May 2017 – Page 17 – Hays Post Archive

UPDATE: Hays Rec kicks off summer season; contest winners announced

Posted on May 25, 2017May 25, 2017

A former teammate of Adam Pfannenstiel hugs his father Michael Pfannenstiel after giving him a plaque to commemorate Adam’s life and love of baseball during the Hays Rec Commission kick off Wednesday. Adam was killed in an ATV accident in 2016.

UPDATE:

Winners have been tabulated from last night’s Hays Recreation Commission Opening Day Celebration. Here are the results:

MLB Jr. Home Run Derby — Morgan “Big Stick” Berry

MLB Pitch Hit & Run Competition:

14 and under — Reagan Smith — 581 points

12 and under — Ashton Putz — 533 points

10 and under — Trace Jacobs — 600 points (overall winner)

8 and under — Brogan Albers — 421 points

In addition the competitions, the winner of the four Royals tickets was Carson Liles. Winner of our #hrcopeningday promotion was Monica Watson.

You can stop in to the rec and claim your prizes.

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By CRISTINA JANNEY

Hays Post

The Hays Recreation Commission honored Adam Pfannenstiel, a 15-year-old athlete that was killed last summer in an ATV accident, by beginning the Adam Pfannenstiel Inspirational Teammate of the Year Award Wednesday night.

This is a new award set to be given out annually to an HRC athlete who exemplifies what it means to be a great teammate as Adam was.

The Hays Recreation Commission, gave the award, to his family in honor of Adam at its annual kicked off to summer season Wednesday night at Bickle Sports Complex.

Keith Smith, youth sports director, said Pfannenstiel was “a good kid all around” and an “awesome teammate” who truly loved baseball.

Members of Adam’s K-18 team, the Roughnecks, gave Adam’s family a plaque to commemorate the award and took turns hugging and greeting his mother, father and grandmother.

The Mike Schippers Inspirational Coach of the Year Award was given to Travis Taggart, far right, and Brad Schumacher, middle in yellow, at the Hays Recreation kick off Wednesday night.

“He loved baseball,” his father, Michael Pfannenstiel, said after the ceremony. “It was very much his game. He was never the best at it, but he gave it all his heart.”

The Mike Schippers Inspirational Coach of the Year Award was given to Travis Taggart and Brad Schumacher. They continue the tradition of outstanding coaches who have a great understanding what the rec mission is here at Hays Rec, Smith said.

One of Mike Schippers’ daughters spoke about her father and she and members of her family were at the event to present the awards. This is the 25th year the award has been given.

She said her father was an avid baseball player and fan, and she has used the advice he gave her in coaching her softball team to grow throughout her life.

The coaches are nominated from the previous season’s teams.

Smith said of Schumacher in a prepared statement, “Brad not only lights up adults with his sense of humor, but he also has a special way to make kids feel comfortable. Numerous kids have been greeted by him with his signature line ‘What’s up buddy.’ As a coach, Brad strives to make every kid discover a love for the game. From rotating players to positive encouragement, the kids Brad coaches always want to come back for more.”

Of Taggart Smith said, “Travis in his many years of coaching through Hays Rec, has shown a calm demeanor and obvious care for each of the kids on his teams. His ethical coaching style allows every kid to feel as if they are an essential part of the team, whether or not they win or lose. I have overheard parents’ conversations with one another (as well as other coaches) say how their children are enjoying the game, sometimes for the first time, and are excited for the next year.”

In addition to the awards, the annual event included an MLB Pitch, Hit and Run Competition, MLB Jr. Home Run Derby, inflatables and Knockerball.

The Boy Scouts presented the colors this year, and the National Anthem was delivered by the McGuire Trio of Gabe, Hannah, and Eliana.

The sponsors of the event included Grand Rental Station, TK’s Smokehaus, Kennemer Orthodontics and Phase II, which provided the T-shirts.

Royals-Yankees game postponed, rescheduled for Sept. 25

Posted on May 25, 2017

NEW YORK (AP) – The scheduled game between the Kansas City Royals and New York Yankees has been postponed by rain.

The announcement was made on a wet Thursday morning in New York City about five hours before the teams were supposed to play the finale of a four-game series. The local forecast called for inclement weather much of the day.

Instead, the game will be made up on Sept. 25 at Yankee Stadium at the start of New York’s final regular-season homestand.

Struggling ace Masahiro Tanaka had been lined up to start for New York. The right-hander has allowed 14 runs and seven homers over 4 2/3 innings in his last two starts. He is 5-3 with a 6.56 ERA in nine outings this year.

Right-hander Miguel Almonte was slated to get his first major league start for the Royals. He made nine relief appearances two years ago.

UPDATE: School Funding Bill Moves to Kansas Senate

Posted on May 25, 2017May 25, 2017

The Kansas House debated a school funding plan for five hours Wednesday before passing a bill that many worry won’t pass state Supreme Court muster.
CREDIT SAM ZEFF / KCUR

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — The Kansas House has approved a bill that would phase in a $280 million increase in the state’s spending on public schools over two years even though some members said the extra money isn’t enough to satisfy a court mandate.

The vote Thursday was 84-39. The bill goes next to the Senate.

The Kansas Supreme Court ruled in March that the state’s $4 billion a year in aid to its 286 school districts is inadequate. The court did not say exactly how much spending must increase when it set a June 30 deadline for lawmakers to pass a new school funding law.

Attorneys for the four school districts that sued the state consider the plan inadequate and Democrats predicted the court will reject it. Many Republicans disagreed.

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BY SAM ZEFF

The Kansas House debated a new school finance plan for five hours Wednesday, taking up two dozen amendments and finally voting 81-40 to advance a bill not much different from the one that had come out of committee. The measure is slated to get a final vote in the House Thursday. Then it will be the Senate’s turn.

The House bill calls for $279 million in new money over two years. After that, allocations to districts would be bumped up by the inflation rate.

In March, the state Supreme Court ruled current funding for schools inadequate. Would this new formula be enough to satisfy the justices? Nobody knows. But lawmakers seem to be comfortable coming back for a special session to appropriate more if need be.

“I trust the next phase in the process. Both sides get to present their case to the court and the Supreme Court will judge our work,” says Rep. Mellissa Rooker, a moderate Republican from Fairway.

Rooker has emerged as a leader in the school funding debate, helping to manage the bill on the House floor. She and many moderates who voted in favor of the finance plan Wednesday have their doubts whether the high court will bless it. But they feel pressure to move the process forward.

“What we have got in that bill right now hopefully will be sufficient and if it’s not I guess we’ll be hearing from the courts later,” says Republican Rep. Brenda Dietrich from Topeka, a former school superintendent.

Rep. Jim Ward, the Democratic leader from Wichita, has no doubt a special session is in store. “If this bill becomes law and (is) what’s sent to the court, I would plan on being back in Topeka in July. Unfortunately at that time our schools will be closed.”

The Supreme Court has said if a constitutionally adequate funding formula isn’t in place by June 30, it will shut down public schools.

An amendment pushed by House Democrats that would have instead added $600 million new dollars into k-12 education over three years was beaten back by conservatives and some more moderate Republicans.

Before the debate, Democrats felt good about their chances of boosting the amount of money in the bill. But when Majority Leader Don Hineman, a moderate from Dighton, stood up to oppose the amendment most believed he would take a lot of other moderates with him. That’s exactly what happened.

All sides like the formula itself. It looks a lot like the old formula that was scrapped for block grants. Districts will get a per-pupil base amount and additional money for at-risk students and English language learners, among other factors.

Ward says he likes the formula but there’s just not enough money put into it.

“You can have the nicest car in the driveway but if you don’t buy the gas it doesn’t go anywhere. And that’s the problem with this formula, it’s woefully inadequately funded,” he says.

Also Wednesday the Senate Select Committee on school funding passed out its school finance plan.

It has less new money than the House measure, $240 million over two years.

The Legislature may take a long Memorial Day weekend, leaving Friday and not returning until Tuesday. Senators were told a school finance bill won’t make it to the floor until next week.

And getting a bill to final action in the House wasn’t easy with so many amendments offered by members, including a couple that seemed to come out of nowhere.

Rep. Trevor Jacobs, a Fort Scott Republican, carried an amendment that would have required students to use the bathroom of their gender. The Rules Committee said it wasn’t germane to the bill and the amendment failed.

An amendment from Republican Rep. John Whitmer from Wichita, would have allowed optional gun safety training in schools. That was also ruled not germane and failed.

Democrat Rep. Jerry Stogsdill, who just returned to Topeka after recovering from a heart attack a week ago, tried to push through an amendment that would have restored due process for teachers. It also was ruled not germane.

Sam Zeff covers education for KCUR.org and the Kansas News Service and is host of the political podcast Statehouse Blend Kansas. Follow him on Twitter @SamZeff.

Charges dismissed against former Halstead city administrator

Posted on May 25, 2017May 25, 2017

HARVEY COUNTY- A felony perjury charge against former Halstead City Administrator James R. Hatfield has been dismissed, according to a media release from Harvey County Attorney David Yoder.

After an investigation by the KBI and Harvey County Attorney in August 2016, the Harvey County Sheriff served an arrest warrant on Hatfield. He resigned from his position as city administrator in November.

The same investigation also charged former Halstead police chief Steven Lewis with one count of Felony Misuse of Public Funds and two counts of Misdemeanor Theft.

Court records show Lewis was convicted in February of two misdemeanor theft counts, and a felony count of misuse of public funds was dismissed at that time.

Court documents alleged that Hatfield falsely reported the reasons for Lewis’ retirement, leading to the felony perjury charge against him.

Yoder’s announcement Thursday said, “after detailed examination there is insufficient evidence to proceed with charges against Hatfield.”

No additional details were released.

-The AP contributed to this report.

Memorial Day Service Monday in WaKeeney at Kansas Veterans’ Cemetery

Posted on May 25, 2017May 24, 2017

SUBMITTED

WAKEENEY–The 13th annual Memorial Day service will be held at the Kansas Veterans’ Cemetery, 403 S. 13th, WaKeeney, Monday, May 29, at 10 a.m.

Guest speaker is Sgt. Major Gary Augustine, retired.

The ceremony will feature VFW Post 3449 and the U.s. Army Reserve with the colors and honor guard; a U.S. Cavalry re-enactment troop under the direction of Jake Bauer; American Legion Riders; High Plains Barbershop Hays Chapter Chorus and Tumbleweed Chorus directed by Max Befort, Bill Scott and Len Wirtz; Larry Henderson and Leeann Sheaer with a poem and musical selection; Rev. Randy Gibbs and Paul MacDonald playing bagpipes; VFW Auxiliary; and Father Charlie Steier.

The north gates will be open for additional parking in Phase II behind the shelter.

Seating is limited. Lawn chairs are welcome.

All are invited to attend.

Kansas woman who tried to dig up grave pleads guilty

Posted on May 25, 2017

HUTCHINSON, Kan. (AP) — A woman who tried to dig up a grave at a Hutchinson cemetery has pleaded guilty to two municipal charges.

Thirty-three-year-old Natasha Holmes pleaded guilty Wednesday to criminal desecration of a grave and criminal damage to property.

Investigators have not disclosed the reason Holmes said she was trying to dig up the grave at Eastside Cemetery.

Holmes was transferred to Larned State Hospital for evaluation after her arrest but was released on bond before Wednesday’s hearing.

Patrol Lt. Rob Rowe said Holmes didn’t appear to be intoxicated or under the influence of drugs when she was arrested May 1.

Russell Rotary Grocery Grab June 17

Posted on May 25, 2017June 6, 2017

Russell Chamber of Commerce golf tourney June 3

Posted on May 25, 2017

Kansas distributor recalls 100K pounds of precooked sausage

Posted on May 25, 2017May 25, 2017

JUNCTION CITY, Kan. (AP) — A Kansas food distributor has recalled nearly 100,000 pounds of precooked sausage products that might contain metal.

The recall was announced Wednesday by Armour Eckrich Meats in Junction City.

The Food Safety and Inspection Service says the recall includes more than 8,000 cases of 16.6 ounce packages of “Eckrich Smok-y Cheddar Breakfast sausage, Naturally Hardwood Smoked.”

See more on the recall here.

The labels have the case or UPC code and a “27815 17984” with a use-by date of Aug. 17. The products also have the number “EST. 3JC” inside the USDA mark of inspection.

The products were distributed in Kansas, Arkansas, Indiana, Louisiana, Oklahoma and Texas.

The fully-cooked pork, turkey and beef breakfast sausage were produced and packaged from April 26 to April 28.

No injuries from consuming the meat have been reported.

Christina Louise Elliott

Posted on May 25, 2017May 25, 2017

Christina Louise Elliott, 93, Hays, a resident of the Hays Good Samaritan Society, passed away Tuesday, May 23, 2017 at HaysMed.

She was born June 15, 1923 south of Russell, Kansas the daughter of Albert and Christina “Lottie” (Richter) Corwin. Louise lived her early life on the family farm near Paradise, Kansas and graduated from Paradise Rural High School in 1940. On October 4, 1944 she was united in marriage to Arvis Nathan Elliott in Russell. After Arvis’s discharge from military service, they returned to Kansas and made their home on a farm near Paradise. Four children were born to this union; Vicki, Dwight, Paul, and Arlene.

In 1963, they moved to Paradise and Louise began her retail sales career at Brown’s Grocery Store. In 1975, she began work at the TG&Y and then Pamida store at Russell. She retired from retail sales in 1990. In 1987, Arvis and Louise moved to Hays due to Arvis’s health. They were members of the Paradise United Methodist Church for many years, where she was an active member of the UMW, and transferred their membership to the First United Methodist Church of Hays. Louise became a member of the Ruth Circle and enjoyed the fellowship and embroidering towels for their projects. Louise was a wonderful cook; she enjoyed making family dinners and making sure that everyone had plenty to eat.

Survivors include her children; Vicki McDowell and husband Jim of Lucas, Kansas, Dwight Elliott and wife Laura of Owasso, OK, Paul Elliott of Dodge City, KS, and Arlene Morgan and husband Pat of Wichita, a sister Violet Herring of McPherson, ten grandchildren, eleven great grandchildren, and numerous nieces, nephews, family and friends.

She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband Arvis in 1998, three sisters; Amy, Ruby, and Norma Lee, and five brothers; Albert “Bud”, Donald, Clarence, Richard, and Chester.

A celebration of Louise’s life will be at 2:00 pm on Saturday, May 27, 2017 at the First United Methodist Church, 305 W. 7th Street, Hays. Burial will follow in the Mt. Herman Cemetery in Paradise, Kansas. Visitation will be from 1:00 pm until service time on Saturday at the church. Memorials are suggested to the Hays Good Samaritan Society, the Paradise United Methodist Church, or to the First United Methodist Church of Hays, in care of the Hays Memorial Chapel Funeral Home, 1906 Pine Street, Hays. Condolences may be left for the family at www.haysmemorial.com

Journalism adviser Gasper, gifted student named Best of Best

Posted on May 25, 2017May 23, 2017

By CRISTINA JANNEY

Bill Gasper was named the Best of the Best staff member for May Monday at the Hays school board meeting.

Hays Post

Bill Gasper was recognized with Hays USD 489’s Best of the Best award Monday night.

Gasper, the adviser for Hays High School’s student newspaper, yearbook and website, was nominated by students.

Gasper also directed the school’s annual spring play.

Gasper was honored with the Jackie Engel Award this spring, which is the highest honor for a journalism adviser in the state.

The HHS student journalism program took seconds in the Kansas Scholastic Press Association contest this year. The school’s news website received its first All-American ranking as well.

The Indian, the HHS yearbook, received All-Kanas and an All-American rating for the second year in a row.

Anniston Weber, Gasper’s student ,was named the Kansas 3A-4A Journalist of the Year this year.

Students described Gasper as an inspiration, who cared like a friend or a dad. One student said he was the most “outwardly grumpy but inwardly genuine people I have ever met.”

“So it is his drive and want to see students succeed and his personable, genuine style that makes him worthy of this month’s Best of the Best award,” said Madison Creese, co-editor in chief of The Guidon.

The student recipient of May’s Best of the Best Award was Kritin Sharma, fourth-grade student in the SPARK program, which is the district’ program for gifted students.

Kenda Leiker, SPARK teacher, nominated Sharma.

“Kritin Sharma’s dedication to learning, his drive for challenges and motivation to do his best always, puts him in the category, I believe, of Best of the Best,” she said. “He comes to SPARK every weak ready to work and improve himself.”

Leiker said Sharma began SPARK in second grade as a shy learner who was afraid he would not do his best. As he has grown in the program, he has become more willing to take risks.

“As a fourth grader he is one for the more creative thinkers who is willing to fail because he perceives failure as an avenue to growing and learning something new,” Leiker said.

She said Sharma thinks outside of the box and pursues problems in a variety of ways.

“Kritin never settles. He perseveres. He searches for understanding,” Leiker said. “Whether it be a small assignment or large in-depth project, Kritin pushes himself to complete neat, higher-quality work.

“Not only does Kritin have a strong work ethic, his social etiquette and superior behavior exceeds those of others.”

LETTER: Questions about upcoming Hays USD 489 bond

Posted on May 25, 2017

By TOM WASINGER

USD 489’s Vision Team met Tuesday, May 16, 2017, to try and come up with plans for school building improvements to propose to the school board for its next bond election. In the end, some members wanted more time so there is another meeting scheduled in June. Here are some random thoughts and tidbits from my perspective about the school board, its vision team and what has been developed so far.

Vision Team members are self-appointed, meaning anyone can show up and participate. On average, 85% of the members who attended voted for the last school bond and are mostly in favor of any bond, no matter the amount. Several members are teachers or employees of the school district. Two of us, who attended regularly, voted no in the last school bond election. Based on this skewed makeup and the speed with which the decisions are unfolding, this process does seem fundamentally flawed to me. It’s questionable whether the results to date are representative of the community as a whole.

Not surprisingly, the team’s plans so far reflect the disproportionate makeup. The wished-for bond amount is $89 million on the high end (the last bond issue was for $94 million). It would necessitate the approval by voters of a one-half cent (.5¢) Hays city wide sales tax for ten years plus a rise in property taxes. If the city commissioners don’t agree to put the sales tax question on the ballot, it could be put to a vote by petition. (This certainly puts the city commissioners in an interesting position.) The back-up plan is for $55 million bond to be financed by raising property taxes only.

Both plans call for the building of a new elementary school for about $20+ million and the closing of Lincoln Elementary and the repurposing of O’Loughlin Elementary. However, don’t ask the vision team or the school board where the new elementary school will be built, because they don’t have a definite site yet. But what every voter needs to understand is interest will have to be paid on that $20+ million once the bonds are sold.

In a bow toward equality, the vision team believes there should be parity among all elementary schools, which means that they want to “right size” existing classrooms at Wilson Elementary School and wherever else necessary to make sure that no child has to suffer needlessly in a smaller classroom. Of course, this will cost many millions more to address. The only question not answered as of yet is how “right sizing” all the elementary school classrooms will translate into improved educational performance.

At no time has there been a discussion of how these plans will improve the space needs of the special needs students or how and where the school district will establish the educational experience students at O’Loughlin Elementary currently receive.

There was some discussion of transitional, incidental or miscellaneous costs associated with the building projects which were above and beyond the construction costs. I don’t exactly recall the amount of dollars mentioned, but it seemed to be additional millions.

Why should people from surrounding counties and the visitors who come to Hays to shop, eat, or spend the night pay an extra sales tax to support our local school board’s construction projects? While they do derive a benefit from our roads and EMS, for example, for which the City of Hays and Ellis County are responsible, what benefit do they get from our schools? What good reason can we give them? What might be their reaction to such a tax and what impact might their reaction be to an already declining revenue source for the City of Hays?
At the last meeting two individuals questioned the rush to get this to a vote or if they were really ready to present this to the school board. There is absolutely no doubt that the plans could be developed at a slower pace and better refined and defined before moving forward. However, the school board through its architects and vision team has created a juggernaut which will be difficult to slow down.

After the last bond election, I wrote an article in which I explained the reasons why I thought the voters rejected the previous school bond. The general and primary reason cited was a lack of trust in the school board.

But some specifics involved:

• Using a local sales tax as a funding mechanism to pay for a portion of the bonds despite its impact on the City of Hays’ and Ellis County’s ability to deal with future revenue shortfalls. Given the current local economic recession and declining sales tax revenue the issue becomes even that much more acute for the City of Hays and Ellis County. One has to wonder how they will respond to this issue.

• Turning over $90 million to the school board in one humongous bond issue with the hope that they will be able to spend it all efficiently and prudently. The average taxpayer has heard this all before.

At the very least, it is reasonable to question the school board’s rush to put this to a vote. What is exactly gained by a vote this year vs. next year? The architects hired by the school board to guide the vision team regularly told us that there is no big hurry to put forward any plans, but given my experience in the past four months, I’m beginning to have my doubts.

It’s still possible the school board and vision team will prove skeptics like me wrong and maybe the Hays City Commissioners can justify the sales tax idea to the people of Hays, such that they will support the extra tax, notwithstanding the constraint it would impose on the city’s major source of operational funds. And perhaps the voters of USD 489 school district will gladly hand over $89 million (or $55 million) all at one time for improvements to facilities and a new elementary school despite all the unanswered questions, for example those related to where the new elementary school will be built, what happens to Lincoln Elementary, Washington School and the Rockwell Administration building, the special needs students, the O’Loughlin experience and whether right sizing all the elementary classrooms is a genuine need and is warranted.

But the questions each and every taxpayer and voter in the school district needs to ask every member of the school board and vision team are at least these: What is the rush? Why can’t the process be more measured and deliberate? So what if it takes another year to develop refined, solid plans? Why are there still important unanswered questions that aren’t being addressed? How can we trust you to spend our hard earned taxpayer money wisely under these circumstances?

Tom Wasinger, Hays

Lawrence ‘Larry’ Dale Taylor

Posted on May 25, 2017

Lawrence “Larry” Dale Taylor, born March 2, 1952 in Wichita KS to Dale & Arlene Taylor, went to be with Jesus on May 22, 2017 at Wesley Medical Center in Wichita KS at age 65.

He was a member of Gospel Fellowship Church and Howard First Baptist Church. He was a member of the Elk County Community Foundation.

On August 13, 1972 he married Marcia Winn in Howard KS. They were married for almost 45 years. Larry was a missionary with Teens for Christ Connection for 20 years. He was the pastor at Gospel Fellowship Church in Shallow Water KS for 13 years until retiring in October of 2016. He was an ordained youth pastor. He had a heart for teenagers and all people. He went on mission trips to Russia, Belarus, Mexico, Trinidad & Tobago, Haiti, China and various places throughout the United States. He had a passion for disaster relief and SPLASH trips. He touched many lives through performing marriages and funerals.

Larry & Marcia had two children, Heather & Adam Carver and Ben & Megan Taylor. They had seven grandchildren: Emma Carver, Noah Carver, Karys Carver, Carson Taylor, Brynlee Taylor, Kaeson Taylor & Breckyn Taylor. Larry loved his kids and grandkids and loved to go Jeeping with them. He loved to go to the top of the Colorado Mountains and experience God’s creation.

Larry’s greatest wish was that all people would know Jesus as their Savior. His favorite verses were John 3:16 & 17 and Matthew 28:16-20. He showed Jesus’s love to everyone he met; he did not know a stranger. He tried his best to live out the Great Commission and was never shy about sharing the love of Jesus with people.

Survivors include his wife, Marcia, Heather & Adam Carver, Burlington KS; Ben & Megan Taylor, Richmond Hill GA; seven grandchildren; one brother, Terry & Pearl Taylor; his mother-in-law, Gleneva Winn; Kevin & Dianna Deniston; Steven (who lived with them in high school) & Megan Fulton, Kashton & Jaxson; many nieces and nephews, cousins, aunts & uncles, and friends.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Dale & Arlene Taylor and his father-in-law, Dwight Winn.

Funeral services will be at 2:00 p.m. on Friday, May 26, 2017 at Howard First Baptist Church with Alan Hunter presiding. Interment will be at Grace Lawn Cemetery. Visitation will be Thursday, May 25, 2017 from 5:00 – 7:00 p.m. at Countryside Funeral Home in Howard KS.

A register book is available to sign at Price & Sons Funeral Home, 401 S. Washington St. Scott City, Kansas 67871, from 10-8 on Thursday, May 25, 2017 and from 10-5 on Friday, May 26, 2017.

In lieu of flowers the family requests memorials to Teens For Christ Connection in Phillipsburg, KS & the Howard First Baptist Church in Howard, KS, and may be left with or mailed to the funeral home. Services have been entrusted to: Countryside Funeral Home, 206 E. Washington, PO Box 1233, Howard, KS 67349.