For the time being, it’s BYOB–Bring Your Own Bleachers–to games at Hays ball fields.

Thursday night’s storms destroyed or damaged several seating bleachers at the Bickle-Schmidt Sports Complex on the west side of Hays,  according to the Hays Recreation Commission.

City of Hays workers and HRC staff are moving bleachers from other fields ball fields around town to the Sports Complex.

Spectators are asked to bring their own chairs for all youth and adult games at all Hays locations.  Bleacher seating will be limited temporarily at all locations.

The damaged and missing bleachers will be replaced.

Anna Hickert (far right), Hays, is one of five high school students selected by Midwest Energy to attend the 52nd annual “Government in Action” Youth Tour,  June 14-21,  in Washington, D.C.

Hickert,  Nathan Frame of Kinsley, Katie Showalter of Alexander, Will Allen of Brewster and Elizabeth Nedland of Oberlin were selected among several applicants, and will join 33 Kansas high school students selected by electric cooperatives throughout the state.

The five Midwest Energy delegates began their trip in Hays, touring Midwest Energy’s state-of-the-art Goodman Energy Center.   In Topeka, the Kansas delegation was joined by four students from Hawaii’s Kaua’i Island Utility, and both groups will visit Kaw Valley Electric Cooperative before flying to Washington.

Once in Washington, the Kansas delegation will join with 1,500 high school students from 45 states for a week of energy-themed educational meetings, meetings with elected representatives, and organized sightseeing events.

“They will gain valuable insight into the political process and develop great relationships that will serve them well as future community leaders, ” said Earnie Lehman, President and General Manager at Midwest Energy.

The annual youth tour is coordinated by Kansas Electric Cooperatives, the statewide service organization for the rural electric cooperatives in Kansas.

Hays-based Midwest Energy, Inc. is a customer-owned cooperative serving 49,000 electric customers and 42,000 gas customers in 41 counties of central and western Kansas.

Heartland Community Foundation has received a $10,000 donation from the Union Pacific Railroad Foundation, kicking off the HCF Builder’s Campaign. The announcement was made last Friday.

“This is the first of what we hope will be many gifts that will help us continue to build our Foundation into the kind of organization that Ellis, Trego and Rooks counties need in order to support charities, civic projects and community pride,” said Mendi Alexander, HCF Board Chair.

Bob Lowen is executive director of the Heartland Community Foundation.  “Two years ago our Foundation accepted a matching gift, fundraising challenge from the Kansas Health Foundation,” Lowen said.  “We agreed to raise one million dollars over a six-year period and if we do that the KHF will award our Foundation $500,000 over that timeframe. Our board sees this as a wonderful opportunity for our organization to grow and be even more successful in the years to come. ”

The Heartland Community Foundation was established in 2007.

Hays Med is one of nearly 90 Kansas hospitals participating in the Hospital Engagement Network to improve patient care and reduce health care costs throughout the state.

The “HEN” project kick-off meeting is today in Topeka.

It’s coordinated by the Kansas Hospital Association as part of the federal Partnership for Patients Campaign.  The goal is to improve patient safety and reduce the incidence of harm related to 10 specific hospital acquired conditions.

The 10 conditions are:

* Adverse drug events

* Catheter-associated urinary tract infections

* Central line-associated blood stream infections

* Injuries from falls and immobility

* Obstetrical adverse events

* Pressure ulcers

* Surgical site infections

* Venous thromboembolism

* Ventilator-associated pneumonia

* Preventable readmissions

“Of the hospital associations involved, Kansas has one of the highest participation rates with 88 of the state’s 127 hospitals signed up,” KHA president Tom Bell said. “This is yet another example of the priority we assign to safer care for our patients.”

Participating hospitals include:

* Cheyenne County Hospital, St. Francis

* Citizens Medical Center, Colby

* Decatur Health Systems Inc., Oberlin

* Goodland Regional Medical Center, Goodland

* Gove County Medical Center, Quinter

* Grisell Memorial Hospital, Ransom

* Hays Medical Center, Hays

* Ness County District No. 2 Hospital, Ness City

* Norton County Hospital, Norton

* Osborne County Memorial Hospital, Osborne

* Phillips County Hospital, Phillipsburg

* Rawlins County Health Center, Atwood

* Rooks County Health Center, Plainville

* Russell Regional Hospital, Russell

* Sheridan County Health Complex, Hoxie

* Smith County Memorial Hospital, Smith Center

* Trego County Lemke-Memorial Hospital, WaKeeney

There are more than 1,600 hospitals in 34 states participating nationwide, working with their state hospital associations in partnership with the Health Research and Educational Trust.

 

Local law enforcement presence will be increased June 16th, 2012 as the Hays Police Department will be conducting a DUI saturation patrol in an effort to deter and decrease the number of impaired and intoxicated drivers on the street.

The purpose of the program is to saturate the city with roving police officers who continually monitor vehicular traffic for signs of impaired driving.  Officers will place an emphasis on speeding, safety belt and alcohol-related violations.

This event is being conducted in accordance with the Kansas Department of Transportation “I.D.D.P.” – Impaired Driving Deterrence Program.

Questions can be directed to:  Sgt. Mitchell Berens or Police Chief Don Scheibler at 625-10310

 

U.S. Senator Jerry Moran and his wife, Robba, are moving from Hays to Manhattan at the end of June.

Their daughter Alex will be attending Kansas State University this  fall to study veterinary medicine.

Daughter Kelsey is entering Georgetown Law School in Washington, D-C.

Robba Moran is a Board of Regents member which meets regularly in Topeka.

And, living in  Manhattan will significantly reduce the time required each weekend for Jerry Moran to travel between Kansas and Washington.

After 27 years living in Hays, their home is for sale.

The Hays City Band strikes up another season Tuesday evening.

Under the baton of  Dr. Jeff Jordan, Fort Hays State University Director of Bands, the group is open to community musicians of all ages and abilities.

“We have players in middle school as well as community members in their eighties with almost everything in between. This band points up the fact that music is something you can always do while it’s also a great inter-generational learning experience for everyone involved, ” Jordan said.

The first performance is June 12 at 7:30p.m.  in the FHSU  campus quad.

Other concerts will be in Ellis, WaKeeney and July 4^th at historic Fort Hays.  Admission is free.

 

She joined 4-H as a child and has been involved ever since–about 50 years now.

In recognition of her long time work, Hays resident Donna Maskus has been presented with the Volunteer Salute to Excellence Lifetime Award.

She was honored May 31 in Manhattan during the Emerald Circle Banquet, the  annual awards ceremony for Kansas 4-H youth development.

Maskus is a club leader for Gemini Juniors 4-H in Hays and co-chairwoman of the North Central Region 12-state 4-H volunteer forum.