The Kansas Zeta chapter of Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity at Fort Hays State University recently won four awards for excellent alumni engagement and undergraduate student mentorship. The awards were presented at the Carlson Leadership Academy held in Dallas.
Dr. Joey Linn, vice president for student affairs, was presented the University Partner of the Year Award.
Dr. Taylor Kriley, director of inclusion and diversity excellence, won the Outstanding New Volunteer Award.
The undergraduate Sigma Phi Epsilon chapter was recognized with the Excelsior Award.
The local Sigma Phi Epsilon alumni volunteer corporation earned the Alumni and Volunteer Corporation Operational Excellence Award.
“These awards recognize the outstanding ways in which Sigma Phi Epsilon alumni and volunteers are mentoring undergraduate students. These individuals represent the best of Sigma Phi Epsilon and Fort Hays State University,” said Dr. Vincent Bowhay, alumni volunteer corporation president.
Sigma Phi Epsilon was founded Nov. 1, 1901 at the University of Richmond in Virginia and has since initiated over 325,000. The Kansas Zeta chapter at Fort Hays State was established in 1958 and re-established in 2012.
Twice, Rep. Jarrod Ousley introduced bills that would create a watchdog over the Kansas agency in charge of looking after children from troubled families.
Rep. Jarrod Ousley, a Merriam Democrat, at a meeting of the Child Welfare System Task Force. Ousley has twice introduced a bill to establish independent oversight of the state child welfare agency, but is now pushing it to next year. FILE PHOTO / KANSAS NEWS SERVICE
Ousley says he’s dropping the idea of a state child advocate. For now.
Instead, the Merriam Democrat wants to give the new Democratic administration a shot at reforming the Department for Children and Families before bringing in an outside office to look over its shoulder.
The office would have the power to review investigations and decisions made by the DCF, but it would be housed in the Department of Administration. That separation is key for child welfare advocates, who want to ensure DCF can’t retaliate against an advocate who turns up mistakes or wrongdoing.
The bill didn’t even make it to a floor vote last year. After reintroducing the idea this year, Ousley this week yanked it. Instead, he’ll revisit the proposal next year. The lawmaker said he wants to give Gov. Laura Kelly’s administration a year to get a handle on child welfare issues.
Ousley’s child advocate bill was sunk last year, in part, by DCF’s objection. He’s hoping to earn the support of the new governor and new head of DCF by giving them some time before setting up an outside advocate’s office.
“I’d rather delay the year,” he said, “get it right, and get it moving forward without any obstruction than to risk getting nothing at all.”
Kelly made child welfare a central tenet of her campaign. She’s said fixing and increasing funding for DCF is a high priority for her first year in office.
Ousley said DCF doesn’t plan to oppose the bill, but that the governor wanted time to get settled and attack pressing child welfare problems first.
Kelly spokeswoman Ashley All didn’t say whether the governor favors setting up an advocate’s office, but did say the administration is prioritizing other issues, like adding social workers and funding foster care prevention.
“We must first stabilize this agency and the child welfare system before we can make other significant changes,” she said in an email.
But others are concerned about the harm that can be done in another year without that kind of oversight.
Judy Walsh strongly supports the bill, which she says could have helped protect her grandson, Adrian Jones. The boy died as a result of abuse in 2015 despite multiple reports to the state abuse hotline and several DCF investigations.
She said she’s been frustrated with the slow pace of change in the three years since Adrian’s death. She worries pushing this bill back a year is a sign that Kansas is losing momentum on policy changes in child welfare.
“I just worry that there’s going to be more children falling through the cracks,” Walsh said.
The cost to kids of waiting a year is Ousley’s biggest concern in pushing the bill to 2020.
“A year in a child’s life is a very long time,” he said.
Missourians worried their abuse reports weren’t adequately investigated by the Department of Social Services, foster parents who think their knowledge is being ignored by their caseworker, or aunts questioning why their nephew was placed in a foster home when they had offered their open bed can call or email the office to have their concerns reviewed.
The Missouri Office of the Child Advocate exceeds goals in getting in touch with complainants and completing its investigations in a timely manner. In 2017, it contacted complainants within three business days 94 percent of the time. It wrapped up investigations within 45 business days 87 percent of the time.
In Kansas, where DCF has missed federal standards for timely handling of its cases, having an office without the baggage of a poor track record could be a boon for public trust.
“It’s an extra check and balance on the system that anybody, anybody can access,” said Lori Ross, president of the child welfare advocacy organization FosterAdopt Connect.
Ross said having an office that allows people to feel heard would also help Kansas with one of its particular challenges in foster care — retaining foster parents.
“That very basic level of, ‘Hey, I hear you have a concern, and it’s valid enough that I’m going to look into it and get back to you,’” said Ross, “that in itself is retention.”
FORD COUNTY— Two people died in an accident just after 5:30p.m. Saturday in Ford County.
The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2002 Subaru Impreza driven by Luis Diego Galvan-Gomez, 21, Dodge City, was eastbound on U.S. 50 two miles east of Wright.
The driver lost control of the vehicle. It traveled left of center. A 2003 Peterbilt semi driven by Ronnie R. Lindsely, 68, Bath, Illinois, struck the Subaru.
Galvan-Gomez and a passenger Maritza Isabel Zamora, 21, Dodge City, were transported to Western Plains Medical where they died.
The crash on U50 east of Ford County rd 119 is now a double fatal. U50 is still closed. Stay out of area. Be safe.
PARK CITY – The Hays High wrestling team had a pair of individuals earn medals at the 5A state championship at Hartman Area Saturday.
Freshmen Gavin Meyers, in his first appearance at the state tournament, was the highest finisher for the Indians placing 4th at 182 pounds.
On day one Meyers got a first-round win over Blake Smith of Topeka-Seaman with a pin in the first-round.
He earned his second straight fall in the quarter finals, this time in the first-period over DeSoto’s Luke Barger.
In the semi-finals Meyers lost a 4-3 decision to Cayden Atkins of Goddard.
On Saturday Meyers bounced back with his third win of the tournament, a fall in the second round over Lynauz Cox of Maize-South.
Then in the third-place match Meyers lost a 9-3 decision to Landon Frantz of McPherson.
Logan Schulte was the other medal winner for the Indians finished sixth at 285 pounds.
Schulte opened the tournament with a fall over Joseph Castle of KC Turner but lost by a fall to Peyton Reeves of St. Thomas Aquinas.
On the consolation side of the bracket Schulte won by a 5-1 decision over Caylen Lowery of Wichita-Heights and then he won by second period fall over Terrell Morris of Arkansas City to reach the consolation semifinals. In that round Schulte dropped a 5-2 decision to Jake Quiggle of Maize.
Then Schulte lost by forfeit to Braiden McKee of Lansing in the fifth and sixth place match to finish sixth.
Chase Voth lost his first-round match before winning two consolation round matches but lost in the third consolation round to finished 2-2 at state.
Creighton Meyers, Cole Schroeder and Gavin Nutting each earned a first-round win but went 0-2 after that to finished 1-2 for the tournament.
WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — Jeremiah Martin had 37 points as Memphis narrowly defeated Wichita State 88-85 on Saturday night.
Martin hit all 14 of his free throw attempts.
Raynere Thornton had 16 points and nine rebounds for Memphis (17-11, 9-6 American Athletic Conference). Kareem Brewton Jr. added 14 points.
Jaime Echenique had 17 points and 12 rebounds for the Shockers (13-13, 6-8). Dexter Dennis added 17 points. Markis McDuffie had 15 points.
The Tigers improve to 2-0 against the Shockers this season. Memphis defeated Wichita State 85-74 on Jan. 3. Memphis faces Temple at home on Tuesday. Wichita State plays Connecticut at home on Thursday.
LUBBOCK, Texas (AP) — Jarrett Culver scored 26 points and was one of six Texas Tech players to make multiple 3-pointers as the No. 14 Red Raiders overwhelmed No. 12 Kansas 91-62 on Saturday night.
The Red Raiders (22-5, 10-4 Big 12) never trailed, scoring the game’s first five points. They made a season-high 16 3s while winning their fifth game in a row.
When Davide Moretti made their eighth 3-pointer with 6 1/2 minutes left in the first half, it was already 37-17, the largest deficit to that point for Kansas this season. The margin grew to as large as 33.
Texas Tech took over sole possession of second place in the Big 12, one game behind Kansas State (21-6, 11-3) with four regular-season games remaining.
Kansas (20-7, 9-5), which has won the last 14 Big 12 titles, plays its Sunflower State rival Monday night. The Jayhawks have to win then to avoid falling three games behind with only three games to play.
It was most lopsided Big 12 loss for the Jayhawks since an 86-53 loss at Oklahoma State on Feb. 7, 2000. That was more than three seasons before Bill Self became their coach.
There was a raucous crowd of 15,098, the first home sellout for Texas Tech since an 84-65 win over Kansas on March 4, 2009. That was the last time the Jayhawks had lost in Lubbock.
Matt Mooney had 13 points for Tech. Moretti scored 11 points, Tariq Owens had 10, and Norense Odiase added eight points and 13 rebounds.
Culver, Mooney and Moretti each made three 3-pointers.
Dedric Lawson was the only Kansas player in double figures with 14 points.
BIG PICTURE
Kansas: The Jayhawks’ stranglehold on the Big 12 regular-season trophy absorbed a serious blow. It was their fifth consecutive road loss.
Texas Tech: The Red Raiders exacted some revenge from a 79-63 loss at Lawrence three weeks earlier. They shot 61 percent overall (34 of 56) and 62 percent on 3-pointers (16 of 26). In its five-game winning streak, Texas Tech has won those games by an average margin of 25 points.
UP NEXT
Kansas: Hosts No. 23 Kansas State on Monday nght.
Texas Tech: Hosts Oklahoma State on Wednesday night.
EL PASO, Texas (AP) — The Latest on Acting Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan’s visit to the Southwest border (all times local):
6:50 p.m.
Top defense officials have toured sections of the U.S.-Mexico border to see how the military could reinforce efforts to block drug smuggling and other illegal activity. The Pentagon is weighing the diversion of billions of dollars for President Donald Trump’s border wall.
Acting Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan, accompanied by the Joint Chiefs chairman, Gen. Joseph Dunford, was visiting a border site near El Paso, Texas Saturday, called Monument Site 3 where a stretch of 18-foot border wall stands atop a huge landfill.
Today, Gen. Dunford & I engaged with @CBP officials along our southern border to see firsthand the ongoing activities in support of @DHSgovpic.twitter.com/cLoFErssMr
Shanahan and Dunford got an up-close look at U.S. Border Patrol vehicles used for surveillance. The Department of Homeland Security has requested Pentagon help in operating about 150 of the vehicle-mounted surveillance cameras, which can see as far as eight miles away.
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11:16 a.m.
The Pentagon’s acting chief is visiting the U.S.-Mexico border in Texas as he considers how to use emergency powers invoked by President Donald Trump to help build a border wall.
Acting Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan arrived Saturday in El Paso with Gen. Joseph Dunford, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
Shanahan plans to get a firsthand view of areas along the border, west of El Paso, where military troops are assisting U.S. Customs and Border Protection with barrier replacement work. The sites are along known drug smuggling corridors.
It’s Shanahan’s first visit to the border since taking over at the Pentagon on Jan. 1 after Jim Mattis resigned as defense secretary in protest of Trump’s policies.
ST. CHARLES, Mo. – The No. 10 ranked Fort Hays State wrestling team competed at the Super Region IV Tournament on Saturday (Feb. 23), hosted by Lindenwood University. Junior Brandon Ball (141 pounds) secured his third-consecutive trip to the NCAA Division II National Championships. Sophomore Marty Verhaeghe (165 pounds) and Aryus Jones (174 pounds) each captured a fourth-place finishes. Seniors Ryne Cokeley (149 pounds) and Micquille Robinson (184) both earned fifth-place finishes.
No. 1 ranked Brandon Ball made easy work of his regional title as he began his day with a fall (2:50) over James Loi of Kentucky Wesleyan. Ball then earned another fall after pinning Caleb Osborn (Truman) in 3:58. In the semifinals, Ball defeated Danny Swan of Lindenwood with a commanding 12-3 major decision, punching his ticket to nationals with one match to spare. The Great Bend, Kan. native went on to defeat Nate Keim (Central Oklahoma) with a narrow 3-2 decision and improved his undefeated season to 24-0 on the year.
Marty Verhaeghe started his first regionals appearance with a bye in the first round. Verhaeghe was then defeated by Dan Fillipek of McKendree in a 5-3 decision. He then rattled off three straight victories on the back side of the bracket with a 17-2 technical fall over Charley Genisio of Drury, a fall (1:43) over Zach Taylor (Truman) and a nifty 7-5 sudden victory over Wyatt Jordan of Central Oklahoma to earn a spot in the consolation championship. Verhaeghe suffered a narrow 7-6 decision defeat as the hands of No. 5 ranked Tyler Harrington of Maryville, missing a trip to nationals by one place.
Aryus Jones defeated Vin Kriegshauser (Truman) in the first round with a 16-0 technical fall in the first period. Jones was then defeated by Matt Pratt of Maryville by fall (4:52) before defeating Angelo Talabert (Kansas Wesleyan) with a 19-0 technical fall in the second round of the consolation side of the bracket. He then picked up two more wins after defeating Dylan Komperda (Drury) with a 6-1 decision and then defeated Nate Panagakis of Newman in an 8-5 decision to earn a spot in the consolation championship. The Junction City, Kan. native was then defeated by Matt Pratt again in a 14-6 decision in the third-place match.
Ryne Cokeley began his day with a commanding pin in the first round (1:47) over Robert Otero of Ouachita Baptist. Cokeley then fell victim to a 2-0 decision at the hands of No. 10 ranked Gavin Londoff (Lindenwood) in the quarterfinals. On the back side, Cokeley received a bye in the second round before defeating Daide Agnew of Central Missouri with a strong 21-6 technical fall. The Eudora, Kan. native was then defeated by Brik Filippo (Central Oklahoma) in a 10-5 decision before earning fifth-place on a medical forfeiture by Gavin DeWitt of Maryville.
Micquille Robinson received a bye in the first round of the 184-pound weight class before being defeated by Bailey Kelly of Maryville in a 7-5 decision. Robinson began the back side of the bracket with another bye. He then defeated Shane Gallagher (Truman) with a dominating 16-2 major decision. In the consolation semifinals, Robinson was defeated by No. 10 ranked Colton Clingenpeel (Lindenwood) by decision (8-1). The Wichita, Kan. native earned his fifth-place finish by medical forfeit of Dominique Hampton (Central Missouri).
FHSU finished sixth in the team standings. McKendree won the Super Regional with 135 team points, followed by Lindenwood with 123.5 and Maryville with 120.5.
Brandon Ball will now have about two weeks to prepare for the NCAA Division II National Championships (March 8-9) in Cleveland, Ohio.
MANHATTAN, Kan. (AP) — There was a possibility of Kansas State overlooking Oklahoma State on Saturday with a huge matchup with Kansas looming Monday night.
The Wildcats were ready to play overmatching the Cowboys from the opening tip in an 85-46 victory.
“I got on our guys this morning because our shoot around didn’t have great emotion,” coach Bruce Weber said. “We did some good things and got some layups early and moved the basketball. It all goes back to defense and defense gives you a chance and defense wins championships.”
The Wildcats scored the first 15 points of the game, forcing five turnovers.
Xavier Sneed and Austin Trice led Kansas State with 12 points each and Kamau Stokes had 11. K-State had 10 players score. Trice had his best game of the season and went 6 for 6 from the free throw line after struggling in that area early in the season.
“We keep talking about trust and he definitely helped his trust today,” Weber said. “Xavier was fighting the flu and you just have to give him credit to play and be one of our leading scorers is great.”
The Wildcats (21-6, 11-3 in Big 12 play) shot 62 percent and held the Cowboys to 31 percent.
Yor Anei, who had 12 points for Oklahoma State (10-17, 3-11).
“K-State dominated us for 40 minutes and we never had a response,” coach Mike Boynton said. “I don’t have enough time to say all the things we could’ve done better. They’ve got size, experience and are well coached and they just have everything it takes to play for a national title.”
It was largest margin of victory for the Wildcats in Big 12 play since 1998 when they beat Missouri by 55.
BIG PICTURE
The Wildcats will need to play at this level again Monday night when they take on Kansas with a chance to sweep the regular-season series for the first time in 36 years. K-State is in control to win the Big 12 title with four games to go.
This was the beginning of a stretch of playing the top three teams in the conference for Oklahoma State, which must perform better to have any chance at victory.
TAHLEQUAH, Okla. – Brady Werth scored 12 of his team-high 18 points in the second half but Fort Hays State couldn’t overcome 36-percent shooting in the second half and lost 72-62 to Northeastern State Saturday afternoon at the NSU Event Center.
Mark Johnson Postgame Interview
Game Highlights
The Tigers (16-10, 10-7 MIAA) led by 11 late in the first half but NSU (13-13, 7-10 MIAA) scored the final seven points to pull within four at halftime. The Tigers scored the first five of the second half to build the lead to nine but a 9-0 run by the
RiverHawks gave them their first lead at 45-44 with 13:25 play.
Werth hit two free throws to tie the game 53-53 with 7:21 to play. Northeastern scored 14 straight as part of an 18-2 run which saw them go up 14 with 3:16 to play.
Nyjee Wright came off the bench to score 12 and dish out six assists with no turnovers in 24 minutes. Devin Davis added 10.
Caleb Smith scored 17 of his game-high 19 in the second half to lead Northeastern who shot 58-percent in the second half and 50-percent for the game.
TAHLEQUAH, Okla. – Kacey Kennett scored 23 points, Lanie Page added 20 and fourth-ranked Fort Hays State rolled to a 90-66 win over Northeastern State Saturday afternoon at the NSU Event Center to wrap up the outright MIAA regular season title. The Tigers (25-1, 16-1 MIAA) have won 10 straight and have two wins streaks of 10 or more games in the same season for only the second time in program history.
Tony Hobson Postgame Interview
Game Highlights
Page got the Tigers off to a good start hitting three of her four 3-pointers in the first half. She scored the Tigers first 10 points as they built an 11-point first quarter lead. A Tatyana Legette layup and Hailey Walker three pushed the lead to 14 early in the second quarter.
NSU (6-10, 3-14 MIAA) responded with a 16-8 run to pull with eight but Kacey Kennett scored late in the quarter to push the lead to nine. Page hit a three and Legette scored on a layup to bookend a 13-3 third quarter run which pushed their lead to 17.
FHSU then scored 11 unanswered in the fourth quarter to push the lead to 29.
Legette scored 15 of her 19 points in the second half. Belle Barbieri had her second straight double-double with 10 points and 12 rebounds and Walker added 10.
The Tigers shot 54-percent in the game including 9-of-20 from beyond the arc and were 11-of-13 from the free throw line.
The RiverHawks shot 47-percent and were 11-for-21 from beyond the arc. They were led by Cenia Hayes’ 16 points.
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Nearly 600 Kansas inmates have tested positive for hepatitis C, but corrections officials are focusing on treating only the most advanced cases because they don’t have the money to treat them all.
Women’s prison in Topeka-photo courtesy Kan. Dept. of Corrections
Corrections Interim Secretary Roger Werholtz said that the department wants to ensure that all infected inmates get treated before their release.
“We don’t want them carrying the disease out of the facility,” Werholtz said.
But due to budget constraints and the high cost of treatment — a 12-week course costs about $15,000 per inmate — the state will focus on the most serious cases first. Werholtz said 43 inmates are considered a high priority for treatment.
The Kansas Department of Corrections estimates that treating all 591 inmates would cost roughly $9 million, and a state contract with Corizon Correctional Healthcare sets aside only $1.5 million per year for treatment.
Hepatitis C is a viral infection that attacks the liver and can turn into a chronic disease. It’s spread when the blood of an infected person enters the body of an uninfected person, such as the sharing of needles, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Several states, including Missouri, Colorado and Illinois, have faced lawsuits over allegations of poor or lacking treatment for inmates with hepatitis C.
Werholtz said lawmakers have voiced concerns about the lack of funding for treatment.
“It seems to me the sooner we get on this and get it corrected, the less going forward it’s going to cost,” said Republican Sen. Rick Billinger. “I think going forward, it would save us a lot of money.”
Since the Department of Corrections started testing inmates in October, 25 inmates have completed treatment and 35 are currently undergoing treatment. The agency aims to have 100 inmates to have finished treatment by the end of June.
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