April 2017 – Page 11 – Hays Post Archive

Fort Hays State alums among those joining Salina Public Schools

Posted on April 27, 2017April 26, 2017

Salina Post

Salina Public Schools has announces administrators who will begin in July 2017.

Tiffany Snyder, Director of Assessment
Kelly Heizman, Assistant Principal at Central High School
Eryn Wright, Executive Director of Human Resources
Dustin Dooley, Principal at South Middle School
Laine Norris, Director of Food Nutrition Services
James Lumley, Coordinator of Special Education, Opportunity Now
Jeff Hayes, Assistant Director of Special Education, CKCIE

Tiffany Snyder assumes the Director of Assessment position following the retirement of Carmen Flax. Snyder earned her bachelor’s degree at Kansas Wesleyan University, her master’s at Baker University and is currently completing her doctorate in district leadership at Fort Hays State University. She returns to USD 305 from Southeast of Salina where she now works as a K-6 Principal. Snyder was previously Lead Teacher at Meadowlark Ridge, Instructional Math Coach and Special Education Teacher at Abilene and Garfield with 21 years in education.

Kelly Heizman moves from Meadowlark Ridge Lead Teacher to Central High School Assistant Principal following the resignation of Jenna Delay. Heizman earned her bachelor’s at University of Oklahoma and her master’s at Emporia State University. An educator for 29 years, her work has included Secondary Summer School Director, Language Arts Teacher, Lead Teacher, Link Crew Coordinator, 504 Coordinator and experience with MTSS and freshman transition.

Eryn Wright will assume the Executive Director of Human Resources position following the retirement of Dr. Nancy Kiltz. Previously General Counsel for USD 305, Wright joined the district in 2012 bringing a background in law, social work and television/film. She earned her Juris Doctor from Washburn University School of Law and her MSW and bachelor’s degrees from the University of Kansas. Before joining USD 305, Wright’s work spanned casting and talent acquisition, Residential Clinical Case Manager and Emergency Screener at the Bert Nash Community Mental Health Center, law experience at NEA of Kansas, Kansas Department of Social and Rehabilitative Services and Kansas U.S. District and Supreme Courts.

Dustin Dooley begins as South Middle School Principal following the retirement of Beth Morrison. Dooley earned a bachelor’s from Kansas Wesleyan University, his master’s from Baker University and his doctorate in district leadership from Fort Hays State University. His 12 years in education range from Teacher in the El Dorado USD 490 District to Principal at Solomon Middle and High School. Dooley was Secondary Teacher of the Year in El Dorado and is chairperson for the Kansas Association of Secondary School Principals, Region 3.

Laine Norris will take over Food and Nutrition Services Director from Cindy Foley, who is retiring. Norris previously worked a Registered Dietitian at Presbyterian Manor in Salina and before that as Director of Dining Services. She earned her bachelor’s at Kansas State University and her master’s at the State University of New York College at Oneonta.

James Lumley assumes leadership at Opportunity Now as Coordinator of Special Education following the resignation of Jeff Hayes. Lumley earned his bachelor’s, master’s and an education specialist degree from Pittsburg State University. He is currently finishing a master’s in educational leadership through Kansas State University and the Salina Teacher Leadership Academy. Lumley has worked as School Psychologist at CKCIE for 12 years.

Jeff Hayes begins as Assistant Director of Special Education at CKCIE following the retirement of Rhonda Bird. Hayes studied at Bethany College for his bachelor’s and at Emporia State University for his master’s and education specialist degrees. At Baker University he earned his building level leadership license. Hayes has 25 years in education including creating and opening the therapeutic high school Opportunity Now (ON). In cooperation with Central Kansas Mental Health Center, ON provides educational and mental health services to students in grades 9-12 from 12 area school districts.

Spring Art Walk set for Friday in downtown Hays

Posted on April 27, 2017April 26, 2017

A sculpture featured in the 48th Annual Smoky Hill Art Exhibition. The jurored exhibition will kick off Friday with the Spirng Art Walk and run through June 3.

By CRISTINA JANNEY
Hays Post

The 48th Annual Smoky Hill Art Exhibition will kick off the 2017 Spring Art Walk Friday.

The free event will be 6:30-9:30 p.m. with art, music and performances at 21 downtown locations. An additional six locations outside of the downtown district will have early or extended hours.

See the Art Walk schedule here: art-walk-schedule

The Smoky Hill Art Exhibit is the longest running jurored art exhibit in the state. This year’s juror was Stephen Gleissner. It will run from Friday to June 3. It includes paintings, prints, drawings, photographs, sculpture, fiber and ceramics.

The exhibit and the Spring Art Walk are dedicated to the memory of arts patron and children’s art advocate Patricia Schmidt.

A piece of artwork featured in the 48th Annual Smoky Hill Art Exhibition. The exhibition is the longest running jurored art exhibit in the state.

Brenda Meder, Hays Arts Council executive director, said this year’s art walk exhibition has a diverse selection from children’s art to professionals.

The event will take place rain or shine, and Meder encouraged participants to come out early. Although the art center will not be open to the public until 6:30 p.m., the Sternberg Museum, Styles Dance Studio, My Masterpiece, Catholic Charities, Indigo by Jasmine and Moss Thorns Gallery will all open early.

The event is a come-and-go evening.

“There is no order,” she said. “It is an art buffet. You can go to whatever you want whenever you want and stay as long as you want.”

Music lovers can extend their evening by visiting Gella’s Dinner from 9 to 11 p.m. to listen to The Andy T. Band, which is making a special stop in Hays on their way to a concert in Denver.

Students who have been taking an iron sculpture class at the arts council also will do an iron pour downtown Friday night.

The students prepared clay sculptures and then sand molds, and they will use the sand molds to pour the final pieces this weekend.

The Gardener Remembers: Putting the spuds in the ground

Posted on April 27, 2017April 26, 2017

Brought to you by Ecklund Insurance. Click for more.

Click to play the audio or read below.

When I get to thinking about it, it seems like our little family of four ate a lot of potatoes during those dusty days of the 30s. I suppose that’s because we DID eat a lot of potatoes back when I was just an ugly little kid in overalls and long socks that sometimes required garters to hold ’em up. I bring up the subject of potatoes today because out here in Northwest Kansas, we’re only 5 or 6 weeks away from planting those little seed pieces. But first, we had to order the seed, as well as figure out a place to plant them.

And we didn’t plant just a few short rows in the garden. No sireeBob! We planted about a half acre of them, or however much space it might take to use up a 100 pound bag of seed potatoes that went in the ground just about every spring. And I can remember 5 or 6 gunny sacks full resting comfortably in the root cellar after harvest in the fall. Hardly anybody has the storage space today that a root cellar provided. But then, hardly anybody plants a half acre of spuds these days anyway and you don’t need much space to store a crop from a 15 foot row. 

About now, if weather permitted, Dad would hook up the two-row lister to the 10-20 International tractor and list up maybe 30 or 40 rows, maybe 100 feet long. Or however much space it would take to accommodate 100 pounds of seed pieces. At planting time about the 20th of March in Southwest Kansas, Dad would repeat the process, but would make rows where the ridges had been before. Those old lister shears made a nice seedbed.

I think it took longer to cut up the spuds into viable seed pieces than it took to plant them, being very careful to be sure there were two eyes in each seed piece. That job would be a nighttime family project after supper while listening to the radio.

We planted Irish Cobblers, a white potato, as our main crop, and also some Early Ohio red potatoes because they were better keepers.  So, the rows were freshly plowed out there and we began to plant. A seed piece was placed in the row, cut side down, at about 12 inch intervals. Then, with a rake, we pulled the  soil down from the ridges to cover the seed pieces to a depth of 5 or 6 inches. When the potato begins it’s growth, the new potatoes form above the seed piece so it’s important to plant them fairly deep. 

You know, I don’t remember watering the growing plants very often, if at all. We always applied a thick covering of wheat straw mulch between the rows which assured us that every little rain shower would provide needed moisture to the crop. Without the mulch, the soil dried up quickly.

The biggest problem in the potato patch was the same one we have today. that would be the nasty Colorado Potato Beetle. There were no sprays or dusts in those days to solve the problem, so brother Max and I were appointed to get rid of those hordes of beetles. We were armed with a stick and a half a can of coal oil (kerosene) and spent many sweltering days flicking those stinking bugs into their final resting place. Today, all you have to do is lightly dust the plants with 5% Sevin D, and you’re home free! 

At harvest time, out came the lister again and Dad guided it down the rows and turned up those beautiful potatoes. All winter long, almost everyday, we would be treated to potatoes that were mashed, fried, baked, boiled, creamed or augratined. It was just another way to whip the dust, heat and drought of the times.

Kay Melia is a longtime broadcaster, author and garden in northwest Kansas.

Cloudy, cool Thursday with a chance for thunderstorms

Posted on April 27, 2017

Today Showers and thunderstorms likely, mainly after 5pm. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 60. Breezy, with a southeast wind 8 to 13 mph increasing to 15 to 20 mph in the afternoon. Chance of precipitation is 60%. New rainfall amounts of less than a tenth of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.

Tonight Showers and thunderstorms likely before 10pm, then showers likely between 10pm and 1am, then a chance of rain after 1am. Cloudy, with a low around 43. East wind 9 to 18 mph. Chance of precipitation is 70%. New precipitation amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.

Friday A 20 percent chance of rain. Partly sunny, with a high near 61. North northeast wind around 9 mph becoming northwest in the morning.

Friday NightRain likely, mainly after 1am. Cloudy, with a low around 38. North northeast wind around 14 mph, with gusts as high as 24 mph. Chance of precipitation is 70%. New precipitation amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible.

SaturdayRain. High near 41. Breezy. Chance of precipitation is 80%. New precipitation amounts between a half and three quarters of an inch possible.

Saturday NightRain and snow likely before midnight, then rain likely between midnight and 4am, then rain and snow likely after 4am. Cloudy, with a low around 35. Breezy. Chance of precipitation is 70%. New precipitation amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible.

SundayRain and snow, becoming all rain after 9am. High near 43. Breezy. Chance of precipitation is 80%. New precipitation amounts between a half and three quarters of an inch possible.

Kansas inmate enters plea for spitting in jail deputy’s eye

Posted on April 27, 2017

HUTCHINSON — A Kansas man jailed in the Reno County Correctional Facility for a probation violation for a case from last year and charged in two other cases entered a plea in the two most recent cases on Wednesday.

Justin Reyna, 31, Hutchinson, was charged with aggravated battery of a corrections officer, simple battery of another officer and criminal damage, but the state reduced the first charge and he entered pleas to two counts of battery of a corrections officer and the criminal damage count.

On Nov. 24, while inside the Reno County Correctional Facility that he caused a disturbance that required staff to place him in a restraint chair.

During that effort, he spit at a deputy, hitting him in the eye. He also battered another officer and did damage to a sprinkler in the facility.

On September 21, he cut himself with a homemade knife or shank, which was basically a razor blade in a comb.

As part of the plea, he’ll serve the one-year sentence in the case where he was convicted of aggravated criminal threat in Pratt County and giving a false alarm in a case from March of 2015.

Sentencing in the two additional cases is scheduled for June 30.

Historian returns to Abilene for three living history programs

Posted on April 27, 2017April 27, 2017

ABILENE – Historian Ellie Carlson returns to Abilene May 13 and 15 to take her audiences back in time with three living history programs.

Ellie will present “Mamie: Hostess in Chief” during the annual Mother’s Day Tea in the Courtyard of the Eisenhower Presidential Library on May 13 at 11 a.m. Reservations are required by May 5. Tickets may be purchased online at https://bit.ly/2pPMAb7 or by $15 checks payable to the Eisenhower Foundation, mailed to: Eisenhower Presidential Library, Attn: Mother’s Day Tea, 200 SE 4th Street, Abilene KS 67410.

Mamie was America’s beloved First Lady from 1953 – 1961. She was also an Army wife, mother and grandmother. Celebrate Mother’s Day with “Mamie” as she relates her life as Ike’s wife, our first lady and “just a good friend,” which is how she most wanted to be remembered. Ellie delighted a large audience with her debut portrayal of Mamie Eisenhower in July 2016.

Ellie transforms at 7 p.m. that evening into Carry Nation at the Dickinson County Heritage Center, 412 S. Campbell Street, Abilene. Ellie presents All Nations Welcome Except Carry, a one-woman show re-enacting the passion, energy and fury that intimidated and emasculated law enforcement across the Kansas prairie. Tickets, ranging in price from $5-10, are available online at https://bit.ly/2oJlbKx. Also that evening, the Heritage Center will unveil their new exhibit on Carry Nation.

Ellie returns to the Eisenhower Presidential Library on Monday, May 15 at 7 p.m. for a free program in the Visitors Center Auditorium. Ellie will present “A Hundred Years Ago on the Homefront: How American Families Faced the War to End All Wars.” Even if you know nothing of World War I, come to learn. If you had relatives and friends who were there, come to be reminded. Learn the history, sing the songs, taste the food. Travel back in time to the Homefront.

This program is held in conjunction with the recently opened temporary exhibit in the Library building Eisenhower and the Great War. On display through March 2018, this exhibit tells the story of the Great War and its influence on Eisenhower’s budding leadership abilities. World War I, as it would become known later in the century, proved critical to the making of this American Icon.

Ellie (Carlson) of Ellie Presents, Chicago, Ill., is a museum curator with 30 years of experience in small to mid-sized museums and a first-person interpreter portraying several women from the 19th and 20th centuries. Carlson has a B.A. from Roosevelt University and a Masters of Historical Administration and Museum Studies from the University of Kansas. To learn more, visit elliepresents.com.

🎥 Economic Development Coalition the focus of joint Hays, Ellis Co. meeting

Posted on April 27, 2017April 27, 2017

Ellis County and Hays city commissioners met in a joint session Tuesday evening.

By JONATHAN ZWEYGARDT
Hays Post

The Ellis County Commission and the Hays City Commission met in a joint meeting Tuesday at Hays City Hall and among the topics for discussion was economic development within Ellis County.

A number of the members expressed frustration with the Ellis County Coalition for Economic Development and expressed the need to trim the size of its board.

Hays City Commissioner James Meier said after attending a recent coalition meeting he does not believe they are interested in helping spur retail development in Ellis County.

“The impression that I got from that board was that they didn’t really feel like that was their responsibility,” said Meier “That they felt like it was more employment-based.”

County Commissioner Barb Wasinger, coalition board member, said the last director of the coalition was “faulted for being too involved in retail.”

“The coalition has evolved. They obviously went from being very retail-oriented and moved to the other end of the spectrum,” Wasinger said.

City Commissioner Sandy Jacobs, who also serves on the coalition board, said she wanted to hear from the coalition as what its goals are.

“If we – the county or the city – are expected to provide some type of subsidy, I certainly think there’s an opportunity for us to set some guidelines on what we’d like to see happen,” she said.

But she said the city and county have not been clear about what they expect of the coalition and said she would like for both commissions to do that and give the coalition time to accomplish those goals. She also added the director should expect that from the coalition board as well.

“I’m not sure that is being done today,” she said.

City Commissioner Henry Schwaller previously served on the coalition board and said they have not had follow through on what they expect.

Schwaller said the city commission has had discussions about not funding the coalition and allowing the coalition to set its own priorities.

The City of Hays and Ellis County are the two biggest financial supporters of the coalition, and Schwaller said, since the proposed truck stop at exit 157 on Interstate 70 fell through, they have asked the coalition to screen applicants for receiving tax incentives.

“They’ve done a really good job with that,” Schwaller said, “so I would be reluctant to cut their funding.”

County Commissioner Marcy McClelland said she believes the coalition should be working to bring in manufacturing business and jobs to the county and questioned its message.

“I really don’t think that they have come through with helping us to understand what they are doing and it makes me wonder if that’s the picture that they’re giving to people that are coming in and asking questions,” said McClelland.

City Commissioner Shaun Musil said they need to be more proactive when it comes to selling Hays and Ellis County.

“We had issues (with) the truck stop and people say, ‘Well nobody wants to build in Hays,’ ” but Musil said “That couldn’t be further from the truth.”

But he questioned if Coalition Executive Director Aaron White is being given the tools and the directive to help grow Ellis County.

“We’ve changed our development policy,” Musil said. “I think it’s a good policy, I mean it’s evident, we’ve got some stuff going on.”

City Commissioner Lance Jones said he believes that, given a direction, the coalition will be successful.

“I was probably as upset as anybody when the truck stop didn’t go through,” Jones said. “When we sat down and redid the policy, that was part of the clear guidance that we gave to Aaron and the Economic Development Coalition at the time, and they’ve done an excellent job with that clear guidance.”

County Commissioner Dean Haselhorst said he was unaware of the change to the city’s change in economic policy and contacted by one of the developers who was part of the truck stop, who was very critical of Hays’ policy.

According to Haselhorst, the developer said there is no one promoting Hays. He said Garden City and Colby are doing a good job a promoting their communities and working with developers — and it is paying off.

“We need to promote Hays if we’re going to get people here,” Haselhorst said.

Haselhorst also said there are businesses in Hays that have not asked for taxpayer funding and said “that needs to be recognized also.”

Many of the commissioners, including Meier, agreed that the coalition board is too big.

“To me, restructuring the board and making it effective is something that needs to happen in the next few months and not over the next year,” Meier said. “I think that will be a good indication as to whether or not they want to move forward and be successful.”

There are 25 members on the coalition board.

“We just need to be sure that we’ve done our part to try to make them successful. If we do our part and they are not successful, then we will have other conversations down the road,” said Meier.

UPDATE: Carbon monoxide killed 2 including SW Kan. man in SUV outside Wal-Mart

Posted on April 27, 2017April 27, 2017

2 dead from carbon monoxide poisoning- photo courtesy KCTV

KANSAS CITY, Kan. (AP) — Authorities say carbon monoxide poisoning killed two people who were found dead in a sport utility vehicle in a Wal-Mart parking lot in Kansas City, Kansas.

The victims identified by police Wednesday as Trevor B. Roth, 30, Dodge City and Carolyn Williams-Cottier, 26, Kansas City, were found dead in the vehicle.

Police say an autopsy determined that their deaths were accidental. But an investigation is ongoing. Anyone with information is urged to call police or a tips hotline.

———–

Police Chief Terry Zeigler announced the cause of death Tuesday on Twitter. The names of the two people who died weren’t immediately released. They were found Sunday morning in the parking lot across the streets from the Legends Outlets shopping center near the Kansas Speedway.

The 2 individuals we found in the parking lot of Walmart died from carbon monoxide poisoning. https://t.co/oXYtpJr5Qu

— Terry Zeigler (@KCKPDChief) April 25, 2017

Zeigler said in a later tweet that he wasn’t sure what caused the carbon monoxide levels to reach lethal levels. He said “an exhaust issue” was a possibility.

Kansas woman jailed for shooting that sent woman to a hospital

Posted on April 27, 2017

SHAWNEE COUNTY – Law enforcement authorities in Shawnee County are investigating a suspect for a shooting and have made an arrest.

Just before 5p.m. Tuesday police responded to report of a shooting in the 2800 Block of SE Minnesota in Topeka, according to a media release.

Officers located a woman with a gunshot wound and she was transported to a local hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

Late Tuesday, a person of interest in the case Kelsey Gowan, 29, Topeka, turned herself into police.

Police booked her into the Shawnee County jail. Details on charges were not released.

Brownback sees no reason for troubled Topeka hospital to close

Posted on April 27, 2017

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas Gov. Sam Brownback says there’s no reason for a financially troubled Topeka hospital to close because a California nonprofit group is interested in taking it over.

Brownback told reporters Wednesday that Prime Healthcare Foundation is a legitimate potential buyer for the 378-bed St. Francis Health hospital in Topeka.

The governor said other options for keeping St. Francis open could emerge. The rival Topeka-area Stormont Vail Health system also has expressed an interest.

The owner of St. Francis is Denver-based SCL Health. It has said it will stop operating St. Francis this summer whether it has a buyer or not but is willing to donate the hospital to another organization.

St. Francis’ problems have reignited a debate over expanding the state’s Medicaid program under the federal Affordable Care Act.

Tigers end skid with win in Kearney

Posted on April 27, 2017

KEARNEY, Neb. – Freshman Ryan Ruder allowed two runs over 5 1/3 innings and redshirt-freshman Cody Starkel had three hits to lead Fort Hays State to a 7-4 over Nebraska-Kearney Wednesday night at Memorial Field, ending the Tigers 11-game losing streak. The win also snapped an 11-game road losing streak and improved the Tigers to 10-33 overall and 3-27 in the MIAA.

Steve Johnson Postgame Interview

Game Highlights

Ruder (3-2) struck out three and walked two while scattering six hits. Reliever Sam Capps gave up a double and a single after entering with one out in the sixth. He allowed only one hit the rest of the way and picked up his first save, allowing one earned run on three hits over 3 2/3 innings.

Starkel went 3-for-4 and hit a leadoff homer in a three-run seventh. He drove in the Tigers first run on a two-out single in the third.

Trevor Hughes blasted a two-run homer over the right field wall in the fifth to push the FHSU lead to 3-1.

Nick Hammeke and Clayton Basgall both doubled and had two hits.

The Tigers play their final home series this weekend with a three-game series against Pittsburg State. The first pitch for Friday is set for 7 pm and will be the annual “Pack the Park” game.

Kan. sexual assault suspect who escaped custody is still missing

Posted on April 27, 2017April 27, 2017

SEDGWICK COUNTY – Law enforcement authorities in Sedgwick County continue to search for a suspect who escaped from police.

Just after 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, police had 35-year-old Jose L. Cruz in custody. He was wanted for an alleged domestic sexual assault, according to Sgt. Woodrow during Wednesday’s online media briefing.

Prior to taking him to jail, he began to complain of chest pain and was transported to St. Francis Hospital.

While receiving treatment, Cruz escaped from his hospital room.

Security cameras indicated he left the hospital in an unknown direction, according to Woodrow.

Cruz is described as Hispanic, 6 foot 3 inches tall, weighs approximately 200 pounds with brown. He was last seen wearing a red shirt and black pants.

In additional to the assault, Cruz is wanted on three bench warrants for criminal damage to property, receiving stolen property and possession of marijuana.

Anyone with information on Cruz is asked to call 911 or police.

————

SEDGWICK COUNTY – Law enforcement authorities in south central Kansas are looking for a suspect who escaped Wichita police custody just after 5:30 p.m. Tuesday while at St. Francis Hospital.

Jose L. Cruz, 35, is described as Hispanic, 6 foot 3 inches tall, weighs approximately 200 pounds with brown eyes and brown hair.

Cruz is wanted on three warrants. If you know his whereabouts, please contact 911.

Mail carrier sentenced for stealing birthday card cash in rural Kansas

Posted on April 26, 2017

WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — A Kansas man has been sentenced to a year and a day in prison for stealing mail while working as a mail carrier.

The U.S. attorney’s office says 34-year-old Gary Yenzer, of Derby, was sentenced Wednesday for one count of theft of U.S. mail.

Investigators learned Yenzer looked for birthday and anniversary cards while delivering mail last year in rural Sedgwick County. Prosecutors say he kept the cash he removed and sold some of the gift cards for cash, but he did not use the gift cards for fear of them bring traced to him.