KDWPT

PRATT – Good fishing spots can be hard to come by because anglers can be tight-lipped, so to speak, about their favorite fishing holes.

However, the Fisheries Division staff at the Kansas Department Wildlife, Parks and Tourism (KDWPT) can’t keep a secret and they want nothing more than for you to catch fish, so they produce a couple of handy publications every angler should keep in their hip pocket: The 2019 Kansas Fishing Atlas and the 2019 Kansas Fishing Forecast. Both are available online at www.ksoutdoors.com and in printed form, just in time for anglers to begin planning fishing trips this spring.

The forecast is a compilation of data district fisheries biologists gather throughout the year, sampling waters using a variety of methods, including electroshocking, trap nets, and gill nets. Fish are measured and weighed before being released, and data such as length, weight and number of fish caught is compared to that from previous years’ sampling. Creel surveys may also be conducted to find out what anglers are catching and what they prefer to catch.

The forecast ranks waters for each species based on numbers of fish within length categories caught per sampling effort, which could be “per hour of electroshocking” or per “gill or trap net set.” Each species has a different set of length categories. For largemouth bass, the Density Rating is based on the number of fish caught per sampling effort that measured 12 inches or longer. The Preferred Rating for largemouths is the number of fish longer than 15 inches, and the Lunker Rating for largemouths is the number of fish longer than 20 inches.

Incidentally, the No. 1 reservoir for largemouths this year is Sebelius Reservoir in Norton County where 63 bass 12 inches or longer were caught per hour of electroshocking and 26 of those fish were 15 inches long or longer. But while Sebelius ranks first in the Density Rating, La Cygne Reservoir is tops for big bass. Of the 51 12-inch-long-or-longer bass caught per hour at La Cygne, 39 were longer than 15 inches and seven of those were 20 inches long or longer! La Cygne also had the biggest bass sampled, by far – 9.31 pounds.

The forecast also includes Biggest Fish, Biologist’s and Three-year Average ratings. The weight of the biggest fish sampled is included just to give anglers confidence that big fish are present and the Biologist’s Rating of excellent (E), good (G) or poor (P) allows for human input. Occasionally, the Biologist’s Rating may not agree with the numbers and this can happen when environmental conditions impact the sampling results. The Three-year Average Rating lets anglers see trends.

Once you’ve found some lakes with the kind of fishing you’re interested in, the 2019 Kansas Fishing Atlas will show you where they are located. And the fishing atlas maps also show you where private ponds and streams are open to public fishing through the Fishing Impoundments and Stream Habitats (F.I.S.H.) program. You can view and download the electronic version of the fishing atlas online or you can pick one up wherever licenses are sold. An angler willing to do a little map research and walk in to a private pond enrolled in F.I.S.H. is likely to find a fantastic fishing spot. But don’t tell anyone ­– that’s KDWPT’s job.

The City of Hays is looking for career-minded individuals who want to serve their community by protecting its citizens as Police Officers. The work schedule includes 12-hour shifts which provides for 3 days off each week including every other weekend off. Some weekends and holidays required. Applications are also being taken for part time positions. Hours & pay will vary from the full time position.

REQUIREMENTS

Applicants must be a U.S. Citizen & at least 21 years of age within 6 months of application. No felony or domestic violence convictions permitted. Valid driver’s license & High School Diploma or GED required. Law Enforcement Certification, College Degree & Military Experience preferred but not required.

Paid on-the-job training for the right candidate. All Police Officers are required to live within a 40-mile radius of the City of Hays within 180 days of employment. Job offers contingent on pre-employment tests.

***Tattoos allowed with approval of the Chief of Police.***

COMPENSATIONS & BENEFITS

Salary range begins at $19.00.  Guaranteed raises every year along with the opportunity to become a Master Police Officer. Placement depends on experience & certification. The City of Hays offers great benefits. Visitwww.haysusa.com for a full list of the benefits provided.

HOW TO APPLY

Applications will be accepted online at www.haysusa.com until position is filled. Questions about the position may be sent to Human Resources at [email protected] or by calling 785-628-7320.

APTITUDE AND PHYSICAL TEST DATE

The test date is set for March 23^rd. Interested applicants must attend a test date after completing their online application in order to continue on in the hiring process. Applicants will receive more information about the testing process after the application is received.

NORTON, Kan. (AP) — A statewide shortage of trained medical personnel has left many rural county ambulance services having to delay hospital transfers to ensure they have enough staff for emergencies.

For example, in Norton County in northwest Kansas, the county’s 5,400 residents are served by six full-time volunteers and nine volunteers, who respond to all 911 calls and taken patients from one hospital to another.

“Sometimes patients needing to be transferred are left waiting,” said Craig Sowards, Norton County EMS director.

In response to the problem, a proposal before the state Legislature would allow drivers without medical training to transport stable patients in rural areas, which sometimes can take hours. Ambulances would still need to have one person with medical training riding in the back, such as an EMT or a nurse, The Kansas News Service reports .

Some state and local EMS officials say having only one trained person on board could be risky, and they worry about lowering standards of care in rural areas.

“Occasionally patients decline and it’s often helpful to have an extra set of hands to stabilize (patients) before they move on,” said David Johnston, president of the Kansas Emergency Medical Services Association.

Joe House, executive director of the Kansas Board of Emergency Medical Services, defended current regulations that require two medically trained workers on board, including the driver.

“We write our regulations to protect the public’s well-being and safety,” House said. “It’s either safe to do or not safe to do.”

Emergency medical services are competing with clinics, hospitals and schools for trained personnel — and offer a starting wage of only about $21,000 a year, House said.

Many rural ambulance services rely on certified volunteers. Phillips County in northwest Kansas has 84 volunteers to serve a population just under 5,400 but the number drops significantly in surrounding counties.

Pete Rogers, EMS director for Phillips County, said he can’t imagine operating ambulances without two medically trained personnel on board.

“If you have somebody that’s simply a driver and you still have two technicians in the back of the truck with the patient then, then I, I see absolutely no problems with it,” he said. “But I would be concerned if it was a non-certified person driving and only one technician in the back.”

In Norton County, Sowards doesn’t think it’s necessary to have two trained EMS workers for stabilized transfers.

“I’ve been in EMS for 20 years running transfers — maybe once in 20 years I’ve had to have a driver come help,” he said, adding allowing non-certified ambulance drivers for transfers “could help a lot.”

The Kansas Dept. of Agriculture was selected for a USDA Rural Business Development Grant to host a business development workshop in Hays on Wed., March 20, 2019.

Jon Schallert will present a workshop titled: “Transform Your Business into a Consumer Destination.”  The workshop will provide small businesses and communities with the business principles and tools needed to reinvent their business or community into a consumer destination.

The schedule for the day will include:

• Keynote Session: 8:00 a.m.—11:15 a.m.
• Lunch: 11:15 a.m.—12:30 p.m.
• Marketing Roundtable: 12:30 p.m.—2:00 p.m.

The workshop will be held at the Fort Hays State Memorial Union, 700 College Drive.

The workshop is provided at no cost to attendees and lunch will be provided.  Registration can be found at:  https://bit.ly/2St1X7t.

– SUBMITTED –