COLBY — The Jan. 31 Colby Community College Thirsty Thursday art show will feature large sculpture by Fort Hays State senior art student Ashley Smith and works by Colby High School advanced art students. The exhibition will be open from 6-8 p.m. in the Cultural Arts Center gallery.
Originally from Hays, Smith has been influenced by Vincent Van Gogh, Claes Oldenburg, FHSU professor Toby Flores, and current FHSU graduate student Kurt Breshears.
“I love the fluidity of Van Gogh’s work, and try to replicate those movements in my sculptures,” Smith said. “I enjoy Toby’s flexibility in his works, from humor to large scale, and everything in between. His blacksmithing skills are admirable, and he is a very down-to-earth professor. I admire the size sculpture that Claes Oldenburg creates on everyday objects. I strive to follow him in size, but with works that reflect myself more so. And I admire Kurt’s work because he is creating big works in the studio under the same intentions that I am.”
Refreshments will be served at the come-and-go event.
Thirsty Thursday is hosted the third Thursday of each month during the academic year by the CCC art department. There is no admission charge.
Dr. Hendratta Ali, Associate Professor, Department of Geosciences at FHSU Fort Hays State University’s Dr. Hendratta Ali has been awarded a $97,000 Geoscientists Without Borders grant by the Society of Exploration Geophysicists Foundation to conduct humanitarian geoscience work exploring for groundwater in metamorphic basement rocks in Cameroon.
SEG foundation through the Geoscientists Without Borders program has a mission of supporting the humanitarian applications of geoscience around the world. The goal is to make a significant difference in the lives of those in need.
Dr. Ali’s project is titled “Geophysical Investigation of Fault Zone Aquifers and Water Quality Assessment in Nkoteng”. This means that participants will investigate the use of similar geophysical techniques that are used to find petroleum in oil fields to find water in these basement rocks. If aquifers are located in the rocks, boreholes will be drilled into the rocks to access the water. Participants will then apply biogeochemical methods to test for water quality and determine whether it is safe for human use. This grant will also support the training of students in practical and humanitarian use of geophysics and geological methods, important skills that students will need after graduation.
In fall 2018, Dr. Ali was also co-awarded a linked project $300,000 National Science Foundation grant to study waters in a tropical estuary and was honored with the Outstanding Educator award by the Society of Exploration Geophysicists in October 2018 at the SEG International Annual meeting in Anaheim (CA).
Outgoing Hays mayor James Meier is presented with a plaque by incoming mayor Henry Schwaller Thursday night.
By BECKY KISER Hays Post
Henry Schwaller IV is the new Hays mayor and Shaun Musil is the new vice-mayor.
The elections were unanimously approved by city commissioners Thursday night as the governing body reorganized followed by a thank you to outgoing mayor James Meier for his year of service.
“You hit the ground running,” said Schwaller to Meier after presenting him a plaque-mounted memorial gavel.
Schwaller specifically mentioned Meier’s approach to the long-term water supply project.
“The long-term water strategy was kind of high-centered. You got aggressive. You contacted the governor’s office and you started making things happen.”
Schwaller also talked about Meier’s passion for the community of Hays and his ability to get things done.
“You’re good for the city and your leadership is exemplary.”
Meier thanked the other commissioners for allowing him to serve as Hays mayor for a year.
“It is a privilege,” said Meier, “and actually a great honor to be mayor, something many of you have already experienced.
“I’m glad I was able to survive the year without anybody punching me,” Meier joked.
The Hays city commission reorganized to elect Henry Schwaller as mayor and Shaun Musil as vice-mayor.
Meier then moved to the end of the commission table as the other commissioners moved one seat to the right while Finance Director Kim Rupp moved and updated name plaques to reflect the changes.
Later in the meeting the commission voted to change its rules of procedure regarding reorganization.
The change allows for a special reorganization meeting on the second Monday of each year following a November election, or at the first regular meeting in January. The result will make reorganizations more consistent with a shorter gap between transitions.
State statutes mandate new commissioners after a November election take seat at the second Monday in January.
BUNKER HILL – Smoky Hills Public Television’s local program, The Kansas Legislature, will kick off this Friday, January 25 at 7 p.m. hosted by Michael Walker, director of the Docking Institute of Public Affairs at Fort Hays State University.
State Representatives Troy Waymaster (R-Bunker Hill) of the 109th District and Ken Rahjes (R-Agra) of the 110th District will be our guests this Friday.
The show airs during the legislative session, which gives the legislators and viewers the opportunity to discuss up-to-date issues. For each show, legislators from the SHPTV viewing area are invited to participate in the LIVE call-in program.
“Smoky Hills Public Television has been airing this production for approximately 35 years,” said Larry Calvery, Smoky Hills Public Television General Manager. “We bring local state representatives and senators to our studio in Bunker Hill, where we give our viewers a chance to get their legislative questions answered. The Kansas Legislature is another great local production we bring to our viewers each year!”
The Kansas Legislator will air on Fridays at 7 p.m.
To find a list of legislatures that might be on the show each week, go to www.shptv.org where you will find the 2019 season schedule.
GarrisonTosha Garrison, APRN-C, joined the team at Hess Clinic in December.
Garrison grew up in Oberlin and graduated from Fort Hays State University in 2002.
“She is glad to be in Western Kansas because she loves the area and the people. Diabetes treatment has always been a passion for Tosha, along with caring for and respecting the whole person,” the clinic said in a news release. “Meeting new patients and new people while listening to their concerns and working diligently to find a solution to their problems is one of Tosha’s favorite parts of being a nurse practitioner. She enjoys educating and involving patients in the self-care of their chronic medical conditions. Patient involvement in their treatment is a high priority for Tosha.”
Two local non-profits are trying to help workers that have been affected by the federal shutdown.
First Call for Help reached out to workers this week on Facebook. Linda Mills, director, said the agency can assist with food, hygiene items and rent assistance if needed.
They can also refer workers to other resources in the community.
First Call had not received any requests for assistance as of Thursday afternoon, Mills said. She said she knew the USDA office in Hays has been shutdown with workers soon to return to work without pay. Social Security workers are on the job with pay as their budget is considered separately than the allocations that are in limbo during the shutdown.
United Way of Ellis County released information from United Way Worldwide Thursday afternoon on its efforts to both help workers an take donations on their behalf.
That release is as follows:
United Way Worldwide today announced it has established the United for U.S. Fund to benefit federal workers, contractors and others who may be impacted by the ongoing government shutdown.
The United for U.S. Fund is an expansion of the United for U.S. Coalition, which was launched recently to bring together corporate partners, organized labor, the United Way network and other nonprofits to assist furloughed federal workers and others who are struggling during the ongoing government shutdown.
Since the launch of the Coalition, United Way has received an increasing number of inquiries from members of the public, nonprofits and other companies, asking, “How can we help?”
The United for U.S. Fund will make it possible for those who want to help to support federal workers, contractors and others impacted by the government shutdown.
“We are proud to be able to ease the burden of all those struggling at this time and, in particular, to support federal workers and contractors in every community who have supported their neighbors through their work and their philanthropy over the years,” said Mary Sellers, U.S. President, United Way Worldwide. ‘The United for U.S. Fund will enable individuals and others to give back to those who work to keep our country going.”
Throughout the shutdown, United Ways around the country have been providing a host of services to federal workers and others, including financial services and counseling, emergency assistance for food, rent and other immediate needs.
With a Network covering 94 percent of communities across the U.S., United Way is well-positioned to marshal and mobilize resources to get those who are in crisis due to the shutdown the help they need with basic needs and to make ends meet.
The United for U.S. Fund will distribute 100 percent of individual donations to local United Ways that serve communities with a large percentage of federal workers, contractors and others who may be impacted by the government shutdown to address vital needs, including food, rent and mortgage payments and other basic expenses.
Sherry Dryden, director of United Way of Ellis County, said donors may also given through the local chapter, but they need to specify they wish their donation to assist furloughed federal workers. You can reach the local United Way office at 785-628-8281.
About 2-1-1
2-1-1 is a free, confidential service that connects individuals to resources and services in their local communities by phone, text and on the web. Individuals in need or who are looking for information for someone else can call 2-1-1 from a cell phone or landline. United Way supports and provides 2-1-1 services in most communities across the U.S. For more information about 2-1-1, visit 211.org.
PHILLIPSBURG — A pursuit in the city of Phillipsburg on Thursday morning resulted in the arrest of a Phillipsburg teenager.
The Phillips County Sheriff’s Department reported that, just before 8 a.m. Thursday, Ashton Matteson, 18, followed an unmarked patrol vehicle closely and revved his engine numerous times.
“The sheriff turned into the courthouse and got behind him to affect a traffic stop when Matteson fled,” the department said in a news release. “Matteson stopped at White’s Foodliner and ran into the store, disobeying commands to stop. He was taken into custody in the store.”
He was arrested on suspicion of following too close, exhibition of acceleration, fleeing or attempt to elude, disorderly conduct and resisting arrest. Bond has not been set.
Matteson was out on bond for a previous incident and that bond may be revoked, the release said.
Caitlin O’Toole, 36th Dist. Sen. Elaine Powers (R-Concordia), Randi Walters
OFFICE OF SEN. BOWERS
TOPEKA – State Sen. Elaine Bowers this week announced the members of her staff who will assist her in the 2019 Legislative session will be Legislative Office/Committee Assistant Randi Walters, of Topeka; and intern Caitlin O’Toole, of Prairie Village.
This will be Walters’ third year serving as Bowers’ office assistant. Prior to working for Bowers, Randi was employed for 30 years at Southwestern Bell before working at the Capitol where she has assisted several legislators for over 15 years.
Caitlin O’Toole is currently a third-year undergraduate student at the University of Kansas. She was raised in Prairie Village, Kansas and graduated from St. Teresa’s Academy in 2016.
For the 2019 Legislative Session, Bowers will serve as chair of the Ethics, Elections and Local Government Committee, as well as a member of the Legislative Post Audit Committee, Capitol Preservation Committee, Transportation Committee, Utilities Committee, Judiciary Committee, and Interstate Cooperation Committee.
Bowers was first elected to the Senate in 2012, representing District 36. The district includes Cloud, Jewell, Lincoln, Mitchell, Osborne, Ottawa, Republic, Rooks, Russell, Smith, and Washington counties, as well as parts of Phillips and Marshall counties.
Prior to serving in the Senate, Bowers served in the Kansas House of Representatives from 2007 through 2012, representing House District 107. Today she represents over 71,000 people in north central, west, and eastern Kansas along the border of Nebraska.
The 36th District is the second largest in the state, 13 counties, over 10,500 square miles with Concordia and Cloud County as the largest city and county.
Kansans chose divided government in 2018, electing a Democratic governor and a conservative-tilting Republican legislature. The facts: 57% of Kansas voters did not support Kris Kobach. And many Republicans in the legislature, including some noted conservatives, represent districts where most voters supported Laura Kelly. These Republicans who find themselves caught between their voters and their own politics offer a great test of how representative democracy works in Kansas.
Patrick R. Miller is an Assistant Professor of Political Science at the University of Kansas.
Let’s look at some numbers. The Kansas House has 125 districts. Of those, Kelly won 65 districts and Kobach won 60. Of 40 Senate districts, Kelly won 21 and Kobach won 19. Independent Greg Orman won no districts.
Democrats have it easy here. Every Democrat in the legislature represents a district that Kelly won. That means they can support her agenda and generally represent the desires that their voters expressed last November.
The math is not as kind to Republicans. Ten Republicans in the Senate and 24 in the House represent districts that Kelly won. This includes notable conservatives like former Kobach campaign manager J.R. Claeys in Salina, Brenda Landwehr in Wichita, and Mary Pilcher-Cook in Shawnee. It also includes much of Republican leadership. All four Senate Republican leaders—Susan Wagle, Jeff Longbine, Jim Denning, and Mike Peterson—represent Kelly districts. House Speaker Ron Ryckman represents a Kelly district. House Majority Leader Dan Hawkins escapes joining the Kelly district club by less than 1%, though only 46% of his voters supported Kobach.
What does this mean? At the core of representative democracy is representation, meaning to act on behalf of others as an elected representative. Let’s imagine that you are Senate President Susan Wagle, and you represent her district where 53% of voters chose Kelly. Who do you represent? Your district broadly? Only voters who supported you? Just your party? Just yourself and your opinions? Or, if you are considering a US Senate run as she is, is your attention on Republican primary voters statewide?
Realistically, different legislators see their roles as representatives differently. To be sure, those politicians were elected in their own right and it would be unrealistic to expect Republicans in Kelly districts to accept her agenda without question. We are a democracy of checks and balances. But it is also unrealistic for them to dismiss her agenda on partisan grounds if her leadership is what voters in their districts chose.
To make divided government work, there must be compromise between the personal agendas of politicians and the desires of the voters they represent. That is equally true for Kelly and Republicans. Kelly made her agenda clear in 2018, and voters put the ball in the Republican court by electing her. So how will Republicans react? Will they double down on Sam Brownback-ish policies in areas like taxes, spending, education, or Medicaid expansion? Will legislative leaders and committee chairs use their power to deny hearings on proposals that they personally dislike but which Kansans broadly support in polls?
Kansas voters will decide in 2020 how this political marriage is working. Kelly will not be on the ballot, though voters can reward or punish Republicans for their actions. But accountability does not just magically happen. Voters will only reward Democrats if Democrats recruit serious candidates and contest winnable districts. And the 57% of Kansas voters who voted against returning to Brownback policies in 2018 should not assume that their job as citizens is done just because Kelly won. Complacency like that lets politicians ignore you, not represent you.
Patrick R. Miller is an Assistant Professor of Political Science at the University of Kansas. Kate Davis provided data assistance. Data are from the Open Elections Data Project.
SMITH CENTER — The Smith Center Police Department is seeking information on suspects alleged to have used stolen credit cards in the area.
The suspects were in the area as recently as Jan. 19, according to a social media post from the Phillips County Sheriff’s Department.
“Contact us immediately if you see these subjects or suspicious activity around ATMs. Call 911 and do not approach or attempt to detain,” the posting said.
The Phillipsburg Shopko is slated to be shuttered by Feb. 28. Photo by Kirby Ross
Nationwide store closings now up to 105
By KIRBY ROSS Phillips County Review
PHILLIPSBURG — As predicted on the pages of the Phillips County Review on Dec. 12, the situation regarding Shopko is much more dire than just having a few stores being unprofitable.
Instead of there being a problem along the lines of having a drought in cash flow that could be fixed locally, it turns out the situation is more of a nationwide tsunami.
Although warning signs had been in the air for a number of months, the Phillips County general public first became generally aware of a problem following a staff meeting at the Phillipsburg Shopko on Dec. 4, at which time employees were notified the store was closing along with 37 more across the nation.
Now, last Wednesday, almost six weeks later, the company has announced it has filed for bankruptcy and is engaging in another round of store closings that will bring the total number of shuttered locations to 105.
“This decision is a difficult, but necessary one,” Shopko CEO Russ Steinhorst said in the press release last week. “In a challenging retail environment, we have had to make some very tough choices, but we are confident that by operating a smaller and more focused store footprint, we will be able to build a stronger Shopko that will better serve our customers, vendors, employees and other stakeholders through this process.”
In addition to the store in Phillipsburg, other Kansas locations that are slated to close now include Russell, Clay Center, Anthony, Scott City, Lyons, Larned and Burlington.
The Phillipsburg location had just opened in March 2016, less than three years ago.
Beginning the year 2015 with 320 stores in 21 states, by 2016 glowing reports regarding Shopko were appearing in the nationwide media, with 65 more new locations having opened in a little over a year.
“The rural population is grossly underserved by retailers, so we’re eager to bring Shopko Hometown to more communities,” former Chief Executive Officer Peter McMahon said at the time.
Part of that mass expansion involved Shopko taking over existing locations belonging to ALCO, which had filed bankruptcy in October 2014. The chain was liquidated shortly thereafter, with the Phillipsburg ALCO having shut its doors for the last time in March of 2015.
The underlying Shopko problem may be more complicated than having undertaken expansion too quickly or in the wrong locations — a massive shift in the way Americans shop is probably the culprit, business analysts say.
More precisely, the internet is likely at the root of the problem.
As reported by the Phillips County Review on Dec. 12, “Retail Dive, which provides analysis of businesses and business trends to retail executives, reported that Shopko has been buffeted by intense pressures in retail, some perennial and some part of more recent changes in American demographics, the economy and innovations like e-commerce, spurring new customer expectations.
“Retail Dive states that retailers who do respond well to new aspects of competition leave less nimble rivals like Shopko even further behind. Legacy retailers like Target and Walmart, for example, have overhauled their e-commerce operations and leveraged their store fleets to blur channels and meet new expectations, turning tables on Amazon but making it that much harder for the likes of Shopko to keep up.”
That release is as follows:
