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Year: 2016

FHSU’s Martin elected to board of worldwide association

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Dr. Mirta Martin, FHSU president
Dr. Mirta Martin, FHSU president
FHSU University Relations

Fort Hays State University President Mirta M. Martin has been elected a deputy board member representing the Americas for the International Associate of Universities.

The election of Dr. Martin came at the IAU General Conference Nov. 13-16 in Bangkok, Thailand. The conference was co-organized in partnership with a Consortium of Thai universities, led by Siam University.

“I’m honored to have been elected to this worldwide association,” Martin said. “It will afford Fort Hays State University the opportunity to have a very strong presence in the international market place and to explore and create new global partnerships.”

IAU, founded in 1950, is the UNESCO-based worldwide association of higher education institutions. It brings together institutions and organizations from about 120 countries for reflection and action on common concerns and collaborates with various international, regional and national bodies active in higher education.

The association aims at strengthening academic solidarity among higher education institutions and promotes cooperation rather than competition. It promotes — through teaching, research and services — the principles of freedom and justice, of human dignity and solidarity. It contributes, through international cooperation, to the development of material and moral assistance for the strengthening of higher education in general.

The association has 605 members which are degree-conferring higher education institutions whose main objective is teaching and research.

Emma Kolb

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emma-kolb-paper-pictureEmma Kolb, Hays, age 98, died Sunday, November 20, 2016, at the Good Samaritan Society of Hays Care Center.

She was born May 21, 1918, on the farm North of Ellis, Kansas, to Rev. Gottfried H. and Karolina Christina (Rottler) Kolb.

She was a retired school teacher. She started teaching in 1947 at Zion, Kansas in Rush County then was at Lincoln Elementary School in Hays for 33 years. After her retirement she was a volunteer for 22 years at Lincoln School helping the kids in math, reading and other studies. She was a graduate of Phillipsburg High School and Fort Hays Teachers College.

Emma, received the Kansas Master Teachers Award and was inducted to the Kansas Teacher Hall of Fame. She was always quoted saying “Remember children are not your job, they are you privilege”. She was a member of the Messiah Lutheran Church, active in the Ladies Guild ,taught Bible study and Confirmation classes.
Survivors include two sisters-in-law, Carol Kolb, Waco, TX; and Goldie Kolb, Buhler, KS; and many nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her parents; four brothers, Henry, Ernest, Bill, Gottfried Kolb; five sisters, Johanna Brauer, Ernestina Beyerlein, Lydia Griffith, Karoline Schwartz and Elizabeth Leonard.

Services are 1:00 P.M. Saturday, November 26, 2016, at Messiah Lutheran Church, 2000 Main Street, Hays, Kansas. Burial in Mount Allen Cemetery Hays, Kansas.

Visitation is from 12:00 to 1:00 P.M. Saturday at the church.

In lieu of flowers memorial is suggested to the USD 489 Foundation for Education in care of Lincoln School. Cline’s-Keithley Mortuary of Hays, 1919 East 22nd Street, Hays, Kansas 67601 is in charge of arrangements.

Condolences can be left by guestbook at www.keithleyfuneralchapels.com or via email to [email protected].

Bon A Pet Treat to offer home pet sitting and house calls this holiday season

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bone-a-pet-treat-2

By GARRETT SAGER
Hays Post

With the holiday season approaching, Bon A Pet Treat, 2202 Vine, will add a friendly alternative to its pet boarding and daycare services with house sitting opportunities.

“We are extremely busy with our boarding services, especially throughout the holidays, and hate to turn people away and leave them with no place to take their pets, so we will now be offering in-house pet sitting and house calls,” said Brooklyn Pitcock of Bone A Pet Treat.

Bon A Pet Treat, which has now been open for a little over two years, has seen its cliental grow. Pitcock said they have several customers who normally leave their animals at home, with a family member or a family friend checking on them, but sometimes there is no other option.

“Sometimes there is no other option than to board your pets with everyone’s busy lives and schedules,” she said.

Clients of Bon A Pet Treat now will have the option to leave their pets in the comfort of their own homes.

“One of our employees will go to their home to let them out, make sure they are fed, and give them a little extra attention while you are away,” Pitcock said.

When a home visit is set up, Bon A Pet Treat will come by and meet with the owners and get better acquainted with the animal, the home itself, and the routine that the employee will follow to take care of the pet.

Pitcock asks that the owners leave a list of instructions of what exactly needs to be done during the home visits. They will also send texts and pictures to keep the owners up to date on how there furry friend is doing.

As well as taking care of the household pets, the employee doing the home visit will be able to do daily tasks such as bringing in the mail, setting out the trash trans or watering plants.

The price of the service will depend on the number of days and nights, the number of visits requested and the number of pets in the household.

SCHLAGECK: It could happen again

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John Schlageck writes for the Kansas Farm Bureau.
John Schlageck writes for the Kansas Farm Bureau.

For the farmers, ranchers and firefighters who live in Barber and Comanche counties, the possibility of another “living, breathing fire monster” is never far from their minds.

When they crawl into their pickups and head to town, many look back in the rear-view mirrors for signs of smoke. Nearly eight months after the fire, it’s dry, windy and residents of these two south-central Kansas counties believe it could happen again.

In case you’ve forgotten, back in late March and early April, nearly 500,000 acres of pasture and farmland burned in these two south-central Kansas counties. Fires roared out of control for nearly three weeks whipped by 40-50 mph winds.

Crowns from the grass were burnt to the roots and ranchers believe it may take years before the grass returns to the potential to feed cattle 100 percent.

While the fire caused tremendous damage and killed livestock, the life-giving rains that fell shortly after rejuvenated the grass and destroyed cedar trees.

“The grass greened up good,” says Dennis Rickie, Comanche County, who runs cattle and fought the fires. “In July and August we received some rains we normally don’t get but in August the water shut off.”

Moisture conditions have continued to deteriorate and it’s dry as a bone in mid-November.

“As far as subsoil moisture – there isn’t any,” Rickie says. “I have to pour water in holes to drill fence posts. Four feet down, you can take an old hand post-hole digger and you can’t bring the dust out of the ground it’s so dry.”

Rickie figures he still needs to finish a couple miles of fence. Some of his neighbors aren’t as lucky and must fix several miles of burnt fence.

Since the fire moved through Barber and Comanche counties, most farmer stockmen are working double time – regular chores plus building fence and feeding stock. And while cattle continue to gain and do well, ranchers like Rickie supplement their early morning feeding with protein cubes.

In some of his pastures spared by the fire, the Barber County cattleman feeds momma cows 20 percent cubes every other day.

This time of year, the grass dries up, Rickie explains. On his short pastures, he’s feeding stock big round bales too.

“I’ve got to finish rebuilding fence so I can move ‘em on to grass that hasn’t been grazed yet since the fire,” he says. “I’m worried we’re not out of this drought yet.”

Driving the back roads of the counties with Rickie, I saw some dry ponds. Evidence of what Rickie is talking about.

While his family cattle operation cut back on cattle numbers because of drought the last several years, he believes a “guy still has to be leery about restocking his herd.”

As the veteran cattleman ponders what tomorrow’s weather will bring, his thoughts return to the monster fire and all the help he and his neighbors received.

“It’s sort of mind blowing,” Rickie says. “While we fought the fire – loads of hay arrived from folks who knew our cattle needed food.”

Rickie says it wasn’t unusual to see a dozen semis, stacked high with hay, sitting waiting to be unloaded at daybreak. Friends, family, neighbors and others from miles around helped fix fence.

Help came from Nebraska and throughout the Midwest, he says.

“The support we received is overwhelming,” Rickie says clearing his throat. “We couldn’t have done it without them. Thanks to all.”

John Schlageck, a Hoxie native, is a leading commentator on agriculture and rural Kansas.

Two selected as FHSU Teachers of Promise

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fhsu-teacher-ed-bannerFHSU University Relations and Marketing

Jordynn Gumm, a Concordia senior, and Nathan Worrell, El Dorado, a transition to teaching teacher, have been selected by the Department of Teacher Education at Fort Hays State University as its student Teachers of Promise.

ks-teacher-of-the-year-logoThey attended the 2017 Kansas Teacher of the Year Awards banquet in Wichita on Nov. 19. The event is sponsored by the Kansas State Department of Education.

Worrell, who holds a bachelor’s degree in wood technology, is making the transition from private sector to technology education teacher. He is on track to complete FHSU’s T2T (Transition to Teaching) program in May, when he will be eligible to seek a standard teaching license. As part of the transition, he is working at Flinthills Middle School and High School, Rosalia.

Each Kansas university and college was invited to select two teacher education students — Teachers of Promise — to attend. In addition to their invitation to the banquet, Gumm, Worrell and the other Teachers of Promise from around the state had the opportunity to participate in a professional development workshop conducted by the 2016 Kansas Teacher of the Year Team.

“FHSU has a strong tradition of teacher preparation,” said Dr. Paul Adams, dean of the College of Education at Fort Hays State. “It is always a difficult choice to choose our Teachers of Promise. It is a great honor to recognize Nathan and Jordynn for their potential as teachers.”

Chance of rain and breezy on Tuesday

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11-22-wxTuesday: A 30 percent chance of rain, mainly after 2pm. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 56. Breezy, with a light and variable wind becoming north northwest 18 to 23 mph in the afternoon.

Tuesday Night: A 30 percent chance of rain, mainly before 7pm. Cloudy during the early evening, then gradual clearing, with a low around 32. Breezy, with a north northwest wind 13 to 22 mph.

Wednesday: Sunny, with a high near 52. North northwest wind 5 to 13 mph becoming east in the afternoon.

Wednesday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 32. South southeast wind 5 to 8 mph.

Thanksgiving Day: Sunny, with a high near 56. Breezy.

Thursday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 28.

Friday: Sunny, with a high near 59.

Jackson leads No. 5 Kansas past UAB 83-63 in CBE Classic

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KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) – Josh Jackson had 22 points, Frank Mason III and Devonte Graham were nearly as productive and No. 5 Kansas rolled to an 83-63 victory over Alabama-Birmingham in the CBE Classic semifinals Monday night.

Mason finished with 20 points and Graham had 16 for the Jayhawks (3-1), who advanced to play George for the title on Tuesday night. The Bulldogs beat George Washington 81-73 in the other semifinal.

Kansas raced to a big early lead, weathered several runs by UAB, then relied on their backcourt of Jackson, Mason and Graham to pull away from the Blazers down the stretch.

Dirk Williams led the Blazers (2-2) with 13 points. Tyler Madison had 12.

Aqib Talib, Derek Wolfe back for Broncos’ stretch run

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ENGLEWOOD, Colo. (AP) – Cornerback Aqib Talib and defensive end Derek Wolfe fully participated in the Denver Broncos’ practice Monday following the team’s much-needed bye week.

Talib has missed the last two games with a bad lower back and Wolfe suffered a hairline fracture of his right elbow in a game against Oakland on Nov. 6.

Also, rookie fullback Andy Janovich ditched the cast he’d been wearing since breaking his right hand against the Texans on Oct. 24.

The only players who missed Monday’s practice were wide receiver Emmanuel Sanders, whose wife is in labor, and center Matt Paradis, who is dealing with a sore hip and has been held out of practice for much of this month.

FHSU’s Inman MIAA Wrestler of the Week

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KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Fort Hays State wrestler Jon Inman was named the MIAA Wrestler of the Week on Monday (Nov. 21) for his winning effort at the UNK Holiday Inn Open in Kearney, Neb. this past weekend.

Inman was named the Most Outstanding Wrestler at the UNK Holiday Inn Open. Ranked No. 4 nationally at 197 pounds in Division II, he dominated to a 4-0 performance, picking up two technical falls, a decision, and a fall. He blanked Barrett Hamilton of Morningside 16-0 in the first round, defeated Cody Marquez 6-2 in the quarterfinals, blitzed past Ken Burkhardt Jr. of Concordia (Neb.), then pinned Trey Schlender, an unattached wrestler, at 4:27 in the championship match. Inman is now 11-0 on the season and has won all three tournaments he has competed in this season.

FHSU Sports Information

Kan. woman sentenced for abusing 2 mentally challenged men

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Shinn- photo Douglas Co.
Shinn- photo Douglas Co.

LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — A woman who pleaded no contest to attempting to mistreat two mentally challenged men in Lawrence will serve 10 days in jail and two years’ probation.

Twenty-one year-old Brooke Shinn was sentenced Monday after pleading in September to two counts of attempted mistreatment of a dependent adult. Prosecutors say she beat two men she was caring for and locked them in their rooms for days.

The Lawrence Journal-World reports Shinn’s lack of criminal history meant her convictions carried a presumptive sentence of probation.

Shinn also must undergo a mental health evaluation, complete an anger management course, have no contact with the two victims and cannot work as a caregiver during her probation.

One of the victims has filed a lawsuit against Shinn, ResCare Kansas Inc. and another ResCare employee.

KanCare renewal efforts slow in anticipation of federal changes

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Photo by Stephen Koranda/Kansas Public Radio File Mike Randol, director of the Division of Health Care Finance in the Kansas Department of Health and Environment, told members of the Legislature’s KanCare oversight committee on Friday that the agency intend to slow the KanCare renewal process.
Photo by Stephen Koranda/Kansas Public Radio File Mike Randol, director of the Division of Health Care Finance in the Kansas Department of Health and Environment, told members of the Legislature’s KanCare oversight committee on Friday that the agency intend to slow the KanCare renewal process.

By JIM MCLEAN

Anticipating significant changes in federal health care policy, Kansas officials are slowing their timeline for renewing KanCare, the state’s privatized Medicaid program.

Some of the health policy changes favored by President-elect Donald Trump and Republican congressional leaders would significantly alter the way Medicaid is funded and relax rules that dictate who and what states must cover. But it isn’t yet clear which of those changes will be included in promised legislation to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act, better known as Obamacare.

Given the lack of clarity, Mike Randol, director of the Division of Health Care Finance in the Kansas Department of Health and Environment, told members of the Legislature’s KanCare oversight committee on Friday that the agency intend to slow the KanCare renewal process. A request for proposals that had been scheduled to go to managed care companies before the end of the year is being delayed indefinitely, he said.

“We want to clearly understand what changes are going to occur in D.C. with that transition,” Randol said. “We really want to make sure we identify those opportunities that will enhance the current KanCare program and really position Kansas as a model program for the nation.”

Republican Lt. Gov. Jeff Colyer, a physician and the architect of KanCare, concurred in the decision to delay.

“It is only prudent to see what changes may occur in Washington to get a clear picture of how our RFP, and the resulting bids we get from the managed care organizations, will help Kansans,” Colyer said in a news release.

Despite the delay, Randol said the administration still intends to seek whatever approval it needs from federal officials to implement “KanCare 2.0” by Jan. 1, 2018.

Meanwhile, a study released this week by several Kansas provider groups said KanCare had achieved mixed results in its first four years.

Done by a Utah-based consulting firm headed by former Health and Human Services Secretary Mike Leavitt, the study found that transitioning to a managed care system had significantly reduced program costs. But it said that some of the reductions were achieved by cutting reimbursements and shifting costs to providers, not through efficiencies.

The report also said that KanCare had fallen short of many of the health improvement goals that Colyer and Gov. Sam Brownback set for it.

Hearing moved for man charged in shooting death of Kan. detective

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Ayers-photo Wyandotte County
Ayers-photo Wyandotte County

KANSAS CITY, Kan. (AP) — The preliminary hearing for a man charged with capital murder in the death of a Kansas City, Kansas, police detective has been moved.

Curtis Ayers, of Tonganoxie, is charged with capital murder in the May 9 death of Det. Brad Lancaster. Ayers is accused of shooting Lancaster in Kansas City, Kansas, and then fleeing in a car to Missouri, where police shot and wounded him.

The Wyandotte County District Attorney’s office said in a release that the hearing had been scheduled to begin Monday but was moved to March 13. The defense requested the continuance.

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