FROM THE KS DEPARTMENT OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT:

With the first frosts of the season already behind us, the Kansas Division of Emergency Management, in conjunction with the National Weather Service and local emergency management officials across the state, is urging Kansans to prepare for winter.

Winter Weather Awareness Day is Wednesday, Nov. 20.

The date is designated annually to remind Kansans of the potential hazards associated with winter weather and the actions everyone can take to have a safer winter.

“Be aware of weather conditions when you travel during the holiday season,” said Maj. Gen. Lee Tafanelli, director of the Kansas Division of Emergency Management and adjutant general. “Make sure your cell phone is charged before you start and have an emergency kit in your vehicle.”

Tafanelli said vehicle emergency kits should include blankets, flashlights, batteries, a cell phone charger, hand-warmers, high-energy food snacks, bottled water, necessary medications, a snow shovel, flares and other emergency supplies. Additional vehicle preparations recommended include winterizing your car by checking tires and anti-freeze levels, and never letting your vehicle’s gas tank fall below a quarter tank because road conditions may slow down your travel or leave you stranded with no gas and no access to heat.

Tafanelli advised Kansans to be prepared by assembling a home emergency kit with supplies for every member of the family for a minimum of three days, including bottled water (one gallon per person per day), non-perishable foods, flashlights, batteries, blankets, medications, children’s games and pet food.

For a complete list of items for a home or car emergency kit, go to www.ksready.gov . Additional information on preparing for winter weather is available from FEMA at www.fema.gov, the American Red Cross at www.redcross.org, or your county emergency management office.

Winter road conditions are accessible by dialing 5-1-1 from your mobile phone or by going to the Kansas Department of Transportation web site at https://511.www.ksdot.org.

A former bank employee has pleaded guilty to embezzling from a southwest Kansas bank in Grant County, and helping stage a robbery to cover up the theft, U.S. Attorney Barry Grissom said today.

Amber Gutierrez, 32, Ulysses, pleaded guilty to one count of theft from a bank. In her plea, she admitted that she and other former bank employees embezzled from the bank and staged a robbery.

From 2008 to July 24, 2010, while Gutierrez was head teller, she and two co-defendants embezzled approximately $84,200 from Western State Bank in Ulysses.

On July 24, 2010, Gutierrez aided and abetted a staged bank robbery. Subsequent to the staged bank robbery, Gutierrez and co-defendants embezzled another $24,450 from the bank.

Gutierrez is set for sentencing Feb. 4.

Co-defendants are:   Ashley Cravens, who is set for a change of plea hearing Nov. 22; Hattie Wiginton, who is set for jury trial Dec. 17; and Linda Wise, who is set for jury trial Dec. 17.

The FBI, KBI, Grant County Sheriff’s Office, and the Ulysses Police Department investigated the case.

Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks, and Tourism (KDWPT) law enforcement officers will conduct a wildlife checkpoint in northcentral Kansas in mid-November.

With upland bird, turkey, deer and waterfowl seasons underway, the checkpoint is intended to help enforce state and federal wildlife laws.

Officers will ask vehicle occupants if they have been hunting or are transporting wildlife. If they answer yes in either case, drivers will be directed to a check lane where natural resource officers will check for required licenses and permits, count the game and gather biological, harvest, and hunter success information. If violations of wildlife laws or other state laws are found, appropriate enforcement actions will be taken.

Additional wildlife checkpoints will occur around the state during the fall and winter hunting seasons.

An informational kiosk which showcases the stunning views and depicts the rich history of the Western Vistas Historic Byway, located in western Kansas, is now complete.

The kiosk location is approximately 27 miles south of Oakley along the west side of U.S. 83 Highway.

Scott City artist Jerry Thomas illustrated the historic scenery which couples narratives and maps associated with the Western Vistas Historic Byway.  It runs from Scott City north to Oakley on U.S. 83, and then west to Sharon Springs on U.S. 40 Highway.

The historic byway features seven National Historic sites and six museums that explore the various cultures and events that played a role in America’s western expansion. It also highlights Scott State Park.

Thomas’ illustrations and photographs by Marilyn See are showcased on six interpretive panels.

The idyllic location of the kiosk is on land donated by the family of Gerold Been.  Native limestone from the property of the Been family has been implemented into a seating/staging area near the kiosk.

The prime contractor on the signing project is Bridges Inc., of Newton.

The total project cost is $109,754.   It started during the first week in October.

A ribbon-cutting is being planned for next spring, to mark the project’s completion.

The Western Vistas Byway is Kansas’ first historic byway and the tenth of 11 Kansas byways.

The byway program, established by the Federal Highway Administration, is a partnership between the Kansas Department of Transportation, Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks & Tourism and local grass root community groups working to engage visitors in the natural, scenic, historic, cultural, archeological and recreational qualities of Kansas.

An in-depth look at current trends and changes within the Kansas Department of Corrections (KDOC) has been published and is available to the public.

The KDOC Annual Report for Fiscal Year 2013 gives historical data and projections for the future in the areas of population, costs and services. While summarizing key data on growth, the report helps the agency plan and budget for the future. It also serves as a resource for the structure of the agency, including contact information for the state’s correctional facilities and parole offices.

The report can be viewed online at https://www.doc.ks.gov/publications/kdoc-annual-reports/2013.

Featured in the report are a message from KDOC Secretary Ray Roberts, departmental developments within FY 2013, and a detailing of the history of capital punishment in the state.

The report includes, for the first time, information from the juvenile services division, which was made part of the KDOC by an Executive Reorganization Order during the 2013 legislative session.

The State Library of Kansas (SLK) has awarded grants to 124 Kansas public libraries to help fund the purchase of one AWE Early Literacy Station–an all-in-one digital learning solution for children ages 2-8–in each recipient’s library.

In September of 2013, SLK made available a non-competitive grant for Kansas public libraries interested in AWE Early Literacy Stations. Libraries serving a population less than 10,000 paid $500 towards a machine and libraries serving a population over 10,000 paid $1,000 towards a machine. In total, SLK helped purchase 124 AWE Early Literacy Stations throughout Kansas.

The Early Literacy Station offers children a safe, standalone computer, with 60 pre-loaded educational software programs, and does not require an Internet connection to operate. The material spans all curriculum areas: reading, math, science, social studies, writing, art and music.

Part of the SLK’s mission is to promote and support early childhood literacy programs and practices in libraries across the state. Early childhood literacy is what children know about reading and writing before they can actually read or write. SLK supports these efforts through statewide programing, supplemental funding, grants, training sessions, online resources, and circulation of materials.

The grant recipients are:

This project was made possible in part by the Institute for Museum and Library Services (IMLS). The IMLS is the primary source of federal support for the nation’s 123,000 libraries and 17,500 museums. The IMLS mission is to inspire libraries and museums to advance innovation, lifelong learning, and cultural and civic engagement.

The National Park Service in conjunction with the Nicodemus Historical Society will honor Nicodemus living veterans on Saturday, November 9, at 3:30 P.M. in the Nicodemus National Historic Site Visitor Center.

Seven living veterans in the area will be honored:  Donald Moore, Thomas Wellington, Michael Dabney, Robert Brogden, Eric Nevins, Victor Williams, and Veryl Switzer. Rev. Morris, pastor of Nicodemus First Baptist Church, will also be honored.

On Saturday, November 16, starting at 1:00 P.M. the TNT movie “Buffalo Soldiers” will be shown at the Visitor Center.

The movie features several of the members of the Nicodemus Buffalo Soldier Association.

Memorabilia from the movie, the travels of the Nicodemus Buffalo Soldier Association, and other buffalo soldier items will be on exhibit.

The life story of Nicodemus Buffalo Soldier Sam Garland who participated in the rescue at the Battle of Beecher Island (Republican River –  KS-CO border) will also be featured.

Eighteen northwest Kansas counties, members of Northwest Kansas Housing, Inc., are among ten recipient agencies in Kansas to share HUD-funded rental assistance.

The ten non-profits and public housing authorities statewide will share $1.2 million in Tenant Based Rental Assistance (TBRA) to help Kansas families obtain safe, affordable housing of their choice. Funded through the federal HOME Investment Partnerships Program (HOME), and administered by Kansas Housing Resources Corporation (KHRC), TBRA helps income-eligible households afford rental subsidies, utility deposits and security deposits.

“TBRA grants allow struggling families to use their financial resources for other basic needs, such as food, medicine, child care and transportation,” said Christine Reimler, KHRC’s HOME Division Director. “This assistance is truly a lifeline which helps families move out of homelessness and into self-sufficiency,” said Reimler.

Awarded annually, TBRA grants are based on a community’s housing needs, the number of households estimated to be served and the organization’s experience in administering TBRA funding. Public housing authorities and non-profit organizations may apply for grants of up to $300,000.

Recipients of this year’s TBRA awards are:

Results from the 2013 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) exams, released today and shared by the Kansas State Board of Education, show that Kansas students continue to outperform the national average in the areas of mathematics and reading.

Results of NAEP exams are measured in two ways: 1) with an average scale score (0-500), and 2) with achievement levels: Basic, Proficient and Advanced.

Mathematics

Nationally, fourth-grade student mathematic scores increased slightly from an average score of 240 in 2011 to 241 in 2013. In Kansas, fourth-grade mathematic scores remained unchanged at 246, still well ahead of the national average. The percent of Kansas fourth-grade students performing at or above the NAEP Proficient level also remained unchanged at 48 percent. However, the percentage of Kansas students preforming at NAEP’s Advanced level increased from seven percent in 2011 to eight percent in 2013. The average fourth-grade math score in Kansas is lower than just three states (compared to four states in 2011), higher than 32 states and not significantly different from 16 states.

Eighth-grade national mathematic scores increased from 283 in 2011 to 284 in 2013, while Kansas’ eighth-grade scores remained unchanged at 290, again tracking well ahead of the national average. The percentage of Kansas students performing at or above the NAEP Proficient level increased from 40 percent in 2011 to 41 percent in 2013. Students performing at the Advanced level increased from eight percent in 2011 to 10 percent in 2013, representing the highest percentage of Kansas students to reach this level.  Nationally, the average score in Kansas is lower than those in five states, higher than those in 31 states and not significantly different from those in 15 states.

Reading

Kansas’ fourth-grade reading results, while still ahead of the national average, declined slightly from 2011. Kansas students averaged a score of 223, which is down from 224 in 2011, while the national fourth-grade score increased from 220 in 2011 to 221 in 2013. The percentage of Kansas students at or above the Proficient level (38 percent) represented a two percent increase over 2011 and a four percent increase over the national average. Nationally, Kansas’ fourth-grade reading scores were lower than those in nine states, higher than those in 20 states and not significantly different from those in 22 states.

While the national average score for eighth-grading reading increased by two percent this year, Kansas’ eighth-grade reading scores (267) have remained unchanged since 2003 and are tracking only slightly ahead of the national average score of 266. The percentage of Kansas eighth-graders scoring at the Proficient level remained unchanged from 36 percent in 2011 – one percent higher than the national average. Nationally, Kansas eight-grade reading scores were lower than those in 15 states, higher than those in 15 states and not significantly different from those in 21 states.

The Nation’s Report Card: 2013 Mathematics and Reading is available online at https://nationsreportcard.gov/reading_math_2013.

A Texas couple has donated $1 million for Kansas State University’s new College of Business Administration building.

The university says Rand Berney and his wife, Patti, of Southlake, Texas, donated the money for the new 140,000-square foot building, which is expected to open in July 2016.

Rand Berney is a native of Phillipsburg and graduated from Kansas State in 1977. He is retired from ConocoPhillips, where his last position was senior vice president of corporate shared services.

Berney is on the executive committee of the dean’s advisory council for the College of Business Administration, is an executive-in-residence for the college and is vice chairman of the Kansas State Foundation.

Tom Beall has been appointed First Assistant, U.S. Attorney Barry Grissom said today.

As First Assistant, Beall will be the second in command of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the District of Kansas, which comprises approximately 50 Assistant U.S. Attorneys and 50 support staff members working in offices in Topeka, Kansas City, Kan., and Wichita.

Beall joined Grissom’s staff as an Assistant U.S. Attorney in April 2011. A Leavenworth native, Beall served as chief deputy to Kansas Attorney General Steve Six. He previously spent eight years in private practice in Leavenworth and Topeka. He currently is an adjunct instructor at Washburn Law School teaching advanced trial advocacy.

Beall graduated in 2000 from the Washburn University School of Law after earning a master’s degree in public administration from Kansas State University and a bachelor’s degree from Baker University.

The Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) has opened voting on student artwork entries to be featured in the 2014 Kansas Don’t Spoil It Calendar. Thousands of students from all over Kansas submitted artwork to KDHE to encourage all Kansans to be good environmental stewards.

KDHE has narrowed the entries to five per grade level. Voters across the state will choose the winning entry for each grade. Winning students will be invited to the state Capitol in December. They, along with their families and teachers, will meet Governor Sam Brownback and have their pictures taken.

“This is a popular student contest that has been running for 15 years,” said Bill Bider, Director of KDHE’s Bureau of Waste Management. “We encourage Kansans to take a few minutes to enjoy these fun and inspiring entries and to show their support for these students by casting votes for their favorites.”

Cast votes here: 2014 KDSI Calendar Selection

The last step in the online voting will show the choices the voter has made and ask for a final selection for the calendar cover.

Voting ends Friday, Nov. 8.