Gov. Colyer introduces his new Lt. Gov., Tracey Mann, Tuesday evening at a meeting of the Kansas Livestock Association in Topeka. (Photo courtesy Dr. Jeff Colyer Twitter)
OFFICE OF GOV. COLYER
TOPEKA – Governor Jeff Colyer announced the selection Tuesday of Tracey Mann to serve as Kansas Lieutenant Governor. Mann, a Salina resident, is a native of Quinter, where he regularly returns to work on the family farm.
“I am pleased that Tracey has agreed to join our team as Lieutenant Governor”, said Colyer. “Tracey has been a leader on economic development and rural issues in Kansas for years, and I am excited to bring those skills to our team. Tracey truly knows what it means to listen, serve and lead.”
“I look forward to working with him in the weeks and months ahead to usher in a new day in Kansas politics and serve the people of this great state.”
Tracey Mann commented that he was impressed with Governor Colyer’s willingness to lead, saying “I am extremely grateful for the opportunity to serve as Lieutenant Governor for Dr. Colyer. Over the years, I’ve been impressed with his willingness to serve as a leader on the hard issues.
“Governor Colyer’s track record shows he doesn’t shy away from tackling the difficult problems. I am excited to join him in serving the people of Kansas as we focus on reform, jobs and education.”
Kansas Farm Bureau CEO, Terry Holdren, added his endorsement of Mann as the new Lt. Governor, saying “Kansas farmers and ranchers, as the backbone of the state’s economy and heritage, expect good leadership from friends in positions across government,” said Holdren, “Tracey Mann is both a good friend of Kansas agriculture and a great leader. We look forward to working with him in this new role.”
Tracey Mann is the managing director and principal of Newmark Grubb Zimmer, a full service commercial real estate company headquartered in Kansas City. Before joining Newmark Grubb Zimmer, Mann served as senior program director for the National Student Leadership Forum on Faith and Values.
Mann has previously served on the board of directors for the Kansas Agriculture and Rural Leadership (KARL) program and the Kansas Chamber of Commerce. He is also a board member of the City Teen Center, a non-profit educational facility serving children in Salina.
Tracey Mann is a fifth-generation Kansan from Quinter, Kansas. He regularly returns to work on the family farm. He earned a degree in Agricultural Economics from Kansas State University in 2000, where he also served as Student Body President. In 1997, Tracey served as Jerry Moran’s first intern in Washington, DC.
Tracey, his wife, Audrey and their four children live in Salina, Kansas.
Chad Meitner, Principal (Left) & Bob Leikam (Right)
TMP-M
TOPEKA — Bob Leikam was recognized as a Distinguished Teacher by the Kansas Association of Independent and Religious Schools on Feb. 12 in Topeka during the annual conference for the organization.
Each year, the KAIRS committee nominates and selects outstanding educators in Kansas to receive the KAIRS Distinguished Teacher Award. This award recognizes and honors those educators who have offered exemplary service in the classroom and/or as administrators.
Leikam is currently in his sixth year as a teacher at Thomas More Prep-Marian, but he had previously taught at Victoria High School for 35 years. Leikam has taught numerous subjects over the years but most commonly U.S. history, government, and other social studies courses. Leikam graduated from Thomas More Prep in 1975.
Leikam was selected as the Distinguished Teacher for the Salina Diocese, which includes over 200 teachers.
“Thomas More Prep-Marian is proud of Mr. Leikam and blessed to have him as an alumnus and in our school!” the school said in a news release.
KAIRS represents 140 schools enrolling over 35,000 students and 22,000 families in the state.
KANSAS CITY (AP) – A Kansas congresswoman has introduced legislation that would help a father who is fighting efforts by the U.S. to deport him to Bangladesh.
Jamal-photo courtesy the online petition
The bill that Republican Rep. Lynn Jenkins introduced Tuesday would provide for the “relief” of 55-year-old Syed Ahmed Jamal. U.S. immigration officials put Jamal on a plane bound for his native county Monday before an immigration panel granted a temporary stay in the case. His attorney, Rekha Sharma-Crawford, said he was taken off the flight when it stopped to refuel in Honolulu.
Sharma-Crawford says government attorneys have indicated they’re coordinating efforts to bring Jamal to the Kansas City area.
Jamal has lived in the Kansas for 30 years and has worked as an adjunct professor and researcher. Jenkins says her “heart aches” for his wife and children.
WASHINGTON, D.C. – First District Congressman Roger Marshall, M.D. (R-Great Bend) recently received the wheat advocate award from the National Association of Wheat Growers (NAWG) and the Kansas Association of Wheat Growers (KAWG) presented by members traveling to Washington.
“I am honored to be recognized by our leaders in the wheat industry,” Rep. Marshall said. “I look forward to continuing our work together and discussing innovative ways to address the needs of our wheat growers.”
“It is a tremendous honor to be from the wheat state. Kansas producers are some of the hardest working folks that I’ve had the pleasure to meet with. They remain resilient and optimistic through tough times.
“Our farmers are weathering their fifth year of declining farm income, with a nearly seven percent drop projected this year. It is critical that we continue to work together to secure a brighter future for our producers,” said Marshall.
Pictured from left to right are:
Ron Suppes
Kansas Association of Wheat Growers Member
Dighton, KS
Joe Kejr
National Wheat Foundation Board Member
Brookville, KS
Gary Millershaski
Past President of the Kansas Association of Wheat Growers
Lakin, KS
Doug Keesling
Kansas Association of Wheat Growers Member
Chase,KS
Rep. Roger Marshall
Dalton Henry
Legislative Director for Congressman Marshall
Randolph, KS
Ken Wood
President of the Kansas Association of Wheat Growers
Chapman, KS
Kyler Millershaski
Kansas Association of Wheat Growers Board Member
Lakin, KS
Justin Knopf
VP of Kansas Association of Wheat Growers
Gypsum, KS
Chuck Elsea
National Wheat Foundation Board Member
Manhattan, KS
JACKSON COUNTY — Law enforcement authorities are investigating two suspects on drug charges. On Tuesday, the Jackson County Sheriff reported a deputy stopped a vehicle at 4th and Arizona Street in Holton Friday.
Valentine-photo Jackson Co.
Deputies arrested the vehicle’s occupants Matthew Scott Barr, 38, Carbondale and Shawna Marie Valentine, 35, Osage City.
Barr was arrested and booked into the Jackson County Jail for possession of methamphetamine, possession of marijuana, possession of drug paraphernalia, and felony interference with law enforcement. Bar also had an outstanding Osage County warrant. Bar was released after posting bond
Valentine was arrested and booked into the Jackson County Jail for possession of methamphetamine, possession of drug paraphernalia and felony interference with law enforcement. Valentine was also wanted on an outstanding Osage County warrant.
Barr-photo Jackson Co.
Valentine remains in the Jackson County Jail with bond set at $7,500.00. She has previous conviction for drug distribution, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections.
Sometimes we get requests. Recently a couple close friends and I were discussing taking care of livestock during winter when this task can be a down-right chore. Well once you lay out all the cons, the conversation generally takes a 180-degree turn and you wind up talking about the humorous or lighter moments as well. In doing so, we stumbled onto the subject of how some of the folks around Hays speak. Here’s a column I wrote just for fun back in December of 2004. Enjoy.
John Schlageck writes for the Kansas Farm Bureau.
While most people in our state speak the same language, there’s still a couple of counties in north-central Kansas where the King’s English is spoken in a unique manner – heck let’s call a spade a spade. It’s a totally different language.
After spending four years at Fort Hays State University, listening to my Uncle Alex, who grew up on a farm northeast of Hays and visiting with farmers and ranchers who continue to live in and call this part of our state home, I’ve decided to write about their language – so rich and unique to Kansas.
And please don’t think I’m making fun of these people who share this strong Volga German heritage. Just look at my last name. I’m one of them.
Sit back and read ‘cause here’s how the story gosse (goes). Whoa boyce (the fellas), I’m getting ahead of myself.
In case you haven’t visited, Hace is a small city in the north-central region of Kansas. A Cow’ndy is a small district within a state and Hace is located in Ellis Cow’ndy. And Wine is a major street in Hace.Tounce are even smaller cities and there are several tounce in Ellis Cow’ndy. Muncher, Chinchin and Cat’rin are some of these small towns.
Chirman has long been the unofficial language spoken in Hace. Grimpa (your father’s father) talks Chirman to the boyce.
My Uncle Alex was forever axding (inquiring) me, “How much money do you make?” He also axed me dis and dat (this and that) and do you have one of deese, two of dose and three of dem (these, those and them)?
Farmers around Hace generally kept cattle in red barns built with borts. Borts are pieces of lumber like dem 2 X 4 borts. The livestock in the barns were usually couse (cows). You might even find a cult inside the barn. A cult is a young horse. These farmers sometimes feed their cult by trowing (to toss) them a bale of hay.
Hace farmers haul their livestock to market in a pigup (small truck). And they put the livestock in the back-a-duh (back of the) truck. When these folks go to town for church on Sunday they drife (drive) their carse. These automobiles include the following types: Fort, Pony’ac and Olce. Until a few years ago no one would be seen dead driving a leedle (little) forn (foreign) car made in Japan.
Every few years these farmers are blessed with rain and the roads become wet and slippery. That’s when they opt to drife their Cheap. A Cheap is a 4-wheel drife vehicle. Drife dat Cheap down dat @#$&**# wet wrote (road) right now and don’t get him stuck. Nearly all inanimate objects are referred to in the male pronoun.
When they finish Sunday worship services, and with color in their language like that, they certainly need religion – just kidding – some of the folks of Hace like to eat at one particular chigan (domestic fowl) house. There they have frite (cooked in grease) chiganant frice (and French-fried potatoes). They also like to eat bret (bread) ant chelly (fruit preserves). I can still remember my Uncle Alex telling me at the dinner table when I was a boy of five, “Eat dis bret ant chelly sandwich what I figs’d (fixed) for you.”
Sometimes after eating too much Sunday dinner, Hace residents had to take pilts (medication) – especially after too much beer. That’s when they might have a het (part of the body above the neck) ache. Take dese pilts for dat het ache.
Sonofapitch’ was an often-spoken exclamation that tumbled liberally out of the mouths of members of the male sex in Hace. “Sonofapitch’ its hot out here boyce (boys, men).”
Chunk (junk) is something almost everyone in Hace has at one time or another and it is better than trash. Haul dat chunk over by (to) da dump.
&*#%dam’mitahell (another exclamation). Wint (moving air currents) blowing heart (strong, powerful) can often be found in Hace. Most residents keep their carse in a garot’ch (building).
The word toged’her actually means just the opposite – apart. &*#%dam’mitahelldat wint blew so heart last night, my garot’ch all fell toged’her.
Now my all-time favorite story is about this long-time Hace stockman who tells about driving out to his pasture one morning to look at his couse. Here’s how he told his tale:
“I drove my pigup out in the grass. I drove down the hill by my windmill up the hill and over by da fence line, back down another hill, through the creek and back up again. When I reached the top of the hill, dere de vere (momma cows) – GONE!
I’m out of here too. Tanks for reading and hope you enjoy Valentine’s Day and all the upcoming Holidace.
John Schlageck, a Hoxie native, is a leading commentator on agriculture and rural Kansas.
Hays Firefighter Lucas Everett with a combination smoke/carbon monoxide alarm.
By BECKY KISER Hays Post
There were no smoke alarms found in the residence of a Pratt woman who recently died after a Jan. 25 fire in her home, which also killed her four children.
Having a working smoking alarm reduces your chances of dying in a fire by nearly half, according to information provided by the Hays Fire Department (HFD).
HFD has a program to install free smoke and carbon monoxide (CO) alarms in homes by firefighters at no cost. The combination alarms are part of the “Get Alarmed Kansas” program provided by the State Fire Marshal. They have a sealed 10-year lithium ion battery for easier maintenance and don’t require batteries to be changed twice a year.
“To qualify you have to live within the city limits of Hays and be on a fixed or limited income,” said Firefighter Lucas Everett.
“We put one inside each living quarter. So if there are people living upstairs and downstairs in a dwelling, we can install two alarms,” Everett said. There’s no cost to HFD to participate in Get Alarmed Kansas.
Hays firefighters will also come to the homes of senior citizens or persons with limited mobility to check the batteries and function of existing smoke and carbon monoxide alarms. They can also install alarms purchased by residents.
“Properly installed and maintained smoke alarms can save lives and protect against injury and loss due to fire,” added Everett. The goal of “Get Alarmed Kansas” is for all Kansans to be protected by working smoke alarms in their homes.
To schedule a time for firefighters to install smoke and CO detectors, call the Hays Fire Department at 785-628-7330.
Tickets are now on sale for the 2018 Sternberg Museum of Natural History Spring Gala, which will be 6 to 11 p.m. Saturday, April 7, at the museum.
Tickets are $100 each and include live entertainment, dinner and two drink tickets. The museum is also offering group packages for larger donor levels.
This year’s theme will be an island theme. Attendees are encouraged to wear cocktail or island attire, and margaritas will be served.
The entertainment this year will be a trop rock band named Breezeway from Omaha, Neb. They will playing some Jimmy Buffett tunes along with other island music.
All proceeds will benefit a fund that will be used by the Sternberg to create traveling exhibits.
“We are hoping to build small traveling exhibits that we can premier here and that we can send out to the state and the region to libraries, to schools, to public spaces, spreading science education to the state and the region and broadening our footprint,” said Laura Wilson, PhD.
The first traveling exhibit the museum would like to construct would be on the state symbols of Kansas. It would include information on the state flower, state reptile, state fossil and emphasize the natural history of Kansas.
The museum hopes to raise between $5,000 to $10,000 for the project through the gala this spring.
Tickets can be purchased at the museum, requested by mail by sending a check to the museum at 3000 Sternberg Drive, Hays, KS 67601 or online at https://webapps.fhsu.edu/sternberggala/ . Only 150 tickets will be available. To receive printed tickets via mail, please RSVP by March 5.
For more information, contact Laura Wilson at 785-639-6192 or at [email protected].
The Hays Police Department will conduct training on Feb. 15 between the hours of 3 and 7 p.m. at 1702 Volga Drive.
Police officers will be training with special tactical equipment. This training is being done with great care and safety.
As a homeowner, you may see law enforcement officers move through your area. There is no need to be alarmed. The officers are merely conducting a realistic training exercise and there is no danger to the community.
If you have any questions or concerns, you may contact the on-site supervisor (Team Commander Tim Greenwood or Team Leader Aaron Larson), or Chief Scheibler at 785-625-1030.
With the eyes of the entire world on Pyeongchang, South Korea, nothing makes for a better target for hackers and malicious attack groups.
The Olympic Committee has reported it has had several machines succumb to a new malware referred to as “Olympic Destroyer.” With the 2014 Sochi Olympics making about $53 million in revenue, the Olympics are a huge target for ransomware attacks. Money though isn’t always the motive, though. In this case, it appears the attackers just want to disrupt the games and show off their skills.
The Olympic Destroyer malware’s current goal is making devices totally unusable, achieving this by deleting files critical to allowing the operating system of the machines to run but, at the same time, using network devices to further its progression to other machines. This sophisticated malware is also stealing credentials from the machines it has infected. Olympic Destroyer contains two modules it uses to steal credentials — one of them steals the credentials from an internet browser and the other from the local machine’s administrator credentials.
You might have noticed on Feb. 9 that the official Winter Olympics’ website was down for the majority of the day — roughly 12 hours — which left attendees unable to print tickets to events. The malware was able to take down the website with the malicious attack, and it also brought down several television feeds. In January, researchers for various companies reported a Russian hacking group had been sending phishing emails with malicious attachments to South Korean organizations as well as groups that work with the Olympics.
Russia’s foreign ministry has denied any allegations and has said “no evidence would be presented to the world.” So far, investigators of the attacks have made no claims as to who has initiated this attack on the Winter Olympic Games.
At a time when the world is supposed to come together for the love of sports, there are still people out there with malicious intentions fixating on poisoning any happiness this world can get.
