Participants can bring their 2018 Beards in now through May 31 to Orscheln Farm & Home, 2900 Broadway in Hays. Beards will be measured and photographed, with contest photos updating weekly here on our Hays Post page!
Grand prize winner will be the recipient of a hunting blind, sponsored by Barronett Blinds. Runner up will receive Turkey Calls and Decoy from Hunting Specialty STRUT. All entries will receive camo facepaint or camo head net provided by Nex-Tech.
TOPEKA (AP) — Kansas has legalized the sale of state lottery tickets through vending machines, and they’re expected to start popping up in stores and gas stations next year.
Republican Gov. Jeff Colyer this week signed a bill sought by lottery officials to authorize vending-machine sales. Most states already allow such vending machines, and Kansas Lottery officials see them as a way to boost sales.
Lottery Director Terry Presta said Friday that annual sales eventually could rise by up to $100 million.
Lawmakers passed a bill legalizing lottery vending machines last year, but then-conservative Republican Gov. Sam Brownback vetoed it. He argued that expanding state-run gambling would hurt the poor the most.
Brownback stepped down in January for an ambassador’s post, and lawmakers quietly passed another bill with bipartisan support.
INDEPENDENCE, Mo. (AP) — Applebee’s is suing a Kansas City area franchise owner over the closure of a restaurant where two black women said they were falsely accused of not paying for meals in an earlier visit.
The Kansas City Star reports that the chain claimed “significant brand and reputational damage” from the “controversial and high-profile circumstances of the closure” of the restaurant at the Independence Center Mall. It happened in February after the two women posted a video showing an employee, a police officer and a mall security guard confronting them for “dining and dashing” during a previous visit, which the women denied.
The Kansas City area franchise holder also closed six other restaurants. The lawsuit says Applebee’s didn’t approve any of the closures. It’s seeking $11 million in total damages.
It was another busy week on the KAYS Eagle Morning Show. Here’s what you missed!
Monday
Hays Recreation Commission Superintendent Roger Bixenman
Roger made his monthly visit to the show to let us know what is going on this month at the Hays Rec:
Catholic Schools Report: Holy Family Elementary P.E. teacher Megan Gottschalk
Mrs. Gottschalk joined the Eagle Morning Show to talk about Field Day coming up on Monday, May 14th:
Tuesday
Hays Area Chamber of Commerce Membership Coordinator Kara Berry
Here’s this week’s schedule for the Chamber:
Ellis County Commission Report
County commissioner Marcy McClelland and County Administrator Phillip Smith-Hanes joined Eagle Radio’s Jonathan Zweygardt to recap last night’s meeting:
Wednesday
Protect & Serve: Sgt. Jason Bonczynski – Hays Police Department
Sgt. Bonczynski came by the show to talk about bike safety and curfew for minor
Humane Society of the High Plains Director Betty Hansen
Betty made her monthly visit to the Eagle Morning Show to talk about events and animals that are available at the shelter
Thursday
Smoky Hilly Public Television Marketing Director Callie Kolacny
Here are some of the things Callie talked about in her monthly visit:
Josh Robben & Laurie Mortinger – Hays Letter Carriers
Josh and Laurie were on the show to talk about the Letter Carriers which will take place Saturday
USD 489 Report: Hays High Principal Marty Straub
Mr. Straub joined the Eagle Morning Show to talk about graduation coming up this Sunday and some individual recognitions
Friday
Jim Gardner & Jeff Daley – Old Chicago
Jim and Jeff were on the show to talk about Old Chicago’s upcoming grand opening in Hays
KSU Ag Research Center Entomologist J.P. Michaud
J.P. talked about a couple of different mites that could cause problems for crops
Here’s what’s coming up next week on the Eagle Morning Show:
WICHITA (AP) — An agent with the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement who sent a Wichita television news anchor sensitive law enforcement material has been sentenced to the six months he has already spent in jail.
Andrew J. Pleviak declined to make a statement before he was sentenced Friday to time served and a year of supervised release. He pleaded guilty in February to exceeding authorized access to a government computer.
Defense attorney Stephen Ariagno told the court Pleviak has some mental health issues, but has “been more peaceful” since his medication was changed.
An affidavit released in January shows KAKE-TV anchor Deb Farris told police that Pleviak was sending her law enforcement material and texting messages that were sexual in nature. Farris has said Pleviak’s texts made her uncomfortable and scared her.
FHSU University Relations
Staff members from Forsyth Library represented Fort Hays State University at the recent Kansas Library Association, College and University Libraries, in Mayetta.
Andy Tincknell, Learning Commons coordinator at Forsyth Library, presented “Shuffling Cards to Engage Users in the Library Design Process,” which discussed the evolution of a research study designed to gain student and faculty input and recommendations for physical improvements to Forsyth Library and the Learning Commons.
The research was conducted with Claire Nickerson, learning initiatives and open educational resources librarian at Forsyth, and Deb Ludwig, dean of the Library.
MaryAlice Wade, teaching and research coordinator, and Nathan Elwood, instruction and electronic access librarian, co-presented “Speaking Their Language: Developing Bilingual Library Guides for Chinese Students.”
Their presentation described the need to create bilingual materials for Chinese students and the steps they went through to fulfill their needs. They also provided recommendations for other libraries to follow on how to better serve this student population in the future.
“CULS is the state chapter of the Association of College and Research Libraries and focuses on the sharing of research, scholarship, and creative work in library and information science,” said Ludwig. “I’m proud of the active research agendas of our FHSU library professionals that lead to improvements in library collections, services, technology, and facilities for our students, faculty and staff.”
OFFICE OF KS TREASURER
TOPEKA – Kansas State Treasurer Jake LaTurner has returned over $23.7 million to Kansans since July 1st of 2017. That is the most unclaimed property ever returned in a single year and there is still over a month and a half to go in the fiscal year. The Treasurer and his staff have completed a 105 County Tour in less than 5 months to provide free unclaimed property searches for Kansans in their home counties.
The Treasurer has also modernized the office by utilizing social media for their marketing efforts, which has more than doubled the number of searches on www.kansascash.com. There have been over two million Kansas names searched since July 1st, 2017. Treasurer LaTurner also launched a new website that is user and mobile-friendly. It simplifies the claims process and now Kansans are able to receive direct deposits rather than waiting for a check in the mail.
“This year has been a great success,” LaTurner said. “Returning over $23.7 million to Kansans is significant. Every dollar we return to the people of Kansas is a dollar that goes back into their local communities. Not only have we returned a record amount of money to Kansans, but we have made the process more user friendly and we have improved the service offered to Kansans.“
The State Treasurer’s Office is currently safeguarding $350 million in unclaimed property and is charged with returning it to its rightful owners and heirs. Unclaimed property includes inactive savings and checking accounts, uncashed checks, stock shares and bonds, dividend checks, insurance proceeds, mineral royalties and utility deposits.
For more information on the Kansas State Treasurer’s Office or unclaimed property, please visit www.KansasCash.com, or call 785-296-3171. There is no cost to search and claim your rightful property.
“The average return to Kansans is $244 and that means something to the LaTurner household, just like it does to most Kansas families,” continued LaTurner. “Many individuals have reinvested their returned money back into their communities. One donated his claim to a local nursing home in northwest Kansas, another was going to use it to help start her daughter’s college fund, and many others paid down debt. It’s such an honor to serve Kansans in this capacity.”
By JONATHAN ZWEYGARDT
Hays Post
Ellis County officials celebrated the opening of the new county Health Department Thursday with a ribbon cutting and tours for the public.
The Health Department had been located at 601 Main Street but in June 2017 the Ellis County Commission approved the purchase of the former Post Rock Pediatric building at 2507 Canterbury Drive in an effort to offer expanded services.
At Thursday’s ribbon cutting County Commission Chair Dean Haselhorst thanked the tax payers of Ellis County for helping to fund another major project.
“This is another great occasion in Ellis County,” Haselhorst said. “In the past two years we’ve had great accomplishments in this county (and) none of this could have happened without all of you present and our fellow tax payers of Ellis County supporting EMS, Rural Fire, the courthouse, jail, Admin Center and now the Health Department.”
(Video and photos by Becky Kiser, Hays Post)
Ellis County Director of Health and EMS Kerry McCue also said he wanted to thank Ellis County residents.
“We’ve known for years that we had space issues and the commission took the bull by the horns and said we’re going to fix these,” McCue said. “With the support of the tax payers, in a number of ways, these buildings have come to fruition.”
After a renovation was completed by Commercial Builders and staff completed the move to the new location the Health Department re-opened on Monday, April 23. With all of the changes complete and with the addition of Advanced Practice Registered Nurse Maren Moody, the Health Department can now offer the expanded services.
“In addition to the WIC (Women, Infants and Children) Program and the immunizations and the allergy shots and those kinds of things that we’ve done for years, we are going to start seeing some nonacute disease processes,” McCue said.
“We don’t want to do the care that you continue to follow your physician because that’s what your physician is for,” said McCue. “We’re a stopgap to help you get some quick medical care when you can’t get in to your physician.”
McCue said they will continue to offer services they have traditionally and that includes flu shots. The Health Department has administered more than 500 flu shots this flu season.
The new location also allows for more room. According to McCue there are four exam rooms with additional space for the reception area and staff offices.
At Thursday’s ribbon cutting McCue thanked previous Health Director Butch Schlyer for the part he played in helping the project become a reality.
“He was involved in wanting to expand this building, so we took some of his original drawings from what they talked about doing down at 601 Main and tried to incorporate them into this building,” McCue said.
“Butch always wanted to do a mid-level practitioner, and I was able to dot the I’s and cross the T’s with the legwork that he had done prior to my taking over a little over a year ago.”
Schlyer worked for the Ellis County Health Department for more than 20 years before retiring in 2016.
Patients wanting to see Moody should make an appointment by calling 785-628-9440.
The Health Department hours are Monday through Thursday 7 a.m. to 12 p.m. and 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. and Friday from 7 a.m. to 11 a.m.
The Hays Police Department responded to 7 animal calls and conducted 17 traffic stops Thu., May 10, 2018, according to the HPD Activity Log.
Domestic Disturbance–1700 block Volga Dr, Hays; 12:09 AM
Criminal Damage to Property–500 block W 7th St, Hays; 5/6 12:33 AM; 12:40 AM
Lost Animals ONLY–2700 block Hickory St, Hays; 7:23 AM
MV Accident-City Street/Alley–1300 block Canterbury Dr, Hays; 7:51 AM
Warrant Service (Fail to Appear)–100 block W 12th St, Hays; 7:56 AM; 8:05 AM
Runaway Juvenile–2000 block MacArthur Rd, Hays; 8:33 AM
Suspicious Person–700 block E 6th St, Hays; 9:06 AM
Dangerous Animal–600 block Elm St, Hays; 5/9 4 PM
Gunshots/Non-Injury Shooting–100 block E 28th St, Hays; 11:04 AM
44 – Traffic Stop–2700 block Hall St, Hays; 12:39 PM
MV Accident-City Street/Alley–4300 block Vine St, Hays; 1:28 PM
Underage Possession of CMB/LIQ–300 block W 9th St, Hays; 2:15 PM
Animal At Large–400 block E 19th St, Hays; 2:25 PM
Drug Offenses–800 block Walnut St, Hays; 2:37 PM
Assist – Other (not MV)–1200 block E 27th St, Hays; 2:58 PM
Found/Lost Property–100 block Main St, Hays; 3:02 PM
MV Accident-Private Property-Hit and Run–2300 block E 13th St, Hays; 3:11 PM
Battery – Domestic–3700 block Vine St, Hays; 6:24 PM
Found/Lost Property–2100 block Milner St, Hays; 7:14 PM
KDWPT
PRATT – Every angler loves to show off photos of the big fish they catch. It’s a sign they are skillful or lucky, or both; and, if your fish is truly trophy-class, you can get a certificate that will commemorate your catch for years to come. The Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism’s (KDWPT) Master Angler Award program recognizes anglers who catch fish that meet or exceed lengths established for trophy-class sport fish species.
All an angler needs is a tape measure and a camera. Measure the fish, snap a color photo, and fill out the application, available in the 2018 Kansas Fishing Regulations Summary or at www.ksoutdoors.com (click “Fishing,” then “Special Fishing Programs”).
Minimum lengths are listed for 33 different fish species in the regulations summary and online. For example, to receive a Master Angler Award for a crappie, the fish must measure at least 15 inches. The color photo allows species identification.
Even if you are luckier than you are good, and you catch that slab crappie, send us an application and we’ll mail you a custom certificate suitable for framing. May is one of the best months of the year to catch big fish, so what are you waiting for?
Today
Patchy fog between 7am and 9am. Otherwise, partly sunny, with a high near 72. North wind 10 to 15 mph.
Tonight
A 20 percent chance of showers after 1am. Partly cloudy, with a low around 55. Northeast wind 11 to 15 mph.
Sunday
Partly sunny, with a high near 79. North northeast wind 7 to 13 mph.
Sunday Night
A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly before 1am. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 59. East wind 8 to 10 mph.
Monday
A slight chance of showers and thunderstorms before 7am, then a slight chance of showers between 7am and 1pm, then a slight chance of showers and thunderstorms after 1pm. Partly sunny, with a high near 83. Northeast wind 6 to 10 mph becoming east southeast in the morning. Chance of precipitation is 20%.
Monday Night
A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms before 1am. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 60.
Tuesday
A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms after 1pm. Partly sunny, with a high near 81.
Tuesday Night
A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 59.
FHSU University Relations
Keshawn Sewell, McPherson, was named today as the recipient of the Torch Award as the outstanding graduating senior from the class of 2018 at Fort Hays State University, and Herrick Smith, St. Augustine, Fla., was named the recipient of the first Lighthouse Award for an outstanding student competing graduate studies.
Sewell, a native of Jamaica who was raised in McPherson, will receive a Bachelor of Science degree in health and human performance.
Smith will receive a Master of Fine Arts degree.
They will receive their degrees at Commencement ceremonies beginning at 9 a.m. Saturday in Gross Memorial Coliseum. Saturday’s event is for graduates from the College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences and the College of Health and Behavioral Sciences.
Commencement for the W.R. and Yvonne Robbins College of Business and Entrepreneurship, the College of Education, and the Peter Werth College of Science, Technology and Mathematics begins at 6 p.m. today in Gross Coliseum.
Fort Hays State will graduate 4,533 students this year, the total from summer and fall 2017 and spring 2018. Of those, 3,064 are from the spring 2018 semester.
The announcement of the Torch and Lighthouse awards came at the annual Graduate and Faculty Luncheon, sponsored by the FHSU Alumni Association. The Pilot Award for outstanding faculty member and the Navigator Award for outstanding faculty advisor were also announced. All four recipients will be recognized at Commencement ceremonies.
Dr. Robert Channell, professor and chair of the Department of Biological Sciences, was the Pilot Award recipient, and Dr. Craig Smith, associate professor of agriculture, was named the recipient of the Navigator Award.
Mike Koerner, vice president of the FHSU Alumni Association Board of Directors and 2000 and 2005 graduate of FHSU, introduced Sewell, a 2014 McPherson High School graduate, and Smith, who works as a ceramics laboratory technician at the University of Northern Florida.
Koerner cited Tiger Pals, a student organization founded by Sewell to serve young people with disabilities. The organization, with 50 active volunteers, is active in five local schools and serves 100 students.
Quoting from the nomination form for Sewell, Koerner said, “Many students are engaged in university and community service. Fewer students assume leadership roles and responsibilities of those important organizations. However, only a handful of students across the country actually create and sustain an organization that makes such an impact on the lives of so many people.”
Research into ceramics techniques by Smith, winner of the Lighthouse Award, was selected by the FHSU Graduate School as the outstanding non-thesis research project and won first place at the 2017 John Heinrichs Scholarly and Creative Activities Day.
Koerner quoted a faculty member who said, “I think this individual would be an outstanding choice for the Lighthouse Award as he exemplifies the best qualities of a graduate student: engagement, growth, leadership, achievement and professionalism.”
Introducing the Pilot Award winner, Koerner quoted a student who praised Channell’s enthusiasm and knowledge, and Channell’s supervisor, who said, “Great teaching requires more than a great mind. It also requires the capacity to care about students as individuals and dedicate yourself to their success.”
Channell, who joined the FHSU faculty in 1999, holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in biology from FHSU and his doctorate in zoology from the University of Oklahoma. His research focuses on the application of large-scale ecology and biogeography to the conservation of biodiversity.
Brent Hirsch, Abilene junior majoring in technology studies and the vice president of the Student Government Association, introduced Craig Smith, the winner of the Navigator Award for outstanding academic advising.
The Navigator Award was created in 1998 to recognize an outstanding academic advisor based on how closely he or she adheres to the university goals for academic advising. Candidates are nominated, interviewed and selected by graduating seniors in a process conducted by the Student Government Association.
The Alumni Association instituted the Torch and Pilot awards in 1974 to emphasize the importance of excellence in teaching and learning. They are presented every year at the Graduate and Faculty Luncheon in advance of Commencement.
Torch Award candidates are nominated by members of the faculty on the basis of classroom excellence, participation in professional organizations, and involvement in student or civic activities.
The Lighthouse Award, approved by the Alumni Association last year, was created this year to honor an outstanding student who is completing graduate studies. The award was named the Lighthouse in honor of the late Dr. James Forsythe, a former dean of the Graduate School and the university historian, whose book “Lighthouse on the Plains” documents the history of Fort Hays State.
The Pilot Award is given on the basis of classroom excellence, ongoing research and service activities. Candidates are nominated by graduating students.
The Alumni Association, established in 1916, is dedicated to identifying and serving the needs of more than 66,000 graduates living throughout the United States and in more than 70 foreign countries. For more information, contact the Alumni Association at 785-628-4430 or [email protected].
WICHITA (AP) — A Wichita man who claimed he found a starving dog has been sentenced to a year’s probation after admitting the dog was his.
The Sedgwick County District Attorney’s Office says 28-year-old Vincent Currie Jr. was sentenced Tuesday for misdemeanor cruelty to animals and interference with law enforcement. He could spend a year in prison if he violates probation.
Currie called police in October 2017 to report finding a dog near his home that was so thin its bones were visible. The dog was treated for severe dehydration and an intestinal blockage that required surgery.
Eventually, police received a tip that the pit bull belonged to Currie, who had told friends he couldn’t afford the dog.
A Wichita family is now caring for the dog.
