Margaret Louise Untereiner, 64, of Russell, Kansas, died on Sunday, March 20, 2016, at the Good Samaritan Nursing Center in Ellis, Kansas.
Margaret was born on February 12, 1952, in Russell, Kansas, the daughter of Frank W. and Isabelle D. (Brack) Untereiner. She grew up in Russell and graduated from Russell High School in the class of 1970. She worked for over 20 years for Elcon Services Incorporated. For almost 30 years she has been working for Abco Wire as a line worker. She was a longtime member of St. John Lutheran Church in Russell and as a little girl she was a member of the Girl Scouts. She enjoyed reading books, walking, driving around in her 1976 Trans-Am and babysitting children. Most of all she enjoyed spending time with her family.
Surviving family include her mother Isabelle of Russell; brothers Frank W. Untereiner, Jr. of Russell and Carl Untereiner of Leavenworth, Kansas; sisters Sharon Herbel of Russell and Sarah Younger of Olmitz, Kansas and many nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her father Frank, Sr. on May 27, 2008.
A celebration of Margaret’s life will be held at 2:30 P.M. on Thursday, March 24, 2016, at the Pohlman-Varner-Peeler Mortuary in Russell, Kansas with John Dumler officiating. Burial will follow at St. John Lutheran Cemetery in Russell. Visitation will be from 10 A.M. to 8 P.M. on Wednesday, March 23, 2016, at the mortuary. Family will greet guests from 6 P.M. to 7 P.M. Wednesday evening at the mortuary.
Memorials may be given to the Margaret Untereiner Memorial Fund and sent in care of the mortuary. Pohlman-Varner-Peeler Mortuary of Russell is in charge of the funeral service arrangements.
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — A 22-year-old man has pleaded guilty in the shooting deaths of a man and woman at a Topeka apartment.
The Topeka Capital-Journal reports that Nicholas Storm Phillips, of Topeka, admitted Tuesday to two counts of reckless second-degree murder. Prosecutors said he fired multiple shots through an apartment door in December, killing 20-year-old Daquhan S. Jackson and 29-year-old Mary E. Thomas, both of Topeka.
Phillips told a detective he was upset because the victims were stealing his clothes, which had been thrown into a grassy area after he fought with a girlfriend.
Phillips also pleaded guilty to one felony count of criminal discharge of a firearm at an occupied dwelling. Two alternative counts of felony first-degree murder were dismissed.
The Hays Community Theatre is hosting Hays Has Humor Stand Up Comedy Showcase. Featuring comedians from Kansas City, the showcase will take place at the new Community Theater location, 118 E. 11th on Saturday, May 7.
Doors will open at 7:30 p.m., and the show will begin at 8 p.m. and run for about 90 minutes. There is a $5 admission, and concessions will be available. All proceeds will go to the Hays Community Theatre.
This is the first showcase. There are plans to have recurring shows — up to four per year with different comedians at every show. It is recommended for ages 18 and up. There will also be open mic opportunities in the future for local talent.
Comedians from Kansas City include Aaron Naylor, Jake Redpath and Brett Schmidt.
Young adult patrons worked hard over the last few weeks to put together a “Trash’n Show Fashion Show.” This exciting fashion show will take place in the library’s Schmidt Gallery on Thursday, March 24, at 5:30 p.m. The public is invited to attend this unconventional fashion show event.
“Each spring, the young adult department alternates between a fashion show and a talent show. This spring we decided to have a Trash’n Show” said Nicole Thibodeau, the staff member in charge of the show. “The teens have been busy working on creating fashions using recycled and previously used items like old maps, packing peanuts, magazines and fabric scraps.
“The Trash’n Show is a great way to get everyone involved and thinking about ways to be creative with items we might otherwise discard,” she added.
Makeup and hair for the Trash’n Show Fashion Show will be done by the Hays Academy of Hair Design. Both boys and girls will wear their fashions on the runway this Thursday. This fashion show is definitely one of a kind. Don’t miss it!
To read more about the Trash’n Show’s development you can check out the Young Adult Department’s blog post at https: yaprogramactivities.wordpress.com/. For more information contact the library at 785-625-9014.
Today A 30 percent chance of rain and thunderstorms, mainly after 3pm. Increasing clouds, with a high near 63. Windy, with a southwest wind 8 to 13 mph becoming west northwest 20 to 25 mph in the afternoon.
Tonight A chance of rain and snow, mainly before midnight. Cloudy, then gradually becoming partly cloudy, with a low around 28. Very windy, with a north northwest wind 33 to 38 mph decreasing to 21 to 26 mph after midnight. Winds could gust as high as 55 mph. Chance of precipitation is 50%. New snow accumulation of less than a half inch possible.
Thursday Sunny, with a high near 53. Northwest wind 7 to 16 mph.
Thursday Night Mostly clear, with a low around 31. South wind 7 to 10 mph.
FridayMostly sunny, with a high near 66. South wind 11 to 14 mph becoming west northwest in the afternoon.
Friday NightA slight chance of rain and snow after 11pm. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 37. Chance of precipitation is 20%.
SaturdayA chance of rain and snow. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 49. Breezy. Chance of precipitation is 30%.
Saturday NightA chance of rain and snow. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 27. Chance of precipitation is 30%.
RENO COUNTY – Law enforcement authorities in Reno County are investigating an alleged aggravated assault and kidnapping on a utility company employee.
Just after 2 p.m. on Tuesday, Reno County Sheriff’s deputies were dispatched to 11912 E. 4th Avenue for a man with a Westar employee at gunpoint, according to a media release.
Deputy McVey arrived and a moment later advised he had one a suspect Brent Bunting, 61, Hutchinson, at gunpoint. He was detained and handcuffed.
Bunting stated that he arrived at the residence to exchange the electrical meter.
He went to the front door of the residence and knocked. No one answered the door, so Bunting put one of the fliers in the doorway and walked to the east side of the house to exchange the meter.
After exchanging the meter, Bunting said a white male who told him he did not have permission to be on the property, and to put the meter back confronted him.
Bunting tried to explain that he can’t do that, and began walking towards his Truck.
The suspect Marc Miller, 66, told him he needed to come sit down.
Bunting ignored Miller’s request.
Bunting said that Miller stepped into the residence through a sliding glass door and came right back out with a shotgun and then told Bunting again that he wasn’t leaving and needed to come sit down.
Bunting made his way back up to the front of the residence where an outside table is located and sat in a chair at that location.
Bunting told deputies that while he was seated at the table, Miller allowed him to call his supervisor.
When Deputies arrived on scene they confronted Miller with a rifle. After some verbal commands he gave up without incident.
Miller was arrested for Aggravated Assault and Kidnapping and was transported to the Reno County Correctional Facility without incident.
LABETTE COUNTY- Two people died in an accident just before 5 p.m. on Tuesday in Labette County.
The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2005 Ford Escape driven by Hugh Scott Story, 40, Vinita, OK, was southbound on U.S. 59 five miles south of Oswego.
The vehicle traveled left of center and struck a northbound 2001 Buick Century driven by Joan Elizabeth Carrell, 70, Oswego.
Story and Carrell were pronounced dead at the scene and transported to Frontier Forensics.
Story was not wearing a seat belt, according to the KHP.
OLATHE, Kan. (AP) — A man has been sentenced to nearly 13 years in prison in connection to a fatal crash at a northeast Kansas intersection.
The Kansas City Star reports 33-year-old Souksavanh Chamnongchith was sentenced Monday to 12 years and 10 months in prison. He had pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter in the November 2014 death of 31-year-old Idir Lounes.
Prosecutors said that Chamnongchith was driving under the influence when his vehicle collided with a vehicle being driven by Lounes, who was traveling north on U.S. 56 in Olathe.
Lounes was taken to a hospital, where he later died. Chamnongchith was not injured in the crash.
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas lawmakers are taking up a new education funding proposal that’s designed to help poor school districts without increasing the state’s total spending significantly.
The Senate Ways and Means Committee and the House Appropriations Committee were having separate hearings Wednesday on the plan.
It was drafted by the two committee chairmen. They are Republican Sen. Ty Masterson of Andover and GOP Rep. Ron Ryckman Jr. of Olathe.
The plan redistributes $83 million of the state’s $4 billion-plus a year in aid to its 286 school districts.
It increases the state’s overall spending by a few million dollars to ensure that no districts lose aid. Previous plans cut aid to dozens of districts.
The Kansas Supreme Court ruled last month that the state has shorted its poor districts on their aid.
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TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas lawmakers are looking at a new school finance plan that would ensure that districts don’t lose state aid in an attempt to satisfy the Kansas Supreme Court.
Identical bills in the House and Senate also would shift control of a fund to help districts facing extraordinary circumstances from lawmakers and the governor to the State Board of Education.
The Topeka Capital-Journal reports discussions on the measures are expected Wednesday in both chambers.
The bills apply an old formula used to determine capital outlay state aid for districts to local option budget state aid. They would provide additional aid to districts that would lose funds under that formula so their funding levels don’t decline.
Many districts would not see any increases in funding under the bill, either.
BOSTON (AP) — An 80-year-old man who ran a sprawling marijuana-dealing operation has been sentenced to 10 years in prison.
Marshall Dion pleaded guilty last year to drug and money-laundering charges.
Prosecutors say Dion ran a large marijuana enterprise for decades.
When police in Junction City, Kansas, stopped him for speeding in 2013, they found about $828,000 in cash in his pickup truck. A federal investigation led authorities to Massachusetts and Arizona, where they found about $15 million in cash, nearly 400 pounds of marijuana and ledgers detailing drug deals going back to 1992.
A federal judge earlier this month rejected a plea agreement that called for a five- to seven-year prison sentence for Dion.
The judge sentenced him to 10 years on Tuesday during a hearing in U.S. District Court.
HUTCHINSON – Pop, arena rock and Christian music have been added to the grandstand lineup at the Kansas State Fair.
Andy Grammer with special guest Rachel Platten, Hairball and Crowder will all take the stage, according to a media release.
Tickets go on sale May 6 at 8 a.m. and can be purchased at the Kansas State Fair Ticket Office by calling 1-800-362-3247 or at www.kansasstatefair.tix.com.
Unless otherwise noted, Grandstand tickets include gate admission when purchased through Aug. 20, 2016.
Fair Fan Club
Want to buy your tickets before everyone else? Those who join the Fair Fan Club have the opportunity to purchase up to two tickets to each concert prior to the public on-sale date. In addition, Fan Club members receive advance notification of upcoming concert announcements. Memberships are on sale now. Dues are $100 per fair and can be purchased online; by phone at 1-800-362-3247 or 620-669-3600; or at the Administration Building on the Fairgrounds. Fair Fan Club members can purchase concert tickets first, starting at 8 a.m. on April 22. For more information on joining the club, visit bit.ly/FAIRFANCLUB.
Andy Grammer with Special Guest Rachel Platten – Friday, Sept. 9, 7:30 p.m. – Tickets $75/$50/$35*
Los Angeles-born, New York-raised recording artist Andy Grammer has gone from hustling street performer on Santa Monica’s Third Street Promenade to multi-platinum selling recording artist. Grammer’s background singing on the streets helped him hone his performance style and clued him in on audience expectations.
Grammer became the first male pop star in a decade to reach the Top 10 at Adult Pop Radio on his first two singles, “Keep Your Head Up” and “Fine By Me” from his 2011 self-titled debut album. Both singles are certified Platinum and Gold respectively and have sold more than 1.5 million downloads combined. His album Magazines or Novels, continues his disarming success with his triple-platinum No. 1 single “Honey, I’m Good.” and “Good To Be Alive (Hallelujah).”
In just a few short years, Grammer’s accomplishments have made waves. He’s gone on to sell over 100,000 albums, play sold out venues nationwide, perform onstage with Taylor Swift, Train, and Colbie Caillat, appear on an array of national TV shows and receive two BMI Pop Music Awards among many other endeavors.
The success of his debut album brought him to places he had dreamed of, but never expected to visit.
For more information on Andy Grammer, please visit www.andygrammer.com.
Rachel Platten
Growing up in Boston, Rachel Platten recalls harmonizing with her family to finely crafted pop songs from Sam Cooke to The Beatles. As a teenager, Rachel gravitated towards, and began to become affected by, hip-hop and female singer-songwriters. Her CD collection was comprised of Tori Amos, Patti Griffin, A Tribe Called Quest and Nas. The commonality between the two seemingly different genres: confessional and vulnerable songwriting.
After finishing college, Rachel immediately set out for New York City where she took up residence in the very apartment building on MacDougal Street in Greenwich Village where Bob Dylan once lived. She found a band on Craigslist and started performing in clubs around the city paying her dues for the next few years in the industry.
Platten found her first big spark with “Fight Song,” which took two years to complete. She turned inward by telling her own story through the song. The song delivered exactly the message people needed. “Fight Song” was a life-changing and inspirational song of 2015, topping iTunes and radio charts and selling more than two million downloads in the U.S. alone. “Fight Song” ignited a fire, which led to her major label debut, Wildfire, released January 1, 2016.
The break out artist is touring the world, performing on countless television shows and being played on radio stations coast to coast. Platten recently premiered the beautifully uplifting music video for her current single “Stand By You,” another emotionally empowering anthem from the songstress. Rachel Platten is one to watch.
To learn more about Rachel Platten, please go to www.rachelplatten.com.
Eat, sleep, breath rock ‘n’ roll: the essence of Hairball. They transform the stage into an entirely new rock spectacle performing hits from Van Halen, KISS, Motley Crue, Queen, Journey, Prince, Aerosmith and more. Vocalists Joe, Steve and Bobby lead the band through a mind-blowing and accurate homage to some of the biggest arena acts in the world.
Hairball pride themselves on nailing some of the most memorable licks and chops of all time, while adding their own style and flare that they’ve cultivated over decades of performing. They celebrated their 15th year of rock ‘n’ roll in 2015 and are constantly adding more characters, pyrotechnics, lights, sound, props and surprises to their performances.
The group performs every show as though it could be their last. They deliver a 100% full-on, no-holds-barred, exciting, chaotic, fiery party that has to be experienced to be believed.
Hairball is much more than a typical “80’s Tribute” band. They are an experience, an attitude and expression of music that is so much more than a retro flashback. This year will be Hairball’s second performance at the Kansas State Fair. Missed their show last year? Don’t make the same mistake twice. You won’t want to miss this one.
For more information about Hairball, please go to www.hairballonline.com.
David Crowder never meant to write and sing songs for a living. He assumed he would move back home to Texarkana, Texas, after attending college at Baylor University to follow in his father’s footsteps selling insurance and taking over the family business. It was only when his friend, a pastor, told Crowder a story, which began his journey back to the church. In 1995, Crowder and his friend started a church in Waco, Texas, where Crowder was to collect sounds and words that would give expression to their communal experience and eventually write compositions.
In November 2012, Crowder released his first solo project, Crowder: iTunes® Session, which delivered nine stripped down organic tracks to many of his most loved originals. He has been embraced for his lyrically powerful and musically elaborate and unpredictable songs that have found themselves being sung everywhere from churches to clubs all across the country. Crowder’s most recent album, Neon Steeple, was released in May 2014 and includes hits “I Am,” “Come as You Are” and “Lift Your Head Weary Sinner (Chains).”
For more information on Crowder, please visit www.crowdermusic.com.
* Concert tickets, unless otherwise denoted, include general gate admission when purchased through Aug. 20.
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas House members have rejected a proposal that would repeal Common Core standards for math and reading education.
They voted 44-78 against the measure Tuesday, following a debate of more than three hours. Under the proposal, school districts would have been forbidden to use any national curriculum in tests, programs and materials.
The action occurred even though members rejected efforts to return the bill to the House Education Committee or to strip it of committee amendments.
Supporters of the bill said Common Core strips local districts of control. Opponents of the measure said Common Core encourages rigorous standards.
Common Core is optional for states, and the Kansas State Board of Education adopted it in 2010. The standards call for a classroom focus on analytical skills instead of rote memorization.
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