Coming off a 20-2 season, the Hays High Indians have three players named to the Kansas Association of Baseball Coaches 5A All-State team. Senior pitcher Trey Riggs is a first team pick while junior Brock Lummus was named honorable mention catcher and senior Palmer Hutchison honorable mention as a utility player.
Riggs, who was named the Western Athletic Conference Player of the Year, led the Indians with 6-2 record and 1.71 earned run average this spring. He struck out 52 batters while walking only 11 in 45 innings of work.
Lummus, who was named to the All-WAC first team, was tied for the Indians team lead with two triples, was second with six doubles and tied for third with three home runs while batting .333.
Hutchison, who was also a first team All-WAC selection, led the Indians with seven doubles and was tied for the team lead with two triples while batting .403. He went 7-0 in nine starts on the mound with a 2.58 ERA. Hutchison struck out 51 while walking only 10.
I booked a late flight home from a recent conference in Baltimore with the idea that I’d have most of the day to explore the city, or at least the areas near the hotel.
Mother Nature, however, had other plans and washed away my plans. On the way to lunch a colleague spotted a used bookstore. I can think of no better way to kill time on a rainy afternoon than to peruse stacks of books.
You can tell if a bookstore is good the moment the smell hits you. This one was fantastic. Despite the rain, inside the air was somehow dry and musty. It had an intoxicating fragrance of leather, binding glue and aging ink.
Books have always been a refuge for me on foul days. I was in middle school when, during the height of a thunderstorm, I discovered a copy of Herman Wouk’s “The Caine Mutiny” in the back of a closet at my grandparents’ home. Its blue cloth cover did little to reveal the compelling story within. It wasn’t until much later I learned Wouk’s story centered on the commander of a World War II Navy ship and won the Pulitzer Prize for fiction in 1952.
When I read “My Side of the Mountain,” by Jean Craighead George, I was determined to run away from home and live in the Catskill Mountains just like Sam Gribley. I made it all of two houses down before my mother found me in a neighbor’s backyard. After a few years passed, when I was less of a flight risk, I received the other two books in the trilogy as a Christmas present.
From time to time, I wonder what it would be like to shun modern society and live off the land in some remote corner of the world. Thankfully I live in Kansas where the weather often delivers reminders of modern conveniences, like central air and indoor plumbing.
I discovered horror writer Dean Koontz by accident in a Burlington, Colo., gas station. Returning from a family ski trip, we were trapped there during a mid-March blizzard. I thought I’d discovered the next Stephen King until my dad informed me he’d been reading Koontz since the 1970s.
While that dented my pride, I’ll forever be in my father’s debt for his book suggestions. He had a voracious appetite for the printed word, often reading several books a week. It wasn’t until I was a little older, probably in college, that the recommendations started rolling in.
First it was James Clavell’s “Nobel House” part of a six-book chronicle of a family’s decades of service to the British Empire in Asia. Cormack McCarthy’s “The Road,” Michael Connelly’s “The Lincoln Lawyer,” Tom Wolfe’s “A Man in Full,” James Michener’s “The Source,” and others followed.
Michener’s “Chesapeake” was on prominent display in the Baltimore bookstore, alongside other authors and novels based in and around the region, like journalist and essayist H. L. Mencken. Of course, there was plenty of Edgar Allen Poe, father of the modern detective story and famous Baltimore resident.
After spending a couple hours browsing through the store, I figured I needed to get serious about finding something to buy. “Chesapeake” was out because I wasn’t going to lug a 900-page tome on an airplane. I finally settled on Bill Bryson’s “A Walk in the Woods,” which chronicles the middle-aged author’s attempt to hike the Appalachian Trail. It’s what I imagine Sam Gribley doing as an adult.
The one lament I have is I should have picked up a couple more books. I was hopeful to leave the rain in Baltimore. I figured once I returned, I would spend my free time hiking and fishing, not rushing to mow the lawn between downpours. Instead of casting into a lake, I’ve been swiping my library card. It’s not a terrible trade, but I’m ready for some sunny days.
“Insight” is a weekly column published by Kansas Farm Bureau, the state’s largest farm organization whose mission is to strengthen agriculture and the lives of Kansans through advocacy, education and service.
Jazz saxophonist Dave Pietro, a gifted performer, composer and teacher, will headline the 2019 High Plains Music Camp the 73rd in the series founded in 1947.
Pietro has performed at jazz clubs, jazz festivals and concert halls in more than 30 countries around the world. He is a member of the Grammy Award-winning Maria Schneider Orchestra and the Grammy nominated groups the Gil Evans Project and Darcy James Argue’s Secret Society.
The fee is $450 for full campers, who will stay in Fort Hays State residence halls. The full-camper fee includes the camp fee, lodging and meals, beginning with lunch on Sunday, July 14, and running through breakfast on Saturday, July 20.
The fee for day campers is $250. Meal plans for lunch and dinner are available for purchase.
To register, go to www.fhsu.edu/musiccamp. To avoid late fees, a $100 deposit must be paid by the end of day June 15.
“The High Plains Music Camp has been a part of the FHSU campus for the past 72 years,” said Dr. Ivalah Allen, camp director and associate professor of music at FHSU.
“For an entire week – Sunday through Saturday – student musicians receive training from expert musicians in every musical discipline,” she said. “They have the opportunity to hear professional musicians perform in the evenings, and at the end of the week they will either play or sing in their band, orchestra, or choir on the Beach/Schmidt or Felten-Start stages.”
Guest artist Pietro has toured with the bands of Woody Herman, Lionel Hampton, Maynard Ferguson, The Village Vanguard Jazz Orchestra, John Fedchock and others. He has also performed with many other well-known musicians such as Paul Anka, Louis Bellson, Blood Sweat & Tears, David Bowie, Bobby Caldwell, Ray Charles, Rosemary Clooney, Harry Connick Jr., Michael Feinstein, Chaka Khan, Liza Minnelli, James Naughton and John Pizzarelli.
He received a bachelor’s degree in music education from North Texas State University, where he toured and recorded four albums with the school’s One O’Clock Lab Band. He has a Master of Arts in jazz composition from New York University, where he an assistant professor of music in jazz studies.
In addition to his performances in clubs, festivals and concert halls, Pietro has presented hundreds of workshops and concerts at schools around the world. He is sponsored by D’Addario Woodwinds, the Conn-Selmer Instrument Company and R.S. Berkeley Musical Instruments.
Since its founding, thousands of students have attended the camp. It offers students the opportunity to study with outstanding musicians from across the country and live a week of stimulating, concentrated study with nationally recognized musicians, teachers, and conductors. Performances, concerts, as well as recreational and social camp life make the week an event worth repeating year after year.
The camp is for students who will be entering sixth grade through the freshman year of college in the fall. Instruction and opportunities to perform are available for students in band and orchestra.
Choir and vocal studies are for older students who will be entering ninth grade or their freshman year in college in the fall.
Donna KrugSince the rains have continued for another week, the water table in our area continues to rise. A one- page fact sheet from North Dakota State University, titled, “Dealing with Continuing Basemen Seepage” does a good job of describing the process through remediation. I’ll use my column space to share the most pertinent information that was written by Kenneth Hellevang, Extension Engineer.
Of course by now, the extended period of water setting in basements has made mold growth a real concern. Mold growth, which is a health hazard, is a concern any time high humidity or damp materials exist. Wet or damp materials will mold in one to three days, depending on temperature. Mold spores, which are like mold “seeds” are in the air everywhere, so the only method to prevent mold growth is to keep things dry or remove them from the damp area. Remove porous materials such as cardboard boxes, papers, carpet, rugs and clothes to keep them from becoming moldy.
Chlorine bleach is a biocide that will kill existing mold, but it does not prevent future mold growth. Mold must be removed, not just killed, to eliminate the health hazard. The EPA “Guide to Controlling Mold and Moisture in the Home” brochure that I recommended a few weeks ago, lays out the clean-up procedure well. First you clean the affected area and then you disinfect with a weak bleach solution. (1 cup bleach per gallon of water)
Many wall coverings are porous and will not only absorb water, but will wick the water above the water level. Sheetrock is very absorbent. Remove or cut the gypsum board so none of it will be in the water. Many paneling materials are also absorbent, so the same instructions should be followed.
Purchase a humidity gauge, and keep the humidity below 70 percent if possible. A dehumidifier will remove some of the water from the air. Ventilating with dry outdoor air also will reduce the humidity level. Providing both an opening for air to enter and exit is critical. Fans can help assist with moving dryer outside air through the basement.
The bottom line is that water will continue to enter the basement as long as the water table is high, so the goal is to control the water flow rather than eliminate it. Generally, the water cannot be stopped from entering the basement with products placed inside the basement because of external water pressure.
In case you missed the web address I shared last week for some excellent Extension resources related to flooding I will share it again. I have reviewed many of the links and they are very good. A specialist from Nebraska pulled materials from across the nation related to flooding at this address. https://flood.unl.edu/
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]
On May 21, NCK Tech, 2205 Wheatland, held a public auction of their latest student-built home.
“It was a good auction,” said Doug Marrs, NCK Tech instructor of construction and cabinet making, who served as the general contractor for the project. “It’s the most we have sold one for on this campus in the last seven or eight years.”
The students involved with the construction were happy to see their work generate interest from the community.
“Just from watching the students that were present, they were so excited during that bidding process to see how high the bidding was going for something they worked on,” said Sandra Gottschalk, NCK Tech dean of the Hays campus. “They were beaming with joy.”
After bidding from four serious buyers, Marrs said the final price was $160,000, but for Ron Tice, Beloit area farmer, supporting the college and getting a custom-built home the price is money well spent.
Tice has connections to the Beloit NCK Tech campus, where he attended just after the college began operating. He has also employed a number of individuals from the Hays area.
“For years, I have always gone through those houses,” Tice said. “I always watched them build them and knew they did a good job.”
Once again, he was interested in the house built in Beloit and put in bids for the house built on his local campus, but in the end, the Hays house was a better fit.
“This year I liked the one in Hays a little better,” Tice said, despite the higher final price.
The layout of the Hays house will work better with the plot where he plans to move the home near Beloit, he said. He was also a fan of some of the features incorporated into the Hays house, including the fireplace, integrated Bluetooth radio, Ring doorbell and masonry work on the outside of the house.
“It was more of what I actually wanted,” he said, adding he thought the quality of both homes was exceptional.
The sale will sustain the program for another year, something all parties involved are pleased to see continue.
“That’s the whole point of the program,” Marrs said.
And Tice is happy to help.
“It’s a nice program for the kids, and we have always supported the technical college,” he said.
Wednesday Mostly sunny, with a high near 68. Northwest wind 14 to 17 mph.
Wednesday NightPartly cloudy, with a low around 47. West northwest wind 8 to 11 mph.
ThursdayMostly sunny, with a high near 74. Northwest wind 8 to 11 mph.
Thursday NightA 20 percent chance of showers after 1am. Partly cloudy, with a low around 52. North northwest wind 5 to 8 mph becoming light and variable after midnight.
FridayA slight chance of showers, with thunderstorms also possible after 4pm. Mostly sunny, with a high near 78. Chance of precipitation is 20%.
Friday NightA 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly after 1am. Partly cloudy, with a low around 57.
SaturdayA 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms before 1pm. Mostly sunny, with a high near 81.
Looking south from Old U.S. 40
UPDATE 8:23 p.m.: The tornado threat appears to have passed Tuesday after storms barreled through portion of Ellis, Trego and Russell counties.
A severe thunderstorm watch remains in effect until 9 p.m. Tuesday for Ellis, Rush, Lane, Scott, Ness and Trego counties.
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UPDATE 6:46 p.m. Tuesday: There is a spotter-confirmed funnel cloud on the ground near Feedlot Road and Yocemento.
Tune into Eagle Radio of Hays for the latest on severe weather in the area.
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UPDATE 6:30 p.m. Tuesday: The National Weather Service in Dodge City has issued a tornado warning for northeastern Trego County and northwestern Ellis County in central Kansas until 7 p.m. At 6:21 p.m., a severe thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado was located near Riga, moving east at 40 mph.
Hazards include tennis ball size hail, flying debris, and damage to roofs, windows and vehicles
The storm will be near Ellis around 6:25 p.m.
A severe thunderstorm warning remains in effect until 7:15 p.m. in Ellis County.
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The National Weather Service has issued a tornado warning for Ellis County. The warning remains in effect until 5 p.m. Tuesday.
Just after 4 p.m., a thunderstorm quickly cropped up southwest of Hays, and there were reports of multiple funnel clouds south of Hays. Those funnel clouds dissipated quickly, according to reports, as the storm moved northwest through Ellis County.
The NWS also has issued a severe thunderstorm watch until 9 p.m. Tuesday for Ellis, Rush, Lane, Scott, Ness and Trego counties.
Tune into Eagle Radio of Hays for the latest in case of severe weather.
Taken from near Hays Recreation Commission looking southwestCourtesy photoCourtesy photoCourtesy photoTaken Northeast of Toulon Elevator / courtesy photo
LARNED — Due to flooding of the only access road, the Fort Larned National Historic Site is currently closed, but the levee system protecting the historic site is currently holding keeping the buildings and grounds safe.
Photos courtesy Celeste Dixon, Park Ranger Fort Larned National Historical Society
“The historic buildings are not flooded,” said Celeste Dixon, park ranger.
She said the closure is an effort to keep drivers safe as water from a nearby field is flowing over the entrance road.
Currently “there is no damage or water in the historic court at all,” Dixon said.
“Right now, everything is still within the parameters of protection within our levee system,” said William Chapman, facilities operations specialist.
But he said monitoring of the system will continue as more water is moving down the Pawnee River, which flows near the site.
Water at the Rozel monitoring station is just dipping below flood stage and that water is approximately a day away from the site according to Chapman.
“So it may be tomorrow afternoon before we can open up,” he said.
But with more rain in the forecast over the coming days, the reopening may be pushed back.
“If the water rises that may change the story,” Chapman said.
When former Hays resident Matt Glassman graduated from Thomas More Prep-Marian in 2000 he never expected that nearly 20 years later he would be receiving his Ph.D. from Yale.
“If you would have asked me 10 years or 20 years ago when I was graduating high school whether I thought I was going to go to Yale, I certainly wouldn’t have thought so,” he said.
Adding “definitely my teachers wouldn’t have thought so.”
But with a work ethic he attributes to growing up in Hays and a conversion to a more spiritual life, he completed a long educational journey graduating last week from the well-known school with a Ph.D. in near Eastern languages and civilizations.
“I was surprised as anyone was to end up here,” Glassman said.
Following his graduation from TMP, Glassman began college at Fort Hays State University and later transferred to the University of Kansas, where he completed an undergraduate degree in political science, with the intention of going to law school.
But life had other plans, and Glassman he spent some time in the workforce before finding a direction.
“I have to attribute some of it to grace,” he said. “My life in undergrad was going nowhere, then I had a religious conversion.”
He said that conversion reset his life.
After a couple of years in the workforce, Glassman returned to school in Ohio at Franciscan Univerity of Steubenville earning a master of arts degree in theology in 2008, later continuing his studies at Boston College earning a master of theological studies in Old Testament biblical studies, studying history, middle eastern languages and archaeology.
But getting there took dedication and focus, something he attributes to working in the family’s construction business in Hays.
“When I was growing up, starting when I was 13 or 14 years old, my dad pretty much pushed me into service in the family business out there doing construction every summer that gave me two very important things that advanced my academic career.”
No. 1, he said, was “it allowed me to see that I definitely didn’t want that for myself,” he said with a laugh and, No. 2, “it gave me a real sense of determination and hard work.”
“I don’t think I would have gotten had I grown up in some other part of the country,” he said.
That work ethic allowed him to push through long nights with young children and pushing past his peers.
“High school, undergrad, certainly in graduate school, I was never the smartest guy to walk in a room, but I knew that regardless of what anyone else would say or what they are capable of that I would work harder than anybody else in the class,” he said. “I know a lot of smart people that didn’t get into Ph.D. programs when we were master’s students together … at some point it is beyond my explanation.”
Post-graduation, Glassman hopes to continue giving back what he has learned in a full-time tenure track academic position, continuing the work he as done as an adjunct instructor since 2016 at colleges near his Connecticut home.
Unfortunately, the job market for higher learning is more concentrated on the East Coast, so chance are slim he will return to the area in the near future, but he is hopeful.
“I always said if the opportunity arose to get back closer to home in the Midwest somewhere, I would jump at it. I would love to do it.”
Looking back, he said he hopes others that dream of attending a top-tier school know should know that it is possible with some determination.
“There is no real secret, you catch a couple of lucky breaks … but it’s real hard work,” Glassman said.
Last week’s inspection results from the Kansas Department of Agriculture:
On the Rocks Bar and Grill 507 West Seventh, Hays – May 21
A routine inspection found four violations.
In the walk-in cooler, there was a metal pan that had cooked steak present with a date of 5/14/19.
In the walk-in cooler, there was a cambro container with a lid that had commercially processed cheddar cheese sauce with a date of 5/2/19. In the mini refrigerator in the bar area, a container of half and half was found with no date of when it was opened.
On the shelf directly above the three compartment sink there were 3 rubber spatulas that had imperfections present along the heads of the spatulas.
Being stored directly on top of the ice machine there was a container of Grease Cutter chemical. No evidence of leaking.
Sonic Drive-In 1708 Vine, Hays – May 21
A follow-up inspection found one violation.
On the food line, in the make-table, there are containers that are frozen and then placed in this unit. There are shredded lettuce and cut tomatoes that are being stored in these containers. The temperature of the cut tomato was found to be 57 F and the temperature of the shredded lettuce was 59 F.
Love’s Travel Stop/Dairy Queen 200 Washington, Ellis – May 20
A routine inspection found two violations.
An employee had pulled out cones dispensing unit and handled the cone with her bare hands and touched the uncovered part of the cones.
In the two-door freezer, there were two non-food grade containers that had coconut almond cream powder present inside.
Love’s Travel Stop/Subway 200 Washington, Ellis – May 20
A routine inspection found two violations.
On the steam-table, there was a container of meatballs that were found at a temperature of 130 F.
In the back storage area there five pans that had sticker residue present along the outside of the pans. These pans were being stacked inside one another so the sticker residue was touching the food contact surfaces of the pans. In the back storage room, the mechanical tomato slicer had dried food residue present.
Are you interested in helping provide safe drinking water to the citizens of Hays? If so, the City of Hays is looking for you! Hays is looking for a reliable Plant Operator to help maintain water operations.
Typical work schedule includes 5 days a week, including every other weekend. Twice a week this position covers 3rd shift (12 am – 8 am). The other three days are 1st shift (8 am – 4 pm). Employee may choose to move to a M-F 8 am – 4 pm schedule when an internal position opens.
Requirements
Valid driver’s license & High School Degree or GED required.Dependability, great attendance record, and a positive attitude is a must. On the job training provided for the technical skills. This position requires a CDL Class B and has a residency requirement of Ellis County within 6 months of employment.
Compensation
Entry Level Pay: $13.65/hour with opportunities to advance to Plant Operator II and Senior Plant Operator based on skills and required certifications. Pay based on experience. Guaranteed raises every year. The City of Hays offers great benefits including health insurance, KPERS, Paid Time Off & Holidays. For a full list of benefits visit www.haysusa.com.
How to Apply
Applications will be accepted in City Hall, 1507 Main, Hays, KS or online at www.haysusa.com until position is filled. Questions about the position may be sent to Alissa at [email protected] or by calling 785-628-7320.
