New food experiences can open us to new cultures and new communities. The Hays office of the Cottonwood Extension District will host a Chinese Culinary Workshop on Wednesday, March 14 from 5:30-7:30 p.m. at the Hays First Presbyterian Church, 2900 Hall Street in Hays. The cost is only $5 per person.
This hands-on Chinese cooking class will serve as an occasion for restaurant professionals, food inspectors, and the community to interact with each other. The workshop is co-sponsored by the K-State Confucius Institute, inspectors of the Kansas Department of Agriculture, and K-State Research and Extension specialists.
Chinese chefs will demonstrate cooking techniques and KDA inspectors will share proper food safety and food handling practices.
This class is designed for local restaurant staff, culinary students and the public. The registration fee includes class instruction and tasting. Class size is limited to 20 people. For questions or to register, contact the Hays office at 785-628-9430.
Steve Gilliland
We are a fickle people; we bellyache when it rains too much, we moan when it rains too little, we wail when it snows too much and we gritch when it doesn’t snow at all. Is anyone else besides me old enough to remember when it used to snow here in the winter? Now I know I’m exaggerating as it hasn’t been that long, but it sure seems like forever since we’ve had a snowfall worthy of winter.
I grew up in central Ohio, where snowstorms and the occasional blizzard were just part of winter. Our house set back nearly 200 yards off a gravel road. The field on one side of the drive and the pasture on the other side each had a couple high spots in them, but the driveway had been cut through those high spots, leaving it straight and flat, but also leaving the ground on either side of it higher than the drive at those two places. The driveway ran north and south, so a pure north wind during a snowstorm cleaned out the driveway. But any wind from the west or northwest piled snow in those two places by the foot. Many a winter we had to leave the car or truck for a few days at the end of the drive next to the road where we had scooped out a parking place, or we had to drive through the pasture and climb the fence to get to the house.
Over the years I’ve had a love-hate relationship with snow. I used to like snow until I began working in the maintenance department at the local nursing/retirement home. There, the battle cry concerning snow removal was “If it’s covered, we will move it.” We maintenance guys had snow shovels in hand and snow blowers idling before the first flakes ever hit the ground. My supervisor and I never saw eye-to-eye when it came to snow removal; I understand he had to take his stand because of liability issues, but I always argued if people couldn’t manage to drive through a few inches of snow, they should stay home in the first place. Anyway, one of the things I looked forward to when I retired two years ago was sitting in my recliner in front of my big picture window drinking a cup of hot chocolate while it snowed and blew like crazy outside, all the while knowing my buddies at the retirement home were bustin’ their humps pushing snow shovels. You see how that worked out!
Snow in measured amounts can be great for outdoorsmen. Our ground is often so hard in the fall when setting coyote traps that tracks are barely visible unless the ground is sandy. Tracks play the major role in telling me where to set traps. The terrain can be textbook perfect for coyote travel, but if there are no tracks it’s probably not worth my effort to set a trap there. Snow solves that problem. A couple inches of fresh snow are absolutely perfect for showing hunters and trappers tracks and other critter signs we can’t see in the dry soil. Coyotes like to travel frozen creeks and streams, and I remember following a set of coyote tracks down the middle of a frozen drainage ditch a couple years ago. I could see every step the coyote took, everywhere it stopped to nose around where it entered and exited the ice. I would never have seen any of that without a little snow. Ditto for deer hunters; a nice tracking snow will show things we can’t otherwise see, like where deer might be routinely jumping fences or bedding down & entering or exiting thickets or swamps.
Snow is wonderful moisture, as it seems to contain elements from the atmosphere beneficial to everything green. Snow is also a wonderful insulator, often insulating and protecting the new wheat when temperatures remain sub-zero for a spell. From my youth, I remember some of the biggest snows of the season coming in March, and an April snowfall is certainly not out of the question here. On years like this when warm weather seems very premature, wildlife nurseries can be full earlier than usual also, and late season snow and ice can be very harmful to nesting or already hatched upland birds. For moisture, spring snows are just as beneficial as actual winter snows, but are usually very wet and hard to move. I guess what I’m thinking as I write this is maybe, just maybe we’ll get some snow yet, and hopefully when that hard April freeze hits, there will be snow on the wheat to protect it. Either way, continue to Explore Kansas Outdoors!
Steve Gilliland, Inman, can be contacted by email at [email protected].
New food experiences can open us to new cultures and new communities. The Hays office of the Cottonwood Extension District will host a Chinese Culinary Workshop on Wednesday, March 14, from 5:30-7:30 pm at Hays First Presbyterian Church, 2900 Hall. The cost is only $5 per person.
This hands-on Chinese cooking class will serve as an occasion for restaurant professionals, food inspectors, and the community to interact with each other. The workshop is co-sponsored by the K-State Confucius Institute, inspectors of the Kansas Department of Agriculture, and K-State Research and Extension specialists. Chinese chefs will demonstrate cooking techniques and KDA inspectors will share proper food safety and food handling practices.
This class is designed for local restaurant staff, culinary students and the public. The registration fee includes class instruction and tasting. Class size is limited to 20 people. For questions or to register, contact the Hays office at 785-628-9430.
The city of Hays Fire Department will be inspecting and flow testing fire hydrants on Mon., March 5, 2018 in the area from Thunderbird Dr. to Highway 183 Alt. between 41st St. and Fairground Rd. and the area of General Hays Rd. and Roth Ave. between 48th and 55th St.
This is part of a coordinated effort by the city to inspect all fire hydrants in the city and flush all water mains annually.
Fire crews working another blaze over the weekend-photo courtesy Stevens Co. Emergency Management
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas Gov. Jeff Colyer has signed an emergency disaster declaration in response to a fire in the southwest part of the state.
The declaration issued Sunday stems from a fire in Stevens County. The Kansas Department of Emergency Management said in a news release that additional counties may be added to the declaration as the response operations continue.
The size of the fire wasn’t immediately known. Officials with the county and state didn’t immediately return phone messages from The Associated Press seeking comment.
Forecasters are warning of a high risk of wildfires across much of the state because of strong winds and dry conditions.
The Hays Area Children’s Center, Inc. (HACC) seeks an individual to oversee all programs of the agency, including an 82-child licensed child care center, Infant/Toddler Early Intervention services, Special Health Care Needs program, and Healthy Start Home Visitor services.
Applicants must be licensed as a Director of Special Education or Special Education
Supervisor/Coordinator with District Leadership (Pre K-12). A minimum of two years’ experience with Part C services is required; Early Childhood endorsement preferred. The selected candidate will oversee personnel, financial, licensure, and collaboration with community partners. HACC offers a competitive compensation and benefits package, through employment with USD 489 – Hays which includes health insurance. For additional information or to download an application, visit www.hacc.info.
The anticipated start date is June 11, 2018; however, applications will be accepted until the position is filled.
To apply, submit application, resume, cover letter, and three references to: HACC Executive Director Search Committee 94 Lewis Drive Hays, KS 67601 EOE/AA
SEDGWICK COUNTY — The search for a missing Kansas boy is now its third week. On Sunday, volunteers with from Missing and Endangered from Northwest Missouri searched Chisholm Park in Wichita for 5-year-old Lucas Hernandez, according to the organization’s social media page.
Lucas Hernandez
On Saturday, members of the volunteer horse mounted search and recovery team Texas EquuSearch joined in the search for Lucas, according to their web site.
Lucas was last seen in Wichita, on February 17th 2018. Lucas was wearing a gray t-shirt with a bear on it, black sweat pants and socks. Lucas is missing his top / front teeth, and he has silver caps on his remaining teeth. He also has a small scar on his upper / left abdomen from a prior medical procedure. If you have seen Lucas Hernandez since his disappearance, if you know of his current whereabouts or if you have any information whatsoever concerning his disappearance; please call the Wichita, Kansas Police Department at (316) 268-4111
Please be advised that beginning Monday, March 5, 2018 the reconstruction of Allen Street will begin in Hays.
Allen Street will be closed from Vine Street south to the north side of 22nd Street Intersection leaving east and west bound lanes open to traffic.
This phase of construction will include waterline replacement and is scheduled to last until May 4, 2018 (pending weather conditions). The entire project should be complete by November 16, 2018.
Signs will be in place to direct the traveling public. Motorists should use caution in these areas.
The City of Hays regrets any inconvenience this may cause to the public. If there are any questions, please call the Office of Project Management at 628-7350 or the contractor, Paul-Wertenberger Construction, at 785-625-8220.
SHAWNEE COUNTY. –Two people were injured in a fire Sunday in Shawnee County. Just before 8a.m., fire crews responded to a structure fire located at 1021 NE Jefferson Street in Topeka, according to a media release.
Scene of Sunday morning fire-photo courtesy WIBW TV
Upon arrival, fire crews found heavy fire coming the first floor of the dwelling. One occupant of the structure was able to be rescued from the interior by a roommate, prior to Fire Department arrival.
This occupant sustained life threatening injuries and was transported to a local hospital for treatment. The other occupant was also transported for evaluation of smoke inhalation injuries.
The fire was extinguished keeping it contained to the structure of fire origin, but not before the dwelling sustained substantial damage. Cause of the fire remains under investigation but more likely than not accidental associated with a failure/malfunction of a wood burning stove, according to investigators.
The Estimated dollar loss – $5,600 to the structure and $1,000 to contents.The did have working smoke alarms.
Today Patchy blowing dust between 7am and 3pm. Sunny, with a high near 55. Very windy, with a northwest wind 25 to 30 mph increasing to 35 to 40 mph in the morning. Winds could gust as high as 55 mph.
Very high fire danger today. Properly discard cigarettes. Don't park over grass. Be prepared if a wildfire does break out. #kswx#firewxpic.twitter.com/wVyLz3s5M8
Tonight Mostly clear, with a low around 29. Blustery, with a west northwest wind 15 to 24 mph.
Tuesday Increasing clouds, with a high near 48. Very windy, with a northwest wind 22 to 27 mph increasing to 34 to 39 mph in the afternoon. Winds could gust as high as 55 mph.
Tuesday Night Mostly clear, with a low around 20. Windy, with a north northwest wind 21 to 26 mph decreasing to 9 to 14 mph after midnight. Winds could gust as high as 38 mph.
Wednesday Sunny, with a high near 50. Northwest wind 8 to 10 mph.
OLATHE, Kan. (AP) — A man accused in a possible hate crime shooting in suburban Kansas City is scheduled to appear in court for a plea hearing.
Fifty-two-year-old Adam Purinton, of Olathe, Kansas, is charged with killing an Indian national and wounding two other men in a February 2017 shooting at Austin’s Bar and Grill in Olathe. Witnesses said Purinton, who is white, yelled racial slurs before he fatally shot Srinivas Kuchibhotla and wounded Alok Madasani. A third man, Ian Grillot, was injured by gunfire when he tried to intervene.
Kuchibhotla and Madasani were engineers at GPS-maker Garmin.
After the shooting, Purinton drove to a restaurant in Clinton, Missouri, where a bartender called police after Purinton allegedly told him about the shooting.
SEDGWICK COUNTY — A pair of Sunday earthquakes shook residents in Kansas. The quakes centered northeast of Enid, Oklahoma measured a magnitude 4.2, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.
Sunday earthquake felt across Kansas -USGS image
The first hit at 5:17 p.m. followed by another at 9:40 p.m. The region reported a 2. 7 magnitude quake early Monday.
Residents from Dodge City to Topeka reported feeling the quakes. There have no reports of damage or injury.
COTTONWOOD EXTENSION
