Dr. Robb Scott, assistant professor of teacher education at Fort Hays State University, has been accepted to present at the upcoming PanSIG conference at Konan University in Nishinomiya, Japan.
PanSIG is an event organized by many of the Special Interest Groups (SIG) of the Japan Association for Language Teaching (JALT).
Scott taught English in Japan from 1988 to 1992 and served on the executive committee of Tokyo JALT.
“I am honored and excited at the prospect of seeing old friends and familiar places in Japan,” said Scott.
Scott’s presentation will be in the conference track “Literature in Language Teaching” and his presentation is “Mono No Aware: Revisiting the Magic Bonsai Tree.”
No. 4 Tiger Women go 2-0 at home
The fourth-ranked Fort Hays State Tiger women improved to 23-1 on the year after victories against #25 Lindenwood 77-52 on Thursday night and a 73-59 win over Lincoln on Saturday. Fort Hays State shot 46% in the two game combined. Lanie Page scored 19 points against Lindenwood on 6-12 shooting. Tatyana Legette and Belle Barbieri each scored 15 points against Lincoln.
Fort Hays State has won eight games in a row and hold a two-game lead over Washburn for the lead in the MIAA conference. The Tiger women have four games left in the regular season and will be on the road this week for the Oklahoma road trip at Central Oklahoma on Thursday and at Northeastern State on Saturday. Both games can be heard on Tiger Radio Mix 103.
The win over Lincoln ties the Tigers up with Lincoln in the #4 spot in the conference standings. The Tiger men have four games left in the regular season and will be on the road this week for the Oklahoma road trip at Central Oklahoma on Thursday and at Northeastern State on Saturday. Both games can be heard on Tiger Radio Mix 103.
TMP-Marian girls win 8th game in a row
The Lady Monarchs improved to 14-4 on the season after wins against Great Bend and Stockton last week. TMP-Marian remains in the three-seed spot of the Hoisington sub-state standings behind Russell (15-4) and Norton (17-2).
The Lady Monarchs finish the season this week with home games against Plainville on Monday and Hutchinson-Trinity Catholic on Thursday. The games can be heard on 99.5 KHAZ.
The TMP-Marian boys split last week with a 60-40 loss to Great Bend and a 52-34 win over Stockton. The Monarchs are 10-9 on the year and are in the two-seed spot of the Hoisington sub-state.
The Monarchs finish the season this week with home games against Plainville on Monday and Hutchinson-Trinity Catholic on Thursday. The games can be heard on 99.5 KHAZ.
Brooke Denning lead the Indians with 16 points to tie a season high against Garden City. The Indians are 12-6 on the year and sit alone in second place in the WAC standings at 5-2. Hays is currently in 7th place of the West sub-state in 5A.
Hays heads back out on the road Tuesday as they travel to Dodge City to finish conference action. Both girls and boys games can be heard on 96.9 KFIX.
OVERTIME
The first round of 1A basketball regionals begin Monday. Brackets with all area teams involved can be found here. The semi-final and final rounds of the girls and boys Hill City 1A regional can be heard on 101.9 The Bull KKQY on Thursday, Friday and Saturday.
Have highlights you want to share for next week’s Hoops Highlights? Email them to C.D. DeSalvo. Photos are encouraged!
OVERLAND PARK, Kan. (AP) — An employee of a Vans Off the Wall footwear and apparel store in a suburban Kansas City shopping mall no longer has a job after a confrontation with a teen wearing a “Make America Great Again” hat.
Part of Saturday’s encounter at Oak Park Mall in Overland Park, Kansas, was caught on video . The mother said on the video that was posted online Sunday that her 14-year-old son was asked to take off his MAGA hat as he entered the store. She said that when he didn’t respond, the employee said a curse word.
Vans Global Brand Communications spokeswoman Laura Doherty says the employee’s actions were “in contrast with our company’s values and belief in personal expression.”
William “D.D.” Strait, 75, of Salina, passed away Feb. 15, 2019, at his home. He was born in Concordia, May 19, 1943, the youngest of 14 children born to Charles and Evalyn Estella Earley Strait.
He attended school in Concordia and graduated from Concordia High School in 1961. He then attended Kansas State University on a football scholarship. He transferred to Fort Hays State University after his freshman year and attended on a basketball scholarship. He graduated from Fort Hays in 1967 with a degree in Political Science. Bill married Karen Hopkins, Aug. 9, 1964 at the First Baptist Church in Concordia. Their marriage was blessed with two daughters, Amy and Jill.
Bill was employed by Bucher and Willis, Engineers, Architects and Planners, (later Bucher, Willis, and Ratcliff) for 40 years. He retired as a Managing Partner of the firm. He managed offices in Salina, Hays, and Homboldt, Neb. After retiring from BWR he worked in marketing for Kirkham Michael in Ellsworth before retiring for health reasons. Bill’s greatest enjoyment came from his family, hunting, and fishing.
He is survived by: his wife of 54 years, Karen; daughters and sons-in-law, Amy and Wayne Counts, and Jill and Jeff Ryser; his beloved grandchildren, Hannah Farmer (A.J.), Cade Sullivan, Bailey Counts, Gunnar Sullivan (Fallyn Morrical), Grace Truelove, Dawsen Counts, Riley Counts, and Charles Truelove; great-grandchildren, Silas Farmer, and Anneliese Herman; sisters and brothers-in-law, Patty and Paul Smith, Phyllis and Hank Koster; brother and sister-in-law, Bob and Betty Strait; sister-in-law, Eva Strait; special nephew, James Lanoue, Jr.; and special niece, Rosalee Landon.
Bill was preceded in death by: his parents; sisters, Ruth Moore, Helen Plumlee, Buena Reed, Alberta Lanoue, Fern Clark, Yvonne Snyder, and Gwendolyn Jasperson; and brothers, Jack Strait, Howard Strait, and James Strait.
Memorial Service will be at 2 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 21, at the First United Methodist Church, 122 N. 8th St., Salina. A reception will follow the service in Fellowship Hall of the church.
Memorials to: the Children’s Organ Transplant Association, Checks Made to COTA “In Honor of Peter H” place on memo line and send in care of Ryan Mortuary, Salina.
The new chairman of the Kansas Republican Party is focused on winning back the governorship and the 3rd Congressional District. He told party leaders this weekend how he plans to do it.
Johnson County attorney Mike Kuckelman was the only one to present a full slate of leadership candidates for party officials to consider at their state convention Saturday.
Virginia Crossland-Macha is the party’s new vice chair. She’s currently a member of the Kansas State Fair Board with connections to the construction industry.
Overland Park attorney Mike Kuckelman became chair of the Kansas Republican Party without opposition at the state convention Saturday, Feb. 16, 2019. STEPHEN KORANDA / KANSAS NEWS SERVICE
Emily Wellman will serve as party secretary and Bob Dool, who was treasurer for Kris Kobach’s gubernatorial campaign, will now be treasurer of the party.
Kuckelman told the GOP activists gathered for the convention that the party needs to improve its fundraising and engage unaffiliated voters in order to boost turnout and rebound from some stinging recent losses.
He urged the crowd to be prepared to pay for outreach to gather more votes.
“I will be asking for money. It’s just that important,” Kuckelman said. “We need the money to get this done.”
He joked that some Republicans might start hiding their wallets when they see him coming.
The Kansas GOP’s new leader takes over not long after Republicans saw their streak of congressional and statewide wins broken in 2018.
While Republicans held all other statewide offices and congressional seats, Democrat Sharice Davids unseated four-term 3rd District Rep. Kevin Yoder in the Kansas City area. And Democrat Laura Kelly beat the polarizing former Secretary of State Kris Kobach by a five-point margin in the governor’s race as she drew some Republican and unaffiliated voters.
Well over 500,000 Kansas voters are unaffiliated – nearly a third of the total registered.
“They don’t know who to vote for,” Kuckelman said Saturday. “They don’t understand why they should be a part of the Republican Party.”
Along with engaging unaffiliated voters, Kuckelman said Latinos could also be key to reinvigorating the Kansas GOP.
Kuckelman said in an interview that immigration rhetoric from President Donald Trump and others makes them harder to reach.
“If you look at the Republican platform, we’re strongly in favor of immigration,” he said. “What the Republicans are opposed to, everyone I assume is opposed to, is people who violate the law.”
The state party platform calls “legal immigration … a blessing to this country,” but emphasizes border security, opposes sanctuary policies, and asserts that employers should have the right to fire workers who are not competent in English.
Kuckelman has represented Republicans in a number of high-profile legal fights.
In 2014, Kuckelman also helped U.S. Sen. Pat Roberts successfully fend off a complaint that he didn’t really live in Kansas to stay on the ballot.
Outgoing Kansas GOP Chairman Kelly Arnold decided not to run for reelection after six years in the post.
Kelly led the party through that contentious 2014 campaign when Roberts and then-Gov. Sam Brownback faced tough challenges but both ultimately won reelection.
But in 2016, conservatives lost some of their grip on the Kansas Legislature, with more moderate Republicans and Democrats winning dozens of seats – enough to form a coalition majority to reverse Brownback’s signature tax cuts and pass school funding increases conservatives had long fought.
Conservatives regained some ground in 2018 and Republicans maintained their dominance in the Legislature, but after the fall elections several moderate lawmakers defected to the Democratic Party.
Kuckelman is promising to build more unity in the Kansas GOP.
To conservative John Hoffman, from Maple Hill, building unity doesn’t mean putting together a more moderate party platform.
He said members of the Republican Party should support the platform. If they can’t, they should consider whether the GOP is the right fit.
“They get to the point where they can’t agree … they leave. That seems to be a logical result,” he said.
The contentious gubernatorial primary between Kobach and then-Gov. Jeff Colyer – two conservatives with very different styles – also left divisions. Hoffman is typical of party members who want to see more unity.
“There was not very much party unity coming out of the primaries,” he said. “I’m hoping that we can get a little more organized.”
Despite his calls for outreach, Kuckelman doesn’t expect to moderate the party’s platform.
“Republicans in Kansas are always conservative,” he said. “I think it will continue to be a conservative party.”
This is the two-minute warning for the first half of the 2019 Kansas Legislative Session. Most of next week will be spent on the house floor all day debating and voting on the bills produced through the committee process.
With that being said, it is time for a round of legislative updates on Friday, March 1st. There will be a more detailed schedule next week also check on kenforkansas.com or my social media channels.
Now, let’s get to some of the big items this past week: On Thursday, February 14th, the House considered HB 2197, which would reamortize KPERS for thirty years. This bill was introduced by Gail Finney (D-Wichita) on behalf of the Governor. The bill is the cornerstone of the Governor’s budget proposal. It proposes to extend the time that KPERS is not fully funded and this refinancing frees up some short-term dollars to support the Governor’s proposed spending increases.
The bill received a public hearing in the Financial Institutions and Pensions Committee and opportunity was provided to debate and amend the bill. It was imperative to see if this bill had any support before considering the entirety of the Governor’s Budget. With one third of the session in the books, house budget committee members needed to know if this “crucial” part of the Governor’s proposal had support.
On a motion to advance HB 2197 to final action, the motion failed with a super majority opposing the measure, effectively killing the bill. The vote was 36 in favor and 87 against. I along with all the remaining Republicans voted against advancing the bill and they we were joined by four Democrat colleagues. Supporting reamortization would extend the time KPERS is not fully funded by 15 years and leave a debt legacy of $7.4 billion more just to fund the Governor’s spending increases today. Protecting our retirees, responsibly paying down debt, and ensuring that future Kansans don’t have to incur massive debt for current spending are all priorities for our members. We stood together in defense of those priorities and against bad policy that violated them.
Also, this past week, as a member of the House Appropriations Committee we heard the Governor’s Supplemental Budget bill, HB 2121. Appropriation adjustments to the current approved budget for FY 19 include: $9.3 million SGF for a one-time payment to the federal government for debt setoff settlement agreement; $2.2 million SGF for the KanCare Clearinghouse; $6 million for revenue shortfalls at the four State Hospitals (Osawatomie, Larned, Kansas Neurological Institute, and Parsons); and $1.4 million SGF for medical contract funding in the Department of Corrections. Additionally, the Supplemental bill reflects caseload adjustments.
Additionally, the Governor added language replacing current law on the Budget Stabilization Fund, modifying how deposits and withdrawals would be made to the Fund. She also set up an deposit/withdrawal arrangement for a Debt Repayment Fund. The Governor’s Supplemental bill also pays the Pooled Money Investment Board loan in full, eliminating planned transfers to pay the interest-free loan off in FY 20-FY 24. The Governor also eliminates the transfer from the SGF to the KPERS Trust Fund of up to $56 million if SGF receipts are above the April consensus estimates.
The other budget bill, the Mega bill, is HB 2122.
The House Appropriations Committee has begun the process of considering Budget Committee recommendations this week. Those recommendations and any changes made by the Appropriations Committee will eventually become a budget bill for consideration by the House. The last of the Budget Committee reports will be made to Appropriations on March 13. The budget bill will be finalized in Appropriations after that date.
And on Wednesday, a Joint meeting of the House and Senate Education Committees were held to hear the Dyslexia Task Force Report. The Task Force was created in 2018 Sub. for HB 2602, a bill crafted and worked by the 2018 House Education Committee. The Task Force met five times during the 2018 Interim. The four Subcommittees met for additional days.
The Legislation provided a charge of four areas to study: 1) Research and recommend evidenced-based reading practices to address dyslexia or characteristics of dyslexia for use by schools. 2) Research and recommend high-quality pre-service and in-service professional development activities to address reading difficulties like dyslexia, including identification of dyslexia and effective reading interventions to be used in schools and within degree programs, such as education, reading, special education, speech-language pathology, and psychology. 3) Study and examine current state and federal laws and rules and regulations, and the implementation of such laws and rules and regulations that affect students with dyslexia. 4) Identify valid and reliable screening and evaluation assessment and protocols that can be used and the appropriate personnel to administer such assessments in order to identify children with reading difficulties, such as dyslexia or the characteristics of dyslexia as part of an ongoing reading progress monitoring system, multi-tiered system of supports, and Child Find special education eligibility for students.
The leadership of the Dyslexia Task Force was Chairperson Jim Porter (State Board of Education) and Vice-Chairperson Rep. Brenda Dietrich (R-Topeka). The Task Force organized its recommendations around the structure of the four subcommittees that were created: Pre-Service and Inservice Professional Development; Screening and Evaluation Process; Evidence-based Reading Practices; and Current State and Federal Law. The recommendations did not include any proposed legislation but did recommend that the Legislature reappoint the Dyslexia Task Force to meet once per year for three years to monitor progress of implementation of the recommendations. Also included was that the Legislature provide funding for: school districts to train staff on dyslexia and to train college of education professors who teach reading. A bill to reauthorize the Task Force has not been introduced this session.
Nearly all the recommendations provided guidance to the State Board of Education. Specific recommendations included: requirements for standards; examinations of certain teacher candidates on the science of reading; and encouragement of colleges of education to develop a course of study with a specialization in dyslexia and dyslexia-like characteristics.
We had a great group from Norton at the capital this week, they met with several new cabinet secretaries and had lunch with a number of members of the house and senate including Lt. Governor Lynn Rogers.
If you come to Topeka during the session, my office is in Room: 149-S. My phone number is (785) 296- 7463 and email is: [email protected] and you can always try my cell number is (785) 302-8416.
I hope to see you at one of the legislative updates on March 1st. It is my honor to by your representative.
Rep. Ken Rahjes (R-Agra), is the 110th state representative and chairman of the Higher Education Budget Committee. House District 110 includes Norton and Phillips counties as well as portions of Ellis, Graham, and Rooks counties.
one grandchild, Renee Fischer, Denver, Colorado, and nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her husband, her parents, a son, Michael Fischer, sisters Velma Lindsay Malone, Virginia Yates Thomas, and Verle Hilton.
A graveside service will be held 2 p.m. on Thursday at Larned Cemetery, Larned, Kansas, with Rev. Bethann Black presiding. Visitation will be held from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Wednesday at Beckwith Mortuary, Larned.
Memorials may be sent to St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital and Salina Animal Services, in care of Beckwith Mortuary, P.O. Box 477, Larned, KS 67550.
Richard Lee Norton, 83, passed away on February 17, 2019, at the Rhode Island Suites in Ransom, Kansas. He was born on July 29, 1935, on the Family Farm south of Utica. He was the son of Thomas and Juanita (Lehman) Norton.
Lee was raised in the Utica community where he graduated from the Utica High School in 1953. After a year of study at Fort Hays State University, Lee joined the United States Navy. After an honorable discharge, Lee returned to FHSU to continue his studies.
He married Delphine Rogers on July 31st, 1959, in St. Francis, Kansas. They returned to the family farm where Lee worked with his father. He was very active in his community throughout his life. He was a member of the McKinstry-Jones Post American Legion, Post Number 380 and the United Methodist Church, both of Utica. He was also a member of the Scott City Masonic Lodge. Lee refereed basketball for several years and was an avid sports fan. He frequently attended local high school activities. After retirement, Lee and Delphine enjoyed wintering in Arizona but returned home to be close to family.
Survivors include his wife, Delphine; son, Dr. Randy Norton and his wife, Dr. Judy Norton of Utica; daughter, Brenda Dinges and her husband Darren of Ness City; three sisters, Faye Bauer of Hays, Wilma Ochs of Granbury, Texas, and Judith Carter of Fountain, Colorado; 4 grandchildren and 5 great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his parents and step-mother, Elizabeth Russell Norton; one sister, Jeane Borthwick; and two brothers, Leonard and Clell Norton.
Funeral service will be on Thursday, February 21, 2019, 2:00 p.m. at the United Methodist Church, Utica, Kansas. Burial in the Utica Cemetery. Friends may call Wednesday, February 20, 2019, at the Fitzgerald Funeral Home, Ness City from 9:00 a.m. until 9:00 p.m. with the family present from 6:00 – 9:00 p.m.
Memorial contributions may be given to the Utica United Methodist Church or the Hospice of the Prairie, Dodge City.
Alvin C. Johnston, 84, died on Saturday, February 16, 2019 at Scott County Hospital in Scott City. He was born on December 3, 1934 in Lane County the son of James Clark & Bessie Gladys (Edmundson) Johnston. He married Janie Wilson on February 3, 1968 at Dighton. She died on July 9, 2013.
Alvin graduated from Dighton High School in 1953. He attended the farm management program at Kansas State University. He then served in the United States Army and was stationed in California. After his discharge he returned to the family farm and was a lifelong farmer- stockman. He was a member of the United Methodist Church, Kansas Livestock Association and past board member of the Farm Bureau Board, FSA Board and the family was active in 4-H and Alvin was the Beef Leader. He enjoyed bowling, playing the guitar, his hunting trips to Arkansas and Colorado and attending the annual 3 I show.
He is survived by his 2 Sons- Von (Nancy) Johnston and James Johnston both of Dighton, Sister- Elsie Beth Speer of Dighton, 3 Grandchildren and 2 Great-Grandchildren.
Funeral Service will be at 10:30 AM Wednesday at United Methodist Church with Rev Berniece Ludlum officiating. Burial will be in Dighton Memorial Cemetery with military rites by Kansas Army National Guard Honor Guard. Memorials are suggested to United Methodist Church in care of Boomhower Funeral Home. Friends may call from Noon to 8:00 PM Tuesday at Boomhower Funeral Home.
Condolences may be posted at www.garnandfuneralhomes.com.
Joan Hartley of Goodland, KS, a longtime resident of Morningstar Care Home of Neodesha, died Sunday, Feb. 17, 2019, at Morningstar Care Home. She had celebrated her 100th birthday on Dec. 6, 2018.
Joan was born Dec. 6, 1918, in Ames, KS, to John Ira and Blanche (Raney) Miller.
In 1936, she graduated as valedictorian from Moreland High School in Moreland, KS. She attended Ft. Hays College where she received her teaching certificate. She taught for several years in a country school in western Kansas.
She was united in marriage to James Willard Hartley on Aug. 24, 1940, at the Methodist parsonage in Goodland. Willard and Joan began their lifetime of farming and ranching, establishing their own farmstead in northeast Sherman County. It remains an active farming operation. They were married for 68 years and were blessed with four daughters, Janet, Judy, JoAnne and Jackie. Willard preceded her in death in 2008.
When her children were young, she was both a 4-H and Brownie Scout leader. She enjoyed watching sporting events, the art of writing letters, playing bridge, golf, horseshoes and fishing. Joan also enjoyed boating, snowmobiling and playing pitch with her daughters. She planned many trips which included trips to two World’s Fairs.
Joan is survived by three daughters, Judy Siruta of Goodland, JoAnne Harper and her husband, Terry, of Neodesha and Jackie Witherspoon and her husband, Gary, of Shell Knob, MO; 17 grandchildren, Jim, Jeff and Joel McNerney, Brian, Scott and John Shuman, Barbara Shafer, Lynn and B.J. Baird, Chanda Shelton, Brooke Baird, Quinn Jones, Abbey Thomas, Wyatt Harper, Kyle Witherspoon, Kara Broeker and Brad Witherspoon; 32 great-grandchildren; two great-great-grandchildren; and many nieces and nephews.
In addition to her husband, she was preceded in death by her parents; one daughter, Janet; four sisters, Irene, Clare, Lucille and Jewell; four brothers, Faye, Jim, Wayne and Jack Miller; and two grandchildren, Travis and Ryan.
Bradley Waters was born to Ross and Florence Waters in St. Francis, Kansas on July 20, 1935.On Sunday, February 17, 2019, while in the St. Francis hospital, Bradley departed this world after 83 and a half years.
Bradley was the first born child of Ross and Florence Lorenzen Waters. Royce, Patty (Jankovits), and Lyle completed their family. Bradley was preceded in death by his parents and siblings.
Bradley graduated from Bird City High School in 1953 and then attended Pittsburg State for one year and then came back to do what he loved most, farming.
Family and farming took priority in Bradley’s life. He was proud to be the third generation owner and operator of the farm west of Bird City.
He was baptized as a child in the Bird City Methodist Church where he served in many capacities during his 83 years.
In 1959, he and Barbara Ough were united in marriage at her parent’s home. She was the love of his life. This union was blessed with four children, Greg, Ann, Matt and Jon.
Bradley loved attending school activities especially sports and music concerts that his children and grandchildren participated in.
The communities of Bird City and St. Francis were also blessed by his commitment to serve and support community events and organizations.
Bradley is survived by his wife Barbara of nearly 60 years; Greg, his wife Lisa sons Eric and Logan; Ann, her husband Doug, sons Ethan and Alex; Matt, his wife Karoline, daughters Bridget Martorano, Tiffani Bair, sons, Evan and Brock; and Jon, his daughters Tommy Ann and Hally Rae and son Lincoln.He also leaves behind many cherished nieces, nephews, cousins, and in-laws.
Bradley was a strong, quiet man but would love to surprise people with his off the cuff comments and make people laugh with his quick wit. He will be greatly missed by all whose lives he touched.
Memorial services for Bradley will be held on Wednesday, February 20, 2019 at 2:00 PM CT at the Immanuel United Methodist Church in Bird City with Pastor Kevin Dixson officiating.Inurnment will be held at a later date in the St. Francis Cemetery, St. Francis, KS.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Church of your Choice or to the Cheyenne County EMS and may be left at the services or mailed to Knodel Funeral Home, P.O. Box 606, St. Francis, KS 67756.
Memorial service arrangements have been entrusted to Knodel Funeral Home in St. Francis.
