FHSU University Relations

A wonderful variety of musicals, plays, dance, and instrumental music make up the 2016-2017 season of the Encore Performing Arts Series at Fort Hays State University.

“For the past 36 years, the Encore Series has been a cultural gem of western Kansas,” said Jacob Ternes, chair of the Special Events Committee. “This is going to be a season to remember. Patrons can expect New York City-caliber performances right here on the Beach/Schmidt Performing Arts Center stage. Patrons should plan to purchase season tickets, as we expect several individual shows will sell out.”

Ternes said this year’s series has a show for all audiences. The season will open with “An Evening with Molly Ringwald.” Ringwald starred in three iconic teen movies from the 1980s: “Sixteen Candles,” “The Breakfast Club” and “Pretty in Pink.” She is now touring her concert act celebrating her first jazz album, “Except Sometimes.”
Additional shows include “Fame,” “Barefoot in the Park,” “Taj Express: The Bollywood Musical Revue,” and “PIPPIN.”

Season tickets for the 2016-2017 Encore Performing Arts Series are now on sale. Fort Hays State students, faculty and staff, along with senior citizens and youths, receive discounts. For more information call the Memorial Union Student Service Center at 785-628-5306 or visit www.fhsu.edu/encore. Previous season ticket holders will receive the series booklet in the mail within the next few weeks.

All performances for the 2016-2017 season start at 7:30 p.m. in Beach/Schmidt, in Sheridan Hall on the FHSU campus.

Performances for the 2016-2017 season include:

An Evening with Molly Ringwald
Friday, Oct. 7
Molly Ringwald acts, writes books, and sings jazz. She tours a crowd-pleasing concert act with her quartet to venues worldwide. Ringwald and her band have performed more than 200 concerts in seven countries since her debut jazz album on Concord Records was released in April 2013.

Houston Ballet II
Tuesday, Oct. 18
Houston Ballet II is the second company of Houston Ballet, America’s fourth largest ballet company. Comprised of a stellar array of ballet students, Houston Ballet II travels the world with both classical ballets and fresh choreography in a wide array of dance works including excerpts from contemporary works to great classics such as “The Sleeping Beauty,” “Swan Lake” and “The Nutcracker.”

Fame
Tuesday, Oct. 25
Fame — The Musical is a full-throttle journey traversing the struggles, fears, and triumphs of young artists navigating the worlds of dance, music and theatre. Conceived from the unforgettable Academy Award-winning film and subsequent Emmy Award-winning television series, this unmistakable title has been brilliantly transformed into musical theatre.

Under the Streetlamp
Friday, Dec. 2
Exuding the irresistible rapport of a modern day Rat Pack, the quartet — featuring recent leading cast members of the Tony Award-winning musical “Jersey Boys” — deliver an evening of entertainment with doo-wop, Motown and old time rock ‘n’ roll, including hits from the Drifters, the Beach Boys, the Beatles, and more, including a salute to Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons.

Barefoot in the Park
Monday, Feb. 13
Corie and Paul Bratter are newlyweds living in New York City. Corie is an impulsive, independent free spirit. Paul is a level-headed, conservative young lawyer. As the honeymoon ends and reality sets in, the bliss of marriage turns to comical discord. In the midst of all the craziness and quarreling and misunderstanding, the young couple learns to live together, and meet each other halfway. “Barefoot in the Park” is a warm, hilarious comedy, beloved by critics and audiences alike.

Taj Express: The Bollywood Musical Revue
Wednesday, March 29
Taj Express explodes with the sounds of India and Bollywood, capturing the vibrant, expressive spirit of the world of Bollywood movies that have been entertaining billions of people in India for generations. The production is a high energy celebration of new India’s pop music, Bollywood culture, and deep traditions that feature colorful costumes, joyful dance, and thrilling live music.

Matt Haimovitz: The Bach Suites — A Moveable Feast
Saturday, April 22
Renowned as a musical pioneer, cellist Matt Haimovitz has inspired classical music lovers and countless new listeners by bringing his artistry to concert halls and clubs, outdoor festivals and intimate coffee houses — any place where passionate music can be heard. He brings a fresh ear to a familiar repertoire, champions new music and initiates groundbreaking collaborations as well as creating innovative recording projects.

PIPPIN
Sunday, April 30
“PIPPIN” is a high-flying, death-defying hit Broadway musical. Full of extraordinary acrobatics, wondrous magical feats and soaring songs from the composer of “Wicked,” “PIPPIN” lifts audiences up and leaves them smiling.

By JONATHAN ZWEYGARDT
Hays Post

The Ellis County Commission on Monday voted to approve the 2017 budget.

The county began working in March on the budget, facing a $3.7 million deficit. As a way to reduce the shortfall, the commission asked each department to cut 3.3-percent and trimmed funding to outside agencies.

Following a public hearing, the budget approved by the commission contains general fund spending of $23.5 million and the general fund mill levy will remain the same as last year at 36.7. The tax levy is $13,298,109.

Among the highlights are a $500,000 transfer to Road and Bridge’s Special Highway fund, $233,000 for the contingency fund and $138,000 for three new positions at the county jail.

In order to pay for the three funds, the commission at Monday’s meeting agreed to transfer almost $16,500 from the County Treasurer’s budget. County Treasurer Ann Pfeifer was not at the meeting.

Pfeifer told Hays Post on Tuesday after speaking with County Administrator Phillip Smith-Hanes, she believes the funds cut from the treasurer’s budget Monday is on top of the $5,000 her department had already agreed to cut and the 4.9 percent cut from the previous fiscal year.

She said her department will do the best it can with the funds provided but said she “is concerned that we may not be able to do all of the duties required by statute.”

At Monday’s meeting, Commissioner Barb Wasinger said she wanted to see the treasurer’s office cut $50,000 but would settle for less than that.

“We had specifically asked the treasurer to maybe come up with $50,000 helping with the jailers, and she came up with five ($5,000), and I was hoping we could maybe meet halfway at 25 ($25,000),” Wasinger said.

Smith-Hanes and the commission agreed if the Treasurer’s Office experiences a shortfall, the county could use money from the contingency fund to cover a possible deficit.

During the budget process, the commission was adamant about setting up funds for public works construction projects. Without the cuts to the treasurer’s budget, the county would not have been able to transfer the full $500,000 to the Special Highway Fund. Without the transfer, the fund would still have more than $483,000 left for 2017.

“We’ve robbed from them (Road and Bridge) for the last five years I’ve been here,” said Commissioner Dean Haselhorst.

According to the Treasurer’s Department, through the motor vehicle fund collected $250,000 in 2015. The treasurer, during an average year, according to Smith-Hanes, transfers about $10,000 to the general fund although in 2015 the department transferred more than $50,000.

Haselhorst also wanted to know about cutting some of the funds given to the Ellis County Economic Development Coalition because he said, “I don’t know if I’m getting our bang for our back, I feel.”

But Smith-Hanes noted that all but two outside agencies received a 3.3-percent reduction in funding.

The commission also approved a 0.43 mill increase for Rural Fire District 1. The raise affects residents of Schoenchen and unincorporated areas of Ellis County.

The commission had originally wanted a slightly larger increase, but Smith-Hanes said while entering the figures on a state form, he entered the wrong number in one place.

The increased funds will still be used to pay for call-out pay for training and for automatic aid with the city of Hays. Smith-Hanes said Fire Chief Darin Myers delayed a portion of a transfer to the equipment reserve fund.

Smith-Hanes said the fund will be used to purchase two new rescue trucks, but they would only have had the money to purchase one in 2017 anyway, so the mistake would not affect those plans.

According to Smith-Hanes, the county’s assessed valuation was only down 2.2 percent and the cuts made by the county and the less-than-anticipated decline in valuation “allows us to present a fairly stable budget picture for 2017.”

Valuation in Fire District No. 1 was hit much harder by the decline in oil valuation and that led to the mill levy increase.

In other business, auditors from Adams Brown Berean and Ball presented the county commission and the public building commission with the annual audit.

Commissioners approved an agreement with the Kansas Heart and Stroke Collaborative.

Commissioners approved membership in the National Joint Powers Alliance. Membership in the alliance will allow the county to purchase discounted software.

FORD COUNTY – A Kansas man died in an accident just before 9 a.m. on Tuesday in Ford County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2015 International semi driven by John A. Bauer, 65, Osborne, was eastbound on U.S. 50 passing a commercial motor vehicle on the right that was waiting to make a left turn onto 126th Road.

The semi struck a westbound 1992 Buick LeSabre driven by Martin P. Burke, 81, Kinsley, that was attempting a left turn onto Clark Street.

Burke was transported to the hospital in Dodge City where he died.

Bauer was not injured. Burke was not wearing a seatbelt, according to the KHP.

By BECKY KISER
Hays Post

August is a busy month in Hays with last-of-summer flings and welcome back to school activities. Here’s a look at just some of the happenings in Hays with Convention and Visitors Bureau Director Rick Rekoske.

For an updated list of activities, check the Hays CVB Calendar of Events.