We have a brand new updated website! Click here to check it out!

Month: February 2018

Your idea could be the next FHSU TGOF graphic

Posted on
2017 TGOF Graphic Contest Winner

FHSU University Relations

Searching for a way to share your Tiger pride? The Tiger Gold on Friday Committee is holding a promotional graphic design competition from now until April 11, 2018, for those interested in contributing their school spirit.

On-campus and Virtual College students, FHSU alumni, community members and friends of the university are all eligible to enter.

The design must include the TGOF logo, which can be downloaded from the Fort Hays State website by going to www.fhsu.edu/urm/logo and scrolling to the bottom of the page. An original tag line is also encouraged, but not required.

Other contest guidelines and information can be found at www.fhsu.edu/tgof/graphic-contest.

Every entrant will receive a Tiger lapel pin. The top three designs will be posted on FHSU’s social media from April 16-22, 2018, for a public vote. The winner will be announced May 1 and will receive a $100 VISA card, courtesy of Eagle Communications.

Questions can be directed to Kelsey Stremel at [email protected].

Inmate sent offsite for treatment after Kan. prison disturbance

Posted on

EL DORADO, Kan. (AP) — Authorities say one inmate was sent offsite for medical treatment after inmates fought at the El Dorado Correctional Facility.

El Dorado Correctional Facility -photo KDOC

Cheryl Cadue, with the Kansas Department of Corrections, says the fight happened Friday and involved a physical altercation between two small groups of inmates. Cadue says the injured inmate has since returned to the prison, which is about 30 minutes northeast of Wichita.

Cadue says the facility was never on lockdown and that no staff was injured. But the Kansas Organization of State Employees reports that the facility went on lockdown Friday and remained on lockdown Saturday. The union represents state workers

Emma Yanda

Posted on

Emma Louise Wiesendanger Yanda, age 94, of Sun City West, Arizona, passed away after a brief illness on February 3, 2018. She was born in Randolph, Kansas on September 28, 1923, to J.J. and Marie Elizabeth Peterson Wiesendanger.

She graduated from Salina High School in 1941 and Kansas City Art Institute in 1946. On September 4, 1948, Emma married Albert Yanda in Salina, Kansas. Emma owned her own Graphic Design Studio for 30 years, retiring in Del Mar, California for six years prior to moving to Sun City West. While in Sun City West, she began weaving, and taught and gave presentations on the art of weaving throughout Arizona, and had her work published in Handwoven Magazine.

Emma and her late husband of 55 years, Albert, traveled extensively throughout the world. Emma moved to Grandview Terrace in 2004, and was elected Vice President of the Grandview Terrace Community Service Foundation and Funds Developer until prior to her death.

She is preceded in death by her husband, Albert, an Architect; and her parents. Survivors include her sister, Mary Elzea of Lawrence, Kansas; brother, James Wiesendanger of Salina, Kansas; and numerous nieces and nephews.

Graveside service will be at 11 AM on February 24, 2018 at Christ the King Catholic Cemetery, WaKeeney, Kansas. There will be no visitation as cremation was chosen.

A memorial gathering will also be held at Grandview Terrace in Sun City West, Arizona on March 28, 2018 from 2:30 – 4:30 PM.

Memorials are suggested to The Grandview Terrace Scholarship Fund, Sun City West, Arizona. Contributions may be left at the service or sent to Schmitt Funeral Home, 336 North 12th, WaKeeney, KS 67672.

Condolences may be left online at www.schmittfuneral.com.

Walk KS program registration opens soon

Posted on

Donna Krug
With snow predicted and wind chills in the single digits as I write this column, it sounds a bit crazy to talk about going for a walk, but that is just what I’m going to do. Walk Kansas is a signature program for K-State Research and Extension that has been around since 2000. Each year this fitness challenge motivates people from all walks of life to get moving. The dates for the 2018 campaign are March 18th through May 12th.

To participate in Walk KS, you will need to start by recruiting a team of six people. Many times teams consist of family members, friends or co-workers. Come up with a fun name, register your team, and report the minutes that team members exercise each week, beginning March 18th. All of the registration details can be accomplished on line. There is a fee of $8 per team member or $17 per person if all team members wish to order a t-shirt. Payment by check or cash will need to be made at either the Hays or Great Bend offices. Brenda and Theresa, our office professionals in the Great Bend and Hays offices can answer specific questions you may have as you register your teams.

February 19th is the date that on-line registration will open for residents of the Cottonwood Extension District. We would like to complete team registration by Monday, March 12th if possible.

Several interesting activities that support this fitness challenge are planned for April and May. Mark your calendar for April 3rd and join me at the Hays office at noon, for the free educational program titled, “Healthy Cooking Styles.” Based on a fact sheet I wrote last year, you will learn about water sauteing, slow stewing and other healthy ways to prepare grains and vegetables. Another date to mark on your calendar is Friday, April 13th, at noon, at the Big Creek Crossing Mall. I will be leading a Walk KS halfway pep rally. Anyone who is a member of a Walk KS team will be treated to a progressive picnic at the mall. I will have a short presentation complete with door prizes as well. Folks who are not on a Walk KS team may pre-register for this event by paying $5 due by April 6th. Reminders will be sent to team captains as the date gets closer.

A wrap up celebration for the Walk KS program is scheduled for Wednesday, May 9th, at noon at the Great Bend Recreation Center. A free “Wise bucks” luncheon will be provided for any Walk KS team member. The public may pre-register by May 2nd for lunch and pay $5.

So get your walking shoes ready and your team pulled together and join the 2018 Walk KS program in your community!

Donna Krug is the Family & Consumer Science Agent and District Director for the Cottonwood Extension District – Great Bend office. You may reach her at: (620)793-1910 or [email protected]

Hays school board sets vote on PEERA opt out

Posted on

By CRISTINA JANNEY
Hays Post

The Hays USD 489 school board could eliminate negotiations with its custodian’s union at its meeting Monday night.

The board is set to vote on opting out of the Public Employer-Employee Relations Act, which covers negotiations with the Service Employees International Union.

At the board’s Jan. 16 meeting, Superintendent John Thissen said he did not think the district needed to continue negotiations with SEIU.

There are 28 people covered by SEIU in the school district, 19 of which pay dues and are members of the union. The Hays school district is one of only two school districts in the state that negotiates with SEIU. The other is Wichita.

There are about 225 classified staff that do not have union representation. The district employees about 500 people. Teacher negotiations would not be affected if the district moves to opt out of PEERA.

In a written statement on Thursday, Esau Freeman of SEIU, said, “The members of SEIU Local 513 believe that remaining under PEERA is the best choice for all parties involved. We believe that a cooperative and harmonious relationship in the workplace is best obtained through the relationship defined under PEERA.

“Employees feel valued when they have a voice in the workplace and take ownership for their decisions. Under PEERA, employees have a reasonable assurance that their concerns will be heard and this helps operations and functions continue without interruption, and that is good for everyone, especially the people who matter most, the students. We look forward to resolving any concerns that board members may have and are hopeful that they will vote to maintain our current relationship.”

If the board votes to end its participation in PEERA, the district would still be required to negotiate with SEIU for one more year.

Technology Replacement Schedule

The board will also continue to discuss the district’s technology replacement schedule. The schedule would replace computers for the district’s one-to-one student technology program over four years. The cost of the schedule for student computers would be between $219,000 and $258,000 each year of the schedule.

The board will be given additional information Monday that includes a schedule of all district technology purchases.

At the board’s last meeting, some members questioned the need for the one-to-one program.

Administrative contracts

The board will consider the contracts for Superintendent John Thissen, Assistant Superintendent Shanna Dinkel and Raj Sharma, director of special education. Thissen has recommended the renewal of Dinkel’s contract. The special education cooperative board has recommended the board not renew Sharma’s contract.

In other business, the board will:

  • Continue to discuss long-range facilities planning
  • Hear a Kansas Education System Accreditation update
  • Discuss designating negotiating agents for HNEA and SEIU
  • Discuss appointment of a member to the Hays Area Children’s Center board
  • Discuss fees for summer school and driver’s education for 2018

 

Mary Lou (Hammersmith) Wherry

Posted on

LaCrosse, Kansas – Mary Lou (Hammersmith) Wherry, age 76, died Friday, February 9, 2018, at her home in LaCrosse, Kansas.

She was born October 9, 1941, on the family farm south of Gorham, Kansas, to Isadore and Agatha (Sander) Hammersmith. She married John H. Wherry on October 1, 1966, at Gorham, Kansas.

She was a daycare provider for over 20 years and a member of St. Michael’s Catholic Church, St. Michael’s Altar Society/St. Michael’s Social Commission, the Prayer Group and the Rosary Makers all of LaCrosse, Kansas. She also was a member of the Gorham Daughters of Isabella. Mary Lou grew up in the Gorham area and was a 1959 graduate of Gorham High School. She was a big part of many kids’ lives who attended her daycare and she will be remembered for her great cooking, crafts and flower arrangements. She enjoyed following her children’s and then her grandchildren’s sports and other activities.

Survivors include her husband, John H. Wherry, of the home; three sons, Todd Wherry and wife, Lanese, Lenexa, KS; Kyle Wherry and wife, Debi, LaCrosse, KS; Chad Wherry, Osborne, KS; one daughter, Tonya Howden and husband, Kevin; one sister, Katie Bellendir, Victoria, KS; one sister-in-law, Shirley Hammersmith, Horton, KS; eight grandchildren, Ashton, Alyssa and Andrew Wherry; Jordan, Shelby and Payton Wherry; Landon and Logan Howden; two step-grandchildren, Mike Staab, Nikki Conner and husband, Mitch; three step-great grandchildren, Mikey Staab, Natalie and Bryce Conner.

She was preceded in death by her parents; one brother, Marvin Hammersmith, and one brother-ln-law, Marvin Bellendir.

A mass of christian burial will be at 11:00 A.M. Tuesday, February 13, 2018, at St Michael’s Catholic Church, 918 Lincoln Street, Lacrosse, Kansas, and a graveside service will be at 3:00 P.M. Tuesday, at St. Mary Cemetery, Gorham, Kansas.

A vigil service and rosary with the St. Michael’s Altar Society/ St. Michael’s Social Commission and the Gorham Daughters of Isabella joining will be at 7:00 P.M. Monday, at St. Michael’s Catholic Church LaCrosse, Kansas.

Visitation will be from 6:00 to 8:30 P.M. Monday, and from 10:00 to 11:00 A.M. Tuesday, all at St. Michael’s Catholic Church, LaCrosse, Kansas.

Memorial to St. Michael’s Catholic Church.

Services are entrusted to Cline’s-Keithley Mortuary, 412 Main Street, Victoria, Kansas 67671.

Condolences can be left by guestbook at www.keithleyfuneralchapels.com or can sent via e-mail to [email protected]

Roberta Ann ‘Bert’ Brewer

Posted on

Roberta Ann “Bert” Brewer, age 92, of Hays, Kansas died Saturday, February 10, 2018, at the Good Samaritan Society of Hays. She was born December 28, 1925, in Erick, Oklahoma to William C. and Maude Louise (Brooks) Theimer. She married Max Ellis Brewer on May 29, 1949, in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.

She was a 1st grade teacher at Johnson, Kansas from 1962 until she retired in 1987. She was named Teacher of the Year during her years at Johnson. She started out teaching High School and then teaching Kindergarten in Moscow, Kansas for a few years. Then moved to Colby, Kansas in 1991 and moved to Hays, Kansas in 2003.

She grew up in Erick, Oklahoma then moved to Oklahoma City, Oklahoma and was a graduate of the new North East High School. She was a 1947 graduate from Oklahoma College for Women with degrees in Psychology, Philosophy and a Lifetime Teaching Certificate K-12.

She was a member of the First United Methodist Church in Hays, Kansas and was a Sunday School Teacher for over 55 years during her years in the Methodist Church. She was very active with Special Olympics, food banks, the Senior Center, volunteering at the museum and hospital and loved gardening. She published her book, “Psalms for the Millennium and Wee Words of Wisdom” in 2000.

Survivors include her husband, Max Brewer, Hays, KS; two daughters, Kathie Burnett and husband, David, Corinth, TX; Kristie Cox and husband, Rich, DeSoto, KS; four grandchildren, Leslie Schmidt and husband, Tyson, Lindsey Bailey and husband, Mitch, Matt Burnett, Amy Burnett; six great grandchildren, Rylee, Kaden and Madison Schmidt; Quinn, Keira and Elias Bailey.

She was preceded in death by her parents; two brothers, Dr. William Charles Theimer Jr. and James Edward Theimer; and great granddaughter, Aliah Marie Bailey.

Memorial Services are at 11:00 A.M. Wednesday, February 14, 2018, at The First United Methodist Church, Hays, Kansas with Pastor Mike Rose Officiating. Inurnment will be at a later date in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.

Memorial to The First United Methodist Church.

Services are entrusted to Cline’s-Keithley Mortuary of Hays, 1919 East 22nd Street, Hays, Kansas 67601.

Research to focus on deer in northwest Kansas

Posted on

KDWPT

EMPORIA – Kansas State University and Kansas Wildlife, Parks, and Tourism (KDWPT) are collaborating to study mule deer and white-tailed deer in northwestern Kansas. The comprehensive research project will monitor movement, habitat use, survival and reproductive success of deer in an eight-county area of northwest Kansas. Researchers will seek to answer questions that hunters, landowners, and biologists have about deer densities, deer-human interactions, crop damage, and the effects of landscape changes on deer populations. Especially concerning are recent observation indices of mule deer, suggesting that the range of this iconic Kansas plains species is contracting westward and the population could be declining.

The study will last three years, beginning in February 2018 with the capture of 120 mule deer and white-tailed deer that will receive GPS radio transmitters. Deer will be captured and transported using helicopters operated by a professional wildlife-capture company experienced with this process. A veterinarian will oversee the handling and marking of all captured deer. In addition to monitoring deer movement, survival of different year classes, causes of mortality, and species interactions, researchers will capture fawns in May and June to document reproductive rates.

While the overall health of the Kansas deer herd is good, no recent studies have been done that provide this level of information, which will help biologists make informed decisions for future management of this important wildlife resource. More than 120,000 hunters pursue deer in Kansas each fall, contributing more than $10 million to fund wildlife management programs through the purchase of permits. The overall impact deer hunters have on the Kansas economy is much greater.

Contact information will be attached to each radio transmitter and hunters who harvest a marked deer should contact researchers to provide information on where and when the deer was harvested. Cooperating landowners will be provided with data gathered, so they can better manage deer on their land, and a written report will be published and available to the public online at the conclusion of the project.

Exploring Outdoors Kansas: WWTT (What’s with these toads?)

Posted on
Steve Gilliland

As a good writer should, I tried hard to think of a really slick way to say this, but I struck out completely, so there’s nothing left to do but open my mouth and let it dribble out… sometimes I think about really weird stuff!

For instance, if Teflon coating is non-stick, how do they get it to stay on the skillets when they make them? Or why do doctors only “practice” medicine? Or why did God name flies, “flies” when they seem to do way more walking around than they do flying? Wouldn’t a better name have been “walks” or “crawls?” And why on God’s green earth do we have mosquitoes? If there were only two of them on the Ark as there were supposed to be, wouldn’t both frogs have quickly eaten them? Maybe Noah cheated and brought more, or maybe he just lost count.

Anyway, what sent me off on this tangent was an old email I stumbled across concerning a story about Toads I did some years back, and I thought perhaps closing your eyes after reading this would help you envision spring. In the story I mentioned a study done in Oklahoma that used the number of over-wintering cutworms consumed by toads to determine the toad’s value to agriculture in dollars and cents. In her email, the lady complained about all the toads at her home that particular year, and said that if they were that valuable she would gladly give them to anyone wanting them.

Rather odd I thought, until I read the rest of her email. She proceeded to tell me about the enormous mess they were making that summer by leaving their droppings all over her garage floor. That I understood! I remember seeing all the little black spiral shaped droppings everywhere that year but hadn’t associated them with toads. The gist of the article was the larger-than-usual number of toads seen around our homes that year because of spring flooding. It only makes sense that a larger than usual toad population will produce …you guessed it… a larger than usual amount of toad pooo!

That fact alone seemed to be all it took to ignite my weird thought generator, and off I went. First I began thinking of contacting Mike Rowe from the Discovery Network TV show “Dirty Jobs.” On his show, Mike travels all around the country personally experiencing filthy jobs that people actually perform daily. I figured the show’s producers would kill for the positive press generated by Mike’s helping that poor lady clean this year’s massive amounts of toad pooo from her garage floor and sidewalks…………or maybe not!

Next I stooped to trying to figure how I could have made a buck from the situation. Toad pooo is certainly the type of thing that some university somewhere can get a grant to study. I’m sure one of America’s seats of higher learning has plenty of interest as to what percentage of a toad’s diet is made up of mosquitoes, what percentage is flies, etc. With that in mind, if this sort of thing happens again, why not offer to provide them the raw material, for a nominal fee off course, from our vast supply………… or maybe not!

The big question that comes to mind is why do these amphibians that are born in creeks, rivers and swamps, and that live out their lives far from the light of day under plants and bushes in flower beds and gardens suddenly feel the need to use our sidewalks and driveways as their personal outhouses? I mean really, they have acre upon acre of yards, golf courses and pastures in which to relieve themselves, yet they choose our concrete! Maybe the feel of the nice warm concrete relaxes them to the point where they loose all muscle control, in which case it’s really not their fault at all!…I guess just more reasons to Explore Kansas Outdoors …………or maybe not!

Steve Gilliand, Inman, can be contacted by email at [email protected].

Engineering contract approved for reconstruction of 43rd and 45th Streets

Posted on
Hays Projects Manager John Braun

By BECKY KISER
Hays Post

The pavement on 43rd and 45th Streets west of Vine Street has been patched many times over the last 17 years. Removal and replacement of the concrete pavement is now necessary, according to Hays Projects Manager John Braun. Both streets are three lanes, constructed in 2000 as part of the Walmart Supercenter project.

City commissioners last week authorized City Manager Toby Dougherty to enter into an agreement with Driggs Design Group, Hays, in the amount of $53,628 for engineering services in the reconstruction of those portions of 43rd and 45th. The monies would come from Commission Capital Reserves.

Braun pointed out the project compliments the proposed extension of 43rd Street for new development of a hotel and convention center.

“Driggs Design Group is the engineer for the new Hilton Garden Inn development which includes extending 43rd Street to the west. Having the same engineer for both the extension and the reconstruction is logical,” said Braun.

“The proposed project is to reconstruct only the pavement and to beef up the road base, especially on 45th Street to accommodate the  semi-truck delivery traffic to nearby businesses. Existing curb and gutters and driveways would remain,” he explained. A sidewalk would also be constructed along the north side of 43rd Street.

The proposed scheduled calls for a bid opening in June with reconstruction of 43rd to be completed before the end of the year. Reconstruction of 45th Street may carry over into 2019. Estimated construction cost for the combined projects is $1.74 million.

Representative Rundown and Postcard Writing

Posted on

 

Hosted by Women for Kansas – Hays/ Russell Chapter

Sun., Feb. 11, 2-4:30 p.m., Hays Public Library, 1205 Main, Hays

Get the rundown on issues facing Kansas:
State Budget, Medicaid Expansion, Mental Heath, School Finance, CBD/Hemp…

Learn about these and other issues currently before the Kansas Legislature.  Representatives Eber Phelps (D), Hays, and Leonard Mastroni (R), LaCrosse, will share information and answer questions.

There will be a postcard writing session after the presentation for those who wish to contact legislators directly about specific issues.

Copyright Eagle Radio | FCC Public Files | EEO Public File