Farmers, if you want to learn more about sprayer nozzles and how to reduce drift and enhance spray coverage with your field sprayers then make plans to attend the “Sprayer Application Update” to be held Thursday, March 7 at the Walnut Valley Senior Center in Rush Center, 220 Washington Street.
Registration will begin at 8:30 a.m. The program starts at 9 a.m. and concludes at 11:30 a.m. followed by a complimentary lunch.
Other topics covered will be pulse width modulation systems, calibration scenarios and a review of sprayer and spray equipment, and time for your questions. A.J. Sharda, K-State Precision Ag/Machine Systems Engineer will be the presenter.
Pre-registration is requested by Tuesday, March 5. Call the Hays Cottonwood Extension Office at 785-628-9430.
Let me begin by saying thank you to all veterans for their service to our great nation. NCK Tech is proud to have several U.S. military veterans currently enrolled as students, as well as many veteran alumni who are now serving our country through the workforce. NCK Tech remains committed to helping veterans reach their career goals and honoring their service to both our country and the workforce.
The purpose of this letter is to invite you to join NCK Tech in a celebration designed to honor veterans for their service to the military and their contribution to our nation’s workforce. As a sign of our appreciation, NCK Tech has established a “Veterans Honorary Associates Degree of Technical Education.We would like to ask you to consider nominating a veteran you know, or even yourself, for this award.
North Central Kansas Technical College understands many service men and women, upon leaving the armed forces, immediately returned home and joined the workforces to provide for themselves and support their families. Many acquired technical skills while performing their job but never earned a college degree acknowledging their abilities. It is our intention, through awarding this degree, to honor those veterans for their military service, their technical skills and their lifetime contribution to our nation’s workforce.
Consideration for the Veterans Honorary Associates Degree of Technical Education applicants should meet the following criteria:
Honorable discharge from a branch of the United States military
Minimum age of 50, posthumous nominations will also be considered
Provide the advising committee with discharge papers (form DD-214)
Submit a complete Veterans Honorary Associates Degree of Technical Education nomination form including letter outlining military and workforce experiences
Qualifying veterans may participate in NCK Tech’s spring commencement and recognized for their service.The veteran may choose to attend a reception and ceremony at either Beloit on Friday, May 10, at 7 p.m. or Hays on Saturday, May 11, at 11:30 a.m.
To nominate a veteran for this honor complete a nomination form on our website – www.ncktc.edu/about-us/veterans-associate-degree/ and submit electronically to the college.To receive a printed nomination form, call the college at 1-800-658-4655 and request a nomination form mailed to you.
In closing, the faculty and staff of NCK Tech, along with our advisory committee, would like to express our gratitude for your military service and commitment to our country’s workforce. Thank you for your contribution to the United States and may God Bless America.
Like track runners, farmers and ranchers in Kansas face several hurdles. Whether it’s unpredictable and unfavorable weather, a volatile market that causes commodity prices to fluctuate or correcting misconceptions about agriculture, farmers hurdle many things.
Yet, hurdle after hurdle, farmers and ranchers run the race because they love what they do. They chose it. They want their operation to continue so the next generation can carry on the tradition. For this to happen, our food and fiber producers need to stay healthy.
A recent national survey shows 65 percent of farm and ranch families believe access to affordable health care options is the number one threat to the success of their operation. In the past five years, net farm income has declined by nearly 50 percent, while health insurance costs have spiraled upward. In Kansas, Farm Bureau members report health coverage costs as the most significant expense in their family budget, at times representing 30 to 40 percent of annual expenses. That is a hurdle nearly impossible for farmers to overcome.
Sherman County farmer Tim Franklin has felt the struggle of finding workable and affordable health care. When the Affordable Care Act (ACA) altered the definition of sole-proprietorship, it resulted in their health coverage carrier canceling their group coverage.
“The logic was that we didn’t qualify for the group plan because we didn’t have employees,” the Goodland farmer says. “My parents are involved in our farm but operate separately and we don’t have nonfamily employees that would qualify us to form a new group.”
The family went to the marketplace for coverage and was hopeful to qualify for subsidies, but never received help. Their health care costs continue to increase while their coverages weaken. Between 2010 and 2018, premiums for individuals increased by 176 percent for ACA plans. The cost to cover a family jumped by 216 percent.
In order to advocate on behalf of farmers like the Franklin family, Kansas Farm Bureau introduced Senate Bill 32, which will authorize it to offer members health care benefit coverage.
This legislation is designed for Kansans who don’t have access to a group insurance plan and make too much to qualify for subsidies under the ACA. Typically, these Kansans are spending a fortune for their own individual coverage or are uninsured. It’s another option provided to cover more lives in Kansas.
Kansas Farm Bureau will offer individually rated plans at a significant savings to similar coverage under the ACA. This new option will allow Kansans to choose health coverage that’s best for them. Some may not receive health benefit coverage, while others may have waiting periods for previous diagnoses. In those cases, plans offered through the ACA are still available to them.
Once members are accepted, and they continue to pay their KFB membership and premiums they will not be denied coverage. The health care benefit coverage plans have no annual or lifetime limits. The benefits may include office visits, hospitalization, preventative care services, emergency room services, maternity care, prescription drug benefits, mental health and substance abuse, and dental and vision coverage. Members can decide what level of coverage they’re comfortable with.
Opponents to the measure, the same large companies that have dictated health policy in Kansas for years don’t like this. They want to maintain the status quo so they can continue to control the marketplace and lock in their profits. Kansas Farm Bureau believes there is a better way, build on a free market with a goal of serving members.
For Atchison County farmer Mindy Young, affordable health care has meant a smaller farm because her husband has a job in town mainly for its health coverage.
“The big thing holding us back right now is time,” she says. “With his full-time job, he has a hard time finding time to commit to growing the farm.”
Farm and ranch families and small business owners face uncertain economic times, making their ability to purchase health coverage for their families difficult, resulting in more uncovered lives in Kansas and struggling health systems in rural communities. Kansas Farm Bureau’s proposal creates competition and free-market options for health coverage, supports rural hospitals and providers, and keeps families on the farm.
If you struggle to find affordable health care, tell your legislators your story. Learn more and send your message at www.kfb.org/kshealthcare.
“Insight” is a weekly column published by Kansas Farm Bureau, the state’s largest farm organization whose mission is to strengthen agriculture and the lives of Kansans through advocacy, education and service.
Martin HawverIt’s still a showdown, the GOP-led Legislature and Democrat Gov. Laura Kelly, and they’re holding their cards near their chests and looking at each other’s eyes to see who blinks first.
Those $88-a-day legislators (plus per diem, of course) are still on their Turnaround Day break, presumably exhausted from debating many of the bills in each chamber and sending them across the rotunda to the other chamber. And they’ve sent just one bill to Kelly so far. Best deal for those legislators is that they get paid by the day—not on commission—or we’d see them at street corners with signs seeking lunch money.
That single bill they’ve sent to Kelly is the $115 million repayment of money borrowed from the Kansas Public Employee Retirement System, and Kelly isn’t saying whether she’ll sign or veto it, and it would be out of character for her to just let it become law without her signature.
The bills floating around? Well, they’re still floating at what is theoretically, or popularly, called the “halfway point” of the session. That’s the tax cut bill and the K-12 bill, which at least the Senate Education Committee hasn’t finished up yet and isn’t likely to move to floor debate this week.
The tax cuts? Kelly doesn’t think that the state has enough information on just what those federal cuts are going to do to Kansas revenues. She for the first time last week said out loud that she might not sign a tax cut bill this year.
For some number of Republicans—and mostly party leadership—those tax cuts are politically vital.
The leadership refers to making those federal tax cuts trickle down to Kansans vital. And cutting Kansas taxes now? Well, Republicans call not cutting Kansas income taxes a tax hike, because the less you pay to Washington, the more money is available for taxing by Kansas.
There are also some relatively clever little political games within the tax debate, like a one-cent reduction in Kansas sales tax on groceries, from 6.5 percent to 5.5 percent. Nobody doesn’t want to pay less sales tax. And no legislator doesn’t want to vote to cut taxes on nearly everything—and especially food.
While you read a lot about “helping the poor” with that food sales tax cut, the income tax part of the bill helps corporations and the upper-middle and upper-upper income Kansans who probably haven’t eaten bologna on white bread for years…
It might be interesting, though, to see how that Senate-passed, House committee-amended bill does in full House debate.
***
The issue that pits conservative Republicans against the Kansas Supreme Court on adequately financing public schools? Well, neither chamber has passed a bill yet. The Democrats are eager to at least pay that $93 million next year to meet the court’s definition of “adequate” funding, and Republicans appear split between whether the “unelected judges” (who stand for retention elections every six years) should determine just what “adequate” is, or whether lawmakers should make that decision.
Lots of talk, lots of committee hearings, but nothing has seen full debate.
***
The showdown between Kelly and the Republicans leading the Legislature on nearly every issue?
No winners, just that staring at each other, maybe typing up a little press release, now and again, but so far, nothing very final.
It’s easier when the Legislature and the governor are of the same political persuasion. Little deals are possible.
But when it’s a Democrat governor and Republican legislature? Just try to remember back to high school, and those bad dates…
Syndicated by Hawver News Company LLC of Topeka; Martin Hawver is publisher of Hawver’s Capitol Report—to learn more about this nonpartisan statewide political news service, visit the website at www.hawvernews.com
Average Kansas gas price rises 6 cents to $2.25/gallon in the past week; up 30 cents in past month
AAA
WICHITA – Kansas motorists continue to see more expensive prices at the gas pumps. The Sunflower State’s 6-cent increase in the past week was the fifth largest jump in the nation, and Kansas gas prices have risen 30 cents in the past month.
Whereas Kansas usually enjoys gas prices among the top 10 cheapest in the nation, this week’s average price registers 13th cheapest, still 18 cents less than the national average of $2.43.
“Pump prices rose steadily in Kansas and across the country in February, a month that saw a number of refineries undergoing planned and unplanned maintenance, and an increase in crude oil prices,” said AAA Kansas spokesman Shawn Steward. ““Gas prices have been pushed higher this week due to reduced gasoline stock levels and increased demand. Motorists can expect gas prices to continue to increase as refineries gear up for spring gasoline production and maintenance season.”
Of the 10 Kansas cities regularly highlighted by AAA Kansas (see chart below), eight experienced price increases at the pump. The largest price jumps were seen in Pittsburg (+12 cents), Kansas City, Kan. (+10) and Wichita (+10). Hays (-3) and Salina (-4) gas prices fell from one week ago.
According to AAA Kansas, this week’s Kansas gas price extremes are:
HIGH: Kensington (Smith County) – $2.51
LOW: Mullinville (Kiowa County) – $2.10
National Perspective
The national gas price average has increased nearly 20-cents since the beginning of the year, which is the largest jump during the January-February timeframe since 2015.
Today’s national average is $2.42, which is three-cents more expensive than last week, is 17-cents more expensive than a month ago, but 10-cents cheaper than a year ago.
Quick Stats
The nation’s top 10 largest weekly increases are: Florida (+13 cents), Alabama (+11 cents), Mississippi (+8 cents), Louisiana (+8 cents), Kansas (+6 cents), South Dakota (+6 cents), Texas (+5 cents), North Dakota (+5 cents), Colorado (+5 cents) and Michigan (+5 cents).
The nation’s top 10 least expensive markets are: Missouri ($2.17), Arkansas ($2.17), Utah ($2.18), Mississippi ($2.19), South Carolina ($2.19), Texas ($2.19), Virginia ($2.20), Colorado ($2.20), Louisiana ($2.21) and Tennessee ($2.22). (Kansas is 13thcheapest this week.)
Laura Gaughan, reading specialist at O’Loughlin Elementary School, has been honored as a 2019 Kansas Master Teacher.
By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays Post
Laura Gaughan, reading specialist at O’Loughlin Elementary School, said she thinks being a teacher and shaping young lives is the most important thing a person can do with his or her life.
Gaughan has been honored as one of only seven Kansas Master Teachers for 2019.
To earn this honor, an educator must be first selected by fellow NEA members in their school. She was then selected as a district Master Teacher. Finally Gaughan, a teacher for 27 years, submitted an application to the state level. The honorees were announced last week.
“I am so honored and humbled to have that,” Gaughan said of her award. “I work with such great, great people. I don’t think people know how hard teachers work.”
Gaughan, 52, is a reading specialist, which is a federally funded position. She spends part of her day as a reading recovery teacher. In this program, she works one on one with first graders to help them develop their reading skills. She also works with groups of students in grades kindergarten to second grade on early reading intervention.
Yet another portion of Gaughan’s day is consumed with English language arts support for other teachers.
Teaching is a family affair for Gaughan.
Gaughan’s mom and dad were both teachers in St. John. Her father taught middle school and high school math, and her mom taught middle school social studies, second grade and was also a reading teacher. Her brother, sister and sister-in-law are all also teachers. Her parents were role models and inspired her to go into the profession.
“It is the most important thing you can do with your life — to make an impact on kids and be able to shape the future,” she said. “If one child grows up and remembers you, that is pretty special. If they grow up and say, ‘That teacher made a difference in my life,’ that’s pretty special.
“It is a wonderful way to live your life — kids running up to you and hugging you. It is a great way to live your life to feel like you are impacting kids.”
Having a foundation in reading is especially important to student confidence and success, Gaughan said.
“Kids are forming ideas about their own self-esteem and what they think about themselves — ‘Do I think I am a good reader? Am I a good writer? Am I good at math?’ They are forming those opinions of themselves, and we never want them to have any negative thoughts about themselves about being a reader and a writer. We want to boost that in first grade before they start to struggle. …
“We are all about making a difference in kids’ lives, not only as readers and writers, but just as kids and as people. We want them to be the best they can be. To make them a good reader and a good writer, that is going to enhance the rest of their lives. It is going to make the whole rest of their lives easier, because they will be reading and writing for the rest of their lives.”
Enjoying books and literature enhances your life and makes you a better person, Gaughan said.
“Reading shows all of us about emotions and love and hate and judgment,” she said. “It gives us a window to all of those emotions and just makes our lives better.”
Gaughan’s favorite books when she was a child included the “Clifford the Big Red Dog” series, “Corduroy,” and “Pretzel.”
She read books such as “Poppy,” “Where the Red Fern Grows,” and “Stone Fox” to her children.
Once upon reading “Stone Fox” to a group of second graders, she was so moved by the book, she started to cry.
“It happens to teachers. It’s OK,” she said. “I think it shows your personal side, and I think kids love to see that — that their teacher is a person and they love books too and that is how books can touch us.”
Gaughan taught middle school in Green, Kansas, before she and her family moved to Hays. She taught second and third grade, but then the district opened training for reading teachers in 1997.
“That changed my career,” she said of the reading training. “I absolutely loved teaching reading. I fell in love with that and love what I do.”
Gaughan’s love of books was also inspired by her mother who always had a large library. She read to her and her siblings when they were young and Gaughan’s children when they were little.
Gaughan’s son is now in medical school and continues to be an avid reader and suggests books to his mom.
“He’ll sometimes write notes in the margins and give me his books,” she said, “and that just makes me emotional to read books he has read and he has his notes in the margins. That really touches me.”
The best reading learning is in the context of a story, Gaughan said. She has boxes upon boxes of books in her small office at all levels and on all topics. She tries to get to know her students and find books on topics they are interested in.
“We are always promoting a love of reading and a love of books,” she said.
After 27 years, Gaughan said the children continue to surprise her.
“I have laughed with kids. I have cried with kids. I have celebrated with kids,” she said. “There have been so many kids through the years. What is so amazing to me is that after 27 years when I have kids walk in here and I work with them, it is like every single one of them is unique.
“You would think after 27 years, ‘I would have had a student like this,’ or ‘I’ve had a student do that.’ You would think it would fall into a routine of repeating the past, but it doesn’t. Each single child who walks in here is unique and different and their needs are different, everyone one of them.”
She said being a teacher is a great responsibility.
“You have to love kids. You have to care about them deeply for them to try,” Gaughan said. “They need that. They need to see you as someone they trust and absolutely it makes them a better person overall. This is just a short piece of the long road they are going to be on in life, but we want to make a difference for them if we can.”
Gaughan is also working on her national boards, which she hopes to have completed in the next few years.
Gaughan and the other master teachers will be honored at the state capitol in March. She will also travel to Emporia State University where she will be honored at a luncheon, participate in an educator panel discussion and receive a check for $1,000 from the Bank of America Charitable Foundation.
RENO COUNTY — An attempt to thaw frozen water pipes led to a Kansas house fire.
Just before 5p.m. Monday, fire crews were dispatched to a home in the 1500 Block of East 4th Street in Hutchinson for a structure fire, according to Battalion Chief Jeremy Unruh.
Initial arriving crews found heavy smoke showing from the attic of a single-story residential home. Crews made an aggressive interior attack and controlled the fire within minutes of arrival. The fire was located in a bathroom and had traveled to the attic. There was significant damage to both the bathroom and attic.
The home was occupied at the time of call. Maintenance personnel advised that they were thawing frozen pipes in the bathroom with a heat gun when items in their work area ignited. The occupants exited the building without injury, according to Unruh.
Parts of East 4th Street were blocked for approximately 2 hours.
Hutchinson Fire would like to remind residents to never use an open flame or high heat source (blowtorch, kerosene or propane heater, charcoal stove) to thaw frozen pipes.
If using an electric hair dryer or portable space heater to thaw pipes, keep away from flammable materials and never leave space heaters unattended. If you are unable to thaw the pipe, call a licensed plumber.
Constance J. “Connie” Thompson, 75, passed away March 4, 2019, at the University of Kansas Health System – Great Bend Campus, Great Bend. She was born October 24, 1943, at Great Bend to Joseph F. and Opal M. (Schroeder) Denney. Connie married Kenneth Lyle Thompson Jan. 8, 1960, at Great Bend.
Connie, a lifetime resident of Great Bend, was a homemaker and most recently worked for the USD 428 food service department. She was a gifted artist, especially enjoying crafts and painting.
Survivors include her husband, Kenneth of the home; two sons; Allen Thompson and Steven Thompson both of Great Bend; one daughter, Terri Fritz and husband Ken of Great Bend; seven grandchildren and 13 great grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her parents; brother, Jerry Denney; daughter and son-in-law, Sharon and Daryl Ferguson; and step father James Queen.
Funeral services will be 1:00 p.m. Thursday, March 7, 2019, at Bryant Funeral Home, with Rev. Kurt Spivey. Interment will follow at Great Bend Cemetery, Great Bend. Visitation will be from 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m., Wednesday, March 6, 2019, at Bryant Funeral Home, with the family receiving friends from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. Memorials may be directed to the Dementia Society of America, in care of Bryant Funeral Home.
No. 18 Kansas State is still tied for the Big 12 lead with one game left in the regular season after a 64-52 win at TCU. Barry Brown had 16 points to lead four Wildcats in double-figure scoring.
FORT WORTH, Texas (AP) – Barry Brown had 16 points to lead four Kansas State players in double figures and the 18th-ranked Wildcats beat TCU 64-52 on Monday night to maintain a share of the Big 12 lead with one game remaining in the regular season.
Kansas State (23-7, 13-4 Big 12) went ahead to stay with a tiebreaking 13-4 run to end the first half, then scored the first 10 points after halftime.
Kamau Stokes added 15 points for the Wildcats, who remained tied with No. 8 Texas Tech (25-5, 13-4) atop the Big 12 standings. The Red Raiders, who won by 15 at slumping TCU on Saturday, finished a 70-51 home win over Texas only minutes after the K-State game ended.
Kevin Samuel had 17 points and seven rebounds to lead TCU (18-12, 6-11), while RJ Nembhard scored 12 points.
After TCU’s Desmond Bane made a second-chance 3-pointer with 4:47 left in the first half to tie the game at 23, the Wildcats started their game-turning run.
Dean Wade, who scored all of his nine points before halftime, assisted on a 3-pointer by Stokes before the 6-foot-10 senior who was the preseason All-Big 12 player of the year had a steal. Wade and Brown then traded passes down the court before Wade slammed the ball home.
Stokes hit a 3 that beat the shot clock just before halftime for a 36-27 lead at the break.
K-State led by as many as 21 points before TCU reeled off 10 points in a row, a streak that finally ended when Mike McGuirl stopped underneath and passed out to Makol Mawien for a 13-foot jumper in the lane.
Xavier Sneed had 11 points and Mawien 10.
BIG PICTURE
Kansas St.: The Wildcats have a chance to win their second Big 12 title. They were co-champions in 2012-13, coach Bruce Weber’s first season, when they shared the title with Kansas – the 14-time defending champion that won the last five titles outright. K-State started 0-2 in the Big 12 when Wade was out with a foot injury, but is 13-2 in conference play since.
TCU: The Horned Frogs lost for the sixth time in seven games, a stretch that has taken them to the NCAA Tournament bubble. Before that, they seemed to be well on their way to their second consecutive NCAA Tournament after ending a two-decade drought last year.
SENIOR NIGHT
TCU seniors Alex Robinson and JD Miller were recognized before the game. Robinson, who is from Fort Worth but played his first college season for Texas A&M, is TCU’s career assist leader at 628. Miller has played in all 133 games since he got on campus, three short of Brandon Parrish’s school record of 136.
UP NEXT
Kansas State wraps up the regular season Saturday at home against Oklahoma, on senior day for starters Wade, Brown and Stokes.
TCU plays its regular-season finale Saturday at Texas, another NCAA Tournament bubble team.
Ivan E. “Ike” Penry, 77, died Monday March 4, 2019. He was born January 20, 1942, in Hoyt, Kansas, the son of Irenious Claude and Alberta (Smith) Penry. He joined the Marine Corps in 1959 and retired as a Gunnery Sergeant in 1979 after proudly serving three tours in Vietnam.
Ike married his wife Norma (Alger) Riedl on November 26, 1982. Together they owned and operated a variety of businesses including Suburban Amusements until their retirement in 2010.
Ike is survived by his wife Norma, five children, two step children, three siblings, and several other family and close friends.
He was preceded in death by his parents, three siblings and a step son.
Friends may call 2 p.m. to 8 p.m. Wednesday, with family to receive friends from 7 to 8 p.m.
Graveside service will be 3 p.m., Thursday, March 7, 2019, in Hoisington Cemetery, with military honors conducted by the United States Marine Corp Honor Guard.
Memorials may be made to the Clara Barton Hospital Foundation in care of Nicholson-Ricke Funeral Home, PO Box 146, Hoisington, KS 67544.
Tuesday Sunny, with a high near 24. Wind chill values as low as -14. Northwest wind 5 to 8 mph becoming west southwest in the afternoon.
Tuesday Night Mostly clear, with a low around 7. Wind chill values as low as -4. South southwest wind 5 to 7 mph.
Wednesday Partly sunny, with a high near 39. Wind chill values as low as -1. South southeast wind 8 to 11 mph, with gusts as high as 21 mph.
Wednesday NightMostly cloudy, with a low around 20. East wind around 10 mph.
ThursdayPartly sunny, with a high near 33.
Thursday NightA slight chance of snow and freezing rain before 7pm, then a slight chance of snow between 7pm and midnight. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 17. Chance of precipitation is 20%.
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Prosecutors have dropped a first-degree murder charge against a second suspect in the deadly shooting of a Topeka woman.
Rahnel Rayford photo Shawnee Co.
Monday’s decision to drop the charge against 28-year-old Rahnel Erik Rayford comes less than a week after a murder charge was dropped against 31-year-old Justin Lee McCoy. The dismissals were done in such a way that the men could be charged again in the death last May of 37-year-old Patricia Sanders.
McCoy has been freed, but Rayford remains jailed on an attempted first-degree murder charge. The defense also wants that charge dropped.
The recent dismissals mark the second time charges have been dropped in the case. The men were released previously after a judge found there wasn’t probable cause to hold them. A grand jury then indicted them.
COTTONWOOD EXTENSION
