May 2017 – Page 40 – Hays Post Archive

Kansas chosen to participate in federal academy for behavioral health programs

Posted on May 17, 2017May 18, 2017

KDADS

TOPEKA – Kansas is one of 10 states that have been selected to participate in the federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services (SAMHSA) Policy Academy that will devise initiatives to strengthen recovery-oriented behavioral health services and supports for Kansans.
The Kansas Department for Aging and Disability Services’ Behavioral Health Commission is convening a team of agency staff and stakeholders to carry out this initiative, entitled “Bringing Recovery Supports to Scale Technical Assistance Center Strategy” (BRSS TACS).

The Policy Academy will support the state in planning and carrying out initiatives to build and strengthen recovery-oriented services and supports.

The Policy Academy will take place from May to September, 2017, and will include multiple virtual and onsite activities. Team planning sessions will focus on team building, developing a shared recovery vision, analyzing Kansas’ existing strengths, resources, and challenges and drafting an action plan to build, strengthen and sustain recovery-oriented services and supports.
Knowledge-building sessions will feature national experts sharing resources and discussing promising practices on recovery-oriented workforce development topics. Speakers and experts will be available for on-demand consultations with the state team.

By the close of the Policy Academy, Kansas will have developed an action plan for implementation. The team will then finalize the action plan and receive virtual follow-up technical assistance from SAMHSA for up to six months to support implementation.

Kansas team participants will include KDADS’ Mental Health Director Michelle Sweeney, Adult Consumer Affairs Program Coordinator Carrie Billbe, Systems of Care Project Coordinator Kelsee Torrez, Projects Coordinator Charles Bartlett, Problem Gambling Project Coordinator Carol Spiker, along with Manager of Pathfinder Recovery Center at the Central Kansas Foundation in Salina Don Greene, Director of Behavioral Health Initiatives with the Community Engagement Institute at Wichita State University Randy Johnson, Director of Clinical Services for Four County Mental Health Center in Independence Steve Denny, Executive Director of Behavioral Health, Optum Behavioral Health Sandra Hashman, and Director of Regional Contracting/Kansas Provider Relations for Beacon Health Options Frances Breyne.

States participating in the 2017 Policy Academy include Alaska, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Kansas, New Jersey, New York, Utah and West Virginia.

For more information, visit: https://www.samhsa.gov/brss-tacs.

UPDATE: Man jailed after wearing sword into Kansas bank

Posted on May 17, 2017

SHAWNEE COUNTY – Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect in a what may have been an attempted bank robbery on Tuesday.

Just after 9a.m. Tuesday, a suspect identified as David Retana-Garcia, 23, entered a bank in the 700 Block of SW Topeka Boulevard with a sword in a scabbard, according to a media release from police spokesperson Lt. Colleen Stuart.

Security staff asked for and Retana-Garcia gave them the sword. He also mentioned wanting money, according to Stuart.

Police transported Retana-Garcia to the Law Enforcement Center for an interview.
He was booked into the Shawnee County Department of Corrections for attempted robbery.

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SHAWNEE COUNTY – Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect in a what may have been an attempted bank robbery on Tuesday.

Just after 9a.m., a suspect with a sword in a scabbard entered a bank in the 700 Block of SW Topeka Boulevard, according to police spokesperson Coleen Stuart.

Security staff asked for and the subject gave them the sword. The subject also mentioned wanting money.

Police transported the subject to the Law Enforcement Center for an interview.

Police have not reported an arrest.

HHS girls’ soccer advances in 4-1A playoffs

Posted on May 17, 2017May 18, 2017

HAYS, Kan. – The Hays High girls’ soccer team has advanced in the 4-1A playoffs after a 4-0 win over Augusta Wednesday at the Fort Hays State Soccer Complex. Sydney Sulzman, Lanie Schmidt and Kallie Lieker all scored in the first half to give the Indians a 3-0 halftime lead.

HHS improved to 11-6. They will now play at McPherson Thursday at 6 pm.

Babysitter who left Kan. toddler’s body in field enters plea

Posted on May 17, 2017

WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — The babysitter of a Wichita child whose body was found in a field last year has pleaded guilty to interfering with a police investigation.

The Wichita Eagle reports that 26-year-old Tyerria Miles pleaded guilty Monday to interfering with the investigation of the May 2016 death of 2-year-old Jhornee Bland.

Miles had been caring for Jhornee in the days before her death and had initially told the police she had left the child with a friend. She later admitted that she moved Jhornee’s body to a field after her death.

The coroner wasn’t able to determine the cause of death.

Court records show that Miles is scheduled for sentencing on June 28.

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No murder charge for Kansas man despite deadly fight

Posted on May 17, 2017

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — A Kansas man won’t be facing a murder charge following a fight earlier this month that killed another man.

The Topeka Capital-Journal reports that 40-year-old Michael Stephen Murphy was released from Shawnee County Jail Tuesday after posting a $10,000 bond for a single charge of a felon in possession of a firearm.

Murphy’s original bond when booked May 10 was $1 million and included second-degree murder and weapons charges.

Police say they responded to a disturbance call reported as a fight on May 9, where they found 39-year-old Reginald A. Moten II suffering from head trauma. Moten died after being taken to a local hospital. Murphy was then taken for interviewing at the Law Enforcement Center.

Police say Moten and Murphy knew each other.

Top Kansas Democrats seek $600M boost in Kan. school funding

Posted on May 17, 2017

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — The Kansas Legislature’s top Democrats are proposing that the state phase in a $600 million increase in spending on public schools over three years.

Senate Minority Leader Anthony Hensley of Topeka and House Minority Leader Jim Ward of Wichita made their proposal public Wednesday. They also sent a letter to GOP leaders Tuesday.

A House committee has proposed phasing in a $280 million increase in spending over two years. The increase in aid under the Democratic plan after two years would be $400 million.

A Senate committee is drafting its own proposal.

Kansas spends about $4 billion a year on aid to its 286 school districts. The Kansas Supreme Court ruled in March that education funding is inadequate.

The Democrats said they believe their plan would satisfy the court’s order.

Perkins opens competition at National Championships

Posted on May 17, 2017

FINDLAY, Ohio – Fort Hays State golfer Hannah Perkins fired a 5-over 77 in the first round of the NCAA Division II Women’s Golf Championship Wednesday afternoon (May 17) at the Findlay Country Club. Perkins sits in a tie for 19th with three rounds yet to play at the par-72, 6,206-yard course.

The sophomore opened play on a breezy day on the back nine, moving as low as one-under and a tie for the lead after eight holes. She ended up carding two birdies and two bogeys to finish at even par through her first nine. She made four-straight pars after making the turn, staying at even par through 13 holes. Perkins then gave back five shots over her final five holes, including a triple bogey on her final hole of the day.

Perkins is just four shots back of the lead, with four individuals posting rounds of 1-over 73. She is the top individual from the MIAA, two shots in front of Central Oklahoma’s Anna Pool and seven shots clear of Missouri Western’s Chong Yong.

Perkins will open the second round at 10:10 a.m. ET (9:10 a.m. CT) on Thursday (May 18), teeing off on hole No. 1.

FHSU Sports Information

Board hears testimony on parole of sniper who killed 3 in Kansas

Posted on May 17, 2017

KANSAS CITY, Kan. (AP) — Several witnesses asked the Kansas Prisoner Review Board to keep a man called the Wichita Holiday Inn sniper in prison.

During a hearing Wednesday, no one spoke in favor of paroling 59-year-old Michael Soles, who killed three people and wounded eight others in 1976 in a sniper attack in downtown Wichita.

Soles is eligible for parole in July.

The Wichita Eagle reports law enforcement officials and relatives of those killed in the attack asked the board to keep Soles behind bars.

Former Sedgwick County Sheriff Mike Hill, who helped stop the attack, said Soles was motivated by publicity and it is “inconceivable” that anyone would want him released.

The board will meet with Soles in about a month and deliberate for two to four weeks before making a decision.

Lightning blamed for two Ellis County fires

Posted on May 17, 2017May 17, 2017

By JONATHAN ZWEYGARDT
Hays Post

Lightning is believed to be the cause of a pair of Tuesday afternoon fires in Ellis County.

According to Director of Fire and Emergency Management Darin Myers, crews were called to the area of 250th and Hopewell Road for a bale on fire. Myers said several bales were on fire, and crews let the bales burn out. Crews were on scene from just before 5 p.m. to 8 p.m.

Just after 5 p.m., crews were dispatched to the second fire, a house in the 2000 block of Deer Trail that was struck by lightning.

Myers said the house most likely suffered significant electrical damage as well as damage to the roof. A neighbor reported the fire and immediately began to help extinguish the fire until fire crews arrived on scene.

Crews were on scene for approximately an hour.

Myers said crews from Munjor, Catharine, Victoria, Hays and Ellis responded to assist with both fires.

Sund resigns public works position for new job

Posted on May 17, 2017

Hays Public Works Director Greg Sund talks about snow routes during a December city commission meeting. — Greg Sund talks about snow routes during a December Hays city commission meeting.

By BECKY KISER
Hays Post

Greg Sund, the Hays public works director, has resigned from that position to take a job in Colorado.

Sund’s resignation is effective at the end of the month, confirmed Assistant City Manager Jacob Wood Wednesday afternoon.

“We have not discussed yet what the process will be to fill the position,” Wood said.

Sund has been offered and accepted the position of city manager for Trinidad, Colorado. He was one of two finalists.

Sund has been the Hays public works director for nearly two years, since June 2015. Previously he served as the first Ellis County administrator from 2010 to 2015.

Assistant Public Works Director John Braun said he expects an interim director will be appointed, “probably me,” while a national search is underway to fill the director’s position permanently.

Sund was not available for comment.

Wasinger withdraws name from Hays school board run

Posted on May 17, 2017May 17, 2017

Hays Post

Thomas Wasinger withdrew his name as a candidate for the USD 489 school board today.

He said in a written statement, “After reflecting upon the time I spent over the past few months with the USD 489 Vision Team involving the school board’s current push for another bond election, it occurred to me that there are other individuals better suited to serve on the school board and more attuned to the agenda of the current school board.”

Three positions are up for election this fall on the school board.

The deadline for filing for office is June 1.

Kan. lawmakers unsure sales tax changes should be in budget fix

Posted on May 17, 2017May 17, 2017

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas legislators are wrestling with whether to end sales tax breaks in a larger plan to fix the state budget and raise additional funds for public schools.

Senate tax committee members were cold Wednesday toward a House-passed plan to raise $110 million over two years by imposing the state’s 6.5 percent sales tax on a few untaxed services. They include towing, pet boarding and bill-collecting.

The panel heard testimony from collection agency operators that their businesses would be harmed in competition with out-of-state firms.

But backers of the House bill are working on a new plan to raise about $330 million over two years by eliminating sales tax exemptions.

Kansas faces projected budget shortfalls totaling $887 through June 2019, and the Kansas Supreme Court has said education funding is inadequate.

Cow in the classroom at Lincoln Elementary School

Posted on May 17, 2017

Lincoln School Principal Elaine Rohleder introduces Callie Toews, mobile dairy classroom instructor.

By BECKY KISER
Hays Post

It’s not often you find a cow in a classroom, even if that classroom is outdoors.

To their delight, that’s exactly what students at Lincoln Elementary School, 1906 Ash, saw Tuesday morning.

Jitterbug, a six-year-old Jersey dairy cow, was accompanied by Callie Toews, instructor of the mobile dairy classroom sponsored by Southwest Dairy Farmers.

The program is free, paid for by a checkoff program through Dairy Farmers of America marketing cooperative.

“We talk about where milk comes from, how a cow makes milk and how the milk gets to consumers,” Toews said.

“It’s simple and easy for the kids to understand,” said Elaine Rohleder, Lincoln principal. Toews is the daughter of Beth Unruh, western Kansas educational consultant for the Lexia reading program used by Hays USD 489.

Jitterbug is a 6-year-old Jersey dairy cow and produces 6-8 gallons of milk a day.

During her discussion with four classes of second and third-graders, Toews talked about milk’s nine vitamins and nutrients and the recommended three daily servings of dairy products. The students were quick to shout-out some of their favorite foods made from milk, including ice cream, and a not-so-favorite, cottage cheese.

A large television attached to the side of Jitterbug’s trailer showed pictures and videos illustrating the information Toews provided, including different types of dairy cattle and milking barns.

Toews gets ready to demonstrate the milking process with Jitterbug.

“Jitterbug produces six to eight gallons a day of milk,” she told the students who agreed among themselves they couldn’t drink that much milk in a day.

Dairy cows are milked twice a day. Each group of students got to see the process demonstrated by Jitterbug and Toews, who explained she was using a milking claw on the cow’s udder.

Even though Jitterbug has a light brown coat of hair, the students knew she doesn’t produce chocolate milk. “It’s going to be white,” they said with conviction.

Jitterbug and Toews are based in Newton and take their show on the road across Kansas and into parts of Nebraska and Missouri.

“At the end of her day in the mobile classroom, I give Jitterbug a treat. An Oreo cookie–she loves those,” Toews told the crowd.

Still no chocolate milk, though.