By JAMES BELL
Hays Post

Knoll Clinic, 1106 E. 27th, Hays, is getting ready for some major upgrades in preparation for a big move into a facility currently under construction on 22nd Street, just east of Vine.

While the clinic is relatively new, having started in June of 2009, Dr. Tonya Knoll is no stranger to medical care in Hays – having been a longtime physician at Hays Medical Center – and a lifelong resident.

“I love (Hays). I was born and raised here,” Knoll said. “Born and raised and never leaving.”

The move to the new facility is necessary, according to Knoll, as the clinic has expanded over the years.

“We’ve outgrown this clinic,” Knoll said. “We just need more room in general, so we decided to build a bigger facility.”

During the expansion, a variety of expanded services are being considered.

“We’d like to start setting up where we can do IV and fluids, so they don’t have to go to special nursing or the emergency room,” Knoll said. “We’re also talking to a company right now that does ultrasound and other types of tests.”

Those services could start this month, before the move to the larger facility, but the expansion will help accommodate new services and expanded staff.

The practice recently hired a nurse practitioner who has helped balance Knoll’s workload.

“We do a lot of procedures here. We do allergy testing, and I’m planing on increasing the amount of procedures that are able to be done on site so we don’t have to send people places to get them done,” she said.

“I also do urgent care,” she added, noting the clinic can take walk-in patients with minor emergencies, if necessary.

As far as the building, Knoll, along with her husband, who works as the office manager, are fully invested into the building and hope to make the move in November.

They are using a local contractor for the construction.

“Our builder is amazing, and he is working really hard to keep costs down,” Knoll said.

The construction could prompt other business moves, as well, as the current facility is being looked at by interested parties as Knolls prepare to exit the building, which they own, and the new facility will not be completely occupied by the clinic.

“Its also big enough that we plan on renting space to other physicians or other entities that would work in that building,” Knoll said.

When asked to sum up the clinic, Knoll offered a simple response: “We offer comprehensive health care to people of all ages.”

More information about the clinic can be found on its Facebook page or the clinic’s website.

By Diane Gasper-O’Brien
FHSU University Relations and Marketing

She teases that her husband is lucky to have met a newcomer to town from another state 13 years ago, someone to share his life with, since he is related to nearly everyone in Ellis County.

After 15 years living in Hays, Kerry Wasinger feels about at home as her husband, Steven Wasinger, a native of the area.

The sense of family is about to get a whole lot deeper for Wasinger, who grew up in a small town in Missouri.

She is the new general counsel executive assistant to the president of Fort Hays State University, which has adopted the mantra “We Are Family” since Dr. Mirta M. Martin arrived in Hays as FHSU’s new president in July 2014.

Much like Martin, Wasinger hit the ground running from Day One on campus. Wasinger is co-chair of the Criticial Incident Policy Group on campus, along with Ed Howell, FHSU police chief.

In just a week on the job, Wasinger will be an observer in the emergency operations center — a behind-the-scenes role — in an “active shooter” exercise Tuesday, designed to test the capabilities of law enforcement and emergency management teams in case of an emergency situation.

Wasinger replaces Todd Powell, who resigned in January after 10 years as FHSU’s general counsel to return to private practice. Powell continued as a consultant for FHSU during the interim period.

“I’d like to thank Todd for ensuring a seamless transition,” Martin said. “And I’d like to express my gratification to the search committee which was chaired by Chief Howell.”
Martin said that following a national search, Wasinger emerged as a good fit for the job because of the breadth of experience she brings to FHSU.

Wasinger received her bachelor’s degree in agricultural economics from the University of Missouri in 1996.She graduated from the Washburn University School of Law in Topeka in 1999 and took her first job halfway across the state in Hays — as a staff attorney for Kansas Legal Services, and she has never left. She met her future husband here and agrees it’s a “great place to raise a family.”

The Wasingers are parents of two young children, 9-year-old Kyle and 5-year-old Emma.

“Our son can walk from his school to the library, and we don’t have to worry about it,” she said.

During her work for Kansas Legal Services, Wasinger represented clients in areas of domestic and general civil matters.

“She brings that view of the world with her, which is invaluable,” Martin said.

Wasinger then began work as staff attorney for the 23rd Judicial district Court trustee before joining the Herman Law Office in Hays in 2013.

“She’s well known in the community and has close ties to the university,” Martin said. “And her connection with law enforcement is critical for the campus.”

Wasinger also has experience with faculty. She has taught business law classes online for Fort Hays State and for the Sias International University program in China. She even spent six weeks in China teaching at Sias a few years ago.

“The level of trust and respect she has earned among the faculty will serve the university very, very well,” Martin said. “That will make an effective bridge for us; we’re not starting from scratch.”

Wasinger said she was intrigued with the general counsel position because “I like learning.”

“I have always liked academia,” she said. “This is a nice combination of two loves.”

By James Bell
Hays Post

During Thursday proceedings at the Kansas Board of Regents meeting in Topeka the regents approved for submission to Gov. Sam Brownback, an increase of $28.85 million in the 2017 Unified State Appropriations request. Fort Hays State University would receive nearly $2.2 million of the increase for initiatives to increase retention and graduation rates.

Seven schools’ priorities were included in the request with the largest amount requested for Kansas State University at $5 million for support in Geosciences.

The regents also approved seven other requests for future consideration in fiscal year 2017, none of those requests, however, included FHSU.

Other requests in the appropriations measure include $2 million for the Wichita State University to establish a department of Chemical & Materials Engineering program, $3.5 million for the University of Kansas’ Integrated Science buildings, $3.4 million for merit-based salary increases at KU Medical Center, $500,000 to establish state funding for Emporia State University’s Department of Nursing and $1.5 million to create a School of Transportation at Pittsburg State University.

Supplemental requests include $8.3 million to close the gap in the tiered technical education formula, $2.2 for the excel in CTE initiative, $178,000 for office space and the annual state commitment increase of $20,000 to the Midwestern Higher Education Compact.

FHSU University Relations and Marketing

Fort Hays State University will conduct an “active shooter” exercise from about 10:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 22, at Forsyth Library.

The exercise is designed to test the capabilities of law enforcement and emergency management teams in case of an emergency situation.

Other than at Forsyth Library, campus activities will not be disrupted. Classes will meet as scheduled. Scheduled events such as the Encore performance will proceed as planned.

Parking availability will be reduced in the area during the exercise. Faculty, staff and students should plan accordingly.

Local units participating in the exercise include the University Police Department, Hays Police Department, the Hays Communication Center, the Kansas Highway Patrol, the Ellis County Sheriff’s Department, Ellis County Emergency Management and the Kansas Division of Emergency Management.

Concurrently, Hays Medical Center, Ellis County Emergency Medical Service and the Hays Fire Department will conduct a tabletop exercise to test their mass casualty and triage responses.

As part of the exercise, subscribers to the campus notification system will receive a test alert message.

This exercise is a test. It is only a test. In the case of an actual emergency, the campus community will receive specific instructions.

By James Bell
Hays Post

“You’re never to old to learn,” said Susan McRae Bickle, owner of Northglen Antiques, 4945 N. General Hays Rd., when asked about using the term car boot sale. Despite how it might sound neither cars nor boots are offered at the monthly flea market that will once again take place Saturday at her shop.

The term comes from the United Kingdom, and Bickle is quick to explain why she uses the term at her shop.

“The car boot sale or boot fairs are a form of market in which private individuals come together to sell household and garden goods,” she said. “Im going with the car boot sale because our specialty is Scottish at Northglen antiques.”

“My hope was to bring something a little bit different to the area by making it like a car boot sale.”

While shopping for goods for the store she often visits flea markets while oversees.

“People pull their cars up, unload their boot (or trunk) and if you’re there early enough you take your torch (or flashlight) as they are unloading,” Bickle said.

The sales have been part of the shop since the move to the new location north of I-70, in an old life-stock sale barn, from the Wiesner building downtown.

“We’ve reopened Northglen Antiques April 1, 2015 and my desire was to offer a place for my vendors that I lost from the main street location, in the old Wiesner building, a place to come bring their stuff to sell,” Bickle said. “So the plan was to do a flea market and/or car boot sale.”

The sale has yet to find a regular schedule, but Bickle has hosted one every month since June and plans on expanding each sale as they are gaining in popularity.

“We’ve had a nice variety of sellers,” she said. But hopes to keep expanding the sale’s offerings.

“I hope even to get some produce out here from the farmers market and maybe some crafters too.”

The sales will continue to be held monthly as weather permits, and will return again in the spring.

The sale will begin at 8 a.m. and run until 1 p.m.

Buyers and sellers can reserve a spot for the sale by calling 785-623-4005.

For more information about the store or the sale visit the shop’s facebook page here.

By James Bell
Hays Post

Roger Marshall, Republican candidate for the Kansas First Congressional District, stopped in Hays late Tuesday afternoon for a meet and greet during a quick tour of the area.

“We’ve been in Scott City, then went to Goodland, then Atwood, then this morning we started off in Colby, then here and we will be finishing up in Salina this evening,” Marshall said.

Despite the small gathering awaiting him at Gella’s Diner & Lb. Brewing Co., Marshall was optimistic about the campaign and found residents have been generally responsive to his message as he listens to district residents.

“I needed to spend some time up there and I feel like we meet a lot of people and got a lot accomplished,” he said. “We’ve been in 52 communities now and I feel like we have a good base in those communities and our relationships with people are growing.”

Even while he’s busy with his campaign, Marshall has not cut back on his duties as a doctor in Great Bend. He has a practice in obstetrics and gynecology.

“I’m still trying to do both,” Marshall said, while spending “three to four days a week,” on the campaign.

With election season quickly approaching,  Marshall has seen fundraising for the campaign pick up, and the incumbent Rep. Tim Huelskamp’s (R-Fowler) campaign apparently has noticed.

“They continue to send people to record me and tape record me everywhere I go, hoping to catch me in a mistake, but that’s not surprising,” Marshall said.

During his tour, one of the key issues residents have brought to the attention of the candidate is education, something Marshall feels can be addressed by giving states more power to control their own education systems.

“My whole philosophy is to push everything down from the federal level down to the state level. I want the state to make the decisions, not the federal government,” Marshall said. “I think there is still a bureaucracy created by the federal government, and that’s what the school superintendents have told me.”

Marshall believes that bureaucracy is hurting the nation’s education system, making it over-complicated and over-regulated.

“Whatever’s complicated, let’s make it simple,” Marshall said.

Despite his desire to see less regulation, he said there are elements of the currently debated Common Core federal standard that may remain useful, but as currently implemented, they are making education less efficient at the local level.

“It’s created more bureaucracy for them to deal with,” Marshall said.

Marshall however, agreed that some of the points of Common Core, including base standards and educational standards, are still important to education.

“I think Common Core establishes minimum levels we should be following.”

More information about Marshall and his campaign is available here.

By Rachel Rayner
FHSU University Relations and Marketing

Fort Hays State University art faculty will be featured for the 2015-2016 Kansas Board of Regents Artwork Loan Program, which features Regents university artwork.

More than 30 works of sculpture, ceramics, painting, printmaking, graphic design, drawing and photography from the faculty of the Department of Art and Design are on exhibit in the Kansas Board of Regents office, 1000 SW Jackson St., Suite 520, in Topeka.

“It’s very exciting to be featured,” said Karrie Simpson Voth, professor of art and design and interim chair of the department. “We are very proud and honored to have our work displayed at the Board of Regents. We brought our best pieces to represent each area.”

The opening reception of “Faculty Showcase” will be from noon to 1:15 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 16, in the Regents office, preceding the board meeting. Light refreshments will be served, and participating artists will be in attendance.

Guests will be greeted in the lobby in front of the boardroom by a “Belle,” a life-size ceramic sculpture of a woman wearing an evening gown made of wire and fabric, a specialty of Linda Ganstrom, professor of art and design. On one of the walls beside the Belle is a large painting of a man swimming underwater with jellyfish, painted by Joel Dugan, assistant professor of art and design. The pieces have the same color scheme and create an atmosphere for visitors.

The other artwork can be found around the board members’ offices. “They’re very excited to have the artwork around their offices,” said Simpson Voth.

The exhibit is open to the public for the entire academic year. To learn more about the FHSU Department of Art, visit www.fhsu.edu/artanddesign. For more information about the Board of Regents, visit www.kansasregents.org.

RUSSELL–Locally-owned Veez Unlimited has been recognized as a From the Land of Kansas retailer effective July 30, 2015.

The goal of the Kansas Department of Agriculture’s trademark program, From the Land of Kansas, is to help businesses that grow, produce, process or manufacture products in Kansas. In addition, the program supports retailers selling Kansas products and ingredients.

From the Land of Kansas seeks to promote Kansas products and retailers as well as provide members with a variety of business development tips and marketing assistance. In addition, the state trademark program provides a consistent way to identify Kansas agriculture-based products.

Veez Unlimited, located within Encore Antiques & Collectibles, 590 S. Fossil, opened in 2009 and is owned by Crystal Craig and Sheryl Krug. Craig and Krug, also co-owners of Encore Antiques & Collectibles with Ward Craig, created Veez Unlimited as a complement to Encore. The “store within a store” features Kansas artisans and food products, as well as a variety of fair trade merchandise.

“Veez Unlimited features a wide variety of products that are branded as From the Land of Kansas,” said Craig in a news release. “We’ve also made an effort to feature artisans from across the state. It’s amazing to see the talent Kansas has to offer.”

For more information about the From the Land of Kansas program, contact Stacy Mayo, From the Land of Kansas Director, at (785) 564-6789. For more information about Veez Unlimited, call (785) 445-8480 or stop by 590 S. Fossil in Russell.

A 13-year-old runaway girl from Catharine has been located.

According to Ellis County Sheriff Ed Harbin, Peyton Nicole White was found Monday in Wichita. Harbin would not release any other details.

The sheriff’s department said in a news release late last month that White had run away from state DCF care on Aug. 19.

“Despite having some contact with acquaintances through a Facebook account since Aug. 23, she has refused to return to her home in Catharine, Kansas,” the department reported in the news release.

Authorities believed White was in the Sedgwick, Ellis or Osborne county areas and she was not considered to be in danger.

 

By JONATHAN ZWEYGARDT
Hays Post

Changes may be coming soon to the Ellis County Rural Fire Department.

In an effort to deal with a shortage of firefighters and aging facilities and equipment, Rural Fire Chief Darin Myers has proposed consolidating fire companies.

At Monday night’s Ellis County commission meeting, Myers presented the commission with a plan to combine Rural Fire Companies 2 and 3 at Catherine and Companies 6 and 7 at Ellis.

Myers said Company 3, located on the Saline River Road, will have three people retiring in October, leaving the company with no one to run the station. According to Myers, Company 2 has eight or nine firefighters.

The chief of Company 7, south of Ellis at the 120th and Antonino Road intersection, retired earlier this year, and they are also fighting low numbers. Myers said they have had firefighters come out of retirement to help staff Company 7 and they want to retire. The interim chief will retire at the beginning of next year.

After talking with the Ellis and Schoenchen Companies, Myers said “All companies are supportive of this. They are in agreement this is a good plan.”

Myers said the public in those two areas may be concerned about losing the station in their area and how it may affect their insurance.

But those two fire companies are not recognized as fire departments by the Insurances Services Office (ISO), because, according to Myers, due to the aging truck, lack of training and personnel, and the poor condition of the facilities.

The changes may lead to some areas seeing an increased ISO rating because of the new service area. A reclassification study must be done to determine that, Myers said.

Under Myers’ proposed plan, Company 2 would cover much of the northeast corner of Ellis County and Companies 6 and 8 would split the area in the southwest corner. Myers said the county will likely seek to redraw the rural fire districts if the plan is approved.

Myers expects the changes to increase response time. He said there have been several incidents, at both locations, where these two companies were called out and they were beaten to the scene by other companies.

“It creates a false sense of security,” Myers said, “because they think we have this firetruck in this fire station. However, for more of the stuff we do in the fire service, it doesn’t have any equipment to get there.”

It would be difficult at this time to hire all new people to fill these positions, according to Myers.

It would also be extremely time consuming to train a new group to run the station. He estimated it would take between eight and 10 years to properly train new firefighters to have the station be completely self-sufficient.

Commissioner Dean Haselhorst said before they make the changes they need to get the public’s input. Anyone with concerns or questions is encouraged to contact Myers at (785) 625-1061.

The commission will take up the issue again the first week in October.

• In other business the commission approved the purchase of a 2006 Ford F550 four-door rescue unit from Hays Fire Rescue for $47,500–a third of the cost of a new one, according to Myers. The truck will be used for rescue calls although it can help to extinguish fires. Myers said stats show most of the calls Rural Fire responds to are rescue and EMS calls.
• The commission approved the purchase of four new Dell computer servers. Two will replace aging servers with the other two being used for backup storage.
• Allowed the Public Works Department to advertise for truck driver and heavy equipment open positions.

Hays High School has announced king and queen candidates for its 2015 Homecoming celebration.

Candidates are:

Brooks Barber, son of Annette Barber & David Barber

Adam Brungardt, son of Brian & Krista Brungardt

Lieacha Cook, daughter of Lavern &  Donna Hansen

Keith Dryden, son of  Blaine & Sherry Dryden

Jared Haynes, son of Brian & Kristie Haynes

Elley Kaus, daughter of Rod Kaus and Tara Spresser

Morgan Klaus, daughter of Bob & Tammy Klaus

Bethany Kuhn, daughter of Keith & Connie Kuhn

Isaiah Nunnery, son of Tim and Christin Nunnery.

Albany Schaffer, daughter of Michael & Amy Schaffer

Drew Young, son of Bryce and Carol Young

Sylina Zhang, daughter of Guorong (Jack) Zhang and Weiqin (Lilly) Gu

By JAMES BELL
Hays Post

After the announcement A&W would be returning to Hays after a decades-long absence, close observers have surely noticed the conversion at the Long John Silver’s, 3380 Vine, into a combination of both chains is nearly complete. Property owner Eric Estes announced this weekend the location is expected to open soon.

“Our construction/renovation is finally complete and we are now in the process of hiring and training for the opening launch of the A&W in the end of this month” Estes said in an email. “Management training is being completed in the A&W in Wichita for the Hays team while the A&W corporate training team is scheduled in Hays to assist our grand opening team.”

As part of the opening celebration, Estes said the first 100 guests on opening day will receive a free collectors A&W mug — a company tradition.

The renovations at the location are being handled by local contractors including Jerry Befort of JB Enterprises, Chris Dinkel, who worked as an architect and in construction, Leon’s Plumbing and Heating, Ralph’s Electric, Pepsi Beverages, and C&N Plumbing.

“We are very excited to bring this great 1919 A&W Brand to Hays, Kansas, once again,” Estes said.

Heartland Gymnastics Academy will celebrate National Gymnastics Day by hosting an open gym at Heartland Academy, 1803 General Custer, from 9 to 11 a.m. Saturday.

This will be a free time for children to explore the gym and the sport of gymnastics in a non-class environment.

Coaches will be on hand to supervise and assist.

Students should wear appropriate clothing — no jewelry, candy or gum.

The public is welcome, but parents must sign a waiver in person or can access one HERE. Pre-registration is advised as the maximum number is 60.

For more information, email [email protected] or call (785) 625-5567.