The Hays Larks Baseball Association is hosting the eighth annual First Responders Night at Larks Park at 7 p.m. Friday.
Everyone is invited to attend the game to help pay tribute to law enforcement officers, firefighters, paramedics and all first responders for their commitment and contributions to the community.The Hays Larks will play the Park City Rangers, and admission is free. The game is sponsored by Nex-Tech Wireless, Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 48 and Hays Firefighters Local 2119.
All first responders are encouraged to attend the Larks baseball game with their families.
Friday A slight chance of showers and thunderstorms before 7am, then a slight chance of showers and thunderstorms after 4pm. Mostly sunny, with a high near 89. South wind 15 to 18 mph, with gusts as high as 28 mph. Chance of precipitation is 20%.
Friday Night A 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly between 7pm and 1am. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 61. South wind 6 to 11 mph becoming light southwest after midnight.
SaturdayA 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms after 1pm. Mostly sunny, with a high near 87. Calm wind becoming north 5 to 7 mph in the morning.
Saturday NightA 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 62. North wind 3 to 6 mph.
SundayA 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms after 1pm. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 82.
Eight registered nurses at HaysMed were honored recently at a recognition ceremony and luncheon. They completed the yearlong RN Residency Program offered at HaysMed, part of The University of Kansas Health System.
The program began in July, and the nurses spent the first three weeks in a classroom setting. The remainder of training focused on clinical experience, one-on-one mentorship with their preceptor, high-fidelity simulations and on-the-job training. Additionally, nurses received training from professionals in several departments, such as radiology, pharmacy, cardiac care, peri-op and others.
The RN Residency class included Kelsey Belzer, Caitlin Gabel, Gabriela Garcia, Nick Knickerbocker, Ciara Kroeker, Lindsay Mattison, Sarah McDonald and Omelia Thomas.
The RN Residency Program at HaysMed is one of only two in the state and has been offered since 2008. Shari Hertel, RN, heads the program and has oversight of all the training.
“It is so important for new nursing graduates to have a group of peers and mentors who assist them in enhancing their skills and becoming comfortable with the challenges of practice,” Hertel said. “Our program is evidence-based, with positive clinical outcomes that will help not only the participating nurses, but also our patients.”
Currently, there are 19 nurses scheduled in the next program, which begins July 10. The program is open to newly graduated RNs and RNs who have less than one year of acute care experience.
Tanner Lee Cullens pleaded no-contest to an amended complaint in Ellis County District Court on Thursday to charges of aggravated robbery, aggravated intimidation of a victim and aggravated battery.
The plea was entered after a plea agreement was negotiated with Cullens, from Ellsworth County, with the state dropping charges of aggravated kidnapping and aggravated assault as part of the agreement.
The charges carry a potential sentence of 27 years and up to a $500,000 fine.
As part of the plea agreement, the state recommended imprisonment totaling 71 months, with a further 36 months of post-release supervision.
Cullens was also required to give a statement detailing his involvement with co-defendant Jeremy David Schulmeister surrounding the charges.
23rd Judicial District Chief Judge Glenn Braun found Cullens guilty after he entered his plea.
Cullins along with Schulmeister were charged after they allegedly offered a ride to Max Diederich, on Feb. 7, but instead took Diederich took a rural area at gunpoint and robbed him of his phone, clothing and cash, before forcing him out of a moving vehicle.
Sentencing is tentatively scheduled for 10:30 a.m. Aug. 5.
The Ellis County Commission approved the purchase of four mechanical CPR units for its front-line ambulances during its meeting Monday.
The county received a Kansas Board of EMS KARF grant to pay for half of three of the units. The commissioners opted to pay for the fourth unit on its own. The total cost to the county will be $35,472.
Health Services Director Kerry McCue said the mechanical units are superior to CPR given by a person. The use of mechanical CPR units also frees up EMS staff to monitor patient medication and heart monitors.
It also increases safety of EMS staff, because staff can seat-belted into the ambulance.
Commissioner Dustin Roths said he favored purchasing three units using the grant match and waiting to purchase the fourth unit.
However, Commissioner Butch Schlyer, a former nurse, said he favored purchasing the fourth unit now.
“CPR, it can wear you out really fast. To sustain it for more than a few minutes is really tough,” he said, adding he thought the purchase of these devices was a life-saving issue.
Ultimately, all three commissioners voted in favor of purchasing all four units.
In other business, the commission:
Approved a conditional-use permit for Nex-Tech to put up an 85-foot telephone pole for a cellular site at at 323 Pfeifer Ave. in rural Ellis County.
Reappointed David McDaniel to the Joint Planning Commission. Another position is open on the commission. Contact the county or a county commissioner if you have interest in being on the commission.
Approved Osborne County joining the Regional Household Hazardous Waste Program
Accepted a bid of $414,096 for 70,400 square yards, or about 5 miles, of cold in-place recycling of asphalt road surface.
PLAINVILLE — Dozens of area ranchers are still waiting on their money after checks worth tens of thousands of dollars per producer bounced in a check-kiting scheme involving the Plainville Livestock Commission.
As the case has unraveled, ranchers have expressed shock and disappointment in the Tyler Gillum and his wife who owned the Livestock Commission, betrayal by the federal regulators who were supposed to protect the ranchers, and frustration at the legal proceeding that seem to be dragging on.
Rex Mulder of Mulder Farms in Logan said his family business has borrowed money to keep going as a result of not being paid for cattle they sold at the Plainville Livestock Commission.
He said the case has caused stress for his family and the entire ranching community.
Wes Cook, Plainville rancher, said he is hanging on for now without taking on more debt, but it has been difficult.
“I don’t know if I will ever see all of it,” Cook said of the money he is owed.
Checks from the Plainville Livestock Commission for two sales — one at the end of January and the other on Feb. 5 — bounced.
Money that was supposed to be set aside to pay cattle sellers was transferred from a custodial account to the Plainville Livestock Auction’s operating account. The Almena Bank froze both accounts, which resulted in bounced checks.
Almena Bank filed an interpleader case, which is legal action that seeks to determine to whom the money that was transferred out of the custodial account belongs.
Almena Bank has paid $916,652.29 into the Court Registry in the interpleader case, according to court records. That money is being held until the ranchers’ case is settled.
Plainville Livestock Commission declared bankruptcy on March 1. The interpleader case has been transferred from Norton District Court to federal bankruptcy court. The ranchers’ case is pending separately from the main bankruptcy proceedings and is still working its way through the court system.
“I was shocked and disappointed. They seemed trustworthy,” Mulder said of the Gillums when he had found out they had been indicted on federal charges.
The Gillums are charged with 31 counts of bank fraud, one count of making a false statement to the Small Business Administration in an application for a $1.5 million loan, and one count of making a false statement to Almena State Bank in an application for a $500,000 line of credit.
The indictment alleges investigators examined unfunded checks and wire transfers totaling more $2 billion sent by Tyler Gillum as part of the scheme.
The indictment alleges the Gillums defrauded Almena State Bank in Almena; Landmark Bank in Manhattan; Colorado East Bank and Trust in Lamar, Colorado; Astra Bank in Scandia; TBK Bank in Dallas; Guaranty State Bank in Beloit; and The Bank in Oberlin.
“I think something should be done,” Cook said of the Gillums. “They should lock him up or something.”
Mulder expressed frustration with the USDA, which regulates market agents like the Gillums under the Packers and Stockyards Act.
“The USDA failed us,” he said. “They should have shut them down. It should not have gotten to this point.”
The Plainville Livestock Commission had been cited before for not having sufficient funds in its custodial account, which by law is to hold money owed to cattle sellers.
Multiple filings have happened since the case was transferred to the bankruptcy court. Fifty-six parties to the case are listed on court records.
Parties in the case had until Friday, June 7, to object to any monetary claims filed in the case. Almena Bank did file objections on multiple claims and those people and entities have until June 21 to file responses to the objections.
James Overcash, the trustee for the bankruptcy estate, has filed a claim as a part of the interpleader case. That filings says that Overcash believes part of the money that is now being held by the court in interpleader case should be part of the bankruptcy estate.
However, other filings claim all of the money that was frozen by Almena State Bank should be used to pay unpaid cattle sellers.
The court hearing to discuss this and the other responses to disputed claims to the money that was frozen by Aleman Bank is set for 10:30 a.m. July 11.
STOCKTON — The Rooks County Sheriff’s Office is requesting the public’s help in locating Ethan James Morgan 26. Morgan is pictured below along with the vehicle Morgan is driving — a goldish, four-door 1997 Buick LeSabre.
Morgan is wanted on a Rooks County District Warrant for Distribution of Methamphetamine that was issued June 3 and has a bond of $60,000. The warrant is a result of numerous, active narcotics investigations by the Rooks County Sheriff’s Office.
Morgan is believed to be staying in Natoma and frequently is in the Stockton, Plainville, Russell and Hays areas. Morgan has previously served time in prison for arson, criminal threat, and felony flee and elude.
Attempts to locate Morgan by law enforcement have been unsuccessful, and contact by phone with Morgan has been made. If Morgan is seen or if anyone has information that could lead to the arrest of Morgan, please contact the Rooks County Sheriff’s Office at (785) 425-6312 or your local law enforcement.
The Hays Larks Baseball Association is hosting the eighth annual First Responders Night at Larks Park at 7 p.m. Friday.
Everyone is invited to attend the game to help pay tribute to law enforcement officers, firefighters, paramedics and all first responders for their commitment and contributions to the community.The Hays Larks will play the Park City Rangers, and admission is free. The game is sponsored by Nex-Tech Wireless, Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 48 and Hays Firefighters Local 2119.
All first responders are encouraged to attend the Larks baseball game with their families.
The Hays City Commission will hear legislative reports form Rep. Barb Wasinger and Sen. Rick Billinger on the 2019 Kansas legislative session at 6:30 p.m. Thursday at Hays City Hall.
The commission is also set to discuss changes to its purchasing policy.
Revisions include adjustment of purchasing limits, removal of references to a purchasing agent, addition of contractual provision language, the addition of a service calls section, and codification of the current process to purchase vehicles and large pieces of equipment from government contracts.
Brandon Taylor (Board Member), Gary Shorman (Eagle Communications), Rachelle Lipker (Executive Director for Central and Western Nebraska).
Local Red Cross chapter holds annual meeting Saturday at Fort Hays State University
Multiple awards were presented at the annual meeting of the American Red Cross of Central and Western Kansas on Saturday, June 8. Robert E. and Patricia Schmidt Foundation and Eagle Communications, and Dane G. Hansen Foundation were presented the American Red Cross Spirit of Philanthropy Award, which award honors corporate partners or organizations who demonstrate an extraordinary commitment to philanthropy through financial support, employee engagement and/or participation in delivery of the Red Cross Mission.
Corey Becker (Board President) and Gary Shorman (Eagle Communications)
Spirit of Philanthropy Award
Winner: Robert E. and Patricia Schmidt Foundation and Eagle Communications
When catastrophic flooding hit central Nebraska this March, Eagle Communications employee-owners went into action — both in the field during recovery efforts and over the airwaves collecting money for the American Red Cross. $16,515.12 was donated to the American Red Cross to aid recovery efforts in the Midwest. The donation also included a generous contribution from the Robert E. and Patricia Schmidt Foundation. Besides the cash donation, Eagle employee-owners put in countless hours working to restore critical broadband services in the flooded region. Crews quickly restored services to the community of Silver Creek, where a washed-out bridge cut the fiber-optic network.
Winner: Dane G. Hansen Foundation
The charitable foundation has a mission to improve the quality of life for the residents and the communities in the 26 counties that make up the northwest quarter of Kansas. The Dane G. Hansen Foundation has been generous supporter of the American Red Cross especially with our fleet vehicles and to the Northwest Kansas community through various scholarships and grants.
The Kansas Department of Transportation plans to begin work in mid-June on a pair of resurfacing projects in Russell, Osborne and Smith counties.
The first project will cover a 35-mile portion of U.S. 281 from the K-18 junction in Russell County to the Smith County line. Crews will also be working on an additional resurfacing project on a 13-mile stretch of K-18 in Russell County from the east U.S. 281 junction to the Lincoln County line.
Traffic will be reduced to one lane through the work zones and controlled by flaggers and a pilot car during daylight hours. Minor delays not exceeding 15 minutes should be anticipated. Both projects are expected to be complete by the end of July, weather permitting.
Venture Corporation is the primary contractor for the projects with total contract costs of $2.1 million for the U.S 281 project and $1.1 million for the K-18 project. For more information, contact Phillipsburg area construction engineer Jim Riener at 785-543-2163 or [email protected].
Food spoils faster in the summer. Why? Bacteria grow fastest in the heat and humidity. Also, more people cook outside at picnics, barbecues and on camping trips, where refrigeration and washing facilities can be hard to find. Fortunately, you can take steps to make sure your food is safe to eat even during the heat of summer.
Here is the “Top 10” list of summer food safety tips shared in an issue of the Dining on a Dime newsletter.
When planning a picnic, barbecue or camping trip, find out if there will be a source of safe drinking water. If not, take water for preparation and cleaning.
Pack disposable washcloths and use them to clean your hands.
Keep beverages in a separate cooler, since it will probably be opened frequently.
Pack perishable foods (such as luncheon meats, cooked meat and chicken, and potato or pasta salads) in sealed plastic bags under several inches of ice, ice packs or containers of frozen water in an insulated cooler. If packing raw meats, do not allow raw meat juices to touch ready-to-eat food. Pack just the amount of perishable food that you can use.
Keep the perishable food cooler in the coolest part of the car. Place it in the shade or shelter it from the sun at the picnic site. Preserve the cold temperature of the cooler by replenishing the ice as needed.
If an insulated cooler is not available, do not take perishable foods. Instead, pack foods such as hard cheese, canned meats, chicken and tuna; nuts, peanut butter, dry cereals, bread, crackers, fruits and vegetables.
Do not partially cook food ahead of time. Pack either raw or fully-cooked meat and poultry. Bacteria can survive and multiply in partially cooked foods.
Pack a food thermometer. Meat cooked on a grill often browns fast on the outside. Check meats with a food thermometer to be sure they reach an internal temperature of 145 degrees F. for beef, 160 degrees F. for pork and 165 degrees F. for poultry.
Wash all plates, utensils and cutting boards that held raw meat or poultry with hot soapy water before using them again for cooked food.
Perishable food that is not kept cold for more than 2 hours is not considered safe to eat. When summer heat gets above 90 degrees, foods left out of the cooler for as little as 1 hour should be thrown away.
Let me end my column with the phrase you may have heard related to food safety decisions. “When in doubt, throw it out,” really is good advice.
Donna Krug is the Family & Consumer Science Agent and District Director for the Cottonwood Extension District. You may reach her at: (620)793-1910 or [email protected]
The Hays Larks will host Little League Night/Father’s Day at 7 p.m. Sunday when they take on Park City at Larks Park.
Teams will be announced and go on the field prior to the start of the game for the playing of the national anthem. Little Leaguers also will be able to run the bases after the game. All players will receive a freeze pop. All Little Leaguers who attend will be entered into a raffle for Larks autographed baseball. Players are asked to be at the park by 6:45 p.m.
Also, the first 50 dads will receive a gift from the Larks, and there will also be a raffle for a special Father’s Day bat autographed by the Larks.
Check in at the table next to the apparel stand when you arrive at the ballpark.
The Hays Larks Baseball Association is hosting the eighth annual First Responders Night at Larks Park at 7 p.m. Friday. 
