GREAT BEND – The Kansas Wetlands Education Center will host the “Wild Goose Chase” 5k and 3k fun run at Cheyenne Bottoms on Saturday, April 7, with registration starting at 7:30 a.m.and the race at 9 a.m.
The KWEC, 592 NE K-156 Highway, is at the southeast side of Cheyenne Bottoms Wildlife Area, northeast of Great Bend.
The chase, coordinated by the KWEC, Eagle Communications, the Great Bend Convention and Visitors Bureau, is held on even-numbered years. The race route will be on a mowed grass surface and will go around the marsh behind the KWEC building.
Participants will receive a race T-shirt, chip-timing and snacks. Medals will be awarded by age division for men and women.
Registration for people 18 and older is $25 ($35 after March 27). For all ages under 18, registration is $15 ($25 after March 27). To register online or to view registration forms, visit wetlandscenter.fhsu.edu/wild-goose-chase-3k5k-fun-run/.
The choirs of Fort Hays State University will present their Spring Choral Concert at 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, March 13, 2018 at the Beach/Schmidt Performing Arts Center in Sheridan Hall on the FHSU campus. Ticket prices are $6 for adults, $4 for senior citizens and free for students.
The Concert Choir of 54 voices and the Fort Hays Singers of 20 voices will both appear, singing a wide variety of choral repertoire. The Fort Hays Singers will reprise their program from earlier in the semester when they appeared at the KMEA Convention in Wichita on February 23rd. Both ensembles are conducted by Dr. Terry Crull, and accompanied by Pam McGowne.
As the Fort Hays Singers are taking a concert trip to Austria in June, special activities at the Spring Choral Concert will include a moment of thanks for those who are financially helping them secure the funds for Austria, a raffle of the beautiful music quilt made by Pam McGowne, and recognition of longtime members of both choirs.
Last week 35 students from or affiliated with Hays High received Dane Hansen Scholarships. These students were required to take a test to qualify for the scholarship as well as interview to receive it. The total amount of scholarship money received by these students will be $502,000 spread over four years.
Students must have a 21 or higher on their ACT test, and a 3.50 GPA to qualify to take the test to qualify for an interview. Once they pass the test they must get three letters of recommendation as well as partake in an interview process at the Hansen Foundation.
The scholarships are broken up into four brackets: The Leaders of Tomorrow receive $10,000 renewable for three additional years, the Hansen Scholars receive $6,500 renewable for three additional years, the Hansen Students receive $4,000 renewable for one additional year, and the Career and Technical Education receive $4,000 renewable for one additional year. Specific requirements must be met each year for the scholarship to continue.
The seniors who received scholarships and which scholarship they received are listed below.
Leaders of Tomorrow: Brendan Chapman, Lacey Gregory and Mark Schuckman.
Hansen Scholars: Trinity Callis, Allliana Drees, Autumn Hohmann, Madison Karlin, Dawson Rooney, Kaitlyn Schaben and Ethan Tschanz.
Hansen Students: Abigail Balman, Analyse Claude, Mikayla Koerner, Drew Morley, Sara Rohleder, Kayla Satomi, Taryn Stauth, Kyler Voss, Zachary Wagner, Katherine Weisenborn, Ryan Will, Sarah Wyse and Eric Rorstrom.
Career and Technical Education: Keaton Augustine, Marissa Befort, Savannah Bieker, Ashley Boland, Emma Humphrey, Jared Kisner, Kelsi Page, Taya Randle, Jennifer Vallego, Mason Weber, Jesse Weilert and Tracee Weilert.
Lacey Gregory, recipient of the $10,000 Leaders of Tomorrow scholarship, said she is planning on attending KU in the fall, and finding out about this scholarship made the decision much easier.
“I was very pleased to receive the scholarship,” Gregory said. “I’m glad to have been given such a great opportunity.”
Mark Schuckman, who plans to attend Fort Hays State University next year studying Industrial Technology, said that he was surprised he received the Leaders of Tomorrow scholarship.
“I feel very honored that I was one of the ten students in northwest Kansas to receive this award and I’m very thankful I was chosen,” Schuckman said. “After my interview, I thought it went pretty well so i thought I might get a scholarship of some type but I didn’t expect to get the $10,000 one at all.”
New food experiences can open us to new cultures and new communities. The Hays office of the Cottonwood Extension District will host a Chinese Culinary Workshop on Wednesday, March 14 from 5:30-7:30 p.m. at the Hays First Presbyterian Church, 2900 Hall Street in Hays. The cost is only $5 per person.
This hands-on Chinese cooking class will serve as an occasion for restaurant professionals, food inspectors, and the community to interact with each other. The workshop is co-sponsored by the K-State Confucius Institute, inspectors of the Kansas Department of Agriculture, and K-State Research and Extension specialists.
Chinese chefs will demonstrate cooking techniques and KDA inspectors will share proper food safety and food handling practices.
This class is designed for local restaurant staff, culinary students and the public. The registration fee includes class instruction and tasting. Class size is limited to 20 people. For questions or to register, contact the Hays office at 785-628-9430.
Students in Kansas are bearing more than two-thirds of the cost of their education at public universities in the state.
That’s a sharp increase over the last 16 years. In 2001, revenue from tuition was little more than a third of the cost of education — about 35 percent. Today it’s just over 71 percent.
The main reason students — rather than the state — are paying a majority of the cost is years of state funding cuts. Funding for higher education has faced multiple cuts over the past decade. Adjusted for inflation, Kansas universities lost more than a quarter of their state funding since 2001.
That has caused universities to turn to tuition hikes. Since 2001, revenue from tuition for state universities increased more than 2.5 times (also adjusted for inflation).
“This, of course, doesn’t take into account expenses that they have for books or student fees,” said Elaine Frisbie, the vice president for finance and administration for the Kansas Board of Regents.
Those fees have also jumped, at least in part as a reaction to lower state funding.
CREDIT STEPHAN BISAHA / SOURCE: KANSAS BOARD OF REGENTS
The future of state funding and tuition is uncertain. While the Kansas Board of Regents is pushing the Legislature to restore $24 million from recent cuts, lawmakers have hinted at the possibility of more cuts to pay for K-12 funding.
Frisbie says the Board of Regents will review possible tuition increases for 2019 this summer, though she suspects the board is concerned about how tuition increases would further block Kansans’ access to higher education.
“Whether they are willing and interested in having the universities continue to increase tuition is going to be an interesting discussion,” Frisbie said.
There’s a third factor that goes into the cost of tuition: the actual cost of education. And that cost has grown over the last 16 years, outpacing inflation.
Some of the rise in education spending is out of the universities’ hands. State university faculty, for example, have a state employee health plan. As premiums go up, so does the cost of education.
“We are looking at ways of how do we reduce our costs and be more efficient,” said Ethan Erickson, the assistant vice president for budget planning at Kansas State University.
“But, at the end of the day, there are going to be some areas where if we want to continue to maintain and provide an excellent educational opportunity we have to able to increase and adjust for those operational costs,” he said.
Despite the increases to tuition, Erickson argues that K-State is worth the cost.
“Kansas State University is an exceptional bargain for our citizens,” he said. “We still provide a great value for our customers.”
Stephan Bisaha is an education reporter for the Kansas News Service. Follow him on Twitter @SteveBisaha.
Fort Hays State University’s Department of Social Work will host its annual J.V. Caprez Social Work Field Day from 8 a.m. to 4:15 p.m. Friday, April 6, in the Memorial Union’s Fort Hays Ballroom on the FHSU campus.
Speakers will be Rhonda Weimer, licensed clinical social worker, assistant professor of social work and BSW program director at FHSU, and Dr. Tami Radohl, licensed clinical social worker and director of field education at Park University in Parkville, Mo.
Topics will include differential diagnostic criteria between traumatic brain injuries and depression, anxiety, autism and ADHD; signs and symptomology of each diagnosis; potential treatment approaches for traumatic brain injuries; and information on how to partner with physicians and mental health professionals.
Morning session (8 to 11:45 a.m.): Differential diagnosis of traumatic brain injuries between anxiety, depression, autism and ADHD. Afternoon session (1 to 4:15 p.m.): Assessment tools, diagnostic practice and treatment.
The event is free and open to the public. If requesting a continuing education credit, the cost is $25 per individual session or $40 for both sessions.
Banjo (senior Micheal Hernandez) propositions Nurse Preen (senior Tana Herreman) in a scene from Act 3 of “The Man Who Came To Dinner” to be presented by Hays High School on March 15-17 at 12 Street Auditorium. Photo courtesy of Bill Gasper
HHS
One of the most popular comedies of all time will take the stage when Hays High School presents “The Man Who Came to Dinner,” a story about a famous, but rude and self-centered radio personality who slips on the front porch and becomes an extended and unwelcome houseguest.
The Kaufman and Hart comedy will be presented at 7 p.m. on March 15-17 at 12th Street Auditorium. The production, which is directed by Bill Gasper, features a large cast of 26.
Chaos breaks loose during a Christmas Eve radio broadcast after one of the medical professionals staying in the house is bitten by a penguin. The scene takes place at the end of Act 2 of “The Man Who Came To Dinner,” a classic Kaufman and Hart comedy that will be presented on March 15-17 at 12th Street Auditorium. Photo courtesy of Bill Gasper
“I considered this play many years ago, but for one reason or another, opted to do something else,” Gasper said. “But each year, I kept coming back to it, and finally decided the time was now. It is particularly inviting because it features a large cast, which of course, allows for the involvement of numerous students.”
The play revolves around Sheridan Whiteside (senior Dawson Rooney), who during his six-week convalescence takes over the living room, runs up phone bills, and plays host to ex-convicts. Hysteria runs rampant as he interferes, blackmails, lies and runs roughshod over everyone.
Written by the same talented duo who penned the Pulitzer Prize winning “You Can’t Take It With You,” Gasper said the Broadway classic is a perfect blend of high comedy and low farce, populated by an extravagant array of eccentric but believable characters.
“Throughout the play, the real-life names of numerous celebrities of that time period are mentioned,” Gasper said. “Some of them audience members may recognize; many of them they might not. Thus, I have included a list of names and who they were in the program. But to audiences of that day, the names surely resulted in a few laughs as Hart and Kaufman poked fun at the very world of which they were a part.”
First produced in 1939, the play enjoyed an extended Broadway run of 739 performances. It was later made into a movie in 1942.
“The kids have done a great job with this play,” Gasper said. “It has really come together very nicely. It’s funny and entertaining, and I think audience members will go away happy.”
General admission tickets are $6 in advance and $7 at the door for adults and are available at the Hays High office or from any cast member. Student tickets are $4 in advance and $5 at the door. Tickets are good for any of the three nights, and seating, while readily available, is not reserved.
For almost 30 years, high school girls wrestling has quietly grown both nationally and in the state of Kansas. But in recent years, the growth has been substantial and not so quiet.
Just fewer than 9,000 girls participated in wrestling nationally in 2012 and, in just a five-year span, that number ballooned to 14,587 girls in 2017. Despite the dramatic increase in participants, girls wrestling is still not a sanctioned by a majority of state high school athletic associations including Kansas.
The few states that have sanctioned high school girls wrestling have experienced huge numbers of growth in competition due to the fact that the girls participating can wrestle against other girls for post season tournaments instead of wrestling boys like in non-sanctioned states.
For example:
• The state of Tennessee experienced 294 percent growth in girls wrestling participants from 2014-2017 after sanctioning the sport in 2015.
• California participants increased by 202 percent from 2010-2017.
• Washington state sanctioned girls wrestling in 2007 and had a 628 percent participation increase over the next 10 years.
Although girls wrestling is not a sanctioned sport in Kansas (meaning there is no official girls post season tournament), there has been a growth in girls divisions and tournaments throughout the regular season in the past two years. According to McPherson wrestling coach Doug Kretzer, prior to 2017, there were no girls tournaments or divisions for Kansas girls to wrestle other girls unless they happened to face another school that also had a girl wrestler. In 2017, Kretzer lead the charge in holding a girls-only competition.
This year’s Kansas girls state championships in McPherson.
“Just by letting girls know that we were going to find competition for them and give them the opportunity to compete against other girls any chance we got, even if it was only in practice, we had 13 girls come out for wrestling and not a single one quit,” Kretzer said. “We at McPherson decided to have a girls division at our JV tournament in December of 2017. Thirteen schools brought girls, and we wrestled the first-ever girls tournament and girls-only division in the state of Kansas.”
After other schools realized that there were plenty of participants to hold girls-only events, three more competitions took place in 2017 throughout the state, including a unofficial girls state tournament to finish the year hosted by McPherson High School and Coach Kretzer. In that inaugural state tournament in February 2017, 36 schools with a total of 56 girls competed for a state title. This year, there were nine total girls events in Kansas and again McPherson hosted an unofficial state tournament. Fifty-seven schools showed up and 145 girls competed in the tournament.
“We went from never having a single girls competition in the state of Kansas to four last year then to nine this year,” Kretzer said. “The girls that are saying yes with the limited opportunity. What happens if you turn them loose against other girls? Girls wrestling is just waiting to blow up, in my opinion.”
One of the schools participating in this year’s state tournament for the first time was Trego Community High School. Freshmen Jessika Chapman and Sydney Boyle competed in the tournament, but when they first stepped on the mat this year, Trego wrestling coach Jeremy Sampson wasn’t sure what to do with them.
Jessika Chapman and Sydney Boyle at Great Bend tournament.
“I told the girls and their parents from the beginning that I was not going to expect anything less from you that I expect from the boys. I made them fully aware of that going in and they never once complained,” Sampson said. “They did the workouts the boys did and they knew their practice partners were going to be boys most of the time because they were in different weight classes and I couldn’t always put them together.”
Both freshmen wrestled in the varsity lineup for Trego County (the only Mid-Continent League team that has female wrestlers) during the season and mostly wrestled against boys.
“They competed hard and took knocks each and every week, but every Monday they would come back to practice with smiles on their faces when they came into the wrestling room,” Sampson said. “I told them I was going to try and get them into some girls-only events.”
It was at this year’s unofficial state tournament in McPherson that Sampson realized the potential of girls wrestling in Kansas.
“I’m telling you, that event opened up my eyes,” he said. “It’s not a fad. It’s the real thing. They’re not going to take no for an answer and if they have to compete against boys, they’re going to compete against boys, but I think they’re just asking for that opportunity to wrestle against girls.”
Sydney and Jessika wanted to ask for that opportunity publicly which lead to this video being posted on the Trego Wrestling Facebook and Twitter pages a few weeks ago:
“Girls are just asking for an opportunity for KSHSAA to recognize what they’re doing. Watching the passion that the girls had at the girls championships in McPherson … they deserve an opportunity to compete against girls. It was amazing to watch it and it opened my eyes to what it really is,” Sampson said.
The outreach to KSHSAA to sanction girls wrestling in the state of Kansas has not fallen on deaf ears. Mark Lentz, the KSHSAA assistant director in charge of wrestling, was in attendance at the girls state tournament in McPherson.
“It’s nice to see people interested in participating and growing the sport,” Lentz said. “I personally went out and watched the unsanctioned state event that they had in McPherson. I wanted to see the participation and interaction. I think there are some real positives from it.”
For a sport to get sanctioned by KSHSAA, the group of individuals and/or schools would need to get the support of member schools of the association. After that, they will go through the Kansas Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association and the Kansas Coaches Association to bring that to the board of the KSHSAA. The board makes the decision as to whether it will sanction postseason for females.
Kretzer presented to the board last year, but the proposal did not pass. However, there will be another proposal this spring.
“They gave some good ideas and thoughts last year,” said Lentz, who is an administrator and not on the board. “They’ve shown growth, so we’ll see what the board decides this time. I don’t think you ever shut the door to it at all.”
While high school girl’s wrestling is still unsanctioned currently for postseason, the growth is undeniable and having a sanctioned postseason event becomes more of a possibility as the participation numbers continue to climb.
It’s uncertain when and if it will be sanctioned but one thing is for sure — the girls and coaches that support them will continue to pave the way for the girls coming in after them and keep fighting for the opportunity to wrestle other girls.
“I asked, ‘Which of you girls are willing to go out there and fight for all the girls both before and after you?,’ ” Kretzer said. “Girls are powerful … they’re motivated. There’s a place for everyone in the sport of wrestling.”
MANHATTAN —From the Land of Kansas, the state’s agriculture trademark program within the Kansas Department of Agriculture, celebrated its 40th anniversary in January, and rolled out a new membership structure to make more benefits available to members. The trademark program works to promote and support the farmers, ranchers and agribusinesses that grow, raise, process or manufacture products in Kansas.
The new membership structure offers a la carte options for members to choose from, in place of investing in a membership level with prescribed benefits. This allows members to invest in the benefit options that will most help them succeed. Highlights of the new a la carte options include the following:
Opportunities with Chef Alli, From the Land of Kansas brand ambassador, including Facebook Live events and TV segments on WIBW
Online marketing options such as special event e-blasts, and social media promotions and strategy development
Assistance with design of logos, invoices, etc.
Opportunities to sell and sample product in pop-up stores at events
Benefits offered through partnerships with Kansas Value Added Food Lab and Meats Program and with the Center for Rural Enterprise Engagement
Tradeshow Assistance Program
Details on each of these benefits, as well as a complete list of the membership benefit options, can be found at FromtheLandofKansas.com/benefits. The changes to the trademark program help KDA work toward its mission to help make Kansas businesses more successful, grow rural communities and expand markets for Kansas agricultural products. For more information about the new structure, contact Janelle Dobbins, From the Land of Kansas marketing manager, at 785-564-6759 or [email protected].
To learn more about From the Land of Kansas, or to find local Kansas food, products or services, visit FromtheLandofKansas.com. Products from members can be found in many stores across the state by looking for the From the Land of Kansas logo or at shop.fromthelandofkansas.com. Follow the program on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest.
Kelly R. (Deiter) Riemann, beloved daughter of Paul and Patricia (Beck) Deiter, was born at Vandenberg AFB in California on March 30, 1964, and passed away at her home in Lake Ozarks, Missouri on March 6, 2018, at the age of 53.
Kelly attended school in Des Moines, Iowa and Colorado Springs, Colorado. She graduated from Doherty High School in 1982 in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Kelly went on to attend Fort Hays State University in Hays, Kansas receiving her Bachelor’s of Science In Education Degree. She taught in Derby, Kansas before teaching middle school reading at Lansing Middle School in Lansing, Kansas for 18 years. She was married to Kevin Riemann and to this union four wonderful children were born; Daniel Lee Riemann, Alex Thomas Riemann, Wesley Grant Riemann, and Leah Reagan Riemann. Kelly retired from teaching and moved to Norton, Kansas where she married the love of her life, Jim Richeson. Kelly and Jim lived in Norton for 5 years before moving to Lake Ozark, Missouri.
Kelly was a very kind hearted woman. She was passionate and active in the Just Say No Club and Mothers Against Drunk Driving. Kelly enjoyed traveling with her husband, Jim to Herman, Missouri, shopping, going out to eat, and spending time with those she loved the most. Her greatest love was her family, especially her husband, children and grandchild.
Survivors include: her husband, Jim, of their home; mother, Patricia Deiter, Lansing, KS; three children; Alex Riemann, Lawrence, KS; Wesley Riemann, Lansing, KS; Leah Cook, Lansing, KS; cherished niece, Katie Smith, Kansas City, MO; one grandchild, Sydney Riemann; several nieces and nephews; numerous other relatives and friends.
Kelly was preceded in death by her father, Paul Deiter; one son, Daniel Lee Riemann; and sister, Jody Smith.
FUNERAL SERVICE – Monday, March 12, 2018 – 2:00 P.M.
PRATT – The Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism (KDWPT) was recently recognized by the National Wild Turkey Federation (NWTF) for the department’s management of public lands. Recognition came in the form of a national land stewardship award, which was accepted by Keith Sexson, KDWPT Assistant Secretary for Fish, Wildlife and Boating, during the 42nd annual NWTF Convention and Sport Show.
“From their staff to their habitat and wildlife conservation projects, the Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism is leading the way in collaborative endeavors,” said Becky Humphries, NWTF CEO. “We are proud to partner with such a dedicated agency to put boots on the ground to ‘Save the Habitat. Save the Hunt.’”
NWTF determined this year’s award winners based on how their work strengthens the organization’s new “Save the Habitat. Save the Hunt.” initiative. KDWPT was selected for the Land Stewardship award because of the department’s efforts to provide quality habitat and hunting experiences, despite the challenges of being a state that is almost entirely privately-owned.
“The work that our Public Lands staff and Wildlife staff are doing to make opportunities possible for our hunters in this state is just really impressive,” said Sexson. “And we’re happy to partner with organizations like NWTF because we know we can’t do it alone.”
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – Fort Hays State saw its season come to a close in the NCAA Central Regional Semifinals on Saturday night (Mar. 10) when it fell to Central Missouri, 66-59. The sixth-seeded Tigers end their season at 26-7 overall, while the second-seeded Jennies improved to 26-3 overall and advanced to the regional final Monday night.
FHSU Postgame Press Conference
Game Highlights
Central Missouri, ranked No. 10 in the nation, led for over 30 minutes in the game, while FHSU held the lead for a total of 6:19. Fort Hays State’s largest lead was three points occurring twice, late in the second quarter and after its first bucket in the third quarter. Following the last three-point lead for the Tigers, the Jennies went on an 11-4 run to take a four-point lead and then led by that margin by the end of the third quarter, 49-45.
The Tigers kept the Jennies within five points all throughout the game until the 7:46 mark of the fourth quarter when a Kelsey Williams jumper in the lane made the margin six points. A Belle Barbieri layup closed the margin back to four, but a Morgan Fleming three pointer and a Megan Skaggs layup took the UCM lead out to nine points. The biggest dagger came at the 1:14 mark. After the Tigers missed a layup in close that would have cut the margin to five, Fleming hit a desperation turnaround three-point attempt in the left corner with the shot clock expiring to extend the lead to 10.
Kacey Kennett hit a three-pointer with just under a minute remaining, but the Tigers had to foul four times inside the final minute before finally putting the Jennies on the line with 20 seconds remaining. Kayonna Lee, who finished with a double-double of 12 points and 11 rebounds, buried a pair of free throws to push the lead back to nine. Kennett connected one more time from deep, but it was not enough in the end as the MIAA’s regular season champion moved on to the regional final.
Kennett had her second straight solid game shooting the ball from the outside, going 5-of-9 beyond the three-point arc. She finished with a team-best 17 points. Lanie Page had nine points and Tatyana Legette had eight. Fort Hays State’s only senior, Emma Stroyan, also finished with eight. Barbieri had a team-high seven rebounds, while Legette shelled out a team-best six assists.
MIAA Player of the Year Paige Redmond led the Jennies with 16 points and five assists. Fleming, who hit her only two three-point field goal attempts of the game in the fourth quarter, had nine points.
After sitting at 3-4 to open MIAA play by mid-January, the Tigers went on a roll winning 11 of their last 12 in conference play. As the No. 3 seed, the Tigers advanced to the finals of the MIAA Tournament to secure an at-large bid into the NCAA Tournament. The Tigers won 14 of their final 17 games to close out the season, including an opening round win in the NCAA Tournament before bowing out on Saturday night. The Tigers produced their seventh consecutive 20-win season and second-highest win total (26) under head coach Tony Hobson. The Tigers have now won at least 25 in a season three times under Hobson, and the majority of the squad will return next year.
FHSU University Relations
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