving votes not in the top 25. Emporia State (6-1) dropped to No. 19 this week after its loss to FHSU. Northwest Missouri State held steady at No. 3 in the nation, still unbeaten at 7-0. The Tigers head to Northwest Missouri State this weekend, looking to hand a team its first blemish of the season for the second weekend in a row. Pittsburg State (4-3), which sat at No. 22 last week, dropped completely out of the poll after a loss to Northwest Missouri State. Central Missouri (5-2) joins FHSU in the receiving votes section this week with five votes.

Northwest Missouri State will be Fort Hays State’s third ranked opponent of the season. The Tigers are 1-1 against ranked teams so far this year. The loss came to a then No. 15 ranked Pittsburg State team in Week 4.

The Tigers gained a big win last week in regards to potential postseason play. Each game from here on out is critical to Fort Hays State’s postseason chances. Seven teams make the NCAA Playoffs in Super Region 3 this year. Four weeks remain in the season and Fort Hays State is tied for third in the MIAA standings with Central Missouri, both at 5-2, just one game back of second place Emporia State. A win for the Tigers Saturday would pull them within one game of the conference lead.

Below is the AFCA Division II Top 25 for October 19, 2015.

Rank School (1st votes) Record Points Previous
1. Minnesota St. (27) 7-0 794 1
2. West Georgia (5) 7-0 763 2
3. Northwest Missouri St. 7-0 741 3
4. Ferris St. (Mich.) 6-0 702 4
5. Sioux Falls (S.D.) 7-0 671 5
6. Colorado St.-Pueblo 6-1 622 6
7. Colorado School of Mines 7-0 597 7
8. Ashland (Ohio) 7-0 576 8
9. Shepherd (W.Va.) 6-0 545 9
10. Midwestern St. (Texas) 7-0 539 11
11. Texas A&M-Commerce 6-1 460 14
12. Grand Valley St. (Mich.) 6-1 426 18
13. North Alabama 5-1 424 17
14. Henderson St. (Ark.) 6-1 352 19
15. Slippery Rock (Pa.) 6-1 304 20
16. Humboldt St. (Calif.) 5-1 256 10
17. Michigan Tech 5-1 250 12
18. Tuskegee (Ala.) 6-1 230 23
19. Emporia St. (Kan.) 6-1 179 13
20. Minnesota-Duluth 5-2 176 21
21. Wingate (N.C.) 6-1 147 NR
22. Delta St. (Miss.) 5-2 138 15
23. Colorado Mesa 6-1 117 NR
24. Angelo St. (Texas) 5-2 92 25
25. Clarion (Pa.) 7-0 77 NR

Others Receiving Votes: Lenoir-Rhyne (N.C.), 40; Indianapolis (Ind.), 37; Charleston (W.Va.), 35; Virginia Union, 23; Valdosta St. (Ga.), 21; Fort Hays St. (Kan.), 19; East Central (Okla.), 13; Indiana (Pa.), 9; Assumption (Mass.), 7; Bowie St. (Md.), 6; Central Missouri, 5; Carson-Newman (Tenn.), 2; North Greenville (S.C.), 2; Southwest Minnesota St., 2; Azusa Pacific (Calif.), 1.

Results from Kan. student assessment tests expected soon

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Screen Shot 2015-10-19 at 9.22.41 AM
WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — Results from Kansas state assessment tests administered last spring are expected to be released to parents in the next few weeks.

The student test reports will be distributed by school districts, and will show students’ scores and how the scores compare to median scores for each school, district and the state as a whole.

The Wichita Eagle reports that the results are expected to be sent to parents over the next several weeks.

Beth Fultz, assistant director for assessments and accountability for the Kansas Department of Education, says the standards for the new tests were increased, making the assessments more difficult.

Wichita Superintendent John Allison says the bar has been set very high, and while students’ results may not be at the highest level initially, they could get there.

SCHLAGECK: Why should I serve?

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John Schlageck writes for the Kansas Farm Bureau.
John Schlageck writes for the Kansas Farm Bureau.

While farmers and ranchers continue to fill our plates with food, their plates are filled with an ever-increasing number of issues. Such issues include escalating production costs, tightening use of water, continuing drought in some western Kansas counties, an ongoing search for new markets for agricultural crops and increasing oversight and regulation.

And while these are good times for some in production agriculture, they are trying times for others. Living on the land in the rural areas of our state, farmers sometimes experience feelings of isolation. Feelings like,” I’m only one voice, one person, one family.” Or maybe thoughts like, “We’re one small enterprise in an age of dwindling farming populations coupled with a continuing exodus to larger, regional urban centers.”

That said, membership and leadership roles in farm and commodity organizations are more critical today than ever before. There is strength in like-minded people. There is strength in numbers. There is also credibility when farmers and ranchers tell their own story with a common thread and a common purpose.

You begin at sun up and work until sunset during spring planting season. You put in 16-hour days during harvest. You bundle up and head into a fierce snowstorm to help a heifer calve. You must demonstrate the same courage and conviction when telling your story.

Make time. Take time. Those outside our profession aren’t going to be the ones who defend us and tell our side of the story. If our story is to be told, we must make sure the job is done. It is up to you. It is up to me.

Have you ever asked yourself, “Why should I serve?”

Each day people ponder this question. These same people wring their hands and spend sleepless nights trying to decide.

One of the strongest reasons to serving hinges on the personal satisfaction an individual derives from giving of him or herself. John Ruskin once said, “The highest reward for men’s toil is not what he gets for it but what he becomes by it.”

Before you decide to serve on a board or committee, evaluate the organization’s position. If you believe in the ultimate goal but disagree on how it’s being implemented, it should be a challenge to serve and redirect the methods used to achieve this goal.

Some people hesitate to serve because they are unsure how the board or organization operates. No one enjoys appearing foolish or uninformed, yet each group has its unique procedures. Everyone must serve as a novice while learning working procedures.

Never feel embarrassed because you do not know all the answers. Remember, you will not be alone when asking questions.

Perhaps you are uncomfortable about serving and the thought overwhelms you. In that case, don’t bite off more than you can chew.

First participate on a small scale until you become comfortable and confident. Begin by serving on a committee. Next expand your sights and serve on a local organization. Continue stepping up your involvement to include county, district, state and national organizations.

Once you have committed your time and effort to serving, be dependable, prompt, prepared and contribute to that committee, organization or board.

“Leadership is that intangible quality in an individual which makes men do better than themselves; which makes men dream greater dreams and perform braver deeds.”

This quotation embodies the spirit of people working together for the betterment of their industries and communities. It comes from one of Sam Rayburn’s addresses to Congress. From Texas, Rayburn served as speaker of the House under eight American presidents.

John Schlageck, a Hoxie native, is a leading commentator on agriculture and rural Kansas.

2 whooping cranes spotted in central Kansas

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photo Quivira National Wildlife Refuge
photo Quivira National Wildlife Refuge

STAFFORD, Kan. (AP) — Two adult whooping cranes have been reported at a wildlife refuge in central Kansas, marking an early fall return for the endangered birds.

The Wichita Eagle reports  the two whooping cranes were seen this weekend at Quivira National Wildlife Refuge in Stafford County.

Barry Jones, visitor services specialist at the refuge, says the earliest record of the birds arriving at Quivira was in 2000, when a pair arrived Oct. 6. The first sighting this fall was Oct. 10, when another pair of the whooping cranes rested in refuge’s south end of the Little Salt Marsh.

The two this weekend were in the northwest corner of the Little Salt Marsh.

About two dozen of the large birds pass through Quivira and nearby Cheyenne Bottoms in Barton County each fall migration.

City of Hays hires new assistant director of utilities

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City Manager Toby Dougherty announced Monday the appointment of Jeff Crispin as the new assistant utilities director for the city of Hays. He will assume his duties Oct. 26.

Crispin has a bachelor’s degree in business management from Fort Hays State University. He has been in retail management for over 22 years, during which time he has proven himself to be an innovated leader with great operational oversight.

“Jeff will bring collaborative leadership, a talent for building and nurturing relationships, and great administrative skills to the position,” the city said in a news release.

Emergency landing after alleged fight over reclining chair

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@mel.anita Instagram
Sunday night at LAX @mel.anita Instagram

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Southwest Airlines says a jetliner on its way to San Francisco returned to Los Angeles International Airport Sunday night after a fight between two passengers. One passenger indicated a man grabbed a woman who reclined her chair.

Spokeswoman Melissa Ford tells The Associated Press that FBI agents met the plane at the gate and that one person was removed Sunday night.

Ford says the pilot decided to return to LAX because of a “rapidly escalating” situation that culminated in a physical altercation. She did not elaborate but said the two passengers involved weren’t traveling together.

It wasn’t immediately clear if the passenger who was removed from the flight was arrested. A message seeking additional details from the FBI was not immediately returned Monday.

Ford says the remaining 136 passengers switched planes and arrived at San Francisco International Airport about five hours behind schedule.

Hays firefighters will train at park this week

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Fire truck Hays

From 9 a.m. to noon on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, City of Hays firefighters will be practicing the procedures to attack a large fire. This training will be conducted at Aubel-Bickle Park on Sherman Avenue between 27th Street Terrace and 29th Street. Traffic will be restricted in this area. The public is invited to observe.

This training tests the ability of the five on-duty firefighters to quickly place two large fire streams at work to control a building fire or keep such a fire from spreading to other buildings.

The City of Hays Fire Department policy is to conserve water as practical while maintaining the capabilities to respond to emergencies. By conducting this training in the park, the water is also being used to help maintain the grass and other landscaping.

Rooks Co. lake among nine in Kan. under Blue-Green Algae warning

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KDHE

TOPEKA – The Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) samples publicly accessible bodies of water for cyanobacteria, commonly called blue-green algae, when the agency is alerted to a potential algae bloom in Kansas lakes. KDHE, in cooperation with the Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism (KDWPT) and other lake managers where appropriate, responds by informing the public of harmful conditions.

Lakes under a Warning are not closed. Marinas, lakeside businesses and park camping facilities are open for business. If swim beaches or lakes are closed, it will be specifically noted. Drinking water and showers at parks are safe and not affected by algae blooms. Boating and fishing are safe on lakes under a Warning, but contact with the water should be avoided. It is safe to eat fish caught during a harmful blue-green algae outbreak, as long as the fish is rinsed with clean water; consume only the fillet portion and discard all other parts. Hands should also be washed with clean water after handling fish taken from an affected lake.
kdhe
Kansans should be aware that blooms are unpredictable. They can develop rapidly and may float around the lake, requiring visitors to exercise their best judgment. If there is scum, a paint-like surface or the water is bright green, avoid contact and keep pets away. These are indications that a harmful bloom may be present. KDHE and KDWPT urge pet owners to be particularly mindful of the presence of blue-green algae. Pets that swim in or drink water affected by a harmful algal bloom or eat dried algae along the shore may become seriously ill or die.

Public Health Warning: High levels of toxic blue-green algae have been detected. A Public Health Warning indicates that activities like boating and fishing may be safe; however, direct contact with water (i.e., wading, skiing and swimming) is strongly discouraged for people, pets and livestock.

Kansas public waters currently under a Warning status:

BROWN COUNTY STATE FISHING LAKE, Brown County
CHISHOLM CREEK PARK LAKE, Sedgwick County
HARVEY COUNTY EAST PARK LAKE, Harvey County
HIAWATHA CITY LAKE, Brown County
MCPHERSON COUNTY STATE FISHING LAKE, McPherson County
MELVERN RIVER POND (Not Melvern Lake), Osage County
MILFORD RESERVOIR (Zone C only, not Zones A and B), Clay, Dickinson and Geary Counties
NEMAHA STATE FISHING LAKE, Nemaha County
PLAINVILLE TOWNSHIP LAKE, Rooks County

When a Warning is issued, KDHE recommends the following precautions be taken:

Lake water is not good to drink for pets or livestock
Lake water, regardless of blue-green algae status, should never be consumed by humans
Water contact should be avoided
Fish can be eaten as long as they are rinsed with clean water, consume only the fillet portion, and discard all other parts
Do not allow pets to eat dried algae
If lake water contacts skin, wash with clean water as soon as possible
Avoid areas of visible algae accumulation
KDHE will update these statements as conditions warrant.

Virginia Schmidt

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Virginia SchmidtVirginia Schmidt, 94, Hays, died Friday, October 16, 2015 at the Via Christi Village in Hays.

She was born April 13, 1921 in Munjor, Kansas the daughter of Paul and Ida (Befort) Leiker.

On September 10, 1946, she married William “Bill” Schmidt in Munjor. He died August 8, 1996.  She was a cook at Lost Canyon School for many years until it closed and was a farmwife.

She was a member of the St. Catherine Catholic Church in Catharine, Kansas, the St. Catherine Christian Mothers Altar Society, the VFW Ladies Auxiliary in Hays, and the Hays Daughters of Isabella.

Virginia will be remembered for being a loving wife, mother, and grandmother and for being a hard worker who milked the cows every morning and did gardening and other chores on the farm, for faithfully praying the rosary, and for her amazing memory.  Her children, grandchildren and friends were the recipients of her cooking and baking including her homemade rolls, cookies and cakes, and her delicious caramel corn. She was a gifted seamstress, sewing clothes for herself and her family, and she made double knit rugs and embroidered tea towels.  She loved polkas and dancing with her husband, playing bingo and pinochle, and was a big fan of the Kansas City Royals, and KU, K-State, and Wichita State basketball.

Survivors include three daughters;  Norma J. Braun and husband Don of Stockton, KS, Kathleen Schmeidler and husband Darrell of Hays, and Mary Jane Schmeidler and husband Glenn of Hays, a sister Pauline Miller of Hays, seven grandchildren;  Denise Kemp and husband Mike, Mike Braun and wife Jennifer, Thomas Schmeidler, Tracie Schwab and husband Steve, Jeremy Schmeidler and wife Tonya, Kristin Kosmicki and husband Tim, and Kaylee Schmeidler, 11 great grandchildren and numerous nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, a granddaughter Melissa Sue Schmeidler, three brothers;  Gilbert Leiker, Norbert Leiker, and an infant brother Justin Leiker, and five sisters;  Alexia Robben, Mary Kuhn-Frank, Tillie Windholz, Agedia Haselhorst, and an infant sister Irene Leiker.

Funeral services will be at 10:00 am on Tuesday, October 20, 2015 at the St. Catherine Catholic Church, Catharine.  Burial will follow in the St. Catherine Cemetery. The family will receive friends from 5:00 pm until 8:00 on Monday and from 8:30 am until 9:30 on Tuesday, all at the Hays Memorial Chapel Funeral Home, 1906 Pine. A combined VFW Ladies Auxiliary and Daughters of Isabella rosary will be at 6:00 pm, a St. Catherine Christian Mothers Altar Society rosary will be at 6:30, followed by a parish vigil service at 7:00, all on Monday at the funeral home.

Memorials are suggested to the St. Catherine Catholic Church or to the St. Catherine Cemetery Fund, in care of the funeral home. Condolences may be left for the family at www.haysmemorial.com.

Part-time Kan. officer killed in crash with stolen car

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fatal crash accidentOVERLAND PARK, Kan. (AP) — A part-time police officer has been killed in a traffic crash in suburban Kansas City.

Overland Park police say 58-year-old David M. Stubbs, of Overland Park, was killed Friday when a man driving a stolen car ran a red light and collided with Stubbs’ vehicle at an intersection.

The Kansas City Star reports that Stubbs was a part-time police officer in Louisburg, Kan.

Police say the driver of the stolen car fled from the scene on foot, but was arrested nearby a few minutes later.

No charges have been filed. But Johnson County Court records show the 24-year-old Olathe man arrested Friday had warrants for his arrest pending in two other auto theft cases.

FHSU wins numerous student affairs awards

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naspa logoFHSU University Relations and Marketing

The Fort Hays State University contingent attending the NASPA Region IV-West Conference next month in Colorado will have to make room to cart back all its awards.

FHSU won seven awards from the 10-state NASPA IV-West Region competition and will be honored at the NASPA conference Nov. 8-12 in Beaver Creek, Colo. NASPA is short for National Association of Student Personnel Administrators, whose name has been changed to Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education.

Dr. Keegan Nichols, assistant vice president for student affairs, and Brett Bruner, director of transition and student conduct, will take with them to the conference four individual award winners while also collecting an award for a project on which they collaborated. They also will accept two other awards won by FHSU in a team effort.

FHSU made it a clean sweep in the Rising Star Award competitions, claiming top honors for the state of Kansas in all three categories recognized — new professional, graduate student and undergraduate student.

The new professional winner was Jacob Ternes, coordinator for the Center for Student Involvement and Greek Life. Edith Reza-Martinez from Great Bend was the graduate student Rising Star for Kansas. And claiming the undergrad award was Ricardo Zakora, a sophomore from Kansas City, Kan., majoring in international business.

Bruner and Nichols won the literature/research publication award for their research project titled “Assessment Colleague Team.” FHSU won the innovative program award for its “First 40 Days” initiative it began in 2014 and also was the winner of the campus-based video/computer software award for its entry “ACCESS to Success — Student Success Plan.”

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