KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Worlds of Fun amusement park banned nine people after fights last weekend involving crowds of young people.
Image from the disturbance Saturday courtesy Madi-Lynn McDaniel
More than five law enforcement agencies went to the park Saturday night after an off-duty Clay County sheriff’s deputy called for help.
Police estimated up to 300 teenagers were involved but Worlds of Fun officials have said fewer people were involved in the fights, while many others were bystanders.
Worlds of Fun spokesman Chris Foshee said the nine people banned from the park were minors.
No one was arrested but a citation was issued to a 17-year-old who is believed to be the instigator of the fights.
Foshee said the cause of the disturbance is unknown.
Heather Werner with Jeremy Werner, Kylee Shae and Brandon Werner at Craig Hospital. Courtesy photo
By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays Post
The Plainville community has rallied around a local family who experience two tragedies in the matter of three months.
Plainville native Brandon Werner, the son of Rick and Karen Werner, was in a car accident near his home in Colorado. He was thrown about 90 feet from the vehicle and received a severe head injury, said family friend Rhonda Wolf. Brandon suffered two strokes, which left him partially paralyzed on his left side. He has also experienced difficulty with his speech.
Brandon, who is in his 30s, had no insurance, so his mother and father moved to Colorado to care for him.
Friends conducted a series of fundraisers for the family, including a soup supper that raised more than $7,700 in two hours.
“The Plainville community has been totally amazing,” Wolf said. “They sure come out like crazy to help their people.”
On March 23, Jeremy — Brandon’s younger brother — was in involved in a multiple motorcycle crash in Atlanta at the American Flat Track Races. He was paralyzed from the chest down. Jeremy is currently in rehab at Craig Hospital in Colorado, about an hour and a half from his brother.
The doctors are unsure of what Jeremy’s final prognosis will be.
He has a bruised spinal cord that has been labeled a “complete” injury. Spinal cord injuries take six months to a year to heal.
“He has regained stable sensation in his right ankle, so time will tell, but the family and community are hopeful,” said Kylee Shae, Jeremy’s girlfriend.
Jeremy works for Stahl Products in Plainville, and Wolf said the company has gone out of its way to help the family during this crisis.
Karen, a nurse, has had to take leave from her job to help care for her sons, Wolf said. Rick Werner works in the oilfield and has someone temporarily filling in for him.
Friends of the Werners are selling T-shirts and other items, proceeds of which are going to help the family. More information on these items can be found on the WernerStrong Facebook page.
On Saturday, the Free Tomorrow Motorcycle Club is sponsoring the Friends of the Werner Family Benefit Run. The poker run will begin at Westins in Stockton. Registration will be from noon to 1 p.m. Start time will be 1 p.m.
The first hand will cost $15. Additional hands will cost $5 each. The run will go from Westins in Stockton to Lucky Lady in Osborne to Roadside Park in Luray to Fossil Station in Russell and will end at the Burgers and Beer in Plainville. The special at the Burgers and Beer Saturday night will be prime rib.
All vehicles are welcome. Last vehicles need to be in by 5 p.m.
To make monetary donations, send them to Jeff Miller, 800 S. Broadway, Plainville, KS 67663. Make checks payable to Rick Werner.
For more information, contact Rusty at 785-302-0070 or Gary at 785-543-1874.
Warren C. Kraus, age 92, of Ellis, Kansas passed away Wednesday, April 24, 2019 in Ellis. He was born February 19, 1927 in Hays, Kansas to Carl and Sadie (Ward) Kraus. On December 21, 1947 he married Rosemary Duncker in Ford, Kansas.
Warren was farmer and served in the US Navy in Tulagi at the end of WW II. He was a member of the Hays and Ellis United Methodist Churches, VFW, American Legion, 40/8, Kansas Farm Bureau and he was presented a Quilt of Honor.
He is survived by his wife, Rosemary of Ellis; a daughter, Sheila Phillips and husband Michael of Maryville, Missouri; two brothers, Kenneth Kraus of Omaha, Nebraska and Harold Kraus of Hays; a grandson, Mark Craig and wife Sarah and children Wyatt and Juliet all of Brooklyn, New York.
He was preceded in death by a daughter, Nancy Kraus; two brothers, Eldon and John Kraus and a sister, Dorothy Bemis.
Funeral services will be 10:30 AM Saturday, April 27, 2019 at the Hays United Methodist Church. Burial with military honors courtesy of the Hays VFW Honor Guard will be 1:30 PM in Mt. Hope Cemetery, Ellis.
Visitation will be Friday, 5 PM – 8 PM at Brock’s-Keithley Funeral Chapel and crematory 2509 Vine Hays, KS 67601. Saturday visitation will be at the church 10 AM until service time.
Memorial contributions are suggested to the Hays United Methodist Church or the Parkinson Foundation (www.parkinson.org)
Condolences may be left by guest book at www.keithleyfuneralchapels.com or by email at [email protected]
SEDGWICK COUNTY —One person died in an accident just before 1am. Thursday in Sedgwick County.
The accident on 63rd Street South near Broadway in Wichita was identified as Rick Allen Stevens, 36 from Wichita, according to Lt. Tim Myers with the Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Department.
Student finds method to control aphids without pesticides; study finds harassing Hispanic students about language affects self-esteem
By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays Post
April’s FHSU Science Cafe focused on undergraduate research, including a study of water conservation by FHSU college students, non-pesticide management of aphids and the effects of language micro-aggressions on Hispanic students’ self-esteem.
The number of FHSU students performing undergraduate research has jumped dramatically in the last seven years, going from 200 in 2011 to 3,300 students in FY18, said Leslie Paige, director, office of Scholarship and Sponsored Projects.
Engaging students in undergraduate research increases student retention as well as helps the students prepare for graduate school or careers, Paige said.
The research has conducted pre and post studies of students as well as their mentors on communication, creativity, ethics, content knowledge, as well as other factors, and found increases in both students and and their teachers.
Water Conservation Among FHSU Students
Gini Weisar, 17, second-year KAMS student, conducted a study on water conservation values among FHSU college students.
Gini Weisar, 17, second-year KAMS student, conducted a study and found parental education was a significant factor that affected water conservation values among college students.
This was an expansion of a water conservation survey of Hays residents. Both off-campus and on-campus students were included in Weisar’s study.
“Parents put their input into their students’ water conservation education, such as saying, ‘Why are you brushing your teeth with the water on? You always take so much water. Why are you in the shower for two hours? Why do you need to use that much water?’ ”
School or community education efforts were also found to be significant factors for pro-conservation values. However, parental education showed more influence than school or community education.
“A lot of students did use some things as turning off the faucet while brushing their teeth, but most students, as you can probably expect, did not want to take shorter showers,” Weisar said.
Students also indicated they only washed full loads of laundry, but those who did not pay for water indicated they were less inclined to take water conservation efforts compared to off-campus students who paid their own water bills.
Democrats had higher water conservation values than Republicans.
The number of years the students had lived in Hays was also a factor that showed higher water conservation values.
“People coming into Hays might not know the water needs of Hays,” Weisar said. “They might not know that we are not on the Ogallala Aquifer or that we might not have as many resources as other parts of Kansas. They also might not be as financially or emotionally invested in the city.”
Weisar advocated for incentive programs that targeted landlords and encouraged parents to talk more to their children about water conservation.
Aphid Management Without Pesticides
Jacob Lutgen, FHSU senior, conducted a study of non-pesticide management of pea aphids.
Jacob Lutgen is a graduate of the KAMS program, which allowed him early entry to FHSU. He is applying to medical school this summer and will graduate FHSU in December. He investigated RNA interference of the xbox binding protein in aphids.
Pea aphids caused $14 billion in damage to crops in 2018 in the United States.
The aphids are managed primarily through insecticides and the introduction of predators, such as lady bugs.
“Insecticides obviously cause more harm than just the pea aphid, so we are looking at wether we can manage pea aphids without affecting other organisms to the extent they are currently affected,” he said.
The research looked at proteins that could result in the death of the aphids. The research hypothesis was that if you could inhibit a protein that affect the aphids response to stress that it could result in the death of the aphids.
In practice, a crop would be engineered that would express the double-stranded RNA needed to inhibit the protein in the aphids. The crop itself would be resistant to the pea aphid without having to spray it. The treatment should not have affects on the aphids’ predators, such as lady bugs, or to humans, Lutgen said.
Lutgen fed the double-stranded RNA to the aphids. At the highest concentration, the off spring were reduced by half. The treatment reduced the original aphid population by 30 percent.
“This to me confirmed that we are seeing a change in survival and we are affecting physiology in some way,” he said.
Lutgen recently received funding to continue research combining his treatment with that of a FSHU grad student’s to try to further reduce aphid survival.
Non-Spanish Speaking Hispanic Self-Esteem
Ginger Garcia, FHSU senior, presented “No Hablo Español: Do Language-related Micro-aggressions Negatively Influence Self-esteem Among Non-Spanish Speaking Hispanics and Latinos Individuals?”
Ginger Garcia presented “No Hablo Español: Do Language-related Micro-aggressions Negatively Influence Self-esteem Among Non-Spanish Speaking Hispanics and Latinos Individuals?”
Garcia, 20, also was in the KAMS program and is currently in the accelerated school psychologist program at FHSU. She will graduate with her B.S. in psychology in May.
When she was a child, Garcia was often asked if she spoke Spanish. She does not. She also was accused of not being Hispanic because she did not speak Spanish. She met a fellow Hispanic student at a conference and learned he had similar experiences.
In second- and third-generation Hispanic households, there is often less knowledge of the Spanish language.
Garcia initiated a nationwide online survey that looked at language micro-aggressions, self-esteem as well as the strength of ethnic identity.
The study found the more language micro-aggressions the survey respondents experienced, the lower their self esteem. They did not find stronger ethnic identities meant stronger self-esteem, which was contrary to prior studies.
The non-speaking Hispanics reported three micro-aggression within the last six months. This was consistent regardless of region of the United States.
Garcia said she hoped future research will address why these micro-aggressions are happening and search for ways to help the non-Spanish speaking Hispanic population.
The next Science Cafe will be at 7 p.m. July 22 at the Venue at Thirsty’s. The lecture is titled “Footprints on the Moon: A Celebration of the 50th Anniversary of Apollo 11” presented by Dr. Paul Adams, dean of the College of Education.
Ruth M. Lake, 80, formerly of Goodland, KS, passed away at the Central Vermont Medical Center in Berlin, VT on Monday evening, April 22, 2019. Born in Limon, CO on March 29, 1939, she was a daughter of the late Henry and Syble Rae (Johnson) Kanzler. On December 14, 1958, she married Paul A. Lake in Limon, CO. Paul predeceased Ruth on August 25, 1986.
Ruthie had a “never say never”, compassionate, fighting spirit that saw her through happy and tough times. As a child she grew up in poverty with her father, mother, and 8 siblings. She was a survivor through the tragic loss of her husband Paul in 1986, who she remained true to until her last day, and then the tragic loss of her youngest son Tobey in 1996. She was a two-time cancer survivor.
It was her strong will and primary purpose in life to take care of her family that kept her moving forward and blessed us with 25 additional beautiful years. (This allowed her to enjoy the final chapter of her life, which included helping raise her two amazing grandsons, Tobey and Braedon). She shaped our lives with wonderful story telling, the constant reminder to “stop and smell the roses”, parental advice to teach right from wrong and never lose the ability to keep laughter in your life. She will be missed.
Ruth is loved and mourned by her children, Tiffini Lake-Bellows and her husband, Jay of Waterbury, VT; Troy Lake and his wife, Kelly of Waterbury Center, VT; Tracy Lake and his wife, Cheri of Lenexa, KS; 8 grandchildren, Amanda, Ali, Andrew, Kady, Ben, Brianna, Tobey and Braedon; a sister, Charlotte Larsen of CA; 3 brothers, Melvin Kanzler of CO, Clifford Kanzler of CA, and Lester Kanzler of WA; as well as nieces, nephews and extended family. Ruth was predeceased by a son, Tobey Lake on April 18, 1996.
In lieu of flowers memorial gifts would be appreciated to the Department of Palliative and Spiritual Care, CVMC, PO Box 547, Barre, VT 05641.
CONCORDIA, Kan. – The Fort Hays State women’s track and field team competed in a mid-week meet in Concordia, Kan hosted by Cloud County Community College. The Tigers captured numerous high places, including winning six events.
Lindsay Shupe claimed a first place finish in the 400-meters with her top-time of 57.17, followed by a winning time in the 5,000-meters by Abigail Stewart with a time of 18:57.81. Summer Kragel captured the high jump with her height of 5 feet, 5 ¼ inches while Kayla Smith finished in the top spot in the triple jump with her distance of 38 feet, 4 ¼ inches. Logan Batchman earned the top podium place in the shot put with her throw of 41 feet, 5 ¾ inches alongside a first place finish in the hammer throw by Julia Wagner at 165 feet, 5 inches.
Bree Hysaw claimed a runner-up finish in the 100-meters with a time of 12.82 as well as a third place finish in the 200-meters at 26.19. Lucy Giles placed seventh at 28.20 and Haley George finished in 10th at 28.87 in the 200-meters as well. Giles also gathered a seventh place finish in the 400-meters at 1:02.39.
In the 800-meters, Carson Pierce finished in third place at 2:26.51 with Averi Wilson finishing in fifth place at 2:27.72. Wilson also added a second place finish in the 1,500-meters at 5:01.82 alongside a fifth place finish by Carson Pierce (5:10.78), seventh place finish by Rylea Oliver (5:18.72) and a tenth place finish by Rebeca Avelar (5:32.30). Tessa Durnell added a third place finish in the 5,000-meters at 20:29.24. The Tiger quad made up of Covarrubias, Stowers, Wilson and Pierce earned a runner-up finish in the 4×400 meter relay at 4:28.77.
In field events, George added a second place finish in the high jump at 5 feet, 4 ¼ inches with Haley Jones coming in third at 5 feet, 2 ¼ inches alongside Robin Ritsema boasting the same mark. In the pole vault, Cheyenne Nickelson claimed second place with her height of 10 feet. Rohey Singhateh picked up a second place finish in the long jump with Abby Burton coming in fifth in the same event. The triple jump saw three Tigers place in the top-ten with Abby Burton coming in third at 36 feet, 4 ¾ inches and Mariah Hammersmith right behind her at fourth place with a jump of 36 feet, 0 inches.
Laurel Haley came in third place at 120 feet, 4 inches, Logan Batchman earned fourth at 117 feet, 3 inches and Macey Steckel finished in fifth place at 107 feet, 6 inches in the discus. Haley earned second in the hammer throw at 160 feet, 10 inches, Batchman finished in third at 138 feet, 1 inche and Steckel earned fifth in the hammer throw at 111 feet, 1 inch. Rounding out the field finishes for the Tigers is a third place finish in the javelin by Kaci Vaughn at 114 feet, 11 inches and a fourth place finish in the same event by Kalynn Foster at 88 feet, 1 inch.
The Tigers will get a short break before competing in the MIAA Championships May 3-5 hosted by Central Missouri in Williamsburg, Mo.
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. (AP) — Missouri State women’s basketball icon Jackie Stiles is leaving the school to be an assistant coach at Oklahoma.
Stiles-photo courtesy OU
Oklahoma announced Wednesday that it hired Stiles, who has been on the Lady Bears coaching staff for six seasons under former coach Kellie Harper.
The Springfield News-Leader reports that Stiles is leaving as Amaka Agugua-Hamilton replaces Harper as Missouri State’s head coach.
Missouri State Athletics Director Kyle Moats declined to say if Stiles was considered for the head coaching job.
Stiles held the Division I women’s basketball leading scorer record between 2001 and 2017. She led the Lady Bears to the 2001 NCAA Final Four and was the school’s first player to be drafted into the WNBA.
She is undergoing treatment for eye cancer, which was diagnosed in December 2017.
CONCORDIA – In their final tune-up before the 2019 installment of the MIAA Outdoor Championships, the Fort Hays State men’s track and field team competed at the Cloud County Invitational in Concordia, Kan. On the day, four events went to the Tigers alongside other strong, high-placing finishes.
Each of the first place finishes for the Tigers came in field events, led by Ryan Stanley and Mark Faber ending in a tie in the pole vault with a top jump of 14 feet, 11 inches. Gilbert Peters took the shot put with his throw of 51 feet, 9 inches, followed by Jacob Gaughan winning the discus at 146 feet, 9 inches. Hunter DeGarmo was the final first place finish for the Tigers as he won the hammer throw with a hurl of 170 feet, 10 inches.
Adrian Soto captured a third place finish in the 100-meters at 11.38 followed by an eighth place finish in the 200-meters at 22.90. Shane Finegan finished in seventh place in the 200-meters with a time of 22.77. Finegan also captured a fifth place finish in the 400-meters at 50.68, with Jack Pakkebier coming in eighth at 52.55.
In the 800-meters, Luke Oatney finished in sixth place at 1:57.65, Jorge Gallegos came in eighth at 1:59.85 and Robert Loeffler earned a 10th place finish at 2:01.52. Loeffler also earned a 1,500-meters fifth place finish at 4:13.14, followed by a sixth place finish by teammate Abraham Garcia at 4:13.74. In the 5,000-meters, five Tigers placed in the top-ten with Israel Barco (fourth), Kaleb Crum (sixth), Michael Eisenbarth (seventh), Garcia (eighth) and Peter Franklin (ninth).
In hurdles, Sabino Medrano captured two top-ten finishes as he earned third in the 100-meter hurdles at 16.05 and fourth in the 400-meter version at 55.74. In the 4×400 meter relay, Gallegos, Oatney, Loeffler and Garcia finished in second place at 3:35.12.
Moving to field events, Kolt Newell led the Tigers in the high jump with a second place finish at 6 feet, 7 inches. Lucas Broxterman earned third in the event at 6 feet, 5 inches and Blayne Godshall finished in sixth at 6 feet, 3 ¼ inches. In the pole vault, Jonathan Ball came in third at 14 feet, 5 ¼ inches, Brandon Ball earned fifth at 13 feet, 5 ¼ inches and Christopher Ball finished in seventh at 12 feet, 11 ½ inches.
Godshall added a fourth place finish in the long jump and Sam Garrison earned third in the shot put at 49 feet, 2 ¼ inches. Trey Teeter captured a runner-up position in the javelin with a throw of 169 feet, 7 inches. In the hammer throw, Garrison added a fourth place finish at 132 feet, 10 inches and Seth Boxberger came in fifth place at 128 feet, 7 inches. In the discus, Peters finished in third (139 feet, 9 inches, DeGarmo earned fourth (132 feet, 6 inches), Garrison clocked a fifth place finish (131 feet, 2 inches) and Boxberger rounded out the event in eighth place (115 feet, 4 inches).
The Tigers will get a short break before competing in the MIAA Championships May 3-5 hosted by Central Missouri in Williamsburg, Mo.
SEDGWICK COUNTY — Law enforcement authorities are investigating a pair of armed robberies and have two suspects in custody.
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The first robbery occurred on Friday April 19 at a Kwik Shop in the 700 Block of 29th Street North in Wichita, according to officer Paul Cruz. The two suspects entered the store with guns. One suspect fired a single shotgun round during the robbery. They took cash and cigarettes.
The second robbery occurred at 5:30p.m. Monday at the Valero in the 800 Block of Meriden. The suspects entered the store, one was armed with a shotgun. They demanded and took money.
On Wednesday evening, police officers with the Violent Crime Community Respone team arrested two teenagers at a residence in the 1200 Block of South Santa Fe in Wichita, according to Cruz.
The 16-year-old was booked into the Sedgwick County Juvenile Detention facility on two counts of aggravated robbery and juvenile in possession of a firearm. The 17-year-old was booked for two counts of robbery.
Police will present the case to the district attorney.
OLATHE, Kan. (AP) — A television station aired audio Thursday it says shows Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Tyreek Hill telling his fiancee about punching and using a belt to discipline their son one day after prosecutors reluctantly declined to file charges in a domestic incident.
Tyreek Hill -photo courtesy KC Chiefs
Police were called to Hill’s home twice last month and investigators determined the 3-year-old child had been injured. On Wednesday, Johnson County District Attorney Steve Howe said charges would not be filed, but acknowledged he was “deeply troubled” by the situation and said “we believe a crime has occurred.” He said there was not enough evidence to conclusively establish who committed it.
Hill released a statement through his attorney earlier Thursday in which he said his “son’s health and happiness is my number one priority.” Hill also said that his focus is on “working hard to be the best person for my family and our community that I can be, and the best player to help our team win.”
Hill denies any role in what happened to the child’s arm, adding: “He says Daddy does a lot of things.”
She also tells Hill their son is “terrified of you.”
Hill replies, “You need to be terrified of me, too, bitch.”
Later in the conversation, Espinal asks Hill, “What do you do when the child is bad? You make him open up his arms and you punch him in the chest.”
KCTV said the audio was sent to the station without disclosing from whom. The station said it had shared the audio with Howe’s office, which did not return a message left late Thursday. Howe has acknowledged that the case could be reopened if there was new evidence.
Neither the Chiefs nor an attorney for Hill responded to a request for comment.
Hill is a two-time Pro Bowl wide receiver with a history of domestic issues, including a case in which he was accused of punching Espinal while she was pregnant and they were attending Oklahoma State.
Chiefs coach Andy Reid and general manager Brett Veach sidestepped questions about Hill’s legal situation last week, even as the wide receiver reported for the start of offseason workouts.
Howe said the NFL attempted to contact the district attorney’s office to gather information for its own investigation. The league could still punish Hill even if he is not charged with a crime.
Hill’s attorney, Trey Pettlon, has said that the wide receiver has cooperated with law enforcement throughout the investigation. Pettlon also said that Hill waived his Fifth Amendment rights, answered questions from law enforcement and the Department of Children and Families, and that he would continue to cooperate with authorities as they provide a safe environment for the child.
Howe would not say who has custody of the child because of an ongoing DCF investigation.
“We’re talking about a minor, a child, and the system and DCF and in child investigations, we have to be very cognizant about protecting the rights of the child,” Howe said. “We have to respect the wishes of the individuals involved in the case.”
Hill is entering the final year of his rookie contract, and the Chiefs have little depth at wide receiver. That means it is possible the Chiefs could target a pass-catcher when they make one of their three picks Friday night — they traded their first-round pick to Seattle earlier this week as part of a package to acquire pass rusher Frank Clark, who has his own history of domestic violence.
It’s unclear whether the new audio of Hill will change the Chiefs’ approach, though they did set a precedent late last year when it comes to domestic violence cases. That’s when they released star running back Kareem Hunt following a video that showed him pushing and kicking a woman in a hotel hallway.
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OLATHE, Kan. (AP) — Chiefs star wide receiver Tyreek Hill maintained his innocence Thursday after prosecutors in suburban Kansas City declined to charge him in a domestic incident involving his fiancee and 3-year-old son even after concluding a crime occurred.
Hill said in a statement provided by his attorney that his “son’s health and happiness is my number one priority.” Hill also said that his focus is on “working hard to be the best person for my family and our community that I can be, and the best player to help our team win.”
Police were called to the Hill’s home twice last month, and investigators determined that his child had been injured the second time. On Wednesday, the district attorney in Johnson County, Kansas, declined to press charges because he could not determine who was responsible for the injuries.
“We are deeply troubled by this situation,” DA Steve Howe said. “We believe a crime has occurred, however, the evidence in this case does not conclusively establish who committed this crime.”
The Chiefs said they were aware of the prosecutor’s decision but declined further comment. Howe said the NFL attempted to contact the district attorney’s office to gather information for its own investigation. The league could still punish Hill even though he was not charged with a crime. The league has declined to comment on the case.
Hill’s attorney, Trey Pettlon, said that the receiver has cooperated with law enforcement throughout the investigation. Pettlon also said that Hill waived his Fifth Amendment rights, answered questions from law enforcement and the Department of Children and Families, and that he would continue to cooperate with authorities as they provide a safe environment for the child.
Howe would not say who has custody of the child because of an ongoing DCF investigation.
“We’re talking about a minor, a child, and the system and DCF and in child investigations, we have to be very cognizant about protecting the rights of the child,” he said. “We have to respect the wishes of the individuals involved in the case.”
Chiefs coach Andy Reid and general manager Brett Veach sidestepped questions about Hill’s legal situation last week as the wide receiver reported for the start of offseason workouts.
Hill is a two-time Pro Bowl wide receiver with a history of domestic issues, including a case in which he was accused of punching his fiancee, Crystal Espinal, while he was at Oklahoma State.
Hill is entering the final year of his rookie contract, and the Chiefs have little depth at wide receiver. That means it is possible the Chiefs could target a pass-catcher when they make one of their three picks Friday night — they traded their first-round pick to Seattle earlier this week as part of a package to acquire pass rusher Frank Clark.
“I don’t know if it changes the priorities. We have a good group of guys that we really like,” Veach said of Hill’s situation. “I think we have some guys that are still here that maybe people don’t know about or realize that we know more about. But receiver, if there is a receiver that we like, early on we absolutely wouldn’t hesitate to pull the trigger.”
LONDON (AP) — The World Health Organization has issued its first-ever guidance for how much screen time children under 5 should get: not very much, and none at all for those under 1.
Image courtesy WHO
The U.N. health agency said Wednesday that kids under 5 should not spend more than one hour watching screens every day — and that less is better.
The guidelines are somewhat similar to advice from the American Academy of Pediatrics. That group recommends children younger than 18 months should avoid screens other than video chats. It says parents of young children under two should choose “high-quality programming” with educational value and that can be watched with a parent to help kids understand what they’re seeing.
Some groups said WHO’s screen time guidelines failed to consider the potential benefits of digital media.
WHO’s screen time advice “overly focuses on quantity of screen time and fails to consider the content and context of use,” said Andrew Przybylski, director of research at the Oxford Internet Institute at the University of Oxford. “Not all screen time is created equal.”
Britain’s Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health said the data available were too weak to allow its experts to set any thresholds for the appropriate level of screen time.
“Our research has shown that currently there is not strong enough evidence to support the setting of screen time limits,” said Dr. Max Davie, the college’s Officer for Health Improvement. “The restricted screen time limits suggested by WHO do not seem proportionate to the potential harm,” he said.
WHO did not specifically detail the potential harm caused by too much screen time, but said the guidelines — which also included recommendations for physical activity and sleep — were needed to address the increasing amount of sedentary behavior in the general population. It noted that physical inactivity is a leading risk factor for death and a contributor to the rise in obesity.
The agency said infants less than 1 year should spend at least half an hour every day on their stomachs and that older kids should get at least three hours of physical activity every day.
Tammy Wellbrock, outgoing president/CEO of the Hays Area Chamber of Commerce, filed Thursday to run for the Hays USD 489 school board.
Wellbrock, 48, is leaving the Chamber this summer after eight years to start her own consulting business, Twin Girls Solutions LLC, in which she will serve as a professional trainer and presenter, targeting chambers, associations and the nonprofit sector.
Wellbrock said her position at the chamber prohibited her from holding public office, but she felt now she could take on an elected leadership role in the community.
“My son is a freshman, and this is a time I can impact his experience,” she said. “I want to be a role model, a good civic servant and I hope to make a positive impact on tomorrow’s students.”
Wellbrock served on the facilities committee for the school district prior to its first of two failed bond issues in 2016.
“Our purpose was to determine the difference between needs and wants,” she said. “I was able to visit every school and every boiler and got to see definite needs. … I realized our recommendations were going to impact the lives of many people.”
The school district had another bond fail in 2017, and the board has since debated a third try for bond to address facility needs.
Wellbrock said she personally supported both of the failed bond attempts. However, she acknowledged the facility needs of the district have changed since she was a part of the facilities committee and she would need to get herself up to date on current needs.
Wellbrock also said she would like to see a change in culture on the board.
“I would like less micromanaging by the board and to build a culture of positivity that would trickle down to the administration and staff so they enjoy their jobs and are proud of their jobs,” she said. “In turn, students and families can be proud of the work being accomplished and the education achieved through USD 489.”
Prior to her work at the chamber, Wellbrock served a variety of roles at Nex-Tech, was the assistant alumni director at FHSU, and sold advertising for the Hays Daily News and Wichita Eagle.
She has bachelor’s and master’s degrees in communications from FHSU, has her Institute of Organization Management certification, and is a Certified Association Executive.
Four positions on the USD 489 school board will be up for election in November. They include the seats held by Luke Oborny, Mandy Fox, Paul Adams and Greg Schwartz. Luke Oborny has filed for re-election.
DISCLOSURE: Tammy Wellbrock is married to Gerard Wellbrock, Eagle Radio sports director. He is employed by Eagle Communications, which owns and operates Hays Post.
