JUNCTION CITY –Two people were injured in an accident just before 8:30 p.m. on Thursday in Geary County.
The Geary County Sheriff’s Department reported a 2000 Ford Focus driven by Alicia Richardson, Salina, was west bound on Interstate 70 just east of Junction City.
The vehicle was struck from behind by a 1998 Izuzu Hombre driven by Robert Smith, Junction City.
Richardson and Smith were transported to Geary Community Hospital.
G. Earl Slagle, age 88, of Manhattan, Kansas, died Tuesday evening, August 26, 2014, at the Good Shepherd Hospice House in Manhattan.
He was born on December 23, 1925, in rural Beeler, Kansas the son of Vern and Ivy (Prose) Slagle.
During World War II, Mr. Slagle served as a Merchant Marine until his honorable discharge in 1945.
On September 16, 1945, in Dighton, Kansas, he was united in marriage to the former Wanda I. Orrell. They made their home in Manhattan for over 60 years. Mrs. Slagle preceded him in death on March 12, 2014.
Mr. Slagle was a longtime employee of Kansas State University where he worked as a Forestry Technician, prior to his retirement in 1990. Following his retirement he went to work for Winrock International which was working on a reforestation project in Pakistan.
Mr. Slagle was a member of the United States Merchant Marine Veterans of World War II, the Yard Art Classics Car Club of Manhattan and founding member of CREST (Citizens Radio Emergency Standby Team) in Manhattan. Outside of his memberships he was an artist with a permanent exhibit of his artwork at the Grassroots Art Center in Lucas, Kansas. Other areas of interest were being a poet, inventor, private pilot, world traveler, gardener, beekeeper and wood and metal worker.
He is survived by three sons: Tom Slagle and his wife Tammy, Lincoln, Kansas; Gary Slagle and his wife Rhonda, Belvue, Kansas; Stacy Slagle and his wife Norma, Wamego, Kansas, one daughter: Julie Slagle and her partner M.L. of Manhattan, Kansas, and a son-in-law: Rich Bassett of Dover, Kansas. Also surviving are four grandchildren: Shannon Showalter and his wife Tawnia, Perry, Kansas, Jared Slagle and his wife Jessica, St. Marys, Kansas, Matthew Slagle, Wamego, Kansas, Melissa Janulis and her husband Wade, Manhattan and three great grandchildren: Tate and Hailey Showalter and Cooper Slagle. He is also survived by one brother: Eldon Slagle, Manhattan, Kansas and a sister-in-law: Gertrude Slagle of Pratt, Kansas.
In addition to his wife Wanda, he was also preceded in death by one daughter: Ronda Bassett, a grandson: Strider Showalter, three sisters: Velma Slagle Stout, Bernie Slagle Sculley Nauerth, Neva Slagle Bollinger and a brother: Floyd Slagle.
The family received friends during a visitation from 6:00 until 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, September 2, 2014, at the Yorgensen-Meloan-Londeen Funeral Home.
Memorial services were held 10:00 a.m. Wednesday, September 3, 2014, at the Yorgensen-Meloan-Londeen Funeral Chapel with Reverend Wesley Paddock officiating.
Inurnment of the cremated remains will be held on Saturday, September 20, 2014, 10:30 A.M. in the Buda Cemetery near Beeler, Kansas.
On-line condolences may be left for the family at this website by clicking on “Sign Guest Book” link above.
Memorials have been established for the Manhattan Arts Center, Manhattan, Kansas and for the Grassroots Art Center, Lucas, Kansas. Contributions may be left in care of the Yorgensen-Meloan-Londeen Funeral Home, 1616 Poyntz Avenue, Manhattan, Kansas 66502.
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Law enforcement officials and people from across Kansas are remembering a Topeka police corporal killed in the line of duty.
Cpl. Jason Harwood will lie in state from 3 to 6 p.m. Friday in Exhibition Hall at the Kansas Expocentre in Topeka. His funeral is Saturday morning.
The Topeka Capital-Journal reports officers from the Kansas Highway Patrol, the Topeka Police Department and several other departments gathered at a Topeka church Thursday as a U.S. Honor Flag was delivered.
The flag was brought from Texas to Kansas, where members of the Topeka Police Department honor guard carried it into the church.
Harwood was a decorated 15-year police veteran who was shot after he pulled over a car Sunday.
Sitting together at the family dinner table may seem hard to manage with the busy lives people lead these days. However, a family meal helps cultivate an environment where parents can have a conversation with their children. And that family interaction is an important factor to protect children from the dangers of smoking, drinking and drugs.
This month, the Ellis County Extension Office is teaming up with Papa Murphy’s and the Hays Kiwanis Club to offer a make-and-take pizza activity to encourage families to cook and eat together. Families will have the opportunity to assemble a pizza from provided ingredients and take home a low-cost meal to enjoy together.
Family Make and Take Pizza Night will be held on Monday, September 29 from 4:15 to 6:15 p.m. at the Ellis County Extension Office meeting room, 601 Main Street in Hays. (Enter the rear door from the north parking lot.) The cost is only $2.50 per pizza, with a limit of two pizzas per family. Quantities are limited, so registration is accepted on a first-come, first-served basis with priority given to families with young children. Register and pay fees at the Ellis County Extension Office, 601 Main Street in Hays, (785) 628-9430.
Papa Murphy’s will donate about 70 crusts for the make-and-take event and toppings are supported by funding from the Hays Kiwanis Club and Ellis County Extension. We’ll also provide a bag of baby carrots and a few pieces of fruit to balance your healthy family meal.
Volunteers are needed to assist with this event. Call the Extension Office if you can help during one or both shifts: 4:00-5:15 p.m. and 5:15-6:30 p.m.
The goal of Family Pizza Night is to create awareness that regular conversations between parents and children are an important prevention tool to help safeguard Kansas youth and that family meals are an important way to regularly engage in those conversations.
Parental influence is known to be one of the most crucial factors in determining the likelihood of substance abuse by teenagers. Research done by The National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse consistently finds that the more often children eat dinner with their families, the less likely they are to smoke, drink or use drugs. The statistics reveal that teens who almost always eat dinner with their families are 31 percent LESS likely than the average teenager to smoke, drink or use drugs, while teens who virtually never eat dinner with their families are 72 percent MORE likely than the average teenager to use illegal drugs, alcohol and cigarettes.
Kids like to eat dinner with their families, too. When a recent survey asked teens about family meals, 84 percent said they prefer to have dinner with their families than to eat alone.
Additionally, research shows that children who eat dinner often with their families are more likely to be emotionally content, do well in school, have positive peer relationships, have lower levels of stress and be bored less often. What amazing benefits from something as simple as a family meal!
This month, plan to make and take a pizza with your kids on September 29 and think of ways you can schedule more family time to talk about what’s going on in your child’s world. After all, what your kids really want at the dinner table is YOU!
Linda K. Beech is Ellis County Extension Agent for Family and Consumer Sciences.
WASHINGTON (AP) — Secret Service officers apprehended a man wearing a Pokemon mask who jumped over the White House’s North Fence and appeared to be heading in the direction of the presidential residence.
The officers with their guns drawn ordered the man to lie down.
Secret Service officers deal with fence jumpers or bags tossed over the fence as serious potential threats. Thursday’s episode occurred on the anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.
DETROIT (AP) — Ford is recalling about 74,000 older-model gas-electric hybrid SUVs in the U.S. and Canada to fix a stalling problem.
The recall covers Ford Escapes from the 2005 through 2008 model years and Mercury Mariners from 2006 through 2008.
The company says the coolant pump for the hybrid system could fail, causing electronics to overheat. That can shut down the engine, increasing the risk of a crash.
Ford says in documents filed with government safety regulators that it has no reports of crashes or injuries from the problem.
Ford is expected to start the recall on Oct. 27. Dealers will replace the coolant pump for free.
FHSU University Relations
Fort Hays State University’s reputation as a national leader in the quality of its Virtual College programs was bolstered again this week when it was ranked the best college in Kansas for online education.
TheBestSchools.org ranked FHSU No. 1 in an article, “The Best Online College in Each of America’s Fifty States.”
“We believe that many prospective students are in positions in which they need to earn their degree online,” said Wayne Downs, managing editor of TheBestSchools.org. “However, that doesn’t mean they don’t want a school close to them in case they want to use the library, visit a professor or participate in other events. This was our primary motivation for producing this article.”
TheBestSchools.org selected FHSU’s program based on several weighted factors, including academic excellence, course and degree offerings, faculty strengths, and reputation — especially reputation for online degree programs.
Click HERE for the entire article.Here is the link to the article.
“We are always gratified when an independent organization recognizes our educational excellence,” said Dr. Mirta M. Martin, FHSU president. “It is important to emphasize that this honor also reflects on the excellence of our on-campus offerings, because our core faculty develop the courses they teach both in the traditional classroom and online.”
Dennis King, director of the Virtual College, noted that the online students include a very special cohort — members of the Armed Forces at home and abroad. “We have been recognized as a military-friendly school for several years by GI Jobs Magazine,” he said, pointing out that the criteria for making the Military Friendly Schools list includes efforts to recruit and retain military and veteran students.
King also stated that in addition to excellence, FHSU offers exceptionally low tuition to its online students. “We are in the lowest 1 percent nationally in terms of online tuition,” King said. “This means our students are getting a top-tier education at the most affordable price.”
FHSU’s recognition as the best university in Kansas for online education was just the latest in a continuing series of such honors.
Most recently, just last month, TheBestSchools.org ranked FHSU’s online M.S. in educational administration as No. 16 in the nation. It was selected based on academic excellence, course offerings, faculty strengths and reputation.
Earlier this year, U.S. News & World Report recognized FHSU as the top university in Kansas and one of the elite universities in the nation for the quality of its online education programs.
The news magazine evaluated online higher education in six categories. FHSU offers courses in four of those categories. All four were rated among the best in the nation. For online bachelor’s degrees, FHSU ranked 16th. For online master’s degrees in education, FHSU ranked 20th. For online master’s degrees in business, FHSU ranked 64th. For online master’s degrees in nursing, FHSU ranked 71st. FHSU was the top ranked university in the state of Kansas for each category except online nursing, where the University of Kansas was ranked 24th.
Of equal importance, the online courses and degrees offered by Fort Hays State through its Virtual College are less expensive than every one of the universities that were ranked as high or higher than FHSU in the U.S. News survey.
With the rain still gently falling Friday morning, early reports showed another healthy dose of moisture overnight for Hays and Ellis County.
Across the southern half of the county and in the city, reports were fairly uniform, with readings ranging from 0.32 to 0.5 inches.
Russell and Trego counties also received about the same amount of rain, according to most reports, while farther west even more precipitation fell.
Logan County reported a 0.8-inch rain, while just more than an inch fell in Scott County.
The rain is expected to continue through most of Friday morning, before the skies clear off for the weekend. The next chance of showers or storms is expected Monday.
Click HERE for the extended forecast.
JUNCTION CITY — One of the original Doobie Brothers is traveling cross country on a vintage 1929 Harley Davidson as part of the Cannonball Motorcycle Endurance Run.
Pat Simmons, 66, singer-songwriter-guitarist for the Doobie Brothers, is participating in the ride, which stopped in Junction City on Thursday. The group was scheduled to head west Saturday, with a lunchtime stop scheduled in Graham County.
Click here to read more about Saturday’s stop in the region.
Simmons said his bike is a 1929 JD Harley Davidson Twin 74-cubic-inch motorcycle, nicknamed “Norge” because of the similar blue color to Norge refrigerators popular in the 1950s.
He guessed the bike had a value of $15,000 or $20,000.
“We’ve probably got a lot more into it because we rebuilt the engine. We did a little bit of cosmetic stuff to it, not a lot. Nice tank anyway,” he said. “I had to acquire quite a few parts for it … a lot more than I actually thought it was going to need.”
For Simmons, the cross-country motorcycle ride from Daytona Beach, Fla., to Tacoma, Wash., is a good time.
“We’re having a ball out here. All the antique motorcycle nuts are out here,” said Simmons, whose wife Cristine is also riding in the Cannonball. “It is tiring, but it’s fun. That’s why we’re out here…to ride these old bikes.”
Simmons is an original member of the iconic Doobie Brothers, founded in 1969.
“We’re still working. We’re still out here playing,” he said. “We just finished a new album (“Southbound”),a collaboration with a bunch of Nashville artists — Toby Keith, Brad Paisley, Zach Brown and Band, to name a few. It’s an album of Doobie Brothers songs with Nashville artists.
Of course, the Doobie Brothers have left their mark on American music, with anthems such as “Black Water” and “What a Fool Believes.”
Simmons was performing in a band called “Scratch” in 1969. When it broke up, he accepted an invitation to join Tom Johnston, John Hartman and Dave Shogren — and the Doobie Brothers were born.
“You know we’re just folks. We’re just people like everybody else,” Simmons said. “If we did something good along the way we’re proud of that.”
Related story: Vintage motorcycle riders will make a stop in Hill City.
By BECKY KISER
Hays Post
A 20-year-old Hays man arrested last year on suspicion of sex crimes against underage girls will be sentenced in Ellis County District Court Monday.
Gustavo Reyes was arrested March 26, 2013, on suspicion of electronic solicitation of a juvenile, aggravated indecent liberties with a child, intercourse with a child between 14 and 16 years of age and sexual exploitation of a child.
According to Hays Police Detective Dave Bunger, a parent of a 13-year-old juvenile had reported what she believed to be suspicious contact between her daughter and Reyes, then 19. During the course of the investigation, officers determined the presence of a second juvenile victim, a 15-year-old female from a town near Hays.
Reyes, who is out of jail on bond supervision, entered a plea of no contest Aug. 15 to two counts of involuntary and unlawful sexual relations, according to Ellis County Attorney Tom Drees.
Sentencing is set for 1 p.m. Monday.
Beginning Monday, the city of Hays announced the following changes in road closures related to the 41st Street reconstruction project:
• 41st Street from Covenant Drive to the U.S. 183 Bypass will be open to traffic
• Post Road can once again access 41st Street
• Covenant Drive can once again access 41st Street
• All traffic accessing 41st Street from Post Road or Covenant Drive will have to go west to the U.S. 183 Bypass
In addition, 41st Street will be closed from just east of Covenant Drive to just west of Smoky Hill Drive
• Thunderbird Drive will be closed at 41st Street
• Madison alley will be closed at 41st Street
• All traffic accessing 41st Street from Smoky Hill Drive and other side streets will have to go east toward Hall Street.
Click the map for more details.
The closures will last several weeks as part of the continuing project to reconstruct 41st Street from the U.S. 183 Bypass to Hall Street. In the news release, the city offered its appreciation to the public for patience and understanding during the project.
Traffic control devices will be in place to direct the traveling public, and motorists should use caution. For more information, call (785) 628-7350.
Florence M. Koerner, 89, Hays, died Thursday, September 11, 2014 at the Hays Medical Center.
She was born October 20, 1924 in Loretta, Kansas the daughter of John and Catherine (Schoenfeldt) Basgall. On April 20, 1942 she married Julius Koerner, Sr. in Hays. He died September 27, 1988. She worked at Travenol in Hays for many years and was also a Senior Companion for many years. She had also cleaned homes, was a personal attendant, and worked in a bakery. She was a member of Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Church, Daughters of Isabella, the Perpetual Adorers, and was a past member of the VFW Auxiliary, the St. John’s Auxiliary, and the Christian Mothers in Munjor. She taught religion at both St. Francis Catholic Church in Munjor and at Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Church. She loved going to church every day and praying the rosary, loved baking, sewing, crocheting, bingo, pinochle, making homemade noodles and chocolate popcorn.
Survivors include two sons; Julius Koerner, Jr. and wife Mary Jane of Munjor, and Kevin Koerner and wife Geri of Hays, five daughters; Ida Mae Gottschalk of Galesville, WI, Rose Ann Jacobs and husband James of Hays, Nora Koelsch and husband Jim of Clearwater, KS, Karen Bieker of Hays, and Colleen Camarata and husband Dr. Joseph of Overland Park, KS, a sister JoAnn Schuckman of LaCrosse, KS, a daughter in law, Judy (Koerner) Smith, seventeen grandchildren, twenty seven great grandchildren, and ten great great grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her husband, a son Richard M. Koerner, a grandson Russell Werth, granddaughter Nancy Austin, great granddaughter Julie Windholz, sons in law; Tom Bieker and Glenn Philleps, brothers Henry, Fidelis, Clarence, Everett, Sylvester, John, Jerome, Maurice, and Arthur Basgall, and three sisters, Mary Urban, Helen Holmeister, and Frances Schuckman.
Funeral services will be at 10:00 am on Monday, September 15, 2014 at the Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Church. Burial will be in the St. Joseph Cemetery. Visitation will be from 4:00 until 8:00 pm on Sunday and from 9:00 am until 9:45 Monday, all at the Hays Memorial Chapel Funeral Home, 1906 Pine. A Perpetual Adorers rosary will be at 6:00, a Daughters of Isabella rosary will be at 6:30, followed by a parish vigil service at 7:00, all on Sunday at the funeral home.
Memorials are suggested to the Immaculate Heart of Mary Church Building Fund, the Hays Senior Companions, or to Holy Family Elementary School, in care of the funeral home. Condolences may be left for the family at www.haysmemorial.com.
By BECKY KISER
Hays Post
The USD 489 Facility Needs Committee is scheduled to present its formal recommendation report to the Hays school board Monday evening.
The presentation will be made during the committee reports portion of the meeting agenda. The meeting is set for Sept. 15 at 6:30 p.m. in the Rockwell Administration Center.
The Facility Needs Committee agreed upon a final draft March 7, but its presentation was pulled off a spring Board of Education agenda.
“We begged off presenting our recommendation because of the school district’s budget cutbacks and the employee layoffs that were pending,” committee co-chairman Patrick Lowry said Thursday.
“It didn’t seem like a good environment to do it this past spring, even though the needs are still realistic and necessary,” Lowry added. “The school district is looking at decades of deferred maintenance, which has put facilities at the end of their operational life, even beyond that in some cases.”
The committee of community volunteers worked for more than a year on a long-range vision for facility improvements, touring each building and working with administrators and staff to understand the educational needs at each school.
The price tag of the projects in the recommendation report was approximately $100 million dollars, proposed to be funded by bond issue or issues.
“We were asked to make a presentation on Sept. 15,” Lowry said. “Although we’ve tweaked the presentation a little since the final draft, not much is changed. It’s still the ‘big picture.’ It’s still a $100 million plan for district-wide building upgrades.”
Click HERE for more on the facilities needs process from USD 489.
Related story: Committee readies its proposal at March meeting.
