Briefcase
Saturday, May 16, 2009
New federal post
Herb Kuhn, the son of John and Carolyn Kuhn of Emporia, has been appointed to the federal Medicare Payment Advisory Commission. He will complete the remaining year of the three-year term of a commissioner who has resigned.
Kuhn, formerly the No. 2 administrator at the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, is an independent health-care consultant specializing and Medicare and medicaid issues.
According to a news release, the advisory commission was established by Congress in 1997 to analyze access to care, cost and quality of care and other key issues affecting Medicare. The commission advises Congress on payments to health plans participating in the Medicare Advantage program and providers in Medicare’s traditional fee-for-service programs.
Two to district meet
Beverly Miller and Prue Schmidt represented Altrusa International of Emporia at the Altrusa District Eight Conference last month in Chickasha, Okla.
The three-day meeting brought together business and professional people to conduct business sessions and attend personal and professional development workshops. Jan Sanders presented an interpretive living history of the “Pioneer Woman” and Linda Nichols of Austin, Texas, immediate past president of Altrusa International, who spoke at a dinner.
The 2010 conference will convene in Emporia.
Information about Altrusa International of Emporia is available from Dorine Harter at 342-4433 or at www.Altrusa.com.
Teachers learn
Educators from the Emporia and Cottonwood Falls school districts were among the teachers who took part in a workshop that taught them about using the Multi-Tier System of Support Pyramid with students in sixth through 12th grades.
At the workshop, held at Emporia State University, Larry Dixon of the Geary County school system created support and alternative programs for academically at-risk students. These programs have contributed to an increase in students’ academic performance and their performance on state tests. Dixon formerly held the Jones Distinguished Professorship at Emporia State.
Attending from Emporia were Bonnie Jasso, Tell Kirk, JoAnn McRell, Ginger Robert, Tina Salmans and Aaron Scott. Derick Budke represented Cottonwood Falls.
Before-hours event set
Reservations are due by Tuesday for a Business Before Hours set from 7 a.m. to 9 a.m. Thursday at Walburn’s Fitness & Wellness, 1007 Commercial St.
Reservations may e made at 342-1600 or online in the Community Calendar section at the chamber’s Web site, www.emporiakschamber.org.
The cost is $5 for chamber members and their guests; non-members pay $8.
Election conference
Lyon County Clerk Tammy Vopat attended the 2009 Kansas County Clerk’s and Election Officials Spring Conference earlier this month in Hutchinson.
Roxanne Ashlock, Lanny Linebarger and Heather Dill, members of the Lyon County election staff, attended a one-day course required by the Help America Vote Act.