The Ellis County Extension Office will hold a free noon-hour program on “Simple Seasonal Meals” on Thursday, January 21 at the Extension Office meeting room, 601 Main Street in Hays.
The benefits of choosing and eating produce when at its peak are many. By choosing foods in season you get all the benefits– food that tastes good, is good for you, and is reasonably priced.
Donna Krug, Barton County Extension Agent, will present a lesson and recipes on cooking and eating with seasonal produce. Recipes and samples will be included. There is no charge for this noon-hour program, however a minimum attendance is required to hold the program.
Please RSVP to the Ellis County Extension Office, (785) 628-9430.
COLUMBUS – (January 12, 2016) – A Cherokee County man was sentenced yesterday to ten years in prison for manufacturing methamphetamine, Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt said.
Albert Edward Taylor, III, 54, was sentenced to 120 months in the Kansas Department of Corrections and 36 months post release supervision by Judge Oliver Kent Lynch in Cherokee County District Court. Taylor was found guilty of the crime in September 2015. The crime occurred in January 2014.
The charge stemmed from an investigation by the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Department and the Kansas Bureau of Investigation. Assistant Attorney General Lyndzie Carter of Schmidt’s office prosecuted the case.
The Hays Arts Council is bringing “The BFG” — Big Friendly Giant — to the Beach-Schmidt Performing Arts Center on Saturday, Jan. 16, at 2 p.m. Put on by the Dallas Children’s Theater, Roald Dahl’s classic children’s book will come to life with puppets, people and a multitude of special effects.
“We don’t get to do as many wonderful, big, spectacular theater productions for youth and family as I wish we could,” said Brenda Meder, director of the Hays Arts Council, “so we make sure what we do bring in are really good productions.”
The story follows a young orphaned girl named Sophie, living in a girl’s orphanage run by the grouchy Mrs. Clonkers. One night, Sophie sees a cloaked giant blowing something via a trumpet-like object into a bedroom window down the street. Upon investigation the giant snatches her up and carries her to his homeland of Giant Country, where the adventure begins.
Sponsors for the production include the Robert and Patricia Schmidt Foundation, the Heartland Community Foundation and Midwest energy.
The box office opens at 1:15 p.m. on the day of the show, and tickets are $5 for children and $7 for adults.
“Our goal is to provide the opportunity, the experiences and the outreach,” Meder said, “for quality arts experiences for families and young audiences.”
For more information on the Hays Arts Council, visit their website, or call (785) 625-7522.
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — A consulting firm has outlined dozens of proposals for Kansas legislators that it says could save the state more than $2 billion over the next six years.
The proposals Tuesday from Kansas City-based Alvarez & Marsal include overhauling health insurance for state workers and bringing local public school employees into a single, statewide health plan.
The state would offer only high-deductible health insurance plans for its workers.
The firm’s 105 proposals include increasing taxes paid by workers’ compensation insurance companies and leasing small plots of state-owned land for cell phone towers.
Alvarez & Marsal says its proposals would save $302 million alone during the fiscal year beginning in July when the state has a projected $190 million budget deficit.
The Legislature hired the firm last year to identify potential efficiencies.
PLATTE CITY, Mo. (AP) — A man who escaped from prison and then shot at law enforcement officers who were chasing him has been sentenced to 128 years in prison.
Scott Gilbert was sentenced for 10 felonies resulting from his escape from the Lansing Correctional Facility in May 2013 and a subsequent police chase through Platte and Clinton counties in Missouri. During the chase, Gilbert fired several shots, hitting four different vehicles. He and an inmate who escaped with him barricaded themselves in an unoccupied rural house before surrendering.
Before his escape, Gilbert was convicted of 52 felony offenses in Kansas. Platte County Prosecuting Attorney Eric Zahnd says Gilbert had the longest rap sheet of anyone he ever prosecuted.
Gilbert chase photo Platte County
The other inmate’s case is scheduled for a jury trial in June 2016.
No change for the Fort Hays State women’s basketball team in the latest WBCA/USA Today top-25 poll which came out Tuesday afternoon. The Tigers hold at No. 3 for the second straight week after wins at Lindenwood and Lincoln.
West Texas A&M remains No. 1 and Alaska-Anchorage No. 2.
Despite two road wins, Emporia State drops a spot to No. 9. Unbeaten Missouri Western jumps three to No. 10.
The Tigers fell one spot in the Division II media poll where they sit at No. 11. Missouri Western is sixth and Emporia State 20th.
Latest WBCA/USA Today…
Rank
Institution – First Place Votes
Previous Rank
Record
Total Points
1
West Texas A&M University – 18
1
15-0
594
2
University of Alaska – Anchorage – 1
2
18-1
536
3
Fort Hays State University (Kan.)
3
14-1
510
4
Lubbock Christian University (Texas) – 4
5
13-0
507
5
California Baptist University
4
13-1
478
6
Ashland University (Ohio)
7
14-0
462
7
Limestone College (S.C.)
10
12-0
422
8
Lewis University (Ill.)
9
14-1
417
9
Emporia State University (Kan.)
8
13-2
411
10
Missouri Western State – 1
13
15-0
397
11
Nova Southeastern University (Fla.)
11
13-1
383
12
Winona State University (Minn.)
12
16-1
356
13
Columbus State University (Ga.)
14
12-1
302
14
Anderson University (S.C.)
15
10-1
244
15
West Liberty University (W.Va.)
16
12-1
211
16
Drury University (Mo.)
6
10-3
200
17
Benedict College (S.C.)
18
16-1
184
18
Union University (Tenn.)
17
14-2
182
19
Quincy University (Ill.)
19
13-1
152
20
American International College (Mass.)
21
15-0
147
21
Virginia Union University
20
11-1
130
22
Arkansas Tech University
23
8-2
83
23
University of California – San Diego
25
12-2
74
24
Azusa Pacific University (Calif.)
24
12-2
72
25
Delta State University (Miss.)
22
11-2
67
Dropped Out: No one dropped out.
Others receiving votes: Clayton State University (Ga.) 60; Florida Southern College 48; University Of Sioux Falls (S.D.) 34; Bellarmine University (Ky.) 30; Colorado State University – Pueblo 25; Northern State University (S.D.) 14; Bentley University (Mass.) 6; Francis Marion University (S.C.) 6.
13 teams mentioned on only one ballot for a total of 55 combined points.
Kansas Sen. Mary Pilcher-Cook, a Republican from Shawnee, said family structure should be a ‘high priority’ when foster care contractors determine the child’s best interest in a foster home placement. CREDIT DAVE RANNEY / HEARTLAND HEALTH MONITOR
A special legislative committee formed to study the state’s foster care system encouraged agencies to consider family structure in placing a child, but declined to support an audit of the Kansas Department for Children and Families and its two foster care contractors during a Monday meeting.
Some legislators have called for study of the state’s foster care system after a boy was beaten to death while placed with his father and a baby died when her foster parents accidentally left her in a hot car while they smoked marijuana.
Abuse allegations against Topeka city councilman Jonathan Schumm, who has 12 foster or adopted children in addition to five biological children, added fuel to the discussion. A lesbian couple alleged the state placed a baby they had fostered with the Schumms out of bias toward their sexual orientation.
The committee, made up of three senators and four representatives, met for less than an hour Monday afternoon. During that time, it supported motions on family structure and a request that the Legislature form another committee on foster care, but set aside discussions on supporting an audit and including trauma to a child in foster care decisions.
Sen. Mary Pilcher-Cook, a Republican from Shawnee, said family structure should be a “high priority” when foster care contractors determine the child’s best interest in a foster home placement.
“If there are two like families, they’re alike in everything else but there’s evidence one family structure would be better for that child, that should be considered,” she said.
Pilcher-Cook declined after the meeting to specify if she was concerned about same-sex couples, single-parent homes or other factors.
“I think ‘family structure’ speaks for itself,” she said.
Sen. Laura Kelly, a Democrat from Topeka, said the motion struck her as a “blatant attempt to discriminate against same-sex couples.” Pilcher-Cook countered that if a child had a parent who was in a same-sex relationship, the child’s caseworker might determine it was in the child’s best interest to be placed in a family with the same structure.
Rep. Annie Tietze, a Democrat from Topeka, also argued that the wording was too vague and said the state doesn’t have enough foster homes to meet children’s needs.
“It would be a mistake for this committee to take any action that would discourage people from being foster parents,” she said.
Committee Chairman Sen. Forrest Knox, a Republican from Altoona, suggested the committee amend the motion to emphasize that contractors consider evidence from peer-reviewed academic studies. It passed with five votes, with Tietze in opposition and Kelly abstaining.
The committee also voted unanimously to ask House and Senate leadership to form a foster care oversight committee — similar to one created to oversee the three contractors administering KanCare, the state’s Medicaid program — or some other form of standing committee.
Knox noted that legislators already had asked leadership to form a joint committee to take a deeper look into the foster care system.
“We need to do something more than just our one-day or one-hour committee (meetings),” he said.
Kelly made a motion to encourage the Legislative Post Audit Committee to approve an audit of DCF and the foster care contractors. Pilcher-Cook said the committee didn’t have enough information to vote, and Kelly withdrew the motion after the committee had discussed it for several minutes.
Megan Hart is a reporter for KHI News Service in Topeka, a partner in the Heartland Health Monitor team. You can reach her on Twitter @meganhartMC
WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — Wichita police are asking the public for help finding a driver in a deadly hit-and-ran crash.
Police Lt. Godd Ojile says the 65-year-old victim was hit by a vehicle Monday night as he was crossing a street. After a woman found the man in the street, he was taken to a Wichita hospital, where he died.
The victim was pushing a shopping cart that contained personal belongings and liquor when he was hit. His name is being withheld until relatives are notified.
Ojile says investigators have little information about what happened and are asking for possible witnesses to come forward.
GOODLAND–Max Linin of Goodland, recently won third place in the no-till/strip-till irrigated division of the 2015 National Corn Growers Association’s (NCGA) Corn Yield Contest in Kansas. Gale Walz, Saint Francis, won third place in the irrigated division of the contest.
Linin won with Pioneer(r) brand hybrid P1197CHR, which yielded 300.8176 bushels per acre. Walz won with Pioneer Pioneer(r) P1625CHR, yielding 273.3460 bushels an acre. In 2015, recurrent yield contest winner David Hula of Charles City, Virginia, took his fields to a whole new level by breaking the world record of 532.0271 bushels per acre using Pioneer P1197AM(tm)^ brand corn on his contest plot.
Linin and Walz earned two of the 218 state titles won by growers planting Pioneer hybrids. The NCGA awarded 407 state titles in this year’s contest. Growers planting Pioneer hybrids dominated the contest and won 54 percent of all state awards presented.
The NCGA Corn Yield Contest is an annual U.S. national competition among corn growers with the goal of capitalizing on the high genetic yield potential of today’s corn hybrids. Growers compete in six corn production classes, including non-irrigated (A and AA), no-till/strip-till non-irrigated (A and AA), irrigated and no-till/strip-till irrigated classes.
“The 2015 yield heroes brought home another record yield year, and we’re thrilled,” Steve Reno, DuPont Pioneer vice president, regional director – U.S. and Canada, said in a news release. “Growers have made a calculated choice to manage their crops with Pioneer products and services and continue to do so in 2016,” Reno continued. “Management practices combined with leading genetics and traits produce the results they’re looking for. These contest winners are proof of what can happen with Pioneer as their partner. At Pioneer, we’re with you from the word go.”
DuPont Pioneer is the world’s leading developer and supplier of advanced plant genetics, providing high-quality seeds to farmers in more than 90 countries. Pioneer provides agronomic support and services to help increase farmer productivity and profitability and strives to develop sustainable agricultural systems for people everywhere. Science with Service Delivering Success(tm).
The Kansas winners of the 2015 NCGAA Corn Yield Contest are below:
*Entrants with an asterisk were not eligible to win because they won in another category. Entrants can only win one category.
Non-Irrigated
Jason Taylor, White Cloud; Taylor Seed Farms 8012 VT2PRO; yield 277.5944
Alex Noll, Winchester; DEKALB DKC63-33RIB; yield 259.2684
Doug Rethman, Seneca; Pioneer P1479AM™; yield 239.2351
SALINE COUNTY – Two Kansas men were injured after a pair of accidents on Monday morning in Saline County,
The Saline County Sheriff’s Office reported a pickup driven by Scott Herbel, 45, Solomon, was traveling on Interstate 70 just after 6:30 a.m. near the Niles Road exit.
Herbel lost control of the pickup on the icy road and it rolled.
Herbel was transported to Salina Regional Medical Center with a head injury, according to Sheriff’s Captain Roger Soldan.
Just after 7 a.m., a pickup driven by Rogelio Luera, 25, McPherson, was northbound on Interstate 135 near the Falun exit.
Luera lost control of the vehicle on the ice. It slid through the median and hit a southbound tanker truck driven by Cale Swartz, 40, Solomon.
Luera was transported to Salina Regional Health Center for complaints of head pain, according to the Sheriff.
BOURBON COUNTY- A Kansas woman was injured in an accident just before 2p.m. on Tuesday in Bourbon County.
