Kansas
Around
the State
Briefs
Charges filed in Norton
shooting, chase
By MIKE CORN
[email protected]
NORTON — Formal
charges were filed Thursday against the 37-yearold man arrested early
Saturday morning in connection with the shooting
of a Norton man.
Bobby J. Tallent, 37, Norton, made his first appearance Thursday afternoon
before Norton County
District Magistrate Judge
Debra Anderson to hear the
charges filed against him,
Norton Police Chief Ron
Ridley said in a statement.
The charges are:
• One count first-degree murder.
• Three counts attempted capital murder.
• Two counts aggravated assault on a law
enforcement officer.
• One count theft.
• One count felony fleeing and eluding.
Bond for Tallent remains at $1 million.
A preliminary hearing
has been set for 9 a.m.
March 24 in Norton County District Court. Typically,
preliminary hearings are
continued beyond the
date they are originally
set for to let attorneys
prepare for the case.
Tallent is charged with
the murder of Joseph A.
Sweet, 48, Norton.
After allegedly firing
several shots at responding officers, Tallent is
charged with stealing
a pickup and leading
officers on a high-speed
chase at speeds in
excess of 100 mph from
Norton to about 5 miles
north of Oberlin.
Tallent ultimately surrendered to authorities
without incident.
Although he is charged
with shooting at officers
when they responded to
the report of a man in a
park with a gun, none of
the officers were injured.
“The subject was confronted by Norton police
officers, and the suspect
fired multiple shots at
these officers,” Ridley
said at the time. “An officer’s vehicle was struck
several times, but the
officer was uninjured.”
Their patrol units,
however, were apparently
struck by bullets.
Cyclist who hit deer
killed after truck hit him
WICHITA (TNS) — A
Winfield man was killed
Wednesday night when
he was run over after
striking a deer with his
motorcycle and being
thrown into the road,
authorities said.
The chain of events
unfolded shortly after
8:30 p.m. Wednesday 4
miles north of Winfield
on U.S. Highway 77, the
Kansas Highway Patrol
reported. Kevin Bodkins,
28, was riding north when
he struck a deer with his
Honda motorcycle.
Bodkins was thrown
from his motorcycle and
struck by a northbound
truck being driven by a
56-year-old Wichita man,
according to the highway
patrol report. Bodkins
died at the scene.
Lotteries
Thursday
2by2
Red - 9 11
White - 8 12
Pick 3
880
Corrections
The Hays Daily News staff
takes care with its reporting
and writing. But if we make
a mistake, we want to know
about it so we can let readers
know the correct information. We encourage readers
who find an error to contact
us at (785) 628-1081. Ask
for Patrick Lowry, editor and
publisher, or Nick Schwien,
managing editor, or email
[email protected] or
[email protected].
Bright cheer
Decked out in red,
white and blue,
Hugoton high School
cheerleader Leslie
Miller cheers on her
team.
Special to The HDN
A3
Friday
March 13, 2015
Caprez set to say farewell to university
By MAGGIE GEBHARDT
[email protected]
tor to pursue a full-time teaching career. to Spray.
“I have really enjoyed both teach“I can’t think of a time that she
Many at Fort Hays State Universi- ing and advising students,” she said.
has not been available,” he said. “You
ty are personally feeling the meaning
Her co-workers, students and many can just go by, sit, discuss things and
behind “all good things must come
others in the FHSU, Hays and surget her perspective, which is great.”
to an end” as they prepare to bid
rounding communities are sad
As a colleague and friend,
farewell to an admired and respected to see her go, but grateful for
Spray said he will miss
colleague.
the knowledge she has shared.
Caprez’s leadership and
Judy Caprez, associate professor of
“If you’re familiar with
guidance.
social work, plans to retire at the end Judy, you know she just kind
“There are so many
of the semester.
of lets it all out there,” said
things we will all miss,”
In 1963, Caprez earned her masRoy Spray, FHSU assistant
he said. “Personally, I will
ter’s degree in social work from Ohio professor and social work
miss the orneriness and
State University and later obtained
practicum coordinator. “It
that direct opinion — that
an ACSW — professional social
really caught me off guard
knowledge and insight.”
Caprez
worker certification — in 1966. In
when I first met her, because
In honor of Caprez,
1975, she became a licensed specialist of her personality and how forward
FHSU had a surprise retirement
in clinical social work.
she is.”
party in the Black and Gold Room
“I started in the program here
Spray said he first met Caprez in
last week.
before it was Fort Hays in 1992,” she 1999 as he was entering the social
Colleagues, former graduates,
said of the social work program. “It
work program at FHSU.
students and family filled the room to
was an outreach from Kansas State
“When I first started, I worried
recognize Caprez’s success.
University.”
about offending people with my
“It was a huge surprise and Roy
The program officially began at
words, but after I met Judy, I realized did a magnificent job putting it
FHSU in 1995.
that wouldn’t happen,” he said. “She together,” Caprez said. “I knew nothCaprez served in the baccalaurehas such a skill of giving it to you
ing about it.”
ate social work program and became directly and bluntly, but in a manner
The reception featured unexdirector in 1997.
that you do not take offense to.”
pected events such as the attendance
She was also teaching several classes a
Caprez has always been available
of her husband and children, a social
semester, and in 2011 resigned as direc- to anyone who needs her, according
hour, a presentation by the Hays
Golden sunset
In a brilliant shade of gold, the setting sun Wednesday provides a backdrop for trees surrounding a
northern Ellis County residence.
MIKE CORN • Hays Daily News
HHS journalism students qualify for state
Special to The Hays Daily News
A total of 19 Hays High
School journalists qualified
for state competition at the
regional journalism competition Feb. 26 at Fort Hays
State University.
The contest at FHSU is
one of five regionals sponsored by the Kansas Scholastic Press Association for 1A to
4A schools.
To qualify for state, students must place first, second,
third or honorable mention.
Some Hays High students
qualified in more than one
category, and Hays High
will have 36 total entries in
the state contest May 2 in
Lawrence.
Qualifiers include:
Sarah Rooney, sr., copy
editing, third.
Kara Brooks, soph., copy
editing, honorable mention.
Nikki Vuong, jr., sports
writing and news writing,
honorable mention.
Morgan Klaus, jr., sports
writing and yearbook sports
writing, honorable mention;
sports photography, first, and
student life photography,
second.
Sylina Zhang, jr., editorial
cartoon and headline writing
and design, first; editorial
writing and newspaper page
design, third.
Rachael Arthur, sr., editorial cartoon, third.
Kirsten Prindle, jr., yearbook copy writing, second.
Raina Basso, soph., yearbook copy writing, honorable
mention.
Hannah Baxter, jr., news
writing, honorable mention.
Brianna Mathias, jr., feature writing, third; editorial
writing and newspaper page
design, honorable mention.
Chelsey Augustine, jr.,
cutline writing, second.
Kylie Brown, jr., yearbook
sports writing, third and
advertising, second.
Cheyenne Schwab, sr.,
academics photography,
second and yearbook layout,
third.
Tiana Lawson, soph.,
academic photography, third
and student life photography,
first.
Thea Ferland, sr., headline
writing and design, third.
Jasmine Lawson, sr.,
infographics and yearbook
layout, first and photo illustration, third.
Brenden Koenigsman, jr.,
infographics, third.
Gage Phillips, jr., photo
illustration, second.
Taylor DeBoer, jr., sports
photography, third.
Morgan Klaus and Kylie
Brown, yearbook theme and
graphics, second.
Tiana Lawson and
Jasmine Lawson, yearbook
theme and graphics, third.
More bands booked for state fair grandstand
HUTCHINSON (HNS)
— Rockers Bret Michaels
and Dee Snider won’t be
at the fair this year, but
their look-alikes will be.
The Kansas State Fair
is adding a Hair “rock
and roll experience”
band called Hairball to its
grandstand lineup, along
with classic country and
Christian.
Police Department, a PowerPoint
dedicated to her time of service and
several gifts.
“It was probably perfect,” she said.
“I want to thank everyone that came.”
After wrapping up the semester,
Caprez plans to relocate to Las Vegas
as her daughter, son-in-law and two
grandchildren live there.
“I am most looking forward to my
grandchildren and spending more
time with my kids,” she said.
With all the free time headed her
way, she said she will probably fill her
down time with volunteer projects.
“I’m sort of the person that has
to stay busy, so I’ll have to figure out
what I’m going to do,” she said.
Though colleagues are supportive
and happy for her, they will greatly
miss her presence at FHSU.
“What I have learned from Judy is
to find your own strengths and work
from those strengths,” Spray said.
“Not everyone can be Judy Caprez,
but if you work from within your
own strengths, and you’re honest with
people, you will possess her same
qualities that have helped social work
make an impact in our community.”
For the 12th time,
1980s country quartet
the Oak Ridge Boys will
perform at the fair, on
Sept. 15, with fellow classic country singer Jimmy
Fortune of the Statler
Brothers.
Meanwhile, the fair
also announced the
Christian band Newsboys
with King & Country will
take the stage, Sept. 16.
The latest additions to
the lineup come a month
after the fair announced
country singer Sam Hunt
would perform. The fair
also at that time announced it would change
how the fair sales tickets,
with seats for Hunt going
on sale a week after the
announcement.
Resident voices concern
about need for tree removal
By KAREN LA PIERRE
[email protected]
Toby Dougherty to check
with the Corps of Engineers to see if his suggesThe Hays City Comtion would work. The trees
mission on Thursday
needed removal because of
issued a proclamation
the possibility of cataat its regular meeting
strophic failure to the levee.
recognizing Fort Hays
“We don’t want to cut
State University because
down any trees unless we
it greatly improves the
have to,” Dougherty said.
quality of life of Hays
Commissioner Ron
residents, and the relationship is mutually beneficial, Mellick said they don’t
want the safety of resiproviding thousands of
dents to be compromised.
students the opportunity
“A life is worth a lot
for higher education.
more than a tree,” he said.
The city encourages
Commissioner Kent
residents to start wearing
gold every Friday in support Steward said there also
might be a line of sight
of Tiger Gold on Fridays.
FHSU President Mirta issue as well.
Dougherty said no trees
Martin was present, along
would be cut down until
with the FHSU mascot
the issue was checked.
and students.
The commissioners
Also at the brief meetapproved awarding a bid
ing, Randy Rodgers approached the commission to APAC for the construction of street, water and
about the trees that are
slated for removal with the sanitary sewer improvements within the 46th
levee upgrades.
Street Second Addition.
He said he thought the
The bid was awarded to J
removal was for no good
Corp. for $399,453.
reason. He suggested
The sanitary sewer will
shearing off roots that are
growing into the levee and be oversized at a cost of
putting in a barrier to pre- $32,883.
Finally, Dougherty was
vent the roots from growawarded a 2-percent bonus
ing into the levee again.
for 2014. This bonus was
The commission
awarded to all employees.
instructed City Manager