TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — A spokeswoman says former Republican presidential candidate and U.S. Senate Majority Leader Bob Dole is hospitalized for low blood pressure.
Dole spokeswoman Marion Watkins said in an email Friday that the 94-year-old former Kansas senator has been hospitalized since Sept. 13 at the Walter Reed Military Medical Center outside Washington, D.C.
She says he was admitted after a routine checkup. She say his low blood pressure is being treated with medication.
Thank you all for your prayers and well wishes. I hope to be home sipping a cosmo in a few days. https://t.co/V9ezzlPbE8
Dole’s wife, former North Carolina Sen. Elizabeth Dole, tweeted a request for prayers. He then tweeted that he hopes to be home in a few days, “sipping a cosmo.”
Dole was a U.S. senator for 35 years before leaving in 1996 for his campaign against President Bill Clinton. Congress recently voted to award him a Congressional Gold Medal.
Housing costs in Hays, and the percentage of income Hays residents pay for housing, are the highest in western Kansas.
Those are among the findings of a housing needs study conducted in June by the Fort Hays State University Docking Institute of Public Affairs for the city of Hays.
The study was commissioned by the city following a request in February by the Overland Property Group to build a multi-family housing project on East 5th Street. Their development model includes the use of tax credits and a Rural Housing Incentive District (RHID). In order to create an RHID a housing assessment must be completed.
Asst. Hays City Manager Jacob Wood
Assistant City Manager Jacob Wood presented the study highlights during Thursday night’s city commission work session.
The Docking Institute relied heavily on the methodology outlined in the Kansas Rural Housing Incentive District Act. The study analyzed Hays’ current and future supply of and demand for housing, any inadequacies in the supply of housing that may exist, and the importance of quality housing for the economic growth of the city.
An overview of the results include:
• Hays has a high proportion (43%) of older housing units built prior to 1970.
• A low proportion (0.1%) of housing units one year old or less exist, suggesting that relatively few new housing units are being built.
• Hays has high housing costs relative to the comparison communities in western Kansas, especially for lower-income households.
• U.S. Census population trends project continued population growth in Ellis County through 2060, while all eight (8) of its contiguous counties will experience declines in population, suggesting heavy migration into Hays and a high demand for additional housing.
• Even a moderate annual population growth rate of 0.25% would require more housing than what is currently being constructed.
• Housing costs in Hays, and the percentage of income Hays residents pay for housing, is the highest in western Kansas.
Most of the data is from the 2015 U.S. Census Bureau, which was a concern to the three commissioners at the work session. Vice-Mayor James Meier and Commissioner Lance Jones were absent.
Other information for the study came from state and federal agencies and public records from the city of Hays. Comparisons cities were Dodge City, Garden City, Great Bend, and Liberal in western Kansas and the university towns of Emporia, Pittsburg and Kearney, Nebraska.
“Our vacancy rate in 2015 of owner-occupied housing, 2.9%, and rental units, 5.3%, is low,” Wood told commissioners.
Mayor Shaun Musil and Commissioner Henry Schwaller, who owns rental property in Hays, immediately took issue with that finding.
“This summer there were a lot of vacancies,” Musil interjected. “There are right now,” Schwaller added, “more than 150 vacant rentals. This study is a snapshot in time and unfortunately, we’ve lost a lot of weight since 2015, so the snapshot is not accurate.”
Commissioner Sandy Jacobs pointed out the study was tied to the RHID Act specifically for the Overland group. “They needed that if they got their tax credits from the state,” she said.
Following Wood’s review, Schwaller presented findings of his own research from public records and from Wichita State University’s Center for Real Estate.
He first pointed out the price of oil, a major industry in Ellis County, dropped from $100 a barrel in 2015 to less than $40 a barrel, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. “The housing market in Hays slowed down dramatically after 2015,” Schwaller said.
Schwaller, a business professor at Fort Hays State University, also noted FHSU has built new student housing, with a net gain of 102 units since 2015.
Information from WSU (Click to enlarge)
As of Sept. 21, there were also 149 single family homes for sale in Hays. The WSU data indicates the average price of a house in Hays is $180,418, higher than the average in Garden City ($163,559), Salina ($145,379), Dodge City ($129,305) and Great Bend ($105,911).
“I think we need to spend a lot more time looking at this,” said Jacob. “I think the study is good for what it was; it did what it was supposed to do. But it didn’t really give me anything as a commissioner for what we need to do in our community for what’s happened since 2015.
“I think increasing the size of the Neighborhood Revitalization District (NRD) was brilliant, a great way to incentivize some changes in those properties,” she added as Schwaller and Musil nodded in agreement. “But I’m not sure what else we can do from an incentive standpoint for stuff like this. I’m listening, but I don’t know what it is today. I’m not criticizing the document. I think it needs to be expanded and other areas need to be looked at with current data as best as we can gather it.”
“I think for us to do anything more than the NRD is crazy,” Musil said, “It’s working. We need to give it time. Look around town now. A lot of new apartments are being built. I talked to a young lady who is going to school here and lives in the new apartments on 11th Street. She said they’re affordable and she really enjoyed it.”
The commission talked about the need for affordable housing based on the expectation of two retail businesses seriously considering opening in Hays. “Those are jobs that pay $10 or $11 an hour. It’s hard to live in these decent apartments on that wage,” Musil added.
Schwaller is also eager to expand on the housing study.
“Two weeks ago, the vice-mayor and I talked about primary employment. If we do want to get a firm that requires high-skill, high-wage labor, we would actually have a problem,” he said. “We do not have enough houses. In fact, there’s a lot of expensive houses just sitting there.
“I think working with the Hays realtors, who have an amazing data base, and Wichita State, I think we’re going to learn a lot more, with real numbers, about what’s going on with housing in Hays,” Schwaller concluded.
A link to the housing study by the Docking Institute is available on the city of Hays website.
Fort Hays State Football, ranked No. 18 in the latest AFCA Division II Poll, hosts Northeastern State on Saturday, September 23, at Lewis Field Stadium in Hays. Game time is set for 2 pm. The Tigers enter at 3-0, tied with No. 1 ranked Northwest Missouri State for the MIAA lead, while Northeastern State comes in at 0-3.
The Tigers are looking for their first 4-0 start in the program’s NCAA Division II history, something FHSU has not accomplished since 1983. The Tigers will be looking for their fourth consecutive win over Northeastern State. FHSU has won every meeting between the teams since NSU joined the MIAA. The Tigers hold a slight 3-2 edge in the all-time series.
The Tigers are coming off a thrilling 31-24 win at Central Oklahoma last week. Monterio Burchfield’s 64-yard touchdown reception with 42 seconds remaining in the game lifted the Tigers to victory. He earned MIAA Offensive Athlete of the Week for his 8-catch, 217-yard receiving performance against the Bronchos. It ranked fourth on the all-time single-game receiving yards performance list at FHSU, just 23 yards shy of the record. Burchfield helped propel Jacob Mezera over the 400-yard passing mark for the game. Mezera finished 27-of-37 for 401 yards. Mezera is completing 68 percent of his passes so far this year, averaging 291 passing yards per game.
The Tigers moved up three spots in the AFCA national rankings for their win at Central Oklahoma. In the supplemental D2Football.com Poll, the Tigers are rated No. 16 in the nation. Fort Hays State’s rank in both polls are new highs for the program.
Kenneth Iheme is leading the Tigers in all-purpose yards, averaging 109.7 per game. He is the leading rusher on the team with 208 yards. Layne Bieberle also averages more than 100 all-purpose yards per game at 101.
On the defensive side of the ball, Connor Shedeed leads the Tigers in tackles with 24, followed by Tanner Hoekman with 20. Wyatt Parker is the team sack leader at 1.5, while in the secondary, Kamon Clayton leads the team in pass break-ups with four.
Many of the shelves at the Community Assistance Center food pantry are bare.
The center has increased the number of times families can seek food assistance at the pantry from four per year to six. This, coupled with a natural uptick in use during the summertime when children are not in school, has drained the center’s resources.
The center is hoping to get by until the annual Trick or Treat So Others Can Eat food drive, which is set for Tuesday, Oct. 10.
The call went out earlier this week about the pantry’s low supplies and several monetary and food donations have come in. The money that was donated was used to purchase what Laurie Mortinger, center director, said she hopes will be enough food to get the food pantry through until the food drive.
The pantry will accept food donations any time the center is open, which is 7:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Mondays through Fridays. Checks can be mailed to the Community Assistance Center, 12th and Oak streets, Hays, KS 67601.
The center is in most need of canned and boxed goods, with the exception of green beans and corn. This could include canned fruits, soups, stew mixes, baking mixes or beans.
The Community Assistance Center is not supported through any federal or city funds. There are two paid employees and the rest are volunteers. The center relies solely on donations from the public and its regular community garage sales.
“Hays has been very generous,” Mortinger said. “We are thankful. You don’t have to give a lot. It all adds up.”
HHS DECA
The annual Trick or Treat So Others Can Eat canned food drive is set for Tuesday, Oct. 10, in Hays. Volunteers will be going door to door collecting non-perishable food items from 6 to 9 p.m.
To assure residents that the items collected are for the Community Assistance Center, all volunteers will be wearing an identification badge with “Trick or Treat So Others Can Eat” clearly printed on them. Please leave items on the porch if you will not be home or do not want someone ringing the doorbell. Youth and adult volunteers from Hays give of their time to make this food drive a success.
Any house missed or those living in a rural area may take food items to the Community Assistance Center in Hays at 12th and Oak until noon Oct. 31.
This event is organized by the Hays High School DECA Club. Contact adviser Shaina Prough at Hays High School, 785-623-2600, if you need further information.
Another hot and windy day resulted in record-setting temperature Thursday in Hays.
According to the K-State Ag Research Center, the mercury topped out at 100 degrees Thursday, beating a Sept. 21 record that had stood for more than seven decades. In 1945, the previous record of 99 was set.
The heat is expected to persist Friday, with a high in the mid-90s expected. A slight cooldown is expected Saturday, with highs in the upper 80s. On Sunday, the high temperature is expected to remain in the 70s.
For a look at the complete extended forecast, click HERE.
RILEY COUNTY — A teen reported missing this week has been found safe, according to Riley County Police.
Cal0b Haymond, 15, Ogden reportedly went missing from Salina on September 17 at approximately 4:30 p.m.
According to police, his family took him to Salina on Friday, September 15, and dropped off at a friend’s house to spend the weekend.
UPDATE: Calob has been located and is safe. Thank you for your help finding this teen! pic.twitter.com/12aL0LX0dh
Calob and his friend were reportedly out walking when his friend’s parents came and picked up Calob’s friend and left Calob. His last known location was in the area of Walmart in south Salina.
Police did not release details on where he was located.
According to the fourth USD 489 mailer promoting the school board’s $154 million tax increase, the economic impact to the Hays community generated by the proposed building projects is estimated at $189 million. From a common sense perspective, it’s hard to imagine how increasing taxes by $154 million can generate $189 million of positive economic impact, particularly since no new jobs are going to be created and local property owners will have $154 million less to spend in the local economy.
In fact, research demonstrates that the economic impact will actually be negative on the Hays community — to the tune of $462 million.
In Hoisington Management Quarterly Review Outlook, 3Q 2016 and 2Q 2009 written by Dr. Lacy Hunt and Van Hoisington which appeared in John Mauldin’s “Outside the Box” newsletter dated October 26, 2016, and July 13, 2009, respectively, Hunt and Hoisington wrote the following about government spending and tax multipliers:
“Textbooks have historically hypothesized that government expenditures lift economic growth by some multiple of every dollar spent through a positive government expenditure multiplier. … Impressive scholarly research has demonstrated that the government spending multiplier is in fact negative, meaning that a dollar of deficit spending slows economic output. The fundamental rationale is that the government has to withdraw funds, via taxes or borrowing, from the private sector, to spend their dollars. When that happens, the more productive private sector of the economy has fewer funds to use to make productive investments. Thus the economy slows along with productivity when government spending increases.
“Multipliers take into consideration the second, third, fourth, etc. round effects from an initial change. Thus, multipliers capture the unintended consequences of policy actions. Although the initial spending objectives may be well intended, the ultimate outcome becomes convoluted. Over the past several years, multipliers have been intensively examined by leading economic scholars.”
Dr. Robert Barro of Harvard University and Dr. Robert Perotti of Universitá Bocconi and the Center for Capital Economic Policy Research calculate that “each $1 increase in government spending reduces private spending by about $1, with no net benefit to GDP. All that is left is a higher level of government debt creating slower economic growth.”
“The most extensive research on tax multipliers is found in a paper written at the University of California Berkeley entitled The Macroeconomic Effects of Tax Changes: Estimates Based on a new Measure of Fiscal Shocks, by Dr. Christina D. Romer, former chair of the president’s Council of Economic Advisors, and Dr. David H. Romer (March 2007). This study found that the tax multiplier is 3, meaning that each dollar rise in taxes will reduce private spending by $3.”
When the voters go to the polls on Tuesday, Nov. 7, they should be able to make their decision on the school bond based on accurate information. USD 489 has failed the voter.
Eighty years of Fort Hays State University football history is now digital in the Archives Online of Forsyth Library’s Scholars Repository. The new materials went online in September.
The earliest is the program for the season-ending banquet celebrating the 1921 conference champion Fort Hays Normal School team. The program for the 1922 banquet was not for a conference champion (the champion that year was Baker), but among the information included in the program was a list of the champions from the first 11 years of the conference.
That list reveals that the Tigers were champions in 1917 and 1921, both times with perfect records.
Elizabeth Chance
“We wanted to get the football material out there in time for Homecoming, to make it available for alumni and fans,” said Elizabeth Chance, Forsyth’s digital curation librarian.
“The University Archives house hundreds more items relating to Tiger athletics, and many more of those archives will be added to the digital collections to feature items from men’s and women’s basketball as well as other Tiger sports,” she said.
This is the second major collection of archival material from FHSU’s history to be added to the Archives Online, joining the complete Reveille collection, which went online this summer. The Archives Online is at scholars.fhsu.edu.
The Athletic Programs collection, originally digitized in 2014, is nearly 200 printed football programs, football schedules, rosters, awards banquet programs, statistical reports, and other memorabilia relating to Tiger Football from the years 1922-2002.
This collection was moved to take advantage of the improved user experience of the Scholars Repository. This new version of the collection features full-text search capabilities along with a book reader view for most items.
KANSAS CITY, Kan. (AP) — Prosecutors have dropped two first-degree murder charges against a Kansas man accused in a 2015 drive-by shooting.
The Kansas City Star reports that the charges against 25-year-old Christopher Lewis were dismissed Thursday. He was tried last year, but jurors deadlocked over whether to convict him of killing 23-year-old Deron Rucker and 24-year-old Antonio Rucker. Both victims were from Kansas City, Kansas.
A Wyandotte District Attorney’s Office spokesman says charges could be filed again if an ongoing investigation yields additional information that will support a conviction.
Leland Opliger passed away peacefully at his home in Fairview, Kansas on September 18, 2017 with his two daughters at his bedside after a long illness.
He was born in Glade, Kansas on June 12, 1939, the son of Harry and Delia Opliger. Leland grew up in Agra, Kansas where he graduated high school. He received several accolades in sports and other activities including being voted Class President his senior year. From 1958 to 1962 he attended Fort Hays State College where he graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree.
Following graduation Leland taught school for 10 years then made a career change, serving as an American Family Insurance agent in St. Marys, Kansas for 24 years. He later retired from the motel business in Hiawatha, Kansas.
He married Carla Stockman of Kirwin, Kansas and to this union two daughters were born: Kathy and Kay Lyn, and thence seven grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.
Leland had many hobbies, but the one most special to him was restoring old cars while living in St. Marys, Kansas.
Preceding him in death were his parents, brother, Mark, and a stillborn daughter, Karina Justine.
Survivors include his daughters, Kathy Bush (Rhonda Gillette) and Kay Lyn (Carl) Carlson; seven grandchildren: Jennifer (John) Frederiksen, Jessica (Randy) Kibbee, Austin (Alexis) Bush, Maya Gillette, Emily Carlson, Anna Carlson, and Ethan Carlson; five great-grandchildren; and two sisters, Pauline Opliger and Lila Bailey.
Funeral services will be conducted at 11:00 a.m. Saturday, September 23, 2017 in the Olliff-Boeve Memorial Chapel, 1115 2nd Street, Phillipsburg, KS 67661. Burial will follow in the Fairview Cemetery, Phillipsburg, KS.
Mr. Opliger will lie in state from noon until 9 p.m. Thursday, 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Friday with the family receiving friends for visitation prior to the funeral at 9:30 a.m. Saturday.
In lieu of flowers, the family of Leland would ask for memorial donations to the Saving Death Row Dogs, Topeka, KS, where his beloved dogs Trey & Snicker’s have found their forever home.
Wilfred Arthur Gallion, 84, of Grinnell, died Tuesday, September 19, 2017 at the Logan County Manor, in Oakley. He was born October 16, 1932, on a farm south of Grinnell, to Arthur and Leona (Gittinger) Gallion. Wilf attended school in Grinnell and graduated from Grinnell Rural High School in 1950. He married Mary Joan Johnson on November 26, 1953, at the home of her parents, Charles and Leona Johnson, of Gove, KS. He was a US Army veteran, serving from 1955-1957. Wilf worked for the Gove Road Department. He was a Boy Scout Leader and a member of the Masonic Lodge.
He was preceded in death by his parents.
He is survived by his wife, Joan, of the home; sons, Mike Gallion and Stan Gallion, both of Tucson, AZ; daughters, Janet Gallion, Hays, KS and Kathy (Roger) Marston, Cheney, KS; granddaughter, Stephanie Marston, Park City, KS and his sister, Leona Gallion, Hays, KS.
Visitation is 5-7:00 p.m. Thursday, September 21, 2017 at Baalmann Mortuary, Oakley. A graveside service will take place at 10:00 a.m. Friday, September 22, 2017 at the Grinnell Township Cemetery. Memorials are suggested to the Grinnell UMC Stained Glass Window Fund or the Grinnell-Angelus Area Heritage Center, in care of Baalmann Mortuary, PO Box 204, Oakley, KS 67748. For condolences or information, visit www.baalmannmortuary.com.
Entries are being accepted for the 34th annual Five State Photography Competition sponsored by the Hays Arts Council.
The regional fine arts competition is open to any photographer living in Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, Oklahoma or Colorado. Any photographic process is eligible as long as it’s an original work created in the last three years and has not been exhibited in a previous Five-State Exhibition.
“This is art through the medium of photography,” said Brenda Meder, HAC executive director. “It is creating images using light. It is light writing. It gets so creative. It’s anything and everything from traditional black and white to glorious colorful still lifes to conceptual story pieces.”
There are no size restrictions, however, all entries must be framed and/or mounted and suited for professional gallery presentation. Multi-framed single entries are not eligible.
Most photography competitions are judged digitally, but the HAC has stuck to its traditional judging format. All of the matted prints are hung on the walls floor to ceiling or set on tables, so all the entries can be seen at once.
Anywhere from 450 to 275 entries have been received and a maximum of 150 can be exhibited in the HAC gallery.
The judge physically removes those photographs from the exhibit that are not up to standards of the show, Meder said.
This year’s juror will be John Finch, a professional portrait, nature and fine arts photographer for more than 40 years. He has owned two studios, and his work now focuses on nature, landscape and wildlife photography. His work has received awards and has been featured in numerous publications. He has served as a judge for both professional and amateur photography competitions and has been an instructor in photography and darkroom development.
Each year, the HAC commissions a new judge so each exhibit is graded by a new set of eyes.
The arts council hopes to open the HAC so the public can see all the entries before judging.
The wide use of digital photography and digital editing has increased the quality and diversity of the entries, said Meder who has been with the HAC for 28 years. The photography is also being printed on more mediums, including canvas and aluminum.
“Cameras are a part of our lives every minute,” Meder said. “More of us are taking photos and playing around and taking chances and engaging.”
Photographers can enter three categories: nature, people or open.
The HAC will award $500 worth of prizes in each category. It is up to the judge to pick three to five pieces to honor and to choose the amount awarded to each photo.
A fee of $20 will allow a photographer to enter two works. Two additional works may be entered for a fee of $5 each. The entry deadline is Nov. 6. Works will be due at the HAC by Nov. 7.
Entry forms and contest rules can be found on the HAC website.
The exhibit opening will be Dec. 1 and coincide with the Winter Art Walk. The exhibit will close Jan. 26.
The competition and exhibition is also sponsored by Eagle Communications, Northwestern Printers, Bank of Hays and the Hays Daily News.
Victoria, Kansas – Marie A. Schmidtberger, age 87, died Wednesday, September 20, 2017 at Via Christi/St. Francis Health Center in Wichita, Kansas.
She was born October 2, 1929, in Victoria, Kansas to Anthony and Euphrosina (Hoffman) Bollig.
She married Robert L. Schmidtberger on October 17, 1949 at Victoria, Kansas.
She was a homemaker a member of The Basilica of St. Fidelis, Victoria, Kansas and served on the Ellis County Extension Board for eight years. She was a 1947 graduate of Victoria High School.
She and her husband started The Victoria Vikings 4-H Club, both were Club Leaders for 18 years and she was very active with the Ellis County 4-H Fair. She enjoyed her family, grandchildren, sewing and gardening.
Survivors include her husband, Robert L., of the home; six sons, Jerry Schmidtberger, Leroy Schmidtberger and wife, LeeAnn, Wayne Schmidtberger, Ron Schmidtberger and wife, Kim, all of Victoria, KS; Gary Schmidtberger and wife, Wanda, Hays, KS; Pat Schmidtberger, Wichita, KS; one daughter, Judy Rupp and husband, Rick, Victoria, KS; one brother, Francis Bollig and wife, Cecelia, Cypress, TX; 15 grandchildren and 10 great grandchildren, with one great grandchild on the way.
She was preceded in death by her parents; one sister, Theresa Bollig; one infant sister, Lorine Bollig; one daughter-in-law, Louise Schmidtberger; one great grandson, Jonah Schmidtberger; her father-in-law and mother-in-law, John F. and Albina (Frank) Schmidtberger.
Services are 10:00 A.M. Monday, September 25, 2017, at The Basilica of St. Fidelis, Victoria, Kansas. A private family burial will be at a later date.
A vigil service/rosary will be at 7:00 P.M. Sunday, at The Basilica of St. Fidelis, Victoria, Kansas.
Visitation will be from 6:00 to 9:00 P.M. Sunday, at The Basilica of St. Fidelis and from 8:30 to 9:45 A.M. Monday, at Cline’s-Keithley Mortuary, 412 Main Street, Victoria, Kansas 67671.
Memorials are suggested to the Schmidtberger family. Condolences can be left by guestbook at
www.keithleyfuneralchapels.com or can be sent via e-mail to [email protected].
