E. Lew Jensen, 89, formerly of Sylvan Grove, KS, died Sunday, May 22, 2016, in Overland Park, KS. Lew was born in rural Lincoln County Kansas, on December 3, 1926, to Henry Peter and Clara (Nelson) Jensen.
He was preceded in death by: his wife, Helen Louise (Stewart) Jensen; brother, Marvin, and twin brother, E. Don Jensen; sister, Almatha Woodall.
Left to celebrate his life include: sons, Larry (Anita) Jensen, of Plattsmouth, NE, and Dale (Linda) Jensen, of Choctaw, OK; daughter, Janet (Duane) Fields, of Overland Park; brothers, Cleo (Betty) Jensen of Hunter, KS, and Jerry (Marge) Jensen, of Marion, KS; sister, Carrie Michaelson, of Topeka, KS; 7 grandchildren; 15 great-grandchildren.
Visitation: 1-7:00 P.M. Thursday, May 26th, at Hall Chapel, Lincoln. Family present 5-7:00 P.M.
Funeral: 10:00 A.M. Friday, May 27th, at Hall Chapel, with interment following in Spillman Cemetery.
Memorials may be made to Garden Terrace at Overland Park, Hunter Lions Club or Hunter American Legion Post #77.
Tuesday fire in Great Bend -photo Great Bend fire and EMS
BARTON COUNTY- Officials with the State Fire Marshal’s office determined a fire at a home on Tuesday in Great Bend was accidental.
The blaze at a 3-story residence in the 1400 Block of Washington started and was contained to the attic, according to Great Bend Fire Chief Mike Napalitano.
The home suffered heat, smoke and water damage to the second floor. The extent of the damage is estimated in excess of $20-thousand dollars.
Occupants of the home escaped without injury. Two kittens did not survive, according to Napalitano.
WESTMORELAND — Ellis Superintendent Robert Young is a candidate for the position of superintendent for Rock Creek USD 323, northeast of Manhattan.
Young is the first of three candidates who will be interviewed for the position.
He is currently serving as the school superintendent in Ellis USD 388 and has served in that position since 2011. Previously, Young served as a superintendent in Wallace County USD 241 and, prior to that, a math teacher and technology director in Ellis.
Young’s interview, which includes meetings with administrators, faculty, staff and constituents, is all day today.
The USD 323 Board of Education will conclude interviews on May 27. They will then choose one of the candidates for the superintendent position or will appoint a one-year interim superintendent and conduct a search next fall.
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — A suspended Kansas sheriff’s detective has been charged with three counts of felony perjury after an investigation into inconsistencies on investigative reports.
The Topeka Capital-Journal reports that the Kansas Attorney General’s Office filed the charges Tuesday against Shawnee County sheriff’s Detective Erin Thompson. The 39-year-old is free on bond. Her lawyer, Tom Lemon, didn’t immediately return a phone message from The Associated Press seeking comment. She doesn’t have a listed phone number.
Sheriff Herman Jones said during a news conference that it was “a sad day” for his office and the community.
Thompson was placed on paid administrative leave in September. Jones said that Thompson will remain on paid administrative leave pending completion of a professional standards unit investigation or resolution of her criminal case.
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TOPEKA– (May 24, 2016) – Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt on Tuesday filed formal criminal charges against Shawnee County sheriff’s detective Erin Thompson, according to a media release.
Schmidt filed three counts of perjury against Thompson in Shawnee County District Court.
The charges are related to alleged crimes that occurred between August 2014 and May 2015. The Kansas Attorney General’s Office is prosecuting the case against Thompson at the request of the Shawnee County District Attorney’s Office.
Any public comments on the prosecution of Thompson are governed by the Kansas Rules of Professional Conduct Rule 3.6, Trial Publicity, and Rule 3.8, Special Responsibilities of a Prosecutor. All media requests or inquiries should be directed to the Office of the Attorney General, 120 S.W. 10th, 2nd Floor, Topeka, Kansas 66612, (785) 296-6115.
HAYSVILLE, Kan. (AP) — Authorities say a man who was struck by a hit-and-run driver in southern Kansas has died from his injuries.
The Wichita Eagle reports that 31-year-old Grant Burris died Monday at a Wichita hospital. His brother, Roger Silva, said Burris was a Marine and a Purple Heart recipient.
He suffered back, neck, pelvis and leg injuries when he was hit from behind May 13 while checking the mail at his parent’s house near Haysville.
The Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office said in a crash report that a 26-year-old man was booked into jail the next day on suspicion of aggravated battery and failure to stop at a crash resulting in great bodily harm.
The Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office plans to present the case to the District Attorney’s Office this week.
SHAWNEE COUNTY -Law enforcement authorities in Shawnee County are investigating a suspect in response to a recent rash of shootings in Topeka with gang and illegal drug connections.
On Tuesday evening, police executed a search warrant in the 3500 Block of Southwest Cambridge. Information was developed that brought to light a criminal conspiracy to commit a retaliation shooting, according to a media release.
Police arrested Tyron R. Michael, 18, Topeka, on requested charges of conspiracy to commit aggravated battery and aiding a felon.
The arrest was made as part of police and various state and federal agencies to address recent incidents in the Capitol City as part of the Violent Crime Initiative.
Fort Hays State University Relations and Marketing
The Management Development Center at Fort Hays State University will offer “Supervising with Confidence” this June as a part of its summer workshop series.
Training begins at 8:30 a.m. Thursday, June 16, in FHSU’s Memorial Union, Trails Room. Participants will have the opportunity to develop their supervisory skills using an assessment, a hands-on game and small-group activities.
Seth Kastle, instructor of leadership studies, and Sabrina William, director of the MDC, will facilitate.
The workshop will provide participants with a working knowledge and understanding of the five fundamental supervisory skills: guiding the work, organizing the work, developing staff, managing performance and managing relations. Participants will also discover ways to strengthen relationships with their employers and others.
“It can be difficult to examine yourself and your weaknesses. However, it is necessary in order to become an effective supervisor,” Kastle said. “This workshop will equip managers and soon-to-be managers for just that.”
Each person who completes the workshop will receive a completion certificate.
The cost is $219. Registrations received prior to June 10 are appreciated. Hays Area Chamber of Commerce members are eligible for a 15-percent discount.
The MDC is recognized by the Society for Human Resource Management to offer professional development credits for SHRM’s Certified Professional and Senior Certified Professional ratings. This program is valid for seven credits. For more information about certification or recertification, visit shrmcertification.org.
Registration is available online at www.fhsu.edu/mdc. To learn more about this workshop or receive discount codes, contact Conni Dreher by phone at 785-628-4121 or by email to[email protected].
By Randy Gonzales Fort Hays State University Relations and Marketing
Third-year vocal student Clayton Capra, far left, has been selected to participate in a music program in North Carolina this summer. Jon-Luke Martin, far right, also a third-year vocal student, has been selected for a summer music program in France. They are accompanied by cast members from the FHSU production, Julius Caesar.
It’s a long way from Dighton to North Carolina. It’s an even longer distance from Salina to France. A pair of Fort Hays State University vocal students have come a long way, and their talent is being showcased this summer.
Clayton Capra, a third-year music education major from Dighton, was one of six artists selected from national auditions to be part of the Asheville Lyric Opera Summer Young Artist Program in Asheville, N.C. Jon-Luke Martin, a third-year music composition major from Salina, was invited to join the 2016 Franco-American Vocal Academy this summer in Perigueux, France. Both Capra and Martin are vocal students who are training under Dr. Joseph Perniciaro, associate professor of music and theatre and director of opera at FHSU.
Perniciaro, in his 11th year at Fort Hays State, has had two other students in the summer program in France and a little more than a half-dozen total students participate in summer arts programs in his time at the university. This is the first time he has placed a student in the North Carolina program.
“It’s only a few weeks away now; looking forward to the experience,” said Capra, whose program in North Carolina runs from June 3 to July 27. “I think it’s going to be really positive.”
Capra’s positive experiences when he visited the FHSU campus — and also when he attended the High Plains Music Camp on campus while he was in high school — influenced his decision to enroll at Fort Hays State.
“I came to Fort Hays State because I liked the atmosphere here,” Capra said. “I also felt it was good for me, coming from a smaller school environment, to come here because it was large enough to facilitate good programs but at the same time it was small enough I could make close friends, make good connections with my professors.
“I also really loved the music department here, all the faculty,” he added. “I was excited to get to work with them. I think that’s what really led my choice in the end.”
Perniciaro and Capra met at FHSU’s summer music camp, which expanded to include vocal instruction in 2012. Perniciaro started giving vocal lessons to Capra while Capra was in high school.
“It has been a good chance for high school students to get to know the voice faculty and our students,” Perniciaro said. “It has been very helpful. I think a good number of them see the quality of education they’re going to get.”
Martin’s summer program in France starts July 2 and runs through Aug. 15. He is leaving early to visit his sister, Bonnie-Jean Taylor, who is in the U.S. Air Force and stationed in Germany. He applied for the program after learning of a cancellation, and he was accepted.
“I was very excited but also very nervous, because all of a sudden I had all this music to learn in not a lot of time,” Martin said.
Composition is included in Martin’s instruction. He will work with composer Isabelle Abouker and perform in her opera, “Les Fables Enchantees.”
“I’m really excited, considering I’m a composition major,” Martin said. “I’m really hoping to get some composition techniques, learning from her. I’ve never had an opportunity like this before — it’s really big.”
Martin, a baritone, also will perform in Jacques Offenbach’s opera, “Pomme d’Api,” as part of an intensive study program. He will take French lessons due to having speaking parts in his roles. He also will have voice lessons, musical coaching, role preparation and career counseling.
Martin also participated in the High Plains Music Camp before enrolling at FHSU.
“I’m grateful to Fort Hays State,” Martin said. “They’ve given me a lot of opportunities.”
Martin started taking lessons from Perniciario his freshman year at FHSU.
“I really liked him; I really liked the campus,” Martin said. “So I decided I would come here to study under him. Dr. P definitely was one of the primary reasons I came to Fort Hays State.”
Capra, also a baritone, will perform a program of opera scenes while on tour in western North Carolina. He will have roles in “Man of La Mancha” and “The Tragedy of Carmen” with Asheville Lyric Opera. He will also receive intensive training two or three times a week in diction, acting and professional development.
FHSU played a large role in being chosen to participate in the program, Capra said.
“I definitely believe this university gave me the tools I needed to succeed,” Capra said. “That’s what really propelled me to look for these kinds of opportunities.”
Perniciaro is confident his two students will make the most of their opportunities this summer.
“The opportunities are hard to come by, but they’re particularly invaluable experiences for the singers,” Perniciaro said. “I think these two guys are particularly prepared for these opportunities.
“They’re both very talented, continue to grow,” he added. “These opportunities will only enhance that.”
Fort Hays State University Relations and Marketing
Amanda Fields, assistant professor of English at Fort Hays State University, recently received the 2016 Kairos Best Webtext Award for best academic webtext published in the previous academic year.
Judges praised Fields’ webtext, “Performing Urgency: Slamming and Spitting as Critical and Creative Responses to State Crisis,” for it’s engaging nature and, as one judge said, “the ways it rewards deep exploration through its winding paths of text, image and video.”
The work was recognized at the 2016 Computers and Writing Conference in Rochester, N.Y.
The text focuses on the possibilities of youth slam poetry through the Tucson Youth Poetry slam. Research focused on the ways that slam performance contains potential for responses to and movements against regressive contexts.
Fields collaborated with Londie T. Martin, Adela C. Licona and Elizabeth H. Tilley.
Storm clouds near Park on Tuesday evening. Photos courtesy Shirley Heier
The rain fell hard, but a short-lived downpour brought less than an inch of rain to portions of Hays on Tuesday evening.
Reports from around Hays ranged from about three-quarters of an inch on the eastern side of town to 1.25 inches at the Eagle Media Center.
A report south of Ellis showed 1.53 inches of rain in the gauge, while the Victoria area received about 1.2 inches of rain.
La Crosse reported 1.3 inches of rain. The rain dropped off dramatically between Ellis and WaKeeney, with the eastern portions of Trego County receiving about a half inch of rain and the western portions just 0.02 inches.
Rooks County, which had reports of 3 to 4 inches of rain Monday, had another half inch of rain Tuesday evening.
Among the early reports, Ness City had the highest regional rainfall total of 1.92 inches.
The temperature is expected to soar on Wednesday, with highs reach the mid- to high 80s.
Amanda Fields, assistant professor of English at Fort Hays State University, recently received the 2016 Kairos Best Webtext Award for best academic webtext published in the previous academic year.
