December 2014 – Page 63 – Hays Post Archive

Magical mailbox awaits letters to Santa at Hays Public Library

Posted on December 10, 2014December 11, 2014

The magical mailbox inside the Hays Public Library is from Santa Clause and is said to be the fastest way to delivers letters to the North Pole. Photo courtesy HPL. — The magical mailbox on the second floor of Hays Public Library is said to be the fastest way to deliver letters to the North Pole. *Photo courtesy the HPL.*

By KARI BLURTON
Hays Post

A magical mailbox secretly delivered from Santa Claus himself is sitting on the second floor of the Hays Pubic Library.

“This mailbox is special because it automatically transplants the letters directly to the North Pole to Santa,” said Cathleen Kroeger, children’s department librarian at HPL.

Kroeger stressed the importance of making sure children put a return address on the letter.

“Santa rides in a sleigh and uses longitude and latitude to find your house, but if he is going to write you back, he is going to use the U.S. Postal Service,” she said.

Kroeger said the mailbox has appeared at the HPL for years and kids often try to peek inside the mailbox to catch of a glimpse of their letter disappearing to the North Pole — so far, no child has been able to catch the occurrence.

“It is just part of magic … the box comes from Santa, and it works.” she said.

Kroeger reminded children to make sure they drop the letter in Santa’s mailbox by Dec. 20, as that is the day when the mailbox usually disappears.

The Hays Public Library is located at 1205 Main and is open Monday through Thursday from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m, Friday 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., Saturday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.

For more information, contact the HPL Children’s Department (785) 625-5916 or click HERE.

Tiger Talk with FHSU basketball coaches Tony Hobson and Mark Johnson (VIDEO)

Posted on December 10, 2014December 9, 2014

Kan. legislator to promote gun background checks as health issue

Posted on December 10, 2014

Rep. Barbara Bollier, R-Mission Hills.- KHI photo

By Andy Marso
KHI News Service

TOPEKA — A former physician now in the Kansas Legislature says she will promote a bill expanding background checks for gun sales because she believes gunshot wounds are a public health issue.

Rep. Barbara Bollier, a moderate Republican from Mission Hills, this week attended the first conference of a newly formed group of state lawmakers committed to curbing gun violence. Bollier joined almost 200 representatives from both parties and all 50 states at the Washington, D.C., meeting of American State Legislators for Gun Violence Prevention, calling it “a tremendous opportunity for the people’s voice to be heard throughout the country.”
“This upcoming session I will support state legislation for background checks,” Bollier said in a statement distributed during the conference. “It is imperative that this public health issue be addressed in Kansas.”

Bollier was a practicing anesthesiologist in the Kansas City area for more than a decade, but said via phone that she first recognized the public health implications of gunshot wounds during her residency at Ben Taub General Hospital in Houston.

She said Ben Taub had one of the busiest emergency rooms in the country at that time and treatment of gunshot wounds was “routine.”

Rep. Ken Corbet, a conservative Republican from Topeka who is one of the House’s most vocal supporters of firearm rights, said he did not see the connection to public health.

“I don’t believe it’s a public health issue,” Corbet said. “I think if the Founding Fathers wanted that to be a public health issue, it would have said that in the Second Amendment. They did not bring that up.”

A study published in 1997 found that the cost of medical expenses, public services and work-loss hours due to gunshot wounds was about $40 billion annually in the United States, or about $154,000 per gunshot survivor.

Federal law currently requires background checks for people purchasing from licensed gun dealers to determine whether buyers have a felony conviction that could disqualify them from gun ownership. The Federal Bureau of Investigation has conducted more than 100 million such checks in the last decade, resulting in more than 700,000 denials.

Sales at gun shows and private person-to-person sales are exempt from that federal requirement.

According to Governing magazine, 14 states require background checks at gun shows for at least some firearm purchases. Four of those states only require checks for handgun purchases. Five of the 14 states have provisions for universal background checks that apply to almost all gun sales, including person-to-person sales and online sales.

Kansas has no background check requirement beyond what is required by federal law.

Bollier said Sen. Oletha Faust-Goudeau, a Wichita Democrat, is working on draft language of background checks legislation for the upcoming session in Kansas. The extent of the bill has yet to be determined.

“From my perspective, I would like to see universal (background checks),” Bollier said. “But we may have to start with gun shows.”

Polls have shown about 90 percent of Americans support universal background checks, but gun lobbying groups including the NRA strenuously oppose them and have helped squelch any federal action on them.

Corbet said the measure faces an even tougher road in the Kansas Legislature, where the trend in recent years has been a wide-ranging expansion of gun ownership and carrying rights, including a bill stating that the federal government has no jurisdiction to regulate guns made and sold strictly within Kansas.

“The last couple of gun bills, they passed overwhelmingly, for pro-gun rights,” he said. “But she (Bollier) apparently has some constituents that feel that’s an issue and that’s her job to bring that forward.”

Corbet, who owns a hunting lodge in southern Shawnee County, said his constituents feel differently about background checks.

“I know that most of the people in my district, the 54th District, including myself, would probably be opposed to that,” he said.

Andy Marso is a reporter for Heartland Health Monitor, a news collaboration focusing on health issues and their impact in Missouri and Kansas.

Battle of the Badges kickoff event will be Thursday

Posted on December 10, 2014

HPD Chief Don Scheibler donates at the 2012 Battle of the Badges.

The 12th annual Hays Battle of the Badges kickoff will be 11 a.m. Thursday at the American Red Cross donation center at 208 E. Eighth.

Representatives from local police, fire and EMS agencies will compete to see who can encourage the most donations.

Stay tuned to Hays Post for more on the event.

To make an appointment for a blood donation during Battle of the Badges, or any time, visit www.redcross.org or call (800) RED-CROSS — (800)733-2767.

HPD activity log, Dec. 9

Posted on December 10, 2014December 10, 2014

The Hays Police Department conducted 11 traffic stops and received two animal calls on Tuesday, Dec. 9, according to the HPD activity log.

Battery/Domestic, 500 block East 20th St, 3:28 a.m.
Domestic Disturbance, 3300 block Vine, 02:05 a.m.
Battery/Domestic, 3600 block Vine, 8 p.m.
Motor Vehicle Accident, 400 block East 22nd, 7:52 a.m.
Found/Lost Property, 4300 block Vine, 9:57 a.m.
Assist, 3600 block Vine, 10:06 a.m.
Abandoned Vehicle, 500 block West 17th, 11:14 a.m.
Suspicious Activity, 500 block West 24th, 4 a.m.
Suspicious Activity, 700 block East Eighth, 12:34 p.m.
Abandoned Vehicle, 1200 block Oak, 12:47 p.m.
Motor Vehicle Accident, 13th and Allen, 4:45 a.m.
Driving While Suspended/Revoked, 2400 block Canterbury, 9:06 p.m.
Rape, 200 block West 11th, 9:15 p.m.
Suspicious Activity, 1300 block Holmes, 11:12 p.m.

Elaine Diane Schneider

Posted on December 10, 2014

Elaine Diane Schneider, age 55, of Phillipsburg passed away Sunday, December 7, 2014 at Hays Medical center. She was born June 26, 1959 in Smith Center, KS to Raymond J. and Delene (Dusin) Hempler. She graduated from Logan High School. She married Phillip E. Bruton and then Ronald Schneider and both preceded her in death.

Elaine was a RN working in various facilities including Logan Manor and the Phillipsburg Retirement Center. She enjoyed horseback riding, reading and music.

She is survived by two sons, Zach Bruton and wife Angie of Bogue, KS and Austin Schneider and wife Kamesha of Phillipsburg, KS; a brother, Jan Hempler of Kansas City, KS and 4 grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by Parents and a brother,Dennis Hempler.

Memorial services will be 2 PM Saturday, December 13, 2014 at the First Lutheran Church in Phillipsburg.

Memorial contributions are suggested to: Terry C. Johnson Center for Basic Cancer Research or for Elaine’s grandchildren’s education fund

Condolences may be left by guest book at www.keithleyfuneralchapels.com or emailed to [email protected].

LaVerna M. Herl

Posted on December 10, 2014

LaVerna M. Herl, age 84, of Hays, passed away Monday, December 8, 2014 at Hays Medical Center. She was born September 8, 1930 in rural Liebenthal, KS to Phillip and Wilhelmina (Schuckman) Dreher. She married Robert L. Herl on April 19, 1950 in Liebenthal, Kansas. He preceded her in death October 12, 2011.

She was a homemaker. She was a member of St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church in Munjor and attended St. Nicholas of Myra Catholic Church in Hays. She was a lifetime Ladies Eagle’s Auxilliary member. She enjoyed shopping, bingo, cooking and baking for her family.

She is survived by three sons, Kenneth (Cathy) Herl of Stratton, MO; Darrell (Kim) Herl and Robert D. (Ellie) Herl all of Hays; two sisters, Juliana Unrein of Hays and Betty Hill of Hutchinson; seven grandchildren, Shelly (Ryan) Dreher, Amy (Marty) Bell, Kyle (Nichole) Herl, Justin (Jade) Herl, Abby (Nate) Michl, Emily (Dustin) Washburn and Anna Herl and 11 great grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her parents; a son, Ernest L. Herl and two brothers, Leon and Ralph Dreher.

Funeral services will be 10:00 A.M. Friday at St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church in Munjor. Burial will follow services in the church cemetery.

Visitation will be Thursday 4 PM – 8 PM and Friday 9 AM until 9:30 AM all at Brock’s-Keithley Funeral Chapel 2509 Vine Hays, KS. 67601.

A parish vigil service will be 7 PM Thursday at the funeral home.

Memorials are suggested to the LaVerna M. Herl Memorial Fund.

DHDC kicks off annual partnership program for 2015

Posted on December 10, 2014December 9, 2014

Downtown Hays Development Corporation

The Downtown Hays Development Corporation has kicked off its 2015 Partnership Program.

“The Downtown Hays Development Corporation (DHDC) has made significant strides towards becoming the premier shopping, dining and entertainment destination they first envisioned more than ten years ago when they began the amazing journey of revitalization,” said DHDC board president Stacey Smith in a news release.

“With the continued support of the City of Hays and its community members, we are able to plan for future development and growth in the heart of Hays.

“Our annual Partnership Program has been a success. We are working to keep it growing and new members are invited to join. The private funds raised through this program help leverage our public investments to continue making improvements in our historic downtown (Chestnut Street) district. Just as the cornerstones of a building are important to its overall strength and stability, the Partnership Program for DHDC will provide long-term strength and stability for downtown Hays,” Smith said.

For more information about becoming a partner, contact a DHDC board member or call the office at (785)-621-4171.

DHDC is a 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation which works to prevent the deterioration and enhance the viability of the community’s cultural centers, historical landmarks and public infrastructure important to the community’s economic and cultural well-being.

Christmas crafting for kids at Deines Cultural Center

Posted on December 10, 2014December 9, 2014

RUSSELL–The Deines Cultural Center, 820 N. Main Street, Russell, will host a Christmas arts and crafts workshop for kids Saturday, Dec. 13, from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m.

DCC Director Shannon Trevethan says the event includes holiday goodies and a festive photo with the kids making their own Christmas picture frame.

Cost to participate is $4 per child or $2 per child with a canned food donation for the Russell Food Pantry.

Proceeds will go to the RCCP Adopt-A-Child for Christmas program.

For more information, call Trevethan at (785)-483-43742.

Tuesday’s High School basketball scores

Posted on December 10, 2014December 10, 2014

BOYS BASKETBALL
Abilene 74, Rock Creek 46
Andover Central 53, Hutchinson 32
Axtell 42, Centralia 33
Beloit 71, Clay Center 42
Bishop Miege 55, BV Northwest 51
Bishop Seabury Academy 71, Midland Adventist Academy 23
BV North 76, SM Northwest 53
BV West 62, SM South 52
Concordia 37, Republic County 33
Eureka 62, Belle Plaine 39
Falls City, Neb. 71, Atchison 45
Fredonia 56, Douglass 40
Girard 57, Pittsburg 54
Goddard-Eisenhower 64, Salina Central 55
Hanover 76, Washington County 60
Hays 71, Pratt 42
Holton 45, Perry-Lecompton 36
Jasper, Mo. 38, Pittsburg Colgan 36
KC Piper 61, Ottawa 58
Linn 48, BV Randolph 41
Maize 79, Arkansas City 59
Maize South 76, Wichita Campus 43
McPherson 65, Andover 48
Mill Valley 48, Gardner-Edgerton 46
Natoma 79, Flint Hills Job Corps 64
Nemaha Central 52, Jefferson West 31
Riverside 46, Hiawatha 42
Royal Valley 51, Atchison County 25
Sabetha 80, Marysville 45
Silver Lake 73, Council Grove 6, 2OT
South Barber 72, Burlington 41
Topeka Seaman 67, KC Turner 61
Valley Falls 52, Pleasant Ridge 41
Valley Heights 65, Frankfort 34
Wakefield 53, Clifton-Clyde 25
Washburn Rural 57, Topeka West 48
Wichita East 92, Wichita Southeast 59
Wichita Heights 69, Wichita West 32
Wichita South 55, Wichita North 46
Bennington Tournament
Bennington 42, Halstead 40
Brewster – SageBrush Tournament
Logan 73, Healy 31
St. Francis 60, Heartland Christian 53
Caldwell Tournament
Argonia 60, Central Burden 53
Cattle Trail Tournament
Oberlin-Decatur 52, Maywood, Neb. 12
Chapman Tournament
Rossville 57, El Dorado 55
Salina Sacred Heart 78, Chapman 35
Cheney Tournament
Clearwater 46, Hutchinson Trinity 43
Cimarron Tournament
Cimarron 48, Minneola 42
Fowler Tournament
Ashland 69, Fowler 47
Deerfield 56, Ingalls 46
Garden Plain Tournament
Emporia 52, Garden Plain 28
Hesston 63, Rose Hill 50
Goessel Tournament
Pool Play
Hutchinson Central Christian 66, Goessel 50
Little River 60, Elyria Christian 27
Herington Tournament
Herington 50, Centre 48
Rural Vista 41, Madison 39
Humboldt Tournament
Humboldt 84, Uniontown 29
Kingman Tournament
Kingman 45, Haven 44
Sterling 57, Conway Springs 51
Larned Tournament
Spearville 67, Hoisington 45
St. John 74, Kiowa County 30
Linn County Tournament
Drexel, Mo. 66, Pleasanton 29
Marion Tournament
Marion 57, Peabody-Burns 55
Moundridge Tournament
Lyons 39, Hillsboro 34
Osborne Tournament
Osborne 61, Thunder Ridge 37
St. John’s Beloit-Tipton 61, Lakeside 33
Paola Tournament
Bonner Springs 60, Harrisonville, Mo. 49
Wellsville 63, KC Harmon 59
Olathe Northwest 51, Eudora 37
Paola 64, Truman, Mo. 52
Pike Valley Tournament
Rock Hills 40, Smith Center 39
Quinter – Castle Rock Classic
Ellis 69, Cheylin 27
Hoxie 52, Rawlins County 21
Quinter 60, Golden Plains 30
Wheatland-Grinnell 37, Dighton 32
Russell – Morris/Stephens Classic
Plainville 61, Lincoln 40
Central Plains 63, Ellsworth 33
Skyline Tournament
Pratt Skyline 56, Stafford 51
St. Mary’s Tournament
Onaga 55, St. Mary’s 47
Tescott Tournament
Glasco/Miltonvale-Southern Cloud 66, Tescott 35
Sylvan-Lucas 44, Wilson 28
Trego Purple & Gold Tournament
Victoria 72, Trego 47
Ness City 71, La Crosse 46
Udall Tournament
Cedar Vale/Dexter 46, Udall 45
Yates Center Tournament
Yates Center 62, Altoona-Midway 19

GIRLS BASKETBALL
Abilene 44, Rock Creek 33
Andale 42, Derby 28
Andover 61, McPherson 44
Andover Central 62, Hutchinson 41
Atchison County 47, Royal Valley 41
Baldwin 51, Anderson County 33
Beloit 72, Clay Center 47, OT
Bishop Miege 47, BV Northwest 40
Blue Valley Stillwell 66, Olathe Northwest 58
Buhler 39, Goddard 37
Burlington 49, South Barber 42
Centralia 39, Axtell 19
Chase County 58, Wabaunsee 47
Falls City, Neb. 42, Atchison 26
Galena 55, Oswego 16
Garden Plain 45, Emporia 30
Guymon, Okla. 48, Liberal 38
Hesston 53, Rose Hill 34
Hiawatha 50, Riverside 9
Holton 41, Perry-Lecompton 38
KC Washington 48, University Academy, Mo. 38
Labette County 68, Frontenac 40
Lawrence Free State 49, Central Academy(Kansas City), Mo. 29
Linn 58, BV Randolph 38
Maize 84, Arkansas City 29
Maize South 59, Wichita Campus 49
Mill Valley 48, Gardner-Edgerton 46
Nemaha Central 59, Jefferson West 18
Pittsburg 61, Girard 39
Sabetha 58, Marysville 26
Salina Central 57, Goddard-Eisenhower 50
Shawnee Heights 64, Lansing 54
SM North 50, KC Wyandotte 21
SM Northwest 57, SM East 20
Valley Falls 51, Pleasant Ridge 37
Valley Heights 72, Frankfort 26
Washington County 35, Hanover 28
Wetmore 52, Troy 42
Wichita Bishop Carroll 45, Wichita Northwest 32
Wichita East 57, Wichita Southeast 43
Brewster – Sagebrush Tournament
Logan 51, Healy 19
St. Francis 48, Heartland Christian 25
Cattle Trail Tournament
Oberlin-Decatur 50, Maywood, Neb. 44
Chapman Tournament
Chapman 43, Salina Sacred Heart 11
Rossville 52, El Dorado 25
Cheney Tournament
Wichita Collegiate 45, Valley Center 37, OT
Hutchinson Trinity 53, Clearwater 22
Cimarron Tournament
Cimarron 64, Minneola 20
Meade 59, Bucklin 33
Circle Tournament
Wichita Independent 41, Circle 35
Eudora Tournament
Eudora 51, Harrisonville, Mo. 43
Wellsville 56, KC Bishop Ward 44
Paola 62, KC Piper 55
St. James Academy 37, Bonner Springs 33
Fairfield Tournament
Cunningham 54, Flinthills 27
Fairfield 48, Chase 34
Fowler Tournament
Fowler 41, Ashland 32
Ingalls 70, Deerfield 10
Fredonia Tournament
Douglass 36, Fredonia 14
Sedgwick 63, Bluestem 41
Garden Plain Tournament
Garden Plain 45, Emporia 30
Hesston 53, Rose Hill 34
Goessel Tournament
Goessel 56, Hutchinson Central Christian 30
Herington Tournament
Centre 46, Herington 29
Hillsboro Tournament
Wamego 59, Riley County 38
Humboldt Tournament
Erie 48, Crest 28
Kingman Tournament
Sterling 40, Conway Springs 37
Larned Tournament
St. John 45, Kiowa County 21
Marion Tournament
Marion 61, Peabody-Burns 26
Moundridge Tournament
Lyons 57, Hillsboro 37
Natoma Tournament
Natoma 57, Flint Hills Job Corps 4
Palco 61, Pawnee Heights 13
Osborne Tournament
St. John’s Beloit-Tipton 47, Lakeside 32
Thunder Ridge 47, Osborne 14
Pike Valley Tournament
Clifton-Clyde 57, Wakefield 22
Quinter – Castle Rock Classic
Dighton 54, Golden Plains 30
Ellis 50, Rawlins County 29
Hoxie 81, Quinter 35
Wheatland-Grinnell 49, Cheylin 34
Russell – Morris/Stephens Classic
Plainville 32, Lincoln 28
St. Mary’s Tournament
Northern Heights 54, Mission Valley 46
Tescott Tournament
Glasco/Miltonvale-Southern Cloud 44, Tescott 16
Sylvan-Lucas 62, Wilson 49
Trego – Purple & Gold Tournament
Trego 57, Victoria 45
La Crosse 44, Ness City 34
Tri-County Classic
Minneapolis 52, Solomon 20
Yates Center Tournament
Marais des Cygnes Valley 42, Southern Coffey 28

Indictment: 2 ex-policemen lied about gun buys

Posted on December 10, 2014

WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — Federal prosecutors say two former Bel Aire police officers have been indicted for their roles in a scheme to buy and sell discounted firearms by falsely claiming they would be used for law enforcement purposes.

The U.S. attorney’s office says in a news release that 26-year-old Nathan A. Mavia of Wichita falsely certified that the guns would be owned by the Bel Aire Police Department.

He worked for the police department for about two years and is charged with one count of mail fraud.

Forty-year-old Robert S. McCaslin of Wichita is accused of trying to cover up the crime. He is charged with one count of making a false statement during a federal investigation.

Court records do not indicate whether they have attorneys.

Kansas Outdoor Recreation Plan ready for comment

Posted on December 10, 2014December 9, 2014

KS Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism

PRATT – A draft of the 2015 Kansas Statewide Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan (SCORP) is available for review and comment on the Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism’s (KDWPT) website, www.ksoutdoors.com. The five-year plan addresses the period from 2015 through 2019. Comments can be made online using the email form provided or by postal mail to: Kyle Jackson, KDWPT Parks Division, 512 S.E. 25th Ave., Pratt, KS 67424-8174. Comments must be submitted online or postmarked no later than Friday, December 19, 2014.

The National Park Service requires Kansas to produce the report in order to remain eligible for Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) Grants. Kansas has received more than $50 million in LWCF grant funding since the program began in 1965.

The plan assesses the status of outdoor experiences and examines important outdoor recreation issues facing the state. It includes recommendations on how the state might improve the outdoor experiences and benefits for residents and visitors. As the plan was developed, KDWPT and consultant Sid Stevenson, PhD sought public input on topics including managed park use, issues and needs, and the types of experiences park-goers hope to have in the future.

To review the draft plan and submit comments go to https://kdwpt.state.ks.us/State-Parks/2015-S.C.O.R.P-Draft.

Tell me it isn’t so

Posted on December 10, 2014December 10, 2014

For weeks leading up to the midterm Nov. 4 election, I had the sense that the Democrat vs. Republican coverage in my Hays Daily newspaper was somewhat lopsided.

Those who know me, know I feel strongly that there is bias in most media. The bias, I feel, leans very strongly to the left, to the liberal left, to the Democrat liberal left. I, therefore, painstakingly, went through all my HDNews editions of the paper from October 12 right up to and including the day of the election of November 4.

I came across a grand total of 122 articles that had something to do with the election, which might in some way affect whether one would vote Democrat or Republican. I put Independent Greg Orman in the Democrat column since, obviously, that would be voting against the Republican Party even though not necessarily for Democrats.

I broke down my study into the following three categories: 1) articles in the body of the paper, excluding the Opinion section (44 writings), 2) Editorials and columnists in the Opinion section (27 writings), and 3) Reader Forum articles in the Opinion section (51 writings).

In the body of the paper, so to speak, including quite often front page news, out of 44 writings 33 favored Democrats (or Orman) and 11 favored Republicans. In percentages, that would be 75% for Democrats and 25% for Republicans.

In the Editorial and Columnist section of the paper, out of 27 writings 20 favored Democrats (or Orman) and seven favored Republicans. In percentages that would be 74% to 26%.

In the Reader Forum section there were 51 writings with 31 leaning Democrat and 20 leaning Republican. That would be 61% to 39%. I could not help but notice many, if not most, of these letters to the editor were from far-off Kansas locations, even some out of state and mostly favored Democrats.

If anyone is interested, my very detailed breakdown of the news during the period noted above can be obtained at the Hays Public Library, however, it was also submitted to the paper as well. I give the title of the article, author’s name when it is opinion, and how I labeled the writing.

Somebody might take issue with me on a little something here or there, but looking at the big picture, the picture is clear.

Is there bias in the media? You be the judge!

Les Knoll live in Victoria and Gilbert, Ariz.