We visit the Hays High Outside Garden, and discuss the Monarchs On the Move project.
Year: 2019
The Post Podcast: Grow Hays gives a look into entrepreneurship with Trispectives series
Kansas Officials To Students: Tell Us How We Can Help Prevent Bullying
By CELIA LLOPIS-JEPSEN
TOPEKA — Bullying just won’t go away. If anything, the advent of smartphones and social media has made it worse.
CHRIS NEAL / FOR THE KANSAS NEWS SERVICE
That’s forced a conversation on what Kansas schools can do to help. The problem? It’s easier to get adults to weigh in than students.
But for kids and teens out there who have suffered or witnessed bullying online or in person, the state wants you to tell adults what you think they should know. (And for the record: Parents, teachers and others who deal with bullying, your input is welcome, too.)
Earlier this year, Kansas put together a panel of teachers, counselors, officials and others to craft recommendations that will go to the Kansas State Board of Education for consideration this winter.
Kansas has had an anti-bullying law for more than a decade with basic requirements for school policies and procedures.
It’s too early to know what new measures the panel will suggest. It could be anything from tweaks to state policies to guidance on how schools should handle bullying incidents.
“Some of those things are already there,” said Myron Melton, who works for the state Department of Education. “But we know that they haven’t been fully effective in remedying the problem. Our goal now is to say, what’s missing?”
Anyone can send in their thoughts and ideas by email, but should know that those letters become part of the panel’s meetings and materials. They are available to the public and archived online.
Instructions for writing to the panel
The education department also has a chat room dedicated to the topic that functions similar to a closed Facebook group. It’s hosted on the pro-privacy social media platform called MeWe; only people age 16 and older can use it.
Cyberbullying on the rise
A survey released by the U.S. Department of Education last month shows an uptick in cyberbullying reports. And girls were more likely than boys to say others had bullied them through social media and texts.
Equality Kansas, a civil rights group that fights discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity, pushed for the anti-bullying legislation more than a decade ago and has called for additional measures since.
“There are districts that have done the absolute bare minimum” under the current law, executive director Tom Witt said. Others “have gone all out in educating their faculty and students on bullying prevention.”
“And there’s no correlation between the size of the district and the quality of their bullying prevention efforts,” he added. “It’s real spotty.”
Among the changes Equality Kansas wants to see: Require all districts to explain their anti-bullying policies, procedures and prevention efforts online, and give hard copies of those policies to students and parents at enrollment.
That would help solve the problem of students not knowing how to seek help, who at their district handles bullying allegations and in what way they process those allegations.
Witt said his organization frequently gets questions about how students can seek help or how a district handles bullying allegations, and parents get frustrated when schools aren’t responsive.
“It’s a persistent problem with at least a partial solution,” he said.
The anti-bullying panel’s public meetings wrap up Dec. 2, so comments should be submitted before then.
Celia Llopis-Jepsen reports on consumer health and education for the Kansas News Service. You can follow her on Twitter @Celia_LJ or email her at celia (at) kcur (dot) org.
🎥 United Way 2019 fundraising campaign kicks off
By BECKY KISER
Hays Post
The 2019 fundraising campaign for the United Way of Ellis County is off and running.
A kickoff luncheon Friday afternoon with the Hays Area Chamber of Commerce and Eagle Communications at the Rose Garden Banquet Hall featured a quick game of “3 Truths and 1 Lie.” Representatives of the 17 United Way partner agencies tried to stump a panel of four volunteers with one incorrect statement about their non-profit group and its work for Ellis County residents.
The panel did well, knowing most of the history of the agencies and their community support.
Kelly Lewis, 2019 Campaign Chair, has served on the United Way Board of Directors for three years. She joked that she missed just one meeting this spring, and that’s how she became campaign chair.
“It’s a title that I’m honored to accept,” Lewis told the audience.
“This year our campaign goal is $400,000 and I have no doubt that with a little hard work, we’ll be able to hit that goal.
“We have 17 partner agencies providing Ellis County with all these wonderful opportunities that wouldn’t be available without all your kindhearted donations.”
Lewis, vice-president of Bank of Hays, has also been a volunteer on the CARE Council. “It’s a way to find out a little bit more about each of our partner agencies.”
Each group goes through an extensive funding request process with the CARE Council. Its recommendations are sent to the United Way Board of Directors which awards the funds to the select agencies.
A search is underway for a new executive director of the United Way of Ellis County.
Sherry Dryden will step down Sept. 6 after four years to become executive director of the American Red Cross serving central and western Kansas. Erica Berges, United Way administrative assistant, will serve as interim executive director.
Dryden spoke briefly at the lunch, saying it had been “an honor to serve the United Way.” She added she will continue working with the United Way through the Red Cross which is one of its partner agencies.
Dryden turned the microphone over to Berges, who talked about four major accomplishments of the United Way in 2018.
“We have a new downloadable app for Ellis County Resource,” Berges reported. ” This helped expand the access of our Ellis County Resource Directory, which was in paper form and is still online at www.elliscountykshelp.com.”
RealityU held in the spring on the campus of Thomas More Prep-Marian school brought a little bit of life’s realities into focus for Ellis County high school students.
“It taught them about personal finance in an interactive and engaging way.” The students imagined themselves to be 26 years old and completed a lifestyle questionnaire about their occupation, marital status and use of credit cards, and then found out what their monthly expenses would be.
“It was very interesting to watch the students watch their monthly income go down,”Berges said with a smile. “The number one thing they found out is expensive – kids,” she laughed along with the audience.
TMP, Ellis, Victoria and Hays high schools will participate in RealityU this fall.
A new website — www.nwksvolunteers.org — was launched in the spring for people wanting to volunteer and pairs them with agencies needing volunteer help.
More than 100 volunteers have already signed up and Berges can vouch for the program’s success.
“These brochures at your tables, we have to stuff each one of them individually with the pledge cards. Within 10 minutes of the task being on the website, I had a response. This guy came in and stuffed all 5,000 of those for us over the course of a week. It was awesome. It saved us so much time.
“We probably have a volunteer for life. He’s already responded to several other things.”
Berges also talked about the Wonder Women League.
“Since they’ve started, they’ve done the learning trail in Sunrise Park and last fall they held a self-defense course for women. Their newest project, “Matthew’s Gift,” was launched this winter.
“It’s a bag given out to families who are having a loved one flown out of Hays Med to another medical facility,” Berges said. “The bag contains items like snacks, bottled water, notepads, toiletries, a gas card and other essentials that a family might need so they don’t have to leave their loved one while in the hospital.”
The United Way of Ellis County 17 partner agencies are:
- American Red Cross
- ARC of Central Plains
- Big Brothers/Big Sisters
- Cancer Council
- Catholic Charities
- Center for Life Experience
- Cerebral Palsy Research Foundation
- Court Appointed Special Advocates
- Developmental Services of Northwest Kansas
- Early Childhood Connections
- First Call For Help
- Hays Area Children’s Center
- KVC Wheatland
- OPTIONS
- Parents and Children Together
- Western Kansas Association on the Concerns of the Disabled
- Western Kansas Child Advocacy Program
Osborne County Pheasants Forever Youth Hunt planned for Opening Day
KDWPT
PRATT – The 2019 dove season opens on Sept. 1 and there is no better time to introduce youth to hunting. Aside from a proper-fitting shotgun, a good supply of shotgun shells, and a mentor, special equipment isn’t needed. Better yet, you won’t have to battle the bitter winter temperatures that are sure to come with later hunting seasons.
Several organizations, including Pheasants Forever, Westar Energy’s Green Team, and the Quail and Upland Wildlife Federation, take advantage of this mild season by hosting youth hunts on opening weekend. These special events are safe, fun and free, and more often than not, they’re hosted on lands rife with opportunity. Find a hunt near you, and pass on the joys of wingshooting this fall.
OSBORNE COUNTY PHEASANTS FOREVER HUNT, Sept. 1-2
The Osborne County Pheasants Forever (PF) chapter, in partnership with the Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism (KDWPT), invites youth ages 10-16 to participate in an opening weekend dove hunt on Sept. 1 or 2, 2019. This hunt is expected to provide kids with plenty of shooting action as the birds flock to grain fields for morning feeding and ponds for evening water.
Participants should have limited previous dove hunting experience, and those who have not hunted before will be given preference. Only youth may hunt, and they must be strong enough to handle their shotgun safely. Participants will have at least one adult mentor at their side to assist them, so parents can rest easy knowing their child will have guidance.
Hunts will either take place the evening of Sunday, Sept. 1 at local private ponds or early morning on Monday, Sept. 2 on a Glen Elder Wildlife Area managed crop field. Participants will be notified several days in advance as to where and when their hunt will take place. After the hunt, participants can enjoy a free meal courtesy of the Osborne County PF chapter.
Shotguns can be provided upon request, and 12 and 20 gauge shotgun shells will be provided for all hunters. Hunters age 16 will be required to have a hunting license and Harvest Information Stamp (HIP) stamp prior to participating.
Parents must pre-register their child by calling the Glen Elder Area Office at (785) 545-3345 (8 a.m. – 4 p.m. weekdays). Deadline to register is Wednesday, August 28. Spots are limited, so families are encouraged to register early.
For more on this event, contact Chris Lecuyer (KDWPT) at (785) 545-3345 or John Cockerham (PF) at (785) 346-6527.
Dinner/auction fundraiser for Options set for Sept. 14
Options Domestic & Sexual Violence Services, Inc. a non-profit organization that’s dedicated to working with victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, human trafficking and dating violence, will host its seventh annual Dinner Auction on Saturday, Sept. 14, to raise funds to support its mission to bring help, hope, and healing to victims, survivors, and their families.
The Dinner Auction will be held at the Rose Garden Banquet Hall in Hays, KS. Festivities include a cocktail hour and open bar, followed by a delicious 3 course dinner, as well as a live and a silent auction. To purchase tickets, please contact Options at 785-625-4202. You can also purchase tickets through our Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/OptionsHays.
“There has never been a more important time to support victims of domestic & sexual violence,” said Jennifer Hecker, executive director of Options. “One in four women and one in nine men experience severe intimate partner physical violence, sexual violence, and/or stalking in our country.” The Dinner Auction is a fun event that brings together people in our community who genuinely want to make a difference, raising thousands of dollars for our program that supports 18 counties in northwest Kansas.
Options provides confidential services free of charge to all victims. Options services are informed by victims and survivors and delivered through a trauma-informed approach. We take into account the impact that trauma can have and the barriers victims face when trying to recover from devastating violence.
About Options Domestic & Sexual Violence Services, Inc.
Since 1983, Options has delivered services to aid victims, survivors, and their families to recover from the devastating effects of intimate partner violence and sexual assault. All services are free, confidential and voluntary. Services include 24-Hour Helpline, 24-Hour Crisis Intervention, Personal Advocacy, 24-Hour Medical Advocacy, Court Advocacy, 24-Hour Law Enforcement Advocacy, 24-Hour Safe Shelter and Emergency Accommodations, Supportive Counseling, Support Groups, Child/Youth Services, and Parent/Child Advocacy. Visit our website at www.help4abuse.org for more information.
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JAG-K students say the program changes their lives
TOPEKA – A student who has been in the Kansas foster care system for years praised Jobs for America’s Graduates – Kansas (JAG-K) as the one consistent element in her life. The student said JAG-K Career Specialists have cared about her and taught her skills that will help her in life after high school. Although she has been placed in multiple homes and facilities, each school district had a JAG-K program.
“Jobs for America’s Graduates-Kansas has continuously provided opportunities to ensure that students successfully graduate from high school in spite of numerous barriers,” wrote Dr. Charles Foust, Superintendent of Schools for Kansas City, Kansas Public School District (KCKPS), in testimony provided for a public meeting hosted Monday by the Kansas Department for Children and Families (DCF). “The JAG National Network’s partnership with KCKPS is imperative in order to help increase positive student outcomes and prevent student drop-outs.”
Foust and the student were just two examples of other superintendents and students from across the state supporting continued funding for the evidence-based program that has 79 in-school programs in 41 Kansas school districts including Hays USD 489, serving approximately 4,000 students. DCF Secretary Laura Howard scheduled the stakeholder meeting to discuss budget priorities. DCF has provided most of the funding for JAG-K since it was introduced in Kansas in 2013.
“DCF has been a great partner over the years, and Governor Kelly is helping to help identify additional funding sources to continue to build on our successes in Kansas,” said JAG-K President and CEO Chuck Knapp. “We look forward to working with the Governor and Secretary Howard in looking for new ways to help students in foster care and other youth. The foundation for both of those efforts is a strong network of traditional JAG-K programming throughout the state.”
JAG-K is a multi-year, in-school program for students in grades seven through 12 that offers tools to successfully transition students into post-secondary school, the military, or directly into the workforce with marketable skills. Participants in the program face multiple barriers to success that their JAG-K Career Specialist helps them overcome through a nationally accredited evidence-based model. In 2018, JAG-K students had a 98 percent graduation rate.
The 501(c) 3 not-for-profit organization is one of 35 state affiliate organizations of Jobs for America’s Graduates and is primarily funded through the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families block grant to the State of Kansas administered by DCF. In addition to school districts and DCF, JAG-K partners with the Kansas Department of Education. Other JAG-K funding sources include AT&T, John Deere, and Taco Bell.
To learn more about JAG-K, visit www.jagkansas.org, ‘Jobs for America’s Graduates- Kansas’ on Facebook, and on Twitter at @JAG_Kansas.
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Kansas HPV vaccine rates improve significantly
KDHE
TOPEKA – Today, the National Immunization Survey regarding Teens released its annual report for 2018 which shows Kansas is improving in vaccine rates for HPV and MenACWY and remaining consistent with Tdap. This report is available in the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The survey, which is conducted among teens ages 13 to 17, monitors the vaccines received by adolescents, specifically HPV, MenACWY and Tdap.*
“In 2014, Kansas had the lowest coverage in the nation for the HPV vaccine with only 34.4 percent of respondents reporting one or more doses received,” said KDHE Secretary Lee Norman, MD. “I’m very pleased to report that Kansas is now at 62.3 percent coverage in 2018, up significantly from 52.4 percent in 2017.”
Activities that have contributed to the increase in HPV Vaccination coverage, include:
- Education for vaccine providers throughout the state during Vaccines For Children program site visits
- Education provided at Kansas Immunization Conferences
- Development of HPV Toolkit by the Immunize Kansas Coalition funded by the KDHE
- Multiple partner organizations conducting efforts to increase awareness and importance of the HPV vaccine
- Focus on the importance of provider recommendation to patients to receive the vaccine
Kansas has seen an average increase in HPV coverage of 6.3 percentage points annually since 2014 while the national average increase has been 4.4.
“One of the most significant factors to successful vaccination against HPV cancer appears to be a recommendation from a medical provider,” Secretary Norman said.
The survey demonstrates that, in Kansas for 2018, of those who received the recommendation from a medical provider, 69.5 percent received the vaccination while only 35.8 percent received the vaccination without a provider recommendation.
The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) routinely recommends HPV vaccination at age 11 or 12. In addition, ACIP has recently updated their recommendation to include some adults up to age 45 based on the safety and effectiveness of this vaccine against some HPV cancers.[1]
The MenACWY vaccine coverage increased from 72.1 percent in 2017 to 75.3 percent in 2018. This school year, MenACWY has just become a required vaccination for school entry.
*Vaccine Description:
- Tdap – protects against tetanus, diphtheria and pertussis. Recommended for ages 11-13. Healthy People 2020 target is 80 percent coverage. Kansas 2018 rate is 89.4 percent.
- MenACWY – protects against certain strains of meningococcal disease. Recommended for ages 11-13 with a booster dose at age 16. Healthy People 2020 target is 80 percent. Kansas 2018 rate is 75.3 percent.
- HPV – protects against HPV related cancers. Two dose series recommended for ages 11-13. Doses administered six months apart. If first dose is not given before 15th birthday, a three-dose series is needed. Healthy People 2020 target is 80 percent. The Kansas 2018 rate is 62.3 for one or more doses, 40.7 percent.
Wolford hits Greene for TD in Rams win over Broncos
LOS ANGELES (AP) – Brandon Allen passed for 162 yards, and Jalen Greene caught a 4-yard touchdown pass from John Wolford with 12:38 to play in the Los Angeles Rams’ 10-6 preseason victory over the Denver Broncos on Saturday night.
Both coaches sat nearly all of their starters for the final NFL preseason game at the 96-year-old Coliseum, and neither team managed a touchdown before Wolford led a 52-yard drive spanning the final two quarters and capped it with a sharp pass to Greene.
Wolford, who went 6 of 12 for 64 yards, is competing for the Rams’ No. 3 quarterback spot with Allen, who had the job last season. Allen went 12 of 19 and mostly looked sharp while Jared Goff and backup Blake Bortles watched from the sideline.
Almost every Rams player expected to make a significant contribution this season skipped this game in keeping with coach Sean McVay’s total disinterest in risking his starters’ health for meaningless exhibitions. McVay also followed the strategy last August, and the Rams matched the NFL’s best regular-season record at 13-3 before reaching their first Super Bowl in 17 years.
Kevin Hogan went 8 of 12 for 69 yards in the Broncos’ fourth of five preseason games.
Hogan and undrafted rookie Brett Rypien ran the Broncos’ offense with rookie Drew Lock sidelined by a sprained thumb on his throwing hand. Hogan is expected to back up Joe Flacco this season.
Rypien went 14 of 23 for 80 yards with an interception in his first preseason action since the Hall of Fame Game on Aug. 1. He led the Broncos to the Rams 25 in the final minutes, but Los Angeles stopped them on downs with 1:08 to play.
BIG TACKLE
Kieshawn Bierria started for the Broncos as an inside linebacker, and his bid for playing time this season got a boost when he made a huge defensive play in the third quarter. Bierria wrapped up Rams tight end Johnny Mundt at the goal line and forced him out of bounds before Mundt could get his short reception over the goal line on fourth down.
BUTT BACK
Denver tight end Jake Butt had two catches for 17 yards while playing for the first time since the third game of last season, when he tore a knee ligament and required his third knee surgery. Butt also missed the entire 2017 season due to knee problems after the Broncos chose him in the fifth round out of Michigan, but his continued health could be a boost for an offense that likes to use tight ends.
NOT SPECIAL
Most of the Rams’ few remaining positional competitions revolve around the players’ roles on special teams, and those weren’t all great: Los Angeles committed penalties on each of its first two punt returns.
NEXT UP
Broncos: Finish their extra-long preseason by hosting the Arizona Cardinals on Thursday.
Rams: Rest their starters again when they visit the Houston Texans on Thursday.
Garoppolo, Mahomes both sharp as 49ers top Chiefs
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) – San Francisco quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo was impressive in his return to Arrowhead Stadium, and Chiefs counterpart Patrick Mahomes may have been even better, as the 49ers beat Kansas City 27-17 in their third preseason game Saturday night.
Garoppolo was 14 of 20 for 188 yards while playing the entire first half in a much better showing than his preseason debut against Denver last week. Garoppolo led the 49ers deep into Kansas City territory four times, throwing a nice TD pass to Matt Breida and getting two field goals from Robbie Gould.
It was an encouraging night for Garoppolo on another front: He was able to put to rest any lingering memories from last season, when he tore up his knee during a Week 3 game in Kansas City.
Mahomes finished 8 of 10 for 126 yards, highlighted by a 62-yard catch-and-run to Damien Williams in which the Chiefs’ injury-prone running back raced right by the woebegone linebacker covering him.
Mahomes was so sharp in what was likely his final tuneup before the regular season that the league MVP even completed his first incompletion – it was just caught out of bounds. His only other misfire was a drop by backup tight end Blake Bell before coach Andy Reid gave Mahomes a visor to wear.
Garoppolo kept his helmet on, leading a two-minute drill that gave the 49ers a go-ahead field goal.
The 49ers clung to that 13-10 halftime advantage until Chiefs backup quarterback Kyle Shurmur led a 13-play, 97-yard drive that took up most of the third quarter. Byron Pringle capped it with a short TD run as the second-year pro tries to make the Chiefs as an extra wide receiver.
The 49ers answered with a 12-play drive. Nick Mullens, who is battling C.J. Beathard for their backup quarterback job, led the way and Jeff Wilson Jr. finished it with a TD run.
Wilson put the game away with another touchdown run with 3:41 to go.
STAR TIGHT ENDS ARE QUIET
The 49ers’ George Kittle broke Travis Kelce’s season yardage record for tight ends within hours of him setting it during Week 17 last season. But neither dented the stat sheet Saturday night. Kittle didn’t play with a bothersome calf while Kelce did not have a catch for Kansas City.
SITTING OUT
Along with Kittle, the 49ers rested: CBs Jason Verrett (ankle), K’Waun Williams (knee) and Tim Harris; FS Adrian Colbert (hamstring); RB Jerick McKinnon (knee); DLs Dee Ford (knee), Nick Bosa (ankle) and Jullian Taylor (back); and WR Trent Taylor (foot).
The Chiefs sat SS Tyrann Mathieu (shoulder, CB Michael Hunter (groin) and WR Gehrig Dieter (back).
INJURIES
Chiefs LB Darron Lee left with a chest injury. … CB Bashaud Breeland hurt his left shoulder while making a tackle along the sideline in the first half, though he eventually returned to the game.
RAIN, RAIN, GO AWAY
The Chiefs’ game last week in Pittsburgh was delayed about an hour by lightning. Rain fell off and on Saturday night, too, though the game continued without any delays.
UP NEXT
49ers: Wrap their preseason against the Chargers on Thursday night.
Chiefs: Visit Green Bay for their preseason finale Thursday night.
Fatal house fire in Ellis under investigation Saturday
Hays Post
A fatal house fire in the 300 block of Monroe in Ellis Saturday afternoon was under investigation as multiple agencies were on the scene early Saturday evening.
One person was confirmed to have died in the fire.
“That’s all the information we have right now,” said Ellis police chief Taft Yates.
The Ellis fire department, Ellis County fire department, Ellis police, Ellis county sheriff and Hays police assisted at the scene.
The State Fire Marshall’s office was investigating around 7:30 p.m.
Remarks of Kan. man accused of shooting at police not admissible
LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — A judge won’t allow prosecutors to use statements that a Lawrence man made to police after he was accused of shooting at officers because he had asked for an attorney before he made them.
Douglas County Judge James McCabria ruled in favor of 35-year-old Abdul Jalil Hussein on Wednesday. Hussein is charged with multiple felonies, including attempted first-degree murder and aggravated assault of a law enforcement officer.
The charges stem from a June 2018 incident in which Hussein allegedly used an ax to chop through his mother’s front door while armed with a pistol. He then drove back to his own home a few blocks away, where he is accused of exchanging gunfire with a Lawrence police officer.
The detectives who questioned him were from Johnson County.
Police will start voluntary swatter alert system in Wichita
WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — Wichita police will begin using a system that places alerts on addresses where potential swatting targets could be living.
Swatting involves someone making a hoax emergency call to send law enforcement officers, particularly SWAT teams, to a particular address.
The program announced Friday is voluntary and open to people who think they might be a victims of swatting.
The alerts would be available to first responders. Wichita officer Paul Cruz said in a news release the alerts wouldn’t slow emergency responders, but would make them aware they might be responding to a hoax call.
In 2017, Wichita police fatally shot Andrew Finch after a caller falsely claimed a murder and hostage situation was occurring at his home. The call was aimed at someone who lived at the home before Finch.