Baby giraffe born on Sunday at Rolling Hills Zoo-courtesy photo
SALINE COUNTY- Santa dropped off an early gift at Rolling Hills Zoo on Sunday, with the birth of the first baby giraffe born in the zoo to mother, Zuri, and father BT, according to a media release.
Zuri’s water broke about 4:30 p.m. and she gave birth just before 6 p.m. to a healthy male calf that stands close to six feet tall.
Twenty-two minutes after his birth, the calf made his first attempt to stand. By 7:03 p.m., while still wobbly, he was up on all fours. At 7:14 p.m. the calf took his first steps.
The calf was seen nursing about an hour and a half after birth.
While everything looks good for the new calf, Zoo staff members caution that he is not out of the woods yet. “We will monitor closely the calf and dam via video cameras without constantly going in the building and potentially interrupting the pair. We will continue to monitor and observe the calf’s overall appearance, demeanor and activity. Things can change quickly with newborns, but we are cautiously optimistic given progress and signs thus far,” shared Dr. Danelle Okeson, Rolling Hills Zoo veterinarian.
At this time the giraffe barn is closed for public viewing. The Zoo asks for the public’s patience and understanding while they assess the health and well being of both the mother and calf and allow them to bond.
Lowell Gene McKanna, 85, of Newton, Kansas, and formerly of Luray, Kansas, passed away Saturday, November 26, 2016, at Asbury Park Campus in Newton.
Lowell was born on January 22, 1931, in Luray, Kansas, the son of Charles Lester and Pricilla Waive (Glasgow) McKanna. He grew up in Luray and graduated from Luray High School.
Lowell served his country for four years in the U.S. Air Force during the Korean War. Two of those years he was stationed in Germany before returning to Luray.
Lowell met and fell in love with Ursula while he was stationed in Germany. She followed him to America where they were united in marriage on March 8, 1955, in Russell, Kansas. This union was blessed with four daughters; Christine, Debra, Stephany and Andrea. They made their home in Luray.
Lowell was owner and operator of McKanna Oil Co. from 1955 to 1994. He delivered fuel and propane to the farmers and families in the Luray area. He was a member of the Luray United Methodist Church. He was a life member of the Russell V.F.W. During his younger years, he enjoyed hunting, playing golf, traveling, and riding motorcycles. His latter years were often spent watching sporting events and reading car magazines. His passion for vehicles began at a very young age.
Surviving family include his wife of 61 years, Ursula of the home; four daughters, Christine Cederberg (Kyle) of Hillsboro, Kansas, Debra Scott (Greg) of Salina, Kansas, Stephany Seirer (Jeff) of Andover, Kansas and Andrea McKanna of Beloit, Kansas; sister, Signa Heffel of Hays, Kansas; 13 grandchildren and 19 great grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his parents, sister, Sondra Cherry and grandson, Drew Cederberg.
Celebration of Lowell’s life will be held at 11:00 a.m., Thursday, December 1, 2016, at the Luray United Methodist Church. Burial will follow at the Luray City Cemetery where the Russell V.F.W. Post #6240 Honor Guard will conduct Military Rites. Visitation will be held the day of the service from 10:00 a.m. to service time at the church where the family will be present to greet friends. A memorial has been established with the Luray United Methodist Church and/or Russell V.F.W. Contributions and condolences may be sent to Pohlman-Varner-Peeler Mortuary of Russell, who is in charge of these arrangements.
Patricia Lew Whisler, 83, passed away Monday, November 21, at Delmar Gardens of Lenexa, KS. She was born on January 25, 1933, in Lincoln KS, to Lewis B. and Fae E. Brockett. Pat attended Kansas State University for 2 years and then later finished her teaching degree at FHSU in Hays, KS. She fell in love with Francis C. Whisler and they began their life together on May 23, 1954. They resided in Russell all their married life. Pat taught school for many years and in several places. She taught in Natoma, country school Lincoln Elementary, and Simpson School in Russell. Pat was a caring and loving teacher, and throughout the years she had many wonderful stories about her students. She was so proud of each and every one. After retirement, Pat continued to substitute and work as a paraprofessional in the Russell district. It was her great joy.
Pat and Francis were members of the Trinity United Methodist Church, where she was a member of the UMW and was very active in the Women’s circles. For years, Pat helped address and send birthday, get well, Christmas and other special greeting cards to church members. In years past, she played the piano for the children’s choir, Sunday school, and for area nursing home church services. She volunteered often for many activities and was dedicated to helping others.
Pat’s interests and hobbies included music, gardening, birds, flowers, dominoes and crossword puzzles. She enjoyed spending as much time as possible with her family, instilling the love of learning and generosity. She was a loving and devoted wife, mother, grandmother, sister, aunt, and neighbor.
She is survived by her son Michael Whisler, Russell, and her daughter Susan (Fred) Albers, Overland Park, KS; grandchildren Holly and Jordan Albers, Overland Park, KS, and Jessica (Brent) Cunningham, of Glen Elder, KS; great-grandchildren Drew, Tanna, and Bailee. She is also survived by her sister, Joleene (Leo) Lessor of Denmark, KS; sisters-in-law Barbara Nimz, Russell, and Carol Perrin, Tampa, FL and many cousins, nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents and her husband, Francis, who died on August 2, 2012. She is so greatly loved and will be dearly missed by all.
Celebration of Patricia’s Life will be held at 10:30 AM, Friday, December 9, 2016 at the Trinity United Methodist Church of Russell. Burial of ashes will follow at the Russell City Cemetery. Visitation will be held on Thursday, December 8, 2016 from 9:00 AM to 8:00 PM at Pohlman-Varner-Peeler Mortuary of Russell with the family present to greet friends from 6:00 PM to 7:00 PM. A Memorial has been established at the Trinity United Methodist Church. Contributions and condolences may be sent to Pohlman-Varner-Peeler Mortuary, who is in charge of these arrangements.
Kimberley Ann Owston, age 53, of Ellis, passed away Wednesday, November 23, 2016 in Hays, Kansas. She was born April 13, 1963 in Boulder, Colorado to Larry Dean and Florie Corine (Rupp) Seitzinger.
She is survived by two daughters, Jessica Owston of Ellis, KS and Mary Owston of Hays, KS; two step sons, Jeremy Storment of Oregon and Cody Owston of Orlando, FL; a sister, Brenda Slaughter of Ellis, KS; a step sister, Chayla Sherin of Colorado Springs, Co and her grandchildren, Sophie, Aubrey, Tristan, Destiny, Jordan, Jada, Johnny and Julian.
She was preceded in death by her parents; brothers, Jack, Brian, Kevin, Danny and Donnie and a sister, Deborah.
A celebration of life service will be at 2 PM Saturday, December 3, 2016 at the Days Inn Conference Room in Ellis, KS. A celebration gathering will continue until 8 PM with a pot luck at 5 PM.
Memorials are suggested to be used according to the wishes of the family.
Arrangements in care of Brock’s-Keithley Funeral Chapel and Crematory 2509 Vine Hays, KS 67601.
Condolences may be left by guest book at www.keithleyfuneralchapels.com or emailed to [email protected].
For the second time this year, Heartland Community Foundation is announcing grant awards in all three counties it serves, Ellis, Trego and Rooks, resulting from grant applications received through October 15, 2016. This cycle produced a total of 42 grant applications totaling over $386,000.
“We continue to recognize and realize the needs of all our communities. We are so fortunate to have the Dane G. Hansen’s commitment to rural community betterment,” said Sandy Jacobs, Heartland Community Foundation executive director. “Our efforts for the future will be focused on growing our Unrestricted Grant Funds to offer even more opportunity to Ellis, Trego and Rooks County organizations.”
The current grant cycle brings the total awarded in 2016 to over $450,000.
Through the generosity of the Dane G. Hansen Foundation Heartland Community Foundation is able to continue its efforts to meet charitable community needs through leadership, grants and donor services.
“The Heartland Community Foundation is happy to award over $200,000.00 in grant funds to Ellis, Rooks and Trego Counties this Fall. In addition to our Healthy Living and Area Action grants, we feel honored to award an additional $200,000.00 from the Dane G. Hansen Foundation through our Heartland Community Foundation. Our grant program is one means by which we can fulfill our mission of improving life by investing in the vision, passion and expertise of local nonprofit organizations.”, said Susan Bowles, Heartland Community Foundation Board President.
Ellis County applications totaled 18 for $155,343.84. The 12 grants awarded are:
$954 – USD 489 Early Childhood Connections – Chair Cubes for Special Needs Preschoolers
$2,410 – Thomas More Prep-Marian High, Inc – Interactive Science Technology for Students
$4,025 – Ellis County Dolly Parton Imagination Library – Ellis County Early Literacy
$ 2,500 – Hays Arts Council, Inc – Historic Icons in Hays’ Past – A public art mural project for our community
$ 4,990 – Lincoln Elemetary School – Outdoor Learning Pavillion
$5,000 – First Presbyterian Church – Healing Kids’ Hearts Retreat
$3,299 – Developomental Services of NW Kansas – ADA Tub Time Project
$4,650 – Hays Area Children’s Center – Evidence-Based Technology Use with Young Children with Disabilities and their families
$8,000 – Hays Lions Club – Vision Screening for Children and Adults
$2,000 – Ellis County Historical Society – Ellis County Court House Preservation Project
$750 – United Way of Ellis County – Ellis County Community Resource Guide
$3,672 – Hays Community Theatre – Dinner and a Show
13 applications were received from Trego County organizations totaling $155,343.84. The following grants were awarded:
$8,083 – City of Wakeeney – Wayfinding signs
$14,500 – Boy Scout Troup 165 – Scout Food Stand
$3,000 – Trego County-Lempke Memorial Hospital – Trego County Health Fair
$2,000 – USD 208 – P & G Design (School based business)
$30,000 – USD 208 – Grade School Playground Equipment
$1,543 – Prairie Faith Shared Ministry – Community Wellness Education
$7,800 – Wakeeney Housing Authority – Community Beautification
$7,075 – Trego County Historical Society – Operation: Collection Exhibit Displays
$1,800 – The Salvation Army – Emergency Assistance
$10,610 – Trego Hospital Endowment Foundation – Balance System for Health
Rooks County organizations submitted a total of 11 applications totaling $83,148.00. 10 grants were awarded as follows:
$3,150 Rooks County Healthcare Foundation – Infant Jaundice Screening Project
$1,300 – Rooks County Healthcare Foundation – Neonatal Resuscitation Training
$5,000 – City of Stockton – Come Squish With Us at the Stockton City Park
$3,000 – Rooks County Free Fair – Entertainment Under the Pavillion
$5,000 – City of Plainville – Welcome to Plainville Entrance Signs
$4,800 – Plainville Community Foundation – Andreson Memorial Park Enhancement & Maintenance
$3,500 – Reeder/Dinkel/Westhusin Post 8871 Veterans of Foreign Wars – New Tables and Chairs
$15,000 – USD 271 Stockton Schools – Campus Safety Initiative
$7,500 – USD 270 – New Press Box at Cardinal Field
$3,645 – Sacred Heart Grade School – Basketball Court Re-surfacing
When the temperatures in Kansas dip below freezing, two types of people usually surface – those who enjoy invigorating weather and those who tolerate the cold from inside. How an individual feels about the cold weather usually depends on where he/she grew up, age and more importantly, attitude.
Another factor comes into play – wind chill factor. Wind chill factor is usually defined as the cooling effect from wind and temperature on the human body. Wind whisking by exposed skin during cold weather increases a person’s heat loss.
An Antarctic explorer, Paul Siple, and his colleague, Charles Passel, first coined the term “wind chill” in 1939. Siple described wind chill as the relative cooling power – heat removal – from the body with various combinations of wind speed and low temperatures.
Some 70 years later, wind chill has become a common term in our everyday conversation. Knowing the factors help people protect themselves against frostbite and hypothermia. Tissue damage occurs in frostbite when wind chill temperatures fall below –25 degrees F. Hypothermia results when the rapid loss of the body’s internal temperature alters judgment. This sometimes results in death.
Western Kansas stockmen know the harder the wind blows, the lower the wind chill factor. Simply put, it is the relationship between wind speed and actual temperature that produces this chilling effect.
People who spend time outdoors during these cold periods – stockmen, construction workers, hunters, runners and skiers – may create their own winds or increase the existing wind. Because movement magnifies airflow, they should be especially cautious of wind chill.
Manual labor and other physical exertion can cause heat loss also. Sweat begins and heat is removed by vaporization. Breathing cold air also results in the loss of heat from the lungs.
Few people realize that smoking, drinking, prescription drugs and illegal narcotics may also contribute to frostbite or hypothermia during bitterly cold temperatures. These dull the senses.
Alcohol dilates the capillaries of the skin and that increases the body’s heat loss. Nicotine smoke absorbed by the blood causes the capillaries to constrict. This restricts the blood flow to the earlobes, fingertips and other regions of the body. Medication can have side effects too, so venture outside during cold weather with extreme caution.
Wind chill charts for regular references are available wherever outdoor equipment is sold. Use these charts only as a point of information. Wind chill charts aren’t always accurate because they don’t take into account all the possibilities of heat loss, or the preventive measures against it.
Air temperature is rarely a reliable indicator of how cold a person will feel outdoors. Elements such as wind speed, relative humidity and sunshine or solar radiation also play a part. A person’s health and the type of clothing worn will also affect how a person feels.
When you go outside, dress for the weather and the wind. Wear loose-fitting, lightweight, warm clothing in several layers. These layers can be removed to prevent perspiration and subsequent chilling. Snug mittens are better protection than fitted gloves.
Always wear a hat, preferably wool, ear protection and a scarf or neck gaiter. If it’s bitter cold – stay inside.
John Schlageck, a Hoxie native, is a leading commentator on agriculture and rural Kansas.
OLATHE, Kan. (AP) — A man who admitted causing a Kansas traffic crash that killed a pregnant woman has been ordered to spend more than 12 years in prison.
Twenty-one-year-old Raphael Sherman of Shawnee was sentenced Monday in Johnson County. He pleaded guilty in August to charges of second-degree murder and aggravated battery.
January fatal accident scene -photo courtesy KSHB
Authorities allege that Sherman ran a red light in January after a police officer tried to pull him over for a traffic offense. That’s when authorities say his car hit a vehicle occupied by 25-year-old Denise Lopez, who was 39 weeks pregnant. Sherman’s car also struck a minivan, injuring several of its occupants.
Lopez died at a hospital, where doctors managed to deliver her baby.
SHAWNEE COUNTY -Law enforcement authorities in Shawnee County are investigating after a uniformed Topeka police officer received a tainted drink at a fast-food restaurant.
The beverage was tainted with mustard.
The Shawnee County District Attorney’s office has opened a criminal investigating and the restaurant is cooperating, according to a media release.
No additional details were released from police late Monday.
Social media comments indicated the restaurant fired the employee involved in the incident.
GRAND ISLAND, Neb. — Bosselman Energy announced Monday it will host a ribbon-cutting ceremony at its new facility in Plainville.
Bosselman Energy has relocated its Plainville facility to 200 North East Sixth Street. The facility includes a 12,500-square-foot building with a shop, a warehouse and office plus seven bulk fuel storage tanks that hold over 100,000 gallons of refined petroleum products.
The entire community is invited to the grand opening celebration to enjoy sandwiches and refreshments.
The event is scheduled for 11 a.m. Friday, Dec. 9.
“This opening is bittersweet, as we announce the retirement of Jeff Turnbull and the promotion of Quentin Meyers to the position of general manager. Jeff was kind enough to stay on with us through this process. He was planning to retire in October but, fortunately for us, he stuck around a little longer to complete the project,” said Fred Bosselman, CEO of Bosselman Energy.
Much like the location on West Mill Street, Bosselman Energy will continue to operate 24-hour credit card fuel dispensers, but the company has made some improvements. Those include offering Diesel Exhaust Fluid, as well as upgrading the credit card readers with chip-reading technology to provide extra consumer protection. The card readers accept all major credit cards and fleet cards. There are dispensers for gasoline, clear diesel, red diesel and Diesel Exhaust Fluid.
“We had really outgrown our former facility; we needed the space and got the opportunity to update everything in this move,” Bosselman said.
The new location has more room for trucks to navigate the plant. The company purchased the land in 2015 with the intention of developing a new site. The company said is a news release it hopes the new facility will jumpstart development in the area.
The facility includes a 12,500-square-foot warehouse with an in ground dock that will allow unloading with forklifts to make handling lubricants and deliveries easier and safer, a drive through truck wash bay, and 2,000 square foot of offices on 5 acres of land.
The fuel storage and loading facility is state-of-the art with bottom loading equipment, complete with overfill protection to ensure employee safety by eliminating the need for drivers to climb on top of the truck. This facility can hold up to 100,000 gallons of fuel with 6-12,000 gallon fuel tanks, and 1-30,000 gallon propane tank.
Werner Welding and Construction LLC out of Codell and Westhusing’s out of Stockton were the main contractors on the project.
“It’s been great working with these companies,” Turnbull said.
Today Increasing clouds, with a high near 50. Windy, with a northwest wind 10 to 15 mph increasing to 20 to 25 mph in the afternoon. Winds could gust as high as 38 mph.
Tonight Mostly cloudy, with a low around 28. Northwest wind 13 to 15 mph.
Wednesday Sunny, with a high near 48. Breezy, with a northwest wind 11 to 21 mph, with gusts as high as 31 mph.
Wednesday Night Clear, with a low around 22. West northwest wind 6 to 10 mph.
Thursday Sunny, with a high near 48. West northwest wind 5 to 7 mph becoming light and variable in the afternoon.
Thursday Night Partly cloudy, with a low around 23.
ELLIS COUNTY – Law enforcement authorities in Ellis County are investigating hunting violations and, with the public’s help, identified the hunter that had his picture taken by a trail camera on the Smoky Hill River in southern Ellis County.
The hunter was contacted, according to Kansas Game Wardens.
No additional details in the case were reported late Monday. Check Hays Post for more as information becomes available.
WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — A female student says Kansas State University’s failure to investigate the rape of another woman allowed the same alleged assailant to sexually assault her.
The accusations were in court documents filed Monday seeking to add Crystal Stroup to a lawsuit against the university by Sara Weckhorst.
The Associated Press typically does not name alleged rape victims, but their attorney said both woman wanted to be identified.
Stroup says she was raped in 2015, while Weckhorst said she was attacked in 2014. If the court agrees to add Stroup to the lawsuit, she will be the third woman to sue the university this year over rape allegations.
Kansas State said it was reviewing the documents.
Jared Ralph Gihring was charged with rape in both cases, and was expelled from the university.
Today Increasing clouds, with a high near 50. Windy, with a northwest wind 10 to 15 mph increasing to 20 to 25 mph in the afternoon. Winds could gust as high as 38 mph.
