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Month: March 2012

Obituaries – March 3, 2012

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Bernice Rupp
Hays, Kansas – Bernice Rupp, age 83, died Wednesday, February 29, 2012, at St. Francis South Campus Hospital, Indianapolis, Indiana. She was born April 20, 1928, at Emmeram, Kansas, to August V. and Marie (Always) Weigel. She married Linus J. Rupp on November 9, 1948, at Emmeram, Kansas, and later separated.

She was a graduate of Victoria High School and lived in Colorado and Wyoming before moving back to Hays in 1977. She was a waitress most all of her life and worked at the Golden Ox and Everybody’s restaurants both in Hays and retired in 1994. She played in a polka dance band for a number of years, she enjoyed word search puzzles, playing bingo and the Hays singles dances. She was a member of Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Church and V.F.W. Auxiliary both of Hays, Kansas, and the Daughters of Isabella, Gorham, Kansas.

Survivors include three sons, Curt Rupp and Fred Rupp, both of Bushton, KS; John Rupp and wife, Kim, Greenwood, IN; one daughter, Jan Yanda and husband, Daryel, Gorham, KS; one brother, Eugene Weigel and wife, Arlene, Gorham, KS; two brothers-in-law, Ray Herrman and wife, Katie, Russell, KS; Dwight Murray, Wichita, KS; three sisters-in-law, Viola Weigel, Gorham KS; Velma Weigel, Munjor, KS; Joan Weigel and Ron Arneson, Hays, KS; nine grandchildren, Michelle Yanda, Jericho Hutchinson and wife, Christina, Marque Monsees, Miles Rupp and wife, Jamie, Forrest Rupp, Steve Frost, Krista Frost, Mellisa Butler and husband Chris, Joseph Nealy; twelve great grandchildren, Aubrey Campbell, Brian LeGrand, Matt Elms, Fabian Hutchinson, Katana Hutchinson, Xavier Rupp, Jaidy Rupp, Izyk Rupp, Steven Schultz, Bethany Monsees, Garrett Butler and Delilah Butler. She was preceded in death by her parents; former husband; one grandson Dale LeGrand Yanda; five brothers, Francis, Gilbert, Albinus, August Jr., Edward Weigel; five sisters, Virginia Windholz-Herrman, Olga Hoffman-Montgomery, Mary Zimmerman, Catherine Logsdon-Murray and Dolores Heit-Ralston.

Services are 11:00 A.M. Wednesday, March 7, 2012, at Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Church, 18th & Vine Hays, Kansas. Burial at St. Mary’s Cemetery, Gorham, Kansas.

A Hays V.F.W. Auxiliary memorial service is at 6:00 P.M. Tuesday, a vigil service is at 6:30 P.M. Tuesday and a Gorham Daughters of Isabella rosary is at 7:00 P.M. Tuesday all at Cline’s Mortuary of Hays 1919 East 22nd Street Hays, Kansas 67601. Visitation is from 5:00 to 9:00 P.M. Tuesday and from 9:00 to 10:45 A.M. Wednesday all at the mortuary. Memorials to Immaculate Heart of Mary Church or St. Mary’s Cemetery. Condolences can be sent via e-mail to [email protected].

 

Sueellen K. “Sue” Pfeifer
Sueellen K. “Sue” Pfeifer, 69, Hays, died March 2, 2012, at her home. She was born August 28, 1942, in Hays to Michael D. and Leenore (Bieker) Billinger. She married Al F. Pfeifer on October 26, 1990.

Sue graduated from Girls Catholic High School, attended Creighton University, and graduated from Fort Hays State University. She worked for the Kansas Department of Revenue for 20 years and was co-owner of the Ellis County Star. She was a volunteer at Hays Medical Center and for the AARP Tax Aide Program. She was a member of St. Nicholas of Myra Catholic Church, St. Nicholas Ladies Guild and Perpetual Eucharist Adoration. Although Sue grew up in Hays, she moved away shortly after high school. Upon her parents’ retirement from the Ellis County Star, she and her daughters returned to the Hays area and she, along with her brother Kim, purchased the business. She served as editor of the weekly newspaper and spent several years as a local reporter. This was a dream come true to Sue because she was an enthusiast about writing. Eventually, the decision was made to sell the newspaper part of the business, and she went to work for the State.

In 1985 she met Al Pfeifer on the dance floor and they discovered that they both shared a love for dancing. Five years later that love turned into a
marriage. Their union united their 5 children who eventually provided them with 20 grandchildren who loved to visit nanny. There was never a dull moment in their household, especially during the holiday season. They enjoyed traveling and spending time with their family and friends, but their plans for their retirement years were cut short due to the cancer that Sue struggled with during the last 8 months. Her peaceful nature and faith in God has been her strength throughout her illness. Sue will be cherished always and greatly missed by all that knew and loved her.

Survivors include her husband, Al, of the home; two daughters, Gretchen Brown and husband Tom, Tulsa, Oklahoma, and Joelle Lehman, Hays; three stepdaughters, Dana Pfeifer, Hays, Misty Shepker and husband Matthew, Overland Park and Tamie Dragone, Council Grove; two brothers, Mike “Mickey” Billinger and wife Susie, Kim Billinger and wife Tina, a sister-in-law Betty Befort and husband Jerry, all of Hays.

Sue, was known as “Nanny” to the following grandchildren: Lacey Thompson, Robert Riedinger, Taylor Riedinger, Reagan Riedinger, Caleb  Riedinger, Ryan Riedinger, all of Tulsa, Oklahoma, Kiefer Schmidt, Kade Schmidt, Kameron Schmidt and Carley Lehman of Hays, and step grandchildren: Scot Brown and Hannah Brown of Tulsa, Oklahoma, Jeffrey Pfeifer, Jillian Augustine and Javian Augustine of Hays, Noah
Shepker and Isabella Shepker of Overland Park, Brooke Dragone, Elle Dragone and Dani Dragone of Council Grove. She was preceded in death by her parents, father and mother-in-law Alois and Mae (Windholz) Pfeifer.

Services will be 10:00 AM Monday, March 5, 2012, at St. Nicholas of Myra Catholic Church; burial in St. Joseph Cemetery in Hays. A Perpetual Eucharist Adoration rosary is at 6:30 PM Sunday, followed by a vigil service at 7:00 PM Sunday, at Clines Mortuary of Hays, 1919 East 22nd Street Hays, Kansas 67601. Visitation is from 5:00 to 9:00 PM Sunday, and from 8:30 to 9:45 AM Monday, at Cline’s Mortuary of Hays.
Memorials are suggested to St. Thomas More Society, St. Nicholas of Myra Catholic Church Faith and Family Center, and Hospice of Hays Medical Center. Condolences can be sent via e-mail to [email protected].

Friday Night Basketball 3/2/12

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BOYS’ BASKETBALL

Class 5A Sub-State Tournament
Championship

Bishop Carroll 49,AndoverCentral 48
Goddard-Eisenhower 85,SalinaSouth 34
Highland Park68,Emporia59
Kapaun MountCarmel43,Andover37
KC Harmon 78,MillValley64
Lansing 64, KC Washington 54
Liberal 58,SalinaCentral 53, OT
St. Thomas Aquinas 83,BlueValley59

Class 4A Sub-State Tournament
Semifinal
Abilene62, Chapman 43
Buhler 68, Smoky Valley 46
FortScott72,AndersonCounty 61
Holton 67,RoyalValley55
KC Sumner 56, DeSoto 54
McPherson 65, Concordia 44
Ottawa60, Spring Hill 50
Paola 61, Osawatomie 52
Pratt 56, Ulysses 26
TopekaHayden 67, Tonganoxie 32

Class 2A Sub-State Tournament
Semifinal
Bennington41,RepublicCounty40
BereanAcademy43, Peabody-Burns 33
Jefferson North 61,JacksonHeights46
Lebo 47,Marais des CygnesValley41
Lyndon 57, Burlingame 53
Meade 79,Elkhart56
Medicine Lodge 66, Pratt Skyline 41
NessCity65,HillCity53
Olpe 54, Herington 45
Plainville63, Ellis 38
Sterling 60, Inman 44
Syracuse55,Johnson-StantonCounty51

GIRLS’ BASKETBALL
Class 6A Sub-State Tournament
Championship
Maize 62,Dodge City26
Manhattan43, Washburn Rural 39
OlatheNorthwest 36, Gardner-Edgerton 32
OlatheSouth 60,LawrenceFree State48
WichitaHeights37,WichitaEast 33
WichitaSouth 53, Garden City 45

Class 1A Sub-State Tournament
Division II
 Semifinal
Wetmore 59, Axtell 9
Wheatland-Grinnell 44, Natoma 27

Class 3A Sub-State Tournament
Semifinal
AtchisonCounty43, Marysville 39
Beloit52, Hoisington 38
CentralHeights54,Eureka49
Cimarron60,Phillipsburg48
Conway Springs 43, Kingman 32
Frontenac 40, South East 23
Garden Plain 57, Chaparral 31
Hays-TMP-Marian 58, Russell 49
Hillsboro43, Southeast Saline 33
Holcomb 51, Southwestern Hts. 42
Moundridge 36, Remington 33

Class 1A Sub-State Tournament
Division I
Semifinal
BishopSeaburyAcademy58,St. Paul43
Caldwell 58, Udall 45, OT
Hanover58,ValleyHeights52
Lakeside42, Sylvan-Lucas 36
PikeValley50, Southern Cloud 43
St. John54, LaCrosse 17

Division II
Semifinal
Altoona-Midway 56,KansasDeaf 10
Baileyville-B&B 59,Frankfort31
Bucklin 52, Argonia 42
Crest 42, Chetopa 40
Victoria43,Stafford15
WallaceCounty29, Weskan 28

Plainville and Ness City boys Earned Semifinals Wins

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The top two seeds on the boy’s side advanced to the sub-state Championship game with semifinal wins on Friday night. In the first game of the night the two seed, Ness City took on the three seed Hill City.

Hill City jumped out to a 5-3 lead after Matt Craig a three-pointer and they led 7-5 but that would be their only lead of the game. Ness City finished the first quarter on an 11-2 run behind four from Colin Foos and Drew Clarke and they led 16-10 after the first quarter. The second quarter was more of the same for the Eagles. Drew Clarke hit two three-points and Colin Foos added four more points as Ness City outscored Hill City 19-8 in the second quarter and led 35-18 at halftime.

Hill City came out swinging in the second half cutting the deficit to 10 at 44-34, hitting their first five field goal attempts in the quarter. But Ness City Dalton Gantz hit his second three of the night and Drew Clarke added seven more in the third quarter and Ness City led 51-34 after three.

Hill City began the fourth quarter on a 9-2 led by three-pointers from Matt Craig and Solomon Wilson and they cut the Eagle lead to 53-45. But in the end the Ness City attack was just too much as they earned the 65-53 victory.

Ness City’s Drew Clarke led all scorers with 22 points, Collin Foos added 13 and Koltyn Ratliff and Tucker VonLehe both chipped in nine. Hill City’s Matt Craig finished with 19 points, Adam Pfeifer had 11 and Solomon Wilson added nine before fouling out.

Hill City’s season comes to an end with a 17-6 record while the Ness City Eagles are 19-3 and they will take on the Plainville Cardinals in the sub-state Championship game Saturday night in Ellis.

In the second game of the night the Plainville Cardinals proved to be too much for the Ellis Railroaders. Plainville’s Andrew Casey scored five of the first seven points as the Cardinals jumped out to a 7-2 first quarter lead. Ellis close the gap to 13-7 on a Luke Lohrmeyer layup and free throw but that was a close as they would get the rest of the way. Plainville used a 24-8 run to end the first quarter and the entire second quarter to take a 35-15 lead at halftime. The second half was more of the same for Plainville in the second half as Plainville cruised to a 63-38 win.

Plainville’s Andrew Casey led all scorers with 19 points, Hadley Gillum added 11 points and Nolan Weiser had 10. Cole Pfeifer led the Railers with 13 points and Luke Lohrmeyer finished with six points.

TMP Girls Beat Russell in the Sub-State Semifinals

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The girls’ basketball team from Thomas More Prep – Marian was able to overcome an 11-point halftime deficit to Russell Friday night and get a 58-49 win in the semifinals of the Class 3A Lyons Sub-State.

The Lady Monarchs (19-3) held a one-point lead at the end of the first quarter but then got outscored in the second period 16-4.

What made things worse for TMP was the problem of Jenna Lang (TMP’s second-leading scorer) committing four fouls in the second quarter. With Lang on the bench to start the second half, Russell (15-7) took a 32-20 lead with a bucket from Janna Schulte. At that point the Lady Monarchs went on a 14-1 run to regain the lead after a 3-pointer by Heather Ruder. Ruder finished the night with a game-high 21 points.

With time winding down in the third quarter, Russell’s Madison Beagley hit a 3-pointer to give the Lady Broncos a 36-34 lead going into the final quarter.

Things got really interesting in the fourth quarter when TMP’s Rachel Jacobs fouled out with over four minutes to play and TMP only leading by four points. TMP, who defeated Russell by 18 back in January, would hit enough free throws down the stretch to avoid the upset.

Jacobs, before fouling out, ended with nine points and unofficially 13 rebounds. Lang, playing the entire second half with four fouls, finished with 14 points.

TMP has now made it 12-straight wins, and advance to the championship game of the Lyons Sub-State. The Lady Monarchs will take on the Beloit Lady Trojans Saturday evening. Beloit, the #3 seed, defeated Hoisington 52-38 in the other semifinal contest. Tip-off from Lyons is set for 6 PM and our coverage will begin at 5:40 with the Fort Hays Auto Sales Pregame Show.

Highlights:

Highlights

Alan Billinger’s Post-game Interview:

Coach

Couple Arrested For Child Endangerment After 157 Snakes And Lizards, 2,000 Mice, Rats Found In Home

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St. Charles County, Missouri detectives knew by the stench as they tried to enter a home that there was something strange inside.

They were right: Authorities say the house was inhabited by 157 snakes and lizards and up to 2,000 mice and rats to feed them.

The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports that 37-year-old Anthony Higgins Sr. and his wife, 36-year-old Michelle Higgins, were both charged Thursday with two counts of child endangerment. Their children, a 13-year-old girl and 15-year-old boy, are in the custody of an uncle.

Deputies were called to the home after a hotline call about possible child neglect. Officials say the smell was so bad the deputies had to run back outside.

The couple did not have a telephone listing, and did not yet have an attorney.

Court Upholds Conviction In Pregnant Kansas Teen’s Death

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The Kansas Supreme Court has upheld the convictions of a Wichita man who offered a friend cash and drugs to kill the pregnant 14-year-old girl who was carrying his child.

The court ruled Friday that Elgin Ray Robinson is not entitled to a new trial or sentencing in the death of Chelsea Brooks. She was nine months pregnant at the time. Brooks disappeared on June 9, 2006. Her body was found six days later.

Robinson was convicted of capital murder and other charges.

The Supreme Court rejected defense arguments that the trial court should have suppressed evidence of Robinson’s statements to police and of computer searches he conducted before the murder. Robinson also challenged the introduction of photographs of the girl’s body as it was uncovered from a shallow grave.

Hays Lions Pancake Feed

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Hays Lions Club Sausage & Pancake Feed & Broom Sale will be held on Tuesday, March 13, 2012 from 7A to 1P & 4:30P to 7:30P at the National Guard Armory, South Main, Hays, KS.
Adults $6.00 Children under 10 $4.50

‘Giants’ of Africa Coming To Sternberg Museum

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Every continent has its own story to tell, and hundreds of millions of years ago, Africa was the perfect habitat for one of nature’s most ferocious creatures.

“Giants: African Dinosaurs,” will open at Fort Hays State University’s Sternberg Museum of Natural History, on Saturday, March 10, and will run until Aug. 5.

Project Exporation, a non-profit science education organization, works to ensure that communities traditionally overlooked by science — particularly minority youths and girls — have access to personalized experiences with science and scientists.

In expeditions to Niger and Morocco, Dr. Paul Sereno’s team discovered and named several dinosaurs that will be on display. “Jobaria,” a 70-foot-long plant-eater; “Suchomimus,” a fish-eating dinosaur with huge claws and a sail on its back; and the skull of a huge T. Rex-sized meat-eater, “Carcharodontosaurus,” are a few of the displays.

“Giants” provides clues to the mystery of how shifting continents affected dinosaur evolution.

Besides new and unusual dinosaurs, Sereno’s team stumbled on the world’s largest crocodile, the 40-foot-long “Sarcosuchus,” dubbed SuperCroc.

“Giants” is courtesy of Project Exploration and Sereno, University of Chicago paleontologist and president and co-founder of Project Exploration. Sereno is the author of several books and stories in “National Geographic” and “Natural History” as well as the subject of many documentaries.

Museum hours are 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday from October to March and 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday from April to September. Admission is $8 for adults, $5 for youths ages 4 to 12, and $4 for FHSU students with valid ID.

Tigers Win Overtime Thriller Over Missouri Southern At MIAA Tournament

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KANSAS CITY, Mo. – In the first overtime game of the 2012 MIAA Men’s Basketball Championship, No. 5 seed Fort Hays State outlasted No. 4 seed Missouri Southern to earn a 103-102 first round victory Friday afternoon at Municipal Auditorium.

Karron McKenzie recorded a double-double to lead Fort Hays State, scoring 26 points and grabbing 10 rebounds to go along with five assists. Moses Dayee went 5-of-9 from three-point range, netting 22 points for the Tigers.

The game featured 11 ties and 13 lead changes, with the largest lead by either team the entire game being eight points.

Missouri Southern got off to a fast start, taking a 9-2 lead out of the gates on three Jason Adams three-pointers. It was a sign of things to come for Adams, who ended the game with 42 points. It was the second-best individual scoring performance in MIAA Men’s Basketball Tournament history, behind Washburn’s Dan Buie (45 points vs. Missouri Rolla in 2004).

Fort Hays State (19-8) fought right back, going on a 24-9 run over the next eight minutes to take its largest lead of the game at 26-18 with 9:27 to play in the first half.

Missouri Southern trimmed the Fort Hays State lead down to three at halftime, 43-40, setting up an entertaining stretch run.

After over 10 minutes and back and forth basketball, Missouri Southern appeared to take control of the game. Leading just 64-63 with 9:14 to go in the game, the Lions went on an 8-2 run to take a 72-65 advantage with 7:05 left to go.

Fort Hays State, however, turned the tide in less than two minutes and found itself in the lead, 75-73, with 5:15 showing on the clock.

The Tigers held the lead into the last seconds of the game, and when Dayee hit one of two free throws with 13 seconds to play, the score was 82-79 in favor of FHSU.

On the ensuing trip down the floor, Adams missed a jumper from the right wing but was fouled on the attempt. He hit both free throws, cutting the lead to one with seven seconds to play.

Coming out of a timeout, Adams stole the Fort Hays State inbounds pass, and was fouled before he could get off a shot. He missed the first free throw, but connected on the second to knot the game at 82. Fort Hays State was unable to get off a shot before the buzzer sounded, so the game went into overtime.

The two teams traded buckets to start the OT period, but Fort Hays State took the lead for good when Dayee hit a three-pointer with 3:58 to play to make it 88-85 Tigers.

Fort Hays State extended the lead to as many as seven in overtime, but Adams and Missouri Southern wouldn’t go down without a fight.

With the Lions down 99-94 and 34 seconds left in the game, Adams hit a three-pointer to cut the lead to two (99-97).

When two Hays free throws moved the lead back to four at 101-97, Adams hit two free throws of his own to bring Southern back to within two.

Lance Russell looked to have iced the game for Fort Hays State with two more free throws on the other end to give the Tigers a 103-99 lead with just eight seconds left. However, another Adams three-pointer made it interesting, cutting the Hays lead to 103-102 with three seconds showing on the clock.

Missouri Southern fouled Fort Hays State with one second remaining to extend the game. After Omar McDade missed the first free throw, he intentionally missed the second one, and Southern was unable to get a shot off before time expired.

Kendrick Morse, McDade and Matt Simmons joined McKenzie and Dayee in double figures for Fort Hays State, scoring 17, 12, and 10 points, respectfully.

In addition to his spectacular scoring performance, Adams recorded eight rebounds and three assists for Missouri Southern. MIAA Player of the Year Keane Thomann added 25 points and 10 rebounds for the Lions.

Fort Hays State moves on to face No. 1 seed Washburn in the semifinals Saturday at 6 p.m. Missouri Southern, with a 22-7 overall record, now awaits its postseason fate.

– MIAA –
Game Highlights
fhsu game highlights 3-2

Post Game Comments from Media Room
fhsu post game interviews 3-2

Gasoline Prices Continue To Rise

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Gasoline prices are up for the 24th straight day as service stations continue to price in a 10-percent rise in oil this year.

The national average for gasoline hit $3.741 per gallon on Friday. That’s an increase of 46.5 cents per gallon since the start of 2012. Gasoline has never been this high at this time of year, and analysts say it could reach a record of $4.25 per gallon by late April.

Gasoline has surged as its primary ingredient, oil, gets more expensive. Oil prices have climbed since January on fears that world supplies could be reduced as the West confronts Iran over its nuclear program.

Benchmark crude fell by $1.66 to $107.18 per barrel Friday after Saudi Arabia denied an Iranian media report of a Saudi pipeline explosion.

Homeland Security Assessment Reduces Risk Factor For Bio, Agro Defense Facility In Kansas

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A new assessment on the proposed National Bio- and Agro-Defense Facility in Kansas concludes that changes in the lab’s design have sharply reduced the risk for accidental release of deadly diseases.

The assessment released Friday by the Department of Homeland Security updates a report issued in 2010. The new document puts the risk of an accidental release at one-tenth of 1%, down from the previous calculation of a 70% chance of release.

Supporters credit design changes made since the first report for the lower risk.

Homeland Security plans to build the lab in Manhattan near Kansas State University. The assessment calculated the risk to the human population living near the lab, as well as the large number of livestock in the region.

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