The consequence of that risk was evident Thursday on Interstate 5 over the Skagit River, where a large section of the bridge collapsed into the water after officials say an oversized truck load clipped the steel truss.

Public officials have focused in recent years on the desperate need for money to repair thousands of bridges deemed structurally deficient.

But the bridge that collapsed was not in that category, highlighting major problem with the nation’s infrastructure: Although it’s rare, some bridges deemed to be fine structurally can still be crippled if they’re struck hard enough in the wrong spot.

All ages are welcome to play from 7 to 10 pm.

The Hays Police Department conducted 12 traffic stops and received 3 animal calls on Thursday.

Hays Police are investigating a case of Domestic battery. According to Police Lt. Ron Rounkles, “An arrest occurred for Domestic Battery on Marshall Rd following an incident on E 15th Street and Police have also made an arrest for Criminal Possession of a Firearm by a Felon.” More details will be released next week.

Burglary: Police are investigating a reported burglary on Tuesday at a business in the 100 block of west 15th street.

Water Use Violation: Police reported a Water Use Violation on Thursday in the 2100

Civil Dispute: On Thursday, Police reported a civil dispute/trash dumping in the 1700 Block of Vine Street.

Motor Vehicle Accident: Officers worked three accidents on Thursday
1:55 p.m. – at 8th and Oak Street
2:12 p.m. – at 3300 block of Vine Street
3:50 p.m. – at 41st and Vine Street

The refusal by about half the states to expand Medicaid will leave millions of poor people ineligible for government-subsidized health insurance under President Barack Obama’s health care law even as many others with higher incomes receive federal subsidies to buy insurance.

Starting next month, the administration and its allies will conduct a nationwide campaign encouraging Americans to take advantage of new high-quality, affordable insurance options. But those options will be unavailable to some of the neediest people in states like Texas, Florida, Kansas, Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi and Georgia, which are refusing to expand Medicaid.

More than half of all people without health insurance live in states that are not planning to expand Medicaid.

People in those states who have incomes from the poverty level up to four times that amount ($11,490 to $45,960 a year for an individual) can get federal tax credits to subsidize the purchase of private health insurance.

But many people below the poverty line will be unable to get tax credits, Medicaid or other help with health insurance.

Sandy Praeger, the insurance commissioner of Kansas, said she would help consumers understand their options. She said, however, that many of “the poorest of the poor” will fall into a gap in which no assistance is available.

The Kansas Medicaid program provides no coverage for able-bodied childless adults. And adults with dependent children are generally ineligible if their income exceeds 32 percent of the poverty level, Praeger said.

In most cases, she said, adults with incomes from 32 percent to 100 percent of the poverty level ($6,250 to $19,530 for a family of three) “will have no assistance.” They will see advertisements promoting new insurance options, but in most cases will not learn that they are ineligible until they apply.

Administration officials said they worried that frustrated consumers might blame Obama rather than Republicans like Gov. Rick Perry of Texas and Gov. Bobby Jindal of Louisiana, who have resisted the expansion of Medicaid.

The Congressional Budget Office estimates that 25 million people will gain insurance under the new health care law. Researchers at the Urban Institute estimate that 5.7 million uninsured adults with incomes below the poverty level could also gain coverage except that they live in states that are not expanding Medicaid.

In approving the health care law in 2010, congressional Democrats intended to expand Medicaid eligibility in every state.

But the Supreme Court ruled last year that the expansion was an option for states, not a requirement. At least 25 states – mainly those with Republican governors or Republican-controlled legislatures – have balked at expanding the program, in part because of concerns about long-term costs.

Several Republican governors, like Rick Scott in Florida, wanted to expand Medicaid, but met resistance from state legislators.

Obama and administration officials, including Kathleen Sebelius, the secretary of health and human services, plan to fly around the country this summer promoting the health care law to a public largely unaware of the new insurance options.

Bee Moorhead, the executive director of Texas Impact, an interfaith group that favors the expansion of coverage, said: “A lot of people will come in, file applications and find they are not eligible for help because they are too poor. We’ll have to tell them, ‘If only you had a little more money, you could get insurance subsidies, but because you are so poor, you cannot get anything.’

“That’s an odd message, a very strange message. And if people are sick, they will be really upset.”

In Atlanta, Amanda Ptashkin, the director of outreach and advocacy at Georgians for a Healthy Future, a consumer group, said: “Hundreds of thousands of people with incomes below the poverty level would be eligible for Medicaid if the state decided to move forward with the expansion of Medicaid. As things now stand, they will not be eligible for anything. What do we do for them? What do we tell them?”

Jonathan E. Chapman, the executive director of the Louisiana Primary Care Association, which represents more than two dozen community health centers, described the situation in his state this way: “If the breadwinner in a family of four works full time at a job that pays $14 an hour and the family has no other income, he or she will be eligible for insurance subsidies. But if they make $10 an hour, they will not be eligible for anything.”

Bruce Lesley, the president of First Focus, a child advocacy group, said: “In states that do not expand Medicaid, some of the neediest people will not get coverage. But people who are just above the poverty line or in the middle class can get subsidized coverage. People will be denied assistance because they don’t make enough money. Trying to explain that will be a nightmare.”

The subsidies, for the purchase of private insurance, will vary with income and are expected to average more than $5,000 a year in 2014 for each person who qualifies.

Evan S. Dillard, the chief executive of Forrest General Hospital in Hattiesburg, Miss., said the eligibility rules would be “very confusing to working poor individuals in this, the poorest state in the country.”

Starting in January, most Americans will be required to have health insurance and will be subject to tax penalties if they go without coverage. However, the penalties will not apply to low-income people denied access to Medicaid because they live in states that chose not to expand eligibility.

Deborah H. Tucker, the chief executive of Whatley Health Services, a community health center in Tuscaloosa, Ala., said it was wonderful that many uninsured people would gain coverage, but “tragic that some of the most vulnerable, lowest-income people” would be excluded.

Tucker said her clinics cared for nearly 30,000 patients a year, including 16,000 who were uninsured. More than 75 percent of the uninsured patients have incomes below the poverty level and are unlikely to qualify for Medicaid or subsidies, she said.

The Obama administration is urging people who “need health insurance” to report their telephone numbers and email addresses to the government through a website, healthcare.gov, so they can be notified of new insurance options.

Consumers will not necessarily know whether they are eligible for premium tax credits, Medicaid or the Children’s Health Insurance Program.

So if a person applies for one program, federal and state officials will check eligibility for all three.

People who are currently eligible but not enrolled may sign up for Medicaid, even in states that do not expand the program.

Nineteen year-old Rachael Finley of Larkspur, Colo., died in the accident Friday evening. The Kansas Highway Patrol says the driver of the dune buggy lost control on a curve on a road outside Syracuse.

The driver of the dune buggy was also injured.

There will also be a slight chance for some late afternoon and evening thunderstorms each day.

If thunderstorms do develop a few may be severe with wind gusts up to 60 mph and hail up to the size of golf balls being the main hazard.

Low relative humilities and gusty south southwest winds will produce elevated fire danger levels.

Tonight Mostly cloudy, with a low around 64. Breezy, with a south wind 15 to 21 mph.
Sunday Mostly sunny, with a high near 93. Breezy, with a south wind 11 to 21 mph.
Sunday Night A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms before 11pm. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 67. Breezy, with a south southeast wind 14 to 22 mph.
Memorial Day Mostly sunny, with a high near 93. Breezy, with a south southeast wind 16 to 23 mph.
Monday Night A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms before 4am. Partly cloudy, with a low around 67. South southeast wind around 16 mph.
Tuesday A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms after 10am. Mostly sunny, with a high near 93. Breezy.

1. Broad Spectrum designation: Sunscreens can be labeled with “Broad Spectrum SPF [value]” as long as it passes the FDA’s broad spectrum test that determines how well it protects against UVA and UVB rays.

2. Use claims: Only Broad Spectrum sunscreens with an SPF value of 15 or higher can “claim to reduce the risk of skin cancer and early skin aging if used as directed with other sun protection measures.”

Sunscreens that aren’t Broad Spectrum or have a Broad Spectrum SPF value between 2 and 14 can only claim to help prevent sunburn.
3. “Waterproof,” “sweatproof” or “sunblock” claims: Sunscreens can no longer be labeled as “waterproof” or “sweatproof,” or identified as a product that “sunblocks,” since consumers can be misled because those claims overrate its effectiveness.

Sunscreens also can’t claim that it provides sun protection for more than 2 hours without reapplication or immediately after application (e.g. “instant protection”) without submitting data to support these claims and obtaining FDA approval.
4. Water resistance claims: If any water resistance claims are made, the front label must specify how long the sunscreen will be effective while swimming or sweating. Water resistance claims are based on standard testing and can only be labeled with two times: 40 or 80 minutes

Sunscreens that don’t make water resistance claims must include a direction to consumers instructing them to use a water resistant sunscreen if swimming or sweating.
5. Drug Facts: All sunscreens must include standard “Drug Facts” information on the back and/or side of the sunscreen’s container. Learn more about labeling and effectiveness testing for sunscreens here.

To Reduce Your Risk of Skin Cancer

Applying sunscreen – like eating a balanced diet and exercising – should be a part of your daily routine for health and wellness. To help you reduce your risk of skin cancer, the FDA has created a list of tips for sun safety:

Use Broad Spectrum sunscreens with SPF values of 15 or higher regularly and as directed.
Reapply sunscreen at least every 2 hours – more often if you’re sweating or in water.
Limit time in the sun (especially between 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.) when the sun’s rays are most intense.
Wear clothing like long-sleeved shirts, pants, sunglasses and broad-brimmed hats to cover skin exposed to the sun.

“March Against Monsanto” organizers say they’re calling attention to the dangers posed by genetically modified food and the companies that produce it. Protests are planned in more than 250 cities Saturday.

Genetically modified plants are grown from seeds engineered to resist insecticides and herbicides, add nutritional benefits and improve crop yields.

Some believe they can lead to health problems and harm the environment. Opponents have pushed for mandatory labeling, though the federal government and many scientists say the technology is safe.

Monsanto Co., based in St. Louis, said Saturday that it respects people’s rights to express their opinion, but believes its seeds help farmers produce more food, while conserving water and energy.

Open 10 am – 2 am, seven days a week… there’s always something going on at Sip ‘N Spin!

Enjoy lunch, dinner, and drink specials daily at the Sip.

Saturday Special

French Dip Sandwich w/ Au Jus & Tots – $4.99

Dine in and enjoy your favorite item at a table or at the bar… OR carry out your food to enjoy at home. With a large menu and a large selection of ice cold beers on tap, you’ll find what you’re looking for at Sip ‘N Spin.

All kinds of fun, seven days a week at the Sip N Spin.

Keep updated on all specials and events by joining us on facebook.

209 West 10th Street
Hays Kansas 67601
785-625-9292
sipnspin.com

Are you stocked up for the weekend!  Come on by and let us fill your coolers.
We can set you up with whatever you need.  A great selection of wines along with shelves full of  liquor, everyday low priced.
We also have some of the coldest beer in town with a massive selection to choose from.

Everyday low prices on half gallons include:

• Ancient Age – $16.49
• Wellers – $27.99
• Capt. Morgan – $25.99
• Smirnoff – $20.99
• Jose Cuervo – $32.99
• Crown Royal – $49.99

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8th Street Liquor
235 W. 8th – Hays, KS.
Open 9:00 am – 11:00 pm