University of Alaska President Jim Johnsen announced Thursday that Daniel White has been selected to become the eighth chancellor of the University of Alaska Fairbanks. White will succeed UAF Interim Chancellor Dana Thomas and will assume his new position on July 1.
A former Fort Hays State University president was among the finalists for the university administrator role.
NEMAHA COUNTY – Law enforcement authorities are working to identify the identity of a man whose body was found near State Highway 62 in Nemaha County.
Just after 11 a.m. Wednesday, authorities located the body of an unidentified white male approximately one half mile south of 32nd Road in Nemaha County, according to report from the Sheriff’s Department.
No additional details were released on Thursday afternoon.
Maize South plated three runs in the bottom of the first inning on their way to a first round victory over Hays at the 4A-1 state baseball tournament in Salina on Thursday. The Mavericks opened the game with a double and then scored two batters later to take a 1-0 lead. A routine ground ball with runners at second and third with two outs hit the infield grass lip, putting a tough hop on the ball. The ground ball resulted in an error and two runs scored on the play.
Hays threatened in the third and fourth innings, but failed to score while Maize South tacked on another run to push their lead up to 4-0. Hays scored their first run in the top of the fifth on an infield single by Palmer Hutchison with the bases loaded. The Indians gave that run back on a home run in the bottom of the inning and trailed 5-1 after the fifth inning.
Hays plated their only other run on a infield single by Cole Murphy in the sixth, but Maize south answered back with two more runs in the bottom of the sixth for the final margin of 7-2.
Coach Frank Leo
Hays ends their season at 10-13. The top seeded Maize South Mavericks are 18-5.
Hays tallied six hits in the loss, walked four times and had one batter hit, but left nine on the base paths. Trey Riggs took the loss for the Indians. Palmer Hutchison and Cole Murphy each had two hits in the game. Maize South recorded ten hits, walked six times and left eight on base. Chase Hampton took the victory on the mound for the Mavericks.
The Hays City Band, co-directed by Renetta Dawson and Matt Rome, is preparing for its summer season.
The band is seeking area music students and teachers, and amateur and professional musicians to join.
“We’re always looking for more players — all are welcome,” Rome said.
The group rehearses on Mondays in June from 7 to 9 p.m. at Malloy Hall on the Fort Hays State University campus.
The performance schedule is as follows (all starting at 7:30 p.m.):
June 13 – FHSU Quad (Hays)
June 20 – Washington Grade School (Ellis)
June 27 – VFW Hall (WaKeeney)
BARTON COUNTY –Law enforcement authorities in Barton County are investigating a report of a weapon fired at at the police department building in Great Bend.
Just after 9 p.m. Wednesday, a police officer was exiting the front of the Great Bend Police Department building when he observed a dark colored passenger car driving northbound on Williams Street in front of the building, according to a media release.
The officer noticed a person hanging out of the passenger window and pointing what appeared to be some sort of assault rifle at the Police Department Building.
The officer then heard numerous (approximately 13) shots come from the direction of the car. Due to the sound of the shots, the officer believed the weapon to be some sort of air gun, such as an airsoft gun or BB gun. Because of this, the officer did not return fire on the vehicle. Officers were not able to apprehend the occupants of the vehicle.
Department personnel have examined the front of the building, and have been unable to locate any damage indicative of the building being shot. Due to this and the report by the police officer on scene, the agency believes that the occupants of the vehicle were most likely firing an air gun of some sort at the Police Department Headquarters Building.
Chief Cliff Couch, of the Police Department, said “this was obviously a very dangerous situation, whether the weapon used turns out to be real or not. I’m proud that the officer in this incident showed such restraint, but not all situations turn out that way. It’s very difficult for an officer to identify a fake weapon, across the street, in a matter of seconds; and the people in that car could have very easily been killed as a result of their actions.”
Anyone with information regarding this incident is encouraged to contact the Great Bend Police Department at (620)793-4120 or Crimestoppers at (620) 792-1300. Crimestoppers is a program which allows people to give anonymous tips and receive a cash reward if their tip leads to an arrest.
WICHITA – A Pratt company pleaded guilty Thursday in an oil and gas fraud scheme, according to U.S. Attorney Tom Beall.
Sonstone Trading LLC pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud. In the plea, the company admitted it agreed to sell 3,000 barrels per month of crude oil to Parnon Industries. In fact, what Sonstone provided to Parnon was not crude oil. It was raw gas oil (RGO), which is a by-product obtained from recycling used motor oil. At sentencing, the court will determine the amount of loss. The government maintains the loss is more than $994,000. Sentencing is set for Aug. 10.
Charges against Sonstone executive David Lawson were dismissed.
MANHATTAN, Kan.-The TMP Monarch’ Baseball team had quite the battle with Marion in the opening round of the 3A State Baseball Tournament in Manhattan. The second seeded Monarchs opened the scoring in the top of the second inning on an RBI double from Luke Ruder. Marion answered with a tying run in the bottom of the inning.
TMP would regain the lead, 2-1, in the third inning on an RBI single off the bat of Chase Werth. The Monarchs would hold that lead until the bottom of the fourth inning when Marion plated three runs to take a 4-2 advantage. The score would stay that way until the top of the sixth inning when TMP tied the game with two runs thanks to some Warrior defensive miscues.
Marion continued the back and forth tilt and took the lead with one run in the bottom of the sixth. TMP was not done as they scrapped together the tying run in the seventh inning. The Warriors were scoreless in the bottom of the inning thanks to a double play turned by the Monarch defense.
The eighth inning wasn’t quite as pretty for TMP. After going scoreless in the top of the inning, Marion took advantage by loading the bases in the bottom of the frame and scored the winning run on a sacrifice fly. The loss snaps the Monarch 9 game losing streak as they finish the season at 13-9.
LAWRENCE- The Kansas Board of Regents announced the appointment of Dr. Douglas A. Girod as the 18th Chancellor of the University of Kansas, according to a media release.
“I am honored to be here today to make this important announcement. Naming the next Chancellor is one of the most important jobs we undertake as the Board of Regents,” stated Zoe Newton, Chair of the Board of Regents. “Dr. Girod is the right person for this time of transition. His 23 years of service are a testament to Dr. Girod’s love and commitment to KU. He will honor KU’s traditions and history while leading this great university into the future.”
Douglas A. Girod, M.D., became executive vice chancellor of the University of Kansas Medical Center on Feb. 1, 2013, where he oversaw the educational, research, patient care and community engagement missions of the University of Kansas Schools of Medicine, Nursing and Health Professions, with their total annual enrollment of more than 3,300 students; a workforce of more than 2,100 faculty and more than 4,000 staff; and research funding of nearly $100 million.
“The number of top tier professionals who wanted to be the next KU Chancellor was impressive,” said Dave Dillon, Chair of the KU Chancellor Search Committee. “Dr. Girod will certainly use his impressive credentials and abilities to carry out the mission of KU, furthering the aspirations we have for our state, and the hopes we have for generations of Jayhawks.”
In addition to serving as executive vice chancellor, Dr. Girod also served as interim executive dean of the KU School of Medicine until March 24, 2014. Prior to those roles, he served as Senior Associate Dean for Clinical Affairs and chair of the Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery. A surgeon, Dr. Girod joined the University of Kansas Medical Center faculty in 1994 and quickly rose through the academic ranks, becoming chair of the Otolaryngology department in 2002. He was named Russell E. Bridwell Endowed Chair in 2008.
Dr. Girod earned his bachelor’s degree in chemistry from the University of California at Davis and his medical degree from the University of California at San Francisco. He completed his residency and an NIH research fellowship at the University of Washington in Seattle. Prior to joining the University of Kansas Medical Center, Dr. Girod served as Vice Chairman and Research Director in the Department of Otolaryngology at the Naval Medical Center in Oakland, California. He served in the United States Navy Reserve from 1982, rising to the rank of Lieutenant Commander and later earning the Meritorious Service Medal.
Industrial technology students pose with their championship single passenger electric car.
The Hays High School Industrial Technology Association finished its fall and spring seasons undefeated.
The technology association creates, designs, and assembles a single passenger electric car each year and race that car in competitions throughout the fall and spring semesters.
The group of students is sponsored by industrial technology teacher Chris Dinkel.
Dinkel commented this is the first season any Hays High School team has been undefeated on both the fall and spring semesters.
Recently, the club competed at the Touchstone Energy Electro Rally sponsored by Westar Energy.
Noah Glendening placed second in car No. 320. Brent Koenigsman raced in car No. 20 and won the Standard Class and set a new course record.
This is Hays’ third Standard Class Championship since 2012.
Damage to the pump station in Salina on Wednesday evening
SALINA – A Kansas woman was injured in an accident just before 9:30p.m. Wednesday.
Salina Police Captain Paul Forrester reported a 2007 Ford SUV driven by Holly Hickman, 31, Salina, was traveling at a high rate of speed in the 200 Block of South 2nd Street.
The SUV crashed into the city pump station. She was transported to Salina Regional Health Center for treatment.
Police indicated Hickman had been in an argument with her boyfriend. The boyfriend reportedly told police she intentionally crashed the vehicle.
The SUV sustained heavy front end damage. Authorities reported about $9,000 in damage to the exterior of the brick building.
Hickman faces possible felony damage to property charges, according to Hickman.
In its ninth year, Kansas Speaks is a series of surveys conducted in the spring and fall by the Docking Institute of Public Affairs at Fort Hays State University. Mike Cooper visits with Bradley Pendergast on the results of most recent survey taken.
Breathe Coffeehouse hosts FREE community meals every 2nd and 4th Sunday from 5:30-7:30 p.m. at Breathe Coffeehouse, 703 B Main Street.
We will be having a Memorial Day meal on Sunday, May 28th from 5:30-7:30 p.m. at Breathe Coffeehouse. All are welcome to attend! If you don’t have a plan for the holiday weekend, come share a meal with us!
These meals are Free of charge and are meant to gather members of our community to eat and have great conversation.
Representatives of DHDC, FHSU, the city of Hays and Commercial Builders broke ground on the downtown pavilion and restroom project May 24.
By BECKY KISER Hays Post
Construction will soon begin following Wednesday’s groundbreaking for the downtown Hays pavilion and restroom project.
The site for the restroom, on the west end of Union Pacific Park, has already been prepared, according to Sara Bloom, executive director of the Downtown Hays Development Corporation (DHDC).
“Installation is expected at the end of June, once the water and sewer lines have been placed and the restroom will be open for use year-round,” Bloom told the crowd.
Just to the east of Union Pacific Park, a 40 by 80 foot open air pavilion will be built.
“The roof design will pay tribute to our former railroad depot,” Bloom explained. “The red roof will tie in to the bricks on downtown streets and it will also be available year-round for different community events.”
The pavilion will be built just east of the Union Pacific Park plaza, 10th and Main.
The $200,000 project will be gifted to the city of Hays by DHDC. Major funding was provided by the Robert and Pat Schmidt Foundation and the Dane G. Hansen Foundation. In-kind donations come from the city of Hays which will provide some labor, and pay for the water and sewer lines using guest tax monies from the Convention and Visitors Bureau (CVB). Commercial Builders is the general contractor for the project.
Sandy Jacobs, Hays city commissioner
A downtown pavilion has been envisioned by DHDC since 2012. “It started with the words ‘gathering place’,” said Sandy Jacobs, former DHDC executive director and now a Hays city commissioner. A partnership between Fort Hays State University and DHDC finally brought it to reality.
“In August 2015, Kris Munsch and the Department of Applied Technology threw a lot of scattered ideas at a classroom of bright energetic students in construction management,” Bloom recalled. “They took those ideas and created a comprehensive plan for the pavilion. Fort Hays students not only helped design the structure, they will also be instrumental in the building of it. Without the involvement of FHSU, this project may be still just be a vision instead of a reality.”
Dr. Greg Farley, dean of FHSU Werth College of Science
“This is really a celebration of everything we do well in this community,” added Dr. Greg Farley, dean of the FHSU Werth College of Science.
Once construction is complete, the pavilion will be an extension of the city’s Union Pacific Park plaza at 10th and Main. One major hurdle to the project was acquiring a lease of the property from Union Pacific.
“We always said no to DHDC because it just didn’t work in the city’s plans and what we wanted to do,” said Mayor Shaun Musil, “but this group never gave up. When they make stuff like this better for Hays, it’s not just for downtown, it’s for our entire community.
Hays Mayor Shaun Musil and DHDC Exec. Dir. Sara Bloom
“What I really love about this project between DHDC and FHSU is that everybody involved. I’m hoping that the Fort Hays students that are involved in this may want to make Hays home to them forever,” Musil added .
Bloom said she expects the community to use the pavilion often for events such as family reunions, weddings, theatrical and musical performances, class picnics and other occasions.
“The construction of this new structure demonstrates the dedication of DHDC and the city of Hays to promote and facilitate the community and economic development of the downtown area as a desirable place to live, work, invest and visit,” Bloom said.
Supporters may purchase commemorative bricks, cornerstones and benches for the downtown pavilion.
Commemorative bricks, cornerstones and benches are available for purchase at DHDC.
