Hays High had three players named to the Western Athletic Conference all-conference team. Juniors Ethan Nunnery and Zachary Wagner made the first team. Nunnery broke the school scoring record with 20 goals and was second on the team in assists with seven. Wagner broke the school record for assists with 17 and was second on the team in goals with 13. Senior Conner Staab made Honorable Mention all-conference. Staab kept four clean sheets and averaged just over eight saves per game.
Former Hays High soccer coach Saul Hernandez was named Coach of the Year. Dodge City junior Joshua Don Juan was named conference player of the year.
First Team:
Erick Martinez, Great Bend, 12
Dani Franco, Great Bend, 10
Jose Herrera, Garden City, 12
Josh Martinez, Liberal, 12
Brian Alvarez, Liberal, 12
**Joshua Don Juan, Dodge City, 11
Miguel Baca, Dodge City, 11
Francisco Cayetano, Dodge City, 11
Mario Martinez, Dodge City, 11 Ethan Nunnery, Hays, 11 Zachary Wagner, Hays, 11
Honorable Mention:
Brian Galindo, Great Bend, 11
Israel Franco, Great Bend, 9
Salvador Bustos, Garden City, 10
Jesus Macias, Garden City, 11
Kender Acevedo, Garden City, 12
Elmer Rivera, Liberal, 11
Pablo Marquez, Liberal, 11
Edgar Moreno, Liberal, 12
Eddie Del Toro, Dodge City, 11
Cesar Alvarez, Dodge City, 11 Conner Staab, Hays, 12
SEATTLE (AP) — Millions of dollars in campaign spending produced mixed results for the conservative and liberal groups seeking to sway state supreme courts around the country.
Sitting justices fought back big-dollar opposition in Kansas and Washington, although liberals gained influence on the North Carolina Supreme Court. The expensive campaigns reflect the importance the groups have placed on state supreme courts, which often affirm or overturn policies set by state legislatures.
Outside groups spent a record $16.4 million on TV spots this election cycle, topping the $13.5 million spent during the 2011-12 races, according to data from the Brennan Center for Justice. Total TV spending, including ads by the candidates themselves, neared $33 million, just shy of the amount spent four years ago.
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Louisville Slugger ® and MLB Network announced this evening that Salvador Perez has received the American League’s 2016 Silver Slugger Award for the catching position. Perez becomes the first Royals backstop to win a Silver Slugger Award and the ninth KC player (12th occurrence) overall.
Perez, 26, just completed his sixth big league season, batting .247 with a career-high 22 home runs and 64 RBI, while he also matched career bests in runs scored (57), doubles (28) and walks (22). He led American League receivers in hits (127) for the fourth-straight season and also led the league’s catchers in doubles, homers, extra-base hits and slugging percentage (.438). Salvy started the season batting .305 (67-for-220) with 14 doubles, two triples, 12 homers and 35 RBI over his first 60 games. He established a career-high with five RBI in the April 19 game vs. Detroit and he set a career-high with five hits at Minnesota on May 23, becoming the second Royals catcher to collect five hits in a game, joining Darrell Porter in 1978.
The Louisville Slugger Silver Slugger Award winners are decided by a vote of Major League Baseball managers and coaches who select the players they determine to be the best offensive producers at each position in the American and National Leagues. Selections are based on a combination of offensive statistics, including batting average, on-base percentage and slugging percentage, as well as the managers’ and coaches’ general impressions of a player’s overall offensive value. Managers and coaches are not allowed to vote for players on their own teams. Tabulation of the balloting is verified by the accounting firm of Mountjoy Chilton Medley LLP.
Below is a list of the nine Royals to win a Louisville Silver Slugger Award (instituted in 1980):
George Brett – 1980, 1985 and 1988 (1980 and 1985 at third base; 1988 at first base)
Willie Wilson – 1980 and 1982 (outfield)
Hal McRae – 1982 (designated hitter)
Frank White – 1986 (second base)
Gary Gaetti – 1995 (third base)
Dean Palmer – 1998 (third base)
Billy Butler – 2012 (designated hitter)
Kendrys Morales – 2015 (designated hitter) Salvador Perez – 2016 (catcher)
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) – Chiefs linebacker Justin Houston says he hopes to make his season debut Sunday at Carolina, though the decision to put the four-time Pro Bowl pass rusher on the field ultimately rests with coach Andy Reid.
Houston was hobbled by his knee the second half of last season, and tweaked it in a playoff win over the Texans. He barely played in a playoff loss to the Patriots and had surgery in February.
The Chiefs have been hoping all along to have him for the stretch run.
He began practicing a few weeks ago, and was removed from the physically unable to perform list on Wednesday. And in his first comments since surgery, Houston said Thursday that he’s ready to “dominate.”
WINFIELD, Kan. (AP) — A man convicted of a 1981 Douglas County killing is set to be released from prison for the seventh time.
The Topeka Capital-Journal reports the Kansas Prisoner Review Board recently decided to parole 57-year-old L.V. Luarks once the Kansas Department of Corrections approves a plan.
He remained in the Winfield Correctional Facility as of Wednesday.
Luarks was sentenced to 15 years to life in prison for second-degree murder in the fatal shooting of 25-year-old Terry Brown. The Topeka woman’s body was found on a Douglas County road six miles northwest of Lawrence.
Prison records show Luarks was released six times between 1992 and 2009. Four of those times were on parole, and the two others were for post-release supervision.
Luarks was returned to custody each time for violating mandatory rules.
Seth Kastle speaks at Hays High School during a 9/11 tribute.
The Hays VFW will host its annual Veteran’s Day Program Friday, Nov. 11 at the VFW Hall at 22nd and Vine.
The event will get underway Friday just before 11 a.m. with the raising of the colors, 21-gun salute and playing of Taps outside of the VFW.
The second part of the event will move inside the VFW where they will have the national anthem performed by Bob Dreiling, introduction of the VFW Officers and guests and patriotic music.
This year’s Veteran’s Day Speaker is Retired U.S. Army Reserve Company First Sergeant Seth Kastle.
Kastle was deployed to Qatar and then Afghanistan in 2002. He was then deployed to Iraq from Jan. 2003 to April 2004. He also served as a Drill Sergeant with the 95th Infantry Division supporting Ft. Sill, OK.
He is the author of the children’s book “Why is Dad so Mad?,”a book about Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and military families.
Kastle is a professor of Leadership Studies at Fort Hays State University.
The public is encouraged to come early to take part in the events outside, which start around 10:50 a.m. before the program moves inside at 11:00 a.m.
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas faces a $349 million shortfall in its current budget and more gaps in the near future after officials issued a new, more pessimistic fiscal forecast for the state.
The forecasters on Thursday slashed the state’s previous projections for tax collections through June 2017 by 5.9 percent, or $355 million.
They also issued the first projections for the two fiscal years beginning in July 2017. Those projections were conservative.
Legislative researchers projected budget shortfalls totaling $1.1 billion through June 2019.
The previous fiscal forecast was issued in April. The state has missed monthly revenue targets six of the seven months since.
Kansas has struggled to balance its budget since slashing taxes in 2012 and 2013. The new forecast also reflects pessimism about agriculture and energy production.
The TMP-Marian Monarchs had six named to the All Mid-Continent League volleyball team this week.
Senior Madyson Koerner and Junior Kayla Vitztum are joined on the first-team by Tatum Bartels of Phillipsburg, Norton’s Caitlyn Cox Haven Hamilton from Stockton and Gracen Hutchinson from Smith Center.
TMP Senior Kendra Werth was a second team selection with Willow Hunt of Plainville, Baylee Miller from Norton, Hill City’s Carrie Kenney, Trego’s Taylor Sells and Cecelia Beck of Stockton.
Ashley Ostrander, Bailey Lacy and Savannah Yost of TMP were honorable mention selection.
The Monarchs clinched their third straight MCL tournament title and qualified for state for the second straight season finished 1-2 in pool play.
All MCL Volleyball Team First Team
Name School Grade
Tatum Bartels Phillipsburg 12
Caitlyn Cox Norton 12
Haven Hamilton Stockton 11
Kayla Vitztum TMP 11
Madyson Koerner TMP 12
Gracen Hutchinson Smith Center 10
2nd Team
Baylee Miller Norton 12
Willow Hunt Plainville 11
Carrie Kennedy Hill City 11
Kendra Werth TMP 12
Cecelia Beck Stockton 12
Taylor Sells Trego 11
Honorable Mention
Ahley Ostrander TMP
Bailey Lacy TMP
Conner Keith Hill City
Nicole Scheetz Oakley
Kayla Garvert Painville
Sannah Yost TMP
BARTON COUNTY- Law enforcement authorities in Barton County continue to search for a man missing since May 6.
Charles Everett McHenry III was last seen in an area between Great Bend and Hoisington.
Since the reporting of McHenry’s disappearance, the Police Department (along with the Barton County Sheriff’s Office and Kansas Bureau of Investigation) has conducted an exhaustive search and investigation. In spite of these efforts, McHenry has not been located.
The possibility of foul play has not been ruled out in connection with McHenry’s disappearance.
As pheasant season is about to open and farmers are actively working their fields, the Police Department is asking the public to keep an eye out for anything that might be out of place.
If citizens do come across any information that might be helpful, they are asked to contact the Great Bend Police Department at (620)793-4120 or Crimestoppers at (620)792-1300.
ECO-Meet 2016 contestants at Kansas Wetlands Education Center, Great Bend
KDWPT
GREAT BEND – The 18th Annual Kansas State ECO-Meet finals competition on Nov. 3 at the Kansas Wetlands Education Center and Camp Aldrich was an exciting and hard-fought contest. Twenty-nine scholastic teams vied for top honors at the quiz bowl-type competition designed to test students’ knowledge of Kansas’ plants and animals. Here are the results:
TEAM RESULTS
1st ($300/student scholarship) – Wilson High School, Team A. Members: Anna Criswell, Aaron Dlabal, Trey Fink, Kyle Goldwater and team coach, Melanie Falcon.
2nd ($200/student scholarship) – Shawnee Mission South High School, Team A. Members: Marc Almloff, Madison Goerz, Megan Jenkins, Steffen Seamon and team coach, PJ Born.
3rd ($100/student scholarship) – Goddard High School, Team Blue. Members: Cameron Boyd, Sarah Tomtschik, Clara Towey and team coach, Marylee Ramsey.
4th – Wilson High School, Team B. Members: Ethan Dlabal, Lilly Duncan, Alex Moody, Brandalyn Thyfault and team coach, Melanie Falcon. 5th – Dodge City High School, Team C. Members: Lucresia Bradfield, Cheyenne Lorenzo, Alicia Trejo, Cassie Wells and team coach, Jeff Calhoun.
INDIVIDUAL EVENTS
Invertebrates
1st – Aaron Dlabal, Wilson High School ($200 scholarship)
2nd – Madison Goerz, Shawnee Mission South High School ($100 scholarship)
3rd – Sarah Tomtschik, Goddard High School 4th – Colton Farra, Dodge City High School
5th – Jose Monarrez, Tonganoxie High School Tallgrass Prairie Ecosystem
1st – Madison Goerz, Shawnee Mission South High School ($200 scholarship) 2nd – Aaron Dlabal, Wilson High School ($100 scholarship) 3rd – Colton Farra, Dodge City High School
4th – Max Ramsey, Shawnee Mission South High School
5th – Sarah Tomtschik, Goddard High School
A total of 107 students from 21 high schools and one middle school competed at the annual quiz bowl-type event, in addition to nine students who qualified as individuals from four other schools in the two test events.
Ten regional qualifying competitions were held in Junction City, Salina, Hutchinson, Wilson Lake, Hays, Wichita, Garden City, Lawrence, Greenbush and Olathe in late September and October to determine who would compete at state.
ECO-Meet sponsors include the Kansas Wildscape Foundation, Kansas Chapter of the Nature Conservancy, Manweiler Chevrolet and Superior/Essex of Hoisington, City of Great Bend, Barton Community College, H & B Communications of Holyrood, Nex-Tech Wireless of Hays and Lenora, Friends of Cheyenne Bottoms, Friends of Milford Nature Center, Kansas Wildlife Federation, Kansas Ornithological Society, Blue Hill Gamebirds of Tipton, Mid America Awards of Salina, Goodwin Sporting Goods of Hays, the Chickadee Checkoff Program and the Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism’s (KDWPT) Wildlife Education Section
Additional assistance in conducting the event was provided by K-State Research and Extension, Kansas Wetlands Education Center, Lakewood Discovery Center, Great Plains Nature Center, Nature Conservancy of Kansas, Lee Richardson Zoo, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Americorps, KDWPT staff and many individuals.
To see regional and state results, and for more information about the Kansas ECO-Meet, visit www.kansasecomeet.org or contact Mike Rader at [email protected] or (620) 672-0708.
7th Street and Main in Council Grove, location of Thursday morning shooting-google map
COUNCIL GROVE – Law enforcement authorities in Morris County are investigating an officer involved shooting.
At approximately 9:00 a.m., on Thursday, police officers in Council Grove received reports of shots being fired at a vehicle in Council Grove, according to a media release.
After responding to the scene, additional 911 calls were received at approximately 9:06 a.m. advising that the same subject was now firing a weapon near the intersection of 7th and Main Street in Council Grove.
When officers and Morris County deputies arrived they located the armed subject and gave him verbal commands. The subject then fired at officers. A Council Grove police officer returned fire, striking the individual.
The 17-year-old male subject was first taken to a local area hospital, and then transported to a Topeka hospital. His injuries are believed to be non-life threatening.
No law enforcement officers were injured during the incident. Council Grove Elementary School was briefly placed under a lockdown during the incident.
The KBI will complete a thorough and independent investigation into this matter. Once completed, the findings will be turned over to the Morris County Attorney for review.
Kansas voters rebuked legislative allies of Governor Sam Brownback and his reckless tax experiment in the August primary elections and again last Tuesday in the general election. Forty legislative seats currently held or contested by backers of the experiment changed hands, 25 going to centrist Republicans, 15 to newly-elected Democrats.
Centrist Republicans gained 16 seats in the house, nine seats in the senate, and will likely chose the next speaker and majority leader of the house, though that outcome depends on how a handful of newly-elected Republicans line up in those leadership races. Senate President Wagle will likely hold onto her post, even though her caucus will be significantly rebalanced with centrists.
H. Edward Flentje is professor emeritus at Wichita State University.
Democrats gained 12 seats in the house, one in the senate. Thirty-two incumbent Democrats held onto their seats but lost in one open contest they currently hold. Democrats improved their standing in both houses but remain a clear minority, 31 to 9 in the senate, 85 to 40 in the house.
Brownback’s principal champion for his tax experiment, the Kansas Chamber of Commerce, took a shellacking in these elections. Centrist Republicans deposed 18 candidates endorsed by the Chamber in the primary. Democrats defeated 12 more in the general election, including seven incumbents. Over half of the Chamber’s anointed candidates were defeated.
Brownback and his legislative allies were rebuked on court retention, as well, a good indication that voters believe education funding has been shortchanged. An unprecedented amount of dark money flowed into the campaign to oust the justices, but all were retained by safe margins.
The governor professed neutrality in these races, but that was a charade. He has spent the last five years trying to undermine the independence of the judiciary. His surrogates managed the anti-retention campaign that was funded in part by his own PAC money.
What does all of this mean? State finance and school funding now become front and center in the upcoming legislative session. Given the financial mess left by Brownback and his far right coalition, the challenge will be monumental and call for negotiation among three parties of roughly equal strength—newly emboldened centrist Republicans, minority Democrats with slightly improved numbers, and the remaining Republicans whose votes created the mess.
However, the stranglehold of the radical right has been broken. Centrist Republicans will not be operating in an ideological fog and should be expected to address state finance issues with realism and common sense. Many other Republicans who backed the experiment have been chastened by the Brownback brand and are seeking to escape that association. Democrats want to end the experiment.
As voters have experienced the damage inflicted by ideological folly, Brownback has become toxic in state politics. Yet, he remains in the governor’s chair for two more years and will likely cling to his discredited experiment at all costs. Legislators may have to rally the votes necessary to override the governor in charting a new course on state finance and school funding.
H. Edward Flentje is professor emeritus at Wichita State University.
A total of 107 students from 21 high schools and one middle school competed at the annual quiz bowl-type event, in addition to nine students who qualified as individuals from four other schools in the two test events.
