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Month: June 2019

Topeka gears up after flooding moves Kicker Country Stampede

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TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Topeka is gearing up for a major music festival that had to be moved there because of flooding.

Map of this year’s festival grounds (click to expand) courtesy Country Stampede

The 24th annual Kicker Country Stampede will be held from June 20-22 at Heartland Motorsports Park in Topeka. It typically is held at Manhattan’s Tuttle Creek State Park, but water levels have been high this spring.

Plans for one Topeka area road project and one highway project have been revised to ensure they don’t conflict with the expected rush of visitors. The event typically draws more than 170,000 people.

Meanwhile, Shawnee County Sheriff’s Sgt. Todd Stallbaumer says the sheriff’s office is working with event staff on personnel needed for staffing the event. This year’s performers include Old Dominion, Jason Aldean and Jake Owen.

Driver in 1938 pickup dies in crash with semi on NW Kan. highway

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SHERIDAN COUNTY — One person died in an accident just before 8 a.m. Saturday in Sheridan County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 1938 Ford pickup driven by Daniel J. Rempel, 70, McCook, Nebraska, was southbound on U.S. 83 two miles east of Selden.

The vehicle ran into the side of a southbound 2019 Kenworth semi driven by Dik Pal Tamang, 37, Fargo, North Dakota.

The semi swerved to avoid the accident. The Ford ran into the trailer and was hit by the duals of the trailer.

EMS transported both drivers to the Sheridan County Health Complex where Rempel died. Tamang was wearing a seat belt, according to the KHP. The 1938 Ford did not have seat belts.

Employee hospitalized after leg trapped by auger at Kan. grain elevator

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COWLEY COUNTY — One person was injured in a grain elevator accident Friday in Cowley County.

Valley Co-op Google image

Just before 3:30p.m. Winfield Fire/EMS, Cowley County Sheriff’s Department, and the Kansas Highway Patrol were dispatched to for an industrial accident at the Valley Coop Kellogg Branch located at 16101 23rd Road, Winfield, according to Winfield Fire Chief Chad Mayberry.

Once on scene, rescue crews found an employee of the facility inside a metal grain bin with one lower leg entrapped in an auger. Emergency crews began working to free the victim’s leg from the auger while initiating patient care.

The patient was responsive and in stable condition. Due to the severity of the entanglement, crews contacted Wesley Medical Center to request a trauma surgeon to respond to the scene for consultation.

The surgeon was transported to the scene by Eagle Med via helicopter.

Just before 5p.m., rescue crews were able to remove the victim from the grain bin. EagleMed arrived on scene with the surgeon and the patient was transferred to their care and transported to Wesley Medical.

Authorities released no additional details on the incident early Saturday.

KDADS to request HCBS waiver extension, conduct additional stakeholder engagement

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KDADS

TOPEKA – The Kansas Department for Aging and Disability Services (KDADS) is submitting a request to the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to extend its current Intellectual/Developmental Disability (I/DD) waiver, set to renew July 1, 2019, in order to allow additional time for discussions with stakeholders.

It is anticipated the Frail Elderly (FE) and Physical Disability (PD) waivers, scheduled to renew January 1, 2020, will require further engagement with stakeholders to address concerns and a similar request to extend these programs will submitted to CMS.

Requesting an extension from CMS will allow the waivers to stand as written and approved today while the agency works with stakeholders to ensure the waiver renewal submissions support choice and community inclusion.

“KDADS’s decision will provide an opportunity to re-engage stakeholders, consumers and families as concerns continue to be raised,” said Amy Penrod, Commissioner of the Aging & Disability Community Services & Programs. “We want to continue the initial conversations we’ve had and take the time to thoroughly evaluate every opportunity to incorporate changes that are best for Kansas.”

Kansas has always been at the forefront of home and community-based services and supports. Since taking over leadership of the agency less than six months ago, Secretary Laura Howard has laid out a strategic vision that includes enhanced collaboration to ensure the state continues to be innovative in the way it addresses the health care needs of Kansans.

“Requesting additional time to collaborate with partners and incorporate the wisdom and contributions others bring to the table will ensure Kansas uses these waiver renewals to continue its long-standing leadership in home and community-based services,” said Secretary Howard. “Taking a step back provides an opportunity to approach these waivers with a new perspective of putting people first, incorporating innovations and supporting self-determination and community inclusion.”

Rocky Nichols, Executive Director of the Disability Rights Center of Kansas, and Mike Burgess, Director of Policy & Outreach, said in a joint statement, “We very much appreciate the decision by KDADS to delay implementation of these waivers and instead reengage with stakeholders to make positive changes. Kansas self-advocates with disabilities, families and service providers expressed concerns about the current versions of the waivers and KDADS listened. They are to be commended for their prudent action to slow this process down to get this right and we look forward to working to improve these waiver submissions.”

These actions do not impact the Brain Injury (BI) waiver, which is set to include the expanded populations of adult and youth with acquired brain injuries.

In 2014, CMS published final regulations affecting 1915(c) waiver programs. The purpose of the regulations was to ensure individuals receive HCBS in settings that are integrated in and support full access to the greater community. The regulations also aimed to ensure that individuals have a free choice of where they live and who provides services to them, and that individual rights and freedoms are not restricted. CMS has moved away from defining HCBS settings based on specific locations, geography, or physical characteristics, to defining them by the nature and quality of the individual’s experiences. Fundamentally, the regulations set higher standards for HCBS settings in which it is permissible for states to pay for services using federal financial participation under Medicaid, known in Kansas as KanCare.

Harbor Freight construction progressing, hiring process starts

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By JAMES BELL
Hays Post

After only 10 weeks since announcing a new Hays location, Harbor Freight construction is progressing at Big Creek Crossing, 2918 Vine, as the retailer prepares to open in Hays on July 31.

Construction is expected to be completed by July 15, giving the retailer time to install interior fixtures and place merchandise, according to James Younger, BCC property manager.

“These guys do not mess around,” he said, adding they arrived to get a jump-start on construction working in empty locations on the property three days earlier than anticipated.

Harbor Freight is also currently accepting applications for employment, which can be found at harborfreightjobs.com.

Younger said they expected to hire 18 people for the store.

While Harbor Freight construction continues, the new bathrooms for the facility are in progress as well.

“We are estimating the end of June or the first part of July for the restrooms to be open,” Younger said, noting they are cautiously optimistic about that time frame.

“Any time you take on a significant amount of construction on your property, there is always small foibles or shipping delays, things of that nature,” Younger said.

Despite the hassles of construction, Younger glad the shopping center is seeing continued development.

“We are definitely excited about that, updating our facilities for our customers is a big deal,” Younger

 

New HPD officers, corporal introduced to city commission

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Left to right: During the Hays City Commission meeting Thursday night, Hays Police Chief Don Scheibler introduces new officers Aaron Ewy and Alex Broadway, as well as David Odle, who was promoted to corporal.

By CRISTINA JANNEY
Hays Post

Hays Police Chief Don Scheibler introduced two new officers and a new corporal to the Hays City Commission at its meeting Thursday night.

The new employees included police officers Aaron Ewy and Alex Broadway.

David Odle was promoted to corporal.

Ewy comes to Hays from Arlington, Kansas, and earned a bachelor’s degree from Wichita State University in criminal justice. Ewy is also a staff sergeant in the U.S. Air Force Reserves.

Broadway is a former Marine, earning the rank of corporal. He attended Oak Park High School in Kansas City, Kan. He attended Fort Hays State University and worked at Pfeifer Auto Sales as a mechanic before joining the HPD. He lives in Hays with his wife and daughter.

Odle was recently promoted from master police officer to patrol corporal. He was one of five candidates for the position.

“All five could have done the job, but Dave truly stuck out as the most qualified one,” Scheibler said.

Odle served as a sergeant in the U.S. Marine Corps. He has more than 19 years of experience in law enforcement and has served in multiple supervisory roles at the Liberal Police Department. He is a graduate of the national FBI Academy.

“Dave has been a great hire for us, and we are confident he will continue to contribute and do well as a corporal,” Scheibler said.

This might be the last summer Kan. swimmers enjoy this enormous pool

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By CORINNE BOYER
Kansas News Service

GARDEN CITY — Every summer since 1922, locals and tourists have flocked to Garden City’s Big Pool. Once promoted as “the world’s largest outdoor free concrete municipal swimming pool,” it holds around 2 million gallons of water. “Holds” might now be an overstatement.

The Big Pool leaks. A lot.

Even for a pool of its size, the water loss is “excessive,” according to Fred Jones, Garden City’s water resource manager. “It’s kinda to the point where we feel like it’s probably nearing the end of its service life.”

As the pool’s centennial nears, concern over costs and repairs have grown. The city has been asking residents this year about replacing it, though nothing’s been decided yet.

Drip, drip drip

Refilling the leaking pool costs Garden City $1,000 a day. During the period that the pool is open from Memorial Day until Labor Day, the city spends between $700,000 and $800,000 on repairs, staff and water, according to Assistant City Manager Jennifer Cunningham, who oversees the operation of the pool.

The pool’s water comes from the city’s potable water supply, which is drawn from the Ogallala and Dakota aquifers. Watering and irrigation of landscapes and lawns is the biggest consumer of water in the summer, but Jones said the 200,000 gallons the pool loses each day is still a worry.

Coating the concrete in the pool’s deep end would stop the leakage. The city spent $150,000 to coat the baby pool, the shallow area, and the plunge pool. But Cunningham said the deep end would cost another $750,000, and would only solve the problem for about five years in Garden City’s harsh weather.

“Concrete breaks down over time, especially when it’s out in the cold in the wintertime and it’s out in the heat in the summertime and it’s filled with water,” she said.  “It expands, it contracts and eventually breaks down.”

Instead of continuing to throw money into an old facility with porous concrete, Cunningham said bonding the amount spent on the pool and its repairs could pay for a new swimming facility.

The swimming days go way back

During the first weekend in June, Sherry Frizzell, 57, spent time at the Big Pool with her family like she’s done since she was born.

Originally the pool was  just one, undivided expanse of water. There have been upgrades over the years that added swim lanes, diving boards and an inflatable obstacle course in the pool’s deep end. A walkway now divides the pool’s deep and shallow ends. Water slides empty into part of the shallow end and a separate wading pool with an elephant slide sits at the entrance.

“I want to see the pool stay,” Frizell said. “Instead of putting other stuff in, they should have fixed what was wrong in the first place.”

Sixteen-year-old Ethan Rich has been going to the pool for most of his life too — since he was 3 or 4.

“It helps in the summer when it’s hot,” he said.

Back in 1921, Garden City’s Mayor H.O. Trinkle liked to swim too and he wanted a pool. So, members of the community started digging.

“It was dug with horse-drawn slips, which is kind of like a great big shovel pulled by horses, and men with shovels,” recounted Laurie Oshel, assistant director of the Finney County Museum.

Ice skaters glided across the frozen surface in the late 1920s — before the water was drained every year.

Two elephants were trained to walk over from the Lee Richardson Zoo next door and swam in the pool from 1987, when they were babies, until around 2004 when they were relocated to Florida, according to former education curator at the zoo, Whitney Buckman.

Former Garden City resident Hank Avila, now 74, remembers taking swimming lessons at the pool in 1950 and 1951. That was soon after Latino residents gained access.

The “water was cold,” he said.

But those lessons were evidence of a breakthrough. Avila recalls that some members of the Hispanic community never learned to swim because the pool was off limits. A few years before he learned to swim, the Latino community had petitioned the city for access to the pool and been denied.

The pool ultimately became integrated before restaurants and movie theaters in the area, and turned into a haven.

“I had a lot of fun there — it was part of daily life during the summer,” Avila said. He and his uncle snuck in on hot nights after hours.

Black residents in Garden City fought longer to gain access to city’s pool.

In a July 12, 1950, Garden City Daily Telegram article, one man demanded that black community members be allowed to enter the pool. S.M. Hawkins spoke at a Garden City Commission meeting and, the newspaper reported, said, “that it was all right for Negroes to participate when it came to paying taxes, but apparently it isn’t all right for Negroes to use the swimming pool which is supported by these same taxes.”

At the same meeting, Commissioner Al Gottschalk said, “It just has never been the policy to admit Negroes.”

Through the 1960s, about 65,000 people visited the pool annually, according to documents at the Finney County Museum.

A new Big Pool?

Around 300 people use the pool every day now. Cunningham said one reason attendance has declined is because of the cost, $2 per person per day. Admission was free until 2003.

“I would love to be able to drive down there and instead of seeing a hundred to 200 kids swimming, that I see 2,000 kids swimming,” she said. “From all over town and enjoying it every day.”

To decide its future, Garden City officials gathered input all over town about the Big Pool. They talked with the Realtor’s Association, the Lion’s Club, the county health coalition, every Garden City student from 3rd through 12th grades, along with kids from nearby Holcomb, Lakin, Deerfield, and Cimarron.

Across all age groups — from households with kids to adults over age 56 — the majority responding to the city’s survey said they wanted a facility similar to the existing pool. Other options, including multiple community pools, splash parks or a water park, all ranked lower.

“This is what Garden City is known for,” said Lana Steinmetz, 46, a Garden City resident who has been coming to the pool since she was 8, hopes it will stay open. “They already put so much money into it.”

Corinne Boyer is a reporter for the Kansas News Service  Follow her @Corinne_Boyer or email cboyer at hppr dot org

Hansen intern, FHSU student developing nonprofit lending program

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Brady Stephenson

SALINA — Soul Bloom, a Salina nonprofit directed by Joan Jerkovich, has hired Brady Stephenson as an intern through Kansas State’s Research and Extension, funded by the Dane G. Hansen Foundation SummerInternship Initiative.

Stephenson will assist with the development of a new nonprofit program called Soul Bloom Lending. This lending program will help individuals and families that are caught in the trap of predatory lending. The program will focus on loan consolidation and financial education.

Stephenson recently graduated from the Kansas Academy of Mathematics and Science. He will begin his junior year in the Fort Hays State University’s Honors College next fall, majoring in finance in economics.

For more information on Soul Bloom Lending, go to soulbloom.org.

This weekend’s Hays-area garage sales

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Hays-area garage sales

Scroll to the bottom for a map of garage sale locations. Hays Post offers FREE garage sale listings weekly. Having a garage sale next weekend? Click HERE to submit your information.

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700 E. 6th, Hays — (yellow house across from Gordon’s Carpet)
Thursday 4:30pm to 8:30pm and Friday 9am to 4pm

Indoor Sale Thursday and Friday only! EVERYTHING IS $3 OR LESS! Total liquidation! You cannot miss this one! Moving out of Hays and needing to downsize, so my loss is your gain, I’m practically giving stuff away! No joke, items include purses, leather and name brand shoes, name brand clothing not limited to Nike, Adidas, Victoria’s Secret Pink, Gap, LuLaRoe, American Eagle, Buckle brands, Banana republic, Ann Taylor, Michael Kors and many more!!! I even have winter coats and everything is $3 or less!!!!! I am also selling craft supplies, vinyl records, disc golf discs and clothing, lots of different genres of books, Christmas decor, home decor, pet supplies, and miscellaneous items. I have hundreds of items for sale which must go!!!! Do not miss this sale!

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306 West 32nd St., Hays
Saturday 6-15-19

Bike, fabrics, laces, patterns, home décor, holiday décor, curtains, HP printer never used, dining set, futon, misc.

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2908 Hillcrest, Hays
Thursday and Friday 9a.m. to 7p.m.

Longaberger Baskets, junior girl’s clothes, women’s clothes, baby girl clothes and items, disposable diapers, toys, books, kitchen items, decorative items, king size comforter, digital camera, beautiful red stoneware dish set, household items

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1921, 1922, 1923 Whittier Rd., Hays
Friday June 14th 10am-6pm

Multi- family sale: boys/girls clothing, shoes, toys, games, puzzles, bedding, kitchen, home decor and much more! Also lemonade & cookies!!

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3115 Thunderbird Circle, Hays
Friday 6/14 9-3, Sat. 6/15 8-noon

cd/dvd cabinets, antiques, candles, kid Little Tykes car, household goods, big tall coffee pot, pewter, clothes, knick knacks, lots of miscellaneous, shot gun reloader and supplies

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1107 Noose Rd, Hays
June 14-Friday 3:00-8:00 June 15, Saturday 8:00-noon

Friday, June 14 3:00-8:00 pm (No early shoppers), Saturday, June 15, 8:00 am-noon

Kids are raised- time to clean out 15 years worth of electronics, office equipment, go-cart, furniture, BBQ grill, kids clothes, teen clothes, women’s clothes, kitchen gadgets and cookware, home decor, toys, books, purses, luggage, cabinets, shelves, bedding, cameras, crafting material, fabric, picture frames, light fixtures, curtain fixtures.

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1905 MacArthur Rd, Hays
Saturday, June 15th 8 am to 2 pm.

Baby Boy Clothes size 3 months to 12 months. Some men and women’s clothes. Baby items, bottles, swing, play mat. Home decor, bedding, picture frames, candles, plus much more!

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420 W. 27th St., Hays
Friday, June 14 11:30 am – 6:00 pm and Saturday, June 15 7:30 am – 12:00 pm

Multi Family Yard Sale – Clothing – children and adults, housewares, craft supplies, toys, camping gear, and much more!

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110 W. 34th St., Hays
Saturday-June 15th from 8:00 am to 1:00pm

Double Family Garage Sale/Moving Sale—Sectional from The Look, Howard Miller Grandfather Clock, IKEA Chair with foot-stool, Toys, Maternity clothing, Household items, Room Decor, Lamp Sets, TV- Stand, Lots more…Something for everyone. Come check it out! Cash only—U-Load—U-Haul!

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1211 East 32nd, Hays
Friday 3pm to 8pm, Sat 8am to Noon

Decor, Household, Jewelry, Books, Luggage, iPhone cases, Tools, Vintage items, Puzzles, knick knacks, and lots Name Brand Clothes for Lil Girls, Teens to Adult including Plus Sizes up to 3X. Victoria Secret, Buckle brands, Van’s, Chacos, Converse, asics Nike, Justice for girls, and many more!

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120 South 10th street, WaKeeney
June 15 8:00 – 5:00

Shutters, new steel siding, bikes, Hawaiian party supplies, bathroom sink, lawn furniture and MORE

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Norton County lake under blue-green algae watch

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Three Kansas lakes with warnings, four with watches

TOPEKA – The Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE), in conjunction with the Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism (KDWPT), has issued public health advisories for seven Kansas lakes.

Warnings:

Big Eleven Lake, Wyandotte County

Jerry Ivey Pond, Saline County

Overbrook City Lake, Osage County

When a warning is issued, KDHE recommends the following precautions be taken:

  • Lake water is not safe to drink for pets or livestock.
  • Lake water, regardless of blue-green algae status, should never be consumed by humans.
  • Water contact should be avoided.
  • Fish may be eaten if they are rinsed with clean water and only the fillet portion is consumed, while all other parts are discarded.
  • Do not allow pets to eat dried algae.
  • If lake water contacts skin, wash with clean water as soon as possible.
  • Avoid areas of visible algae accumulation.

Watches:

Atchison County State Fishing Lake, Atchison County

Marion County Lake, Marion County

Marion Reservoir, Marion County

Keith Sebelius Reservoir, Norton County

A watch means that blue-green algae have been detected and a harmful algal bloom is present or likely to develop.  People are encouraged to avoid areas of algae accumulation and keep pets and livestock away from the water.

During the watch status, KDHE recommends the following precautions be taken:

  • Signage will be posted at all public access locations
  • Water may be unsafe for humans/animals
  • Avoid areas of algae accumulation and do not let people/pets eat dried algae or drink contaminated water.
  • Swimming, wading, skiing, and jet skiing are discouraged near visible blooms
  • Boating and fishing are safe. However, inhalation of the spray may affect some individuals. Avoid direct contact with water, and wash with clean water after any contact.
  • Clean fish well with potable water and eat fillet portion only.

KDHE samples publicly-accessible bodies of water for blue-green algae when the agency receives reports of potential algae blooms in Kansas lakes. Based on sampling results, KDHE reports on potentially harmful conditions.

Kansans should be aware that blooms are unpredictable. They can develop rapidly and may float around the lake, requiring visitors to exercise their best judgment. If there is scum, a paint-like surface or the water is bright green, avoid contact and keep pets away. These are indications that a harmful bloom may be present. Pet owners should be aware that animals that swim in or drink water affected by a harmful algal bloom or eat dried algae along the shore may become seriously ill or die.

For information on blue-green algae and reporting potential harmful algal blooms, please visit www.kdheks.gov/algae-illness/index.htm.

CLINKSCALES: Poppa and Father’s Day

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Randy Clinkscales
One of my early memories as a child was visiting with my grandparents in Hillsboro, Texas. Snow in the Hill Country of Texas is very rare. So, it was one of those rare mornings when we woke up to discover that it had snowed. It was my first snow, and I remember running outside so excited.

My grandfather had a small ranch. He needed to go check the cattle, and I bundled up and headed out with him. For whatever reason, Pop decided to cook breakfast on the ground. We were surrounded by a few inches of snow. Pop piled some stones together, put in some twigs and sticks, and started the fire. He then chopped up some bacon, fried it in an iron skillet and then mixed in eggs. The steam and smell wafted into the air. It was delicious. Forever, that is what I have always called “Pop’s breakfast”.

My grandfather was quite the man. A giant for his time (6 ft. 2 in.), he played center for the town basketball team. Games were played outside on the earth. He was married to my grandmother but died 15 years before she passed. They were married for over 50 years. In the course of 50 years, they spent one night not together. When he passed, my grandmother’s heart was broken.

I often wonder what would have happened if my grandmother would have passed away first. I just do not know that my grandfather would have been able to carry on.

My grandfather was madly in love with my grandmother. They had breakfast together each morning. They would have coffee. There would usually be biscuits and gravy.

My grandfather was never in a hurry. He always had time for a conversation. While big, he was always gentle.

Through his years, he had a variety of jobs. Pop and Mammaw married just at the beginning of the depression. Pop liked to say that they were better off than most, having a farm where they could raise their own food. Pop got a job hauling rock for the county roads. Again, he felt so fortunate.

Over time, Pop continued with working at whatever he could, and for whatever purpose. He had one goal: provide for his family.

Through the years, he was County Clerk, he sold freezers of meat (some of you are going to remember that), he was the Sheriff of Hill County, Texas, and later in life was a policeman in River Oaks, Texas (a suburb of Fort Worth).

I was always impressed by his attitude. He would “get” to go to work. It was never he “had” to go to work. He always felt fortunate that he was able to provide for his family.

His two sons (my two uncles) were hemophiliacs. One of them died while quite young. Pop never would talk about it. It was too painful.

When I was in college, my grandfather’s other son (my uncle) lost a child. The baby was stillborn. Because I was going to college near Fort Worth, I stepped up to make the funeral arrangements. It was the first time that I had ever seen my grandfather cry. I remember he and my grandmother looking at that little casket, standing arm in arm. The child was named after my grandfather.

As a police officer, I always had to laugh at Pop’s approach. We often joked that Pop would have been killed in a car but for the fact that he was in a police car and everyone moved out of the way. He really was not a good driver. He enjoyed taking his time and looking around.

He carried that approach into his duties. If he stopped someone for a minor infraction, he had the philosophy that if they would truly listen to his lecture, he would let them go. But those lectures could be long. I experienced some of them myself.

Pop was a good man. He was always honest but never critical. He was never hurtful. He never judged me, though I would go through various stages of life.

Upon my arrival to visit with Pop and Mammaw, it would not take long before the dominoes came out. The dominoes were an excuse to have a meaningful conversation at the table. When someone scored a big score, Pop had this wonderful laugh, slow and deep; proud either for himself for scoring the points, or for the person scoring the points. It did not matter to him.

Pop was eventually forced to retire. I believe he was about 67 when he reached the mandatory retirement age with the police department. They had quite a celebration recognizing Pop for all his years of service, his role as a police officer, what he meant to so many of the junior officers, and all the lives he touched in the community.

He had a stroke. We really did not think he would make it, and certainly not make it at home, but he and my grandmother were determined that he would.

Eventually, he fully recovered. The last years of my grandfather’s life were spent as a full-time companion with my grandmother. They gardened; they worked in the yard; and they fished. They would put on these funky hats, and drive to Lake Worth, just a few minutes away. I do not think it was very important to them whether they caught fish. They just enjoyed being together and relaxing.

Probably the greatest lesson that I learned from my grandfather was how to love your wife. Through the many years, their marriage was a partnership. He and Mammaw did things together. Though most of the time my grandmother was a stay-at-home mom, her role was great in the marriage. Poppa leaned on her; she leaned on him.

I never heard Poppa say one harsh word to my grandmother. I never heard him at any time diminish her capabilities or her role. In fact, there was a certain amount of awe he had for my grandmother.

I was fortunate in my life to have my father and stepfather who meant so much to me, but I was just as fortunate to have a grandfather who helped me learn what it meant to be a father, a husband, and a man.

Remember your fathers and grandfathers this year on Father’s Day. And grandfathers, remember the influence you will have on your grandchildren, even when they are 65 years old and you are long gone. You are special.

Randy Clinkscales of Clinkscales Elder Law Practice, PA, Hays, Kansas, is an elder care attorney, practicing in western Kansas. To contact him, please send an email to [email protected]. Disclaimer: The information in the column is for general information purposes and does not constitute legal advice. Each case is different and outcomes depend on the fact of each case and the then applicable law. For specific questions, you should contact a qualified attorney.

Sunny, warm Saturday

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Today
Mostly sunny, with a high near 87. West northwest wind 8 to 10 mph becoming north in the afternoon.
Tonight
A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly before 1am. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 61. North northeast wind 7 to 9 mph.
Sunday
A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms after 1pm. Partly sunny, with a high near 82. North wind 7 to 10 mph becoming east northeast in the afternoon.
Sunday Night
A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly cloudy, with a low around 59. East wind 5 to 10 mph becoming light in the evening.
Monday
A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly after 1pm. Partly sunny, with a high near 79. East wind 3 to 8 mph.
Monday Night
A 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 60.
Tuesday
A 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 78.
Tuesday Night
Showers and thunderstorms likely, mainly before 1am. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 60. Chance of precipitation is 60%. New rainfall amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible.
Wednesday
Partly sunny, with a high near 82.
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