The State of Our Catholic Schools Address will take place at 6:30 p.m. Feb. 4 at Immaculate Heart of Mary Parish.
All parents of TMP-Marian and Holy Family Elementary students are required to attend this important event. Information covered includes funding, projects, new courses, any and all updates and projections for the future.
In addition to inviting you to join us at the State of Our Catholic Schools Address, we need your pictures… all pictures of your students attending TMP-M or HFE. These are the photos that will greet you on February 4, at 6:30 p.m., as you enter the event. Please upload all the serious, interesting and funny pictures you have captured this year HERE.
An activity update from Clay Craft of Retail Strategies will be presented Thursday night during the Hays city commission work session.
“About a year ago, the city contracted with Retail Strategies, [Birmingham, Alabama,] to provide a retail recruitment and retention program for the city,” said Jacob Wood, assistant city manager.
“They’ll provide an update of what they’ve done the past year, the representation they’ve had for the city of Hays at national conferences, and some of the contacts that they’ve had with retailers.”
(Click to enlarge)
In other business, commissioners will hear details of a rezoning request for vacant property located at the southeast corner of 22nd and Wheatland Streets from Neighborhood Conservation District NC.3 to Commercial General District C-2.
The property is currently zoned to allow multi-family housing. “I believe the property owners are interested in putting in some kind of childcare/daycare facility on the property,” said Wood.
The rezoning request had already been approved by the Planning Commission.
Other agenda items include the annual report of the NCK Tech Big Creek Technical Training Center and the city commission rules of procedure review.
ST. PAUL, Minn. – Sarah Annis, a senior at Bethel University in St. Paul, has been named to the Dean’s List for academic excellence for the fall 2018 semester. She is the daughter of Douglas and Denise Annis from Oakley.
The Dean’s List honors students who achieve an outstanding scholastic record during a semester with a grade point average of 3.6 or greater.
Bethel University is a leader in Christ-centered higher education with nearly 5,500 students from 48 states and 42 countries enrolled in undergraduate, graduate, seminary, and adult education programs. Based in St. Paul, Minnesota, with an additional seminary location in San Diego, California, Bethel offers bachelor’s and advanced degrees in nearly 100 fields through classroom-based and online programs.
For further information on Bethel University, go to www.bethel.edu.
Today Patchy fog before 8am. Patchy freezing fog before 8am. Otherwise, cloudy through mid morning, then gradual clearing, with a high near 41. Light and variable wind becoming southwest 5 to 8 mph in the morning.
Tonight Mostly cloudy, with a low around 30. South wind 7 to 15 mph.
FridayRain likely, possibly mixed with snow, becoming all snow after 4pm. Cloudy, with a temperature rising to near 41 by 10am, then falling to around 32 during the remainder of the day. Breezy, with an east northeast wind 8 to 13 mph becoming north 19 to 24 mph in the afternoon. Chance of precipitation is 60%. New snow accumulation of less than a half inch possible.
Friday NightA 50 percent chance of snow before midnight. Patchy blowing snow before midnight. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 15. Wind chill values as low as -2. Windy, with a north wind 23 to 28 mph, with gusts as high as 38 mph. New snow accumulation of 1 to 2 inches possible.
SaturdayMostly sunny, with a high near 26. Blustery, with a north wind 17 to 22 mph decreasing to 7 to 12 mph in the afternoon.
ELLIS COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating two individuals in connection with a report of the shots fired call at Walmart in Hays.
Lipe photo Ellis Co.Lipe -photo Ellis Co.
Just before 7p.m. police dispatch received multiple calls of shots being fired inside the Walmart store, 4301 Vine Street in Hays, according to a media release.
Officers responded to Walmart for an active shooter situation. Upon their arrival people were running from the store. Eye-witnesses identified two suspects as being involved in the shooting incident. Officers quickly apprehended the suspects identified as Linda J. Lipe 45, and Phillip L. Lipe, 68, both from Norcatur, Kansas.
Customers and employees were evacuated and waiting outside of the Hays Walmart store Wednesday evening
Walmart was closed while the scene was processed and the building was searched.
The investigation has determined there was only one bullet discharged from a pistol owned by the Lipes, and that the gun went off after it was accidentally dropped on the floor. The discharged bullet did not injure anyone.
Phillip and Linda Lipe were arrested on the following charges: criminal use of a weapon, endangerment, unlawful discharge of a firearm within city limits, interference with a law enforcement officer, possession of methamphetamine, possession of marijuana, and possession of drug paraphernalia. They were booked into the Ellis County Jail.
HAYS POST
Update: The Hays Police Department posted the following on its Facebook page as of about 8:30 p.m. Wednesday night.
The Walmart store has been cleared and there is no further danger to the community. The scene has been released by law enforcement and the store is now open for business. The initial investigation indicates that one shot was fired inside the store and that it was an accidental discharge. There were no injuries. Two people remain in custody and are held for weapon and drug violations. The Hays Police Department would like to thank the City of Hays Communication Center, Ellis County Sheriff’s Office, Kanas Highway Patrol, Fort Hays State University Police Department, Hays Fire Department, and the Ellis County EMS for their professional response to this incident. Their service and assistance was greatly appreciated.
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Update: 8:20 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 16 from the Hays Police Department:
At 6:48 p.m., Wednesday, January 16, 2019, there were multiple reports of gunshots and people running from the Hays Walmart store. The Hays Police Dept, Kansas Highway Patrol, Fort Hays State University Police Department, and Ellis County Sheriff’s Office responded. Two people have been detained with no injuries. The scene is now secure. Walmart is closed while the crime scene is processed and the store cleared. The public is asked to please avoid the area. The investigation is ongoing.
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Update: 7:45 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 16
Morris and Danielle Esprit of Houston, Texas, were shopping in the Hays Walmart in the automotive section Wednesday night when a firearm was discharged.
They did not see the firearm or the person who fired it, but they did hear the shot.
Danielle said she thought someone had dropped something.
Morris said he realized the sound was a gunshot but noticed no one was running or seemed frightened.
He estimated within about 10 or 15 minutes the store was evacuated.
Morris, who is a truck driver, said the couple was on the road and just stopped in Hays to pick up supplies. They were waiting outside the store, hoping it would reopen soon so they could purchase the items they needed.
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Evacuated customers and employees stand outside of the Hays Walmart store Wednesday night.
Update: 7:33 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 16.
Law enforcement officials are at the scene at the Hays Walmart investigating the discharge of a firearm.
Employees who had been evacuated from the building said that a woman had accidentally discharged a firearm inside of the store.
Officers were still investigating the scene as of 7:30 p.m. Employees were allowed to reenter the building, but the store remained closed. Officers said they did not know when the store would be able to reopen. The parking lot entranced are being blocked by officers, and shoppers are urged to stay away until officers can conclude their investigation.
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Numerous law enforcement officers and emergency responders are on the scene at the Hays Walmart, 4301 Vine, responding to a report of multiple gun shots at 6:48 p.m.
Authorities are asking people to stay away from the store and its parking lot.
At this time, the situation has been downgraded, although the Special Situation Response Team is gathered nearby at Great Clips.
Hays Post has a reporter on the scene and will have updates as soon as they are available.
TOPEKA – The Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) has issued a boil water advisory for the city of Timken located in Rush County.
Customers should observe the following precautions until further notice:
If your tap water appears dirty, flush the water lines by letting the water run until it clears.
Boil water for one minute prior to drinking or food preparation or use bottled water.
Dispose of ice cubes and do not use ice from a household automatic icemaker.
Disinfect dishes and other food contact surfaces by immersion for at least one minute in clean tap water that contains one teaspoon of unscented household bleach per gallon of water.
Water used for bathing does not generally need to be boiled. Supervision of children is necessary while bathing so that water is not ingested. Persons with cuts or severe rashes may wish to consult their physicians.
The advisory took effect on Jan. 16 and will remain in effect until the conditions that placed the system at risk of bacterial contamination are resolved. KDHE officials issued the advisory because the city cannot currently maintain the minimum required chlorine residual. Failure to maintain required chlorine residual levels may put the system at risk for bacterial contamination.
Regardless of whether the public water supplier or KDHE announced a boil water advisory, only KDHE can issue the rescind order following testing at a certified laboratory.
Restaurants and other food establishments that have questions about the impact of the boil water advisory on their business can contact the Kansas Department of Agriculture’s food safety & lodging program at [email protected] or call 785-564-6767.
CONCORD, N.H. (AP) — A traveling hospital technician who was sentenced to 39 years in prison for infecting patients in multiple states with hepatitis C through tainted syringes has asked a federal judge to vacate his sentence, saying his lawyer was ineffective in representing him.
David Kwiatkowski, a traveling medical technician accused of causing a hepatitis C outbreak at over 18 hospitals across the country including Hays
David Kwiatkowski, 39, was a cardiac technologist in 18 hospitals, including HaysMed, in seven states before being hired at New Hampshire’s Exeter Hospital in 2011. He was sentenced in 2013 after admitting that he stole painkiller syringes from hospitals where he worked and replaced them with saline-filled syringes tainted with his blood.
Kwiatkowski had moved from job to job despite being fired at least four times over allegations of drug use and theft. When he was arrested, at least 46 people had been diagnosed with the same strain of hepatitis C he carried. Authorities said the disease played a role in a woman’s death in Kansas.
In all, 32 patients were infected in New Hampshire, seven in Maryland, six in Kansas and one in Pennsylvania. Kwiatkowski also worked in Michigan, New York, Arizona and Georgia.
Kwiatkowski, who is representing himself, filed his motion from prison in Sumterville, Florida, in December. He’s scheduled to be released in 2046. His case was assigned to a federal judge in Concord on Monday.
Kwiatkowski wrote that his lawyer allowed him to plead guilty under extreme emotional distress and that his sentence was incorrectly calculated.
He said when he learned about the death, he “found himself in a state of depression and though not the actual cause of death felt himself to be responsable (sic) for it.” He said the lawyer “played on this” to convince him to plead guilty to facts he wasn’t charged for.
Kwiatkowski also said the sentence should have been much lower and that his mental state “should have been in question” for agreeing to the deal.
In 2013, Kwiatkowski’s lawyers argued that a 30-year sentence would better balance the seriousness of the crimes against his mental and emotional problems and his addiction to drugs and alcohol, which they said clouded his judgment.
Prosecutors had not yet responded to the motion.
“We are aware of the filing but will not be making a comment in pending matters,” said Dena Blanco, a spokeswoman for the U.S. attorney’s office.
Hepatitis C is a viral infection that attacks the liver. For most people, it turns into a chronic disease. Kwiatkowski, who learned he had the disease in 2010, apologized to his victims at his sentencing, saying his crime was caused by an addiction to painkillers and alcohol.
DODGE CITY – The National Weather Service in Dodge City has issued a Dense Fog Advisory until 9 p.m. Wednesday for portions of central and southwestern Kansas, including Ellis County.
Dense fog is expected to blanket all of central and southwest Kansas tonight. Visibilities will be down to a quarter mile or less. Freezing fog will create some slick spots on area roads and sidewalks.
Trego-Ellis-Scott-Lane-Ness-Rush-Finney-Hodgeman-Pawnee-Stafford-
Grant-Haskell-Gray-Ford-Edwards-Kiowa-Pratt-Stevens-Seward-Meade-
Clark-Comanche-Barber-
Including the cities of WaKeeney, Pfeifer, Hays, Scott City,
Scott State Lake, Dighton, Ness City, La Crosse, Garden City,
Jetmore, Hanston, Larned, St. John, Stafford, Macksville,
Ulysses, Sublette, Satanta, Cimarron, Montezuma, Dodge City,
Kinsley, Lewis, Greensburg, Haviland, Pratt, Hugoton, Liberal,
Meade, Plains City, Fowler, Ashland, Minneola, Coldwater,
Lake Coldwater, Protection, Medicine Lodge, and Kiowa
1209 PM CST Wed Jan 16 2019
…DENSE FOG ADVISORY NOW IN EFFECT UNTIL 9 PM CST THIS EVENING…
* VISIBILITY…one half to two miles with isolated areas of a
quarter of a mile.
* IMPACTS…Fog and particularly freezing fog may create slick
spots on roadways.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…
A Dense Fog Advisory means visibilities will frequently be
reduced to less than one quarter mile. If driving…slow down…
use your headlights…and leave plenty of distance ahead of you.
“In the long history of humankind – and animal kind too – those who learned to collaborate and improvise move effectively have prevailed.” Charles Darwin
Activities will be available around the museum gallery from 1 to 4 p.m.
This year features predator and prey interactions.
Children will be able to play a predator and prey game.
They will also learn how predators and prey evolved over time.
For example, horses were originally smaller animals but as they moved onto the Plains grew taller over time to better evade predators, Rachel Unruh, Sternberg marketing intern, said. Their eyes also became set differently to better scan for predators.
Pronghorn developed speed during the ice age when they were being preyed upon by saber-tooth cats.
Darwin Days is usually celebrated in February in conjunction with Darwin’s birthday, but this year the museum is conducting Darwin Days on Penguin Awareness Day. The museum will also have a station that talks about penguins. This will include information on penguin predators — sea lions and killer whales.
Museum-goers will be able to visit with staff, see fossils and even handle some museum specimens.
The museum’s newest traveling exhibit “Megalodon: The largest shark that ever lived,” will open to the public on Feb. 2. In honor of that upcoming attraction, children will be able to make a shark craft.
January signals a new year, with new hopes, opportunities, and aspirations. As I think forward each year, I also pause to think about my journey to the here and now. One thing always present in my mind is the number of people who helped me get to where I am today – the people who believed in me and supported me in so many ways – family members, neighbors, friends, colleagues, teachers, clergy, and supervisors.
I know how very fortunate I am to have been surrounded by so many people who invested in me. I also know that not everyone in this world is as fortunate as I am. And so, as a new year begins and resolutions abound, I often think about reaching up and reaching down: reaching up to thank those who helped me (after all, I do genuinely believe one cannot say “thank you” too much), and reaching down to find opportunities to offer an encouraging word, to help develop a skill or to invest in someone else’s dream.
At Fort Hays State University, I witness so many stories of how our faculty and staff encourage, support, and inspire our students. Those stories fill me with energy and hope. Those stories provide evidence that we walk our talk about being a student-centered university.
Take for example the words of Aaron Elsasser in describing Eric Deneault, an assistant professor of applied technology: “He is always there to listen when you need a friend. He is always looking for ways to make his curriculum enjoyable for students, along with ideas and activities to keep the students involved and willing to learn. With these lessons in class, he also pushes you to do your best. He always told me the sky is the limit. … He has a game plan for everything he does. He has not only taught me the things I need to know for my class, but the values of life.”
Every day, I experience the essence of this truly heartfelt mentoring relationship at our university – on campus, virtually, and internationally. This is our magnetic north.
Several years ago, I was introduced to National Mentoring Month. Launched in 2002 by MENTOR: The National Mentoring Partnership, and the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, the month of January is designated as a time for all of us to think more deeply about the need for mentors, as well as how all of us – individuals, businesses, schools, faith communities, and nonprofits – can work together to amplify mentoring activity, thereby contributing time and effort to help assure positive outcomes for others. This year the national program features these key dates and activities:
Jan. 4: I Am A Mentor Day. A day for volunteer mentors to celebrate their roles and reflect on the ways mentees have enhanced their world.
Jan. 17: International Mentoring Day. A day of international conversations on social media where photos, video and powerful, mentoring stories are shared.
Jan. 21: Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service. A day to share in the inspirational words of MLK and to elevate the spirit of service through volunteerism. At Fort Hays State University, our community will celebrate MLK Day of Dreams in the Memorial Union from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Stop by to browse a poster tour of MLK’s life while enjoying a cup of hot chocolate. Take time to write your hopes and dreams for our country on a campus display board.
Jan. 31: #ThankYourMentor Day. A day for all who have real-life mentoring experiences to thank those who helped them on their path to adulthood and beyond. Let’s do this. Won’t you join me on Jan. 31 and send a note, an email, or make a call to say “thank you” to someone who helped you?
It is not really about a month or a collection of activities, though. It is about people lifting up and supporting others every day, in a wonderful variety of ways. I hear so many beautiful stories about how people at the university and in our local community invest in one another. I see it, hear it, and feel it in action constantly – not just during the month of January. This focus on believing in and working towards positive outcomes for others makes me feel good about being a member of this community. This natural flow of generous spirit in Hays America is another reason why this place feels like home.
Note: Learn more about MENTOR and the many resources offered at www.mentoring.org.
Newly elected members of the Ellis County Commission and Ellis City Council were sworn into office Monday evening before their respective first meetings.
Ellis county commissioners were sworn in by Ellis County Clerk Donna Maskus. Butch Schlyer, R-Hays, was elected to the First District seat formerly held by Marcy McClelland. Dustin Roths, R-Hays, was appointed in December by Republican Party precinct chair members to fill the Second District seat vacated by Barb Wasinger, who was elected 111th District state representative.
Schlyer is the retired longtime Ellis County Health Administrator. Roths is owner of Diamond R Jewelry in downtown Hays.
In Ellis, City Clerk Amy Burton administered the oath of office to new council members Martin LaBarge and Steve Ferland, who were both write-ins, as well as incumbent Jolene Niernberger.
LaBarge is a retired Ellis County employee, Ferland is employed by APAC, and Niernberger is the FHSU Senior Companion director.
Martin LaBarge is administered his oath.
Steve Ferland takes his oath.
Ellis City Clerk Amy Burton swears in Jolene Niernberger.
Ellis Co. Clerk Donna Maskus issues the oath to Dustin Roths and Butch Schlyer.
Roths and Schlyer sign their oaths which become official records of Ellis County.
(Ellis County pictures courtesy Phillip Smith-Hanes. Ellis City Council pictures courtesy Holly Ashenbrenner.)
The Hays USD 489 school board is requesting further information on the cost of purchasing Chromebooks for the Hays Middle School.
Middle school and elementary school students currently use iPads, which are set to be replaced at the HMS in the fall.
The board requested the district study the use of Chromebooks. A report on that study was presented at the school board meeting Monday night.
Select classes at O’Loughlin, Hays Middle School and the Learning Center were involved in the study this fall.
Teachers found having keyboards was an advantage, especially when the students were answering essay questions.
However, they struggled with the the Chromebooks’ ability to annotate PDFs. Instead of printing paper copies of worksheets, teachers send PDF copies of the worksheets to students on their iPads. The students then complete the worksheets digitally on their devices.
The teachers, however, found the Chromebook software made working with the PDFs more difficult than the iPads.
Nathan Purdue, HMS science teacher, said he appreciated the USB ports on the Chromebooks because they allowed them to use Vernier lab tools.
Middle school students in the study were surveyed about the Chromebooks, and the majority said they preferred using the iPads. However, they liked having a keyboard for typing. They also said the Chromebook’s ability to access and submit files in Canvas was frustrating and time consuming.
Gina Johnson, O’Loughlin fifth-grade teacher, said her students also struggled with working with PDFs. She also thought the current software the district is using was easier to use for lesson planning. The Chromebooks that the students used in the study did not have rear-facing cameras as the iPads do. She said the students struggled taking photos for assignments because this feature was absent.
Scott Summers, technology director, said the Chromebooks worked better when fully integrated with Google products.
There would be additional costs if the district purchased Chromebooks, Summers noted in his report. This included a yearly cost of $7 per student, per year for device monitoring software. An additional activation fee of $1,500 would also be needed. This would be per building. PDF annotation/free-hand drawing tools would cost $3,000 per building per year. Device management would be required by Google at a one-time cost of $25 per Chromebook.
Board members Greg Schwartz and Lance Bickle asked Summers if he had contacted other schools that are using Chromebooks to determine if the problems the teachers and students encountered could be resolved. Summers said he had not.
Schwartz made a motion directing the administration to bring back a side-by-side cost comparison for Chromebooks versus other devices the district was proposing to purchase. The comparison should be to the board at least one week week before the board was to consider purchasing new devices for HMS.
Schwartz further asked Summers to contact area schools that are using Chromebooks to identify ways the district might solve some of the issues it encountered in the study.
The motion was approved with only board member, Paul Adams, abstaining.
Summers also reported on the roll out of new Dell computers at Hays High School in the fall.
He said repairs were down significantly compared to previous years.
Ninety percent of the staff surveyed stated the device overall is meeting the instructional needs of their classrooms. The most significant concern with the new computers was problems with connectivity.
Summers said the tech staff reviewed the network and removed and blocked all Samsung and iPhone users from the network. This significantly improved connectivity. The technology team also plans to map the high school to determine the areas that are having the most online traffic.
In other business: the board:
• Approved the 2017-18 audit report
• Approved 2019-20 Hays High School curriculum revisions
• Heard a report on a reduction in driver’s education fees
SALINA – John Philip Thissen will interview for the position of superintendent with the Salina board of education on Wednesday evening.
Thissen announced his upcoming resignation from Hays USD 489 in October. He will be serving out the remainder of his current contract, which ends June 30.
Thissen is the third of four finalists that the board will interview. Finalists were selected for interview based on their fit with desired characteristics that were developed with input from focus groups and a community survey.
Thissen has a total of 35 years in public education, currently serving as superintendent of schools in Hays USD 489. He has served as superintendent for 12 years between Hays and Herington USD 487, 17 years as a middle school principal in McPherson USD 418, Great Bend USD 428 and Geary County USD 475 and 5 years as a teacher in Herington and Pretty Prairie USD 311. Thissen taught secondary science and coached.
Wednesday schedule
9-9:30 a.m. — Meet with Board Clerk
9:30-11 a.m. — Meet with Executive Team Members
11-12:30 p.m. — Meet with Building Administrators
12:30-2:30 p.m. — Tour of District/Community
2:30-3:30 p.m. — Break
3:45-5:00 p.m. — Public Reception (1511 Gypsum Ave.)
5-6 p.m. — Break
6:15 p.m. — Dinner with Board of Education. A formal interview will follow the dinner.
Dinner and formal interview (during executive session) will be held at the Holiday Inn, 3145 9th St. No official action will take place.
