Category: Local
Theraplay to expand pediatric occupational, physical therapy offerings to Hays
By CRISTINA JANNEY
Hays Post
Theraplay Learning Center, a pediatric occupational and physical therapy center, is opening a new location in Hays.
Theraplay was founded in Norton by Renee Miller, OT, Sue Rossi, OT, and Randa Vollertsen, PT. It is the only outpatient clinic for pediatric occupational and physical therapy in northwest Kansas.
Hannah Hesston, who will be an occupational therapist at the new clinic, said the partners in Norton hoped they could reach more children by expanding into Hays. She said the center hopes to be another resource for parents.
“The children right now get services through the school district,” Hesston said. “That has all that has been around because there hasn’t been a clinic. There’s additional interventions and activities and areas that an out-patient clinic could focus on.”
Both clinics will serve young people ages birth through 21 years old.
Some of the areas that the therapists at the centers specialize in are traumatic brain injury, autism, spectrum disorders, sensory processing differences, handwriting challenges, fine and gross motor developmental delays, feeding difficulties, genetic disorders, reflex integrations, orthotics, infant torticollis (which is condition affecting the muscles in a newborn’s neck), and plagiocephaly, which is a flat spot on a baby’s head.
The therapies at both centers are play based. Hesston gave the example of child who might have sensory issues. A therapist might introduce play using water or have them dig through beans to help that child to feel more calm when experiencing that sensation.
The enter also has a climbing structure. The climbing helps the children learn to use both sides of their bodies and develop motor planning, where your brain learns to move one arm and then the next. Swings help children with balance and their sense of movement.
Play can also help with children’s attentiveness and mood regulation.
“Children, play is their biggest occupation. It is how they learn, so we wanted to create a space where we could address the needs in more of a play-based setting,” Hesston said.
She said the ultimate goal is to increase children’s independence.
Insurance generally covers the cost of therapy. Both centers work with insurance companies from across the state, and Theraplay is working to contract with insurance providers in Nebraska.
The owners also hope to soon add speech therapy services to their clinics.
Parents can seek referrals from their children’s physicians or can self refer.
You can make an appointment with the Hays center by calling (785) 675-0443 or emailing [email protected].
Hesston said she and the other therapists would be happy to answer any questions. The Hays center will have an open house from 9 a.m. to noon Saturday at 1007 E. 13th.
The Hays center will open for business on Monday. Definitive hours have yet to be set, but the center will be open Mondays through Fridays by appointment.
HaysMed cardiologist using new device for heart attack patients
HaysMed cardiologist Dr. Byungsoo Ko is now using a new device to treat heart attack patients whose hearts aren’t strong enough to sustain traditional open heart surgery.
The Impella, which is the world’s smallest heart pump, allows cardiologists to perform percutaneous coronary intervention (opening up the blockage in the heart arteries with stents) in patients whose heart function is not strong enough to withstand heart surgery. This percutaneous (being placed without requiring any surgery) heart pump can also be used in patients with a life threatening condition called “cardiogenic shock”, meaning the patient is dying from an acute heart (“pump”) failure.
“This is the only FDA approved device that can be used in this sickest of the sick patient population with a rapidly failing heart” Ko said.
Inserted through a groin artery, the Impella pumps the blood from the heart into the aorta (the big artery that comes out of the heart) thereby helping the pumping function of the weakened heart. It can pump as much as 3.5 liters of blood per minute (more than half of how much a health heart can pump) to provide extra blood flow to important organs such as brain or kidneys to protect any irreversible damage.
“Now we have a heart pump that can be inserted within 15 minutes in cardiogenic shock patients either from a heart attack or from heart failure,” Ko said. “Furthermore, we can use the device in patients with blockages in the heart but whose heart function is too weak to withstand an open heart surgery.”
Within a couple of weeks of the launch of the program, two patients have benefited from this device. Both patients had very weak hearts and were too sick to undergo surgery. With the help of the device and the expertise of the cath lab staff and anesthesia, both patients’ blockages were successfully opened with stents.
“I am very grateful to HaysMed’s commitment to provide a full cardiovascular service to people in western Kansas.” Ko said. “Many patients will benefit greatly from this device.”
Farmers’ market workshop schedule includes Hays session
MANHATTAN — The Kansas Department of Agriculture, K-State Research and Extension and the Kansas Department of Health and Environment will host six regional workshops in February 2019 to assist farmers’ market vendors and managers.
Kansas farmers’ markets not only provide a fresh food source, but also stimulate the local economy. In 2018, 95 farmers’ markets were registered with KDA’s Central Registration of Farmers’ Markets.
“Farmers’ markets provide growers a wonderful opportunity to have real interaction with consumers, and a chance to tell their farm’s story,” said Londa Nwadike, consumer food safety specialist with K-State Research and Extension and the University of Missouri. “It’s also important for farmers to understand certain legal, safety and financial parameters before choosing to sell at a farmers’ market.”
Workshop topics will vary slightly by location. Highlighted topics include:
• Vendor Marketing and Communications
• Pest Control and Soil Health
• Regulations on Selling Meat, Eggs and Poultry
• Sales Tax for Vendors
KDA’s weights and measures program will also offer free scale certification at the workshops for attendees.
Dates and locations for the Farmers’ Market events are as follows:
Friday, Feb. 1 — Olathe: KSU Olathe
Saturday, Feb. 2 — Parsons: Southeast Research and Extension Center
Friday, Feb. 8 — Dodge City: Ford County Fair Building
Saturday, Feb. 9 — Wichita: Sedgwick County Extension Office
Friday, Feb. 15 — Manhattan: Pottorf Hall
Friday, Feb. 22 — Hays: K-State Agricultural Research Center
Registration for the February workshops is now open and is $20 per participant. Registration includes lunch; however, lunch will only be guaranteed to those participants who register prior to the respective workshop date. Registration forms can be found at FromtheLandofKansas.com/FMworkshop or at local extension offices.
Onsite registration for the workshops will open at 8:30 a.m. and the workshops will begin at 9:00 a.m. and conclude by 3:00 p.m. The Wichita workshop will begin onsite registration at 8:15 a.m. and the workshop begins at 8:45 a.m., concluding at 4:30 p.m.
Now That’s Rural: Blake Lynch, K-State kicker
By RON WILSON
Huck Boyd National Institute for Rural Development
Does a little guy have a chance in football? The game of football is obviously populated with big, strong players. For example, the players on the Kansas State University offensive line in 2018 averaged 6 feet 5 inches tall and 306 pounds in weight. Those are some big guys. But sometimes I like to cheer for the underdog – the little guy. Today we’ll meet a young man from rural Kansas who is small in stature but has made a big mark on K-State’s football season.
Blake Lynch from Goddard, Kansas, was the starting placekicker on the K-State football team during the past season. His was one of the feel-good stories of 2018.
Blake grew up west of Wichita at Goddard, a rural community of 4,746 people. Now, that’s rural. His parents are Jason and Kim Lynch. Jason has a roofing and construction business in the Wichita area. Kim attended K-State and Bethel College.
At Goddard, Blake played soccer in his freshman and sophomore years. During the next two years, he lettered on the football team where his younger sister also took up kicking.
Blake got expert training. He attended camps with former K-State kicker Anthony Cantele.
During Blake’s senior year, he made 7 of 11 field goals, including an amazing kick of 51 yards. For his accomplishments that season, he was named an all-state player by the Topeka Capitol-Journal and the Wichita Eagle.
Blake went to K-State where he majored in financial management. He also went out for the football team. He began as a grayshirt and then redshirted the following year.
At that time, K-State’s placekicking was dominated by Matthew McCrane, who was the most accurate placekicker in K-State history and went on to the NFL. But when McCrane graduated, K-State fans wondered who would take his place?
Blake Lynch was described by some as the third string kicker on the roster when camp began. One thing was evident when he took the field: He didn’t look very big. He was officially listed at 5 feet 5 inches tall and 141 pounds. That made him the smallest player on the K-State roster. A video later in the season noted that he had to jump up in order to high five his holder, who was 6 feet 1.
But something else was evident when Blake took the field: He worked very hard, he was highly competitive, and he sought to improve. That improvement showed itself.
By the time the season began, he had worked himself into the starting field goal kicker position. His performance was tested quickly. In K-State’s first game of the season, he was called upon to attempt four field goals – and he made all four.
In fact, all four makes came in the first half, including a long of 44 yards. His four first-half conversions were the most since 1999. That also represented the most field goals of any K-State placekicker in their debut.
In the course of the 2018 season, Blake Lynch was 6 for 6 in kicks from 20 to 29 yards, 5 for 5 in kicks from 30 to 39 yards, and 3 for 3 in kicks from 40 to 49 yards. How does a guy who is not very big kick the ball so far and so accurately? One report said that he focused on contact, not leverage. Whatever his system, it clearly worked.
On K-State’s senior day in November 2018, Blake Lynch was again called on four times to attempt field goals. Again, he made all four. His performance in the team’s 21-to-6 win over Texas Tech was recognized by the Big 12 Conference. On Nov. 19, 2018, the smallest player on the K-State roster was named the Special Teams Player of the Week by the Big 12.
“It is so fun to watch him,” said his mother Kim.
Is there a place in football for a little guy? The performance of Blake Lynch suggests that there is. We commend Blake Lynch and all small town Kansas players who are making a difference with their willingness to outwork the bigger competition. Hooray for the little guy.
KDWPT: Check out what’s new in Kansas this year
KDWPT
Make plans for a packed itinerary of Kansas adventures in 2019, highlighted by a trek to the unearthly badlands of Little Jerusalem state park. Fan out across the state to the updated Eisenhower Presidential Museum in Abilene, Wichita’s new shipping-container mall, sesquicentennial shindigs, and other road-trip-worthy celebrations and attractions.
Much-anticipated Little Jerusalem Badlands State Park near Oakley is expected to open to the public by mid-year. The mile-long valley of 100-foot-tall spires and cliffs encompasses the state’s largest Niobrara Chalk formations, which previously had no public access. Trails cross the historic territory that once saw the likes of “Wild Bill” Hickok and “Buffalo Bill” Cody pass through, and today is home to wildlife and plants rarely found anywhere else in the world. Check www.nature.org/littlejerusalem for updates.
One of Wichita’s many new additions, the shipping-container mall, Revolutsia, is home to trendy restaurants, salons and boutiques, centered around an outdoor gathering space and fire pit. Using an established building and now-in-vogue shipping containers converted to buildings, the open-air development recently opened in east Wichita.
This spring, paddle the waters of Wichita’s Arkansas River with canoe, kayak and paddleboat rentals from Boats & Bikes. The new boathouse and public dock on downtown’s west river bank also serve as home to the Wichita State University rowing program. Watch for downtown’s under-construction Hilton Garden Inn, featuring a glass-bottom rooftop pool that juts out overtop Douglas Avenue, to open this spring.
A Wichita staple, the iconic Nifty Nut House, recently completed its newly-expanded 10,000-square-foot store. And on the city’s north side, the Guinness World Record-holding “largest mural painted by a single artist” is coming to life on the side of a huge grain elevator along I-135. Depicting members of the Hispanic and African-American neighborhoods reaching out to each other, the mural is an effort to unite races and neighborhoods divided by I-135.
Currently under renovation, The Eisenhower Presidential Museum in Abilene will unveil its updated galleries and exhibits during the 75th anniversary D-Day Commemoration June 1-6 at the Eisenhower Presidential Library, Museum and Boyhood Home. The week-long activities include the Symphony at Sunset Annual D-Day Commemoration Concert by the Salina Symphony, symposiums, guest speakers, all-new exhibit opening and a remembrance ceremony.
In Topeka, the $28-million, 106-bed boutique Cyrus Hotel opens in the core of the capital city early this year. Work begins soon on Ottawa’s Legacy Square project, a downtown outdoor expanse with green space and a covered pavilion, located at the intersection of the Flint Hills Trail State Park and the Prairie Spirit Trail. The completion goal is fall 2019.
Ahead for car enthusiasts: the Midwest Dream Car Collection in Manhattan and Decades of Wheels in Baxter Springs. Manhattan’s 55,000-square-foot Dream Car museum, opening by spring, features an eclectic mix of early roadsters, muscle cars and exotics. Cruise on down to Route 66 in the state’s far southeast corner to Decades of Wheels. When completed in spring, the downtown Baxter Springs complex will include the Café on the Route restaurant (now open), a Route 66-themed arcade, dessert bar, bed and breakfast inn, and the main attraction, the Decades of Wheels museum of collectible cars and motorcycles, from the early 1900s to the latest.
Travelers on Kansas’ 12 scenic or historic byways will see new or upgraded interpretive signs and kiosks at 39 locations, thanks to the recently-completed, $1.4 million Kansas Byways project. “Our goal is to tell the story of Kansas through our byways, a collection of routes that highlight the beauty, history and heritage of Kansas.” says Byways Manager Sue Stringer. “The signs and kiosks give visitors a chance to pull off the roads and learn about the beauty and history that surround them.”
It’s a milestone year for Kansas towns turning 150 years old in 2019. Lindsborg celebrates all year long with Swedish Sesquicentennial fun, highlighted by the July 4-6 “Celebrating the Legacy” party in Swensson Park. Art installation dedications throughout the year include a 10-foot-tall Järnkors (iron cross) in Swensson Park, a series of bronze relief panels depicting Lindsborg’s history at city hall and the addition of a Sesquicentennial Wild Dala to the town-wide herd of uniquely-painted Swedish dala horses.
For its 150th, Coffeyville plans to “Party Like It’s 1869” at a downtown street party June 1, followed by the “150th Gala at the Mansion” in September at the historic Brown Mansion, among other events throughout the year. Abilene hails its roots with a throwback to its cattle-town heydays during Chisholm Trails Days on Labor Day weekend. Belleville packs its Sesquicentennial bash August 16-18 in city park with concerts, a street dance, cowboy church, parade, whole-hog barbecue and kids’ games.
Events and sites across Kansas mark milestones of their own. The Brown v. Board of Education National Historic Site in Topeka commemorates the 65th anniversary of the landmark Supreme Court decision with a talk by New York Times bestselling author Ta-Nehisi Coates on April 25 at Washburn University’s Lee Arena, along with special events throughout the year. The Nature Conservancy pays tribute to its 30years in Kansas with volunteer workdays, nature hikes, river clean-ups, a butterfly count, lectures and other conservation-minded experiences.
It’s the 50th anniversary for two festivals: Chanute’s Artist Alley on September 28 and the Columbus Day Festival/Hot Air Balloon Regatta in Columbus on October 11-13. Also in October, Wamego’s annual Oztoberfestwill salute the 80th anniversary of the Wizard of Oz movie. In Abilene, the 2019-2020 line-up for the Great Plains Theatre‘s 25th season features the world premiere of Empires Fall, a play by Abilene native Marlin Fitzwater, the only press secretary in United States history to be appointed by two presidents. The six-show season opens June 14 with The Pirates of Penzance.
Also on the horizon this year:
–Lawrence hosts the World’s First All-Female Busker Festival May 24-26.
–It’s the year to catch two events not offered annually. At the biennial Wings and Wetlands Birding Festival May 3-4, guides lead field trips to Cheyenne Bottoms and Quivira National Wildlife Refuge near Great Bend during peak shorebird migration. Visitors can sample the breads, attend demonstrations and watch finalists at work when Manhattan hosts the biennial National Festival Breads June 8.
–The 2nd Annual Big Kansas Road Trip on May 2-5 explores to the counties of Cheyenne, Sherman and Wallace.
Beyond 2019:
–Salina expects to complete the major, $160-million renovation of its downtown in early 2020. The new open-space, art deco-inspired streetscape will feature outdoor seating, plantings, outdoor dining and entertainment spaces. A key part, the 68,000-square-foot Salina Fieldhouse indoor sports facility is open. Yet to come: The Alley bowling alley and family fun center, a vintage car museum in a repurposed warehouse, Homewood Suites Hotel and several restaurants.
–Dodge City broke ground on a 12,000-square-foot Boot Hill Museum exhibit hall, housing nine new exhibits, a gift shop, covered back patio and a temporary exhibit hall, with completion expected in spring 2020.
–Wichita has razed its 84-year-old Lawrence-Dumont Stadium and will replace it with a $75 million stadium that will host a AAA minor league baseball team. Also included in the project: $6 million for riverfront renovations, including a new pedestrian bridge over the Arkansas River. Proposed stadium completion date is March 2020.
–Work begins soon on downtown Topeka’s Evergy Plaza. The 45,000-square-foot gathering space, scheduled to open in March 2020, will feature a performance stage, digital screen and water features.
KDOT announces approved December bids for NW Kan.
KDOT
The Kansas Department of Transportation announces approved bids for state highway construction and maintenance projects in Kansas. The letting took place Dec. 12 in Topeka. Some of the bids may include multiple projects that have been bundled based on proximity and type of work.
Northwest Kansas projects are listed below by county.
District Three — Northwest
Ellis ‑ 70‑26 KA‑4955‑01 ‑ I-70, bridge #021 on I-70 located at the U.S. 183/I‑70 junction, bridge repair, PCI Roads, LLC, Saint Michael, Mn., $299,035.76.
Ellis ‑ 70‑26 KA‑4956‑01 ‑ I-70, bridge #004 on I-70 located at the K‑247/I‑70 junction, bridge repair, PCI Roads, LLC, Saint Michael, Mn., $271,337.42.
Ellis ‑ 183‑26 M‑0067‑01 – U. S. 183, at the U.S. 183/I‑70 interchange (at the Hays Subarea), stockpile bituminous material, APAC-Kansas Inc. Shears Division, Hutchinson, Ks., $51,991.65.
Osborne ‑ 24‑71 KA‑4958‑01 ‑ U.S. 24, bridge #005 (over the South Fork Solomon River Drainage) on U.S. 24 located 8.6 miles east of the Rooks County line, bridge repair, L & M Contractors Inc., Great Bend, Ks., $239,426.20.
Statewide ‑ 106 M‑0068‑01 ‑ Locations at Phillipsburg, Norton and Stockton in District 3, Area 3, stockpile bituminous material, Venture Corporation, Great Bend, Ks., $112,500.00.
Statewide ‑ 106 M‑0069‑01 ‑ Locations at Attwood, Colby and Oberlin in District 3, Area 2, stockpile bituminous material, APAC-Kansas Inc. Shears Division, Hutchinson, Ks., $146,338.50.
Statewide ‑ 106 M‑0070‑01 ‑ Locations at Grainfield, Hoxie, Oakley and Sharon Springs in District 3, Area 4, stockpile bituminous material, APAC-Kansas Inc. Shears Division, Hutchinson, Ks., $95,322.00.
Sunny, mild Friday
Friday Sunny, with a high near 52. West northwest wind 6 to 9 mph.
Friday Night Mostly clear, with a low around 25. West wind around 7 mph.
Saturday Sunny, with a high near 55. Light and variable wind becoming south around 6 mph in the afternoon.
Saturday Night Partly cloudy, with a low around 27. South southeast wind 5 to 7 mph.
Sunday Mostly cloudy, with a high near 47.
Sunday Nigh tA 20 percent chance of snow after 1am. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 31.
Monday A 20 percent chance of snow before 7am. Mostly sunny, with a high near 51.
Former Russell Co. detention officer arrested after alleged sex offenses
On Oct. 24, 2018, the Russell County Sheriff requested the KBI investigate allegations made against an employee of the jail for reportedly having sex with inmates. The detention officer, Frank D. Alexander, 42, Russell, was then fired on Nov. 8.
The KBI presented case findings to the County Attorney on Nov. 30. Alexander was arrested Thursday at approximately 2:30 p.m. for two counts of unlawful sexual relations. The arrest occurred without incident at 1105 N. Fossil, Russell.
Following his arrest, Alexander was booked into the Russell County jail and was then transferred to a nearby jail. He also had his first appearance Thursday.
Nothing further will be released at this time.
Goodwin Sporting Goods begins its final sale
By CRISTINA JANNEY
Hays Post
Goodwin Sporting Goods will open Thursday morning to begin its final sale.
After 66 years in downtown Hays, owner Terry Bright will be liquidating the store’s inventory and closing permanently sometime in February. Customers will have opportunities to win prizes during the liquidation.
Bright said some of his suppliers will no longer allow him access to their full lines. Online companies have also cut into his business. Because he felt he could no longer provide full service to his customers, he decided it was time to shut the store down and retire.
“When it takes my ability to service my customer out of the equation,” Bright said, “I told them I was done. It is just going more and more to larger chains.”
The store first opened as Dee Erickson Sporting Goods on July 1, 1947, at 119 W. 11th in Hays. Duane Goodwin bought the store in 1952.
Bright started working at the store part-time in 1974. He was playing tennis on scholarship at Fort Hays State University at the time.
In 1975, Bright took over the store from Duane Goodwin.
Bright said has had many loyal customers over the years. Since he posted the notice that store would be closing on Facebook over the holidays, he has been inundated with well wishes and calls.
One customer posted on Goodwin’s Facebook page, “I am eternally grateful to Mr. Goodwin, in 1972-74, this store accommodated me in my basketball shoes. I needed a size 9…and size 12. They split a pair, and only charged my folks for one pair!! PERSONAL TOUCH WILL BE MISSED!’
Another customer commented, “Hate to see a local, independent business close its doors. Thank you for your many years of service to the community! We don’t live in Hays, but made a point to shop at Goodwin’s because we believe it’s so important to support the downtown, locally owned businesses. Good luck to you!”
Bright said his customers have valued the customer service the store has been able to offer over the years, and he wished to thank the customers and community for their support.
Although Bright said he will not miss dealing with suppliers or the long days, he said he will miss the people.
Nicale Ney worked for Bright ordering stock for 20 years. Shane Lynch left two years ago, but worked for Bright for many years in his production department. He remembered Robyn Powell, who helped when the store doubled its space from 25 to 50 feet of store front.
The store has marked down its merchandise and will be liquidating its stock as well as its fixtures. Bright will also be selling his screen printing and embroidery equipment. He has had some interest expressed in the equipment and may work with the purchaser as a consultant for a few months for training.
Bright owns the building at 109 W. 11th and plans to sell it as well. He has had several inquiries about the space, but no serious offers. The building is a retail-ready space, and he said he wouldn’t be surprised if another retailer went into the space.
Bright, 64, said he was looking forward to retirement. He plans to enjoy playing more golf.
“When you have a business, it is not uncommon to have 10- to 12-hour days,” he said. “For me to get out of town, that will be a rare occurrence and something that I am looking forward to.”
“It’s a commitment,” Bright said of owning a small business, “if you want to do things right.”
Extension’s beef vet will keynote upcoming calving school in Russell
RUSSELL — Kansas State University Animal Sciences and Industry and Midway District Extension is hosting a Calving School on at 6 p.m. Jan. 9 at the Dole-Specter Conference Center, 1430 S. Fossil, Russell.
The program will outline the normal calving process as well as tips to handle difficult calving situations. A.J. Tarpoff, K-State Extension beef veterinarian, explains the goals of the event are to increase knowledge and practical skills, and to increase the number of live calves born.
The schools will also share tips on when and how to intervene to assist the cow and how those times may be different when dealing with young heifers. Presenters will also demonstrate proper use of calving equipment on a life-size scale.
Clinton Laflin, Midway District’s livestock agent, will also discuss bull and heifer selection, EPDs and genetic tools to improve your operation.
There is no cost to attend this meeting, but RSVPs for a meal count are requested by Jan. 4 by calling 785-483-3157 or 785-472-4442.
INSIGHT KANSAS: Jenkins gets her beak wet
Well, that sure did not take long.
Former Kansas Congresswoman Lynn Jenkins is becoming a lobbyist. Via Twitter, she recently announced the formation of a new venture, LJ Strategies LLC, already registered to lobby in the state of Kansas.
Ethics laws prohibit ex-members of Congress from lobbying that body for one year after leaving, so LJ Strategies will formally lobby only at the state level during its first year. After that, the field is wide open for Jenkins to use her years of institutional knowledge and insider connections to lobby her former colleagues.
Nothing about this is illegal. Jenkins and her partners know the law and followed it to the letter. But that does not make it right.
Jenkins’ gambit perfectly encapsulates voters’ anger at the so-called political establishment. Rage against it helped fuel President Trump’s rise among rank-and-file Republicans, who still approve of his performance in office at levels approaching 90%. Hillary Clinton came to personify The Establishment, also provoking the surprise challenge of Senator Bernie Sanders for the Democratic nomination in 2016. Sanders is still in the game, and continued frustration also propels Democrats’ adoration for younger figures like the outspoken new Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York. Ocasio-Cortez has even been discussed as a possible presidential candidate, despite the fact that she just took office and has yet to shape policy decisions.
By contrast, Jenkins and her ilk are seasoned politicos, with decades of real-world experience learning how Congress, state legislatures, and executive agencies really work. For example, Jenkins’ role in moving the National Bio- and Agro-Defense Facility (NBAF) to Manhattan was so important that it interfered with redistricting in 2012. Though population shifts seemed to dictate that Manhattan and NBAF be moved out of Jenkins’ district, the Kansas Legislature refused. Moving NBAF could jeopardize the whole project. Unable to agree on a map, legislators chucked the whole thing into the federal courts, making Kansas one of the last states to redistrict after the 2010 Census. The judges immediately and logically moved Manhattan to the First District.
Jenkins was also instrumental in a successful, multi-year effort to pass a new farm bill that was spearheaded by Senate Agriculture Committee chair Pat Roberts. The bill finally came to fruition last month, just weeks before the end of Jenkins’ term. Controversies, including changes in eligibility for SNAP benefits (formerly called Food Stamps), had delayed progress. This time, farmers’ alarm over the possible impact of Trump’s tariffs propelled the bill to passage. In addition, Jenkins was a member of House Republican leadership. Among other roles, she served on the powerful House Ways and Means Committee, writing tax policy.
Jenkins is respected, but her knowledge and skill cast a dark shadow. She is part of that inside-baseball, political culture that cannot resist—in Stephen Colbert’s pithy phrase—getting their beaks wet. They dip in, keeping up with their old friends in power and using their connections for a little extra cash.
Maybe more than a little.
Governing is complicated. We desperately need experienced hands at the tiller. Unfortunately, that is become a tough case to defend, when so many long-timers see themselves as part of an elite political class, trading on political connections far removed from the lives of those they used to represent.
Lynn Jenkins accomplished some remarkable things as a state legislator, state treasurer, and Member of Congress. Now, with the formation of LJ Strategies, LLC, she becomes part of the problem.
Michael A. Smith is a Professor of Political Science at Emporia State University.
NW Kan. fire departments among those receiving grant dollars
Office of the State Fire Marshal
TOPEKA — Seventy volunteer and part-time fire departments across the state received funds this year through the Kansas Firefighter Recruitment and Safety Grant Program administered by the Office of the State Fire Marshal (OSFM). The grant awards will be used by fire departments for the purchase of safety gear, washer/extractor machines for cleaning bunker gear, start-up of Junior Firefighter programs and physical costs for firefighters with no insurance or ability to be reimbursed by their department.
Northwest Kansas departments receiving grant dollars included:
• Colby Fire Department
• Ellis County Fire Department
• Greeley County Fire Department
• Grinnell Rural Fire
• Norton Fire District #12
• Osborne County Rural Fire District #2
• Russell City Fire Department
• Ness County Fire District #3
(A full listing is below.)
This program was made possible with the 2018 State of Kansas budget passed by the state Legislature. Last year, 36 departments were awarded grant funds with the previous grant budget of $200,000. The OSFM was able to award grant funds to nearly twice as many departments this year, with the funding being doubled to $400,000.
Volunteer and part-time fire departments face recruitment and retention challenges because they do not have the funding to provide safety equipment. Without new equipment provided by the recruiting fire department, potential volunteers are faced with not only donating their time but also providing their own safety gear, sharing gear with others, or doing without. There is also a proven increase in cancer diagnoses for firefighters, which can be caused by prolonged exposure to carcinogens, particulates and biohazards. The proper gear, regular cleaning of that gear and equipment, along with preventative healthcare is crucial for a firefighter’s health and well-being.
This year, over $1.3 million in requests from 79 departments were submitted. Fire departments received approximately $310,000 to be used for safety gear and $90,000 for 26 washer/extractor machines. Due to the high number of requests, OSFM will be requesting the 2019 Legislature continue funding this important grant.
“We’ve seen, by the sheer number of requests for this funding, the need is high among our volunteer and part-time fire departments,” Doug Jorgensen, State Fire Marshal, said. “It is simply unacceptable to ask Kansans, not only to volunteer their time as first responders in smaller communities, but to also sacrifice their safety by not giving them the tools they need to protect and serve their communities as volunteer firefighters. This grant allows us to assist in providing some of the funds needed to provide safety equipment the departments otherwise could not afford.”
For more information on the Kansas Firefighter Recruitment and Safety Grant Program, visit https://firemarshal.ks.gov/agency-resources/kfrsg.
Edited to include Ellis County in list of grant recipients.