2016 – Page 906 – Hays Post Archive

A little good news in latest Midwest economic survey

Posted on February 1, 2016February 1, 2016

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — January results from a survey of supply managers in nine Midwest and Plains states suggest some improvement in the regional economy but not enough to generate optimism.

A report issued Monday says the overall Mid-American Business Conditions Index jumped to 48.3 in January from 39.5 in December. The figure was 40.7 in November, 41.9 in October, 47.7 in September and 49.6 in August.

The survey results are compiled into a collection of indexes ranging from zero to 100. Survey organizers say any score above 50 suggests economic growth. A score below that suggests decline. The survey covers Arkansas, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Oklahoma and South Dakota.

Creighton University economist Ernie Goss oversees the survey, and he says the strong U.S. dollar is among the obstacles facing manufacturers.

Hays USD 489 board to discuss bond, bids and fees at Monday work session – UPDATE

Posted on February 1, 2016February 1, 2016

By JAMES BELL
Hays Post

(The meeting was originally scheduled for 6:30 p.m., but due to weather concerns is now set for 5:30 p.m.)

The Hays USD 489 Board of Education is set to meet at 5:30 p.m. Monday in the Toepfer Board Room in the Rockwell Administration Center, 323 W. 12th, for a work session.

USD 489 Board Members settle in at the Dec. 7 worksession. — USD 489 Board Members will continue bond election discussion at Monday, Feb.1 work-session.

Several topics are up for discussion, including project bidding procedures, Hays Middle School HVAC project funding and fees for the 2016-17 school year. The board is also set to continue discussions on the upcoming bond election as administrators begin organizing volunteers and preparing for a series of public town hall meetings to give the public opportunities to see what the bond would purchase and ask the administration questions.

In preparation for those meetings, the district has developed informational slides, which can be viewed here.

The board will also discuss project bidding procedures after concerns arose surrounding the bidding of HVAC systems at Hays Middle School at the last board meeting.

A notice during that process failed to be posted to the USD 489 website, causing board members to hear complaints about the process. The request for bidding procedures are now being reviewed by the board.

While the bidding process is under review, the HVAC project was passed by the board and now financing options and payment for architects to draw plans for the system are set to be discussed during the work session.

Fees for the 2016-17 school year are also set to be discussed by the board.

While most fees will remain the same or be lowered, some new fees will be discussed to offset the cost of expanded student access to technology and fees associated with summer school.

Other topics on the meeting’s agenda include:

Hays Recreation Commission Resolution to Approve a Lease Agreement
- Representatives from the HRC will present information to the board regarding a lease agreement to improve land owned by the commission.
Board Term Changes Due to Passed Legislation
- The administration will discuss recent changes in legislation that will require board members elected in 2013 to serve until Monday, January 8, 2018.
Administrative Contracts
- The board will take action on the Superintendent’s contract and the Assistant Superintendent’s contract at the February 15, 2016, meeting.
Physical Education Credit Requirement Proposal from Hays High School
- Hays High School Principal Marty Straub will make a recommendation to reduce a physical education class credit requirement to achieve the necessary credits to graduate.

A full agenda for the meeting, including the proposed fee schedule, can be found here.

Mary Jane (Boxberger) Combs

Posted on February 1, 2016

Mary Jane (Boxberger) Combs, 78, of Andover, Minneapolis and former Russell resident, departed this life on January 27, 2016, at her home in Andover, Minnesota.

Surviving family include her husband Ronald of the home; son Patrick Combs and wife Ann Marie and their two children John and Diana of Georgetown, Texas and her beloved sister Frances Mae Boxberger of Russell, Kansas.

She was preceded in death by her parents William F. and Ida C. Boxberger; son Michael Scott Combs on June 03, 1984, and her brother Paul W. Boxberger.

A celebration of Mary’s life will be held at 2 PM on Friday, February 05, 2016, at the Pohlman-Varner-Peeler Mortuary in Russell with Pastor Roger Dennis officiating. Burial will follow at the Russell City Cemetery in Russell. Family will greet friends on Friday, February 5th and will begin at noon and end just before the 2 P.M. service time.

Pohlman-Varner-Peeler Mortuary of Russell is in charge of the funeral service arrangements.

Eleanor (Eulert) Laubhan

Posted on February 1, 2016

Eleanor (Eulert) Laubhan, 86 of Russell, Kansas, died January 29, 2016, at the Wheatland Nursing Center in Russell.

She was born Jan. 13, 1930, the daughter of Otto and Elsie (Reich) Eulert. She grew up in Rural Russell County and attended Paradise High School. She attended Ft Hays State University and taught school for a short time. She worked at various businesses in Russell. She worked as a bookkeeper at Laubhan Electric when she married Paul Laubhan on May 27, 1959. He preceded her in death on June 30, 2001. She was a longtime member of St John Lutheran church in Russell. She enjoyed her many pets throughout her life time.

Survivors include two sisters, Irene Schmidtberger, of Corpus Christi, Texas and Lynda Koelling of Paradise, Kansas; Two brothers, Lewis Eulert of Hays, Kansas and Don Eulert of Santa Ysabel, California.

She was also preceded in death by her parents, one sister Joyce Gillett and a brother Harold Eulert.

Funeral services to honor Eleanor’s life will be held at 2:30 PM on Thursday, February 04, 2016, at the Pohlman-Varner-Peeler Mortuary in Russell, Kansas, with Pastor Roger Dennis officiating. Private burial will follow at the St. John Lutheran Cemetery in Russell.

In lieu of flowers, the family has requested that memorial contributions be given to the Hays Humane Society and sent in care of the mortuary.

Pohlman-Varner-Peeler Mortuary of Russell, is in charge of the funeral service arrangements.

AG’s office issues first scrap metal dealer registration certificate in Ellis Co.

Posted on February 1, 2016February 1, 2016

Certificates were first issued to scrap metal dealers registered with the attorney general’s office under a new law enacted last year by the Legislature, Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt announced Thursday.

So far, one location in Hays registered, Ken Pfeifer Salvage, 1292 Feedlot Rd.

The Scrap Metal Theft Reduction Act requires every “scrap metal dealer” to obtain a registration certificate from the attorney general in order to legally purchase scrap metal in Kansas.

The act was enacted last June.

So far, scrap metal dealers operating in nine locations have completed the registration process. A directory of registered dealers is available at www.ag.ks.gov/scrap-metal.

“Our staff is working hard to efficiently process the registration applications,” Schmidt said. “We encourage all scrap metal dealers in the state to register promptly because the law requiring them to register is now in full force.”

Later this year, the law requires the attorney general to implement a second part of the law that tracks registered dealers’ purchases of scrap metal. The legislature’s purpose of the law was to discourage the theft of copper and other metals by making it more difficult for thieves to sell stolen scrap metal without being caught.

Scrap metal dealers or consumers who have additional questions may call the Attorney General’s Consumer Protection Division at (800) 432-2310.

Thomas Dreiling

Posted on February 1, 2016

Victoria, Kansas — Thomas Dreiling, age 75, died Saturday, January 30, 2016, at his home in Victoria, Kansas.

He was born November 27, 1940, in Hays, Kansas, to Alphonse and Sophie (Sander) Dreiling.

He graduated from Victoria High School in 1959, and attended Fort Hays State University. He was a member of The Basilica of St. Fidelis Church and was a member of Victoria Knights of Columbus.

He married Jeanette (Kippes) on June 15, 1965. He is remembered by his pride and love of his family, and enjoyed attending his grandchildren’s sporting activities.

Survivors include one son, Scott T. Dreiling and wife, Jennifer, Olathe, KS; two daughters, Dana S. Lang and husband, Daren, Victoria, KS; Shana M. Gatschet and husband, Michael, Goddard; KS; and Jeanette Dreiling, Victoria, KS; seven grandchildren, Taylor Lang and wife, Danielle, Joslyn Lang and fiancé, Cole Hanna, Katelyn Lang; Cade and Braden Gatschet; Nathan and Grace Dreiling; and one great-grandchild, Jentrie Catherine Lang; three brothers, Marvin O. Dreiling and wife, Dorothy, Hays, KS; Charles Dreiling, Victoria, KS; James Dreiling, Parker, CO; two sisters, Lucy Roth and husband, Robert, Wichita, KS; Theresa Ellis and husband, Clark, Lafayette, CO; one brother-in-law, William Dell, Littleton, CO; one sister-in-law, Mary Frances Dreiling, Hays KS.

He was preceded in death by his parents; three brothers, Elmer J. Dreiling, Hubert Dreiling and wife, Clemie; Alfred J. Dreiling and wife, Myrna; and three sisters, Lorraine Bird and husband Bill; Mary Ellen Dell and her first husband, Parnell Quinn; Ruth Stephens and husband, Don; sister-in-law, Lynda Dreiling.

Services are 2:00 P.M. Friday, February 5, 2016, at The Basilica of St. Fidelis Victoria, Kansas. Burial in St. Fidelis Cemetery Victoria, Kansas.

A Class of 1959 rosary will be at 6:30 P.M. Thursday, and a vigil service is at 7:00 P.M. followed by a Victoria Daughters of Isabella rosary at Cline’s Mortuary, 412 Main, Victoria, Kansas 67671.

Visitation is from 5:00 to 9:00 P.M. Thursday, and from 12:00 to 1:45 P.M. Friday, all at Cline’s Mortuary Victoria, Kansas.

Memorials to The Basilica of St. Fidelis. Condolences can be sent via email to [email protected].

Investigation of inmate’s death underway in Trego County UPDATE

Posted on February 1, 2016February 1, 2016

WAKEENEY- The Kansas Bureau is investigating the death of an inmate.

Paul Darrell Mondary, 43, died in the Trego County Jail on Sunday, according to a media release from the Trego County Sheriff.

Mondary was being housed in Trego County on Ellis County charges.

More information will be released following autopsy results.

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WAKEENEY -An investigation is underway following the death of an inmate at the Trego County Jail in WaKeeney.

The name of the inmate and details of the death have not been released by the Kansas Bureau of Investigation.

Trego County Sheriff’s office is referring all calls about the incident to the KBI.

SCHROCK: The academic need for school consolidation

Posted on February 1, 2016February 1, 2016

John Richard Schrock is a professor at Emporia State University.

Kansas never really consolidated its schools. The 1950s and 1960s saw widespread school consolidation across the United States as one and two-room rural school houses were replaced with modern buildings and rooms for each grade. But, while Kansas has one percent of the nation’s students, it has 2.1 percent of the nation’s school districts. Kansas barely went halfway compared to other states.

That was the conclusion of Augenblick and Myers, a $200,000 study commissioned by the Kansas Legislature in 2002. At that same time, two Kansas superintendents at Pratt and Manhattan used a model based on our Kansas regional hospitals that serve as a “hub” to rural clinics; they proposed a model of regional school districts.

However, school consolidation has been a high-voltage “third rail.” No elected official wants to touch if for fear of being recalled, let alone not winning the next election. Consolidation is a money-saving tactic because K-12 education consumes over half of our state tax dollars. Calls for smaller government are really calls for smaller education. I have no regard for legislators who value pocket money over education and who have shown little respect for teachers and the mission of education.

But I do have concerns for the quality of education that Kansas students receive. And that is where school consolidation takes on a new perspective.

The number of teachers who retire, leave teaching or leave the state is increasing while the number of student teachers in many subjects is decreasing. As a result, more unqualified teachers are being hired to fill teacher vacancies. While rich suburban districts hire the fewer qualified candidates, many smaller rural districts have little alternative to hiring unqualified teachers.
There are still USDs where the whole kindergarten-through-high school is in one building and barely ten students graduate per year. A high school with 40 students cannot hire in-field teachers in every academic area. Kansas has an Option A second-field system where student teachers can take the equivalent of two minors and teach math-and-chemistry or English-and-social sciences. But teachers who are less-trained in their fields have less ability to teach their subject. –Chemistry without labs. —Math teachers who don’t understand calculus. –Students less-prepared to attend college.

This shortage is growing so much that cheap solutions such as alternate route, test-in, and transfer-from-science-careers options have been provided but are falling short of filling the vacancies. With 80 vacancies in chemistry teachers and less than 20 new chemistry teachers graduating from teacher programs, school administrators have to put someone in the classroom. They have maxed-out their ability to send veteran teachers back to add second field licenses. (Over half of last year’s initial science teacher licenses were from test-ins). Very few are on provisional licenses leading to full licensure. Nor are they getting waivers. I can only describe the growing number of persons heading some science classes in Kansas as “Cousin Bubbas” and the value of their students’ science credits is highly questionable.

That is where consolidation helps solve our growing teacher shortage. It could provide the next generation of Kansas students with more qualified teachers and higher quality education.

There are many cases where a county contains two or three school districts. Where small rural high schools have very small class sizes, hubbing high school students from elementary schools into one regional high school can bring students to a well-trained teacher and well-equipped lab. Prior studies show that such a hub system—widely used in other states for more than half a century—can operate with students not riding a school bus more than an hour. Most communities could maintain their elementary schools and in some cases their middle schools. The important factor is that our students would gain a better education.

The major cost of schooling is in salaries. Consolidation provides efficiencies-in-scale by eliminating some of the administrative duplication of multiple small USDs. There are initial costs as regional high schools would expand, but that expansion is limited when most of rural Kansas is losing population.

Currently, Kansas lists over 700 biology teachers but I calculate that barely 500 are qualified. If the good teachers with full credentials are pulled to the hub schools, and if the KSDE audits credentials on-site, our students get a better education. And that is what counts.

Community Connection: Gary Brinker

Posted on February 1, 2016February 1, 2016

A state law making it legal to carry a gun into campus buildings will be taking effect July of 2017, and to prepare for the change, the Docking Institute at Fort Hays State University conducted a survey from faculty and staff from colleges in Kansas. Mike Cooper visits Gary Brinker, Director at the Docking Institute of Public Affairs, to share the results.

Open house at Ellis County Court House rescheduled

Posted on February 1, 2016February 1, 2016

Ellis County Clerk

The Ellis County Open House scheduled at the Courthouse and LEC/jail, 1204 Fort, Hays, will not be held on Monday, Feb. 1, due to expected weather conditions, per the Ellis County Commissioners.

The Open House has been rescheduled for Saturday, Feb. 27, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

The Ellis County Commission Meeting will be held at the Ellis County Administration Center, 718 Main Street, on Monday, February 1 at 6 p.m.

Cold, wet Monday

Posted on February 1, 2016February 1, 2016

Today Rain likely, mainly after 5pm. Cloudy, with a high near 45. Breezy, with an east wind 6 to 11 mph increasing to 18 to 23 mph in the afternoon. Chance of precipitation is 60%. New precipitation amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch possible.

Tonight Rain before 7pm, then rain and snow between 7pm and 9pm, then snow after 9pm. The snow could be heavy at times. Areas of blowing snow after 11pm. Low around 28. Breezy, with an east wind 20 to 23 mph becoming north after midnight. Chance of precipitation is 90%. New snow accumulation of 3 to 7 inches possible.

A variety of weather is forecast across our area of responsibility. Check this table for your forecast! #kswx pic.twitter.com/6GXiCH1P7y

— NWS Dodge City (@NWSDodgeCity) February 1, 2016

Tuesday Snow likely, mainly before 10am. Areas of blowing snow. Cloudy, with a high near 30. Very windy, with a north northwest wind 23 to 30 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%. New snow accumulation of 1 to 2 inches possible.

Tuesday Night Cloudy, then gradually becoming partly cloudy, with a low around 13. Wind chill values as low as -1. Blustery, with a northwest wind 14 to 23 mph.

WednesdayMostly sunny, with a high near 30. Northwest wind 9 to 13 mph.

Wednesday NightMostly clear, with a low around 13.

ThursdaySunny, with a high near 38.

Sheriff: Body found near State Fishing Lake

Posted on February 1, 2016

LARKINBURG, Kan. (AP) — A body has been found near the Nebo State Fishing Lake in Jackson County.

The Topeka Capital-Journal reports that the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office says the body was found Sunday afternoon about one-half mile south of the lake, which is 2 miles southwest of Larkinburg.

The body, which has not been identified, was transported to Kansas City for an autopsy. The case is under investigation.

Kansas man, woman hospitalized after Mo. crash

Posted on February 1, 2016

IRON COUNTY – Two Junction City residents were injured in an accident just before 2 a.m. on Monday in Iron County Missouri.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2000 Chevy Blazer driven by Brian E. Haslock, 24, Junction City, was traveling on Missouri Highway 49. The driver failed to stop at a stop sign, traveled through the intersection at Missouri 32 and struck an embankment.

Haslock and a passenger Carmen Ocana, 30, Junction City were transported to the hospital in Salem.