HAYS – The TMP-Marian Monarchs 17U American Legion baseball team split a home doubleheader with Larned on Thursday.
In game one the Monarchs took advantage of four walks, including one with the bases loaded, scored a run on a passed ball, wild pitch and added three straight RBI singles to build an 8-0 lead after the first inning in route to a 9-0 win.
Nick Herrman was one-for-two with a pair of RBI’s and Jace Wentling collected a pair of hits.
Starter Kade Harris pitched five shutout innings and allowed just three hits while striking out four in the win.
In game two the Monarchs took an early 3-0 lead scoring on back-to-back wild pitches and a Kade Harris RBI single in the first inning.
Larned stormed back to take a 4-3 lead in their half of the second inning.
Down 4-3 in the bottom of the second the Monarchs loaded the bases for Tyson Dinkel who singled in a run to tie the game at four. The Monarchs took the lead back on a fielder’s choice and following a run scoring groundout and sacrifice fly TMP led 8-4 through two innings.
Down four the Indians again battled back and tied the game at eight in the top of the fifth taking advantage of three Monarchs errors.
With the game tied at eight Larned pushed across the eventual game winner in the top of the sixth inning on a fielder’s choice as they picked up the 9-8 win.
Dinkel finished two-for-three with an RBI and two runs scored.
Carter Newell suffered the loss for TMP. He allowed five runs, three earned on six hits in three and two-thirds innings.
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Latest on The United States and Iran’s tensions over the shoot-down of a massive U.S. drone (all times local):
President Donald Trump says the U.S. was “cocked and loaded” to retaliate against Iran for downing an American drone, but canceled the strikes 10 minutes before they were to be carried out after being told some 150 people could die.
….On Monday they shot down an unmanned drone flying in International Waters. We were cocked & loaded to retaliate last night on 3 different sights when I asked, how many will die. 150 people, sir, was the answer from a General. 10 minutes before the strike I stopped it, not….
Trump tweeted Friday that the U.S. was ready to “retaliate last night on 3 different sights when I asked, how many will die.” He said a general told him 150 people, and he canceled the strikes as “not proportionate to shooting down an unmanned drone.”
Trump tweeted that the U.S. will never allow Iran to have a nuclear weapon. But he says he’s in no hurry to respond to the downing of the U.S. surveillance drone over the Strait of Hormuz.
He says U.S. sanctions are crippling the Iranian economy and that more are being added.
The ISR Flight path and grid plots for the RQ-4A shot down by Iran in the Strait of Hormuz. “This was an unprovoked attack on a U.S. surveillance asset that had not violated Iranian airspace at any time …” – Lt Gen Joseph Guastella, @USAFCENTpic.twitter.com/uczI5HF68b
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump said Friday the U.S. was “cocked and loaded’ to retaliate against Iran for downing an American drone, but he canceled the missile strikes 10 minutes before they were to be executed after being told some 150 people could die.
Trump tweeted Friday that the U.S. will never allow Iran to have a nuclear weapon, a major longtime demand by the U.S. and its allies. But he said he’s in no hurry to respond militarily to this week’s downing of the huge U.S. surveillance drone over the Strait of Hormuz. His statement was the latest indication that he does not want to escalate the clash with Tehran, but he didn’t rule out a future U.S. strike.
He said U.S. economic sanctions are crippling the Iranian economy and more are being added.
Iran claimed Friday it had issued several warnings before shooting down the drone over what it said was Iranian territory.
Dr. Sharon Hartin Iorio is Professor & Dean Emerita at Wichita State University College of Education.
Only a few months ago the court battle over school funding was a central issue of legislative concern and media reports. Now triumphant, school districts are deciding ways to implement the approximately $500 million of new funding that will flow to schools over five years with an additional $90 million yearly to cover inflation.
Both the Kansas State Department of Education and the Kansas National Education Association recently suggested directing a portion of the funding to increase teacher salaries and help mitigate teacher shortages.
In fall of 2018, there were 612 Kansas teaching positions that remained unfilled by a qualified teacher, up 99 vacancies from the previous year.
Conservatives, libertarians and liberals, usually at odds on education issues, appear united in advocating for more resources going into the classroom; thus, improving our schools. This is where the agreement among education interest groups stops, because some groups do not believe across-the-board pay increases can help improve learning conditions.
In today’s world, political arguments, like those surrounding teacher salaries, are often based on selected data, thus opening the door to attacks claiming that any opposing group’s data is fake, misleading or based on alternative facts. Even the veracity of data collected by long-standing, reliable organizations can be questioned.
Despite such contention, information from respected national forums and venerable government agencies can help place Kansas teacher pay issue in context.
A recent National Education Association report found the average 2017-18 starting teacher salary nationally was $38,000, but in Kansas it was $35,000 with the average salary of all Kansas teachers at $49,754.
NEA also found the national average one-year increase in 2017-18 public school teacher pay was 2.9 percent. Kansas teachers received an average increase of 0.67.
Looking at teacher’s pay another way by comparing teacher earnings to those in careers requiring similar education and experience, on-line research found U.S. nurses’ median (a middle point where half of salaries fall above and half below) pay is currently $67, 490 and police officers make about $65,400.
Unlike nurses, teachers teach students, but they also are front-line responders to support students with disabilities, health and welfare concerns. Unlike police officers who may face personal danger daily, teachers are vulnerable to growing safety threats and are charged with helping protect their students against violence.
While no data on Kansas teachers and salary-gap could be located, the U.S. Board of Labor Statistics latest report showed that during the school year, nearly one in five teachers nationally worked a second job earning an average $5,100 to supplement their income. About the same percent hold jobs during the summer.
Some education reform leaders advocate teacher pay raises based on merit alone, but merit pay is granted for an individual teacher’s performance and does not substitute for suitable teacher salaries statewide.
As Kansas recovers from the Great Recession of 2009 and years of Governor Brownback’s tax cut experiment that affected all Kansas teachers and eliminated some teaching positions across the state, pay increases are more than warranted.
Across-the-board increases for all teachers within a district cannot, in themselves, end the teacher shortage, but Kansas teachers deserve the respect that comes with earning an adequate salary. A salary increase can bring teachers the satisfaction of knowing that their work is appreciated and that, in itself, can bring positive changes to Kansas classrooms.
Sharon Hartin Iorio is Professor and Dean Emerita of Wichita State University College of Education.
LIBERAL – Liberal used a four-run third inning to build an early lead and then held off a late Hays Larks rally for a 6-3 win Thursday.
The Bee Jays sent nine to the plate in the third and got a pair of RBI singles and scored two on an error as they built a 4-0 lead.
Hays got a run back in the fourth on a George Southerland RBI single and then added two more in the top of the sixth inning. Herman Yanez drove in the first run of the inning on a fielder’s choice and Max McGuire followed that with an RBI single to cut the Bee Jays lead to 4-3.
In the bottom of the inning the Bee Jays got those two runs back to take a 6-3 lead.
Down three runs the Larks threatened in the seventh and again in the ninth but left the bases loaded as they drop their third game in four tries in Liberal.
Hays starter Michael Gilliland gave up six runs, three earned over five innings and suffered the loss.
Southerland finished two-for-four with an RBI and a run scored.
The loss drops the Larks to 14-4 and 5-3 Kansas Collegiate League Baseball.
They have Friday off ahead of a four-game series with Valley Center.
Saturday is Larkstoberfest and Old Timers night.
You can hear both Saturday and Sundays games on KAYS beginning at 6:45 p.m. each night.
Location of Friday’s Rooks County quake -image Kansas Geological Survey
ROOKS COUNTY — A small earthquake shook portions of northwest Kansas just before 6a.m. Friday. The quake measured a magnitude 3.3 and was centered northwest of Plainville, according to the Kansas Geological Survey.
These are the first quakes in the region since a pair of quakes rattled Ellis and Russell County on June 13 and 14.
There are no reports of damage or injury from Friday’s quake, according to the Rooks County Sheriff’s office.
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HARPER COUNTY —One person died in an accident just after 12:30a.m. Thursday in Harper County.
The Kansas Highway Patrol reported Dale Stewart Sharp, 36, Tugun, Australia, was standing outside a Nissan Rogue when it became disabled after striking a deer on Kansas 42 Highway just south of 130 Road.
A southbound 2015 Ford Fiesta driven by Ronald D. Pinkston, 45, Attica, swerved into the west ditch to avoid hitting the Nissan and struck Sharp.
EMS transported Sharp to the hospital in Harper where he died. Authorities say he was a photographer from Australia
Pinkston was properly restrained at the time of the accident, according to the KHP.
Alex Gordon had a two-run single and Lucas Duda added an RBI single as the Kansas City Royals jumped on Jake Odorizzi in the first inning and beat the Minnesota Twins 4-1
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) – Alex Gordon had a two-run single and Lucas Duda added an RBI single as the Kansas City Royals jumped on Jake Odorizzi in the first inning and beat the Minnesota Twins 4-1 Thursday night.
Glenn Sparkman (2-3) gave up just one run and five hits in a season high-tying seven innings. He walked one and struck out three. Duda, had two hits and scored a run to help the Royals win for the fourth time in five games..
Jake Diekman pitched a perfect eighth and Ian Kennedy got the last three outs for his ninth save in 11 opportunities.
Odorizzi (10-3) came in tied with Chicago White Sox pitcher Lucas Giolito for the major league lead in wins, but lasted just four innings. He gave up four runs and eight hits with one walk and two strikeouts.
Jorge Polanco homered with one out in the first to put Minnesota ahead.
However, the Royals came right back in the bottom of the inning to take the lead. Whit Merrifield doubled and advanced to third on Nicky Lopez’s single to left-center. Gordon then doubled to deep right-center to drive both runners in. With one out, Cheslor Cuthbert grounded to Odorizzi, who threw to third to get Gordon, but Willians Astudillo’s errant throw to first allowed Cuthbert to advance to third. Cuthbert then scored on Duda’s single to right that ended his 0-for-20 slump.
The Royals added another run in the fourth. Duda got his second single and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by Humberto Arteaga, who made his major league debut Thursday. Duda scored on a double by Martin Maldonado.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Twins C Mitch Garver started Thursday’s game but left after the seventh inning with left heel soreness. … OF Byron Buxton is traveling with the club, though he’s not eligible to return from the 10-day injured list until Tuesday. He went on the IL on Tuesday, retroactive to last Saturday, with a right wrist contusion. Manager Rocco Baldelli said, “Judging by the way that he’s moving around and everything that he’s doing, everything’s going very well.”
Royals 3B Hunter Dozier finished a three-day rehab in Double-A Northwest Arkansas on Wednesday. He’s been on the 10-day injured list since June 3 (retroactive to May 31) with a right oblique strain. He was expected to return to Kansas City on Thursday for the birth of his child. He’s expected to head to Triple-A Omaha to continue the rehab through the weekend. Manager Ned Yost did not have an update on Dozier’s status.
ROSTER MOVES
Twins recalled RHP Kohl Stewart from Triple-A Rochester and optioned RHP Sean Poppen to Rochester. The Twins played 17 innings against Boston on Tuesday. The Twins are near the end of a 13-day stretch without a day off. They’ll be off June 24 following this four-game series.
Royals SS Adalberto Mondesi was placed on the 10-day IL with what Yost called a “very minor” right groin strain. Yost said it was more precautionary than anything. He was replaced on the roster by SS Arteaga from Triple-A Omaha. Arteaga, 25, is in his ninth season in the Royals’ system since being signed as a 16-year-old non-drafted free agent in 2010. Yost said he liked everything about Arteaga’s game. “His defense has always been spectacular for me, wherever I put him – third, short or second,” he said. “He’s developed into a very nice offensive player.”
UP NEXT
LHP Martin Perez (7-3, 4.09 ERA) will get the start for Minnesota. He’ll face Royals RHP Jakob Junis (4-6, 5.33 ERA) in the second game of the four-game series.
One of the most commonly reported frustrations expressed by physicians today is dealing with prior authorization. Recent national research suggests that prior authorization requirements frequently lead to delayed patient care and can have a negative impact on the clinical outcomes for patients. Now, we also know that physicians in our state share those sentiments.
The Kansas Medical Society (KMS) conducted a survey of its members seeking to identify the impact prior authorization has on physicians and patient care. The results were clear:
97 percent of respondents reported that prior authorization delays access to necessary care
91 percent of respondents indicate prior authorization can have a negative impact on patient clinical outcomes
95 percent describe the burden associated with prior authorization as high or extremely high
96 percent of respondents indicated that the prior authorization has increased over the last five years
The survey results mirror those of a national survey which was conducted by the American Medical Association. KMS replicated the AMA’s survey so we might have state-specific data to help inform our advocacy on behalf of Kansas physicians.
KMS has begun meeting with payers to help them understand the extent of this administrative burden. We will also be sharing with them a set of principles adopted by the KMS Board of Trustees which can help inform positive changes to the prior authorization system.
The Kansas Medical Society is a member-service organization dedicated to improving the environment in which Kansas physicians practice medicine, and to protecting the health of Kansas’ citizens.
TOPEKA – The Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE), in conjunction with the Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism (KDWPT), continues to issue public health warnings for five lakes due to blue-green algae. Four lakes are currently on watch status.
Current Warnings:
Big Eleven Lake, Wyandotte County (unchanged)
Jerry Ivey Pond, Saline County (unchanged)
Keith Sebelius Reservoir, Norton County (unchanged)
Marion Reservoir, Marion County (unchanged)
Overbrook City Lake, Osage County (unchanged)
When a warning is issued, KDHE recommends the following precautions be taken:
Lake water is not safe to drink for pets or livestock.
Lake water, regardless of blue-green algae status, should never be consumed by humans.
Water contact should be avoided.
Fish may be eaten if they are rinsed with clean water and only the fillet portion is consumed, while all other parts are discarded.
Do not allow pets to eat dried algae.
If lake water contacts skin, wash with clean water as soon as possible.
Avoid areas of visible algae accumulation.
Current Watches:
Lake Shawnee, Shawnee County (new 6/20)
Marion County Lake, Marion County (unchanged)
Strowbridge (Carbondale East), Osage County (new 6/20)
Webster Lake (Webster Reservoir), Rooks County (new 6/20)
A watch means that blue-green algae have been detected and a harmful algal bloom is present or likely to develop. People are encouraged to avoid areas of algae accumulation and keep pets and livestock away from the water.
During the watch status, KDHE recommends the following precautions be taken:
Signage will be posted at all public access locations
Water may be unsafe for humans/animals
Avoid areas of algae accumulation and do not let people/pets eat dried algae or drink contaminated water.
Swimming, wading, skiing, and jet skiing are discouraged near visible blooms
Boating and fishing are safe. However, inhalation of the spray may affect some individuals. Avoid direct contact with water, and wash with clean water after any contact.
Clean fish well with potable water and eat fillet portion only.
KDHE samples publicly-accessible bodies of water for blue-green algae when the agency receives reports of potential algae blooms in Kansas lakes. Based on sampling results, KDHE reports on potentially harmful conditions.
Kansans should be aware that blooms are unpredictable. They can develop rapidly and may float around the lake, requiring visitors to exercise their best judgment. If there is scum, a paint-like surface or the water is bright green, avoid contact and keep pets away. These are indications that a harmful bloom may be present. Pet owners should be aware that animals that swim in or drink water affected by a harmful algal bloom or eat dried algae along the shore may become seriously ill or die.
A petition for judicial review has been filed as the first part of the regulatory phase is wrapping up for transferring water from the R9 Ranch in Edwards County to Hays.
The ranch is owned by the cities of Hays and Russell to be used as long term water source, which may also be made available to Ellis, Victoria and La Crosse.
A final master order was issued March 27 by David Barfield, chief engineer at the Kansas Department of Agriculture’s Division of Water Resources (DWR), approving change applications by Hays and Russell to convert the irrigation rights of the R9 Ranch to municipal use for the cities.
There are two checks in that process.
Due to the quantity of water and the distance it will be transported for its new use, the project also requires approval under the state’s Water Transfer Act. Now that the changes have been approved, the water transfer proceeding will be initiated to determine whether it is in the state’s overall best interest to allow the transfer of the water.
“Entities could petition the secretary of agriculture for a review of the order. There was (such) a petition and the secretary declined declined to review the order, and stated the order was fine,” Hays City Manager Toby Dougherty told city commissioners Thursday night.
The last opportunity for an intervention by an outside party is to petition for a judicial review.
A group called WaterPACK, the Water Protection Association of Central Kansas, has filed a petition for judicial review with the court in Edwards County.
“They’re really our only opposition in this entire project,” noted Dougherty. “Essentially what the petition said is that (they) don’t agree with the chief engineer’s findings on the master order.
“They rehashed all the arguments they brought up as the master order was being drafted to which the chief engineer pointed out they weren’t relevant to the situation. There was no new information introduced.”
DWR is in the process of filing its response to WaterPACK. The Division of Water Resources, through their agriculture department attorney, is filing their answer to the petition on June 28.
“I believe, on that same day, it’s our attorney’s intention to file a motion to intervene on behalf of Hays. There will also be one filed on behalf of the city of Russell. Once those motions are filed, we are tied into the case,” Dougherty explained to the commissioners, “becoming a party to the case, as is WaterPACK and as is the Division of Water Resources.”
Dougherty does not know what the court proceedings schedule will be. “That will be up to the judge to determine what the procedure is to be going forward, or whether something might get dismissed.
“We do fully intend to be tied to this case,” he emphasized.
R9 Ranch, Edwards County
By state law, once the Final Master Order is issued, the Water Transfer Act is triggered, which has never happened in Kansas.
The act still requires approval within 18 months from a three-person panel consisting of the Kansas Department of Health and Environment Secretary or the KDHE Director of the Division of Environment, the head of the Kansas Water Office, and the chief engineer of the KDA/DWR. The state agriculture department oversees the Division of Water Resources.
Updated public information is available on the KDA–DWR website dedicated to the project — agriculture.ks.gov/HaysR9.
