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Year: 2019

LISTEN LIVE: Tigers host Missouri Southern Saturday night, Fireworks follow the game

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Courtesy FHSU Athletics / Allie Schweizer photo

Fort Hays State (1-2, 1-2 MIAA) vs
Missouri Southern (1-2, 1-2 MIAA)
Saturday, Sept. 28 – 7 pm
Hays, Kan. – Lewis Field Stadium
LISTEN LIVE

Game Sponsor: Golden Belt Bank
Game Theme: Gold Rush (Wear Tiger Gold to the Game)
Promotion: Postgame Fireworks Show (sponsored by Hays Convention and Visitors Bureau, Horizon Appliance and Electronics, and J.DAY Fireworks).

Fort Hays State Football plays host to Missouri Southern on Saturday night (Sept. 28) at 7 pm inside the walls of Lewis Field Stadium in Hays. Both teams enter the contest at 1-2 on the season. Be sure to stay following the game as a fireworks show will follow sponsored by the Hays Convention and Visitors Bureau, Horizon Appliance and Electronics, and J.DAY Fireworks. There will be 10 minutes between the end of the game and when the fireworks show begins.

The Tigers are coming off a thrilling 41-38 overtime win at Washburn last week. The Tigers snapped a nine-game losing skid to the Ichabods inside Yager Stadium in Topeka, a place where they were winless since 1987. FHSU kicker Dante Brown kicked a 24-yard field goal to tie the game at the end of regulation and then hit a game-winning 30-yard attempt in overtime to lift the Tigers to victory. Brown earned MIAA Special Teams Athlete of the Week for his efforts.

Fort Hays State continues to thrive with its passing attack, averaging 333 yards per game. In fact, FHSU has thrown for exactly 333 yards in each of the first three games this season. In the win at Washburn, Chance Fuller threw for 271 and Voshon Waiters threw for 62. In the two previous games, Fuller threw for all 333 yards. The Tigers own the sixth-best passing offense in NCAA Division II. This week, they face the team right behind them in that category as Missouri Southern averages 331 yards through the air per game.

The Tigers established their running game against Washburn last week, producing 161 yards on the ground. Charles Tigner led the way with 125 yards, the fifth 100-yard rushing game of his career.

Missouri Southern has improved immensely on offense under first year head coach Jeff Sims. The Lions have already scored more points than they did all of last season in just three games. The Lions have put 99 points on the board so far this season, averaging 33.3 per game. Last year, they scored just 81 points for the entire season, averaging just 7.3 per game and getting shutout five times. MSSU scored at least 27 points in each game this season. Iowa State transfer quarterback Jacob Park ranks sixth in NCAA Division II for passing yards per game (331.0). Though the offense has seen a drastic turnaround, the Lion defense is allowing 39.7 points per game so far this year, including a 52.5 average in their two losses.

Fort Hays State currently owns a six-game win streak in the series with Missouri Southern, winning all games played since 2011. Missouri Southern’s last win over FHSU occurred in 2010 in Hays by a score of 41-31. FHSU has won three meetings in both Joplin and Hays since 2011. The Tigers took last year’s meeting in Joplin by a score of 55-20.

After allowing 516 yards to Central Missouri in the season opener, the FHSU defense has tightened up the last two games allowing less than 400 yards (369 to Missouri Western, 377 to Washburn). The 516 yards allowed to Central Missouri is best so far by an opponent as the nationally ranked Mules lead NCAA Division II in total offense, averaging 603.3 total yards per game. Missouri Southern enters this contest averaging 463.3 yards per game. Senior defensive back Tanner Hoekman leads the FHSU tackling effort so far this year with 25, followed by Drew Harvey with 21 and Jordan Starks with 20. Hoekman, Starks, and Isaiah Creal-Musgray all recorded interceptions last week. Creal-Musgray’s pick was the biggest, keeping Washburn from scoring in overtime to set up the game-winning field goal by Brown.

Fort Hays State head coach Chris Brown is looking for his 60th win leading the Tigers. He is already the all-time wins leader among coaches in FHSU history.

Seeking nominations for Kansas Water Legacy and “Be the Vision”

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KWO

TOPEKA – The Kansas Water Office (KWO) is accepting nominations for the Water Legacy Award as well as the “Be the Vision” recognition to be presented at the Governor’s Water Conference on the Future of Water in Kansas November 7-8 at a new location, the Hyatt Regency in Wichita, Kansas.

The Water Legacy Award recipient will be selected based on significant contributions and lasting impacts on the future of water in the state. Past recipients of the award include: Wayne Bossert in 2015, Joe Harkins in 2016, Pat Sauble in 2017 and David Pope in 2018.

“Be the Vision” recipients, which can be individuals, municipalities, companies or organizations, will be selected as an entity or individual taking extraordinary measures to conserve, reuse or adopt better practices to help ensure the future of our state’s water resources.

The deadline for both of these nominations is October 11. In addition to these awards, student poster research and photo contest entries are being accepted. Each of these will be part of the upcoming conference.

Conference registration is now available online at www.kwo.ks.gov. Conference details, tentative agenda, brochure, speakers, sponsors and hotel information can be found online as well. Deadline to register for the conference is October 24.

The Governor’s Conference on the Future of Water in Kansas is hosted by the KWO and K-State /Kansas Water Resource Institute. Major sponsors for the event include 96 Agri Sales, Inc., Black & Veatch, Burns & McDonnell and Great Lakes Dredge & Dock.

BACK ON TRACK: RPM to run Fall Nationals

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By JAMES BELL
Hays Post

After suffering significant damage during an August storm and canceling two events, major repairs have been made at Rolling Plains Motor Speedway — just in time to host the 12th annual Fall Nationals.

The event is set to kick off Thursday, Oct. 4, and will run through Saturday.

“We’ve got the pit concession building rebuilt and the scale house and Midwest Energy has been working out there getting ready to put up new lights and poles in the infield and behind the grandstand,” said Glenn Unrein, RPM president. “We’ve got the grandstands into position so we can use them at the Fall Nationals and everything is moving forward.”

During an Ellis County Commission meeting on Sept. 3, Jill Pfannenstiel, Ellis County Fair Board president, informed the commission that, with the extent of the damage, a special insurance adjuster was needed in order to process the claim as they organized a cleanup effort for the fairgrounds on which RPM sits.

“We have a lot of damage out there that is going to take a lot of time to repair,” Pfannenstiel said.

But with insurance only covering the damage and not the loss of revenue from canceled events, Unrein said repairs could not wait and began work at the speedway before the claim was settled.

“We’re still waiting it out,” he said. “We don’t know exactly how much they are going to cover and which areas.”

The scale house and winners circle were destroyed in the storm, along with several 80-foot light poles. The grandstand was also moved around a foot.

All three needed to be repaired before events could resume.

With repair costs coming from out of pocket, Unrein remains optimistic insurance will cover the expense.

“We have faith in them and believe they are going to cover the majority of it,” he said.

Either way, Hays will soon hear the rumbling of racing coming from the track.

The Fall Nationals is the richest event on the post-season IMCA schedule, according to RPM, which expects over 200 race teams to participate.

“Pre-entries are already flowing in from drivers from the states of Kansas, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Texas, Missouri, New Mexico, Colorado, North Dakota, Iowa, Wyoming and Canada,” according to an RPM press release for the event. “National, regional, state and local champions, and rookies will be trackside.”

“The Briney Motorsports IMCA Modifieds race for $5,000 to win and a minimum of $400 to start their main event,” they said. “Also on the card for that weekend are the Advantage Glass Plus IMCA Stock Cars racing for $3,000 to win and $250 to start, Walt’s Repair & Machine IMCA Northern SportMods for $2,000 and $175 to start, Golden Plains Trucking IMCA Hobby Stocks for $1,500 and $175 to start, and the Simpson Farm Enterprises IMCA Sport Compacts for $400 and $50 to start. Radke Implement Crazy Cruisers will run for $200 to win.”

On the first day of the event, all classes will have the opportunity to get on the track during an open practice.

Gates are set to open on Friday and Saturday at 3 p.m.

Races will begin at 5 p.m.

Tickets for general admission run $15 each on Friday and Saturday. Children 12 and under enter free with an adult.

Adult pit passes are $25 on Thursday and $30 on Friday and Saturday and passes for children 12 and under are $10.

During the events, pits will open at noon each day, which gives fans an opportunity to get an up-close and personal look at the cars and teams.

Merchandise will also be available throughout the event.

Unrein said he hopes the drivers and crowd come to see the repair efforts made at the track.

“Everybody come out and see the rebuilt facilities, and it should be a great time at Fall Nationals,” he said.

More information about the event can be found at the RPM Speedway website at rpmspeedway.net., or on the tracks Facebook page.

US probe of vaping illnesses focuses on THC from marijuana

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NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. health officials said Friday that their investigation into an outbreak of severe vaping-related illnesses is increasingly focused on products that contain the marijuana compound THC.

Most of the 800 people who got sick vaped THC, the ingredient in marijuana that causes a high, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. But officials said they didn’t know if the THC is the problem or some other substance added to the vaping liquid, such as thickeners.

“The outbreak currently is pointing to a greater concern around THC-containing products,” said the CDC’s Dr. Anne Schuchat.

So far, investigators have not identified a particular electronic cigarette, vaping device, liquid or ingredient behind the outbreak. But officials say patients have mentioned the name Dank Vapes most frequently. Many of the people who got sick in Illinois and Wisconsin said they used prefilled THC cartridges sold in Dank Vapes packaging.

“It’s a generic product name that doesn’t really tie back to one store or one distributor,” said Dr. Jennifer Layden, chief medical officer for the Illinois Department of Public Health.

“Folks are getting it from friends or folks on the street, with no understanding of where it came from prior to that,” she said Friday.

Until a cause is pinned down, the CDC continues to advise Americans to consider avoiding all vaping products, though the agency on Friday added the phrase “particularly those containing THC.”

“We didn’t feel comfortable dropping the broader recommendation yet,” said Schuchat.

This week, the CDC reported 805 confirmed and probable cases of the lung illness. Thirteen people have died. Only the U.S. has reported such an outbreak, although Canadian officials this week confirmed that country’s first case.

On Friday, the agency provided more details in two reports:

— The first case in the U.S. began in late March. Cases ramped up in late June and rose dramatically in late July.

— Median age for the illnesses is 23. But the median age of those who died is much older — 50.

— Nationally, 9 in 10 cases required hospitalization. Many young and previously healthy adolescents and young adults needed machines to help them breathe.

—The most illnesses have occurred in California, Illinois, Texas and Wisconsin.

— In Illinois and Wisconsin, patients mentioned 87 different product names and many vaped more than one.

Doctors say the illnesses resemble an inhalation injury. Symptoms have included shortness of breath, fatigue, chest pain, diarrhea and vomiting.

Officials continue to find a substantial numbers of U.S. patients — the new report says 16% — who said they vaped only nicotine, and not THC. But the report noted that in Wisconsin, five patients who initially denied using products with THC turned out to have used them.

In Wisconsin and Illinois, recreational marijuana use is currently illegal.

Since 2016, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has lightly regulated the manufacture and ingredients used in nicotine-based e-cigarettes. But there is no FDA review of THC products, which are illegal under federal law.

The outbreak of illnesses and a surge in underage use of e-cigarettes has brought demands for tighter regulation from politicians, public health officials and parents.

Hays Oktoberfest releases full schedule

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Members of the Hays Volga German Society, organizers of the Hays Oktoberfest, have released the full schedule for the newly extended event. The 47th Annual Volga German Oktoberfest will take place Friday, October 11 and Saturday, Oct. 12, in Municipal Park.

The mission of the Hays Oktoberfest is to celebrate the rich German heritage of Ellis County while generating scholarship money for students of Volga German descent and fundraising for area churches in need.

The NCK Tech Drive Thru will again feature German food made by NCK Tech Culinary Arts students. Menu items available for pick up include bierocks, green bean dumpling soup, and spitzbuben cookies. Patrons can order in advance by calling the main office at NCK Tech at 785-625-2437. Food can be picked up on Friday only at the drive-up window at the NCK Tech building directly across from Municipal Park.

Anyone interested in being a vendor at Saturday’s German Market should call the Downtown Hays Development Corporation at 785-621-4171. Vendor forms can be downloaded at www.DowntownHays.com on the Downtown Hays Market page under the Events section.

Gates will open at Municipal Park on Saturday at 10 a.m. with activities starting after the 11 a.m. Fort Hays State University Homecoming Parade ends. New this year, for-profit businesses and organizations will be allowed to set up on this second day, alongside non-profits.

Late registration for Oktoberfest vendors is available through Friday, October 4. Vendors can reserve a spot by calling vendor committee chair Lee Dobratz at 620-803-2258. Registration forms can be downloaded at www.haysoktoberfest.com.

For details and updates on the event, check the group’s website at www.haysoktoberfest.com or the Hays Oktoberfest Facebook page.

Dryden — a ‘true Kansas girl’ — takes on new role with Red Cross

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New Executive Director of the Red Cross serving Central and Western Kansas Sherry Dryden, joined by her husband, Blaine, and their children and grandchildren.

By CYNDEY ANDERSON
American Red Cross Volunteer

“Tomorrow is the most important thing in life. Comes into
us at midnight very clean. It’s perfect when it arrives and puts itself in our hands. It hopes we’ve learned something from yesterday.”

These words by John Wayne are very important to the new Executive Director of the Red Cross Serving Central and Western Kansas, Sherry Dryden.

She connects this quote to her life in every aspect, whether it is towards her four adopted children, her herd of dachshunds, her love for fishing, hunting, gardening or her other hobbies, and her excitement for the goals for her new position in the Red Cross.

Dryden, a true definition of a Kansas girl, lives in Hays, Kansas, with her husband and their four dachshunds. She was born in Kansas and after moving around a couple times throughout her life, Hays became the community she and her husband decided to settle down in. Dryden does have a dream of moving back to her husband’s family farm, which is an hour north of Hays, and visiting those areas that are on her bucket list. Dryden met her husband, Blaine, her senior year in high school. By Valentine’s Day of that year they were engaged. They had a long engagement, though, because Blaine wanted her to live life away from him and her family. Dryden stated that she grew up a lot her first year in college and the rest of their story together is history!

One of the many fascinating characteristics about Dryden and her husband is their love and advocacy for adoption. From 1989 to 1998, the two adopted four children: Daniel, Charlotte, Ashli and Keith. Daniel was the first to be adopted out of the four children, is 35 years old and Caucasian. Charlotte is a mom of two—Emersyn, 10, and Elliot, 5—with her husband and they live on his farm south of Hays. She is the third to be adopted but is second in age at 32 years old and is Caucasian, African-American decent​.

​Ashli, who is Korean and African-American, ​​is the second child to  be adopted but third in age at 28 years old. She lives in California where she works for a beauty supply company and does runway modeling on the side. She has been dating her boyfriend for five years and Dryden excitedly stated, “his mom and I have planned the wedding, but we need the kids to get engaged!” Lastly, Keith was the fourth child to get adopted, is the youngest at 21 years old and is Korean and African-American. He is also Ashli’s half sibling. Keith is in his third year of college and has a band who just released its first album.

Dryden loves her children and prefers to say she became a mom through adoption rather than calling herself an adoptive mother. Sherry and Blaine are always sharing any time there is opportunity for all to learn about adoption. They have many reasons as to why they became an adoptive family, from traumatic miscarriages to a sister-in-law who ran a foster home in Chicago. They tried to adopt a little girl, but they were told by the State of Illinois that Sherry was too young at 21 years old. But the biggest influence was when Dryden worked in foster care for five years, co-running a family service agency for 10 years and intertwining that with what Blaine saw in the field during his years in law enforcement. These experiences led them down this path, and their beautiful family is the outcome.

After Sherry and Blaine decided four kids completed their family, they decided to start adopting dogs! The couple have five spoiled dachshunds: Mylee, 10, Dinky, 7, Cookie, 7, Weston, 7 and Pumpkin, 4. Weston and Dinky are more of Blaine’s dogs, while Mylee and Pumpkin are more Sherry’s. Cookie seems to bounce back and forth.

When Dryden is not playing with her four-legged children or visiting her two-legged children and grandchildren, she is listening to 70s disco and 80s Big Hair Bands, with lots of country in between. She also enjoys the color orange, watching movies with John Wayne, Maureen O’Hara, Kathryn Hepburn, Spencer Tracy or Carey Grant in them, or reading her favorite book: ​Lessons Learned from a Third Grade Dropout: How the Timeless Wisdom of One Man can Impact an Entire Generation by Rick Rigsby, Ph.D.. Dryden also loves the great outdoors while hunting, fishing and gardening, or staying in to craft, crochet, cook, read or remodel something. Traveling is also on this list. Blaine was in the Fraternal Order of Police and the family followed him traveling almost everywhere. They have been to 30 states and are excited about an Alaskan cruise happening in the next two years. The two are also retired motorcycle riders, but are looking to invest in trikes and to take the hobby back up again.

Dryden’s family and life has influenced her career and where she is today. She is working on a doctorate and dedicates this goal to her late grandmother who always reminded her to “get that college degree.” Dryden also says that her children are her current cheerleaders and is so proud of their support and encouragement and she is always striving to be an example for them. Lastly, she has a husband who may not always agree with what she does, such as obtaining multiple dogs, but loves her through it anyways.

When she started college, she wanted to become a teacher, but during her schooling, Dryden began working at a local hospital where business and computers were her specialty at the time. In the end, her experience with adoptions brought her into family services. These experiences directed her into the non-profit business arena. Any opportunity that presented itself to Dryden, she took a chance, believing that if it is meant to be, it will be.

Dryden has previous personal experiences with the Red Cross. Her father used to donate blood regularly and was a first aid instructor for many years. Dryden told a story of how her and a friend started a business many, many years ago where they taught first aid and CPR for 10 years and even had contracts with the Kansas Department of Transportation to train their staff. She also had many family members and friends who were nurses and advocates of the Red Cross. The most personal experience Dryden and her family has to this non-profit is how Dryden and her husband’s oldest daughter was diagnosed with Beta Thalassemia Trait-Minor. Even though she was blessed to only have a minor case of this disease, they found out the major cases all required regular blood/platelet transfusion. It was at this point where Dryden and her family realized how important blood donations are.

Nationwide natural disasters also opened Dryden’s eyes with friends who survived the Greensburg tornado and her youngest daughter being affected by fires California.

“Seeing, hearing and knowing what the Red Cross is and does brings a sense of peace to this mother’s heart knowing friends and family can get the help they need,” Dryden said. She is very excited to start working with the Red Cross and to begin bringing in new ideas from the extensive experience she has gained that will help enhance and support an already great organization. She is most looking forward to learning and working with her new team. Her first goal is to bring the Central and Western Kansas Chapter to a level of admiration in and out of the organization by everyone: staff, volunteers, donors and those who want to be staff, volunteers and donors. She wants to enhance the visibility and viability of the Red Cross in this region.

Dryden’s piece of advice: “Never stop learning. Be open to change. Embrace change. Once you stop those three, you will become stagnant and not only hurt yourself, but your company as well. Never hold yourself above anyone else. Be open to feedback from anyone and everyone.”

— Republished with permission

Area students earn degrees at Wichita State

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WICHITA — More than 350 students completed their degrees at Wichita State University in summer 2019.

Undergraduate students who have attained a grade point average of 3.9 out of a possible 4.0 received the summa cum laude award; those with an average of 3.55 received the magna cum laude award; and those with an average of 3.25 received the cum laude award.

WSU enrolls about 15,000 students and offers more than 50 undergraduate degree programs in more than 150 areas of study in six undergraduate colleges.

The Graduate School offers an extensive program including more than 40 master’s degrees that offer study in more than 100 areas; a specialist in education degree; and doctoral degrees in applied mathematics; audiology; chemistry; communication sciences and disorders; human factors and community/clinical psychology; educational leadership; nursing practice; physical therapy; and aerospace, electrical, industrial and mechanical engineering.

Local graduates included:

Hays
• Brianna M Burns, Bachelor of Arts in Education, ECU/Elementary Educ Apprentice, Cum Laude
• Danielle M Dinkel, Master of Physician Assistant
• Devin M Schmidt, Master of Science

Park
• Brandace A Goetz, Master of Physician Assistant

CLINKSCALES: ‘Help’ is sometimes the hardest word

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Randy Clinkscales

I am a guy. We guys are notorious for refusing to ask for help. I do not know if it is genetic, or learned. I strongly suspect the latter, but I am not so sure.

Once my wife, my then three young sons, and I were hiking near a swollen creek in Colorado. I do not remember if it was my youngest son or my middle son, but whichever one had already been in trouble with me for something he had done. So, he knew he was on the short end of the leash with me.

As we were hiking, I looked back. He was gone. I looked into the swollen water, and there he was struggling in the water, trying to grasp a branch to pull himself out of the rapids – and not saying a word. I immediately entered the water, grabbed him, and pulled him onto the bank.

I felt my heart was about to stop with fear of the thought he could have drowned. I asked him in a raised voice, “Why didn’t you call me?” He said, “I was afraid you would be mad.” I won the “Bad Parent of the Year” Award that year.

Recently, I spoke in Hays on dementia and Alzheimer’s. We had expected 10 people, and hoped for twenty. Instead, sixty people showed up – sixty people!

Sixty people were there concerned about dementia. Sixty people were seeking help; sixty people were looking for guidance.

My office is currently working with over 120 families that are facing dementia-related diseases. Their battles and courage are amazing, frightening and valiant – as well as heartbreaking and shocking.

People dealing with dementia type diseases many times suffer alone. They become overwhelmed. They lose their identity as a spouse, or as a son or daughter, and instead become a full time caregiver, ill prepared and ill equipped, working as a caregiver every moment they can. Many times the caregiver’s health will actually deteriorate faster than the person with dementia.

One point we made at our dementia workshop, a key point, is that if you are a caregiver, and if someone asked you if they can help – say YES. You may not know how they can help, yet. However, one day, you may think of a way that they will be able to help. You just need to give them a chance, and an idea how to help you.

It is hard to ask for help. Sometimes it is equally hard to accept it. Those dealing with dementia need a pool of people and resources who can help – even if it is just a little thing like picking up some groceries or relieving them for an hour. It may mean the caregiver gains a few moments of normalcy.

I learned an important lesson that day by the stream. I learned that my family and friends, no matter what goes on between us, need to know that they could always ask me for help; they can always feel free to reach out to me.

Year later, after the stream incident, one of my sons was involved in an accident in his antique car. He called me and told me of the accident. My first words, “Are you okay?” Later I heard him tell the story to his friends of that wreck, about our conversation, about how much that meant to him—that I was more concerned about his safety than the car. So, maybe after all, I learned a few lessons at that creek in Colorado.

When dealing with Alzheimer’s or dementia, or indeed facing a family crisis, do not be afraid to ask for help. And when help is offered, never say, “I do not need help. I am okay.” Save that offer of help for later on, and then use it. Asking or receiving help does not make you a bad person; it makes you a wise person, and you will even be a better caregiver.

And if you know someone who is dealing with dementia, don’t be afraid to offer your help, in any way you can. Just a little thing can be so helpful.

Plug: The Hays Alzheimer’s Walk is scheduled for October 5. I hope you will join the walk at Big Creek Crossing, 2918 Vine Street. Registration is at 9 AM, with events starting at 10 AM.

Transcribed by: www.iDictate.com

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.

FIRST FIVE: School officials need a First Amendment lesson

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David Hudson Jr.

Officials at Victory Preparatory Academy (VPA), a charter school in Colorado, need to read the First Amendment and recognize that students retain free-speech rights at school. Fortunately, a recent federal district court recognized in Flores v. Victory Preparatory Academy that students retain such rights and refused to dismiss their lawsuit.

The dispute in question arose in September 2017, when the school held an assembly in the gym. During assemblies, students are expected to stand, salute the flag and recite the school pledge. Several students sat down and did not recite the school pledge. The students were concerned about the overly authoritarian atmosphere and rigid discipline at the school.

The school’s chief executive officer, Ron Jajdelski, then ordered the protesting students back to the gymnasium. He became frustrated and sent the entire student body home.

Officials expelled one student, known in court papers as V.S., for talking about the protest on Facebook and for sharing a post by another student that “Defendant Jajdelski could suck the student’s left nut.” They expelled another student for posting messages about the protest and encouraging other students to participate. Then, school officials banned Mary and Joel Flores, parents of a student at the school, for filming part of the protest at school.

These individuals and others sued the school officials, advancing a number of valid First Amendment claims. First, students have a First Amendment right not to recite the school pledge as a form of peaceful protest.

After all, the U.S. Supreme Court famously recognized that students had a First Amendment right not to salute the flag and recite the Pledge of Allegiance in West Virginia Board of Education v. Barnette (1943).  Writing for the court, Justice Robert Jackson warned “that they are educating the young for citizenship is reason for scrupulous protection of Constitutional freedoms of the individual, lest we strangle the free mind at its source and teach youth to discount important principles of our government as mere platitudes.”

Furthermore, the Supreme Court famously protected students’ black armband protests in Tinker v. Des Moines Independent Community School District (1969), emphasizing the silent passive political speech of the students.

The school officials filed a motion to dismiss this claim, arguing that the recitation of the school pledge was a form of school-sponsored speech and subject to a more deferential standard for school officials from Hazelwood School District v. Kuhlmeier (1988) — that school officials can censor student speech if it is related to reasonable educational purposes.

Fortunately, Raymond P. Moore, judge for the U.S. District Court of Colorado, recognized the fallacy of his argument. “Refusing to stand and recite the school pledge is an archetypal example of a ‘silent, passive expression of opinion’ that is protected under Tinker,” he wrote.

The judge also denied Jajdelski qualified immunity — a doctrine that often shields government officials from liability unless they violate clearly established constitutional law. Here, Jajdelski violated clear constitutional law, punishing students for refusing to recite a pledge. That is the essence of unconstitutionally compelling speech in violation of the First Amendment.

Judge Moore also found that the parents who were banned from campus stated a plausible retaliation claim. He noted “it was beyond dispute that plaintiffs Mary and Joel Flores had a clearly established right to publicly criticize VPA without facing retaliation.”

David L. Hudson Jr. is a First Amendment fellow at the Freedom Forum Institute and a law professor at Belmont University who publishes widely on First Amendment topics. He is the author of a 12-lecture audio course on the First Amendment titled, “Freedom of Speech: Understanding the First Amendment” (Now You Know Media, 2018). He also is the author of many First Amendment books, including “The First Amendment: Freedom of Speech” (Thomson Reuters, 2012) and “Freedom of Speech: Documents Decoded” (ABC-CLIO, 2017).

Autism study shows atypical brain activity when coordinating visual and motor information

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People with autism performed a precision grip-force test like this one while being scanned inside an MRI machine. (Credit: Life Span Institute/Leilani Photographs)

KU NEWS SERVICE

LAWRENCE — A new study in the Journal of Neurophysiology by researchers at the University of Kansas Life Span Institute is the first to look at functional brain activity in people with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) while they performed precision visuomotor behavior — in this case, a grip-force test.

The authors found new evidence sensorimotor changes in people with autism involve abnormal cortical and subcortical organization “that may contribute to key clinical issues in patients.”

People with autism performed a precision grip-force test while being scanned inside an MRI machine. They watched a display containing two horizontal bars set against a black background. The subjects controlled the bars in specific ways by pressing a device in their right hand. So did a control group of people without ASD.

“In areas of the brain for dynamically incorporating and adjusting your motor behavior based on information you’re receiving, those circuits were deficient,” said lead author Kathryn Unruh, a postdoctoral researcher at KU’s Life Span Institute and Kansas Center for Autism Research and Training (K-CART). “But then we also show that people with autism are potentially compensating for those deficits by using other areas of the brain.”

While ASD is diagnosed based on deficits in social-communication skills and the presence of certain restricted and repetitive behaviors, those are difficult for researchers to objectively measure, as opposed to brain activity during visuomotor tasks, Unruh said.

“Motor behaviors are deficient across individuals with autism, regardless of their level of functional ability,” she said. “Sometimes it may look like something very subtle in their eye movements that you would never be able to see without special equipment. It could look like handwriting problems or sometimes could also look like having problems with more general motor coordination, like playing sports.”

The precision grip test used by the researchers allowed them to isolate and examine one task and its associated brain activity as they measure differences among 20 subjects with ASD and 18 without.

“We’re able to quantify this very precisely,” Unruh said. “Trying to put a number on someone’s social ability or their communication — it is very difficult. So, this is an attractive way of measuring behavior. Here, we’re getting a much closer approximation of what the brain is actually doing.”

Senior author Matt Mosconi, director of K-CART, an associate scientist in the Life Span Institute and associate professor in the Clinical Child Psychology Program at KU, said in ASD patients sensorimotor problems can be frustrating for them, and they often go overlooked because communication and behavioral issues are the things others usually focus on.

“Sensorimotor issues, or difficulties coordinating and controlling our movements, are common in ASD and often a major source of frustration as they affect many of our daily activities,” he said. “Studying sensorimotor issues is therefore important for understanding the diverse challenges experienced by individuals with ASD.”

Not only did the study show the brain is organized differently in individuals with ASD in terms of its function for basic sensorimotor behaviors, but these functions can differ between people with autism.

“Importantly, as we know every individual with ASD shows different sets of skills and challenges, we also found differences in brain organization varied across our individuals highlighting the importance of testing measures of brain function in relation to different behaviors, rather than just relying on simple comparisons of individuals with ASD and individuals without ASD,” Mosconi said.

The researchers found ASD patients’ ability to rapidly integrate multisensory information and precisely adjust motor output is compromised. Further, reduced ability “to maintain steady-state levels of sensorimotor output may contribute to multiple developmental issues affecting social-communication abilities and cognitive processing.”

Along with Unruh and Mosconi, authors of the new study are Laura Martin of the Hoglund Brain Imaging Center and Department of Preventive Medicine and Public Health at KU Medical Center, Grant Magnon of the University of Pittsburgh, David Vaillancourt of the University of Florida and John Sweeney of the University of Cincinnati.

The researchers are actively seeking individuals with ASD and individuals without ASD ages 10-35 years for ongoing NIH-funded studies of sensorimotor behavior and brain function. Contact [email protected] for more information.

TMP drops district opener to Hoisington

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HOISINGTON – The Hoisington Cardinals offense earned more than 450 yards and running back Wyatt Pedigo accounted for five touchdowns as the Cardinals beat the TMP-Marian Monarchs 42-12 Friday in each teams district opener.

Coach Jay Harris interview

The Monarchs got on the board first with a 15-play 70-yard drive that rook nearly six and a half minutes off the first-quarter clock. On the driver quarterback Kade Harris hit Lance Lang for a 32-yard pass that set up a one-yard Harris touchdown run three plays later giving TMP the 6-0 lead.

After giving up a first-quarter touchdown for the first time all season the Cardinals wasted no time, they put together a seven-play 80-yard drive that was capped off by a 38-yard Mason Haxton touchdown pass to Wyatt Pedigo.

Hoisington converted on the extra point, while the Monarchs didn’t, to take a 7-6 lead late in the first quarter.

After that successful opening drive the Monarchs offense really struggled the rest of the way. In their next 10 possessions of the game they fumbled twice, threw and interception and had to punt four times.

Meanwhile Hoisington got a pair of second quarter touchdowns from Wyatt Pedigo and lead 21-6 at the break.

After a 26-minute delay at halftime for an issue with one of the field lights the Cardinals scored three more third quarter touchdowns and built a 42-6 lead with just over seven minutes left in the third quarter.

TMP was able to get on the board toward the end of the third quarter when Harris found Jace Lang for a 15-yard touchdown pass, the first of both players career to make it 42-12.

Hoisington outgained TMP 453 to 176 total yards.

Pedigo finished with 192 yards on the ground and four touchdowns. Hunter Morris also passed the century mark with 121 yards on three carriers.

TMP was led by Colby Dreiling who finished with 55 yards rushing.

Harris was 5-10 passing for 77 yards, one touchdown and one interception.

Game highlights

The Monarchs drop to 1-3 on the season and will host Phillipsburg Friday at Lewis Field Stadium in Hays.

Area Game of the Week: Plainville @ Smith Center

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It was a battle of unbeatens as the Plainville Cardinals, 3-0 and ranked 2 in 1A, visited the Smith Center Redmen, also 3-0 and ranked 1 in 1A. Both schools have posted many fine teams through the years and the winner of this game has advanced to the state championship game the last 3 years. Plainville was the state runner-up in 2016 and Smith Center took home state championships in 2017 and 2018.

Fans expected a defensive battle coming in as the Cardinals were yielding right around 12 points a game and the Redmen had given up just over 8 points per game. The start of the contest followed this trend as both squads exchanged punts to start things off. Plainville was then able to drive to the Smith Center 6, but the Redmen defense recovered a fumble, ending the drive. The quarter ended with both squads sporting goose eggs on the scoreboard.

Smith Center jumped out early in the 2nd quarter on a 75 yard touchdown run by senior quarterback Trenton Colby. Senior Sergio Lambert kicked the extra point to give Smith Center a 7-0 lead. Plainville was able to put together a drive of their own that included several long passes by senior quarterback Jordan Finnesy. The drive ended when freshman running back Kyle Werner scampered in for a 20 yard touchdown. Werner was starting in place of the injured Jared Casey. The extra point made it 7-7 midway through the second.

Smith Center had another quick scoring play when senior running back Cole Shoemaker cashed in on a 62 yard touchdown run. That made it 14-7 in favor of the Redmen. The teams would exchange turnovers before the end of the quarter. Smith Center lead 14-7 at the half.

Plainville got the ball first in the 3rd quarter, but went 3-and-out. Smith Center went on a long, methodical drive that ended with a 2-yard touchdown run by Senior Jaden Atwood. Lambert’s extra point made it 21-7.

Plainville drove into Smith Center territory, but fell victim to another fumble. This time, Trenton Colby picked up the fumble and took it all the way back for a touchdown. That made it 28-7 in favor of the home team. Smith Center would add two more touchdowns to go on a 26-0 second half run that put them up 40-7.

Finnesy was able to add one more score on the ground, but it was to little to late as the final score showed  Smith Center as a 40-14 winner. Jaden Atwood had 12 carries for 117 yards and 2 touchdowns. Trenton Colby finished with a very efficient 100 yards on 5 carries, including a touchdown. As a team, Smith Center rushed for an astounding 407 yards and 5 touchdowns. On the Plainville side Jordan Finnesy had 160 yards and touchdown on the ground, while also completing 14 of 23 passes for 206 yards. Werner finished with 73 yards on 11 carries, one being for a score.

Smith Center moves to 4-0 and plays the first of 3 straight road games when they head to Oakley next week.

Plainville’s record stands at 3-1. The Cardinals are home for a pair, starting with Republic County.

 

 

 

 

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