The new academic year at Fort Hays State University officially begins at 9 a.m. Wednesday with the annual Fall Convocation in the Beach/Schmidt Performing Arts Center in Sheridan Hall on the FHSU campus. Watch the live stream of the event below.
Category: Local
ENTER TO WIN: Back to School Parent Photo Contest
JCPenney to help FHSU students Suit Up
By CRISTINA JANNEY
Hays Post
Fort Hays State University and JCPenney are teaming for an event to help students purchase professional clothing for the next stage in their careers.
The event will be from 6 to 9 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 26, at JCPenney at Big Creek Crossing in Hays. The event is open to any current FHSU student. You must bring your Tiger Card to be admitted.
Students will be able to shop for both men’s and women’s professional attire and accessories, get makeovers at Sephora or services from the store’s hair salon.
Staff will be on hand to assist students with their measurements, and they will receive a 40 percent off coupon toward professional clothing and accessories.
If students bring canned goods for the Tiger Food Exchange, they will be entered to win prizes.
The event will also have a selfie station where students can take pictures of themselves in their new outfits.
JC Penney launched the Suit Up program within the last year, but this is the first time the Hays JCPenney has partnered with the FHSU on the Suit Up project.
Karen McCullough, director of FHSU Career Services, said professional dress is still important in some professions, including business and accounting. Most professions also expect new employees or interns to dress up for interviews.
The university will provide a shuttle from campus to the mall on the night of the event. Vans will run from 5:30 p.m. with the last shuttle leaving from campus at 8:30 p.m. Students can catch the shuttles at the corner by the kiosk at Victory E. Village.
For more information, contact FHSU Career Services at 785-628-4260 or [email protected].
KRUG: Medicare recipients will be getting a new card
I’ve seen a few articles about the new Medicare cards that will be mailed to eligible persons. In Kansas that should be happening between June 2018 and April 2019. The reason new cards are being issued is to help keep your information more secure and help protect your identity. You will get a new Medicare Number that is unique to you, and it will only be used for your Medicare coverage. The new MBI (Medicare Beneficiary Identifier) will be 11 characters in length. The new card will not change your coverage or benefits. You will get more information from Medicare when your new card is mailed.
Here are some steps you can follow to get ready:
- Make sure your mailing address is up to date. If your address needs to be corrected, contact Social Security at ssa.gov/myaccount or call: 1-800-772-1213. TTY users can call 1-800-325-0778.
- Beware of anyone who contacts you about your new Medicare card. You should never be asked to give personal or private information in order to get your new Medicare Number and card. New cards will be mailed to beneficiaries, and no one connected with Medicare will be calling or knocking on doors.
- Understand that mailing everyone a new card will take some time. Your card might arrive at a different time than your friend’s or neighbor’s.
When your new card does arrive consider these tips:
- Destroy the old card immediately upon receiving the new one. Use the new ID number for all Medicare transactions from that point on.
- If you have Medicare questions, call the Senior Health Insurance Counselors of Kansas (SHICK). The number is 800-860-5260. You can also see a short video on the new cards at www.cms.gov/medicare/new-medicare-card/nmc-home.html
- If you have a Medicare Supplement or a Part D prescription drug plan, keep those identification cards. They are separate from the regular Medicare coverage.
Donna Krug is the District Director and Family & Consumer Science Agent for K-State Research & Extension – Cottonwood District. You may reach her at: (620)793-1910 or [email protected]
Portion of Allen Street closed for waterline work
CITY OF HAYS
Beginning Wednesday, August 15, 2018, Allen Street in Hays will be closed on the south side of the railroad tracks to the north side of the 10th Street intersection for waterline work. This work is part of the Allen Street Reconstruction Project.
Signs will be in place to direct the traveling public. Motorists should use caution in these areas.
The city of Hays regrets any inconvenience this may cause to the public. If there are any questions, please call the Office of Project Management at 785-628-7350 or the contractor, Paul-Wertenberger Construction at 785-625-8220.
Hansen, Hadley Foundations instrumental in new medical simulation labs
HAYSMED
Thanks to a $250,000 grant from the Dane G. Hansen Foundation in Logan, Kan., along with a $125,000 allocation from the Hays-based Hadley Foundation, HaysMed will form a new collaboration with Fort Hays State University.
This new venture includes clinical simulation, skills, and assessment labs to be housed in Stroup Hall on the FHSU campus.
Clinical simulation has become an increasingly valuable part of clinical practice and training. For
example, life-like simulation mannequins can be programmed to create real-world situations, from childbirth to heart attacks. The simulations are very realistic and accurately recreate the environments and circumstances found in emergency departments, exam rooms, and patient rooms.
The wide array of skills taught in this new collaboration will provide continuing education for HaysMed staff and training for FHSU nursing students.
HaysMed Chief Nursing Officer and Vice President for Patient Care Terry Siek said, “Healthcare becomes more complex every day, but it also creates exciting new opportunities. It is imperative that we have nurses and other clinical staff prepared to seize these opportunities. Simulation gives nursing students and experienced staff alike the opportunity to create and solve complex scenarios in a safe and controlled environment.”
This new venture ties into the stated vision of HaysMed, to be the best tertiary care center in rural America, providing a scope and quality of
services not otherwise available without traveling outside the region. To accomplish this, HaysMed employs hundreds of men and women with nursing degrees, advanced degrees, and various certifications. All require continuous training to maintain their certifications and stay current with emerging research and technologies.
HaysMed Foundation Development Officer Jeff Brull noted, “An added benefit of this modern lab will be the ability to attract and retain high quality nursing and other medical professionals. People who work in healthcare have a relentless passion to help others and are drawn to opportunities to improve their abilities to do just that. We’re grateful for the leadership of both the Dane G. Hansen Foundation as well as the Hadley Foundation for their vision to continually provide for the healthcare needs of western Kansas through the initiatives of HaysMed.”
Comfort Inn & Suites will host first responders for breakfast
Comfort Inn & Suites North, 1001 E. 41st, is celebrating National Waffle Day by hosting a #ComfortSaysThanks free hot waffle breakfast for first responders (police, firefighters and EMTs) to show appreciation for their role in serving the community.
Comfort brand hotels across the country are hosting similar events in their communities over the next few weeks.
The complimentary breakfast will be at 9:15 a.m. Friday, Aug. 24.
MASON: Summers are for living out your learning
How did you spend your summer? I love asking faculty that question as they return to campus for a new academic year. Commencement may seem like a time for faculty to sit back, reflect, and relax – but for our faculty, nothing could be further from the truth! You may be surprised what they have been up to and how full their lives are during “break.”
Of course, several faculty continue to teach throughout the summer – which is essential as this summer we experienced another record enrollment with 5,347 students taking summer classes!
One summer program we always look forward to is our on-campus, four-day introduction course for our highly successful Transition to Teaching (T2T) pathway for professionals who have a college degree but not a license to teach. Through T2T these individuals can start teaching immediately while completing the courses for licensure. Over the years, this enrollment has grown from six students to more than 150!
Geoscience faculty were very busy during May and June leading field trips. Their activities included: Storm chasing across 10 states from Oklahoma to Montana and Minnesota; Geology Field Camp in Utah and Colorado; study abroad to Italy and Switzerland; and a cave and water-resource trip to the island of San Salvador in the Bahamas.
Dr. Terry Crull led a group of students on a choral tour of Austria. I understand it was remarkable, but a favorite story is from right here in the U.S.A. During a layover in Philadelphia, Dr. Crull went into a Philly cheesesteak joint for lunch. The waitress saw his FHSU shirt and said, “I go there!” She told him she is an online student in hospitality and tourism. Later he took the whole FHSU choir into her restaurant and they sang the University Hymn for her.
Kelly Cole, nursing, spent time as a student herself a working on her doctorate while teaching summer classes. Carolyn Anderson is also completing her doctorate and spent the summer coding and analyzing data for her dissertation “Stakeholders Perspectives of Value Creation and Risk.”
Jesse Jacobs, economics, finance and accounting, traveled to Washington, D.C., to complete classes and receive his designation as a Certified Business Economist.
Another geosciences professor, Dr. Richard Lisichenko, spent the summer preparing for – and passing – the FAA Remote Pilot certification exam. He said that preparing for the exam took more time and effort than he expected, but every now and then faculty need to be reminded what it feels like to be a student! Well said, Dr. Lisichenko.
Dr. Bill Stark, biology, also spent time developing elements of a drone program over the summer. He is developing both flight training and aerial imagery data collection modules for a course he will teach this fall. Over the last three years, support for the equipment and training has been provided in large part by a $700,000 USDA grant received by the departments of Biological Sciences and Agriculture.
Ten faculty members from the Department of Leadership Studies attended the annual Association of Leadership Educators conference, including four who teach in our Chinese partnership programs. Out of those 10, FHSU had six peer-reviewed presentations, including one research poster, one innovative practice paper presentation, one research paper presentation, one educator workshop, and two roundtable presentations.
Dr. Connie Eigenmann, communication studies, spent her summer writing several books with professional co-authors in California, Tennessee, Illinois and Kansas, including Electronic Communication in Developing Countries: A World of Difference, Vol. 3; The Vanishing American Family; and Cousin Derrick.
Librarian Claire Nickerson was part of the American Library Association’s 2018 Emerging Leaders cohort. She worked with a team of four other librarians across the country to develop a website designed to teach librarians how to work with data.
Students also engaged in scholarship this summer. Biology student Zoey Wallis, Littleton, Colo., senior, spent her summer on a research experience for undergraduates at the University of Massachusetts in Boston. This is an extremely competitive position that covers living expenses and a stipend for 10 weeks in the summer to do biomedical research at a large university. She was selected from a nationwide pool of applicants.
Meanwhile back in Hays, staff in the Office of Global Partnerships hosted summer camps for more than 50 international students and 35 foreign faculty from four Chinese partner universities to introduce them to American culture, improve their English, and give them experience in classroom teaching.
As the English Department’s international coordinator, Jason Harper is always looking for opportunities to improve our curriculum in China. So in May, he traveled to two partner campuses – Sias International University and Shenyang Normal University – to conduct English Composition Outcome Assessments.
These are just a few examples. Our faculty, staff and students, and the energy they bring to living and leading full lives, make me proud. They model the phrase “life-long learners.” Most them will probably need a summer vacation from their vacation!
HPD Activity Log Aug. 13 & 14
The Hays Police Department responded to 8 animal calls and conducted 16 traffic stops Mon., Aug. 13, 2018, according to the HPD Activity Log.
Drug Offenses–300 block W 13th St, Hays; 1:11 AM
Bicycle – Lost,Found,Stolen–23rd St and Canal Blvd, Hays; 2:06 AM
Animal At Large–8th and Vine St, Hays; 8:07 AM
Animal At Large–400 block W 16th St, Hays; 8:38 AM
Animal At Large–1000 block Vine St, Hays; 9:12 AM
Theft (general)–1000 block E 41st St, Hays; 9:17 AM
Blackmail/Extortion–400 block S Colorado, Plainville; 11:30 AM
Dead Animal Call–2400 block Hall St, Hays; 12:03 PM
Assist – Other (not MV)–2500 block E 21st St, Hays; 1:26 PM
MV Accident-Co Road/St Hwy–2700 block Hall St, Hays; 2:55 PM
MV Accident-City Street/Alley–1500 block Walnut St, Hays; 4:32 PM
MV Accident-City Street/Alley–1100 block E 27th St, Hays; 4:46 PM; 4:49 PM
Civil Dispute–1000 block E 8th St, Hays; 5:09 PM
Welfare Check–500 block W 33rd St, Hays; 7:47 PM
Animal At Large–1400 block W 44th St, Hays; 11:01 PM
Suspicious Vehicle–1700 block Hall St, Hays; 11:24 PM
Open Door/Window–200 block E 11th St, Hays; 11:39 PM
Credit Card Violations–3000 block Thunderbird Ct, Hays; 8/14 8:06 AM
The Hays Police Department responded to 5 animal calls and conducted 31 traffic stops Tue., Aug. 14, 2018, according to the HPD Activity Log.
Mental Health Call–100 block E 16th St, Hays; 12:07 AM
Mental Health Call–400 block W 3rd St, Hays; 12:48 AM
Suspicious Activity–2200 block Main St, Hays; 4:42 AM
Dead Animal Call–1200 block E 22nd St, Hays; 8:15 AM
Aggravated Assault–500 block Vine, Hays; 8:22 AM
Suspicious Activity–400 block E 22nd St, Hays; 9:27 AM
MV Accident-Hit and Run–400 block W 5th St, Hays; 9:50 AM
Dead Animal Call–2000 block Vine St, Hays; 2:22 PM
Theft (general)–2800 block Vine St, Hays; 2:38 PM
Drug Offenses–400 block Pine St, Hays; 3:37 PM
Trash Dumping–1000 block Gen Custer Rd, Hays; 4:28 PM
MV Accident-City Street/Alley–500 block Elm St, Hays; 9:38 PM
Drug Offenses–500 block W 7th St, Hays; 11:28 PM
Auction Guide, Aug. 15
Hamit Land & Auction, Inc.
Sept 1, 2018
104 N Walnut
Seller/Item information: PETERSON RETIREMENT AUCTION
Selling Haying Equipment – Tractors – Farm and Livestock Equipment – Trailers – Tools & Vehicles
Saturday September 1st, 2018 – 9:00 A.M.
Auction Location: From Stockton, Ks. go 1 ½ West to 17 Rd and go South ½ Mi. – WATCH FOR SIGNS!
Pictures at www.hamitauction.com – Lunch Stand Provided
URL to auction bill: https://hamitauction.com/Peterson.htm
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Auctioneers interested in having their auctions listed on HaysPost.com should email [email protected]. Put your listings where they will be seen!
Sunny, warm Wednesday
Today Sunny, with a high near 85. North northwest wind around 7 mph becoming east northeast in the afternoon.
Tonight Mostly clear, with a low around 65. East southeast wind 5 to 7 mph.
Thursday A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms after 1pm. Sunny, with a high near 89. South wind 6 to 8 mph.
Thursday NightA 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly before 1am. Partly cloudy, with a low around 66. Southeast wind 6 to 8 mph becoming north after midnight.
FridayMostly sunny, with a high near 86. North northeast wind 7 to 9 mph.
Friday NightMostly clear, with a low around 64.
SaturdayMostly sunny, with a high near 86.
Colyer concedes defeat in GOP primary
WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — The Latest on the counting of provisional ballots in the tight Republican primary for Kansas governor (all times local):
7:40 p.m.
Kansas Gov. Jeff Colyer, a graduate of Thomas More Prep-Marian who grew up in Hays, has conceded in the state’s Republican gubernatorial primary, saying he will endorse Secretary of State Kris Kobach a week after their neck-and-neck finish threatened to send the race to a recount.
Colyer accepted defeat Tuesday evening after a review of some provisional ballots from most Kansas counties failed to find enough votes for him to overcome a deficit of 110 votes at the time of poll closing in the Aug. 7 primary, out of more than 311,000 votes initially counted.
Kobach will face Democrat Laura Kelly in the November general election.
Colyer is a 58-year-old plastic surgeon from suburban Kansas City. He served as lieutenant governor for seven years and took over as governor in January when Sam Brownback resigned to become ambassador-at-large for international religious freedom.
Kobach had the support of President Donald Trump.
Boil order issued for city of Norton
KDHE
TOPEKA – The Kansas Department of Health and Environment has issued a boil water advisory for the City of Norton.
Customers should observe the following precautions until further notice:
• Boil water for one minute prior to drinking or food preparation or use bottled water.
• Dispose of ice cubes and do not use ice from a household automatic icemaker.
• Disinfect dishes and other food contact surfaces by immersion for at least one minute in clean tap water that contains one teaspoon of unscented household bleach per gallon of water.
• Water used for bathing does not generally need to be boiled. Supervision of children is necessary while bathing so that water is not ingested. Persons with cuts or severe rashes may wish to consult their physicians.
• If your tap water appears dirty, flush the water lines by letting the water run until it clears.
The advisory took effect on Aug. 14 and will remain in effect until the conditions that placed the system at risk of bacterial contamination are resolved. KDHE officials issued the advisory because of a line break resulting in a loss of pressure in the system. Failure to maintain adequate pressure may result in a loss of chlorine residuals and bacterial contamination.
Regardless of whether the public water supplier or KDHE announced a boil water advisory, only KDHE can issue the rescind order following testing at a certified laboratory.
Restaurants and other food establishments that have questions about the impact of the boil water advisory on their business can contact the Kansas Department of Agriculture’s food safety & lodging program at [email protected] or call 785-564-6767.