2016 – Page 117 – Hays Post

Mary Elaine Bowman Cummings

Posted on November 14, 2016

Mary Elaine Bowman Cummings, of Strasburg, Colorado (formerly of Goodland, Kansas) died Saturday, November 12, 2016, at 88 years of age.

Mary was born on August 16, 1928; the fourth of six children born to Jack and Ramona Bowman. Mary attended school for two years in Cheyenne Wells, Colorado, and later attended Wallace School for several more years. Mary’s father was then transferred to Wauneta, Nebraska, where Mary would eventually graduate from High School. After graduation, the Bowman family moved back to Wallace and Mary began a series of jobs which included working in the telephone office and the bank in Sharon Springs.

Mary married Gerald Wade Cummings on September 22, 1949, in Wallace, Kansas. Mary and Wade raised eight children and Mary worked at home during those years. Later she and Wade would share work on a rural mail route; a job that lasted 28 years.

Preceding Mary in death were her parents; her husband Wade; three sisters, Donice, Francis, and Cye; two brothers, John and Peter; and two grandchildren, Baron Burrier and Brian Cummings.

Survivors include eight children; Diane (Darrell) Owens of Edson, Kansas; Warren (Judy) Cummings of Limon, Colorado, Roy (Toni) Cummings, of Goodland, Kansas; Ann (Ron) Hasenbalg of Byers, Colorado; Barry (Linda) Cummings of Billings, Montana; Donna (Rob) Ilves of Sante Fe, New Mexico; Eric Cummings; Jana (David) Garin of Aurora, Colorado, 23 grandchildren, 27 great- grandchildren, and one great-great-grandchild.

The Mass of Christian Burial will be at 10:30 AM MT on Wednesday, November 16, 2016 at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Catholic Church in Goodland, Kansas. The Rosary will be held at 6:30 PM MT on Tuesday, November 15, 2016 at the Catholic Church in Goodland. Burial will follow in the Goodland Cemetery, Goodland, Kansas.

Memorials may be designated to Our Lady of Perpetual Help Catholic Church, Goodland, Kansas, or to the Northwest Kansas Animal Shelter and may be left at the service or mailed to Koons-Russell Funeral Home, 211 N. Main St., Goodland, Kansas 67735.

Online condolences may be left at www.koonsfuneralhome.com.

Koons-Russell Funeral Home of Goodland was entrusted with arrangements.

Kenton J. Kobza

Posted on November 14, 2016

Kenton J. Kobza, 19, of Columbus, Neb., formerly of David City, died Tuesday, November 8, 2016, near Hays, Kansas, as a result of injuries from an accident.

Kenton Joseph Kobza was born on April 5, 1997, in Lincoln, Nebraska to Kent and Anita Kobza. He walked into the loving arms of his Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ on November 8th 2016, at the age of 19. Kenton went to Fairbury Elementary and Middle Schools and was a graduate of David City Aquinas Catholic High School.

Kenton was a freshman at Fort Hays State University majoring in Exercise Science. He was also a member of the Fort Hays Track and Field team.

Kenton was an accomplished athlete during his young life. At Fairbury Middle School he won two junior high discus state championships while in the process setting the state record and ranking first nationally.

At Aquinas Catholic High School, Kenton was a three time discus state champion, shot put state champion, two time runner-up and a bronze medalist at the Nebraska state track and field meet. Kenton was a member of multiple high school football and track and field team state championship and runner-up championship teams. Kenton was also a member of the Cornhusker Flyers and Lincoln Jets summer track teams where he competed locally and in national meets. He looked forward to the national meets where he would travel with his family and friends.

Kenton was passionate about movies and music often memorizing songs and scenes to recite those close to him. His many past times included weightlifting with his dad and sister, visiting with his mom, fishing with his Grandma and Grandpa, and entertaining his family and friends with his front and back flips he learned while jumping on his trampoline. He taught himself how to play the piano and would fill his family full of laughter with his renditions of his favorite songs.

You could always count on the warmest of hugs and sincerest of smiles when you saw Kenton. He was not shy to give you an embrace and tell you a term of endearment. He kept his family close to his heart.

He was a young man of exceptional faith in our Lord Jesus Christ and will be greatly missed by everyone that knew him. He was the kind of young man that anyone would be proud to call son, brother, grandson, nephew, cousin, and friend.

Survivors: Parents: Kent and Anita Kobza of Columbus, Sister: Janessa Kobza of Columbus, Grandparents: Bob (Jane) Kobza of Columbus and Rodney (Janice)Schrock of Fairbury, Aunts and Uncles: Shawn ( Rod) Bungey of Ft. Mill, SC, Rob (Deb) Kobza of Lincoln, Ryan (Jen) Kobza and Aaron (Jen) Kobza both of Omaha and Julie (Greg) Gilg of Gothenburg. Numerous cousins and other loved ones.

Not all scars show, not all wounds heal, not all illness can be seen, not all pain is obvious. Remember this before passing judgement on another. http://www.mentalhealthamerica.net/

No viewing or visitation, as the family has chosen cremation. Private family burial at a later date. A Memorial Mass took place Monday St. Mary’s Catholic Church in David City.

IN LIEU OF FLOWERS: Memorials to Aquinas Guardian Angel Fund.

Arrangements were made by Chermok Funeral Home.

Supreme Court won’t review lawsuit on Kan. school science standards

Posted on November 14, 2016

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — The U.S. Supreme Court has refused to review a nonprofit group’s lawsuit claiming that science standards for Kansas public schools promote atheism.

The high court on Monday rejected a petition from a nonprofit Kansas group calling itself Citizens for Objective Public Education. The decision came without comment.

The group sought a review by the high court after a ruling in April by the 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Denver affirmed a federal judge’s dismissal of the lawsuit.

The group challenged standards adopted in 2013 by the Kansas State Board of Education that treat evolution and climate change as key scientific concepts.

The appeals court agreed with U.S. District Judge Daniel Crabtree that opponents of the standards had no standing to sue because they could not show an injury.

Rumors of Bill Murray’s visit to Hays greatly exaggerated

Posted on November 14, 2016

No, Bill Murray wasn’t in Hays, America, with a flat tire recently.

Click-bait has struck again, with several forwards of a sponsored Facebook posting leading many to believe the “Caddyshack” and “Ghostbusters” star had become stranded in Hays — and had received help from the gracious citizens of small-town America.

The post was one of dozens reported as far back as March, including small towns across the U.S. and Canada. Many legitimate news sources have fallen for the hoax, designed to boost clicks on assorted satire/spoof news sites.

Click HERE for the details of the hoax from online debunker Snopes.com.

Fort Hays State students present service learning projects at Sias University

Posted on November 14, 2016November 14, 2016

fhsu-sias-service-learning-project-web — FHSU Sias service learning project

FHSU University Relations and Marketing

More than 100 leadership studies students from Fort Hays State University recently presented in Sias School of International Education’s first annual Learn to Serve Fair at Sias International University, Xinzheng, China.

Twenty-five teams, consisting of four to six students each, presented service learning projects focusing on achieving the United Nations Millennium Development Goals, which aim to solve global issues such as extreme poverty, lack of education, HIV/AIDS and gender inequality.

Projects also focus on creating positive change in Xinzheng and other communities in Henan, China.

“It was so wonderful to see all of the students’ energy and enthusiasm,” said Pandora Rupert, instructor of leadership studies at FHSU.

“Today has been a real win for both our students and the recipients of the service-learning projects,” said Jared Nielsen, instructor of leadership studies. “With all the negative issues around the world, today’s activities present a great opportunity for students in SIE to discover new ways to serve and contribute to a better world.”

For more information about the Learn to Serve Fair, service-learning projects and educational opportunities in the field of leadership, contact the Department of Leadership Studies at (785) 628-4303 or fhsu.edu/leadership.

Gatehouse acquires Harris newspapers, including Hays Daily

Posted on November 14, 2016November 14, 2016

HUTCHINSON — According to broker Dirks, Van Essen & Murray, New Media Investment Group Inc. has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire the newspapers and most other assets of Hutchinson-based Harris Enterprises. The six newspapers will be operated by a division of New Media’s GateHouse Media.

The primary publications are the Hutchinson News, the Salina Journal, the Burlington (Iowa) Hawk Eye, the Hays Daily News, the Garden City Telegram and the Ottawa Herald.

Dirks, Van Essen & Murray, a merger and acquisition firm based in Santa Fe, New Mexico, represented Harris Enterprises in the sale. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed. The deal is expected to close Nov. 30.

GateHouse operates newspapers and associated websites in a number of Kansas communities, including Dodge City, McPherson, Newton and Pittsburg.

HAWVER: ‘Ugly’ budget cuts loom in light of continued Kan. revenue shortfalls

Posted on November 14, 2016

This might be a good time to get the children out of the room.

Lawmakers learned last week that, in January, they’re going to have to cut at least $345 million from the state budget in the remaining six months of the current fiscal year.

Once they get that chore accomplished, they’re going to have to deal with the final two budget years of the administration of Gov. Sam Brownback. The budgets are going to be built around estimates of continued shrinkage in tax receipts, $443 million less in the full fiscal year which starts July 1, 2017, and a dab of an increase, about $39 million, for the following fiscal year which nobody cares much about.

The reason for the shrinking revenues? It depends largely on the political party of the person you talk to. Republicans tend to point toward the national economy, to falling oil and natural gas prices, falling farm profits; Democrats tend to point to 2012 income tax cuts that benefited those LLCs, farms, sole proprietorships and such which were exempted from state income tax. You can discuss amongst yourselves the reason, but the result is major budget cuts in an already pretty well pared-down budget…

Anyone imagine what the new members elected to the Legislature are thinking? Maybe that they need to form a support group or at least someone ought to confiscate their belts so they don’t hang themselves in their garages once they are formally sworn in and on the state payroll on Jan. 9.

Oh, and while that new Legislature has lots of experienced lawmakers (including five new senators moving over from the House and six former representatives who won election to the House), 48 members—nine in the Senate, 39 in the House—will be brand new to this business of running the state. They are going to be voting on sharp budget cuts before they’re even certain where the bathrooms are in the Statehouse.

Those budget cuts are going to be interesting in two ways: What gets cut, and why the governor didn’t intervene and make so-called “allotments” or cuts in November. Nobody likes cuts, but even a two-month head-start on those reductions before the Legislature convenes spreads the cuts over the longest time, which means agencies can somewhat soften the blow to their programs and employees. It might mean, at least for the remainder of this fiscal year, fewer layoffs than would be necessary if agencies must compress those cuts and layoffs over a longer period.

It’s spreading the pain…but just for this current fiscal year, and things get worse in the year that starts July 1 unless there are dramatic tax increases.

Those tax increases? Putting those who don’t pay taxes back on the books? Well, it gets tricky there, because spending cuts can be made quickly, but there aren’t a lot of taxes that lawmakers can pass that result in near-immediate increases in cash. Sales tax can be raised very quickly, a month or two, but more likely on July 1, which doesn’t solve this fiscal year’s problem. Oh, and don’t look for any lawmakers, new or experienced, to vote for that. Maybe expand the sales tax to services, but that is a proposal that legislators will debate for months because it draws a whole new legion of lobbyists to the Statehouse.

The fiscal problems, they seem more serious than Statehouse insiders have seen for years, probably decades.

The budget cuts? It’s going to be ugly; there are services that Kansans just don’t want to do without. There are the poor to be assisted, the ill to be treated, the children to be educated.

Starting to look like maybe you want to read the newspapers before the children do, and you might want to cut some of those stories out so they don’t have to read them…

Syndicated by Hawver News Company LLC of Topeka; Martin Hawver is publisher of Hawver’s Capitol Report—to learn more about this nonpartisan statewide political news service, visit the website at www.hawvernews.com.

James M. Jackson

Posted on November 14, 2016

Former Phillipsburg resident James M. Jackson passed away Sunday, Nov. 13 at the Logan Manor Nursing Home in Logan at the age of 93. He was born August 3, 1923 in Phillips County, the son of George & Mary (Dill) Jackson. He was a farmer.

Survivors include his wife Wilma; his son Robert of Logan; is daughter Karen Navis of Kearney, NE; sister-in-law, Bettie Bach of Hugoton; 5 grandchildren and 5 great grandchildren.

Funeral services will be held Wed. Nov. 16 at 11:00 a.m. in the Emmanuel Evangelical Lutheran Church, Stuttgart, with Pastor Lee Bennight officiating. Burial will follow in the Emmanuel Evangelical Lutheran Cemetery.

Visitation will be from 5:00 to 9:00 Monday & 9:00 to 9:00 Tuesday at the Logan Funeral Home.

Memorial contributions may be made to Hospice Services or the church.

Online condolences: www.olliffboeve.com.

Logan Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

Reward for return of items taken in Kan. American Legion robbery

Posted on November 14, 2016

DONIPHAN COUNTY – Law enforcement authorities in Doniphan County continue to investigate a Veterans Day burglary at an American Legion post and a reward is being offered.

The Wathena American Legion was found broken into and burglarized Friday morning, according to Wathena Chief of Police Jason Pendleton.

The post is offering a cash reward of $1,500 for the return of items or the prosecution of those responsible, according to Duston Hansen with the organization.

“Early Friday morning, members stopped at the Legion, 304, North 4th, to pick up flowers to put in the cemetery and that’s when they noticed the damage,” Pendleton said.

The door was broken, photos of WWI veterans were stolen, as well as a clock and some larger photos were taken from off the wall.

“It was mostly photos from what I understand,” Pendleton said.
“They threw some mail around and of course the damage they did to the door was significant. I don’t know if they were looking for anything in particular but they were looking through everything to see what they could find.”

Pendleton said the break-in is believed to have taken place sometime late Thursday night to early Friday morning.
“It’s a disgrace and to believe that somebody would do that on Veteran’s Day is heartbreaking,” he said.
Anyone with information is asked to call the Wathena Police Department at (785) 989-4521 or the Doniphan County Sheriff’s Office at (785) 985-3711.

Northern Valley student helps ‘Put the Brakes on Fatalities’

Posted on November 14, 2016

KDOT

Northern Valley grade school student Lucas Hansen was recently named as one of three northwest Kansas winners in the 2016 Put the Brakes on Fatalities poster contest.

Hansen was selected as the winner of the 5 to 7-year-old age division and was awarded a bicycle and helmet from Safe Kids Kansas during an assembly held on Nov. 9 at the Northern Valley grade school.

A total of 824 kids across Kansas ages 5 to 13 took the time to think about safety and participated in the contest. Put the Brakes on Fatalities Day is a nationwide effort to increase roadway safety and reduce all traffic fatalities and is recognized annually on Oct. 10.

For more information, visit www.ksdot.org/events/PutTheBrakesOnFatalitiesDay.

Loren L. Gfeller

Posted on November 14, 2016November 14, 2016

Loren L. Gfeller, 88, Ponca City, Oklahoma died Wednesday, November 9, 2016 at the Via Christi Village in Ponca City, Oklahoma.

  He was born April 14, 1928 on a farm southwest of Winona, Kansas to Emil & Ivy (Shoftner) Gfeller. Loren graduated from Winona High School in 1946. Loren was in the U.S. Army and the U.S. Army Reserves, and when the Korean War started on June 25, 1950 he was called back to active duty, on October 14, 1950. He then spent approximately four months in Japan and eight months in Korea. After his discharge from the Army, he worked as a carpenter until January 1953. He then went to Brown-Mackie school of business in Salina, Kansas and took an 18 month accounting course.

After graduating he took a job in the refinery accounting department of the Continental Oil Company (Conoco) on August 1, 1954 and retired May 1, 1985 after 30 years and 9 months.  On August 22, 1955 Loren married Adella Viola Cress of Hays, Kansas who he had met in business school in Salina, Kansas. She preceded him in death on December 11, 1992. After a honeymoon trip to various points in Minnesota & Canada, they made their home in Ponca City, Oklahoma. They made many trips from coast to coast, all over the United States & Canada while Loren was still working. After his wife passed away Loren traveled all over the world with the Prime Timers, Retirees Group of the Pioneer Bank in Ponca City, Oklahoma. Loren & Adella were baptized at a young age and were members of the First United Methodist Church in Ponca City, Oklahoma.

He is survived by one sister; Lorene Clark of Oakley, Kansas.

He was preceded in death by his wife Adella, his parents, two brothers and wives; Garland and Leola Gfeller and Myron and Frances Gfeller, three sisters; Wilda Gfeller, Arlene Berndt and Lucile Lewallen, and one brother-in-law; Francis Lewallen.

Visitation will be from 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 pm, Sunday, November 13, 2016 at the Grace Memorial Chapel in Ponca City, Oklahoma.

Graveside Services will be held at 2:00 pm, Tuesday, November 15, 2016 at the Norman Cemetery about 20 miles northeast of Hays, Kansas, next to his wife Adella, under the direction of the Hays Memorial Chapel Funeral Home.

The family has suggested memorials to the First United Methodist Church in Ponca City, Oklahoma in care of the Hays Memorial Chapel Funeral Home, 1906 Pine Street.

Friends may leave online condolences at www.gracememorialchapel.net , at www.haysmemorial.com, or via email at [email protected]

Gloria Jean (Wise) Pulec

Posted on November 14, 2016

Gloria Jean (Wise) Pulec passed away Thursday, November 10, 2016 at Hays Medical Center in Hays, Kansas at the age of 70. She was born on June 11, 1946 in Plainville, Kansas to the late Otto and Helen Wise. She was blessed with two sons, Robert and Terry.

Gloria loved serving with people and helping others. She worked in several capacities at the Solomon Valley Manor in Stockton, Kansas including Certified Nursing Assistant, Medical Records Technician, and Certified Medical Assistant. She enjoyed crocheting and knitting, as well as rolling out at the bowling alley with friends whenever she had the chance. She had a special place in her heart for her dogs, but her greatest love was for family, friends, and neighbors.

Gloria is survived by her son Robert Wise of Stockton, and Terry Pulec and wife Kim of Stockton; sister-in-law Laurie hicks of Victoria; grandchildren Aaron Pulec, and Brett Pulec; and great-grandchildren Dakota Pulec, and Kayzen Pulec.

She was preceded in death by Otto and Helen Wise.

Gloria was a strong and confident woman with a heart of gold. Always willing to give of herself, she was gentle of spirit, enthusiastic and encouraging to everyone around her. Her unselfish love for us will continue to be our blessing and inspiration for generations to come.

Dennis Coleman Blair

Posted on November 14, 2016

Dennis Coleman Blair, passed away on Nov. 8, 2016 in Wichita, Kansas. He was born in Lawrence, Kansas to Boyd A. Blair and Mildred (Coleman) Blair. He was a U.S. Navy and Vietnam War Veteran. Dennis was a graduate of Fort Hays State University. He worked in Insurance Sales.

Memorial Service will be Fri, Nov. 18, at NW Free Methodist Church, 3224 N. Tyler, Wichita, Kansas. Graveside will be at the Kansas Veteran’s Cemetery, Wakeeney, Kansas. Baker Funeral Home, Valley Center is handling arrangements.

Condolences may be left for the family at www.bakerfhvc.com.