By JONATHAN ZWEYGARDT
Hays Post

Wichita businessman and Republican candidate for Governor Wink Hartman stopped in Hays Thursday as part of a 12-stop campaign kickoff event.

Hartman, who is known for his business ventures that include oil and gas exploration and production, banking, entertainment, and restaurants, said he is “the outsider” in the race to replace Governor Sam Brownback in 2018.

“I am a businessman, and obviously I am not career politician,” Hartman said, “The only thing I have ever done, for many decades, has been the CEO and run many companies.”

Hartman touted his ability to create jobs while at American Shooters Thursday, saying he has, “created thousands of jobs over the years in Kansas.”

“I have a pretty good idea on how to go about it and what it means to achieve actually creating a job,” Hartman said, “Unfortunately politicians talk it and they can’t do it.”

Hartman said the tax policy championed by Governor Sam Brownback and conservatives in the Kansas Legislature was a “good policy” but the “implementation was terrible.”

“In any business, just like the gun shop we’re in here,” Hartman said, “Any business that knows they’re going to have less revenue coming in, they immediately better start to figure out how to spend less money.”

He said the Legislature continued spending money the state did not have and failed to find areas where the government could become more efficient.

“If you’re going to spend money, wasteful spending, and you’re going to increase spending on top of the wasteful spending, you’re doomed to failure, and that’s exactly what happened in Kansas,” Hartman said.

Hartman gave the example of about $17 million worth of computer equipment that was bought by the administration that is now stored in the basement of the Docking Building. The equipment was never used. The Topeka Capital Journal said the equipment was abandoned in favor of outsourcing.

He also suggested combining cell phone contracts and other services, similar to the way his business does and then request a bid from companies to get a better price.

By paying bills on time, according to Hartman, the state could save between $30 million and $50 million. Those savings have been presented in different studies on government inefficiencies.

Hartman estimated it would take two years to eliminate inefficiencies if he were elected governor, but he said the governor needs to lead.

“The governor is responsible to run the state, so you have to be the leader, be inclusive and you bring the legislators in” Hartman said. “You have to look them in the eye and explain the vision you have for the state.”

Hartman said, “Some are going to buy in, some aren’t going to buy in, but at least we have a common ground to know where I’m going.”

He was also critical of the $293 million approved by the Legislature during this past session for school funding.

Much of that money he believes, will be absorbed by school administrators and spent on construction projects that are not needed.

“The money needs to be put in the classroom, and history tells from past it is not in the classroom, but it gets filtered into many other areas that does nothing for my children or grandchildren,” Hartman said.

Hartman said that teachers need to be held accountable, and the teachers who are outstanding need to be better compensated. A view he says the Kansas teacher’s union – The Kansas National Education Association – does not share.

He also said he supports vocational-technical schools. He pointed to the need for welders across the state and said Salina is looking to fill 1,000 jobs and a company in Concordia is in need over 40 welders.

Hartman during his tour across Kansas also stopped in Colby, Pratt, Garden City and Parsons.

KDWPT

PRATT – It’s summer in Kansas, and that means daytime temperatures in the 90s and lake temperatures in the 80s. During the day, fishing can be tough. However, when the sun goes down, it’s a different story, and for anglers who love to catch hard-fighting and abundant white bass, there’s a secret weapon: the night light.

Young of the year gizzard shad are big enough to attract hungry white bass by early or mid-July. On calm days, you may see white bass chasing shad on the surface, and if you can get within casting distance, fishing can be good but usually short-lived before the school of whites goes back to deeper water. And you’ll have to deal with hot weather and heavy boat and personal watercraft traffic.

It’s a different story at night. The temperature cools, the wind dies, and recreational boaters crowd the ramps quitting for the day. Night anglers go against the grain and have the lakes to themselves. The first order is to locate fish, using sonar to search river channel breaks, mid-lake humps or other structure in 15-25 feet of water. When schools of gizzard shad are seen suspended over structure, it’s time to set the anchor.

Once the anchor takes hold, it’s time for the light. Most anglers use a submersible halogen light, which is set just below the boat hull and emits a bright halo. It’s almost mesmerizing to watch the light as shad begin showing up and circling. If all goes right, the disoriented shad will attract white bass, which hang just below and pick off stragglers.

That’s when anglers pick off the white bass, fishing jigs vertically. Watch the sonar to determine how deep the white bass are holding and try to adjust your jig to just above them. Some nights, the fishing can be as hot as the daytime temperatures.

A quick look at the 2017 Fishing Forecast, www.ksoutdoors.com, shows Melvern, Clinton, Cedar Bluff, Cheney and Glen Elder to the be the Top Five reservoirs for white bass, both for numbers and quality sized fish. Night fishing for whites under the lights is a great way to enjoy the coolest part of the summer and catch lots of fish.

By DIANE GASPER-O’BRIEN
FHSU University Relations and Marketing

As an all-state high school drummer back in the mid 1980s, Dee Moore had her choice of several large colleges at which to continue her post-secondary education.

But there really was no choice. Moore knew from midway through high school that she would be attending Fort Hays State University.

A major factor for that decision stemmed from a positive experience each year at a summer band camp on campus.

The week-long July event, started in the late 1940s as a band camp, has since evolved into the High Plains Music Camp as orchestra and vocal were added to the agenda.

About 230 students are on campus this week participating in the 70th annual High Plains Music Camp.

Despite battling some health issues, Moore — a 1988 graduate of FHSU — continues to return to her alma mater each year to help with the camp.

“I thought, ‘By golly, this isn’t stopping me,’ ” said Moore, who requires the use of oxygen 24-7 and carries a portable oxygen tank. “I love this camp. This is my favorite thing to do.”

Moore has worn numerous hats throughout her 38 years at the camp, from participating as a student the summer before her sophomore year at Hutchinson High School to working as a counselor as an FHSU student, then working as an instructor for several years before taking over her current administrative duties.

Moore, a longtime music and English teacher at Pretty Prairie High School, also brought all three of her children to participate in the camp.

A full schedule for the campers includes classes and rehearsals and concerts all throughout the week while living on campus.

“It is so rewarding to see youngsters growing into wonderful young adults and great musicians,” Moore said. “It’s a transformation, and I basically get to watch them grow up.”

Like Moore, several campers decide each year to come to college at Fort Hays State after their experience at the music camp. Even though others choose other universities, they still have fond memories of FHSU, and the High Plains Music Camp.

One of those is Jacob Hemenway. One of several students who are in their sixth year of attending the camp, Hemenway will pursue his education at another university but has nothing but good things to say about FHSU’s music camp.

“I’ve made tons of friends at the camp, and I’ve invited a lot of people to come here,” said Hemenway, a spring graduate of McPherson High School who plays the French horn. “It’s such a great camp that I want to share it with other people.”

“Everyone here has the same mindset,” he continued. “Come for a week to have fun and make music together. It’s a great mile marker for my growth as a musician.”

Moore said the quality of camp faculty makes “this the best camp in the Midwest of the United States. It’s a diamond in the middle of the country.”

And students are the beneficiaries.

“They get to play and learn under some master musicians,” Moore said. “Besides the great staff at Fort Hays State, we bring them in from California, Georgia, New York, Ohio, all these different places. These kids get to work with them and then hear them in concerts in the evening.”

Hemenway said the faculty concerts are “impressive.”

“Some of these people are high school teachers,” he said. “This is a whole different thing seeing them play in concerts. They get up on stage, and they can do what they talk about in class.”

In a few weeks, Hemenway will begin his college education to pursue a career in music education.

“I always knew I wanted to study something related to music,” he said. “But I’ve been inspired by a lot of people who come to this camp and help out around here, and now I know I really want to teach music.”

Moore said she thinks the camp has been a continued success because of the staff’s ability to change with the times.

“We’ve done a lot of fine tuning over the years, adapted with the students because the kids have changed,” she said. “We’re constantly looking at their needs. Yet we still keep the quality, and that’s what is amazing about this camp.”

“I want to help keep that alive,” Moore said. “I can’t wait until it’s the 100th year.”