The Rooks County Sheriff’s Office is requesting the public’s assistance in a hit-and-run investigation that occurred in the Rooks County Fairgrounds parking lot Friday night.
The vehicle was parked where the (X) indicates on the map in the pictures below. The vehicle was parked in the parking lot from the hours of 10 p.m. to 11:35 p.m. on Friday, when the pictured vehicle was struck. The striking vehicle left the scene of the accident without reporting the accident.
If you know anything about this accident, contact the Rooks County Sheriff’s Office at (785) 425-6312 and ask to speak to a Sheriff’s Deputy.
Dr. Patricia Levy, a Fort Hays State University professor of social work, recently presented at the 10th EDULEARN18, an international conference on education and new learning technologies in Palma de Majorca, Spain.
“An Online Pedagogical Model Teaching Mass Trauma Interventions to Homeland Security Responders” was created jointly with Dr. Rudolph Bustos, chair of the Department of Homeland Security at Trident University, Cypress, Calif.
“The presentation examined an instructional online format covering intervention with first responders and others who have experienced mass trauma from the point of initial contact through continuing follow-up by multidisciplinary counseling resources,” said Levy.
“It also included attention to those responders who suffer secondary effects such as difficulties to continue working in emergency services,” she said.
The online format includes simulations similar to the 2014 Boston marathon bombing, logistics, hospital surge capacities, triaging and long-term support. A discussion of readings, assignments, case studies and interactive group methodologies were examined.
“This online approach facilitates the delivery of educational content of mass trauma and furthers the pedagogy trauma intervention for the student and service providers involved in homeland security,” said Levy.
“In addition, the presentation demonstrated a pedagogical framework for the delivery of online educational content to aid in effective training and preparation of homeland security first responders to face critical incidents requiring mass trauma intervention.”
The Acute Care Unit, Special Nursing Service, DeBakey Heart Clinic and HaysMed Volunteers were recently named the patient satisfaction award winners for the 1st quarter of 2018 at HaysMed, part of The University of Kansas Health System.
Each quarter HaysMed recognizes the patient satisfaction award winners based on results from CAHPS (Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems) surveys administrated by HealthStream. Health Stream is the research firm HaysMed contracts with to conduct the government required Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (CAHPS) hospital surveys on patient experience. The CAHPS survey is the first national, standardized, publicly reported survey of patients’ perspectives of hospital care. The CAHPS Hospital Survey is a survey instrument and data collection methodology for measuring patients’ perceptions of their hospital experience. Four areas are recognized every quarter including an inpatient department, an outpatient department, a clinic and a non-clinical area.
The Acute Care Unit was recognized for having the highest rating for courtesy and respect for the first quarter of 2018. Their unit score was 95.4% putting them at the 96th percentile. Acute Care is a 46 bed unit. They have a total of 68 Associates including fulltime and part time staff. In 2017 they had 2458 admissions.
Special Nursing Service, an outpatient department had the highest rating for courtesy and respect scoring 100% putting them at the 99th percentile. The department has 10 full time RNs. They average 9000 procedures a year.
Garnering the clinic award was the Debakey Heart Clinic. Their score was 98% putting them at the 95th percentile. The clinic saw over 9676 patients last year.
The Volunteers received the Customer Service Award for their significant contributions to the mission, vision and values of HaysMed. There are approximately 200 volunteers with 100 who are active on a monthly basis. They man the four information desks, run the Gift Shop and monthly blood screens, help with the blood drives and also craft and sew for the annual bazaar. They are the face of our hospital.
Compost is the single most important supplement you can give your garden in the form of mulch and/or soil amendment. It could be something you might seriously consider using in place of synthetically made fertilizers. By incorporating compost into soil, improvement can be had in soil structure, texture, aeration and even in water-holding capacity of sandy soils. On the contrast, compost can open up clayey soils, allowing for better water percolation. Its addition can even enhance soil fertility thereby prompting healthy root development in plants. The topper, however, is that compost made at home is inexpensive. You can make it without spending a cent, whether in a pile or in a pit.
The organic matter that compost comprises of provides food for microorganisms, which in turn keeps the soil in a healthy, balanced condition. These microorganisms break down organic waste, turning it into a nutrient rich medium for your garden. Many microorganisms found in compost are adapted to the high temperatures characteristically found in the decomposing process. They require an adequate mixture of oxygen and moisture to successfully do the job. Too much water will cause reduction in the needed oxygen, where not enough water can also drastically slow microorganisms from conducting their activity. Ideally, the compost pile should have approximately 40 to 60% moisture, or maybe better said, like a well wrung sponge.
To outline the best procedure for composting, there are a few important points to take into account. Frist, build your compost pile with those materials high in carbon and nitrogen, also known as “browns and greens”. The carbon-rich “brown” material consists of items like branches, stems, dried leaves, peels, bits of wood, bark dust or sawdust pellets, shredded brown paper bags, corn stalks, dryer lint, conifer needles, straw, peat moss, and/or wood ash. Browns give compost its light, fluffy body. Greens on the other hand consist of nitrogen or protein-rich material like herbivore manures, food scraps, coffee grounds, green lawn clippings, lawn and garden weeds (without seeds), and green leaves. These items provide raw materials for making enzymes.
A healthy compost pile should have more carbon than nitrogen. A simple rule of thumb is to use one-third green and two-thirds brown materials. The bulkiness of the brown materials allows oxygen to penetrate and nourish the organisms that reside there. Too much nitrogen makes for a dense, smelly, slowly decomposing anaerobic mass, not unlike what happens when a thick layer of fresh grass clippings goes undisturbed. Good composting hygiene means covering fresh nitrogen-rich material with carbon-rich material, which often exudes a fresh, wonderful smell. When in doubt, add more carbon!
Want to start your own compost pile? Start by following this link, https://bit.ly/2AwhCPy , to a video called Choosing a Bin provided by Kansas Healthy Yards. If you are wondering how long composting will take, follow this link, https://bit.ly/2O2VJtf , to another video provided by Kansas Healthy Yards. For more information about how composting works, follow this link, https://bit.ly/2mZFYYe , to the “Building Better Soils for Better Crops” chapter called Making Compost. Next week will cover the dos and don’ts of what goes into your compost pile and how to use your compost when it’s ready.
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.
The certified public accounting firm of Adams, Brown, Beran & Ball, Chtd. (ABBB) is pleased to announce the addition of Brittany Gleason to their professional team. Gleason joins the firm as a staff accountant and will be working in ABBB’s Hays office.
“We’re pleased to have Brittany join the ABBB team,” said Brian Staats, CPA, CGMA, managing partner of ABBB. “We look forward to watching her grow and develop as an accounting professional.”
Gleason studied accounting at Kansas State University (KSU), earning a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration in 2017 and a Master of Accountancy in 2018. She is a member of the KSU Alumni Association and the Kansas Society of CPAs (KSCPA).
Raised in Kinsley, Kansas, Gleason currently resides in Hays. She enjoys spending her free time cooking, reading, exercising, and attending sporting events—especially those of her alma mater.
On the map: Lucas, Kansas Distance from Hays: 65 miles Drive time: one hour
So for this week’s road trip, we are going to flash back a year to my first trip to Lucas and Luray last fall.
I am an art lover, and there is a lot of weird and wacky art in Lucas to love.
Lucas is only 16 miles north of Interstate 70 off the Wilson exit.
Lucas is probably most famous for the Garden of Eden. The Garden of Eden is on the National Register of Historic Places and was named a finalist for the 8 Wonders of Kansas Art. I am neither an art critic nor enough of a student of history to make any educated comments about the Garden of Eden. It is just something you need to see and evaluate for yourself.
Garden of Eden
Samuel Perry Dinsmoor was the grand architect of the Garden of Eden. He was a retired schoolteacher, farmer and Civil War nurse. His art was influenced my the Populist movement as is evident in some of the sculptures in the garden, including “Crucifixion of Labor.”
Of course, as the name of the Dinsmoor’s art experiment indicates, the Garden of Eden also had biblical influences with appearances of the Devil and Adam and Eve, who were originally naked, but Dinsmoor later clothed them — to the relief of his neighbors.
Dinsmoor makes a comment on the predatory nature of both animal and human kind. In the garden, a fox chases a cat who pursues a bird who stalks a worm, which is eating a leaf. A Native American is aiming at the fox with a bow and behind a solider aims a rifle at the Native American. A woman reaches to stop the soldier from firing the rifle.
Dinsmoor also constructed a mausoleum for he and his wife. His remains can be viewed by visitors today in a glasstop concrete coffin that he constructed. I skipped that part of the tour.
He started constructing the 150 sculptures outside of his home in 1907 when he was 64. During the next 22 years, he would use 113 tons of concrete and tons of limestone to construct the Garden of Eden.
You can also tour the inside of the home, which is decorated as the Dinsmoor would have lived prior to his death in 1932.
The Garden of Eden is open 1 to 4 p.m. daily in March and April and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily May through October. November through February, tours are available from 1 to 4 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays only. Admission is charged for tours.
The weirdness does not end there. Lucas is a hotbed of folk art.
Just east of the Garden of Eden is Miller’s Park. Roy and Clara Miller built miniature Lucas buildings from rocks and sea shells they collected while traveling in the 1930s through ’60s. They also made towers of slag glass and barite roses. The collection resided in Hays for a time before being moved back to Lucas in 2013.
Along the same vein as Garden of Eden and the Miller’s Park, the Grassroots Art Center, whose exhibit space was opened in 1999, was created to preserve the art of untrained artists in the Midwest. Grassroots has both permanent exhibits like Herman’s Drivers’ car and life-size motorcycle made of pop tabs as well as temporary exhibits.
Herman’s Drivers’ pop tab art.
Herman’s Drivers’ pop tab art.
“Button Masterpieces” by Charles Berendt
“Button Masterpieces” by Charles Berendt
“Button Masterpieces” by Charles Berendt
Dennis Clark’s “Imaginary City”
You can see portraits made out of grapefruit rind by Betty Milliken or painted limestone sculptures created by auto mechanic, truck driver and traveling evangelist Inez Marshall. Ida Kingsbury spent the years after her husband’s death decorating her yard with anything she could repurpose, including teapots, two liter pop bottles and plastic animals.
“Button Masterpieces” by Charles Berendt from Denver is on temporary display through Sept. 25, and Dennis Clark’s “Imaginary City” will be on display through November.
Limestone carving in the Post Rock Courtyard in Lucas.
Metal work in the Post Rock Courtyard in Lucas.
Limestone carving in the Post Rock Courtyard in Lucas.
Metal work in the Post Rock Courtyard in Lucas.
The outdoor Post Rock Courtyard in the rear of the Grassroots Art Center exhibits a tribute to the limestone carvers of the area and also incorporates metal and glass for a dazzling display of color, texture and light.
A visit to Lucas would not be complete without visiting the restroom that was named the nation’s second best place to flush.
Mosaic on the walls of the restroom at Bowl Plaza.
Mosaic on the walls of the restroom at Bowl Plaza.
Mosaic on the walls of the restroom at Bowl Plaza.
A wall of glass bottles in the wall of restroom at Bowl Plaza.
Mosaic on the walls of the restroom at Bowl Plaza.
A mural on the side of Bowl Plaza.
Bowl Plaza is in the 100 block of South Main Street. The public restroom is covered inside and out with a mosaics of tile, glass, dominoes and glass bottles. The local effort to create the fancy porcelain palace was led by Mri-Pilar and Eric Abraham.
Mri-Pilar also created 15 colorful fork sculptures in the art park next to the Bowl Plaza.
A Lucas sign in the in the art park next to the Bowl Plaza.
Brant’s Meat Market is back in Lucas after a short hiatus. Brant’s, which has been in business since 1922, specializes in homemade bologna and sausages and was named one of the 8 Wonders of Kansas Commerce.
The Facebook post announcing the store’s closing earlier this year reached over 77,000 people, and the store was inundated with telephone calls and messages from customers hoping to get one last order in before they sold out.
Adam and Ashley Comeau of Plainville stepped in to help save the Lucas staple.
Other notable stops in Lucas are the Florence Debbie Sculpture Garden, 126 Fairview. Debbie created concrete and rock sculptures based on famous landmarks, such as Mount Rushmore. The World’s Largest Collection of the World’s Smallest Versions of the World Largest Things is the brain child of Erika Nelson. She has a gallery of these oddities in her new downtown storefront at 214 S. Main St. The attraction is open by chance or by appointment.
Some eclectic items to create your own folk art may be found at Aunt Gertie’s Art and Antiques, 304 E. Second. Check their Facebook page for current hours and to see new goodies for sale.
If you’re hungry, you can grab some eats at the K-18 Cafe, 5945 Kansas Highway 18 or Backstreet Bakery at 208 S. Main St. One look at their Facebook page and I was ready to drive to Lucas for a piece of fresh peach pie.
For a side trip, keep going north on K-18, and you will come to the little town of Luray. At the K-18 rest area across from Main sits a log cabin built by Civil War veteran Jonathan Wesley Van Scoyoc.
From 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 20, Luray will host Craftique. Every possible spare space in the small community is opened for crafters. Last fall, I had a pleasant stroll downtown, popping in and out of buildings to pick up some fall decorations and get a head start on Christmas shopping.
Other links to check out while you are planning your trip:
Two local groups hoping to fund and build additions to two Hays parks presented their proposals to city commissioners Thursday night.
The commission favored the visions of both projects but is concerned about the details of each plan as well as long term maintenance costs of the structures.
Vance Chartier
Vance Chartier, Veteran Alliance Project Director, talked about a proposed “General [Alexander] Hays Veterans Memorial” to be built in Veterans Memorial Park, 13th and Canterbury.
Alexander Hays was a Union Army general in the Civil War. Fort Hays and the city of Hays are named after him.
“We want this to be a place to honor veterans, to reflect and think about the sacrifices that have been incurred, and for families to come and remember their loved ones that have fallen,” said Chartier, who is also director of the Kansas Merci Boxcar museum in the same park.
The 2,000 square foot new memorial, a star shape made of steel panels, would surround the existing limestone obelisk memorial to Ellis County veterans. Names of northwest Kansas veterans from historic Fort Hays to today would be engraved on the proposed memorial.
The Veteran Alliance, composed of The Society of 40 Men and Eight Horses, Voiture 1543 and Patriot Outreach with the support of American Legion Post 173, Marine Corps League 970 and the Hays Veteran Business Coalition, wants permission to build in the city’s park. They would not ask the city for any money to support the project, according to Chartier.
Chartier said the group has already chosen a contractor. Vice-Mayor Henry Schwaller explained the city would have to open up the project for bids because the memorial would be on city property.
“This would be an excellent addition to the community,” Schwaller said, “but to pull off a project of this size and this scope might outstrip the resources of the partner organization.
“I do want this to happen,” he continued, “but because this is not our land – it belongs to the residents of Hays – we cannot have any screwups. …We also don’t want to commit to something that three to five years down the road could be a problem for the future commission to handle.
“It’s no disrespect to what you’ve done. It’s just that we need a little more information before we can proceed.”
The commission asked Chartier to come back with a more detailed action plan as well as the support of all the veterans organizations.
Mike Morley, senior vice commander of VFW Post 9076, told commissioners his group has several concerns about the project including the lack of community input. “The local post does not lend its support to this project,” said Morley.
The local VFW Post officers also feel fees involved with the project are too high.
“It was presented to us that 15 percent of the money collected would go to fundraising and other administrative costs which we thought was excessive,” Morley said. He also noted there are already a number of veterans memorials in the community.
“The VFW is a service organization. We have our Honor Guard, which every year buries dozens of veterans throughout northwest Kansas. When we fundraise, we want it to go to things like that Honor Guard, for the service officers who help returning veterans fill out a VA disability claim, and direct aid for veterans in our community who might be unable to pay a utility bill or rent.
“We certainly applaud the intent behind the project,” Morley concluded, “but we think there’s other ways to honor veterans that can mean so much more and be more impactful.”
Commissioner Sandy Jacobs told the memorial group they “have the cart before the horse.”
“And I don’t want you to leave here thinking we don’t support veterans,” she emphasized. “Brian Nichols was a dear friend of our family. My son-in-law is a colonel in the Army, active. We understand and we appreciate. I think I was as clear as I could be earlier. It’s about your project and about your plan and about your execution on that plan.”
The second group asking to build an addition in a city park group believes their $1.6 million dollar accessible recreation complex would be a “destination stop” in Hays.
“Families with children who have special needs often travel by car because it’s easier to manage their child’s complex medical needs,” explained advocate Sarah Meitner. “How wonderful would it be to have this haven here in Hays for those families to stop and stretch their feet.”
The city commissioners agreed there is such a need for visitors and local residents alike, and expressed support of the proposal put forth by Arc of the Central Plains to build it in Seven Hills Park, 33rd and Hillcrest.
Sarah Meitner
Meitner, the mother of a special needs son, says the non-profit group would raise the money to build the complex. When completed, it would be gifted to the city which would then maintain the facility.
Those future costs concern Commissioner Ron Mellick.
“I’m worried about ongoing maintenance because it’s all going to have to be replaced and what it’s going to cost,” Mellick said. “We’ve had sustainable budgets and then we put this in, and all of a sudden our budget – we have to raise the mill levy.”
The accessible recreation complex would consist of a playground, baseball field, and splash pad.
Schwaller called the proposal “the best I’ve ever seen from the public.” He said it has the support of the city and encouraged the group to move forward with a request for design proposals and its fund raising.
Dr. Roger Marshall, R-Great Bend, is the First District Kansas Congressman.
Friends,
This week I hosted six more community coffees. I started in Ashland on Monday, visited Cimarron and Garden City on Tuesday, jumped over to Scott City and Beeler on Wednesday, and ended the week in Buhler.
It was evident in our stops that tariffs and trade, immigration, and the Farm Bill are some of the top issues across the district.
In addition to our coffee stops, I had great discussions across the district on issues like rural broadband, agribusiness development, school safety, and teacher appreciation. I also rode around with Dr. Randall Spare, DVM of Ashland and spoke with residents in Beeler to hear progress updates on rebuilding fences, cattle herds, and homes after last year’s devastating wild fires.
I am enjoying my time traveling and hearing from so many different people.
Please if you haven’t yet, join us on our Community Coffee Tour! Click HERE for next week’s schedule. We’ll be in Goodland, Hoxie, Norton, Downs, St. Mary’s, Onaga, Clay Center, and Ellsworth.
Kincaid Equipment, Haven
One-size-fits-all regulations don’t work.
Regulations are one of the leading killers of innovation and job growth. Companies like Kincaid Equipment are facing one-size-fits-all emission regulations that will mean thousands of additional costs for the Haven, Kan., manufacturer.
On day one, this administration started rolling back burdensome regulations on our small businesses. We must continue to do so to help our Kansas communities.
Meeting with the Agribusiness Council
Wichita is one of the largest economic hubs of our state, and so much of what we do in the First Congressional District runs through the businesses and organizations in that city. Because of the interconnectedness of the state, I believe it is vital that everyone in the state’s agriculture industry work together to support the state’s farmers and ranchers.
I was honored to speak with members of the Wichita Agribusiness Council to discuss the Farm Bill, trade, tariffs and other issues impacting ag. As I begin my work on the Farm Bill Conference Committee, it’s important to continue to have these discussions and fully understand how this legislation impacts all industries supporting agriculture so I can advocate for all producers.
Quality Care in Southwest Kansas
The last time I was in Ashland, this hospital was still under construction. It was miraculously saved from the Starbuck Fire that swept through Clark County in early 2017 and is now a beautiful medical center delivering quality care to the people of south-central Kansas.
My district is home to some of the best small hospitals in the country, and I continue to work hard in Washington D.C. to make healthcare more affordable and accessible to all.
Communities recovering from 2017 Starbuck Fire
After the 2017 Starbuck Fire devastated thousands of acres of farm and ranch land in Southwest Kansas, I spoke with impacted farmers and ranchers to learn how we could help them rebuild. Their concerns included regulations on new fencing and accountability for their lost cattle.
Over the past two days, I have had the opportunity to meet with folks in Clark and Lane counties to assess the recovery efforts and discuss what the future looks like for their farms and families. Residents in both counties said grass has returned and fences are back in place. There are still signs of the devastation, but life is moving forward.
Kansas farmers are incredibly resilient, and I was proud to be able to include changes to current programs in the 2018 House Farm Bill to help with the fire recovery efforts.
The Ellis County Commission canvassed the results on the 2018 August primary election in a special meeting Thursday.
According to Ellis County Clerk and Election Officer Donna Maskus there were 36 provisional ballots cast in the August 7 Primary Election. Thirty-three of them were counted and added to the vote totals in Ellis County during the almost two hour process Thursday.
Ellis County Commission Chair Dean Haselhorst and Mike Morley open advanced mail-in ballots while Election Officer Donna Maskus looks on.
Maskus said the three people whose ballots were not counted were not registered to vote in Ellis County.
The largest reason voters were given a provisional ballot was because they changed their address and did not re-register.
Thursday two Canvass Boards made up of three people each finished counting the provisional ballots and advanced mail-in ballots.
The additional votes did not have an effect on the outcome of any of the contested races.
In the Republican race for Ellis County Commission 1st District Butch Schlyer received six additional provisional votes and one vote from an advanced mail-in ballot. His opponent, incumbent Marcy McClelland received one additional provisional vote.
The additional votes bring the final vote total to 642 to 283 in favor of Schlyer.
In the closely contested race for the Republican nominee for Kansas Governor Jeff Colyer and Tracey Mann received 871 more votes in Ellis County, than Secretary of State Kris Kobach and running mate Wink Hartman.
The official tally was 1,748 for Colyer and 877 for Kobach.
Kobach defeated Colyer after he conceded the race earlier this week.
In the race to replace Kobach as Secretary of State Republican candidate Scott Schwab outgained Randy Duncan in the statewide race by more than 50,000 (107,498 to 56,564) votes. But in Ellis County Schwab edged Duncan by just 134 votes (998 to 864).
On the Democratic ticket for Governor in Ellis County Laura Kelley edged Joshua Svaty by 103 votes and Carl Brewer came in third with 187. Statewide Kelley collected 79,301 votes and Brewer got 30,885 votes to finish second. Svaty was a distant third.
Turnout was 24 percent. Better than the 18 percent in 2014 and 15 percent in 2012.
Commissioner Barb Wasinger was not at Thursday’s meeting. She appointed Mike Morley to fill in for her. Morley left partway through the meeting and County Administrator Phillip Smith-Hanes took his spot on the commission for the canvass.
It was another busy week on the KAYS Eagle Morning Show. Here’s what you missed!
Monday
Cortney Dale – Bob Schwarz Financial
Cortney talked about the Monday Medicare event in Hays:
If you missed this event and would like to attend a educational event, visit www.sunflowersenior.com for a list of events in the area. You can also call 785-301-2716.
Catholic Schools Report: Troy Ruda – Advancement Director TMP-Marian
Troy came in to talk about brining in money for Hays Catholic schools and the various fundraisers that do that:
Troy also talked about the “Monarch Football Madness” football tickets fundraiser currently going on for vaarious organizations at TMP-Marian:
If you would like to purchase a “Monarch Football Madness” ticket, you can purchase one online by clicking HERE. Make sure you specify which organization you would like the money to go to.
By DIANE GASPER-O’BRIEN FHSU University Relations and Marketing
Three Fort Hays State University freshmen said they usually celebrate their birthdays with family and friends.
During one of their first nights on the FHSU campus, Eric Berry, Sarah Makinster and Nyza Milligan experienced one of the largest birthday parties of their 19 years.
Those three, who were all celebrating their birthdays Thursday, were among the nearly 800 freshmen who participated in a pep rally of sorts at Lewis Field Stadium.
During “Traditions Night” – a popular event on campus during move-in week at FHSU – new freshmen enjoyed a BBQ dinner near Custer Hall, then marched to the football stadium for a night of meet-and-greet activities called “Traditions Night.”
Introducing the freshmen to some FHSU traditions, the Tiger Marching Band played as they marched into the stadium, making for a festive mood as the FHSU cheerleaders and dance team performed much like in a pep rally. Members of the fall sports teams also spoke, encouraging the new students to come support them.
“This definitely is the biggest (pep rally) ever for me,” said Berry, who graduated in a class of 60 at Hugoton High School.
Makinster’s high school graduating class in Denver was more than 10 times that size (700), and Milligan, who is from Manhattan, also had a large class (450).
Nonetheless, they said they also were impressed with the size of Thursday’s turnout.
The 80 orientation leaders – current FHSU students – who helped out with the event appeared to be having as much fun as the freshmen.
“It’s neat to see each year the people who come in hesitant, and they start talking to people and making friends,” said Adam Schibi, one of the orientation leaders.
Schibi is a senior from Hays who was so impressed with Traditions Night his freshman year in 2014 that he has helped out at the event every year since. He said he especially enjoyed participating this year, getting to see a lot of the new faces on campus as president of the Student Government Association.
It was a lively atmosphere on a pleasant evening under the lights. A representative from Playfair, an out-of-state tour company that performs team-building experiences on college campuses, guided the freshmen through various activities on the football field. Jacob Schoenfeld shouted intermittently over the microphone, “Smile; it’s your first day of college.”
Schoenfeld, a senior from Salida, Colo., is president of the University Activities Board, which sponsors Traditions Night, one of several events geared to make freshmen more comfortable in their first few days on campus. Like Schibi, Schoenfeld said it’s a good icebreaker for the newcomers.
“A lot of them seem skeptical, and it can be overwhelming,” he said. “But when they start participating in the activities, they start to get more relaxed. It definitely draws the introverts out more.”
Kailee Gibson, a senior orientation leader from Ozawkie in northeast Kansas, agreed.
“It makes you get out of your comfort zone,” she said. “Our job is to spot ones who appear more cautious and try to get them more involved. I think it’s a really good thing.”
It’s beneficial even for those who make friends easily, said Katy Walters, a freshman from Hays.
Walters, a vocal performance major, participated in 4-H while growing up with three older brothers, and she was active in high school at Thomas More Prep-Marian as well. So striking up a conversation with just about anyone is no problem.
But she confirmed that the meet-and-greet activities are also good for extroverts.
“Going in blind, you don’t know what it’s all about,” Walters said. “Then they have you shake people’s hands and introduce yourself to others. Right now, I don’t know if people really realize all they get out of this because it’s fun and interesting, and it all goes pretty fast. But down the road, we will see people on campus that we met tonight and recognize them. I’ll bet I met 35 to 40 people just tonight.”
A HACC ribbon cutting welcomes Gordmans to Big Creek Crossing Thursday in Hays.
By BECKY KISER Hays Post
Caleb Hudson moved to Hays 18 years ago to begin his career in retail.
He first worked for the former Midwest Drugs at the south end of The Mall and then moved on to several other retail businesses in town to gain management experience.
Hudson is now the store manager of the new Gordmans, which officially opened Thursday morning in Big Creek Crossing, 2918 Vine Street, following a ribbon cutting by the Hays Area Chamber of Commerce and a welcome by Hays vice-mayor Henry Schwaller.
Hudson says Gordmans, with offerings ranging from clothing and home goods, to pet supplies and electronics, is “truly a store for everyone.”
“We are a growing a community. We all know that. We are getting some exciting new businesses in the mall especially with Dollar Tree down the way. We now have a Gordmans to call our own. Before you’d drive to Wichita or Lawrence. So now people will be driving to Hays to go to Gordmans, which is always great,” Hudson said with a smile.
Gordmans is located in the north end of the shopping center, where Stage was. A handful of the Stage employees were hired by Gordmans which employs a total of 23 people.
“They’ve been doing a great job the last month and half, setting up the store. When a lot of them showed up, it was bare floors in here and they have built it into this wonderful store we have now.”
Hays High School Principal Martin Straub, StuCo V.P. Shyann Schumacher, StuCo Pres. Peyton Thorell, and USD 489 Superintendent John Thissen with Gordmans Manager Caleb Hudson
During the ribbon cutting ceremony, Hudson also presented a $2,500 dollar donation to Hays High School on behalf of the department store.
“The money is basically going to the good of the school, wherever that falls” said Shyann Schumacher, vice president of HHS StuCo.
Gordmans will continue the festivities during its grand opening weekend through Sunday and will be open longer, from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.
• The first 100 guests in line each day during the celebration weekend (Thursday through Sunday) will receive a free gift (while supplies last).
• Throughout the weekend, Gordmans’ guests who apply and are approved for a Gordmans credit card will receive an additional 20 percent off their first day’s purchases.
Normal operating hours begin Mon., August 20. Those are 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sundays.
