FHSU University Relations

JigJam, a multi-award winning quartet from the heart of the midlands in Ireland, will be the final performance of the 2018-2019 Encore Series season at Fort Hays State University.

The performance will be at 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, April 16 in the university’s Beach/Schmidt Performing Arts Center in Sheridan Hall.

Blending the best of traditional Irish music with bluegrass and Americana in a new genre, JigJam’s energy and musical ability has captivated audiences throughout the world.

“Here’s an Irish band that’s going to impact the world as hard as Clancy Brothers or U2 if they get only half a chance,” said Midwest Records.

Performers Jamie McKeogh, Cathal Guinan and Daithi Melia all hail from Tullamore, County Offaly, with County Tipperary-born Gavin Strappe completing the quartet. All four members grew up with Irish traditional music and culture, which is reflected by the band collectively achieving over twenty All-Ireland titles at Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann competitions.

They have now developed their own unique style of music influenced by American folk whilst staying true to their Irish roots.

All multi-instrumentalists, JigJam’s members change between banjos, guitars, fiddles, mandolins and double bass onstage, which creates an experience which is pleasing to both the eye and the ear.

JigJam has recorded two studio albums to critical acclaim and have been compared to the Punch Brothers by the European Bluegrass Music Association. They have made a huge impact on the Irish American circuit performing at all major festivals, including the world-renowned Milwaukee Irish Fest as well as touring various parts of the United Kingdom and Europe.

Tickets are available at the Memorial Union Student Service Center, by calling 785-628-5306 or by visiting www.fhsu.edu/encore.

Tickets for the general public are $32 reserved and $28 unreserved; for seniors and children ages 5-17, tickets are $30 reserved and $26 unreserved; and for FHSU students, tickets are $23 reserved and $19 unreserved with a Tiger Card.

Submitted

ELLIS — Milestones are meant to be celebrated and an Ellis-based organization, Modern Mrs. FCE, will be commemorating its 50th anniversary with a celebration and reception from 2 to 4 p.m. Sunday at the Ellis Public Library Community Room, 907 Washington.

Memorabilia from the group’s rich history will be on display, as well as video highlights from the variety and talent shows that were held in the 1990s. The community, past members, and especially those who generously helped with the group’s many community projects are cordially invited to attend the celebration.

Cooperative extension units were established in 1914 by a group of rural women. Their mission was to strengthen individuals, families, and communities through education, leadership, and action.

Several determined groups of rural women traveled to Washington D.C. in 1936 when the group was renamed the National Association for Family and Community Education (NAFCE). The_ NAFCE instrumental in backing school lunch programs, immunizations, and bookmobiles to improve home and community life and protect the American family. Through time, the name was changed to Home Demonstration Units (HDU). Now, the current name is Family and Community Education (FCE).

Local groups are formed as outreach programs in association with Kansas State University Extension Service. Berny Unruh is the Cottonwood Extension Family Community Wellness agent that advises the Ellis Modern Mrs. FCE unit that was chartered in the late 1960s.

How could the determined rural women who gathered in our nation’s capital have guessed that today, FCE is the largest, most successful, informal educational organization in the world? Extension programs are funded and guided by a partnership of federal, state, and county governments and are administered at Kansas State University, which is recognized as a land grant university. The educational programs are supported and expanded by thousands of volunteer teachers and community leaders.

Throughout the past 50 years, Modern Mrs. FCE has been a vital link of support to our community. The public is invited to help celebrate their many accomplishments and future endeavors.

FHSU University Relations

Two workshops, one on managing conflict and one on design, will be offered by the Management Development Center at Fort Hays State University in May.

The first, Managing Conflict in the Workplace, will begin at 1 p.m. Monday, May 6, in Hansen Hall on the Fort Hays State campus.

This three-and-a-half-hour training will discuss the common roots of workplace conflict and strategies for managing the conflict. Participants will learn about the common causes of workplace conflict, how to assess personal conflict styles, best practices for offering critical feedback, and more. Conflict, properly managed, can contribute to organizational innovation and stronger relationships.

Each person who completes this workshop will receive a completion certificate and earn 3.0 Continuing Education Units. Registration closes on April 29. The cost is $119.

The MDC’s brand-new workshop, Design for Non-Designers, addresses the fact that a person does not have to be wildly creative to make effective designs, which are critical to successful marketing efforts. Design creates meaningful first impressions, differentiates an organization from its competitors, boosts awareness. It is also a great way to connect with customers.

This day-long workshop runs from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Thursday, May 9, in the Stouffer Lounge of FHSU’s Memorial Union.

The workshop will explore the elements and principles of design and how can it be used to make a company and its products more appealing to potential customers. Participants will learn why design is important for effective marketing, review great (and bad) logos, and much more.
Topics include using color effectively, communicating with type, tips on designing common marketing pieces, and when to hire a professional or design on your own.

Each person who completes this workshop will receive a completion certificate and earn 7.0 CEUs. Registration closes on May 2. The cost for registration is $219.

A 15-percent discount applies for all Hays Area Chamber of Commerce Members on a single session cost.

Registration is available online through the Registration link in the sidebar on the MDC homepage at www.fhsu.edu/mdc.

To learn more about this workshop or additional upcoming trainings, contact Hannah Hilker by phone at 785-628-4121 or by email at [email protected].

 

ELLIS — Ellis USD 388 announced Friday the hiring of Donna Schmidt as the Jr/Sr High Principal for the 2019-20 school year.

Schmidt will begin her duties later this summer. She received her master’s degree from Kansas State University in 2002 and was a teacher for 11 years at Junction City High School. She was the assistant principal at Seaman High School for 13 years and then returned to the area to be a principal at Russell High School.

As her philosophy of education states:

“To enable every student to learn to the best of their ability and to provide a quality education, we need to work with our students, their families, our community, and each other. Collaboration among and with these groups should be a common, embedded practice because it improves learning, both for our students and for our educators. While our emphasis is improving student learning, we need to continue learning and growing as educators, as well. Quality professional development for classified and certified staff is critical because our students’ needs are changing, and we need to grow in order to provide our students with the highest quality education.”

Schmidt said she is very excited to join the Railer faculty and staff and to become a part of the Ellis community.

She replaced former Principal Corey Burton, who in February was promoted to district superintendent.

— Ellis USD 388

Erin Mathews has been named to the newly created position of public relations coordinator for the Dane G. Hansen Foundation.

She will work in a variety of ways to share stories about the Foundation’s initiatives and opportunities as well as stories about the people and communities in northwest Kansas — their projects, goals and accomplishments.

Mathews, Salina, was a member of the Salina Journal reporting staff for 10 years. Originally from Colby, Mathews earned a bachelor’s in journalism from Kansas State University and began her reporting career at the Parsons Sun. She and her husband, Randy, have three sons, Brady, Graham and Reece.

The Dane G. Hansen Foundation was established in 1965 with an estate gift from Dane G. Hansen. Based in Logan, the Foundation has been providing grants, scholarships and targeted initiatives to support growth and prosperity for the residents of northwest Kansas for 53 years. The Foundation has a primary service area that includes the 26 most northwest counties in the state.

— Submitted

By BECKY KISER
Hays Post

The Hays City Commission seat of James Meier is open for election this year, but Meier will not run for re-election. He and his family will soon be moving to Wichita.

Meier made the announcement publicly during last night’s city commission meeting.

“I’ve taken a position with Via Christi in the in-patient pharmacy at St. Francis (Wichita) as a manager,” Meier said, “and we’ll be moving down somewhere in the Wichita area whenever we get the house sold (in Hays.)”

Meier and his wife are both from the Wichita area. Following the commission meeting, he said the move will bring them closer to family.

The job offer was the third such one for Meier.

“It was pretty hard to decide that, because quite honestly, I like doing this,” Meier told the other commission members and city officials at Thursday’s meeting. “I really like serving with you guys. I really think we’ve done a lot of good things in the last four years. I really would like to run again but at a certain point you have to decide what is more important to you.

“In the past two years, I’ve gotten the offer of two different jobs that were along the same lines and I passed,” said Meier, “mostly so I could just keep sitting in this chair.

“After the last one, my wife and I decided that if it came up a third time, we wouldn’t say no.”

Meier is currently the pharmacy supervisor at Hays Medical Center and is a board-certified oncology pharmacist.

Meier’s last meeting as a city commissioner is the May 2 work session. The commission will appoint his replacement to fill the unexpired term. The general election is Nov. 2.

Meier thanked Hays residents for voting for him; the other commissioners thanked him for his service.

“It’s been a big learning opportunity. I think I’ve changed a lot in four years, maybe for the better,” Meiers added. “It’s been one of the best experiences of my life. I’m really sad that I have to be leaving.”

“As are we,” added Commissioner Sandy Jacobs.

“I hope the citizens really realize the gift that he gave us over four years,” she said. “He’s extremely knowledgeable, really convicted, does his homework and takes it very, very seriously. He truly works for the citizens of this community and for how we spend money.

“He’s made me a better commissioner in the three years I’ve been on the commission. I’m proud to work with him, but more than that, I’m proud to call him my friend.”

“You’re intelligent and motivated,” Mayor Henry Schwaller told Meier. “You look at both sides of an issue. You certainly did come with a certain perspective, and you’ve matured and you’ve changed. You brought a lot to this commission body. You will be missed.”

Jacobs said she hopes Meier will consider running for office in Sedgwick County.

“We’ll see what’s open down there,” Meier replied.

The Hays Police Department responded to 6 animal calls and conducted 25 traffic stops Fri., April 5, 2019, according to the HPD Activity Log.

Driving Under the Influence–2700 block Augusta Ln, Hays; 12:52 AM; 1:02 PM
Drug Offenses/DUI–100 block W 9th St, Hays; 1:23 AM
Driving Under the Influence–100 block E 17th St, Hays; 2:13 AM
Assist – Other (not MV)–4200 block Vine St, Hays; 2:23 AM
MV Accident-Personal Injury–17th and Walnut St, Hays; 7:56 AM
Animal At Large–400 block E 21st St, Hays; 8:41 AM
Welfare Check–2500 block E 21st St, Hays; 9:04 AM
Found/Lost Property–3600 block Vine St, Hays; 10:14 AM
Abandoned Vehicle–300 block E 25th St, Hays; 1:09 PM
Civil Dispute–500 block E 8th St, Hays; 1:17 PM
Animal At Large–33rd and Skyline, Hays; 1:25 PM
Juvenile Complaint–2500 block Henry Dr, Hays; 2:52 PM
Stolen/Recovered Property–1700 block General Custer Rd, Hays; 3:10 PM; 3:20 PM
MV Accident-Hit and Run–2900 block Vine St, Hays; 2:50 PM; 3:50 PM
Civil Dispute–2900 block Cottonwood Ln, Hays; 6:20 PM
Suspicious Activity–100 block W 12th St, Hays; 7:55 PM
Domestic Disturbance–1500 block Marjorie Dr, Hays; 10:15 PM; 10:25 PM

The Hays Police Department responded to 3 animal calls and conducted 26 traffic stops Sat., April 6, 2019, according to the HPD Activity Log.

MV Accident-City Street/Alley–400 block Allen St, Hays; 4/5 6:30 PM; 7 PM
Criminal Trespass–1800 block Walnut St, Hays; 4:32 AM
Animal Cruelty/Neglect–400 block W 4th St, Hays; 12:27 PM
Found/Lost Property– 5th and Main St, Hays; 1:45 PM
Found/Lost Property–300 block W 8th St, Hays; 4:38 PM
Animal At Large–2200 block E 15th St, Hays; 4:55 PM
Animal Bite Investigation–1700 block Agnes Dr, Hays; 5:40 PM
Battery – simple–2900 block Canal Blvd, Hays; 4 PM; 4:45 PM

The Hays Police Department responded to 8 animal calls and conducted 13 traffic stops Sun., April 7, 2019, according to the HPD Activity Log.

Suspicious Activity–400 block W 7th St, Hays; 12:20 AM; 12:25 AM
Intoxicated Subject–500 block W 13th St, Hays; 12:55 AM
Driving Under the Influence–800 block Fort St, Hays; 1 AM; 1:01 AM
Disturbance – Fight–4000 block Gen Hays Rd, Hays; 3 AM; 3:03 AM
Counterfeit currency/documents–4300 block Vine St, Hays; 8:18 AM
Animal At Large–300 block W 17th St, Hays; 9:51 AM
MV Accident-Hit and Run–500 block Walnut St, Hays; 9:50 AM
Burglary/business–2500 block Vine St, Hays; 4/3 8 AM; 4/7 10 AM
Mental Health Call–500 block W 30th St, Hays; 11:39 AM
Animal At Large–1100 block Downing Ave, Hays; 11:50 AM
Found/Lost Property–25th St, Hays; 11:55 AM
Lost Animals ONLY–4500 block Vista Dr, Hays; 12:11 PM
Lost Animals ONLY–1700 block Agnes Dr, Hays; 12:36 PM
Juvenile Complaint–1600 block E 29th St, Hays; 1:19 PM
Shoplifting–4300 block Vine St, Hays; 2:53 PM
Disturbance – General–300 block E 6th St, Hays; 3:50 PM
Animal Bite Investigation–400 block E 13th St, Hays; 5:13 PM
Criminal Trespass–2700 block Indian Trl, Hays; 5:23 PM
MV Accident-Hit and Run–100 block Ash St, Hays; 5:30 PM
Mental Health Call–700 block Main St, Hays;  10:30 PM

The Hays Police Department responded to 11 animal calls and conducted 9 traffic stops Mon., April 8, 2019, according to the HPD Activity Log.

Driving Under the Influence–700 block Walnut Sq, Hays; 4/8 8:12 PM; 4/7 8:13 PM
Domestic Disturbance–300 block E 6th St, Hays; 12 AM; 12:20 AM
Mental Health Call–300 block E 6th St, Hays; 7:47 AM
MV Accident-Co Road/St Hwy–4300 block Vine St, Hays; 4/7 8:31 AM; 4/8 8:31 AM
Drug Offenses–800 block Walnut St, Hays; 9:22 AM; 12:36 PM
Lost Animals ONLY–2100 block Milner St, Hays; 9:21 AM
MV Accident-Private Property-Hit and Run–4300 block Vine St, Hays; 11:23 AM
Dead Animal Call–200 block E 26th St, Hays; 1:18 PM
Drug Offenses–800 block Walnut St, Hays; 1:28 PM; 2:58 PM
Criminal Damage to Property–Vine St, Hays; 1:33 PM
MV Accident-Hit and Run–700 block E 11th St, Hays; 4/5 5 PM; 4/8 1:51 PM
Dead Animal Call–2700 block Fort St, Hays; 3:40 PM
Battery – simple–2200 block Canterbury Dr, Hays; 4:30 AM
Disturbance – Noise–1700 block Agnes Dr, Hays; 5:01 PM
Mental Health Call–1400 block E 29th St, Hays; 7:37 PM
Warrant Service (Fail to Appear)–1700 block Haney Dr, Hays; 4/4 8 AM
Driving Under the Influence–700 block General Custer Rd, Hays; 9:02 PM

The Hays Police Department responded to 7 animal calls and conducted 11 traffic stops Tue., April 9, 2019, according to the HPD Activity Log.

Disturbance – Noise–100 block W 36th St, Hays; 12:42 AM
Mental Health Call–300 block E 6th St, Hays; 2:33 AM
Assist – Other (not MV)–200 block E 14th St, Hays; 7:02 AM
Harassment, Telephone/FAX–1200 block Motz Ave, Hays; 11:07 AM
Criminal Damage to Property–100 block W 8th St, Hays; 8:15 AM; 12 PM
Animal Bite Investigation–3200 block Vine St, Hays; 12:18 PM
Welfare Check–1700 block Donald Dr, Hays; 12:22 PM
Juvenile Complaint–2800 block Indian Trl, Hays; 12:43 PM
Shoplifting–4300 block Vine St, Hays; 2:12 PM
Shoplifting–4300 block Vine St, Hays; 6:37 PM
Burglary/residence–2300 block Plum St, Hays; 3:45 PM
MV Accident-City Street/Alley–300 block W 13th St, Hays; 4:09 PM
Welfare Check–2100 block E 21st St, Hays; 4:14 PM
MV Accident-Private Property-Hit and Run–1700 block Hall St, Hays; 5:21 PM
Animal At Large–700 block College Dr, Hays; 5:31 PM
Animal Call–1700 block Agnes Dr, Hays; 6:06 PM
Disturbance – Noise–1300 block E 33rd St, Hays; 11:22 PM

The Hays Police Department responded to 8 animal calls and conducted 13 traffic stops Wed., April 10, 2019, according to the HPD Activity Log.

Assist – Other (not MV)–3200 block Vine St, Hays; 1:13 AM
Suspicious Activity–300 block E 24th St, Hays; 2:30 AM
Abandoned Vehicle–2700 block Barclay Dr, Hays; 3:10 AM
Intoxicated Subject–4000 block Gen Hays Rd, Hays; 3:37 AM
Death by Natural Causes–1700 block Western Plains Dr, Hays; 4/9 10:30:00 PM; 4/10 5:24 AM
Suspicious Activity–400 block E 13th St, Hays; 5:38 AM
Welfare Check–1000 block E 15th St, Hays; 9:38 AM
Theft (general)–1300 block Canterbury Dr, Hays; 10:08 AM
Lost Animals ONLY–2500 block Felten Dr, Hays; 10:23 AM
Dead Animal Call–1800 block E 27th St, Hays; 11:33 AM
Civil Dispute–2200 block Henry Dr, Hays; 11:44 AM
Theft (general)–1700 block Agnes Dr, Hays; 11:43 AM
MV Accident-City Street/Alley–500 block W 7th St, Hays; 1:15 PM
Animal At Large–1900 block Longfellow Rd, Hays; 1:27 PM
Theft of Vehicle–1700 block Agnes Dr, Hays; 4/2 8 AM; 4/5 5 PM
Shoplifting–4300 block Vine St, Hays; 1:30 PM; 1:44 PM
Burglary/business–2000 block Canal Blvd, Hays; 2:23 PM
MV Accident-City Street/Alley–1200 block Elm St, Hays; 3:10 PM
Theft (general)–2700 block Vine St, Hays; 4:03 PM
Lost Animals ONLY–2900 block Canal Blvd, Hays; 5:08 PM
Welfare Check–1000 block W 28th St, Hays; 5:38 PM
Animal Injured–500 block E 5th St, Hays; 6:19 PM
Suspicious Activity–2800 block Vine St, Hays; 7:10 PM
MV Accident-City Street/Alley–11th and Walnut, Hays; 6:59 PM; 7:21 PM
Civil Dispute–500 block W 16th St, Hays; 7:26 PM
Suicidal Subject–1000 block Reservation Rd, Hays; 9:44 PM

By LEXIE WASINGER
FHSU University Relations and Marketing

Most college students don’t paint a self-portrait of themselves getting punched in the face, but Layke Heimerman isn’t your ordinary college student.

Art is a hobby for the Fort Hays State University sophomore student-athlete. He is active on campus in a variety of ways, but his two main passions are art and football.

The portrait that he painted for an art class is gritty and a little hard-hitting, much like the sport he loves. For this Tiger linebacker, his affinity for football and creating artwork began at an early age.

“I grew up doing art work,” Heimerman said. “My mom is a graphic designer and always encouraged my brother and me to paint when we were younger.”

During his high school days at Halstead, he took art classes for four years while at the same time starring on the football field, where he earned all-state honors his junior and senior years.

“My art teacher in high school was a really cool dude,” Heimerman said. “He got me into the kind of paintings that I do now and inspired me on how to paint.”

Portraits are Heimerman’s favorite painting subjects, whether it be his own or a comedian with a distinct look that he liked.

However, when his high school art teacher introduced him to “thrift store paintings,” they became another favorite. To create a “thrift store painting,” Heimerman finds an old painting from a thrift shop and paints pop culture figures or local references into the scene.

In the past, he has painted the sinking Titanic and a UFO into a lake landscape. Currently, he is working on a European street scene, which features Colonel Sanders, an octopus and a sign from a local bar.
Just as his mom initially encouraged Heimerman’s artwork, family ties also influenced his decision to attend school at FHSU.

“Football and my family brought me to Fort Hays State,” Heimerman said. “Both my parents, one of my grandparents, and my brother, Gentry, all went to Fort Hays, so I always kind of had my eyes set on playing football there.”

Football is just one of Heimerman’s many activities in which he participates at FHSU.

He is a student success coach for a freshman seminar class. He has been chosen as one of the 2019-20 VIP Student Ambassadors, a prestigious group of student leaders chosen to represent FHSU at official campus events. And he even has ventured into cutting fellow students’ hair, including members of the football team, thanks to a high school best friend with a man bun.

“(His hair) didn’t look good, so I asked him if I could at least shave the sides and give him a top knot,” Heimerman said. “It looked alright, so I kept cutting his hair like that. From there, I started cutting a lot of my friends’ hair back home, and when I got to Fort Hays State, I started cutting a bunch of people’s hair here. It’s become a cool hobby.”

Whether he’s holding a paint brush or hair clippers, Heimerman continues to find ways to express his creativity.

But right now, his focus is on football as the Tigers prepare for Saturday’s spring game. For more information on activities surrounding the game, which begins at 1 p.m. at Lewis Field Stadium, go to the football page at fhsuahtletics.com.

After two eventful seasons on the football team, Heimerman is excited to see what is in store for the Tigers this fall.

As a redshirt freshman last year, Heimerman appeared in all 12 games – mostly on special teams, during a special season.

The Tigers won their second consecutive MIAA title in 2018, qualified for the NCAA Division II playoffs for a second straight year and finished 9-3 overall. That was the one of the best records in school history, second only to the 11-1 mark of the year before.

It all begins again Saturday for Heimerman and the Tigers.

“I’m looking forward to getting back into it,” he said, “and competing for another MIAA title.”

SHPTV

BUNKER HILL – Smoky Hills Public Television’s local program, The Kansas Legislature, will be hosted by Michael Walker, Director of the Docking Institute.  Our guests will be State Representatives Brad Ralph of the 119^th District, Troy Waymaster of the 109^th District, and Steven Johnson of the 108^th District.

Tune in TONIGHT, April 12th at 7 p.m. and call in with your legislative questions.

You can now watch The Kansas Legislature LIVE on ANY DEVICE by subscribing to our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/SmokyHillsPBS

The show airs during the legislative session, which gives the legislators and viewers the opportunity to discuss up-to-date issues.  During the program, viewers can call 800.337.4788 with their legislative questions.

The Kansas Legislature will air on Fridays at 7 p.m.  To find a list of legislators that might be on the show each week, go to www.shptv.org where you will find the 2019 season schedule.

Grow Hays

Grow Hays and the Fort Hays State University Small Business Development Center are holding a short course on Value Acceleration at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, April 24, at BriefSpace, 219 W. 10th.

Guest speaker — FHSU SBDC’s Rick Feltenberger — will lead participants through the process by focusing the approach on building a business with characteristics that drive value, and integrating the owner’s personal and financial objectives into it now.

The first 10 paid registrations will receive a free copy of the groundbreaking book “Walking to Destiny: 11 Actions an Owner MUST Take to Rapidly Grow Value and Unlock Wealth.”

Contact Ernee Sly at (785) 628-3102 to register for the event.