Month: December 2014

Area students receive Emporia State University scholarships

Several students from Kansas City, Kan., have been named scholarship recipients for 2014-2015 academic year at Emporia State University.

Students from this area who received scholarships:

Tyler Hill of Kansas City, Kan., Barnes and Noble Bookstore Scholarship; Elaine A Slater Scholarship; Milred Fulhage Music Scholarship; and Teacher Education Promise Scholarship.

Sarah Stella of Kansas City, Kan., Barnes and Noble Bookstore Scholarship; Hornet, Foundation, Presidential, Transfer Scholarship; Judith and James Heasley Scholarship; and Teacher Education Promise Scholarship.

Tiara Jones of Kansas City, Kan., Black Student Union Scholarship.

Laura Calderon of Kansas City, Kan., Breidenthal Scholars Program for KCKCC Education Scholarship.

Dora Sandoval of Kansas City, Kan., Breidenthal Scholars Program for KCKCC Education Scholarship.

Ashley Sikorski of Kansas City, Kan., Breidenthal Scholars Program for KCKCC Education Scholarship.

Leesa White of Kansas City, Kan., Breidenthal Scholars Program for KCKCC Education Scholarship.

Kelly Chastain of Kansas City, Kan., Breidenthal Scholars Program for KCKCC Education Scholarship; and Hornet, Foundation, Presidential, Transfer Scholarship.

Samantha Osiek of Kansas City, Kan., Breidenthal Scholars Program for KCKCC Education Scholarship; Delta Kappa Gamma Scholarship; Linda Davis Sallee Education and Library Scholarship; and Marge Potter Education Scholarship.

Jeffrey Gumminger of Kansas City, Kan., Bud Kuhlmann Scholarshipl; and Hornet, Foundation, Presidential, Transfer Scholarship.

Raymond Horvat of Kansas City, Kan., Charles and Irene De Mun Hendricks Scholarship; Hornet, Foundation, Presidential, Transfer Scholarship; and Olaf W. Steg and Helen Bierly Steg Music Scholarship.

Bruce VanCleave of Kansas City, Kan., Distinguished Business Scholars Program.

Luciano Fasani of Kansas City, Kan., Elsie A. Borck Memorial Scholarship; and School of Business Scholarship.

Courtney Romero of Kansas City, Kan., Emery Stoops and Emelyn Jackson Scholarship; Emil Babinger Theatre Scholarship; and Irene Elliot Krueger Scholarship II.

Kate Dorian of Kansas City, Kan., Emery Stoops and Emelyn Jackson Scholarship; Grace Smith Rearwin/Helen Smith Copenhaver Scholarship; and Hornet, Foundation, Presidential, Transfer Scholarship.

Katelyn Cochran of Bonner Springs, Kan., ESU Hornet, Presidential, Foundation, Transfer Scholarship; Hornet, Foundation, Presidential, Transfer Scholarship; and Teacher Education Promise Scholarship.

Kathryn Christwell of Kansas City, Kan., Freddie Mae Harris Fordham Scholarship.

JaShawn Wallace of Kansas City, Kan., Grace Smith Rearwin/Helen Smith Copenhaver Scholarship; James Patterson Teacher Education Scholarships; and W.D. Ross Memorial Scholarship.

Mandy Hagen of Bonner Springs, Kan., Hornet, Foundation, Presidential, Transfer Scholarship.

Jordan Jackson of Bonner Springs, Kan., Hornet, Foundation, Presidential, Transfer Scholarship.

Chloe Bridge of Kansas City, Kan., Hornet, Foundation, Presidential, Transfer Scholarship.

Quinci Driskell of Kansas City, Kan., Hornet, Foundation, Presidential, Transfer Scholarship.

Shohud Ismail of Kansas City, Kan., Hornet, Foundation, Presidential, Transfer Scholarship.

Dawn Todd of Kansas City, Kan., Hornet, Foundation, Presidential, Transfer Scholarship.

Francene Lopez of Kansas City, Kan., Hornet, Foundation, Presidential, Transfer Scholarship; and Linda Davis Sallee Education and Library Scholarship.

Tamika Williams of Kansas City, Kan., Hornet, Foundation, Presidential, Transfer Scholarship; and Mehring Scholarship.

Areli Aguilar of Kansas City, Kan., Hornet, Foundation, Presidential, Transfer Scholarship; and Scoiology and Anthropology Scholarship.

Jessie Farnsworth of Bonner Springs, Kan., Hornet, Foundation, Presidential, Transfer Scholarship; and Teacher Education Promise Scholarship.

Cathleen Grissom of Kansas City, Kan., Hornet, Foundation, Presidential, Transfer Scholarship; and Teacher Education Promise Scholarship.

Hannah Baughman of Kansas City, Kan., Hornet, Foundation, Presidential, Transfer Scholarship; Music Benefit Scholarship; and Teacher Education Promise Scholarship.

Danielle Hubbell of Kansas City, Kan., Inez A. Page Scholarship; and James and Vivian Piteri Scholarship.

Charles Stanturf of Kansas City, Kan., Jane and Bernard Reeble Foundation Business Scholarship.

Rebecca Reberry of Kansas City, Kan., Karen Myers Hibbard Scholarship; Virginia Butterfield Work Scholarship; and Welford H. Diggs Memorial Scholarship.

Alyssa Grissom of Kansas City, Kan., Leona Sneed Dillard and Emil L. Dillard Scholarship.

Lacy McIntosh of Kansas City, Kan., Max and Glenna Graham Nightingale Scholarship.

Deidra Elijah of Kansas City, Kan., McPherson Family Scholars.

Linda Bowman of Kansas City, Kan., Pat Gaunce Scholarship.

Erich Kessler of Kansas City, Kan., Pat Gaunce Scholarship.

Brian Mosier of Kansas City, Kan., Richard W. and Inez K. Owen Scholarship.

Lashiya Smith of Kansas City, Kan., Teacher Education Promise Scholarship.

Blood drives scheduled

There is often a need for blood during the winter holidays, when regular donors may be on vacation or ill.

The Community Blood Center has scheduled blood drives in the coming week.

A Community Blood Center blood drive will be from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 3, at Turner Recreation Commission community gym, 831 S. 55th St., Kansas City, Kan.

Another Community Blood Center blood drive is scheduled from 3 to 6 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 7, at Moose Lodge No. 1999 Lodge Hall, 6621 Turner Drive, Kansas City, Kan.

For more information or to schedule an appointment, call 816-753-4040 or visit www.savealifenow.org.

Insurance commissioner thanks consumers

by Kansas Insurance Commissioner Sandy Praeger

This is my last monthly column as Kansas Commissioner of Insurance. My third term of office will officially be over Monday, Jan. 12, when Ken Selzer becomes the 25th Kansas commissioner.

For the past 12 years it has been my pleasure to serve Kansans as the steward of the commissioner’s office. Winning three statewide general elections has been especially gratifying for me. I hope that those victories have been in large part because voters have agreed with me on the need for the insurance department to balance consumer education, industry regulation and consumer advocacy.

When I began my first term in 2003, I wrote that I wanted to serve Kansans “promptly, fairly and efficiently.” Standing up for consumers, strengthening competitive balance in the marketplace and streamlining services were and still are very important aspects of this job.

I think we accomplished those goals in many ways.

Consumers have always been the biggest priority in our office during my tenure. The idea of “doing the right thing” has been a catch phrase for our outstanding staff. We have been fortunate to have caring, compassionate people working to answer questions and resolve problems for Kansans. We haven’t always been able to satisfy consumers completely, but we always treated them with respect and concern.

Strengthening the marketplace happened with our emphasis on increasing the number of companies doing business in Kansas. Since 2003 more than 240 more insurance companies have begun doing business in our state, despite a static population and a static economy. Competition in the marketplace always produces more benefits for consumers, and it is a noble goal to continue seeking more competition. But it’s tough, believe me.

Streamlining services at the insurance department has gone hand in hand with technological advances. For consumers, it has happened with the emergence of our outstanding online website, and, during the past two years, the additional InsureKS.org website for health insurance marketplace signup information.

For agents and companies, our online agency and company renewal processes have made life simpler for licensing and continuing education requirements.

With our goals firmly planted, we went through many insurance peaks and valleys over the past dozen years. One of the first situations we encountered concerned the proposed sale of Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas to Anthem Inc. Although the proposal and the ensuing lawsuit began with my predecessor, Kathleen Sebelius, the court decision to nullify the sale came early in my first term. I supported the nullification, and, as it turned out, BCBS of Kansas, as a standalone company, has continued to be a strong presence for health insurance in the state.

We saw other headline-grabbing situations emerge: the Greensburg tornado devastation, the collapse of Brooke Corporation, the sale of Security Benefit Corporation to Guggenheim Partners, scams concerning Medicare and life insurance sales to strangers, the Great Recession, and, of course, the federal health care legislation.

Through all of them the Kansas Insurance Department worked hard to protect consumers’ insurance interests and money. I think our track record is pretty good. The department staff kept you informed and educated, and that has made all the difference.

I leave office with a sense of accomplishment for Kansas consumers and the Kansas insurance industry. Thank you for your trust in me. It was an honor to work for you.