Dr. John Watson of Hays passed away August 3, 2016 in Hays.
Arrangements are pending.
Year: 2016
Thursday night vigil held in Hays for Weber peaceful, respectful
By JAMES BELL
Hays Post
As questions continue to swirl about the circumstances surrounding the death of 36-year-old Joseph Weber, members of the community gathered together Thursday evening to remember the man described as a quiet, but joyful man living with autism.
Over 100 people gathered in Hickok Park to share stories, show support and mourn the loss after a funeral was held in Oakley on Tuesday.
Weber was killed in an officer-involved shooting on Aug. 18 in a residential area of Hays.
“In the past few days of working with them, they were so happy to know there is a candle vigil in his honor tonight. They were absolutely ecstatic to hear that there is being more done,” said Jenna Jacobs, an event-co organizer who works in disability services, speaking about people she works with who knew Weber.
Weber was associated with New Age Services, a licensed disability services provider in Kansas.
“Some of them knew Joey on a personal level, not all of them, but everyone I’ve talked to had multiple great things to say about Joey,” Jacobs said.
J.J. Wright, a co-founder of Justice for Joey, who had a statement read at the vigil called the gathering of people in remembrance of Weber providence. Wright knew Weber through school in Oakley from kindergarten through 12th grade and currently resides on the West Coast.
“It’s because a person can transcend time and distance,” Wright said. “Make no mistake he was and should be remembered that way.”
An investigation into the death remains ongoing, and no further information has been released.
UPDATE: Kansas boy injured in shooting was playing with gun
DOUGLAS COUNTY -Law enforcement authorities in Douglas County are investigating a shooting that injured a child.
The 6-year-old victim of an early morning shooting incident is expected to recover, according to a media release.
He is currently being treated at a Kansas City area hospital for non-life threatening injuries.
Just after 7:45 a.m. on Thursday, officers responded to a residence in the 500 block of Wisconsin Street to a report of an accidental shooting.
Responding officers located the child inside his residence suffering from a gunshot wound.
The investigation indicates that the child was playing with a firearm when it discharged and struck him in the foot.
There were several adults witnesses at the residence, all of which were interviewed by investigators.
At the conclusion of the investigation, investigators will forward the reports to the Douglas County District Attorney’s Office for charging consideration.
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DOUGLAS COUNTY – Law enforcement authorities in Douglas County are investigating a shooting that injured a child.
Just after 7:45 a.m. on Thursday, officers with the Lawrence Police Department responded to a residence in the 500 block of Wisconsin Street in reference to a reported accidental shooting involving a 6-year-old child, according to a media release.
An ambulance transported the child to a regional hospital in stable condition, according to police.
FHSU seeks designation as a Voter Friendly Campus
FHSU University Relations and Marketing
Fort Hays State University has been selected to participate in the Voter Friendly Campus designation process for the 2016-2017 academic year.
Voter Friendly is sponsored by NASPA-Student Affairs Administration in Higher Education and the Campus Vote Project.
FHSU is among nearly 100 other campuses, representing 1.5 million students who, by joining, have made a strong statement about the civic mission of higher education, to prepare students to be engaged participants of democracy.
Members of Fort Hays State University Voter Friendly Campus Designation Task Force are:
· Dr. Curt Brungardt, director of the Center for Civic Leadership.
· Dr. Paul Faber, dean of the College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences.
· Brett Bruner, director of transition and student conduct.
· DeBra Prideaux, executive director of alumni and governmental relations.
· Vivian Agnew, student government association vice president.
· Megan Garcia, American democracy project student co-director.
· John Gettemeyer, graduate assistant for extended orientation and transition Initiatives.
· Whitney Swender, project coordinator and graduate teaching assistant in the Center for Civic Leadership.
These representatives will develop strategic plans to foster a culture of democratic engagement among students and to help overcome barriers of participation in the political process.
Participants will be evaluated from early 2017 through December 2018.
This weekend’s Hays-area garage sales
Hays-area garage sales
Scroll to the bottom for a map of garage sale locations. Hays Post offers FREE garage sale listings weekly. Having a sale next weekend? Click HERE for details.
Address: 301 North 10th Street, WaKeeney
Saturday & Sunday 9-5
Items for sale: 3 families move from Colorado
2-Queen bedroom furniture sets with new mattresses
Kitchen/house goods/misc. furniture/40″ flat screen TV
Maternity clothes/ men’s & women’s clothes
100’s of DVD’s & blu ray etc.
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Address: 3009 Thunderbird Court, Hays
Friday (Aug 26) – 3-7PM, Sat (Aug 27) – 8-12
Items for sale: Multi Family Garage Sale. Many household items including a Whirlpool Stove/Oven, table and chairs, computer desk, lots of books, and lots of miscellaneous
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Address: 200 E. 16th, Hays
Friday, Aug. 26–4-8 p.m. and Saturday, Aug. 27–8 a.m.-12 noon
Items for sale: Prairie Garden Club Garage Sale Fundraiser
Plants, flower seeds, garden supplies, books, usual garage sale items all for sale
Fundraiser donations may be dropped off Friday, Aug. 26 at 1 p.m.
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Address: 2102 Pine St, Hays
Saturday 27th from 8 to noon
Items for sale: Girls Toys Toys Toys
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Address: 2404 Virginia Drive, Hays
Friday (5-8 pm); Saturday (8 am-Noon-ish)
Items for sale: A lot of kitchen items (cups, cookware, etc.); home decor, small furniture, etc.
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Address: 305 W 7th St., Hays (Parking lot)
Saturday August 27th 8 am- 4 pm
Items for sale: FUNDRAISER!!!!!—A LOT of women clothing, home decor, kids clothes, toys, books, tv’s, some furniture, shoes and MORE!
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Address: 2906 Hillcrest, Hays
Friday, August 26th – 6pm – dark. Saturday August 27th 7am – Noon
Items for sale: Boys clothes, lots of girls clothes, shopkins, household items, TV’s and more.
FHSU prof has sabbatical work at tonight’s HAC Art Walk
FHSU University Relations and Marketing
Fort Hays State University professor Amy Schmierbach will be exhibiting her sabbatical exhibit “CAIM” at FHSU Moss-Thorns Gallery in Rarick Hall from 6:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. Friday during the 32nd annual Hays Arts Council Fall Art Walk.
CAIM is a Gaelic defined as a scared space, a magical circle of protection and a prayer drawn by hand around the body. Schmierbach titled the exhibit “CAIM” because it describes her process and inspiration in the art making process.
The work created in this exhibition was started during her sabbatical taken during the fall semester of 2015. This exhibition will showcase hand-dyed and embroidered weavings, installations with hand-dyed and hand-spun wool and ink and graphite drawings.
The exhibit will be open through September 23. Moss-Thorns Gallery hours are 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, or the exhibit can be seen by appointment through the artist.
Schmierbach has been teaching drawing, intermedia and creativity at Fort Hays State since 2000. She was the recipient of the prestigious Presidential Scholars Award in 2011.
Visit www.amyschmierbach.com/new-work for more of Schmierbach’s art work and some of the work in this exhibit.
Physician testimony: Vanochen capable of intent to commit murder
HUTCHINSON -The trial for a Kansas teen accused of the murder of his mother and sister continued with expert testimony on Thursday afternoon.
Samuel Vonachen is charged with two counts of first-degree murder and aggravated arson after allegedly setting a fire to his family’s home leaving his mother and sister trapped inside. He was 14 at the time of the fire back on Sept. 26, 2013.
Dr. Trever Patton, a Psychologist and an independent practitioner at The Therapy Center in Wichita told the court he did an evaluation on Sam. He testified that the defendant may suffer “Anti-Social Personality Disorder.” When asked by Senior Assistant District Attorney Steve Maxwell if he suffered any type of mental disease or defect? Dr. Patton answered, “absolutely not.”
He also agreed with the state’s arguments that Vonachen was capable of forming intent to commit murder.
The doctor described the teen as being vaguely immature, but extremely intelligent.
Hutchinson Police Detective Paul Sach testified that the defendant basically admitted to starting the fire. Sach was one of the officers who did the video interview with Vonachen.
During the video, Sam was asked why he committed the crimes? “I wanted people to die, people are awful.” said Vonachen. Later, he was told the his mother and sister were gone and that he will never see them again. He was asked during the video interview if that bothered him and he said. “no.”
Bill Hermes, Director of Youth Services in Reno County testified. He oversees the juvenile detention facility where the defendant has been held.
He told the court Sam was very intelligent and rarely interacted with others. He spent most of his day reading or watching movies.
On Friday, the final witness for the state Dr. Shelby Evans, a psychologist who also did an evaluation of the defendant will finish her testimony.
KNOLL: What planet do Dems live on?
I will try like the dickens not to sound sarcastic in this letter to the editor, however, what is happening on the Democrat side of this presidential election is nothing short of incredulous! Like me, there are many people I run into shaking their heads in disbelief about Dems again out to control our government come January, 2017 on false pretenses.
During the last month’s Democrat National Convention Barack Obama said “by so many measures our country is stronger and more prosperous than it was when we started.” Hillary pretty much said the same thing during the convention. Maybe in one’s dreams!
What planet do these people live on? Preposterous, not prosperous!
During the past eight years we have had the slowest economic recovery since 1949 and that’s when I was still in grade school. Our GDP growth has never been worse in this country’s history; worse than any other president.
We have more people on food stamps than ever before. We have more people living in poverty since Obama became president. We have a staggering number out of the labor force because they can’t find work. Wages are stagnant, middle class incomes down, record low home ownerships, etcetera.
Blaming George W. Bush who left office nearly eight years ago is ludicrous.
A current unemployment rate below 5% is so very unrealistic it is laughable. It’s probably close to 20%. The millions who have left the labor force for lack of jobs aren’t even counted by the corrupt Department of Labor. The unemployment figure is a fabrication.
Not to be sarcastic or condescending, but what in the world are you Democrat voters thinking? It boggles the mind. Another Democrat in the White House would be more of the same, and a good chance worse.
Could somebody (preferably one who lives on planet earth or in the right state of mind) tell me and readers how Hillary is going to make America great again? How will raising taxes, even on the middle class according to Hillary, create jobs? How will a $15 minimum wage keep small businesses in business?
How is giving away free stuff to everybody and their uncle going to pay down our debt?
If nearly 3 out of 4 polled say this country is on the wrong track how in the world are things supposed to get better voting Democrat? That kind of thinking clearly shows Hillary has support from a lot of people who live in a fantasy world. Low information voters, obviously, don’t get it. Single issue voters don’t look at the big picture and the emotional ones still live in the last century when the Dem Party was different.
Hillary’s successor is Secretary of State John Kerry. He says air conditioners and refrigerators are more of a threat to us than ISIS. Climate change (a hoax) is a greater threat than ISIS according to our government.
How can we have national security when the administration and potential next U.S president Hillary won’t even admit ISIS is “radical Islamic terrorism?” Are people out of their minds selecting her as Commander in Chief? She once said we need to empathize with those who want to kill us.
How insane is Obama’s transgender bathroom mandate in our public schools and elsewhere?
The Black Lives Matter movement, embraced by Dems, is proof a whole lot of people live in another world. “Hands up, don’t shoot” is a falsehood. There’s undeniable proof that did not happen to Michael Brown of Ferguson, MO. Thousands and thousands of blacks killing other blacks is far worse than a handful of incidents where there might be law enforcement injustice, but looking at reality is off limits by Dems.
Let’s get real! Come down to earth please! We can’t right the ship living in a “Disney World” of politics where facts don’t matter.
Is it planet earth with Trump on the one hand, and Hillary’s Mars on the other?
Les Knoll lives in Victoria and Gilbert, Ariz.
2 Kansas teens hospitalized after SUV rolls
STAFFORD COUNTY – Two Kansas teens were injured in an accident just before 7p.m. on Thursday in Stafford County.
The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 1999 Toyota 4-runner driven by Caleb H. Hildebrand, 15, Stafford, was westbound in the 700 block of northeast 20th Street one mile north of Stafford.
The vehicle was traveling too fast for conditions and the driver lost control of the SUV.
It entered south ditch. The driver over corrected and the vehicle rolled multiple times back across the road into a field.
Hildebrand and a passenger Ethan S. Hildebrand, 14, Stafford were transported to the hospital in Great Bend.
Ethan was not wearing a seat belt, according to the KHP
Health warning issued over algae blooms in 5 Kansas lakes
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas health officials say five of the state’s lakes are under health warnings because of high levels of toxic blue-green algae blooms.
The Kansas Department of Health and Environment said in a statement that the lakes under warning aren’t closed, but that contact with the water can cause serious illness and should be avoided.
KDHE says elevated algae levels have been found in Central Park Lake in Shawnee County, Lake Afton in Sedgwick County, Milford Reservoir’s zones A and C in Clay, Dickinson and Geary counties, Overbrook City Lake in Osage County, and Overland Park’s South Lake in Johnson County.
KDHE says the water should never be consumed by humans, pets or livestock.
Heads up: Hall Street north of 27th is now 3 lanes, not 4
By BECKY KISER
Hays Post
Drivers on their Friday morning commute to school or work in west Hays need to pay extra attention.
A contractor for the city began working late Thursday afternoon to restripe north Hall Street between 27th and 41st from four lanes down to three lanes.
Hays Assistant Public Works Director John Braun said Thursday night the middle lane turn arrows may not be placed until Monday.
“It will be an adjustment for drivers,” Braun acknowledged, “although studies show it is a safer traffic configuration.”
He noted that when east 13th Street between Vine and Canterbury was re-striped to three lanes in late 2013, some people complained but have since realized the traffic is more efficient.
Milling and an asphalt overlay on the north section of Hall Street was completed earlier this month.
Partly cloudy Friday, chance for thunderstorms
Thunderstorms will develop over eastern Colorado late this afternoon before becoming a threat over western Kansas as early as 5 pm and lasting into the evening. Heavy rain, lightning and gusty winds to around 60 mph are the main threat, with a secondary threat of large hail as half dollars. Not all areas will receive rainfall however, around 50 percent areal coverage of storms and rainfall is possible. A large degree of uncertainty also exists as to whether any of the storms would remain sustained into central Kansas by later in the evening. At this time the best chances for storms appears over the highlighted region.
Today A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms after 9am. Cloudy, with a high near 77. North northwest wind 5 to 11 mph becoming southeast in the afternoon.
Tonight A 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly before 4am. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 61. East wind 6 to 11 mph.
SaturdayA 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms after 4pm. Partly sunny, with a high near 86. North northeast wind 6 to 8 mph becoming southeast in the afternoon.
Saturday NightA 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly after 10pm. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 64. South southeast wind 6 to 11 mph.
SundayA 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly sunny, with a high near 89. South wind 6 to 11 mph.
Sunday NightA 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 66.
MondayA 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly sunny, with a high near 87.
Escobar homers for surging Royals in win over Marlins
By CHRISTOPHER STOCK
Associated Press
MIAMI (AP) — Alcides Escobar homered and drove in two runs to lead the surging Kansas City Royals past the Miami Marlins 5-2 on Thursday night.
Salvador Perez and Kendrys Morales also drove in runs for the Royals as the defending World Series champions have won 15 of 18 to pull within four games of the second AL wild card spot.
Kansas City starter Edison Volquez (10-10) pitched five innings and allowed two runs, both unearned, and three hits.
The Royals’ bullpen, which has been a successful formula for the reigning two-time AL pennant winners, pitched four scoreless innings to push their franchise-record scoreless streak to 38 2/3 innings — the best in the majors since 2002-03 when San Francisco tossed 39 1/3 straight.
Kelvin Herrera pitched a flawless ninth for his ninth save in 11 chances.
Tom Koehler (9-9) allowed four runs, three earned, and seven hits in six innings for the Marlins.