July 2019 – Page 18 – Hays Post Archive

‘Vicious’ rooster attacks pedestrians in small Arkansas city

Posted on July 26, 2019

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) — Leaders of a small Arkansas city are planning to draft an ordinance next month addressing a problematic rooster that has been attacking pedestrians.

Jasper Mayor Jan Larson said something has to be done about the rooster that chases people as they walk in the street.

“He attacks them and scratches,” she said. “It would be all right if you were young enough that you could kick him. But some people are older and could fall.

“We can’t let people get hurt because of an errant rooster.”

The rooster Larson called “vicious” began patrolling the sidewalk and street in front of a house nearly a month ago, chasing people who walked by.

One woman fell while fleeing the rooster, which also went after a small boy, Larson noted.

“That’s the sad part of it, especially if you’re a 3-foot-tall person or a doddering lady like me who can’t run,” Larson said.

Larson said chickens and roosters are permitted in Jasper.

“We are a small town,” she said. “People have chickens here. That’s not a big deal really. But we are also a city. We can’t let our animals attack people.”

Police Chief Michael Henderson said there have been complaints about the rooster.

“We did get a written complaint, but there were no injuries,” Henderson told the Arkansas-Democrat Gazette. The rooster has also been a topic of discussion at the City Council’s last two meetings.

Roosters protect their flock of hens, especially during their summer and spring mating season, according to Sara Orlowski, an extension poultry management specialist with the University of Arkansas. She added that some rooster breeds can be aggressive.

Orlowski noted that running away from roosters encourages their pursuit.

“In his mind, they’re giving in, so he’s going to claim dominance over them,” she said. “The fact that they’re running away just makes him want to keep chasing them.”

Orlowski, who grew up with chickens and roosters, said she would stand her ground.

“You just kind of try to be bigger than them and not back down,” she said. “If you stand up to them, eventually they’re going to back down.”

A fine most fowl: Wild chickens almost cost man $1,000 a day

Posted on July 26, 2019

APOPKA, Fla. (AP) — The case against a Florida man accused of harboring ducks and wild chickens has been dropped after he persuaded authorities that the birds are truly free-range.

The Orlando Sentinel reports 59-year-old Felix Guerra won’t have to pay a fine of $1,000 a day to Orange County for illegally keeping backyard birds.

Guerra’s yard has an edible jungle of avocado, banana and cherry trees, ginger plants and pineapple that attracts butterflies, bees, and an occasional bear.

His place is also for the birds, and the county received an anonymous complaint that something fowl was going on.

Inspectors cited him after spotting ducks in his driveway. Guerra said he’s tried to chase them away, but they keep coming back.

He appealed to the commissioner’s office and the county dropped the case Thursday.

There’s no place like home for the ‘The Brady Bunch’

Posted on July 26, 2019

BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. (AP) — There’s no place like home for “The Brady Bunch,” even if was just a facade.

An HGTV renovation of the Los Angeles house that was used for exterior shots of the TV sitcom reunited six cast members and rekindled the show’s spirit.

“We enjoy being together, doing other projects, but this is the first time the magic is back,” said Susan Olsen, who played Cindy on “The Brady Bunch.”

Maureen McCormick (Marcia) and Eve Plumb (Jan) agreed. They and the other actors who played blended-family siblings took part in a Q&A with TV critics Thursday to promote “A Very Brady Renovation.” The four-part series debuts Sept. 9.

Interior house scenes for the 1969-74 comedy were shot on a soundstage, with sets that bore no resemblance to the private home destined to become a photo-op magnet for “Brady” fans.

When the house went on the market in 2018, HGTV won a bidding war that drove the price up to $3.5 million — or $1.6 million over the listing price for the then-2,400-square-foot residence.

“They paid way too much, I mean WAY too much for this house,” said Barry Williams, who played Greg.

“That was the crazy part,” agreed Christopher Knight, who co-starred as Peter.

The house was expanded, remodeled and redecorated to give it trademark elements of the set version, including the wood-paneled living room with a floating staircase, orange-and-green kitchen and Greg’s attic digs.

“The Brady Bunch” cast said they were called on to put their demolition muscle and design skills into the renovation, aided by HGTV hosts including Jonathan and Drew Scott of “Property Brothers.” The actors reminisce in the series about making the show and the co-stars they have lost.

“We can feel the presence of Robert Reed and Florence Henderson and Ann B. Davis in these rooms that are being created, through the memories and the shows,” said Williams. “We can share their presence and what a significant part of our show they are and were.”

“And they would’ve loved it,” said Mike Lookinland (Bobby).

Henderson, who died in 2016 at age 82, and Reed, who was 59 when he died in 1992, played their parents. Davis, who played housekeeper Alice, died at 88 in 2014.

What will happen to the house after the series has yet to be announced by HGTV. The actors speculated that it’s unlikely to become a museum or public attraction because it’s in a residential area.

John Fogerty pulls out of troubled Woodstock 50 festival

Posted on July 26, 2019

NEW YORK (AP) — John Fogerty has pulled out of Woodstock 50 just weeks before the troubled anniversary event is supposed to take place.

A representative for the singer told The Associated Press that Fogerty, who performed at the original 1969 festival with Creedence Clearwater Revival, will now perform only at Woodstock’s original site in Bethel, New York, in a smaller anniversary event not connected to Woodstock 50.

Fogerty had appeared in March alongside the original festival’s co-founder, Michael Lang, to announce that Jay-Z, Dead & Company and the Killers would perform at Woodstock 50, set for Aug. 16-18.

But Woodstock 50 has faced a series of setbacks, including permit denials and the loss of a financial partner and a production company. The event, at which Miley Cyrus, Imagine Dragons, Chance the Rapper and the Black Keys are slated to perform, does not have a venue and tickets have yet to go on sale.

The festivities were supposed to take place across three main stages at Watkins Glen International racetrack in Watkins Glen, New York, about 115 miles (185 kilometers) northwest of the original site, but the venue pulled out.

Bloomberg reported Thursday that the event will now take place at the Merriweather Post Pavilion, an outdoor amphitheater in Columbia, Maryland. A representative for Woodstock 50 told The Associated Press she couldn’t confirm the report and said the organizers had no further comment.

Fogerty, 74, will instead perform at the Bethel Woods Center for the Arts, which is holding its event during the same three-day weekend. Fogerty will close out the celebration on Aug. 18, while Ringo Starr will perform on Aug. 16 and Santana — also booked for the larger anniversary event — will hit the stage on Aug. 17.

Other performers scheduled for the troubled Woodstock 50 include Robert Plant and The Sensational Space Shifters, David Crosby, Janelle Monae, Brandi Carlile, Country Joe McDonald, Halsey, the Lumineers and Common.

KZ Country Cheesy Joke of the Day 7/26/19

Posted on July 26, 2019July 26, 2019

The Tattle-Tale Parrot

A magician was performing on a cruise ship. The pay was okay, but there was just one problem: The captain’s parrot saw the shows every week knew the tricks. In the middle of the show, the parrot would squawk: “Look, it’s not the same hat… he’s hiding the flowers under the
table… hey, why are all the cards the Ace of Spades?”

The magician couldn’t do anything because it was the captain’s parrot.

One day the ship sank and the magician found himself clinging to a piece of wood… with the parrot perched on the other end. They stared
at each other silently for several hours.

Finally, the parrot squawked: “Okay, I give up. What did you do with the boat?”

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Larks bolster roster heading into NBC World Series

Posted on July 26, 2019July 26, 2019

If you’re heading to Wichita to watch the Hays Larks at the 85th NBC World Series, you might want to buy a program. Manager Frank Leo has added nine players to his roster which was down to 17 following the KCLB Post-Season Tournament. Only 13 of the Larks original 22 players to start the season are still with the team.

Two of the new players are actually familiar faces to the program. Nick Goza, who played four seasons with the Larks from 2011-2015 is back along with Carlos Tavera who was a member of last year’s team.

Goza was recently named the Arizona Athletics Cy Young Award winner after going 9-1 with a 1.67 ERA in the Arizona League this summer. He has a 19-10 career record with the Larks in 54 appearances, the last of which was in 2015.

Tavera went 4-0 in nine appearances (5 starts) last summer for the Larks and made one relief appearance against the Clarinda A’s at the MBC WS.

The Larks (32-10), who qualified for the first week of the NBC World Series by winning the KCLB Post-Season Tournament, will play the second game of the day Saturday against the Waco (TX) Missions at 3:30 p.m. at Wichita State’s Eck Stadium.

You can hear all of the Larks games from the NBC World Series on KAYS (94.3-FM, 1400-AM).

Meth found in Kansas man’s backpack during jail inspection

Posted on July 26, 2019July 26, 2019

BARTON COUNTY –Police arrested a man Wednesday night in Britt Spaugh Park who was later found to have drugs in his back pack.

Officers found Timothy Richardson, 27, in the park and arrested him on Great Bend Municipal Court court warrant and he was transported to the Barton County Detention Center.

During the initial jail inspection, the staff found a small bag of methamphetamine and 2 syringes in Richard’s backpack.

In addition to the warrant violation, Richardson was charged with possession of methamphetamine and possession of drug paraphernalia.

HaysMed welcomes new cardiac, thoracic and vascular surgeon

Posted on July 26, 2019July 25, 2019

HAYSMED

HaysMed, part of The University of Kansas Health System, is pleased to welcome Robert A. Phillips, MD, cardiac, thoracic and vascular surgeon to the DeBakey Heart Institute. Dr. Phillips began seeing patients July 1 at the DeBakey Heart Clinic.

“We are so very excited to have Dr. Phillips join our team,” said Bryce Young, Chief Operating Officer. “Because he specializes in all three areas of heart care, cardiac, thoracic and vascular, Dr. Phillips will be a great asset to our heart program.”

Dr. Phillips completed medical school at the University of Alabama. He completed a residency in cardiovascular and thoracic surgery at the University of Utah Affiliated Hospitals and a fellowship in complex cardiac and thoracic aortic surgery at Mount Sinai Medical Center.

“HaysMed is committed to providing the people of western Kansas with exceptional heart care and maintaining a strong cardiology presence in the region,” said Shae Veach, Vice President for Regional Operations. “Our goal is giving heart care patients the right treatment at the right time and providing this care as close to home as possible.”

For more information call 785-623-6544 or go to https://haysmed.com/debakey-heart-institute/.

INSIGHT KANSAS: Common goals and the new Koch plan for K-12 education

Posted on July 26, 2019July 25, 2019

Dr. Sharon Hartin Iorio is Professor & Dean Emerita at Wichita State University College of Education.

Last week 3,100 offenders were released from federal prison as a result of bipartisan criminal justice reform that will reduce prison populations, provide social services and cut federal incarceration costs. This restructure, years in coming, was helped by an effort from industrialist and philanthropist Charles Koch that began in five states with Republicans, Democrats and nonprofit leaders of multiple prison reform organizations—unlikely allies.

The effort encouraged advocates who believed in reform although they disagreed among ways to accomplish it. The successful strategy depended not on system-wide change but building from consensus-driven, small steps.

Now, the question is whether this approach can benefit K-12 education.

At a January meeting of Seminar Network, a Koch-backed organization, two initiatives, Yes Every Kid and 4.0 Schools were introduced. Both are funded by the Charles Koch Foundation and the Walton Family Foundation at $5 million each plus another $5 million from donors.

It’s not yet known if Kansas will be one of the five states to start the education program, and officials with the Koch network have said it’s too early to provide specific policy priorities. However, according to Education Week, Yes Every Kid is intended to eventually become a political action coalition monitoring statehouse legislation, while 4.0 Schools will provide grants to drive innovation in learning inside and outside the classroom. News channels reported donors as saying the shift will promote personalized learning, help local priorities, improve schools and working “alongside” teachers.

Listening more at the state level comes as welcome change. Working together across education organizations, schools and teachers could be a truly valuable opportunity.

However, it will be more difficult in Kansas to achieve education progress when compared to federal prison reform because most education policy comes from state and local, not federal legislation.

Moreover, in Kansas it will not be easy to find common ground between groups that have disagreed intensely over issues of labor protections, tax credits to support private schools, public school funding levels and linking teacher salaries to student test scores.

The key to success may lie in addressing smaller problems on which there is less conflicting public opinion. Then the focus becomes working on the issue, not negotiating entrenched, opposing viewpoints.

For example, while most Kansans see the need to increase student access to electronic technology, agreement is needed on how much or what kind of computer time can replace the benefits of classroom learning.

Major research is needed to examine the broad, relatively new area called personalized learning (largely computer based), its effects and how to incorporate its money-saving advantages into public schools.

We need to better understand the relationship of traditional and mediated technology instruction in schools, because we cannot afford to abandon the great, unspoken benefit of public schools in bringing together our diverse student body. The time-honored method of group-centered class participation helps students understand their common bonds through the study of history, literature, science and civics. Students’ citizenship skills, respect for others and teamwork are among the strongest ties that bind us as Kansans and Americans.

If all sides can put away polarizing skepticism and cynicism about others’ supposed education motives and move forward with practical initiatives that include teachers and other educators’ perspectives, this new initiative could become the start of truly positive growth in student learning across Kansas.

Sharon Hartin Iorio is Professor and Dean Emerita of Wichita State University College of Education.

Ribbon-cutting ceremony, free coworking at BriefSpace in August

Posted on July 26, 2019July 25, 2019

To celebrate its one-year anniversary and National Coworking Day, BriefSpace has invited the public to a ribbon-cutting ceremony at 10 a.m. Monday, Aug. 5.

To celebrate the Aug. 9 National Coworking Day, BriefSpace is offering free coworking the full week of August 5, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

“Come spend the week working and networking at 219 W. 10th on Monday, August 5th through the 9th,” said Ernee Sly of BriefSpace and Grow Hays. “Those interested in coworking are invited to utilize the stunning workspaces to help productivity, as well as the functional meeting and training spaces for networking and collaboration.”

BriefSpace was designed and built through a generous grant provided by the Dane G. Hansen Foundation, a non-profit organization providing opportunities for the people of northwest Kansas to enjoy the highest possible quality of life.

For more information, contact Doug Williams or Ernee Sly at 785.628.3102.

— Submitted

FHSU track and field team earns academic honors

Posted on July 26, 2019July 24, 2019

FHSU Athletics

NEW ORLEANS – The Fort Hays State men’s and women’s track and field programs both earned the USTFCCCA All-Academic Team award for the third year in a row, announced Monday (July 22) by the organization. The Tigers were also well represented on the individuals list, with six student-athletes earning All-Academic Individual honors.

To qualify for the USTFCCCA All-Academic award, student-athletes must compile a cumulative grade point average of 3.25 and reach a provisional or automatic qualifying standard for the NCAA Championships in either indoor or outdoor seasons.

Student-athletes earning the All-Academic award include Israel Barco, Brett Meyer, Kolt Newell, Seppe van ‘t Westende, Mirena Goncalves and Mattie Rossi.

To earn the team academic distinction, a program must have a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher. The Tiger women amassed a 3.44 GPA while Tiger men accumulated a 3.22 GPA to earn the honor. A total of 209 NCAA DII programs earned All-Academic Team status in 2018-19.

Western Kansas farm is finalist for Kansas Leopold Conservation Award

Posted on July 26, 2019July 24, 2019

KLA

WICHITA – Four finalists have been selected for the prestigious 2019 Kansas Leopold Conservation Award.

Given in honor of renowned conservationist Aldo Leopold, the award recognizes those who inspire others with their dedication to land, water and wildlife resources in their care.

In Kansas the $10,000 award is presented annually by Sand County Foundation, Kansas Association of Conservation Districts and the Ranchland Trust of Kansas.

The finalists are:

· Ted Alexander of Sun City in Barber County. Native plant and wildlife diversity have flourished thanks to conservation practices implemented at Alexander Ranch. Removing thousands of acres of invasive Eastern Red Cedar trees through cutting and prescribed burning has improved water quality in the ranch’s creeks. Researchers have documented an influx of reptiles, amphibians and diverse vegetation to the ranch. Habitat for lesser prairie chickens have been restored, and the ranch’s beef cattle benefit from a managed-intensive rotational grazing system.

· Vance and Louise Ehmke of Healy in Lane County. To remain profitable while conserving soil and water, these fourth-generation farmers experiment with crops like triticale. This cross between wheat and rye is popular as cattle feed and produces enough crop residue to protect fields from soil erosion. With more than 50 playas on their land, the Ehmkes are involved in research, education and outreach on playas’ contribution to recharging the Ogallala aquifer. They have also enrolled hundreds of acres into conservation program for migratory bird, butterfly and pollinator habitat.

· Dwane Roth of Manhattan in Riley County. Roth owns Big D Farms near Holcomb in Finney County. He uses cover crops to build soil health and combat wind erosion on sandy soils. As one of Kansas’ first Water Technology Farmers, he is passionate about addressing the declining water levels, and extending the life of the Ogallala aquifer. His participation involves researching and testing new irrigation strategies and technologies that maintain crop production with reduced water usage.

· Z Bar Ranch of Lake City in Barber County. Managed by Keith and Eva Yearout and owned by Turner Enterprises, this ranch is a self-supporting enterprise managed under a philosophy of economic sustainability and ecological sensitivity with a focus on maximizing habitat potential for native species like the lesser prairie chicken. The ranch produces enough grass forage to sustain a 1,200 head bison herd. Improvements in water

infrastructure, grazing management, and fire prescriptive have allowed range and soil health to recover from decades of uneven, season-long grazing.

The Kansas Leopold Conservation Award will be presented at the Kansas Association of Conservation Districts’ 75th Annual Convention in Wichita in November. The award recipient will receive $10,000 and a crystal depicting Aldo Leopold.

“Kansas Association of Conservation Districts is excited to recognize these outstanding landowners who are committed to conservation on their land,” said Dan Meyerhoff, KACD Executive Director, Hays. “We are proud to partner with Sand County Foundation and the Ranchland Trust of Kansas to give these families the recognition they deserve.”

“The Ranchland Trust of Kansas would like to congratulate this year’s finalists for the 2019 Leopold Award. Sharing their stewardship successes is critical to spreading the word about how sound conservation practices are good for business,” said Cade Rensink, Ranchland Trust of Kansas Chairman.

“Leopold Conservation Award recipients are at the forefront of a movement by America’s farmers and ranchers to simultaneously achieve economic and environmental success,” said Kevin McAleese, Sand County Foundation President and Chief Executive Officer.

The first Kansas Leopold Conservation Award recipient was named in 2015. The 2018 recipient was Hoeme Family Farm and Ranch of Scott City.

The Leopold Conservation Award in Kansas is made possible thanks to the generous support of Kansas Association of Conservation Districts, Ranchland Trust of Kansas, Ducks Unlimited, Farm Credit Associations of Kansas, ITC Great Plains, Westar Energy, Clean Line Energy Partners, Kansas Department of Agriculture (Division of Conservation), Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism; Kansas Forest Service, USDA NRCS of Kansas, McDonald’s, and The Nature Conservancy in Kansas.

In his influential 1949 book, A Sand County Almanac, Leopold called for an ethical relationship between people and the land they own and manage, which he called “an evolutionary possibility and an ecological necessity.”

Sand County Foundation presents the Leopold Conservation Award to private landowners in 20 states for extraordinary achievement in voluntary conservation. For more information, visit www.leopoldconservationaward.org.

LEOPOLD CONSERVATION AWARD PROGRAM

The Leopold Conservation Award is a competitive award that recognizes landowner achievement in voluntary conservation. Sand County Foundation presents the award in California, Colorado, Kansas, Kentucky, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, Wisconsin, and in New England.

SAND COUNTY FOUNDATION

Sand County Foundation inspires and enables a growing number of private landowners to ethically manage natural resources in their care, so future generations have clean and abundant water, healthy soil to support agriculture and forestry, plentiful habitat for wildlife and opportunities for outdoor recreation. www.sandcountyfoundation.org

KANSAS ASSOCIATION OF CONSERVATION DISTRICTS

The Kansas Association of Conservation Districts is a voluntary, non-governmental, non-profit, incorporated organization composed of members from the conservation districts located throughout Kansas’ 105 counties. Through partnerships with federal, state, and local entities, the Kansas Association of Conservation Districts has brought together groups that share the common goal of wise and efficient conservation practices that protect Kansas’ natural resources. The Kansas Association of Conservation Districts promotes and supports the establishment of programs dedicated to conservation and the organized development of Kansas land, water and related resources. www.kacdnet.org

RANCHLAND TRUST OF KANSAS

The Ranchland Trust of Kansas is a private, non-profit organization founded by members of the Kansas Livestock Association in 2003. The organization was created to provide assistance to ranchers and landowners who desire to conserve their land with conservation easements. Guided by their mission to preserve Kansas’ ranching heritage and open spaces for future generations through the conservation of working landscapes, the Ranchland Trust of Kansas values a commitment to conservation, respect for private landownership, integrity, organizational excellence and collaboration with those who share their values. The Ranchland Trust of Kansas remains an affiliate of the Kansas Livestock Association. www.ranchlandtrustofkansas.org

Former FHSU professor takes reins at Nevada university’s honors program

Posted on July 26, 2019July 24, 2019

University of Nevada-Reno

RENO, Nev. — This summer, the University of Nevada-Reno Honors Program welcomed Matt Means as its new director. For nearly 60 years, the Honors Program has catered to highly motivated students by providing rigorous academic courses, personal advisors, priority enrollment and extra encouragement for students to succeed in their academic and professional aspirations.

“There are infinite benefits for an honors student,” Means said. “Students in turn benefit the community around them.”

The current model of the program dates back to 1989, and Means hopes to launch a planning process that will enhance and build upon the honors foundation in place.

“I think there is a little bit of honors in everybody,” Means said. “Honors should be about innovation, risk taking, embracing challenge – it should be about accepting and looking for new and diverse student populations – it should be about impacting multiple communities because the majority of our lives and careers aren’t going to be sequestered to a narrow band of a population.”

Means has come to the University from Fort Hays State University in Kansas, where he was initially an associate professor of music. Following stints in the faculty and as a department chair, he developed an honors college, when no such program had existed, in one semester. He then directed the honors college to multiple successes: the program posted double digit percentage increases yearly, retained 90% of its members through to graduation, and demonstrated an average yield of accepted students of 90%. As an accomplished violinist and successful honors college director Means has inspired others on many occasions, including multiple presentations at National Collegiate Honors Council’s national conferences, and highly regarded musical performances in the US, Europe, and Asia.

“The worst word to affiliate with an honors program is elitism,” Means said. “An honors program or college should be inclusive, flexible, and offer different pathways to success by engaging students in collaboration and cooperation with other academic interests and programs – honors should be about locking arms.”

In the past 30 years, there has been a major shift in education. Advanced Placement (AP) and International Baccalaureate (IB) programs have allowed students to reach higher education with more and more college credits.

“An honors program or college has to meet students where they’re at,” Means said. “It has to accommodate those who have college credits from high school. Moreover, with online education, there’s a great opportunity to reach honors students from a distance – something only eight-to-nine percent of programs across the country have utilized. I’m also interested in non-traditional students, such as adult learners – I want to help those students be considered honors too. Admissions can’t just be about a student’s past because standardized test scores alone are not a good predictor of a student’s success in college. Admissions needs to be holistic for the program to welcome and encourage all kinds of students.”

This year, Means wants to engage in a strategic planning process that will look comprehensively at the Honors Program to see how it can better serve the next generation of college students. In the future, Means hopes to double the population of students participating in the program.

“I want students to be able to reflect on how their experience in college has uniquely expanded their capability for impact on their graduation day,” Means said. “The college experience is critical for students because their whole schedule changes, their lives are completely different, and it’s an enormously transformative period for them. If we do a great job, this will inform the next seven generations of the student’s lives. The potential is something I find thrilling about my job.”