At around 5:45 p.m. Hays Police and Fire Departments responded to a vehicle fire behind Home Depot, 1310 E. 41st St.
The fire fully consumed the engine and passenger compartments of the truck as HFD worked to put out the fire. As the location of the fire was the road behind the store, traffic in the area was not affected.
The driver of the truck was not injured in the fire, according to HPD on scene. The driver had parked just minutes before the truck caught on fire.
The cause of the fire is unknown at this time.
By around 6:15 p.m. the fire had been extinguished.
Video courtesy of Bill Ring, Ellis County Emergency Management
Fort Hays State University’s Gross Memorial Coliseum with be filled with even more high-flying dunks and aerial acrobatics this Saturday afternoon when Sky Squad preforms at halftime of the Tigers home basketball games.
The group of gymnasts, who travel the world putting on exciting displays of aerial skill, will perform acrobatic flips and twists off mini trampolines, high-flying mid-air passes and dynamic dunks all mixed with comedy antics. Sky Squad is the official dunk team for the WNBA Chicago Sky.
Sky Squad will perform at halftime of both the women’s and men’s games Saturday, Nov. 28.
The Tigers host Sterling College at 5 p.m. for the women’s game with the men to follow at around 7 p.m.
SALINA — Kansas State University’s polytechnic campus has set a new precedent in the unmanned aircraft systems industry, becoming the first entity in the United States to receive approval from the Federal Aviation
Kansas State University Polytechnic Campus is elevating UAS education with the nation’s first FAA-approved commercial flight training program for undergraduate students and outside industries. Photo courtesy ksu.edu.
Administration to provide UAS commercial flight training to both students and outside companies.
The authorization, which is referred to as a Section 333 exemption, allows Kansas State Polytechnic to create and conduct an extensive flight training program for unmanned aircraft operations. Previously, motion picture and television filming and aerial data collection have been given permission for commercial UAS operations; however, the approval has been limited to only training internally and in these two mission-specific areas alone. Kansas State Polytechnic’s authorization is open to students both internal and external and is not restricted to any one particular application.
“Kansas State’s UAS program continues to be a leader and innovator in the UAS industry,” said Kurt Carraway, Kansas State Polytechnic’s acting UAS program manager. “Our goal is to produce the most relevant and professional graduate possible, and we can now offer an exclusive flight training program that will take the student experience to the next level. Kansas State Polytechnic is essentially setting the standard on how to educate tomorrow’s unmanned pilots.”
The UAS program will incorporate the new flight training with current curriculum, building structured discipline that is modeled after the campus’s manned professional pilot program. Starting in fall 2016, students will progress through multirotor training and multirotor instructor to fixed-wing operations and finally fixed-wing instructor. They also will focus on integration of components such as autopilots and sensors as well as advanced UAS employment activities.
Students are required to have a private pilot certificate with instrument rating and will have a specific number of unmanned flight hours they have to procure. Just as professional pilot students can become certified flight instructors teaching their peers to fly, once a UAS student reaches a certain rating, he or she can act as an instructor in entry-level flight courses.
“Another distinction of this FAA approval is being able to provide flight training to commercial partners,” Carraway said. “For almost every industry there is a UAS application. We’re proud to be able to partner with companies and provide them with the tools they need to integrate this technology into their sector while offering rigorous, specialized flight training operations.”
Those learning commercial flight training can do so through two avenues that are exclusive to Kansas State Polytechnic. They can train out in the field under the auspices of the nationwide Certificate of Authorization that was included with this FAA approval. Students can also fly on campus inside one of the largest enclosed unmanned flight facilities in the country.
The campus’s UAS bachelor’s degree program began in 2011 and since doubled in enrollment almost every year. The initial degree focused on flight and operations; in fall 2015, a second bachelor’s degree was added in UAS design and integration. Kansas State Polytechnic also is a core member of the FAA Center of Excellence for Unmanned Aircraft Systems.
“This campus prides itself on providing forward-thinking education and an environment where students learn by doing,” said Verna Fitzsimmons, Kansas State Polytechnic’s CEO and dean. “By having the opportunity to offer unmanned commercial flight training — something that has never been done before and exemplifies real world application — we are continuing the commitment of this campus’s polytechnic tradition.”
In October, the campus transformed from Kansas State University Salina to Kansas State University Polytechnic Campus.
To learn more about enrollment in the unmanned aircraft systems program, contact Michael Most, associate professor of UAS, at 785-826-2681 or[email protected]. To inquiry about commercial flight training, contact Carraway at 785-826-2624 or [email protected].
The Victoria Knights claimed their second straight 8-Man Division 2 state championship Saturday afternoon with a 36-28 win over Argonia/Attica.
Courtesy of Victoria High School
With the game tied at 28 and under 30 seconds to play the Knights faced a four and less than a yard at their own 25-yard line senior quarterback Brady Dinkel took the snap, started up the middle and cut to his right, racing up the sidelines and into the end zone for a 55-yard touchdown with just two seconds left. Dinkel added the two-point conversion clinching the Knights undefeated season and their seventh state title in school history.
The two teams traded touchdown scores to start the ball game with Dinkel scoring on the Knights first possession to go up 8-0 but the Titans answered right back with a seven-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Alec McDaniel to tight end Aaron Harsh.
Early in the second quarter the Knights and Dinkel struck again with a 25 yard touchdown pass to Taylor Corley that put Victoria up 14-8. After that the two defenses stepped up and it turned into a hard hitting defense battle until Dinkel found the end zone on a 79 yard run putting the Knights up 22-8 at halftime.
But much of the second half belonged to the Titans as they outscored Victoria 20-8 through the third and fourth quarters tying the game at 28 with just 2:52 to play.
With under a minute to play the Titans punted the ball back to the Knights who took over on their own 15-yard line. An incomplete pass and then a pair of runs set Victoria up with fourth and inches to go from their own 25-yard line. The very next play Dinkel capped off the game and the Knights magical season with his fourth rushing touchdown.
Dinkel led all players with 184 yards rushing and those four touchdowns. He also completed 6-of-11 passes for 83 yards and a touchdown.
The Knights finished the year a perfect 12-0 and have won 24 straight games.
The building at the corner of Fort and 13th Street in Hays is coming down.
It most recently served as the girls dormitory–Marian Hall–for residential students at TMP-Marian High School. Prior to that the building was the convent for the nuns serving the St. Joseph parish.
In the summer of 2014, the TMP-Marian Board of Directors recommended to the Heartland Parish leaders that Marian Hall be closed as a dormitory for the 2014-15 school year. According to TMP Advancement Director Jeff Brull, the decision came after it was evident the building’s electrical system needed to be replaced. TMP has since changed to a host-family program for its all its student boarders.
As Bishop Edward Weisenburger said then, “it was built for little old lady nuns, not for young women using iPads and curling irons,” Brull added.
Asbestos was removed from the building before demolition began Thursday and continued Friday by Flatland Dirtworks, Hays.
“The St. Joseph Campus will certainly have a different look and perspective,” Fr. Fred Gatschet wrote in the fall quarterly newsletter of St. Joseph parish.
Parishioners, the Parish Council, and the Finance Council are also talking about what to do with the former Kennedy Middle School building. It was closed in May, 2012, and requires an estimated $300,000 in repairs in one year to keep it from falling into total disrepair according to Gatschet.
At around 5:30 p.m. Thursday, members of the Hays Fire and Police Departments were dispatched to a vehicle fire in the parking lot of Walmart, 4301 Vine St.
The fire had fully engulfed the engine compartment of the vehicle when crews arrived, despite efforts of store employees to extinguish the blaze.
By 6 p.m. the fire had been extinguished and nearby cars parked near the burning vehicle were being slowly moved out of the lot under the direction of the HPD.
Minor damage was reported to at least one vehicle parked next to the burning vehicle.
The cause of the fire is unknown at this time, but no injuries were reported.
WAKEENEY — After a day of testimony from the defense, closing arguments and jury instructions, the jury took a little more than five hours to find Scott Bollig not guilty of first-degree murder trial, battery or adulterating food that led to the January 2014 death of his unborn baby with Naomi Abbott.
They did, however, find Bollig culpable for conspiracy to commit first-degree murder and conspiracy to commit domestic battery.
Scott Robert Bollig
Those charges were filed after the Kansas Bureau of Investigation reported finding text messages between Bollig and a former girlfriend, Angel Abbot, discussing details on how to terminate the pregnancy without Namoi Abbott knowing. Those two charges are felonies in their own right and, under Kansas sentencing guidelines, Bollig would likely be sentenced to at least some time in jail for those offenses.
However, Bollig’s attorney Dan Walter, made a motion of acquittal immediately following the verdict, arguing that having both charges stem from one crime would equate to double jeopardy and so should be vacated.
Both the prosecution and the defense cited case law to make the argument, but District Judge Glenn Braun gave both side 10 days to two weeks to file written briefs for their arguments.
Following the verdict, Bollig’s bond was revoked and he is current in the custody of the Trego County Sheriff’s office awaiting sentencing.
Late Wednesday night, traffic was backed up for nearly 2 miles in the westbound lane of Interstate 70 as the Ellis County Rural Fire Department worked to put out a fire that consumed the trailer of a semi-truck around mile marker 151.
The fire was being treated as a hazardous materials spill as fumes were being produced by the fire that were considered dangerous, according to officers on the scene.
Members of the Hays Fire Department were on site assisting as the Ellis County Sheriff’s Department and Kansas Highway Patrol were also on the scene directing traffic off of I-70 onto Yocemento Road, just a few miles west of Hays.
At approximately 12:35 a.m. Thursday a single lane of traffic was being allowed to pass the scene allowing the backed up traffic – mostly semi trucks – to clear by 1 a.m.
The lane was closed again briefly as the semi was loaded onto a trailer while firefighters continued to douse the wreckage with water and break apart debris with a back-hoe.
Officers on scene had no further information about the cause of the fire, which began just after 8 p.m. Wednesday.
The condition of the driver is also unknown at this time.
Hays Post will provide updates as they become available.
The Ellis County Ministerial Alliance is once again hosting the annual Thanksgiving Day Feast Nov. 26 at noon.
Ellis County churches, for the eighth year in a row, will partner with the Rose Garden Banquet Hall, 2350 E. Eighth, to provide a meal for those who do not have a place to enjoy Thanksgiving.
According to the ECMA, over 800 turkey dinners were served last year. Organizers of the event expect this year to be even bigger.
Volunteers will also be collecting nonperishable food items this Saturday, Nov. 21, at both Dillon’s locations and Walmart from 9am-5pm. The food that is collected that day will then be bagged and then handed out at the Thanksgiving Day Feast.
According to ECMA Co-chairman and Celebration Community Church Senior Pastor Kyle Ermoian, they provided almost 500 bags of food for people in need not only on Thanksgiving Day, but for the weeks ahead.
Organizers are looking for volunteers to help sack the collected food Wednesday at 5:30 p.m. and to help serve the meal at noon on Thursday. Those interested in volunteering can call First Call for Help at (785) 623-2800.
The ACCESS van will be available to provide rides to those needing a ride on Thursday but the officers are closed on Thanksgiving Day so those needing a ride will have to make arrangements beforehand.
Emergency medical transport during Tuesday’s storm from Cheyenne County Airport located south of St. Francis. The patient was sent for treatment in Denver.- photo Cheyenne Co. Sheriff
GOODLAND – Officials in Colby declared a stage 2 snow-traffic emergency on Tuesday night due to heavy snow. Residents are not allowed to drive without 4-wheel drive or chains.
The National Weather Service reported areas of Thomas County including the city of Colby received 20 inches of snow. Approximately 20 miles west in Brewster, officials are reporting only 10 inches of snow. Sixteen to 19 inches of snow fell in Rawlins County including the city of Atwood.
In Sherman County, the National Weather Service reported 4 to 7 inches of snow including the city of Goodland.
The Kansas Department of transportation reopened Interstate 70 and U.S. 40 overnight. They had been closed on Tuesday due to the winter weather conditions.
Law enforcement and emergency management officials reported multiple jack-knifed trucks blocking roadways and stranded motorists during Tuesday’s storm. No injuries were reported.
Storm damage in Liebenthal is seen at daylight Tuesday following last night’s severe weather. (Photos courtesy Jim Huenergarde)
By BECKY KISER Hays Post
Monday night’s severe weather ripped up several roofs, knocked out electrical power and toppled a number of large trees in Liebenthal, 16 miles south of Hays on U.S. 183.
One tree fell across U.S. 183, completely blocking traffic. Working by illumination from vehicle headlights, two residents chopped the large tree into small enough pieces to move them off the road, reopening the highway.
Jim Huenergarde lives in the northeast section of the small Rush County town.
“I didn’t see any twisting, so I assume it was just wind — really strong straight winds,” Huenergarde said. When he ventured out of his house, Huenergarde reported seeing “debris and trash all over and many big trees blown over. The neighbor’s trampoline was blown over a block away.” His house was “plastered with leaves, small twigs and other stuff.”
Huenergarde said his neighbor told him they saw an electrical transform “blow.”
“They said it shot fire and sparks about 6 feet into the air,” he said.
Huenergarde was without power from 11 p.m. Monday night until 5 a.m. Tuesday morning.
Mike Morley, Midwest Energy communications manager, was in Liebenthal this morning where MWE employees are working to get downed power poles off the ground southwest of town. They will be replaced later.
According to Morley, Liebenthal and Schoenchen are served by Western Co-op Electric, WaKeeney.
“As their feeders to those cities are down, Midwest Energy is currently supplying energy to those cities from our system until Western gets their poles back up,” he said.
Video courtesy of Mike Morley
“Midwest Energy has at least four poles down with broken cross arms, south and west of Liebenthal,” Morley said Tuesday morning. He also counted about a dozen electrical poles snapped off for three-quarters of a mile along Highway 183 north of town. “The Western (Co-op Electric) truck from WaKeeney is in town, too.”
Morley said he saw two houses with major roof damage and several trees down in Liebenthal.
“The insurance adjusters were driving around, checking everything out,” he added.
There was also damage to power poles and Midwest Energy electrical outages north of WaKeeney and between Goodland and Colby.
“At one time, I counted 27 scattered outages in our service area,” Morley said. “Not huge, but it affected 300 to 400 homes.”
During the regular meeting of the Hays USD 489 Board of Education Monday night, the board pinned down the scope of the work to be pursued by a bond issue in the fall of next year.
After active debate, the lowest of the four options was unanimously voted on by the board at an estimated price of $94 million. That plan would leave Lincoln open as an elementary school and use the Rockwell Administration Center in its current capacity, with only necessary updates being done at the facility. Further updates to the building would be set a few years down the road.
Initially, the board discussed implementing all of the recommendations by the Facility Needs Committee.
“The group did an excellent job,” said Paul Adams, board member. “There is not a lot of fluff.”
Other members quickly echoed the idea that none of the schools should lose any part of the recommendations.
“I’m terrified if we take something out we’ll regret it later,” said Luke Oborny, board member.
The one area the board was willing to cut in order to lower the final price tag was Rockwell.
“I think it’s important we focus on kids,” said Dean Katt, USD 489 superintendent. “It’s so important we get these other things done.”
The board also wants to ensure each building has the ability to keep attendees safe in times of inclement weather — a need amplified by a tornado warning for Ellis County during the board meeting.
A part of the bond issue would ensure each building in the district have a shelter for students, something many of the buildings are currently missing. These rooms would also serve in various capacities, such as a gym or an auditorium.
The board also discussed the reason for such a large measure at this time is the amount of deferred maintenance that has built up over the last three decades.
Nearly one third of the total bond is deferred maintenance, Obony said.
Now that the board has determined a scope for the project, the next step is to determine the best way to fund the bond measure.
The board will consider increasing mills to fund the bond, a sales tax increase or both. Also under consideration is the length of bond repayment, which will dramatically influence the amount of interest that will be assessed on the principal during the duration of the mill levy.
STOCKTON–The Rooks County Sheriff’s Office is investigating a break-in and theft that occurred in eastern Rooks County on Wed., October 14, 2015 at approximately 9:30 p.m.
We are seeking the public’s assistance for information that will help aid in the arrest and conviction of those responsible.
Anyone with information about the crime or who can identify the person in the videos, contact the Rooks County Sheriff’s Office (785) 425-6312.
