JOPLIN, Mo. – A pair of All-MIAA honors helped the Fort Hays State women’s cross country team finish sixth at the 2019 MIAA Championships Saturday (Oct. 26), hosted by Missouri Southern State University at the Tom Rutledge Cross Country Course. Fort Hays State earned 151 points from its top five runners, including top-20 finishes from Brooke Navarro and Abigail Stewart.
Brooke Navarro led the Tigers to the line, completing the six-kilometer course in 22:27.2 to finish 12th. After placing 30th as a freshman a year ago, Stewart earned a spot on the all-conference podium thanks to a time of 22:44.9, good for 19th place. Tessa Durnell was the 31st runner to cross the line, turning in a time of 23:07.7. Emily Salmans (23:42.3) and Averi Wilson (23:42.7) crossed the line nearly in tandem, placing 46th and 47th, respectively, to round out the FHSU top five.
Pittsburg State slipped past Central Missouri to take home the conference championship trophy, besting the Jennies by six points, 78-84. The Gorillas’ Piper Misse won the individual title with a time of 21:23.9.
The Tigers will return to Joplin in two weeks when MSSU hosts the NCAA Division II Central Region Championships on Saturday, November 9. The gun is scheduled to go off in women’s 6K race at 10 a.m.
LYONS, Kan. (AP) — The girlfriend of a Kansas man who fatally shot his father and wounded two Kansas law enforcement officers before killing himself has pleaded no contest to aggravated child endangerment.
Erin Baker photo Barton Co.
27-year-old Erin Baker also pleaded no contest Friday to obstruction of law enforcement. A charge of interference with law enforcement was dropped. She’s expected to receive probation when she’s sentenced Dec. 18.
Investigators say Baker put her 7-year-old in danger by continuing a relationship with David Madden, despite knowing he was a convicted felon with a gun.
Police say the child was present in April when Madden wounded a Rice County undersheriff. Baker previously told KWCH-TV that she and her son got away after dropping Madden off at his father’s home, where the other shootings happened.
HAYS, Kan. – Notching their 10th win of the season, FHSU Men’s Soccer defeated the Ouachita Baptist Tigers on Saturday, 1-0.
In their first meeting of the 2019 campaign, the two sides played to a 2-2 draw. In what almost looked like it could have been a similar result, Fort Hays State clocked in the sole goal of the match with five minutes remaining in the contest.
On a cross trying to be sent from one edge of the 18-yard box to the other, the ball clipped the hand of a Ouachita Baptist defender. Simultaneously, while hands raised for an appeal from Fort Hays State for a penalty kick, the referee pointed to the spot.
Stepping up to take charge was junior captain, Moritz Walther. The skipper began his run-up and fired the ball into the back of the net, sending Ouachita Baptist goalkeeper Matt Day diving in the opposite direction and remaining perfect in PK conversions (3-3).
Despite only one goal being scored in the match, the Black and Gold applied ruthless pressure on their oppositions defense – tripling the amount of shot attempts as the visitors (18-6). Forward Santiago Agudelo, who currently ranks among the top five in Division II in shots per game, contributed eight shots of his own.
In the ninth start of his senior season, Cullen Fisch completed his third clean sheet being needed for four saves.
With just three games left to play and now on 28 points, FHSU is locked in to the top two spots in the Great American Conference. Harding, who fell victim to the Fort Hays State comeback on Thursday night, holds the second spot with 22 points. One more victory would crown the Tigers as GAC regular season champions in their inaugural season.
FHSU travels to Wichita, Kan. on Saturday (Nov. 2) to face off against Newman. In their last meeting, the Tigers tallied four goals in a clean sheet victory.
KANSAS CITY (AP) — A Kansas City police officer has been cleared in the May fatal shooting of a man suspected of having forced his way into a woman’s home.
The Jackson County Prosecutor’s Office has confirmed no charges will be filed against the officer in the May 26 shooting death of 30-year-old Terrance Bridges.
The shooting stemmed from a call to police about a domestic disturbance, in which a woman reported a man had broken into her home and stolen her car.
Police say three officers responded, with one staying at the home while the other two searched for the suspect. Minutes later, police say the suspect — later identified as Bridges — returned. A chase and struggle ensued, and the officer shot Bridges.
NORTON – TMP-Marian sophomore Grace Pope qualified for the 3A state cross country meet after a 10th place finish at Saturday’s Norton 3A Regional at the Prairie Dog Golf Course. Pope had a time of 21:16.61. Southeast of Saline’s Jentrie Alderson won the individual title with a time of 18:40.64.
Norton won the team title on their home course with 44 points. Southeast of Saline finished second with 57 and Beloit third with 83. The Monarchs finished fifth, scoring 114 points.
GREAT BEND – Hays High freshman Amelia Jaeger finished in seventh place at the 5A Regional Cross Country meet to qualify for next Saturday’s 5A state cross country meet at Rim Rock Farm outside of Lawrence. Jaeger had a time of 20:23.43, a little over a minute and five seconds behind Maize South’s Alexa Rios who won the regional title with a time of 19:18.12.
Maize South won the team title scoring 36 points. Maize was second with 61 points, Great Bend third with 62 points and the Indians fourth with 83.
Yesenia Maldanado was the next highest finisher for the Indians with an 18th place finish. (21:30.21). Claire Shippy finished 19th (21:33.12), Micaela Dickman 21st (21:39.89 20), Jaycine Watson 22nd (21:48.34), Lainey Hardman 26th (21:48.34) and Landri Dotts 30th (22:19.18).
Braden Hines led the Indians boys with a 30th place finish with a time of 18:19.51.
HUTCHINSON, Kan. —One of two men convicted of reckless second-degree murder in the death a Hutchinson man during a drug sale was sentenced Friday to just under 11-years in prison.
Garcia -photo Reno CountyDelaney-photo Reno County
Curtis Garcia, 26, entered a plea in the case as part of an agreement with the state. He was originally charged with felony murder for the killing of 18-year-old Norman Cushinberry.
The crime involves 18-year-old defendant in the case Tristan Delaney and Cushinberry purchasing drugs. According to court testimony, Delaney and Garcia had been texting the day of the shooting about the purchase of around a quarter pound of marijuana.
There is also some indication over phony money being involved. Garcia, who had his children in his pickup during the transaction, claims he was there to sell an Xbox and not drugs. The victim tried to pay for the marijuana with counterfeit money, so Garcia left.
Delaney then texted Garcia to come back because they would have real money. Once Garcia arrived a second time, the victim allegedly got into Garcia’s pickup. He then asked him to turn the truck off. Once Garcia complied, Cushinberry pulled a 9 mm Ruger semi-automatic handgun.
Delaney came from the porch with a 12-gauge shotgun. Garcia grabbed a handgun he had in the pickup and fired at Delaney, striking him. An altercation then occurred in the pickup and Cushinberry was shot. Garcia then went to the passenger side of the truck, pulled the victim out and left him in the street where he died.
Delaney, who also entered a plea to the same charge in this case, will be sentenced Nov. 1.
Fort Hays State (5-2, 5-2 MIAA) vs.
Nebraska-Kearney (5-2, 5-2 MIAA)
Saturday, October 26, 2019 – 2 pm
Lewis Field Stadium – Hays, Kan. LISTEN LIVE
Fort Hays State Football hosts Nebraska-Kearney in a matchup of 5-2 teams in Hays on Saturday. The Tigers and Lopers sit in a tie for third place in the MIAA entering this contest. Kickoff is set for 2 pm at Lewis Field Stadium in the annual Tiger Sports Hall of Fame Game.
Game Sponsor: Ozone Roofing Game Promotions: Ozone Roofing with have a tent with free giveaways near the east entrance of Lewis Field Stadium. There will also be a chance to win a 40″ television.
Fort Hays State enters on a five-game winning streak after an 0-2 start to the season. The Tigers knocked off a then No. 19 ranked Pittsburg State squad last week in Pittsburg by a score of 42-41. That win pulled Pittsburg State back into a tie in the MIAA standings with Fort Hays State, Nebraska-Kearney, and Missouri Western. Northwest Missouri State is second in the conference at 6-1, while Central Missouri leads the MIAA at 7-0.
Fort Hays State has won seven straight games against Nebraska-Kearney, dating back to the 2012 season. The last time the Lopers defeated the Tigers was in 2005 when UNK won 54-20 in Hays. Both teams were members of the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference at that time.
The meeting between the teams in Kearney last year was a nail biter with FHSU winning 29-26 in two overtimes. FHSU took a three-point lead on a field goal with less than a minute left in regulation, but UNK marched into field goal territory quickly and tied the game as time expired. Both teams hit field goals in the first overtime before UNK missed in the second overtime. Dante Brown capped a 5-for-5 day kicking field goals by winning the game for FHSU on a 26-yard attempt.
Fort Hays State enters the game ranked 15th nationally in passing offense, averaging 297 yards per game. Nebraska-Kearney’s strength offensively is its run game, averaging 321.7 yards on the ground per game, which ranks third in the nation. Nebraska-Kearney currently owns the top scoring defense in the MIAA, allowing 20 points per game. FHSU is right behind allowing 22 per game. FHSU is the only team in the MIAA this year to hold opponents to seven points or less more than one time, accomplishing the feat three times so far.
Chance Fuller continues to rank high nationally in several passing categories. He is ninth in the nation in passing yards (2,017), third in passing touchdowns (22), and sixth in completions per game (22.6). Harley Hazlett has been Fuller’s top target, who averages 6.9 receptions per game to rank 11th in the nation. Hazlett has 158 career receptions, just 10 shy of the FHSU all-time record of 168 held by Eric Busenbark. Hazlett (592), Layne Bieberle (462), and Manny Ramsey (427) all have over 400 yards receiving this year. Charles Tigner ran for over 100 yards each of the last two weeks and leads the team in rushing yards with 601.
Defensively, Drew Harvey leads the Tigers with 62 tackles, followed by Tanner Hoekman and Jordan Starks each with 56. The three combined have six of Fort Hays State’s 10 interceptions on the season. Sheldon Schmidt leads the team in sacks with three.
Listen as the ‘Voice of the Chiefs’ Mitch Holthus recaps last week’s comeback win over AFC West rival Denver and previews Sunday night’s game against the Packers.
The Holthus Hotline airs Saturday mornings on your home for Chiefs football, KFIX (96.9-FM), at 8 a.m. during the Chiefs season.
A second water line to serve Hays customers north of Interstate-70 will soon be installed underneath the roadbed, creating redundancy with a more reliable water loop.
There is currently only one 16-inch water line serving the area, which has seen considerable business growth since the line was installed in 1993.
Jeff Crispin, water resources director, told city commissioners Thursday night adding a line will also provide better fire protection and increase water pressure in the north zone.
“Typical water pressure in the area is probably 10-15 psi less than it is to the south,” Crispin said.
The commission approved the low bid of $769,678 from Midlands Contracting, Kearney, Neb., for a 12-inch water line plus a backup booster station.
Commissioner Ron Mellick asked why the new line will have a 12-inch diameter instead of 16 inches to match the existing line.
“We already have 12-inch lines that are located there and we’re just extending that. Creating that loop will supply us plenty of water in that area,” Crispin explained. “That was part of the study that was done and the recommendation was made to extend that 12-inch line. But once we create that loop, we’ll have a continuous supply of water that will be running through that area, through both lines and booster stations, and that’ll provide adequate pressure.”
A study by Bartlett & West Engineers in 2018 recommended crossing I-70 at Hall Street connecting a new 12-inch water main from 45th and Hall to an existing dead-end line along 48th Street at the west property line of Carrico Implement. The plan also called for installation of an above ground booster pump station on city-owned property along W. 41st Street just east of Post Road near a city water well.
Construction will begin soon and is to be completed by July 1 of next year.
The commission also approved renewal of the Blue Cross Blue Shield of Kansas health insurance for city of Hays employees in 2020.
Erin Giebler, human resources director for the city of Hays
The premium went down two percent, according to Erin Giebler, human resources director, who gave credit to the employees for the savings.
“Due to the city’s low utilization, the renewal showed a two percent decrease,” Giebler told commissioners. The city’s estimated cost would be $1,683,700 with an additional $120,000 to match employees’ Health Savings Account (HSA) contributions.
According to Giebler, 58 percent of employees choose a high deductible option.
This is the second consecutive year the premium has decreased. The city switched to BCBS in 2017 with three deductible options.
In other business, the commission approved annexation of property at 700 W. 48th Street, location of the now-closed-Mid Kansas Auto Auction.
Property owner Mark Ottley has changed business plans for this location which is contiguous to the existing city limits. He’s requested a zoning change from C-2 (Commercial General) to A-L (Agriculture) from the Planning Commission change of zoning from C-2 (Commercial General) to A-L (Agriculture) to allow uses within an A-L zoned district for a portion of the property.
“The property does have private water and septic,” Jesse Rohr, public works director said. “However, sanitary sewer will be extended by the owner from the Ottley Addition from the east.” Water will be available to the property upon completion of the I-70 city waterline project approved by the city commission earlier in the meeting. Rohr previously told commissioners the Trego Rural Water District had been supplying the water.
The commission also heard an update from First Care Clinic.
When it opened in downtown Hays in 2008, its four employees saw 1,211 patients. Today there are 50 employees providing medical, dental and behavioral health services in one location. This year the clinic is on track to see 7,030 patients, reported Bryan Brady, CEO.
Dr. Christine Fisher, medical director, said the integrated care is filling gaps in Hays.
“If you don’t give affordable care, high-quality care, or accessible care, people will let their medical problems go and then you wind up with a very expensive or advanced problem.”
Dr. Christine Fisher, First Care Clinic medical director
Fisher noted that happens across the United States. “So we think it hopefully not only benefits the patient but then all of us as contributors to the cost equation,” she explained.
First Care Clinic recently remodeled the former Eddy Clinic in downtown Hays and has a $5 million dollar annual budget.
Two executive sessions totaling 35 minutes were called at the end of the meeting regarding right of way authorization for the North Vine Street Corridor Project.
At the September 26 meeting, City Manager Toby Dougherty was authorized to spend $390,020 toward the acquisition of right of way and easements associated with the project.
The city commission was later asked to consider administrative settlements that might be above the original city offers.
Perrin Trapp, Skylar Wittman, Isabel Escalante, Lili Shubert, Tanner Sells, James Kriegh, Carter Minson, Dillon Dunn, Fes Molitor
By BECKY KISER Hays Post
WAKEENEY — Students at Trego Community High School in WaKeeney were out of the classroom Wednesday and out on the town as they participated in the school’s annual Community Appreciation Day.
“It’s a a way to say thank you to the community for supporting the school,” says project organizer and USD 208 counselor Joleen Schoenthaler. “We’ve done this for approximately 20 years.”
Community Appreciation Day was originated by former faculty member Brad Starnes. The entire high school participates in the project.
There were 45 jobs requested this year by WaKeeney residents and business owners.
The 105 students, 14 teachers and 13 adult sponsors — most of them parents of the students — spent the day raking leaves, trimming trees, and doing other yard work. They also picked up trash, cleaned windows, and cleaned out basements, garages and sheds.
(Photos courtesy Stacie Minson)
Tanner Sellers and Carter Minson
Lili Shubert, Isabel Escalante, Skylar Wittman
Coach Pat Haxton, Perrin Trapp (in red), Carter Minson, Dillon Dunn, Tanner Sells
Perrin Trapp, Skylar Wittman, Isabel Escalante, Lili Shubert, Tanner Sells, James Kriegh, Carter Minson, Dillon Dunn, Fes Molitor
Perrin Trapp, Skylar Wittman, Lili Shubert, Carter Minson, Isabel Escalante, Fes Molitor, Tanner Sells, James Kriegh, Dillon Dunn,
Kelsey Kinderknecht, Andrew Mejia, Isaac Brungardt
Fes Molitor, Carter Minson
Perrin Trapp, Tanner Sells, Fes Molitor, Lili Shubert, Isabel Escalante, Carter Minson, Skylar Wittman, Cindy Katt-owner of the DQ where the students cleaned windows, James Kreigh, Dillon Dunn
A welding torch caused August’s fire at a Tyson meatpacking plant in western Kansas.
The Garden City Fire Department investigated the fire at the Holcomb plant and completed a report on Oct. 13, saying the fire was unintentional and likely started because a welding torch produced a “spark, ember or flame.”
Investigators could not determine whether the automatic extinguishing system turned on or how many sprinklers operated during the fire on Aug. 9.
Tyson spokeswoman Liz Croston said the company “will not be releasing an update on the cause of the fire.”
The Garden City Fire Department investigated the cause of the fire. Garden City Communications Manager Jamie Stewart said the city won’t release any further updates about the fire.
The Kansas State Fire Marshal’s Office does not investigate fires unless requested by local fire departments, according to spokeswoman Jill Bronaugh. And because no injuries were reported, the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration didn’t investigate.
The plant stopped production after the fire, though it returned to limited production a few weeks later. The Tyson plant processed around 5% of beef in the U.S., and beef prices spiked after the fire. It prompted the U.S. Department of Agriculture to investigate pricing margins. The USDA did not immediately respond to a request for an update on that investigation.
Holcomb Fire Chief Bill Knight remembers seeing black smoke inside the Tyson building on the night of the fire, which he said kept firefighters at the plant from 8:30 p.m. Aug. 9 to about 10 p.m. the next day.
Knight said he could smell burning cattle carcasses, which had been slaughtered prior to the fire.
“Now, you’ve got a hundred and some head of livestock hanging there upside down, and when they catch fire they melt and all that fat, grease … turns to a flammable liquid,” Knight said.
Knight said Tyson’s safety crew helped the firefighters find the electrical switches and valves on the scene. He also noted that some tanks of anhydrous ammonia had minor leaks during the fire, but said it was “nothing big.”
“And, like I say, the Tyson people were on top of that,” Knight said.
Corinne Boyer covers western Kansas for High Plains Public Radio and the Kansas News Service. You can follow her on Twitter @corinne_boyer or or email [email protected]. The Kansas News Service is a collaboration of KCUR, Kansas Public Radio, KMUW and High Plains Public Radio focused on the health and well-being of Kansans, their communities and civic life.
