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Month: March 2018

KDA announces Specialty Crop Grant opportunity

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KDA

MANHATTAN — The Kansas Department of Agriculture is accepting applications for the 2018 Specialty Crop Block Grant Program (SCBGP). Funds for the program are awarded to the agency by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Marketing Service (USDA–AMS). The funds are in turn granted to projects and organizations that promote the competitiveness of specialty crops by achieving defined performance measures.

The purpose of the specialty crop program is to enhance the competitiveness of specialty crops. Specialty crops are defined by the USDA as “fruits, vegetables, tree nuts, dried fruits, horticulture, and nursery crops, including floriculture.”

Each state that applies to participate in the SCBGP is reviewed and approved by USDA–AMS and will receive an estimated base amount plus an amount based on the value of specialty crop cash receipts and the acreage of specialty crop production in the state. In 2018 it is expected that Kansas will receive approximately $348,850.

Applications from Kansas organizations and projects will be evaluated by a team of external reviewers. The team will rate proposals on their ability to successfully promote specialty crops in Kansas and make a positive impact on the Kansas economy. Those recommendations will be submitted to the Kansas Secretary of Agriculture, who will make the final awards.

Applications are due to KDA no later than 5:00 p.m. on April 23, 2018. For more information, or to download the 2018 application, go to www.agriculture.ks.gov/specialtycrop.

This grant opportunity supports the development of partnerships and resources that will grow the Kansas specialty crop industry, which is the growth objective for that sector within the Kansas agricultural growth strategy project. For more information about the Kansas Ag Growth project or about specialty crops in Kansas, go to www.agriculture.ks.gov/GrowAg.

Boaters urged to get educated before boating season

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KDWPT

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – The temperature may still be cool outside, but it is a perfect time of year to start getting prepared for the boating season. Boating safety advocates are urging boaters to enroll in a boating education course prior to the main boating season. Spring Aboard – Take a Boating Education Course campaign is a nationally coordinated effort during the week of March 18-24, 2018 to increase the awareness of taking a boating education course.

“We know that an educated boater is safer on the water,” said Tom Guess, president of the National Association of State Boating Law Administrators, and lead organization for Spring Aboard. “If a boater has taken a boating safety education course the likelihood of their time spent on the water being a safe and enjoyable experience is much greater for them as well as their passengers. There’s no reason to head out on the water without knowing what you’re doing, and spring is the perfect time to take a course before the summer boating season begins.”

U.S. Coast Guard statistics indicate that of the accidents where the level of operator education was known, 77% of boating deaths occurred on boats where the boat operator had never received boating education instruction.

With today’s wide variety of courses available, there’s a course for every boater schedule. Boaters have multiple options from classroom courses offered by the Coast Guard Auxiliary and United States Power Squadrons to online offerings available anytime day or night.

Education course providers and offerings will vary between states, so check with your local course provider or state boating agency to find out what courses are accepted in your area. Forty-nine (49) states and U.S. territories require proof of completion of a boating education course for operators of some powered vessels. For a summary of our states’ regulations and available courses, visit:

Kansas – https://ksoutdoors.com/Boating/Boating-Education
Missouri – https://www.mshp.dps.missouri.gov/MSHPWeb/WaterPatrol/BoatingLaws_Education/boaterEduLawFAQ.html
Nebraska – https://outdoornebraska.gov/boatereducation/
Iowa – https://www.iowadnr.gov/Things-to-Do/Boating/Boater-Education

Many providers are offering discounts or other incentives to anyone that takes a boating education course during the week of March 18-24, 2018. BOATsmart! (boatsmartexam.com) is offering discounts on their boating safety courses and BOATERexam.com and Boat-Ed.com are offering 50% off the price of their courses for the entire week.

The annual Spring Aboard campaign is led by the National Association of State Boating Law Administrators and produced under a grant administered by the U.S. Coast Guard, and it is supported by state, federal, and nonprofit partners. It is open to participation by all states, territories, boating education organizations, instructors, and course providers.

For more information, visit www.springaboard.org .

 

Kan. suspect in shooting of father, son faces murder charge

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Towner-photo Shawnee Co.

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — The suspect in the shooting of a father and son is now facing a murder charge after one of the victims died.

John Wesley Towner Jr. was charged Thursday with second-degree murder in the death of 34-year-old John Austin Jr. in January.

Towner originally was charged with two counts of attempted murder and other crimes.

Austin and his 57-year-old father, John Austin Sr., were shot on January 22 outside a central Topeka home.

Towner is being held on $100,000 bond. His jury trial is scheduled to begin June 11.

No Wade, no problem. K-State defeats Creighton in NCAA opener

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CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Barry Brown scored 18 points and ninth-seeded Kansas State posted a 69-59 wire-to-wire victory over No. 8 Creighton on Friday night despite playing without leading scorer Dean Wade.

Mike McGuirl added 17 points and Kamau Stokes had 11 as the Wildcats won a first-round NCAA Tournament game for the first time since 2012.

Wade had been expected to play after suffering a stress fracture in the quarterfinals of the Big 12 Tournament, but never got on the floor. His teammates picked him up, particularly on defense.

Creighton came into the game ranked 10th in scoring in Division I at 84.3 points per game, but the Wildcats (23-11) limited the Bluejays to 59 points, tying their season low. Creighton (21-12) shot just 33.8 percent from the field, including 26 percent from beyond the 3-point arc.

Leading scoring Marcus Foster was held scoreless in the first 28 1/2 minutes and finished with five points on 2-of-11 shooting against his former team.

Foster was booted off the Kansas State team after the 2015 season for multiple violations of team rules, but said earlier this week this game was more about advancing than any type of revenge. He took responsibility for his mistakes, saying it was something that he needed to go through to grow up.

But Foster was never found his rhythm. He didn’t score until making a driving baseline layup with 10:30 left in the game.

The Wildcats jumped out to 10-2 lead behind Kamau Stokes, who scored the game’s first seven points. They never trailed.

Creighton cut the lead to two after Mitch Ballock scored seven straight points for the Bluejays to open the second half. But Kansas State stayed ahead and McGuirl completed a four-point play after being fouled on a baseline jumper to give the Wildcats an 11-point lead with 7:13 remaining in the game.

BIG PICTURE

Kansas State: The Wildcats showed great tenacity on defense. They also shot well from long distance, making 9 of 19 3-pointers.

Creighton: It was another disappointing NCAA Tournament appearance for the Bluejays, who simply couldn’t make any shots when the needed to. Along with Foster, Kyyri Thomas only managed nine points. Mitch Ballock had 16 points and eight rebounds to lead Creighton.

UP NEXT

Creighton: Will face the winner of No. 1 Virginia and No. 16 UMBC on Sunday.

FHSU softball scores 36 runs in doubleheader sweep of Lincoln

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HAYS, Kan. – Fort Hays State slugged its way to a doubleheader sweep of Lincoln on Friday afternoon (Mar. 16), winning by scores of 23-5 and 13-5 in run-rule fashion with the wind howling out to centerfield. FHSU improved to 6-18 overall, 2-4 in the MIAA, while Lincoln fell to 3-17 overall, 0-6 in the MIAA.

The 23-5 win by the Tigers in Game 1 was the largest margin of victory in the program’s history, topping a 16-run spread achieved against Adams State in 2004. The Tigers pounded out 40 hits over the doubleheader, 22 in Game 1 and 18 in Game 2.

Game 1: Fort Hays State 23, Lincoln 5
Fort Hays State came up just three runs shy of its single-game record for runs, but posted its largest margin of victory in program history with the spread of 18 runs against Lincoln in a run-rule shortened contest.

A double by Grace Philop and triple by Terran Caldwell set the tone for a seven-run, eight-hit first inning by the Tigers. Caldwell tallied the first RBI of the inning, followed by an RBI single by Bailey Boxberger, RBI double by Veronica Knittig, two-RBI single by Lily Sale, RBI double by Bailey Kennedy, and an RBI single by Philop.

Lincoln put up a single run in the second, but FHSU exploded again for a big offensive inning in the third. The Tigers batted around twice, scoring 14 runs in the inning, and saw their lead grow to 21-1. Kennedy started the scoring parade with an RBI single and another run came around to score on a misplay by the centerfielder. Candace Bollig picked up a sacrifice fly RBI on a dropped fly ball by the outfielder, then the floodgates opened when Boxberger picked up a two-RBI double and Tess Gray hit a two-run home run. That chased Lincoln starter Madison Ragar from the game, who allowed 14 runs (13 earned) in just 2.1 innings of work. Delayne Patton relieved for the Blue Tigers, but did not get help from her defense to end the rally on an error that extended the inning further. Kennedy notched her third RBI of the game with another single, Bollig grabbed an RBI on a bases-loaded hit by pitch, and Boxberger unloaded the bases with a three-RBI double to the gap. Sarah Kay added on a pinch hit RBI single.

Fort Hays State tacked on two more runs in the fourth on an RBI single by Caldwell and RBI double by Bollig. Lincoln scored four runs in the fifth, but it was too little, too late with the run rule coming into effect after five innings.
FHSU starter Hailey Chapman went 4.1 innings to earn the win, moving to 2-10 on the season. She allowed 11 hits and a walk, while striking out five. Four of her five runs allowed were earned. Megan Jamison relieved for the final 0.2 innings, getting a grounder and flyout to end the game.

When the dust settled, Bailey Boxberger had a team-best six RBI for the game, more than doubling her total for the season after entering the day with just five. Bollig joined Kennedy for players with three RBI in the game. Caldwell, Gray, and Sale all finished with two RBI. Philop, Caldwell, and Boxberger all crossed the plate three times, while Kennedy joined the trio as players with three hits in the game.

Game 2: Fort Hays State 13, Lincoln 5
Fort Hays State kept its foot on the gas pedal in Game 2, jumping out to a 10-0 lead through two innings. The Tigers scored three in the first and seven in the second, roughing up Lincoln starter Delayne Patton over just 1.2 innings of work.

Sara Breckbill started the scoring in the first inning with a two-RBI single. Bailey Kennedy followed with an RBI single. In the second inning, Lily Sale started the seven-run rally with a double. She came in to score on a Grace Philop RBI single. A train of six straight hits by the Tigers continued with an RBI single by Terran Caldwell, RBI double by Candace Bollig, RBI double by Bailey Boxberger, and RBI single by Breckbill. Sarah Kay put an exclamation point on the inning with a rocket-shot two-run homer to left center.

Sierra Rodriguez cruised through three innings, but ran into trouble in the fourth when she allowed five runs to Lincoln. Megan Jamison came on to get the final out of the inning. With the run-rule shortened game, Rodriguez still captured the win by going at least three innings in the five-inning contest. She allowed five runs on six hits with three strikeouts in 3.2 innings of work. Jamison finished the game, allowing two hits and a walk in 1.1 innings of work, while also striking out three.

Boxberger capped her eight-RBI afternoon between the games with a solo home run to open the bottom of the fourth. Later in the inning, Veronica Knittig picked up a pinch hit RBI single. The Tigers were able to force the run rule in the bottom of the fifth when Kennedy roped an RBI single to right field with the bases loaded. Kennedy finished the afternoon 6-for-7 at the plate. Sale finished the day 4-for-5 at the dish between the two games.

The Tigers will host Lindenwood in another conference doubleheader on Saturday (Mar. 17), starting at 12 pm. Lindenwood dropped a pair of games to Nebraska-Kearney on Friday.

Famous Kansas zoo giraffe expecting

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By Molly Hadfield

SHAWNEE COUNTY —Two giraffes at the Topeka zoo are pregnant. Eight-year-old Hope and seven-year-old Abi are both expecting their first calve late spring or early summer.

Photo courtesy Topeka Zoo

Many people will remember Hope and the story that surrounded her when she was born. In July 2010, Hope came into this world with a medical complication. Both of her rear legs presented with hyper extended fetlocks. Through a major effort and with the world watching, she beat the odds and overcame the condition. During her treatment, she was the subject matter of local news broadcasts, major networks, and TV specials. Even the TODAY show came to Kansas to share her story.

With life in front of her, Hope represented the future of the giraffe program at the Topeka Zoo. In 2013, Sgt. Peppers, a male reticulated giraffe born at the Oklahoma City Zoo was transferred to the Topeka zoo to be paired with hope. Two years later, Abi, a giraffe from the Albuquerque BioPark Zoo was also transferred to Topeka and together the three giraffe formed the breeding heard that the Topeka Zoo has today. In 2016, the recommendation was made to breed Sgt. Peppers with both Hope and Abi.

Earlier this year, a hormone study showed that both Hope and Abby are pregnant. Gestation in reticulated giraffe is approximately 15 months. The Topeka Zoo is expecting the giraffe calve to be born sometime between May and June.

Both Abby and hope are being closely monitored. A medical team is evaluating their progress and planning for any possible complications.

Over the next month, plans will be announced that will allow the community to watch their progress through WebCams and a rules for a naming contest will be revealed to name one of the calves. The zoo will post regular updates through its social media on the progress of both expecting moms.

Judge excludes child porn from Kan. domestic terror trial

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WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — Jurors who will decide the fate of three militia members accused of conspiring to bomb an apartment complex housing Somalis in the Kansas will not hear evidence about alleged child pornography found during searches.

Gavin Wright, Curtis Allen and Patrick Stein are charged with domestic terrorism

U.S. District Eric Melgren excluded the images found on a computer and drives Friday.

Patrick Stein, Gavin Wright, and Curtis Allen have pleaded not guilty to conspiracy to use a weapon of mass destruction and conspiracy against civil rights. Stein also faces a weapons-related charge and Wright faces an additional charge of lying to the FBI.

The trial is set to begin Tuesday.

Stein pleaded not guilty in a separate case that will be tried in July accusing him of possession of child pornography.

Report: Better Kansas schools may cost $2B more

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TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — The Latest on the debate in Kansas over increasing funding for public schools (all times local):

4p.m.

A new report from two out-of-state consultants says improving student performance in Kansas public schools could cost the state as much as $2 billion more a year.

The report released Friday stunned some legislators. The Kansas Supreme Court ruled in October that the state’s more than $4 billion in spending a year on aid to public schools isn’t sufficient under the state constitution.

The report outlined multiple spending scenarios, and all assumed that the state would boost its high school graduation rate from 86 percent to 95 percent within four years. That would be the nation’s highest rate.

The consultants’ lowest projected increase in annual spending would be $451 million, or almost 10 percent. The largest figure tops $2 billion. The consultants suggested phasing in any increase over five years.

___

11:45 p.m. Thursday

Kansas legislators are receiving an education funding report that could determine how lawmakers respond to a state Supreme Court mandate to boost spending on public schools.

Legislative attorneys are slated to present the report Friday during a joint meeting of House and Senate committees on school funding. The study comes from two out-of-state consultants hired by Republican leaders.

The GOP-controlled Legislature’s work on a school finance law aimed at satisfying the court has been on hold for several months while lawmakers waited for the study.

The court ruled in October that the state’s aid to its school districts of more than $4 billion a year isn’t sufficient under the Kansas Constitution. The court hinted that funding might have to rise by $650 million a year but allowed for new cost studies.

Elmore’s 27 lead 13th-seeded Marshall over Wichita State

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SAN DIEGO (AP) — Jon Elmore scored 27 points and Jarrod West hit a huge 3-pointer with three minutes left to help No. 13 seed Marshall topple fourth-seeded Wichita State 81-75 Friday in the East Region.

The Thundering Herd (25-10) also got big shots down the stretch from Ajdin Penava and C.J. Burks to win in its first NCAA Tournament appearance since 1987. Marshall plays the Murray State-West Virginia winner in the next round.

Wichita State (25-8) got 27 points from Conner Frankamp and seemed to be in control midway through the second half, but the Thundering Herd refused to fade despite its lack of NCAA tourney experience.

After Frankamp’s long jumper gave the Shockers a 70-69 lead with just less than 5 minutes to go, Penava made a layup. The next time down the floor, West buried a long 3 and raised his right hand in celebration after giving the Thundering Herd a 74-70 lead.

Shaquille Morris responded with a slam dunk for the Shockers before the 6-foot-9 Penava made another layup and Burks had a steal and a layup to give Marshall a six-point lead.

Frankamp hit a 3 with 44.1 seconds left before Marshall benefited from a critical call. With 36.2 seconds left, Zach Brown of Wichita State blocked a shot by Jannson Williams and the ball went out of bounds. After a long video review, the referees awarded the ball to Marshall, and Penava had a slam dunk off an inbounds pass.

Wichita State blew several chances to pull any closer. Landry Shamet missed the front end of a one-and-one with 28.9 seconds and the Shockers then missed two 3-point attempts in the next 12 seconds before turning the ball over.

Penava scored16 points, Burks 13 and Williams 10. Morris had 12 for the Shockers and Shamet 11.

Elmore scored nine straight points midway through the second half, including two 3-pointers, to help Marshall keep pace after it allowed the Shockers to go on a 15-1 run spanning halftime.

Frankamp responded with 3s on consecutive possessions for Wichita State

BIG PICTURE

Marshall led for most of the first half, twice taking a seven-point lead, before Wichita State went on an 11-1 run to take a 37-34 halftime lead. The Thundering Herd played for the final shot of the half but Elmore was whistled for a foul with 9.2 seconds left. Willis missed a 3-pointer at the buzzer.

Wichita State outrebounded the Thundering Herd 44-30, with Rashard Kelly grabbing 12. But the Shockers also committed 15 turnovers, which led to 27 points for Marshall.

UP NEXT

Marshall advances to face the winner of the Murray State-West Virginia game.

Judge rebukes Kan. DCF head’s adoption decision reversal

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WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas’ newly-confirmed secretary for children and families improperly reversed an adoption decision for three children in foster care, a judge said.

Gina Meier-Hummel started her job as secretary of the Kansas Department for Children and Families on Dec. 1, and announces plans to address some of the the high-profile problems with Kansas’s foster care system.
Photo by MADELINE FOX / KANSAS NEWS SERVICE

DCF Secretary Gina Meier-Hummel recently said the children should go to their grandfather instead of being adopted by their foster family like originally decided.

Meier-Hummel’s decision “potentially placed all three children in serious harm,” according to Sedgwick County Judge Kevin Smith. He said he considered all necessary factors in selecting the foster parents to adopt and that the children should remain with them while continuing visits with their grandfather.

“Our intent was to ask for a 30-day continuance to do our due diligence, given the serious concerns raised by the grandfather about his grandchildren’s future,” Meier-Hummel said. “The court has the authority to make decisions in the children’s best interest, and we respect that authority.”

Smith’s rebuke came during a review hearing about David Rose Sr.’s grandchildren. Rose has sought for two years to adopt the children, and believes he wasn’t chosen because he’s a single black man living in a fourplex while the foster family is a married white couple in the suburbs.

“There’s one person whose bond has never been disrupted, and that’s my client,” said Jennifer Goheen, who stood in for Rose’s attorney who was unavailable.

Smith said the biggest reason for not choosing Rose was the possible involvement of the children’s biological parents, who he said had previously engaged in instances of physical neglect and abandonment.

Smith said he expects Meier-Hummel to attend a hearing about the adoption next month.

Cauley resigns position at TMP

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By JEREMY McGUIRE
Hays Post

HAYS, Kan.-Thomas More Prep-Marian is once again on the lookout for a head high school football coach after current head coach Jason Cauley submitted his resignation to the school. Cauley has spent the past two seasons as the head of the Monarch football program and went 5-13 over that time. TMP did see offensive improvement during Cauley’s tenure as they averaged over 30 points per game under his direction.

He is leaving TMP to take the same position at a Christian school in the Phoenix/Scottsdale, Arizona area. Cauley will also serve as the school’s head track coach. He will remain at TMP until the end of the current school year.

Kansas faces Seton Hall for Sweet 16 spot in Omaha

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WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — No. 1 seed Kansas (28-7) vs. No. 8 Seton Hall (22-11)

Second round, Midwest Region; Wichita, Kansas, Saturday, 7:10 p.m. EDT.

BOTTOM LINE: The Jayhawks try to remain unbeaten in NCAA Tournament games in Wichita, improving to 5-0 with their opening-round win over Penn. They’ll have to beat the Pirates, who finally broke through for an NCAA win when they topped North Carolina State on Thursday.

THE DOPE ON DOKE: Kansas hopes 7-foot center Udoka Azubuike can play meaningful minutes against the physical Pirates. After spraining a ligament in his left knee last week, and missing the entire Big 12 Tournament, he played only three minutes — all in the first half — against the Quakers.

DEPTH CHARGE: Seton Hall goes nine- and sometimes 10-deep on its bench, while the Jayhawks rarely play more than eight. And with Azubuike’s health in question, it could be just seven.

STAR WATCH: Devonte Graham scored 29 points against Penn, the most for the Jayhawks in an NCAA Tournament game since Sherron Collins scored 32 in a first-round win over North Dakota State in 2009.

DID YOU KNOW: Seton Hall is seeking its first Sweet 16 appearance since 2000, but it will take a program-first to get there. The Pirates are 0-4 against No. 1 seeds, losing by at least 12 each time.

Kan. Lawmakers Inch Toward Legalizing Cannabis Derivative

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By JIM MCLEAN

A Kansas House committee on Thursday recommended the legalization of medicinal supplements containing cannabidiol, CBD, a marijuana extract used by some to control seizures and pain.

A no-high chemical taken from Marijuana and an herbal stimulant, kratom, got preliminary OKs from Kansas lawmakers on Thursday.
FILE PHOTO / WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

It also moved to keep an herbal stimulant, kratom, legal in Kansas.

 

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