Not able to make it to the 2016 Hays High School Homecoming parade? Just want to relive the moment or see if you can spot a familiar face?
Check out Eagle TV’s replay of the annual event below!
Month: October 2016
Grainfield project among PRIDE program grant recipients
K-State Research and Extension
MANHATTAN – American Industrialist, Henry Ford once said “Coming together is a beginning; keeping together is progress; working together is success.
It’s in that spirit that Kansas PRIDE Inc. provides start-up grants for projects that will improve local communities. The grants fall into two categories — Growth and Action funding and Partners in PRIDE grants for Communities of Excellence.
The fall 2016 Partners in PRIDE award projects include: Grainfield PRIDE for lighting and signage; Lakin PRIDE for a flower pot project; and Lecompton PRIDE for the Ft. Titus multipurpose room project.
Partners in PRIDE grants are mini-grants intended for use by local PRIDE communities to address a need that has been identified through a community planning process, said Jaime Menon, PRIDE community development coordinator. The grants are provided by Kansas PRIDE, Inc. as a one-to-one match with communities that can provide funding or sweat equity for up to the maximum amount of $2,000 per project. PIP grant applications are available in two rounds of funding per year. To date nearly $59,000 has been awarded to PRIDE community projects.
The fall 2016 Growth and Action Award was presented to Delia PRIDE. This year was the pilot year for Growth and Action funding to assist communities with startup and related operating expenses. Another round will be offered in the spring of 2017.
The Kansas PRIDE program is a partnership of K-State Research and Extension, the Kansas Department of Commerce, and Kansas PRIDE, Inc. Through the program, communities identify what they want to preserve, create or improve for the future. Volunteers form a local PRIDE organization that works with K-State Research and Extension and the Kansas Department of Commerce to accomplish its goals.
FHSU asst. prof. receives Mike Neden STEM Champion Award
FHSU University Relations and Marketing
Kim Stewart, associate professor and chair of the Department of Applied Technology at Fort Hays State University, has been named to receive the Mike Neden STEM Champion Award from the International STEM Education Association.
He will receive the award at the STEM Expo Monday and Tuesday, Oct. 10 and 11, in Branson, Mo.
The award honors public and private elementary, middle and high school teachers and teacher educators who have served as champions for integrated science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education in their schools, communities, or both.
“The Mike Neden STEM Champion Award serves as a standard of excellence for individuals who promote integrated science, technology, engineering and mathematics education,” said Dr. Greg Farley, dean of the College of Science, Technology and Mathematics at FHSU.
Each year, the International STEM Education Association seeks out individuals who have implemented STEM programs, provided professional development, encouraged others and have been instrumental in supporting integrated STEM education.
“All recipients of this award share one very important quality. They have all taken direct action to be a true champion for STEM education that impacts all students in the classroom,” said Farley.
The Neden Awards are presented annually at the international STEM education conference.
“To be named a Mike Neden STEM Champion Award recipient is to join an elite group of educational innovators,” said Farley.
“We as a department are very proud of this individual and thankful for his leadership,” said Eric Deneault, assistant professor of applied technology.
Kan. inmates among 102 more federal drug sentences commuted by Obama
President Barack Obama is cutting short the sentences of 102 federal inmates as part of his ongoing push to grant clemency during his final months in office, according to a media release. Three are from Kansas.
Almost all of those receiving commutations were convicted of drug-related offenses. Most are considered nonviolent offenders, although some were convicted of firearms charges in connection with drug crimes. Many of the recipients had been serving life sentences.
But Obama isn’t setting them all free right away. Many of those receiving commutations will see their sentences end in October 2018, almost two years into the next president’s term.
The latest round brings to 774 the number of sentences Obama has commuted, including 590 this year. The White House says it’s more than the previous 11 presidents put together. See the full list here.
Leroy Fondren, Jr. – Kansas City, KS
Offense: Possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of cocaine base; use of a firearm during a drug trafficking crime; District of Kansas
Sentence: 180 months’ imprisonment; five years’ supervised release (March 26, 2007)
Lavelle Henderson – Topeka, KS
Offense: Continuing criminal enterprise; money laundering; District of Kansas
Sentence: Life imprisonment; five years’ supervised release (November 22, 2002)
Lincoln Cardell Henderson – Kansas City
Offense: Conspiracy to distribute 50 grams or more of “crack” cocaine; possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of “crack” cocaine; Western District of Missouri
Sentence: Life imprisonment; 10 years’ supervised release (August 31, 2004)
Kansas lawmakers want greater oversight on state budget
JOHN HANNA, AP Political Writer
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — With Republican Gov. Sam Brownback for now refusing to say how he’ll keep Kansas’ budget balanced, some GOP lawmakers are promising more aggressive oversight.
Some even want to challenge the governor’s longstanding control over annual spending blueprints.
Senate President Susan Wagle outlined a proposal this week to give lawmakers a bigger role as internal documents from state agencies showed how they might reduce spending.
Some agencies’ potential cuts would eliminate programs that keep state prisons from becoming crowded or even hinder efforts to collect taxes.
Kansas has struggled to hit revenue targets and balance its budget since GOP legislators slashed personal income taxes in 2012 and 2013 at Brownback’s urging as an economic stimulus.
Monthly tax collections have fallen short of expectations 71 percent of the time since.
🎥 Put your junk out now for Oct. 24 Annual Alley Cleanup
By BECKY KISER
Hays Post
They say one man’s trash is another man’s treasure. Sometimes, it’s just junk, and a lot of it.
“When we started the Alley Cleanup, we collected 1.5 million pounds of stuff,” recalled Marvin Honas, Hays Solid Waste Superintendent. “The past three years, the collection has averaged between 700,000 to 800,000 pounds.”
The city of Hays wants to keep junk out of the alleys and is again offering the free Annual Alley Cleanup to residential refuse customers starting Mon., Oct. 24.
Unwanted items not normally collected by the city should be put out before Oct. 24. To make sure no treasures are accidentally picked up with the junk, “label what you want to keep, or better yet, put it in your back yard or somewhere until alley cleanup is over with,” Honas advised.
City workers will make one sweep through town to collect the discard piles, starting with curbside customers. “That way it won’t sit out at the curb very long because it normally takes us seven or eight days to complete the cleanup,” he explained. “It usually just takes a day, a day and a half to finish curbside.” Once the curbside collection is done, crews will move into the alleys.
There isn’t much the city won’t take–just trees, tires and hazardous waste. Trees and tires should be taken to the Ellis Co. Landfill while hazardous waste, such as batteries and paint, should go to the nearby Household Hazardous Waste Facility. There is no charge to Ellis County residents to dispose of trees or hazardous waste. Both locations, 1515 W. 55th St., are open Monday-Saturday, 8 a.m.-6 p.m. More information is available by calling the Ellis Co. Landfill at (785) 628-9460 or the Ellis Co. HHW Facility at (785) 628-9449.
Residents are asked to sort their discards into four distinct piles. “Makes it handier. From day to day, we don’t always have the same number of people working the cleanup. It depends on absenteeism and the job requirements, ” Honas said.
SEPARATE UNWANTED ITEMS INTO FOUR PILES:
- TREE LIMBS AND BRUSH--No longer than 12 feet in length or 6 inches in diameter
- CONSTRUCTION AND DEMOLITION DEBRIS–Lumber, drywall, bricks, sinks, wires. etc. Pull or bend over nails and place small quantities of concrete, bricks and plaster in containers.
- WHITE GOODS/METALS--Guttering, siding, washing machines, dryers, refrigerators, metal swing sets, etc.
- MUNICIPAL WASTE–All other items such as furniture, carpet, TVs, computers, bagged garden/yard waste, etc.
The regular trash and recycle collection schedule will not be altered during the alley cleanup.
According to Honas, the annual alley cleanup and the city’s free compost site get the most positive feedback from Hays residents. “Please help us keep our alleys clean. It’s a good way to get rid of stuff not normally collected, and it’s free,” he added.
More information is available by calling the Hays Solid Waste Division at (785)-628-7350.
Fuel error, pilot blamed for small plane crash that killed 2 Kan. men
DENVER (AP) — Federal air crash investigators say a pilot was unfamiliar with his plane’s fuel system and pilot error contributed to a 2015 propeller plane crash near Eaton that left two Kansas men dead.
The National Transportation Safety Board says the pilot lost control in gusting wind and crashed because of the error.
According to the Denver Post the plane had monitors on separate fuel tanks and the pilot failed to notice he was running out of fuel.
The pilot was identified as 35-year-old Jared Langston, of Holyrood, Kansas, and the passenger was identified as 41-year-old Benjamin Bates, of Lyons, Kansas.
Wild West Fest elects new officers, executive committee
HACC
The Hays Wild West Festival Committee hosted its biannual election of officers in September.
The newly elected officers and executive committee for the 2017-18 Wild West Festival events include: Mary Karst, co-president. Karst is the advertising director at The Hays Daily News; Rhiannon Maier, co-president. She is the director of quality and data at First Care Clinic; Joleene Younger, entertainment chairman. She is a personal lines technical CSR at Insurance Planning; Tom Meiers, executive
committee member. Meiers is retired after 43 years in law enforcement; Bob Swift, executive committee member. Swift is retired after 44 years at Midwest Energy; and Sandi Maier, event coordinator. She is retired after 34 years working for the USDA Ness County FSA office.
Police: Kansas man dies after road rage shooting
SHAWNEE COUNTY – Law enforcement authorities in Shawnee County are investigating a fatal, road rage shooting.
Just after 12:30 a.m. on Saturday officers with Topeka police responded to a local hospital after report of a gunshot victim who had arrived by personal vehicle, according to a media release.
The victim, Michael Sadler, 28, Topeka, was suffering from critical injuries and died.
Police identified a potential crime scene in the 1300 Block of SW 29th Street. They say Sadler was a passenger in a vehicle traveling near the intersection of SW 29th and SW Burlingame Road, became involved in a road rage argument.
Police say suspect vehicles include a dark blue Chevy SUV or a red or orange motorcycle with unknown occupants. The involved parties did not know each other prior to the incident, according to police.
Health Information Please Show ((AUDIO)) October 8th 2016
Listen to Mike Cooper interviewing Cardiologist Dr. Mauricio Anaya, from the DeBakey Heart Institute at HaysMed, with the topic of “Women’s Heart Health” by clicking the link above and then clicking the play button
Police: Kansas teen arrested for clown threat toward high school
COWLEY COUNTY – Law enforcement authorities in Cowley County are investigating a teen for criminal threat.
Just after 8 a.m. on Friday, Police received information about a possible threat directed toward Arkansas City High School, 1200 W. Radio Lane, according to a media release.
The information came from a social media post associated with clowns.
An investigation into the post began immediately, culminating at 2 p.m. when officers located a possible suspect in the case at a home in Arkansas City.
The 17-year-old juvenile was processed by officers and released to the custody of a parent, pending case review by the Cowley County Attorney’s Office.
Ellis High School staff and students to clean up community during service day
By GARRETT SAGER
Hays Post
ELLIS — On Oct. 17, students and staff of Ellis High School will take the day away from the classroom, putting their pens and pencils down to help clean up their community.
On the fifth annual Ellis High School Community Service Day, students and staff work on general cleaning and maintenance projects throughout the community.
“We looked at this as a way to give back to our community,” Corey Burton, Principle of Ellis High School said.
Burton would like the elderly to take advantage of this service day, as well as the people who physically are unable to do the work.
“It’s really about the elderly for an event like this,” he said. “Any way we can help out those who cannot do the general maintenance work.”
Burton estimated there will be approximately 160 volunteers from the EHS family, noting nearly everyone in the school participates.
The groups are divided into their seminar groups. Seminar groups at EHS consist of 12 to 14 students who can spend up to 35 minutes with teachers outside of regular class time to get help with homework. The groups include all grade levels.
“The seminar groups will go out with their teacher and perform their task, whatever that might be, return to school for lunch and then go back out,” Burton said.
Most of the work that is done is yard work, he said, which is why the service day is being held in conjunction with the Oct. 19 citywide cleanup day in Ellis.
“We wanted to hold it before the citywide clean up day to make it easier for the trash pickup and also so those residents do not have to pay for scheduled pickups,” Burton said. “Most of the work is mowing, raking leaves, picking up sticks or trimming bushes.”
In past years, groups have cleaned churches, helped clean the Good Samaritan house,and picked up trash.
“We also do general things that just do not get done such as washing windows or dusting,” Burton said.
The organizing committee met this week to discuss projects in which the staff and students will take on.
“As of now, we do not have a lot of projects on hand, but it is still early in the process,” Burton said.
EHS will be accepting project requests up to Oct. 14. Burton would like people to consider the safety of the EHS students when they request a project to be completed.
“The safety of the project is big in whether we will allow our students to do it or not,” Burton said.
Burton says such projects that require students to step on a high ladder or perform a duty near a power line are just few examples in past years in which the task could not be completed because of the safety concerns.
To schedule a project, contact Burton at EHS at 785-726-3151 or Leonard Schoenberger at 785-726-1278.
BEECH: Donate nutritious foods for food drives
Fall food drives begins this month with the “Trick or Treat So Others Can Eat” campaigns in Ellis on Sunday, October 9 and in Hays on Tuesday, Oct. 11. Food collections often continue throughout the Thanksgiving and Christmas holiday season in churches, schools, clubs and other organizations. This is an important time of year for local food pantries to fill their shelves to help those in need.
You can give the gift of better health by providing nutritious non-perishable food items to food drives in your community.
Many Americans eat more calories than they need. But it’s important to realize that although an overweight person may look well-fed, he or she may be filling up on calorie-dense food that doesn’t contain the nutrients his or her body needs.
In the United States today, health conditions such as hypertension, diabetes, and obesity are common.
Unfortunately, the prevalence of these conditions is often higher among people who use food pantries.
The good news is that these conditions can in part be controlled by the foods a person eats. Eating fruits and vegetables, beans, whole grains, lean proteins, and foods that are lower in salt and sugar can go a long way toward improving health and feeling good.
Before you give to your local food drive, think about filling a healthy plate. Use the food groups of the MyPlate as a guide for food drive donations with a healthier twist:
Fruit group: canned fruit in juice or light syrup, 100 percent fruit juice, raisins or other dried fruit.
Vegetable group: Low sodium canned vegetables– especially dark green and deep orange varieties, tomatoes and tomato sauces, low sodium canned soup, dry potato products.
Grain group: whole-grain unsweetened breakfast cereal, whole-grain pasta and crackers, oatmeal, brown rice, popcorn, cornmeal, whole wheat flour.
Dairy group: nonfat dry milk, evaporated canned milk, shelf-stable milk boxes.
Protein group: canned or dried beans, water-packed canned tuna and salmon, canned chicken, unsalted nuts, nut butters.
For individuals with limited kitchen access, consider single-serve canned pull-tab foods such as fruits, vegetables, pastas, stews, chicken and noodles, etc. and single-serve items such as granola bars, packs of nuts or dried fruit, and individual juice packs or boxes.
Contact your local food pantry to find out what other items they need, such as infant formula, baby food, sugar-free or gluten-free items, or other foods for special dietary concerns.
K-State Research and Extension has developed a new bookmark-size flyer listing healthy options for donated foods. Use it for your own reference, or share it with others as you prepare for a food drive. Find it on our Ellis County Extension Office website at www.ellis.ksu.edu.
When donating food for a food drive at holiday time– or anytime– choose foods that provide maximum nutrition from each food group of MyPlate. Your neighbors will eat healthier when you contribute more nutritious foods.
Linda K. Beech is Ellis County Extension Agent for Family and Consumer Sciences.