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Month: March 2018

Amtrak’s SW Chief gets $16M for important track repair

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RENO COUNTY— Another round of funding has been approved for the rail line served by Amtrak’s SW Chief.

Amtrak route across the United State- Amtrak image

According to a media release from the U.S. Department of Transportation, the Tiger Grant will be used for rehabilitating track giving the route that passes through Kansas another shot in the arm as its advocates try to bolster the train line uncertain future.

The money, $16 million from a Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery grant, means about three-quarters of the money needed for track upgrades for the Chicago-to-Los Angeles route have been secured.

It’s a sigh of relief for the Southwest Chief’s main proponents, who were fearful about the prospect of securing federal dollars under a White House that has signaled a distaste for long-distance rail. It was four years ago that Amtrak and BNSF threatened to move the train off of the current line and on to the main Transcon route through Oklahoma and Texas.

The move would have eliminated service to Hutchinson, Garden City and Dodge City along with southeast Colorado and northern New Mexico. Cities, counties and states along the route have been chipping in to match funds for the grant including Hutchinson which has regularly provided matching funds for the grants.

While the funding is good news it may be a moot point as the Trump administration has also sent a strong message about its stance toward Amtrak’s long-distance rail routes — like the Chief’s — by proposing cuts in Amtrak’s budget for the lines.

UPDATE: Hays man dies in Friday morning rollover accident

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UPDATE 4:11 p.m.: The Hays man who was killed in a one-vehicle rollover accident early this morning has been identified.

According to the Ellis County Sheriff’s office, following a phone call from a passerby, county first responders were dispatched to the 2800 block of 130th Ave. about 12:41 a.m.

The sole occupant and driver of the vehicle, Mathew V. Guffey, 44, was pronounced dead at the scene from injuries.

Guffey was traveling southbound on 130th Ave. in a 1999 Ford Ranger. The vehicle entered the west ditch, continuing southbound and became airborne after striking a field entrance. The pickup rolled several times before coming to rest on its wheels in the west ditch.

Guffey was wearing a seat belt.
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A Hays man died in an accident early Friday morning, according to the Ellis County Sheriff’s Office.

The 44-year-old died from injuries sustained during a one-vehicle rollover accident in the 2800 block of 130th Avenue in Ellis County. The accident was reported by a passerby at approximately 12:34 a.m. Friday, according to a news release.

The drive was the sole occupant of the vehicle, and he was wearing a seat belt.

The accident is being investigated by the Ellis County Sheriff’s Office, and the victim’s name is being withheld pending notification of next of kin.

HPD Activity Log March 5-8

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The Hays Police Department responded to 9 animal calls and conducted 15 traffic stops Mon., March 5, 2018, according to the HPD Activity Log.

Mental Health Call–2200 block Canterbury Dr, Hays; 5:08 AM
Suspicious Activity–3900 block E 8th St, Hays; 6:23 AM
Assist – Other (not MV)–2700 block Vine St, Hays; 6:52 AM
Found/Lost Property–100 block  E 11th St, Hays; 10:47 AM
Burglary/residence–500 block  W 15th St, Hays; 3/4 9:30 PM; 10 PM
Civil Dispute–2200 block Centennial Blvd, Hays; 1:29 PM
Lost Animals ONLY–2000 block Hall St, Hays; 3:08 PM
Suspicious Activity–300 block E 23rd St, Hays; 3:48 PM
Fire–200 block E 17th St, Hays; 4:44 PM
Animal At Large–700 block Main St, Hays; 5:24 PM
Probation/Parole Violation–1000 block Fort St, Hays; 5:33 PM
Driving Under the Influence–4100 block Vine St, Hays; 7:13 PM; 7:42 PM
Found/Lost Property–2700 block Vine St, Hays; 8:22 PM
Animal Call–500 block W 27th St, Hays; 8:53 PM

The Hays Police Department responded to 6 animal calls and conducted 14 traffic stops Tue., March 6, 2018, according to the HPD Activity Log.

Drug Offenses–300 block Mopar Dr, Hays; 12:55 AM; 1:21 AM
Drug Offenses–3800 block Vine St, Hays; 1:18 AM
Found/Lost Property–3100 block Thunderbird Cir, Hays; 9 AM
Animal At Large–1200 block E 32nd St, Hays; 10:03 AM
Animal At Large–2200 block Felten Dr, Hays; 11:09 AM
Shoplifting–2900 block Broadway Ave, Hays; 11:48 AM
Animal At Large–700 block W 12th St, Hays; 2:07 PM
Phone/Mail Scam–1400 block Fort St, Hays; 2:54 PM
Harassment, Telephone/FAX–100 block W 36th St, Hays; 2:58 PM
Found/Lost Property–2700 block Vine St, Hays; 10 PM
Found/Lost Property–200 block E 7th St, Hays; 3:47 PM
Civil Dispute–400 block W 13th St, Hays; 9:49 PM
Suspicious Activity–2700 block Plaza Ave, Hays; 11:32 PM
Mental Health Call–3500 block Fairway Dr, Hays; 11:57 PM

The Hays Police Department responded to 5 animal calls and conducted 18 traffic stops Wed., March 7, 2018, according to the HPD Activity Log.

Theft of Services–4100 block Vine St, Hays; 12:57 AM
Driving Under the Influence–2400 block Canal Blvd, Hays; 1:45 AM
Overdose–200 block W 7th St, Hays; 5:09 AM
Welfare Check–100 block E 27th St, Hays; 8:27 AM
MV Accident-Private Property-Hit and Run–200 block W 4th St, Hays; 3/6 7 PM; 3/7 10:30 AM
MV Accident-City Street/Alley–2800 block Vine St, Hays; 11:36 AM
Lost Animals ONLY–200 block W 5th St, Hays; 11:45 AM
Domestic Disturbance–1000 block Elm St, Hays; 2:39 PM
Abandoned Vehicle–1000 block W 27th St, Hays; 2:48 PM
Abandoned Vehicle–100 block E 11th St, Hays; 2:59 PM
MV Accident-Private Property–4400 block Vine St, Hays; 3:31 PM
Animal At Large–3400 block Summer Ln, Hays; 5:04 PM
Shoplifting–1900 block Vine St, Hays; 5:30 PM; 6 PM
Domestic Disturbance–500 block W 7th St, Hays; 6:11 PM
Animal At Large–41st and Hall St, Hays; 6:49 PM
Lost Animals ONLY–300 block W 23rd St, Hays; 7:06 PM

The Hays Police Department responded to 1 animal call and conducted 14 traffic stops Thu., March , 2018, according to the HPD Activity Log.

Drug Offenses–1000 block W 27th St, Hays; 1:55 AM
Suspicious Person–2700 block Epworth St, Hays; 9:54 AM
Abandoned Vehicle–1700 block Donald Dr, Hays; 10:54 AM
MV Accident-Private Property-Hit and Run–2300 block E 13th St, Hays; 3/4 4:58 PM; 2/25 4 PM
Battery – simple–500 block Commerce Pkwy, Hays; 1:54 PM
Shoplifting–700 block E 13th St, Hays; 2/18 6:51 PM
Disturbance – General–700 block E 6th St, Hays; 3:47 PM
Probation/Parole Violation–Hays; 4:37 PM
Civil Dispute–1900 block Vine St, Hays; 5:23 PM
Traffic/Driving Complaint–27th and Vine, Hays; 7:09 PM
MV Accident-City Street/Alley–2900 block Vine St, Hays; 5 PM
Welfare Check–500 block E 8th St, Hays; 7:45 PM
Drug Offenses–200 block W 6th St, Hays; 9:55 PM
Disturbance – General–200 block E 7th St, Hays; 10:59 PM

Cutlery to crab: NCK Tech culinary students learn ins, outs of food industry

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Margaret DePiesse and Emily Corbett work on dishes during a lab at the NCK Tech culinary school at the Hadley Center in Hays.

By CRISTINA JANNEY
Hays Post

The NCK Tech culinary program allows students to participate in a nine-month program that opens up opportunities for jobs without a college education.

The food industry is the second largest employer in the United State behind the medical field, said Philip Kuhn, program director and chef.

The culinary program was moved from Beloit to Hays’ Hadley Center three years ago when Kuhn took over as director. Kuhn is from Hays but has worked in restaurants, conference centers and a casino.

He also owns and runs The Press restaurant in the Hadley Center. Although the restaurant sometimes hires students after graduation from NCK Tech, The Press is not connected to culinary arts program.

Katherine Keene, 23, culinary student places salmon in a teriyaki marinade.

Job opportunities vary greatly for culinary graduates, Kuhn said. They can work on cruise ships or at resorts, casinos, mom-and-pop restaurants and corporate restaurants. They also can work on the other side of the food industry and sell food, working for corporations such as Cisco or U.S. Foods, or with chemical companies that supply restaurants.

“There are tons of jobs out there,” he said. “It is where you want to go and what do you want to experience. And how involved you want to be too, because (working in) restaurants is not an easy job. There is a lot of time spent. If you are going to go to a cruise ship, its 12 hours on and 12 hours off, six to seven days a week. … I was a food and beverage director of a casino. I worked anywhere from 80 to 90 hours to 110 hours a week. Most people don’t put that in in two or three weeks. …

“It’s a lifestyle. It is a fun lifestyle. You get to meet fun people. You get to work with food and interesting types of cuisines.”

Kuhn loves banquet cooking. In Hays, you might cook for 500 to 600 people at a time, but in a large city like Las Vegas, a chef might coordinate a meal for as many as 12,000 people.

Line cooking is more of an adrenaline rush, he said. You might have a list of 25 possible menu items, and you don’t know what is going to come at you.

Philip Kuhn, NCK Tech culinary arts teacher, oversees students in the lab.

Students in the program learn about preparation of a variety of food dishes, including meats, poultry, seafood and vegetables. They also do units on desserts and baking.

Instruction is a combination of reading, workbooks, lecture and lab work, during which students prepare dishes.

At present, the students are working on a seafood unit, something that Kuhn said many Kansas students aren’t familiar with because they are from a landlocked state. Kuhn said he tries to expose students to ingredients they might not deal with in home cooking, but might deal with in their professional careers. This could include lobster, scallops, Kobe beef, foie gras, softshell crabs or caviar.

During the week the Hays Post visited, the students prepared a teriyaki salmon, rosemary grilled shrimp, shrimp wrapped in potato, catfish and lobster bisque. They also learned how to roll sushi.

However, food prep is not the only component of the program. The students also become ServSafe certified, which is a state and nationally recognized program on food safety. The students learn knife skills and about food purchasing.

“Me personally, I walk into restaurants all of the time. I like to go out to eat, and I see a lot of health code violations when I go out to eat. Anything I can (do to) help that go down, I will,” he said.

The program has been trending about 12 to 13 students per session, with classes ranging from as large as 18 to as small as six this session. Some students come into the program right out of high school, and other students come to program with experience.

Emily Corbett, 20, culinary student, peels carrots for a dish in the NCK Tech lab.

Katherine Keene, 23, culinary student, said she hoped to own her own restaurant in 10 to 15 years. She has worked in the restaurant industry before.

“I love cooking,” she said. “You can learn to cook on your own, but it is nothing like learning from someone who has experienced it, who knows from past experiences what works and doesn’t work. It’s a lot of fun.”

Emily Corbett, 20, culinary student, came into the program right out of high school. She said she wants to gain some experience and travel, but she wants to eventually open her own bakery.

“I really like baking. I’m getting a lot of other experience, but I am excited to learn more about baking.”

FHSU ranked as one of the safest colleges in America

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FHSU Sheridan Hall

By DIANE GASPER-O’BRIEN
FHSU University Relations and Marketing

Safety for its students and the campus community is a top priority for Fort Hays State University, and students and staff alike help in keeping it that way. Those measures have drawn the attention of others as FHSU has been ranked as one of the safest colleges in America by the National Council for Home Safety and Security.

Fort Hays State, No. 42 on the council’s top 100 list, is in the midst of a multiple-phase exterior lighting project on campus, one that is tested by a group from several campus entities that conducts a safety walk each school year. The safety walk is sponsored by FHSU’s Student Government Association.

The National Council for Home Safety and Security is a trade association comprised of home security professionals across the United States. The council advocates for safe communities and home safety with a strong focus on community involvement.

“The ranking confirms the fact that all of us at Fort Hays State have a deep care and concern about the well-being of our students and their future success,” said Dr. Joey Linn, vice president for student affairs.

Another student-driven initiative at Fort Hays State is a mobile communications safety application called LiveSafe that was launched in 2016.

The app, which is free, can be downloaded to a mobile device from the App Store or Google Play. Users can select several options from the app, including requests for emergency assistance through quick, easy access to emergency phone numbers. The app also includes a safety map, which tells people their location in relation to campus buildings. A “GoSafe” feature also provides phone numbers to call Safe Ride or local tax services.

Linn thinks having students involved in planning safety features gives them some ownership and pride in their campus.

The campus lighting project features replacing all exterior lighting, ranging from street and building lights to pedestrian and parking lot lights.

Dana Cunningham, director of facilities planning at FHSU, said the goal is to provide a consistent look both in terms of light quality as well as light fixtures.

Cunningham, who called the project “three-fold,” explained that having better quality lighting that distributes light better is safer and gives the campus a more consistent look. It’s also a cost-saving measure.

“A lot of campuses are converting over to LED lighting, because it saves money; we have conserved about 30 percent of the power we used to use for lighting,” he said. “Plus, the distribution of the lighting makes the areas safer.”

The SGA executive committee and a few SGA senators accompany Cunningham, University Police Chief Ed Howell, and SGA advisors Linn and Dr. Teresa Clounch, an assistant vice president for student affairs, on the safety walk around campus. Last semester, Mike Barnett, vice president of administration and finance, also participated.

“We walk around to see if there are any areas of concern,” Linn said. “We just do a safety check and ask questions. That’s been a really good thing.”

Beloit senior Emily Brandt is in her second year of serving as SGA president. She has been a member of SGA all four years at Fort Hays State and has participated in the walk every year.

“I think the walk is really cool because we can point out anything we see that needs attention, and our administrative assistant takes notes,” said Brandt, a political science major. “Then we send that list to the president’s office and to the department that would take care of any necessary issues.”

Brandt said the lighting improvements have made a noticeable difference from year to year. “The new lights definitely brighten up some dimmer areas,” she said, “especially in the parking lots outside the Memorial Union and Gross Memorial Coliseum because they both have so many entrances and exits.”

Other safety practices are self-defense classes that Fort Hays State offers each semester and a self-defense club.

Fort Hays State’s Defensive Tactics Club – made up of approximately 20 students and coordinated by Kenton Russell, FHSU instructor of mixed martial arts – conducts about 20 self-defense seminars a year for Hays and other communities around the state. The next seminar, open and free to the public, is set for Saturday, March 10, from 9 a.m. to noon, in the FHSU wrestling room in Cunningham Hall. For more information, contact Hollie Marquess at (785) 628-5869 or Amy Gildemeister at (785) 821-0225.

“Our faculty, staff and students look out for one another,” Linn said, “and we are all proud of the supportive environment we have created on our campus.”

Next up for safety improvements is adding electronic access to more campus buildings.

The three newest residence halls feature electronic access, as does the recently completed Center for Applied Technology. The addition of that feature to other buildings is an ongoing process. Custer Hall and McMindes Hall, two of the older residence halls, also have electronic access in certain portions of the buildings.

“We are bidding right now for a summer project to add electronic access to Gross Memorial Coliseum,” Cunningham said, “and we will continue to migrate that project through the campus as funding allows.”

Enrollment underway at Early Childhood Connections

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SUBMITTED

Do you have a child that is under the age of 5? If you do, then you might qualify for Early Childhood Connections. This program serves pregnant mothers, children birth to five and their families, regardless of race, creed or color, including those with special needs.

Connections program staff offers support to families as they identify and meet personal goals, nurture the development of their children in the context of their family and culture, and advocate for communities that are supportive of children and families of all cultures. There is no cost to families who qualify for Connections services (Head Start) because this is a federal program that you must qualify for.

Services to families include: assist families to maximize children’s development, health and dental services, family engagement opportunities and access to nutritious meals and snacks and services in the center or home.

We are currently enrolling children for both our Early Head Start (pregnant mothers, children birth to three and their families) and Head Start programs (children three to five and their families).

Contact Early Childhood Connections at 785-623-2430 with questions about our program or to have an application packet sent to you. We have classrooms in Hays, Russell and Ellis.

Police: Man in critical condition, Kansas suspect in custody

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SHAWNEE COUNTY — Law enforcement authorities are investigating a shooting and have suspect in custody.

Police on the scene of Friday morning shooting investigation photo courtesy WIBW TV

Just before 2a.m., police responded to a shooting at an address in the 900 Block of SW Fairlawn in Topeka, according to Lt. Steve Roth.

The male victim was transported to a local hospital in critical condition. Police also located the suspect, Kiren Lashawn Green 27, of Topeka.

Green was later booked into the Shawnee County Department of Corrections for the charge of Attempted First Degree Murder. Anyone with information regarding this incident is encouraged to contact the Topeka Police Dept. Criminal Investigation Bureau at 785-368-9400 or Crime Stoppers at 785-234-0007.

Alex A. Herrman

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Alex A. Herrman, 82, La Crosse, Kansas, met his creator Thursday, March 8, 2018, at Rush County Memorial Hospital, La Crosse.

Alex was born June 28, 1935, on the family farm in rural Rush County, Kansas, to Nicholas and Veronica (Legleiter) Herrman. He was a lifelong resident of Rush County. A 1953 graduate of La Crosse High School, La Crosse, he spent his time as a farmer and also worked at Cross Manufacturing for 13 years.

He was a member of St. Michael’s Catholic Church, La Crosse, and a former member of St. Joseph’s Catholic Church, Liebenthal, Kansas. He was an honorary life member of Knights of Columbus Council 2970, La Crosse, where he was a former Grand Knight, District Deputy, a member of the degree team, and a delegate to the Supreme Convention. He was a 4th degree member of the Pope Paul VI Assembly, La Crosse, a former USD 395, La Crosse, school board member, and a former board member of the Rush County Farmer’s Co-op.

He enjoyed attending all of his grandchildren’s activities, and was also an avid “La Crosse Leopard Fan”. He was proud of his Leopard history, and helped construct the current high school.

On April 23, 1956, he married Twila Mae Staab at St. Joseph’s Church, Hays, Kansas.

Survivors include: his wife, Twila Herrman of the home; four daughters, Janel Weigel, and husband, Rick, La Crosse, Jillane Koochel, and husband, Pat, Great Bend, Kansas, Jerilyn Stull, and husband, Mike, McCracken, Kansas, and Joyce Temanson, and husband, Bill, Pratt, Kansas; one son, Glenn Herrman, and wife, Shanon, La Crosse; fourteen grandchildren, Nicholl Weigel, Nathan (Nicole) Weigel, Rachel (Tyler) Thompson, Christopher (Lindsey) Koochel, Emily Koochel, Ethan Koochel, Tayler Stull, Colby Stull, Eli Temanson, Aden Temanson, Isaac Temanson Brett Herrman, Blake Herrman, and Brooke Herrman and four great grandchildren, Madeline Koochel, Avery Koochel, Charlie Weigel, and Jace Weigel; two brothers, Marvin Herrman, and wife, Florence, La Crosse, and Albert (Al) Herrman, and wife, Mary, Salina, Kansas; and two sisters, Edith Bollig, La Crosse, and Elenora Moeder, La Crosse.

He was preceded in death by his parents; five brothers, Chris Herrman, Elmer Herrman, Alvin Herrman, Kenneth Herrman, and Raymond Herrman; and four sisters, Emma Moeder, Agnes Herrman, Bertha Sauber, and Sister Louise Herrman,

Visitation will be Sunday, March 11, 2018, from 4:00 P.M. to 8:00 P.M. at St. Michael’s Catholic Church, La Crosse, with the family receiving friends from 6:00 P.M. to 7:00 P.M. A vigil service and 3rd Degree Knights of Columbus rosary will be at 7:00 P.M.

Church visitation will be Monday, March 12, 2018, from 9:00 A.M. to 9:50 A.M. at St. Michael’s Catholic Church, La Crosse.

Funeral service will be Monday, March 12, 2018, at 10:00 A.M. at St. Michael’s Catholic Church, La Crosse, Kansas, with Father Eric Gyamfi officiating. Interment will be in St. Joseph’s Cemetery, Liebenthal.

In lieu of flowers or plants, the family requests memorials to St. Michael’s Catholic Church, La Crosse, or St. Joseph’s Catholic Church, Liebenthal.

Condolences or remembrances may be left for the family at www.charterfunerals.com/locations/janousek-lacrosse.php.

Arrangements were by Janousek Funeral Home, 719 Pine Street, P O Box 550, La Crosse, Kansas 67548, 785/222-2517.

Robert ‘Bob’ Hinca

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Robert “Bob” Hinca of Plainville, KS went to meet his Savior Jesus face-to-face on Wednesday, March 7, 2018. He was born on June 11, 1933 in Buffalo, New York to Leo and Rose (Maciejewski) Hinca. He was united in marriage to Loretta Garvert on April 25, 1959 in Plainville, Kansas.

Bob will ever be known as a loving husband, father, grandfather and friend; a diligent and dedicated worker and provider; the avid radio announcer “Bob Hammer”; an intense fan of all sports teams yielding from Buffalo, NY; a lover of Big Band and Jazz music; and a magneto genius. His heart of service was obvious to his country as he served in the Air Force, to his community through years of service to youth as a Sunday School teacher, and to his family as a dedicated provider.

He is survived by is wife “Angel” Loretta Hinca, celebrating 59 years together; his four children and their spouses: son Mark L. Hinca and wife Linda of Salina, KS; daughter Mary A. Hurlbut (Hinca) and husband Bryan of Edmond, OK; daughter Lisa M. Ward (Hinca) and husband Neal of Hays, KS; and, Craig A. Hinca with wife Laura of Salina, Kanasas. Bob is preceded in death by two brothers, Alphonse “Al” and Leonard, both of Buffalo, New York. His two surviving sibling Rita and Mildred still reside in Buffalo. Bob is also succeeded by eight grandchildren: Ron Gabriel, Tim Gabriel, Landon Hurlbut, Abby Hurlbut, Paige Hinca, Nathan Ward, Ryan Ward, and Grant Hinca.

Funeral services will be held at 11:00AM on Saturday, March 10, 2018 at New Life Center Church in Hays, Kansas. A closed casket visitation will be 6:30-8:00PM on Friday at the funeral home in Plainville.

Hoisington among KS school districts to replace diesel buses

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EPA
LENEXA –  The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) today awarded $640,000 to 20 Kansas school districts to replace 32 older diesel school buses.  Nationally, EPA awarded more than $8.7 million to replace or retrofit 452 older diesel school buses. The funds are going to 141 school bus fleets in 32 states.  Each of the school districts will receive rebates through EPA’s Diesel Emissions Reduction Act (DERA) funding. The new buses will reduce pollutants that are linked to health problems such as asthma and lung damage.
“These rebates are an innovative way to improve air quality across the country and provide kids with safe, reliable transportation to and from school,” said EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt. “Through the Diesel Emissions Reduction Act, EPA is equipping local school districts with cleaner-running school buses, helping them along the route to healthier kids and communities.”
“Since the EPA launched its Clean School Bus USA program 15 years ago, the agency has been working to ensure that the safest way 26 million students get to school, the iconic yellow school bus, is also one of the healthiest,” said Charlie Hood, executive director of the National Association of State Directors of Pupil Transportation Services. “The DERA School Bus Replacement program has been instrumental in helping school districts and contractors replace older diesel school buses with newer buses that drastically reduce airborne emissions. The program is one of the most administratively simple within the federal government and has been extremely cost-effective at achieving its intended goals. America’s students and taxpayers are the beneficiaries.”
“The National School Transportation Association (NSTA), and private school bus contractors around the country, congratulates EPA and those receiving rebate awards for the purchase of new clean vehicles and equipment,” said NSTA President Blake Krapf. “On behalf of private school bus companies serving school districts around the country, we have strongly supported the DERA program. It is another way we can provide the safest and cleanest form of transportation for our precious cargo of school children and for the communities in which they live.”
Applicants replacing buses with engine model years of 2006 and older will receive rebates between $15,000 and $20,000, depending on the size of the bus. Applicants also had the option of retrofitting school buses with engine model years between 1994 to 2006 with a Diesel Oxidation Catalyst, Closed Crankcase Ventilation system, and Fuel Operated Heater to reduce toxic emissions. All Region 7 rebates will go to the replacement of school buses.
EPA has implemented standards to make newer diesel engines more than 90 percent cleaner, but many older diesel school buses are still operating. These older diesel engines emit large amounts of pollutants such as nitrogen oxides and particulate matter, which are linked to instances of aggravated asthma, lung damage and other serious health problems.
Since 2008, the DERA program has funded more than 700 clean diesel projects across the country, reducing emissions in more than 70,000 engines.
The 2017 DERA school bus rebate recipients in Kansas are:
A comprehensive list of the 2017 DERA school bus recipients can be found at https://www.epa.gov/cleandiesel/clean-diesel-rebates

Hays library will have poetry contest next month

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By JAYLINN PFEIFER
For Hays Post

The Hays Public Library will host a poetry contest at 7 p.m. Friday, April 6, in the library’s Schmidt Gallery. The contest is a great way for people in the community to share their original poems with others.

April is National Poetry Month, and this is the 18th year that the library is celebrating.

“The contest is a great way for poets to share their creativity, and it is a tradition that we would like to keep going,” said Samantha Gill, adult librarian.

This year is the first year that the library will be taking all of the poems that are entered and put them into a journal created by the Hays Public Library to distribute to patrons.

It is Gill’s second year serving as the adult librarian, and she loves hearing all of the submissions.

“It is such a fun night and my favorite part about the event is getting to hear all of the fantastic poems and the talent that comes behind the patrons who created them,” Gill said.

There were 15 entries last year, and the library is hoping for more this year. The library also would like people to know that the poems are not censored — so to be careful when deciding whether to bring children.

The winner of the contest will receive a $75 Chamber Cheque along with their name engraved on a plaque. The second-place winner will receive a $50Chamber Cheque. For more information about the contest, contact the Hays Public Library.

Krug: ‘The Parent Report Card’

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Donna Krug

If you have kids, you are probably aware that it is the end of another 9 weeks and time for report cards. I remember many years ago, one of my favorite magazines, Working Mother, had an article titled, “The Parent Report Card.”

It seemed a bit awkward to ask my adolescent children at the time to grade me and their dad, on 25 different things. Part of the value of the parent report card is that is brings out issues parents may not realize are important.

Things like “Understands my moods”, “Listens to my problems”, “Doesn’t scream at me when angry,” and “Treats all the kids in the family fairly” are graded A to F by each child in the family. I remember being surprised that my 10 year-old son gave me a C when it came to “Letting him make his own decisions.” I’m thinking to myself, “Adam, you’re only 10, so you don’t have the skills to make all of you own decisions.” Still, it reminded me of the important job we have as parents, to gradually let our children gain skills to make more of their own decisions.

It is a good idea to make several copies of the “Parent Report Card” and allow time for each child in the family to grade both mom and dad and also let the parents grade themselves. As parents take the quiz and grade themselves, they may see how the perceptions of one generation can differ from those of the other.
If you would like a copy of the “Parent Report Card” give me a call or send me an e-mail and I will be happy to share.

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]

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