BELTON, Mo. (AP) — Authorities say human remains found in April in rural northwest Missouri are those of a 17-year-old girl who was last seen 10 years ago.
Belton police Lt. Brad Swanson said in a statement Wednesday that the FBI confirmed the remains were those of Kara Kopetsky. The Belton teen was last seen leaving Belton High School in May 2007.
Investigators found her skull in a wooded area south of Belton in April, a day after a mushroom hunter found a different set of remains.
A medical examiner identified the first set of remains as those of 21-year-old Jessica Runions, of Raymore, who disappeared in September 2016.
Runions was last seen at a gathering with 27-year-old Kylr Yust, who has been questioned in Kopetsky’s disappearance. He hasn’t been charged in either disappearance.
Officials with the Westar Energy, the National Weather Service and others will assess the damage Thursday as the cleanup continues. There were no injuries reported.
SEDGWICK COUNTY – Law enforcement authorities are investigating two suspects jailed after a high speed chase and crash.
Just after 7:00 a.m. Wednesday, police were dispatched to a man attempting to get into vehicles in the 800 block of Quail Street in Valley Center, according to a social media report.
Officers found a white truck leaving the area with a man matching the description of the suspect and a second man in the passenger seat.
Officers attempted to pull the vehicle over and a pursuit began south on Meridian and East on Ford to the interstate.
They exited the interstate at 61st street. The pursuit ended at 61st and Air Cap Drive where the suspects rammed a Valley Center patrol car.
Police quickly took the suspects into custody and booked them into the Sedgwick County Jail. There were no serious injuries.
Park City Police Department, Bel Aire Police Department, Kansas Highway Patrol and the Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Department assisted in the chase.
TOPEKA–Registration is now open for the 2017 Kansas Energy Conference, which will be held Sept. 26 and 27 in Wichita. The 2017 conference is co-sponsored by the Kansas Department of Commerce and the Clean Energy Business Council.
WHAT: The Kansas Energy Conference will highlight the latest developments in the state’s renewable energy sector, focusing on how technology will accelerate the move to a clean energy economy and the role that Kansas can play to lead this transition. The day-and-half conference will feature three general sessions and several breakout sessions focusing on public sustainability programs, wind, solar, green efficiency programs, renewable energy storage, and oil and gas.
A new optional offering this year is a Pre-Conference Wind Farm Tour, enabling conference attendees to experience wind energy production up-close. For a nominal fee, attendees will participate in an engaging tour of the Kingman Wind Energy Center.
Another bonus with this year’s conference is a post-conference Distributed Generation Workshop, ideal for those who are unable to attend the full conference. This workshop will kick-off the Clean Energy Business Council’s “Around the State” initiative, which will include a total of four community workshops aimed at increasing exposure about market opportunities in renewable energy within Kansas. The workshop is free to conference attendees and available to others for a nominal cost.
WHEN: The conference will be held September 26, 8:30 a.m. – 4:45 p.m., and September 27, 8:00 a.m. – noon. Exhibits will be open from 9:45 a.m. – 6 p.m. on September 26 and 8:00 a.m. – noon on September 27. A reception is planned from 4:45 p.m. – 6:00 p.m. on September 26. The Pre-Conference Wind Farm Tour will be held on Monday, September 25, from Noon – 4:00 p.m., while the Post-Conference Distributed Generation Workshop will be held Wednesday, September 27, from noon – 5:00 p.m.
WHERE: DoubleTree by Hilton Wichita Airport, 2098 S. Airport Road, Wichita, Kansas.
REGISTRATION INFO: A complete itinerary and online registration is available through the Kansas Energy Conference web page at KansasCommerce.gov/EnergyConference. Early bird registration is available for $75 per person through August 23. Regular registration is $100 and is available through September 6.
A block of rooms has been reserved at the DoubleTree by Hilton Wichita Airport for September 12 and 13. For more information about reserving a room, please visit KansasCommerce.gov/EnergyConference, or call (316) 945-5272 and reference the Kansas Energy Conference. The cut-off date to reserve a room is August 29.
KANSAS CITY – A federal grand jury returned an indictment today charging a Kansas City, Kan., man with producing child pornography, according to U.S. Attorney Tom Beall.
Ronny D. Peters, 39, Kansas City, Kan., is charged with two counts of producing child pornography. According to court records, the investigation began when Peters’ former employers called the FBI to report finding child pornography on a company cell phone Peters turned in after he was fired. The phone belonged to Pop-A-Lock, a locksmith company based in Lafayette, La. The company has franchise operations across the United States and Canada, including Kansas City.
The indictment alleges Peters sexually exploited a minor child to produce videos that investigators found on the phone.
If convicted, he faces not less than 15 years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000 on each count. Peters has previous convictions for drugs, aggravated battery domestic battery, theft and burglary.
TOPEKA – A longtime, popular Kansas zoo gorilla had an important medical evaluation Wednesday.
Tiffany, 49, who came to the Topeka Zoo originally in 1968 was evaluated at the Morrison Veterinary Hospital at the Topeka Zoo and Conservation Center, according to a media release.
During the procedure, a medical team evaluated all of Tiffany’s organ systems in an effort to determine why the gorilla is reluctant to eat.
Early afternoon Wednesday, Tiffany returned to her home at the zoo to recover fully from anesthesia. She continues to be closely monitored.
Last Friday, zoo staff reported that Tiffany wasn’t acting like herself. Staff thought that a storm the previous night might have upset her. Over the following days, she has lost more and more of her appetite. While she is still drinking fluids, she needs the nutrients of her balanced diet to be able to live a healthy life. “We are at the point where a diagnostic exam under anesthesia is indicated,” said Staff Veterinarian Dr. Shirley Llizo.
Tiffany is one of the oldest female gorillas in a global database which shows age distribution of gorillas from many zoos around the world. Because of her geriatric status, staff at the zoo is taking a number of precautions to make sure that Tiffany’s procedure goes as smoothly as possible.
Tiffany has made a great impact on millions of zoo visitors over the years. Longtime residents still remember well the stories about Max and Tiffany. Tiffany’s fondness of children has continued her status as a zoo favorite through the years. Tiffany came to the Topeka Zoo in 1968. She spent some time at the Buffalo Zoo in the eighties before moving back to Topeka.
Wednesday crash-image courtesy Overland Park Police
OVERLAND PARK, Kan. (AP) — Police say a fiery crash of a semi-trailer truck will close one direction of Interstate 435 near Kansas City through mid-morning Thursday.
Overland Park police say the crash occurred about 11:30 a.m. Wednesday when the truck went into a median and erupted in fire.
The driver suffered only minor injuries but the crash damaged a safety device used to reduce damage in a crash. Repairs to that device aren’t expected to be complete until about 10 a.m. Thursday.
The crash is the latest of several wrecks along the same stretch of highway, where a major repair project is under way.
Willie “Darryl” Wilson died last weekend of burns he suffered in a fiery, chain-reaction crash July 17 in the eastbound lanes near Wednesday’s crash.
WASHINGTON, D.C. – KidsAndCars.org and The Center for Auto Safety filed suit in federal court today to compel the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) to implement a law passed by Congress in 2012, and issue a standard requiring a rear seat safety belt warning system.
The law, Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act (MAP-21), required DOT to issue a final safety standard no later than October 2015, which would amend the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) to provide a safety belt reminder system for rear seats. No rule has yet been proposed, let alone issued in final form.
Nearly 1,000 unrestrained rear seat passengers were killed in 2015 alone. Children are particularly at risk. At least 343 children age 15 and under who were not using seat belts were killed in 2015, the last year for which data is available at NHTSA Traffic Safety Facts 2015 (DOT HS 812 384).
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) recognizes the value of seat belts, stating on its website that 13,941 lives were saved in 2015 by these safety devices. NHTSA has even created and distributed public service announcements stating that, “Parents need regular and salient reminders to consistently ensure seat belt compliance for themselves and their tween children” at DOT Traffic Safety Marketing website. Yet, when given the statutory directive to require that every new car has a “regular and salient reminder” (for example: an audible warning) about rear seat safety belts for passengers, NHTSA has failed to act.
“To have to bring a lawsuit in federal court to compel NHTSA to simply write a regulation required by law – one that is widely recognized as having significant lifesaving potential – is, to use a word, sad,” said Jason Levine, the new executive director of the Center for Auto Safety. “Instead of fulfilling its job as an expert safety agency on behalf of all consumers, NHTSA has spent five years hitting the snooze button. Hopefully, this action spurs a sense of urgency for something so noncontroversial.”
“The importance of seat belts in saving lives is indisputable. This is one area where the government, auto industry and safety groups completely agree. Everything possible should be done to ensure that all passengers are correctly restrained all the time, on every ride,” said Janette Fennell, KidsAndCars.org founder and president. “As the NHTSA safety campaign states, Never Give Up Until They Buckle Up, we too cannot give up until this law passed by Congress is implemented,” she added.
A recent report from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) confirmed the need for such a warning system. IIHS found up to 28 percent of adults surveyed admitted not wearing their seat belt in the rear seat all the time and of those, 4 out of 5 say that when they take short trips or travel by taxi or ride-hailing service, they frequently do not wear a seat belt. The same report noted that unrestrained passengers in the rear seat were almost 8 times as likely to sustain a serious injury in a crash as restrained rear seat occupants at IIHS Rear Seat Belt Survey.
The complaint for declaratory and injunctive relief was brought in U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia and is titled Kids and Cars, Inc., and the Center for Auto Safety vs. Chao and NHTSA.
The organizations are being represented in the case by the Washington, D.C. public interest firm, Meyer Glitzenstein & Eubanks.
TOPEKA —Kansas Insurance Department officials said Tuesday that initial rate revision information for the 2018 federal individual health insurance marketplace will be published on Sept. 1 following an announced delay on rate filings last week from the federal government.
The United States Department of Health and Human Services released guidance on Aug. 10 saying that the final rate submission date for all states has been pushed back to Sept. 6. Because of the current uncertainty of the federal guidelines for the marketplace, Ken Selzer, CPA, Kansas Commissioner of Insurance, said he requested the new Kansas publication date to keep the public from being confused.
“With all the uncertainty in Washington, D.C., regarding the cost share reduction reimbursement for insurance companies, we think it is best for the rates not to be published prematurely,” Commissioner Selzer said.
Commissioner Selzer did say that he expected the three companies that indicated their 2018 participation on the Kansas marketplace — Medica, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas, and Sunflower State Health Plan (a subsidiary of Centene Corp.) — will continue to offer plans for 2018.
Approximately five percent of Kansans purchase individual health insurance plans. In 2017, there were 98,780 Kansans who purchased plans on the federal exchange.
OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — Alex Gordon hit a go-ahead RBI single in the top of the ninth after Oakland tied it in the bottom of the eighth, and the Kansas City Royals beat the Athletics 7-6 on Wednesday.
Alcides Escobar doubled to start the ninth against Blake Treinen (1-1), matching his season high with three hits. Then Gordon delivered his second run-scoring single of the series finale.
Oakland’s Matt Chapman hit a tying two-run homer in the eighth against Brandon Maurer (1-1), who wound up the winner.
Lorenzo Cain hit a two-run homer in the fourth and Danny Duffy struck out eight over five innings but the Royals couldn’t hold a late lead again before holding on — a day after squandering a four-run advantage in a 10-8 defeat.
Cain added a key RBI single in the eighth for the Royals, who began the day tied with Minnesota six games behind AL Central-leading Cleveland.
HAYS, Kan. – The Fort Hays State baseball team and head coach Steve Johnson have announced the signing of 12 individuals for the 2018 season. Included in this signing class are four true freshman and eight transfers.
“We’re very excited about this group of players,” said Johnson. “Many talented athletes in this group have shown they can perform at a high level. We’re looking forward to getting them on campus and see what they can do in the fall.”
Alfonso Barragan | C • Yuma, Ariz. • Mesa CC
Alfonso Barragan joins the Tigers after playing two seasons at Mesa Community College. Barragan appeared in 48 games in his career, batting .311 with 11 runs and nine RBI as a freshman before collecting a .230 batting average with three extra-base hits as a sophomore. He earned Arizona All-Academic Honorable Mention accolades after his senior season at Gila Ridge High School.
Bryce Baumwart | INF • Emporia, Kan. • Barton CC
Bryce Baumwart transfers to FHSU after one season at Barton Community College. Baumwart recorded a .263 batting average in 38 at bats, scoring 11 runs and driving in eight RBI. He played his freshman season for Brown Mackie College in Salina, Kan., collecting a .254 batting average while leading the team with 19 RBI. He was a three year starter at Emporia High School.
John Egan | RHP • Wichita, Kan. • Collegiate HS
John Egan comes in as a true freshman after a strong career at Collegiate High School in Wichita, Kan. Egan earned second team 4A-II All-State honors as an outfielder after his senior season. He also earned first team all-league accolades. Egan also spent some time on the mound, striking out 20 batters over 24 innings of work.
Kade Franks | INF • Jefferson City, Mo. • Jefferson City HS
Kade Franks joins the Tigers after graduating from Jefferson City (Mo.) High School. Franks earned honorable mention Class 5A All-State accolades as a senior after being named a second team All-State performer as a junior. He helped the Jays win the 2017 Class 5A state championship.
Ryan Grasser | INF • Aurora, Colo. • Western Nebraska CC
Ryan Grasser played two seasons at Western Nebraska Community College before transferring to Fort Hays State. Grasser played in 101 games in his career with the Cougars, batting .308 with 13 doubles, six home runs, 35 runs and 30 RBI as a sophomore after hitting .346 with 11 doubles, two home runs, 37 runs and 21 RBI as a freshman. He was named on the first team JUCO All-Nebraska team as a sophomore, also earning academic all-region honors. Grasser graduated from Cherokee Trail High School.
Addison Kaasch | INF • Parker, Colo. • Seward County CC
Addison Kaasch transfers to Fort Hays State after spending the last year at Seward County Community College. Kaasch played in 54 games for the Saints, leading the way offensively with 65 hits, 39 runs, 35 RBI, 10 doubles, six home runs while ranking second with a .323 batting average. He started his collegiate career at South Mountain Community College in Phoenix, Ariz. Kaasch saw limited playing time at SMCC, appearing in 13 games and collecting three hits in 16 at bats. He graduated from Chaparral High School, where he earned second team all-league honors and helped the Wolverines to a state quarterfinal appearance as a senior.
Roger Kruse | RHP • Brentwood, Calif. • San Mateo JC
Roger Kruse comes to FHSU as a junior transfer from San Mateo Junior College. Kruse helped the Bulldogs win the 2017 Coast Conference Championship, throwing 30 innings over 11 appearances and accumulating a 4.20 ERA with 16 strikeouts and a 3-0 record as a sophomore. He also made 15 appearances as a freshman in 2016, going 1-1 with one save while striking out 23 batters in 21.2 innings of work. Kruse earned first team all-league honors as a senior at Heritage High School.
Taylan Mullins | OF • Amarillo, Texas • Randall HS
Taylan Mullins joins the Tigers after graduating from Randall High School in Amarillo, Texas. Mullins was named District 3-5A Newcomer of the Year as a junior before earning first team all-district honors as a senior.
Cody Rottinghaus | RHP • Seneca, Kan. • Highland CC
Cody Rottinghaus is a junior transfer from Highland Community College. He made 11 appearances as a sophomore, starting eight games and earning a 3-5 record with two complete games. Rottinghaus tossed 46.2 innings in 2017, striking out 43 batters. He struck out 34 batters in 34.1 innings as a freshman in 2016, making 12 appearances and eight starts. The righty earned all-league honors as a senior at Nemaha Central High School.
Tanner Smith | RHP • Washington, Ill. • Illinois Central
Tanner Smith joins the Tigers after playing two seasons at Illinois Central College. Smith made 12 appearances as a sophomore, making eight starts and posting a 2-4 record. He recorded 49 innings of work, striking out 44 batters while accumulating a 5.88 ERA. The righty pitched in 11 games as a freshman in 2016, making seven starts and going 4-1 with one save. He completed 24 innings of work, totaling 27 strikeouts and a 3.38 ERA. He graduated from Washington Community High School.
Dawson Sramek | C • Wichita, Kan. • Maize HS
Dawson Sramek heads to Hays after graduating from Maize High School in Wichita, Kan. Sramek earned honorable mention All-State honors as a senior after being named first team all-league. He helped the Eagles win the Kansas 5A state championship in 2017 after reaching the state semifinals in 2016.
Jordan Wilkerson | OF • Woodbury, Minn. • Saint Mary (Kan.)
Jordan Wilkerson transfers to Fort Hays State after playing one season at the University of Saint Mary in Leavenworth, Kan. Wilkerson earned second team All-KCAC honors after leading the Spires in batting average (.364), runs (29), RBI (28), hits (51), doubles (11), triples (seven) and home runs (seven). He began his collegiate career at Dakota County Technical College, batting .277 with four home runs, 26 runs, 22 RBI, six doubles and four home runs in 36 games as a freshman. Wilkerson graduated from Woodbury High School, earning two varsity letters for the Royals.
Great Bend City Administrator Howard Partington at a July 17 city council meeting. (Photo by Great Bend Post)
GREAT BEND–Great Bend City Administrator Howard Partington issued the following news release late this afternoon:
Effective 5 p.m. today, August 16, I am announcing my retirement from my position as city administrator of the City of Great Bend.
I have dedicated the past nearly 36 years to serving this community and looked forward to retirement early next year; however, the recent actions of a loud and malicious minority including bullying, relentless harassment, threats, and untrue comments made about me have caused great pain to my family. This group has chosen to turn a policy dispute into a very personal attack on me and other officials. These malicious attacks have taken a devastating toll on my health, my wife’s health and the health of my daughter. Therefore, I find it necessary to take this action today.
I am 67 years old, a United States Army veteran and a cancer survivor. Even though these harassing attacks have been the most difficult challenge I have faced in my life, I am still proud to have the support of the majority of the people in this community, and proud of the many projects I have been a part of with this city over the past years. Projects like the flood control project, helping retain major businesses such as CPI and Fuller Brush, major improvements to our water, sewer, and street infrastructure, and more recently the development of the Wetlands Water Park and the Great Bend Sports Complex. We are also in the process of developing numerous current and future projects. I am proud of the City’s solid financial position as I leave and of the carefully managed city portion of property taxes which favor the taxpayers of this community.
But the greatest joy I have truly experienced here has been the people I have been privileged to work with, the outstanding employees, the dedicated department heads, the supportive governing body members and the great people of Great Bend…you have made my years here fulfilling. Thank you Great Bend for letting me serve you as your city administrator for so many years. We have found and will always appreciate the many friends we have in this community which has been our home for so long. My family and I will always care for this wonderful community and wish the very best for it.
Dr. Jennifer Bonds-Raacke, dean of FHSU Graduate School
FHSU University Relations and Marketing
Dr. Jennifer Bonds-Raacke, professor of psychology and new dean of the Graduate School at Fort Hays State University, was named today by interim President Andy Tompkins as the President’s Distinguished Scholar for 2017. The announcement came at FHSU’s fall Convocation, the official start of the new academic year.
As the President’s Distinguished Scholar, Bonds-Raacke will receive a medallion and a $1,500 cash award. She was selected by an evaluation committee of previous presidential scholars. Bonds-Raacke will give a scholarly presentation later in the fall semester.
President Tompkins State of the University address was titled “Fort Hays State University: Making a Difference for a Lifetime.”
He began with the accomplishments of the summer. Highlights were a 2-percent enrollment increase and the completion of several large construction projects, notably two residence halls and the Center for Applied Technology.
For the coming school year, he covered the list of dedications scheduled for some of the completed construction projects: the Robbins Banking Institute, the new FHSU track and field facility, Victor E. Village, Tiger Village and the CATS building. Included on the fall schedule is the demolition of Davis Hall and Wiest Hall.
Plans for the future include such things as a new university marketing plan, a website redesign, an update of IT security, and final development of a strategic plan.
He also noted the university would be studying a “strategic growth” model and shared enrollment information since 2010.
Out of the three areas of FHSU’s enrollment, on campus, virtual and international, he said, “You can see what’s been happening. Our real growth right now has been online. Everything else has generally been flat or down a little bit.”
For the fall semester, he said, the university is working hard to try to make to the enrollment level of last fall.
“I think we’re going to see some nice growth in the following year,” he said, “but this year I’m just trying to make sure you all know our growth is soft right now and we’re working real hard to see if we can at least get back to where we were last year.”
And he also covered another topic of intense campus interest: the search for a new president. He said the search committee may start the screening process in September.
“Hopefully they will have recommendations to the Board of Regents in October and maybe we will know something by the end of October or first of November.”
In closing, he referenced the title of his presentation, “Making a Difference for a Lifetime.” This, he said is what he has heard during his months as president from all the people he has met – alumni, donors, legislators, community members and others.
“What these people tell me over and over and over again is that you’ve made a difference in their lives for years.”
“A reputation like this is not reflective of a single event for a few students, but a way of educating people that makes a difference in their lives for a lifetime,” he continued. “It’s also reflective of the impact that all of the adults on campus have on the students’ success: How you greet them when they get their sandwich, how we say ‘hi’ to them when they come in the dorm.”
So he closed with two challenges. The first was “to continue using our heads and our hearts in educating and supporting our students.” The second challenge was “for each of us to find joy and happiness in what we do each day and in our relationships with each other and with our students.”
“This will be easy some days and hard some days,” he said. “It will require that you take the high road when you find it more emotionally satisfying to take the low road. This will also mean that we recognize our duty to see more potential in others than they may be able to see in themselves, and then to encourage them.”
Other top awards were also presented today:
• Faculty Member of the Year
• Edmund Shearer Advisor of the Year
• John Heinrichs Outstanding Research Mentor
• Virtual College Adjuncts of the Year
• Internationalization of the Campus or Curriculum
• Department Closing the Loop
• Distinguished Service – Unclassified Professional Staff
• Distinguished Service – University Support Staff
• Griffin Family Outstanding Service
The Faculty Member of the Year was selected from the past year’s recipients of faculty awards for teaching, research and scholarly activity, and service.
Dr. Jeff Briggs, FHSU provost and vice president for academic affairs, presented the award to Dr. Helen Miles, assistant professor of health and human performance. The Faculty Member of the Year is selected from among the previous year’s winners of the Outstanding Teaching Award. The $1,000 stipend is provided by Commerce Bank, Hays.
Briggs also introduced the other faculty award winners from the fall 2016 and spring 2017 semesters:
Dr. Trey Hill, assistant professor of psychology, and Dr. Bill Stark, professor of biological sciences, were the research and scholarly activity winners.
Dr. David Fitzhugh, associate professor of health and human performance, and Dr. Kate McGonigal, associate professor of sociology, were the winners of the Outstanding Service Awards.
Dr. Eric Gillock, professor of biological sciences, and Miles were the Outstanding Teaching Award winners from 2016-17.
Dr. Brooke Moore, assistant professor of advanced education programs, was named the Edmund Shearer Advisor of the Year. The award carries a stipend of $500, sponsored by Commerce Bank, and a nomination for the National Academic Advising Association Award.
The two other nominees, Kevin Shaffer, associate professor of informatics, and Dr. Keith Bremer, assistant professor of geosciences, will receive $150 stipends, also sponsored by Commerce Bank.
Dr. Hendratta Ali, associate professor of geosciences, was named as the John Heinrichs Outstanding Research Mentor. The award recognizes a faculty member for commitment, time and energy devoted to fostering research by undergraduate students. The award comes with a commitment of $500 of budget funding for the winner’s academic department to benefit the recipient’s work.
Five adjunct instructors and professors, one from each of the five academic colleges at FHSU, were recognized for providing outstanding online learning. Each of the winners was presented with a $500 award:
• John Ross, from the College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences.
• Thomas Zerfas, from the W.R. and Yvonne Robbins College of Business and Entrepreneurship.
• Arlea Carmack, from the College of Education.
• Rekala Tuxhorn, from the College of Health and Behavioral Sciences.
• Jill Goertzen, from the Peter Werth College of Science, Technology and Mathematics.
Two people received this year’s Internationalization of the Campus and Curriculum Award, given to any full-time faculty, unclassified or university support staff member who contributes to internationalization at work or off work and whose support of internationalization is visible in the campus and community.
Recipients Kathleen Ward, associate professor of nursing, and Dr. Brett Whitaker, assistant professor of leadership studies, will share the $500 monetary award from the provost.
Ward was honored for leading a group of nursing students on a medical mission to the Dominican Republic. Whitaker was recognized for consistent revisions to the organizational leadership curriculum at partner institutions in China.
The Closing the Loop Award was created in 2015 to recognize the academic department deemed to have improved degree programs the most. Briggs presented the award for 2017 to the Department of Psychology, in the College of Health and Behavioral Sciences, which will receive an additional $2,000 to be shared with department members responsible for the work. The additional funds can be used for valid professional development expenses such as travel and event expenses, equipment, and book purchases.
Two Distinguished Service awards are presented at Convocation, one to an unclassified professional staff member and another to a university support staff member. Both receive $500 cash awards with the honor.
This year’s unclassified professional staff recipient is Rachel Depenbusch, accounting associate director in the university’s Business Office.
The award for university support staff went to Tawnya Rohr, administrative specialist for the dean of the College of Health and Behavioral Sciences.
The Griffin Family Outstanding Service Awards recognize four staff members who support the daily campus operations and food service operations at the university. Two are regular employees and two are student employees. Each of the regular employees receives a stipend of $500 and each student awardee receives $250.
This year’s recipients:
• Josie Feldt, custodian for Tomanek Hall, selected for the Operations-Regular Staff Award.
• Pam Driskell, Food Service-Regular Staff Award.
• Andrew Luna, Rexford senior, won a student award for his work in the Cunningham Hall Complex and Gross Memorial Coliseum.
• Matt Wagner won the student award for his work for Chartwells food service.
