Labor Day A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 81. South southeast wind 6 to 9 mph.
Monday Night Showers and thunderstorms likely, mainly before 1am. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 67. Southeast wind around 9 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%. New rainfall amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible.
Tuesday Scattered showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 81. South wind 7 to 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 40%.
Tuesday Night Showers and thunderstorms likely, mainly after 1am. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 65. South wind 5 to 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 70%. New rainfall amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible.
Wednesday Showers and thunderstorms likely, mainly after 1pm. Cloudy, with a high near 78. Chance of precipitation is 60%. New rainfall amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible.
Wednesday Night Scattered showers and thunderstorms. Cloudy, with a low around 63. Chance of precipitation is 50%.
Thursday Scattered showers and thunderstorms. Cloudy, with a high near 74. Chance of precipitation is 30%.
StutterheimThe certified public accounting firm of Brungardt Hower Ward Elliott & Pfeifer, L.C. last week announced the promotion of Jamie Stutterheim to client services manager. With her new role, she will oversee all payroll, payroll tax filings and sales tax filings prepared for the firm’s clients. Jamie will perform duties previously provided by Deb Debes, who retired from Brungardt Hower in June after 21 years of service.
Stutterheim works in the firm’s Hays office and has extensive experience related to providing payroll services in a public accounting setting. She also has significant experience with sales tax filings, bookkeeping and preparation of financial statements.
Stutterheim anticipates graduating from Fort Hays State University in December with a bachelor’s of business administration in accounting. She is a native of Hoisington. She resides in Hays with her husband and two sons. Outside of the office and when she’s not studying, Jamie enjoys attending her children’s school activities, watching the Kansas City Royals, supporting the Fort Hays State Tigers and spending time with her family and friends.
Brungardt Hower, with offices in Hays, Garden City, and Johnson, serves clients throughout central and western Kansas.
Free information sessions regarding Fort Hays State University’s Kansas Academy of Mathematics and Science will be offered across the state for seventh graders through high school sophomores and their families. Staff from the program will host the 11 sessions in October and November.
KAMS is an early-entry-to-college program that focuses on advanced mathematics and science. While studying at KAMS, students live on campus in a select residence hall with other KAMS students from across Kansas and around the world.
Over the course of two years, students complete over 60 hours of college credit. These college classes are taken alongside traditional college undergraduates and taught by college professors while simultaneously contributing to their high school graduation requirements.
The information sessions are listed chronologically.
Monday, October 1
Salina, 6 p.m.
Salina Public Library, Prescott Meeting Room
301 W. Elm Street
Wednesday, October 3
Topeka, 6 p.m.
Topeka & Shawnee County Public Library, Marvin Auditorium
1515 SW. Tenth Ave.
Monday, October 8
Emporia, 6 p.m.
Emporia Public Library
110 E Sixth Ave.
Tuesday, October 9
Overland Park, 6 p.m.
Central Resource Library, Carmack Community Room
9875 W. 87th Street
Wednesday, October 24
Garden City, 6 p.m.
FHSU Higher Education Opportunity Center
409 N. Campus Dr. Ste. 107
Tuesday, October 30
Hays, 6 p.m.
Fort Hays State University Memorial Union, Pioneer Room
600 Park Street
Thursday, November 1
Wichita, 6 p.m.
Advanced Learning Library, Conference Room C
711 W. Second Street N
Wednesday, November 7
Colby, 6 p.m.
Pioneer Memorial Library
675 W. Fourth Street
Thursday, November 8
Dodge City, 6 p.m.
Dodge City Public Library, Lois Flanagan Room
1001 N. 2nd Ave.
Monday, November 12
Great Bend, 6 p.m.
Great Bend Public Library, Lower Level Meeting Room
1409 Williams Street
Tuesday, November 13
Manhattan, 6 p.m.
Manhattan Public Library, Auditorium
629 Poyntz Ave.
All information sessions are free and open to the public. For more information, contact Abby Anderson, KAMS coordinator for marketing and recruitment, at 785-628-4719 or visit www.fhsu.edu/kams.
The rains we’ve received in our area of Kansas recently have resulted in the appearance of mushrooms in many a lawn and landscape. Although mushrooms can be eye-catching in size, shape and color, most of them are relatively harmless to plant life. Case-in-point is the fungus referred to as Fairy Ring. It is characterized by its arc-like or circular pattern of growth. This ring pattern is caused by the outward growth of mycelium from the fungus. The mycelium forms a dense, mat-like structure in the soil that decomposes organic material.
As the mycelium breaks down the organic matter, it releases nitrate into the soil, which in turn stimulates the growth of the grass at the outer portion of the ring. The result is a dark green appearance of the grass around the edge of the ring. Unfortunately, that same thick fungal mat formed by the fungus interferes with water infiltration. The fungus can also release certain byproducts that are toxic, leading to dieback of the grass close to the ring. Ergo, in some cases the ring is exhibited by a darker green color and in others, by a brown ring with the outside edge being darker green than the rest of the turf.
Fairy rings are difficult to control. You can sometimes eliminate the ring by digging to a depth of 6 to 12 inches and 12 inches wide on both sides of the ring, refilling the hole with non-infested soil. Or you can try to mask the symptoms by fertilizing the rest of the lawn so that it is as dark green as the ring. This, however, is not such a good idea because it tends to promote other turf problems. Commercially there are certain fungicides marketed that control fairy rings, but these products are not available to homeowners. See https://www.ksre.ksu.edu/bookstore/pubs/EP155.pdf for more info on these fungicides.
Some mushrooms in lawns are not associated with fairy rings. These could be mycorrhizal (symbiotic association with tree roots) or saprophytic (live on dead organic matter such as wood, etc.) types of fungus in the soil. Because some of these funguses are beneficial, you don’t really want to kill them. Besides, applying fungicide spray to the mushroom structures does very little good. Remember the mushroom is simply the fruiting body of the organism. Most of the actual fungus is below ground and not accessible to the chemical.
If mushrooms become bothersome, pick them and dispose of them as soon as they appear. If there are too many for that to be practical, mow them off. If possible, remove all sources of organic debris (i.e. old, dead roots) from the soil. Keep in mind that mushrooms tend to go away as the soil dries. Applying patience may be the best measure of control. FYI, some of the mushrooms in the lawn are edible, but others are poisonous. Never eat mushrooms unless you are absolutely sure of their identity.
Rip Winkel is the Horticulture agent in the Cottonwood District (Barton and Ellis Counties) for K-State Research and Extension. You can contact him by e-mail at [email protected] or calling either 785-682-9430, or 620-793-1910.
Today
A 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly in the afternoon. Partly sunny, with a high near 86. South wind 7 to 11 mph.
Tonight
Showers and thunderstorms likely, mainly before 1am. Cloudy, with a low around 66. East southeast wind 6 to 9 mph. Chance of precipitation is 70%. New rainfall amounts between three quarters and one inch possible.
Labor Day
A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 81. South southeast wind 7 to 9 mph.
Monday Night
A 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 68. Southeast wind around 10 mph.
Tuesday
A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 80. South wind 8 to 13 mph.
Tuesday Night
Showers and thunderstorms likely, mainly after 1am. Cloudy, with a low around 66. Chance of precipitation is 60%. New rainfall amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible.
Wednesday
A 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Cloudy, with a high near 75.
Wednesday Night
A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Cloudy, with a low around 62.
Thursday
A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 72.
The game clock turned off with 3:58 left in the fourth and final quarter of the championship game of The Basketball Tournament in Baltimore to instigate the Elam Ending. No. 1 seed and three-time consecutive champion Overseas Elite led the tournament’s underdog surprise team, Eberlein Drive, 63-54. The first team to 70 would win and take home $2,000,000. Eberlein Drive fought hard but the Overseas Elite dynasty could not be overcome, and Eberlein Drive’s Cinderella run ended with a 70-58 loss.
Eberlein Drive (Hopp in grey shirt)
Zachary Hopp was disappointed at missing out on a share of the $2 million, but the experience and journey he was a part of for Eberlein Drive was priceless. A Hays native and 2017 Hays High graduate, Hopp found a passion in video editing in 2016 while watching “The Basketball Tournament” on TV. Former Kansas Jayhawk Tyshawn Taylor, playing for Team FOE (run by former Jayhawks Marcus and Markieff Morris) made an amazing play and Zachary rewinded the feat and filmed it on his phone and sent it to Taylor on social media. Taylor posted it and the post took off.
“Ever since then I was like, I could do something like this for a living,” Hopp said. “I learned everything on my own including how to use Premiere Pro to make videos.”
Hopp started running social media for Team FOE and his video work caught the attention of Eberlein Drive’s general manager Matt Mitchell.
“(Mitchell) asked me if I would like to make some videos for them, so I made their hype video and highlight videos last year and I got involved,” Hopp said.
TBT makes a tradition out of teams advancing their name on the bracket
In the summer of 2018, Team FOE did not continue with the tournament with Marcus Morris reaching the Eastern Conference Finals in the NBA so Mitchell invited Hopp on to travel with Eberlein Drive and make videos during their tournament run. Hopp joined the team in Atlanta for the Super 16.
Hopp would make video breakdowns of opposing teams and create paper scouts for individual players that were up to five pages long, sometimes staying up late into the early mornings. Hopp watched so much video of opposing teams that he could recognize team and player tendencies in-game and be able to let Eberlein Drive players know on the court.
Eberlein Drive’s roster consists of a few former NBA players including Lou Amundson (10-year NBA Vet), Donald Sloan (played for Brooklyn Nets and Indiana Pacers), James Michael McAdoo (2-time NBA champion with Golden State Warriors), Jeremy Evans (2012 NBA Slam Dunk Contest Champion), Willie Reed (played for LA Clippers last season in NBA) and Jerome Randle (All-Tournament Team TBT). They are coached by David Nurse, an NBA shooting coach who has trained over 100 NBA players and previously worked on the Brooklyn Nets coaching staff.
Hopp pictured far right
“It was such a blessing when I joined up with the team in Atlanta. They’re just extremely high-character guys that put the team ahead of themselves and there weren’t any egos,” Hopp said. “I’ve never been around a better group of men like that.”
Although the miraculous run ended in the championship game for Hopp and Eberlein Drive, Hopp spends his free time making videos for various athletes on social media attending colleges across the country with his very own video company called Illuminating Athletes Media.
“I just do it on the side for fun. I like being behind the scenes and letting the athletes get the shine because they’re the ones that put in all the work,” Hopp said.
Hopp, now a sophomore at Kansas University, is working on a sports management major and business minor. He is also a women’s basketball manager for Kansas. Hopp wants to continue his video work and turn it into a job one day.
“I want to start out as a video coordinator on an NBA or Division 1 college basketball staff and then just work my way up. The scouting work I did for Eberlein Drive I really enjoyed and I just want to work my way up that ladder and see what happens..maybe even end up in a front office some day,” Hopp said.
Since Eberlein Drive won their region, they get an automatic bid into The Basketball Tournament for next summer. Hopp says he will return with the team.
Here’s some of Hopp’s work:
Hopp also made a video for Kansas State safety Kendall Adams and Hays native/Kansas State quarterback Alex Delton:
During Childhood Cancer Awareness Month this September, the American Red Cross encourages eligible donors to give blood to support kids, teens and young adults battling cancer, as well as others in need of transfusions.
According to the National Cancer Institute, more than 15,000 children and adolescents in the U.S. are diagnosed with cancer each year. Childhood cancer patients may need blood products on a regular basis during chemotherapy, surgery or treatment for complications.
Wren Jansen was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia, the most common form of childhood cancer, at age 3. In the two years since her diagnosis, Wren has received 16 blood and platelet transfusions, which she calls “unicorn juice,” thanks to a crafty nurse who used the term to calm her fears during treatment. These “magic” gifts from generous donors have helped restore Wren’s strength and spirit so she can be a normal 5-year-old and fight back against cancer.
In December, Wren and her family hope to mark a special milestone – the end of treatment and the battle with cancer won.
Blood donors of all blood types, especially type O negative and O positive, are urgently needed to replenish the blood supply following a critical summer blood shortage. As a thank-you, those who come to give blood Aug. 31-Sept. 4 will receive a Red Cross aluminum water bottle, while supplies last. Make an appointment to donate by downloading the free American Red Cross Blood Donor App, visiting RedCrossBlood.org or calling 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767).
Upcoming blood donation opportunities Sept. 1-15
Decatur County
Oberlin
9/5/2018: 12 p.m. – 6 p.m., Decatur Health Systems, 810 W Columbia St
_______________
Ellis County
Hays Blood Donation Center
208 E. 8th
Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays: 11 a.m. – 6 p.m.
Fridays: 9 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Hays
9/7/2018: 11:30 a.m. – 5:30 p.m., Brookdale Community Center, 1801 E. 27th
9/10/2018: 12:30 p.m. – 6:30 p.m., First United Methodist Church of Hays, 305 W 7th St.
9/11/2018: 8:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m., Hays Good Samaritan Center, 2700 Canal Blvd.
9/12/2018: 12 p.m. – 5:30 p.m., Community Building, 316 W Roman St
_______________
How to donate blood
A blood donor card or driver’s license or two other forms of identification are required at check-in. Individuals who are 17 years of age in most states (16 with parental consent where allowed by state law), weigh at least 110 pounds and are in generally good health may be eligible to donate blood. High school students and other donors 18 years of age and younger also have to meet certain height and weight requirements.
Blood and platelet donors can save time at their next donation by using RapidPass® to complete their pre-donation reading and health history questionnaire online, on the day of their donation, before arriving at the blood drive. To get started, follow the instructions at RedCrossBlood.org/RapidPass or use the Blood Donor App.
About the American Red Cross
The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides emotional support to victims of disasters; supplies about 40 percent of the nation’s blood; teaches skills that save lives; provides international humanitarian aid; and supports military members and their families. The Red Cross is a not-for-profit organization that depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to perform its mission. For more information, please visit RedCross.org or CruzRojaAmericana.org, or visit us on Twitter at @RedCross.
The Wonder Women League of the United Way of Ellis County will offer women’s self-defense training for females age 14 years and older. The training will be from 9 a.m. to noon Sept. 8 at the Fort Hays State University mat room in Cunningham Hall.
The following self-defense techniques will be presented: situational awareness, verbal de-escalation and grappling.
According to the Criminal Victimization Bulletin, the 2014 statistical analysis by the Bureau of Justice Studies there were an estimated 5.4 million violent victimizations to those 12 years and older. Cost is $10 per person and reservations are limited.
To reserve your spot, go to, www.liveunited.us or contact the United Way at 785-628-8281.
Cast—Seated: Ward Craig, Sheryl Krug, Nikki Kuntzsch. Standing: Debora Kreutzer, Crystal Craig, Alan Templeton. Not pictured: Monica Harrison
RUSSELL—Russell Community Theater wraps up the 2018 season with “A Bad Year for Tomatoes“ Oct. 16-20.
RCT volunteer, Mitch Hunsley, steps into the director chair once again and is presenting the second John Patrick script produced this season. The cast includes RCT veterans Crystal Craig, Ward Craig, Debora Kreutzer, Sheryl Krug and Alan Templeton. Rounding out the cast are two actors making their RCT debut – Monica Harrison and Nikki Kuntzsch.
In “A Bad Year for Tomatoes,” actress Myra Marlowe leases a house in a tiny New England town where she hopes to get away from it all. Her long-time agent is finally letting her relax a bit, but her nosy neighbors are a different matter. In an attempt to gain some privacy, she invents a crazy sister who is “locked in an upstairs room.”
Complications arise when the local handyman develops feelings for “Sister Sadie” and the neighborhood ladies decide it’s their duty to save Sadie’s soul. A desperate announcement from Myra ends in an accusation of murder and the arrival of the sheriff.
Performances run Tuesday through Saturday, Oct. 16-20 at the RCT Playhouse (Fifth and Kansas, Russell). Show time is 8 p.m. Admission is $12 or by season ticket. “A Bad Year for Tomatoes”is presented by special arrangement with Dramatists Play Service, Inc., New York.
Russell Community Theater is a non-profit theater company in Russell. The sole purpose of RCT is to produce theater for the community and the surrounding area. Completely volunteer-driven, RCT is supported financially solely through ticket admissions and gifts from those supportive of community theater. Since its inception in 1986, RCT has presented 93 full-scale theatrical productions. For more information, call 785-483-4057 also find the group on Facebook.
Kylie Sander, co-owner of Post Rock Pet Boarding, prepares to spray out one of the kennels at the facility.
By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays Post
Two young entrepreneurs launched their new pet boarding business in Hays with the help of the E-Community Loan program.
Kylie Sander and Heather Holliman-Pope received $30,000 toward the $300,000 cost of their new Post Rock Pet Boarding facility on East 13th Street in Hays. The business opened in May.
Post Rock Pet Boarding has space for 45 to 60 pets for overnight or day boarding. The business also offers bathing, nail trims, ear cleaning and anal gland expression.
Sander and Holliman-Pope said the loan and the help of Grow Hays made getting their business off the ground much easier.
“I think they did a great job. (They had) just a lot of knowledge and a lot of information, and they were always there to answer questions, so I think it is a great resource base,” Holliman-Pope said.
Ellis County is one of 60 counties in the state to participate in the E-Community Loan program.
The program, administered by Grow Hays, helps entrepreneurs start or grow their businesses or purchase an existing business.
Ellis County has $100,000 available per year in low-interest loans. Grow Hays has eight loans worth $168,800 outstanding to local business currently. The loan amounts range from $4,800 to $45,000.
The program does not have enough capital to make an impact on a large business.
“This is the small guy who is wanting to grow or is wanting to start something, a new business, pursue a dream maybe. That’s who this is targeted to,” Doug Williams, Grow Hays interim director, said.
The E-Community Loan program is designed to provide gap financing, he said. Typically, a bank makes a loan for the bulk of the financing, and the E-Community Loan program makes up the rest, as down payment can be a problem for small businesses.
In Ellis County, some of the other businesses that have taken advantage of the program are Sake2Me Sushi & Seafood Grille, Hickok’s Steakhouse and Thirsty’s Brew Pub & Grill.
The loan can be applied to a variety of uses for for-profit businesses, including working capital; purchase of land, real estate, inventory or equipment; or purchase of an existing business. Funds can be used to renovate a building or storefront if it is for use for a specific business.
Grow Hays is working with a business owner right now to finish her basement to accommodate her business, Williams said.
The loan money that is repaid goes back into a regional account to be loaned to other businesses. The original funds for the statewide program came from tax credits.
Generally, a business will work with the Small Business Development Corporation at Fort Hays State University to develop a business plan and then complete the application for the E-Community Loan program.
These plans will include a projection for sales and amount of startup capital the business will need. Generally, applicants go to the bank to apply for a primary loan. Then Grow Hays becomes involved through the bank or the client for help with gap funding.
Grow Hays has a committee specifically designed to review the loan requests.
The interest rate on the loans run 3.5 to 5 percent.
“We typically try to stay right around the prime rate, which is a good rate typically for gap financing,” Williams said. “Most of the time they would not find that favorable of a rate with a bank or financial institution for the money they need to bridge the gap of what the bank is going to loan them and what they are going to come up with.”
The program benefits the entrepreneur because it forces them to go through the process of developing a business plan. It also makes available what essentially is a 100 percent loan, Williams said.
“Banks are typically not going to make a 100 percent loan, so we bridge the gap and provide that financing that they need to actually be able to purchase something or start something where they wouldn’t be able to otherwise because they didn’t have the funds,” he said.
Although Sander and Holliman-Pope put in some of their own money for a cash down payment, most of their startup capital came from the their bank loan and E-Community Loan.
The Post Rock Pet Boarding owners said they could have started the business without the loan, but it would have been much more difficult.
“We would have had a much smaller facility, and not been able to do as much as we wanted to,” Sander said.
Sander and Holliman-Pope said Post Rock Pet Boarding has been very busy this summer. They both said they would recommend the E-Community Loan program to other entrepreneurs trying to get their businesses off the ground.
Because of the nature of this type of financing, there is a higher rate of default. The program can ask a business to put up collateral for the loan. Grow Hays is not financially liable if a business defaults. The E-Community Loan program has the discretion to pursue collection or legal action, at their expense, and if funds are recovered, they are to be returned to the E-Community regional bank account, according to the NetWork Kansas website.
Williams said economic growth is the ultimate benefit from the E-Community Loan program.
“It allows people who may not otherwise be able to start that business, buy that business, grow that business to do that, provide jobs for people and provide economic growth in the region and in the state,” Williams said. “That is why the fund was put in place, and that is what it does.”
In Ellis County District Court, a judge ruled for the Ellis County Commission in the ongoing dispute over Blue Sky Acres.
Judge Bruce Gatterman sided in favor of the Ellis County Commissioners and Commissioner Marcy McClelland over the county’s failure to approve the final plat for a proposed subdivision.
Mary Alice Unrein, who had proposed the subdivision, initiated the legal action after the Ellis County Commission failed to approve the plat. Commissioner Dean Haselhorst voted in favor of the plat, McClelland against. Because Commissioner Barb Wasinger was forced to abstain due to a potential conflict, the motion failed.
“It is not the function of this Court to decide if McClelland was right or wrong,” the judge wrote in his ruling. “In determining whether her decision, and ultimately the decision of the Board, were reasonable, the Court finds that the decision was clearly within the scope of authority of the Defendants as conferred by ordinance; the decision was supported by relevant and substantial evidence; and the decision was not as a matter of law unreasonable or without foundation in fact.”
Click HERE to see the decision and check Hays Post for more as the story develops.
TOPEKA – The Kansas Department of Health and Environment, in conjunction with the Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism, has issued public health warnings for some Kansas lakes for the upcoming weekend and week.
If a lake is under a public health warning for blue-green algae, activities such as boating and fishing may be safe. However, direct contact with water (i.e., wading, skiing and swimming) is strongly discouraged for people, pets and livestock. The lakes currently under a public health advisory:
· Warning: Atchison Co. Park Lake, Atchison County · Warning: Atwood Township Lake, Rawlins County
· Warning: Carbondale West Lake, Osage County
· Warning: Central Park Lake (Pond), Shawnee County
· Warning: Frazier Lake, Grant County
· Warning: Lake Afton, Sedgwick County
· Warning: Lake Scott State Park, Scott County
· Warning: Lake Wabaunsee, Wabaunsee County
· Warning: Lakewood Park Lake, Saline County
· Warning: Marais Des Cygnes Wildlife Area, Linn County
· Warning: Melvern Outlet Pond, Osage County
· Warning: Melvern Outlet Swim Pond, Osage County Closure – Visitors can utilize Coeur d’ Alene Park Swim Beach which sets on the main body of the lake, located west of the U.S. Army Corps. Of Engineers Project Office.
· Warning: Overbrook City Lake, Osage County
· Warning: South Lake Park, Johnson County · Warning: Webster Lake, Rooks County – Beach is closed. Webster State Park remains open. Drinking water and bath house facilities are not affected by the algae bloom.
· Watch: Cottonwood River, south of Emporia
· Watch: Hodgeman County SFL, Hodgeman County
· Watch: Mary’s Lake, Douglas County
· Watch: Melvern Lake, Osage County
· Watch: Pomona Lake, Osage County – Beach is closed.
· Watch: Rock Garden Pond, Gage Park, Shawnee County
For information on blue-green algae and reporting potential harmful algal blooms, please visit www.kdheks.gov/algae-illness/index.htm.
Today
