Camera systems will be placed at Developmental Services of Northwest Kansas locations in Atwood, Hays, Hill City, Hoxie, Norton, Stockton, and Russell with the help of community foundation grants and a $21,000 grant from The Beach Family Foundation, Derby.

The purpose of the cameras will be to observe behaviors of individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) as needed, which will be used to help improve the quality of care and safety, and develop personalized health plans.

“Many persons with I/DD have challenges with verbal communication and so they often communicate through their behaviors,” said DSNWK President Jerry Michaud. “For example, aggressive behaviors could mean the individual is in pain.”

These camera systems that will be placed in community spaces of residential homes will provide an opportunity for staff to review recordings to better understand the complex behaviors an individual may be exhibiting, and to collaboratively work with the person’s team to create a personalized plan to address their needs.

“Disability programs must continue to change and evolve in order to sustain quality services, but a paramount principle to this, is the protection of individual privacy,” said Michaud. “The use of camera systems in residential homes is strictly defined in DSNWK policies. The seriousness of guarding and respecting the privacy and confidentiality rights of each individual is core to our services.”

At DSNWK, these camera systems will also help monitor facilities to provide improved security and safety of the facility, people coming and going, and the company vehicles. DSNWK provides services out of 26 facilities and residential homes agency-wide.

Community foundations that have helped to support this project are Sheridan County Community Foundation, Rawlins County Community Foundation, and Graham County Community Foundation. Roughly $4,500 is still needed to fully fund the project.

DSNWK is a 501c3 nonprofit with a mission to advocate with persons with disabilities and those who care about them by planning and supporting a life of dignity, interdependence and personal satisfaction in the community.

Jeremy Gill, a recent graduate of Fort Hays State University with master’s in history, will speak about aspects of his master’s thesis, “Cavalry to Campfires: The Politics of Preservation in Frontier Historical Park,” on Monday, Jan. 28, during the Ellis County Historical Society annual meeting. There will be a membership business meeting at 7 p.m. followed by Gill’s presentation at 7:45 p.m.

Doors open at 6:30 p.m. for membership and sponsorship renewals. Membership cards will be available during registration.

Both the meeting and presentation are free and open to the public.

Located at 100 W. Seventh, the Ellis County Historical Society, founded in 1972, collects, preserves, and exhibits items and documents that illustrate the history of Ellis County.

The Ellis County Joint Planning Commission has moved its regular monthly meeting from Wednesday to Monday, Jan. 28.

The meeting will be at 7 p.m. at 718 Main in commission chambers.

Contact the Ellis County Zoning Office at (785) 628-9449 for more information.

Three locations across Kansas offer comprehensive programs for producers

MANHATTAN — Three K-State Sorghum Production Schools will be offered in early February to provide in-depth training for sorghum producers and key stakeholders. The schools are sponsored by the Kansas Grain Sorghum Commission.

The half-day schools will cover a number of issues facing sorghum producers in eastern, central and western Kansas including risk management, marketing opportunities, weed control, crop production practices, nutrient management and soil fertility, and insect management.

“These schools are being offered with the concept that producers can attend one location to get all the updates ranging from issues that arose this past growing season to looking ahead to future growing seasons,” said Ignacio Ciampitti, K-State crop production and cropping systems specialist.

Registration for each school is at 8:30 a.m. Each program begins at 9 a.m. and concludes at 1:30 p.m.

Lunch will be provided courtesy of the Kansas Grain Sorghum Commission. There is no cost to attend, but participants are asked to pre-register by Jan. 29. Online registration is available at K-State Sorghum Schools or by emailing/calling the local K-State Research and Extension office nearest the location participants plan to attend.

The locations and dates for the three schools are:

• Feb. 5 – Garden City
  The Golf Club at Southwind
  77 Grandview Dr.
  Garden City, KS 67846
  Contact: Jennifer Stoss, [email protected]

• Feb. 6 – Hays
  K-State Agricultural Research Center
  1232 240^th Ave.
  Hays, KS 67601
  Contact: Stacy Campbell, [email protected]

• Feb. 7 – Salina
  Saline County Expo Center
  4-H Building
  900 Greeley
  Salina, KS 67401
  Contact: Carl Garten, [email protected]

TMP-M

The 46th annual March for Life took place on Friday, January 18, 2019, on the National Mall, in Washington, D.C. Fifty-one students and fourteen sponsors made the trek to protect life.

A pilgrimage is never easy, which was displayed when one of the hired Village Tours buses broke down near St. Clairsville, Ohio.  The bus driver was able to get the students and sponsors to a mall where they waited for 5 hours for another bus to pick them up so they could continue their journey. In pure TMP-M fashion, our students made the best of a bad situation and enjoyed a Hibachi restaurant where the food is cooked in front of you and flown through the air!

Activities in Washington, D.C, included the Arlington National Cemetery, Mass at Nativity Catholic Church, Union Station Tour, Monument Tour, National Basilica of the Immaculate Conception Tour and Mass in Crypt Church of the Basilica. All of these activities were in addition to the purpose of the trip, which was the March for Life on the National Mall. Exact crowd numbers are not available, but organizers planned for 100,000 people to participate.  Later, leaders of the march said upwards of 200,000 people attended. Some estimates are as high as 300,000! This year’s speakers included Ben Shapiro, Abby Johnson, Ally Cavazos, Dr. Alveda King, and more. Even Vice President Mike Pence made a surprise visit to the event with his wife, Karen Pence.

Participants advanced up Constitution Avenue to the Supreme Court and Capitol Buildings.  The same path taken since January 22, 1974, when thousands of pro-life individuals participated in the very first March for Life to stand up for the unborn.  A great lesson for our students to witness a peaceful protest and exert their freedom of speech.

Thursday A 20 percent chance of snow showers before noon. Cloudy, then gradually becoming mostly sunny, with a high near 25. Wind chill values as low as 5. Blustery, with a north wind 10 to 20 mph, with gusts as high as 30 mph.

Thursday NightPartly cloudy, with a low around 18. Wind chill values as low as 5. Light and variable wind becoming southwest 8 to 13 mph in the evening.

FridayMostly sunny, with a high near 43. Wind chill values as low as 5. Southwest wind 8 to 13 mph becoming west northwest in the afternoon.

Friday NightMostly cloudy, with a low around 24. West wind 7 to 9 mph.

SaturdayMostly sunny, with a high near 44.

Saturday NightMostly cloudy, with a low around 29.

SundayMostly sunny, with a high near 54.