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Month: October 2017

FHSU football up to No. 8 in D2Football.com poll

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LIBERTY, Mo. – After moving up one spot in the AFCA Division II Poll on Monday, the Tigers moved up the same amount in the D2Football.com Poll, released on Tuesday (Oct. 24). The Tigers are No. 8 this week, while they are No. 7 in the AFCA Poll.

Unlike the AFCA Poll, where FHSU is among eight undefeated teams at the top of the list, the D2Football.com Poll has a pair of one-loss teams in front of FHSU. Those two teams, Ashland (No. 4) and Ferris State (No. 7) are in Super Region 3 along with FHSU. Indianapolis, which is No. 6 in the AFCA Poll, is No. 10 in the D2Football.com Poll. The D2Football.com Poll has five teams from Super Region 3 in the Top 10.

Northwest Missouri State remains No. 1 in both national polls. Central Missouri (No. 17) joins FHSU and NWMSU as MIAA schools in the Top 25 of the D2Football.com Poll.

Below is the D2Football.com Poll for October 24, 2017.

Team Record Previous
1 Northwest Missouri State 8-0 1
2 Indiana (Pa.) 8-0 2
3 Minnesota State 8-0 3
4 Ashland 7-1 5
5 Shepherd 7-0 6
6 Midwestern State 6-0 7
7 Ferris State 6-1 8
8 Fort Hays State 8-0 9
9 Texas A&M-Commerce 6-1 10
10 Indianapolis 8-0 11
11 Winona State 8-0 12
12 Central Washington 8-0 14
13 Sioux Falls 7-1 15
14 Grand Valley State 6-2 4
15 Assumption 7-0 16
16 Wingate 7-0 18
17 Central Missouri 6-2 20
18 Virginia State 7-0 21
19 Colorado Mesa 7-1 22
20 West Georgia 6-2 24
21 Humboldt State 6-1 25
22 CSU-Pueblo 6-2 23
23 West Alabama 6-2 13
24 Minnesota Duluth 6-2 NR
25 California 6-2 NR

HENSLEY: It’s time to do the right thing for the children of Kansas

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Sen. Anthony Hensley (D-Topeka) is the Kansas Senate Minority Leader.

The Kansas Supreme Court ruled for the twelfth time since 2003 that the State of Kansas has failed to “make suitable provision for finance of the educational interests of the state” as required by Article 6, Section 6 of the Kansas Constitution. While there are Republican legislators eager to attack the integrity of our state Supreme Court justices, such a tactic is short-sighted and unproductive.

On March 2, 2017, the Court clearly instructed the Kansas Legislature to implement a constitutional school finance formula that was both adequate and equitable, meaning sufficient school funding and reasonably equal access to that funding. The Court also admonished the Legislature to “show its work” in order to justify the decisions it made in crafting this formula. Their admonition was something the Legislature should have taken seriously. Unfortunately, it didn’t.

The Gannon trial record contained 662 exhibits totaling 18,727 pages and 3,673 pages of transcript testimony. The Republican leadership hired and paid a Legislative Counsel $65,000 to help us “show our work” and defend our decisions in court. This ultimately resulted in the production of a legal brief from the Legislative Counsel attempting to defend the Legislature’s action. This brief was wholly insufficient and underscored the fact that the Legislature’s final product, Senate Bill 19, was a result of political posturing, not facts and data.

So, who is to blame? Certainly not the Kansas Supreme Court. They are merely doing their job as a co-equal branch of government. The blame belongs to those who promoted the passage of Senate Bill 19. Now is the time to put politics aside and begin work immediately to craft a constitutional school finance formula and create a legislative record that demonstrates our final product is based on sound decisions, not politics. Otherwise, the Legislature is choosing to ignore its constitutional duty and will be the cause of a statewide school shutdown.

It’s time to do the right thing for the children of Kansas.

Sen. Anthony Hensley (D-Topeka) is the Kansas Senate Minority Leader.

NW Kansas man hospitalized after rear-end crash

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SHERIDAN COUNTY — A northwest Kansas man was injured in an accident just after 8a.m. Tuesday in Sheridan County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2015 Dodge Ram 1500 driven by Andrew R. Leavitt, 33, Colby, was eastbound on U.S. 24 nine miles west of Hoxie.

The pickup rear-ended a 2013 Kenworth semi driven by Tyler J. Kaus, 21, Seguin, that was turning northbound onto Sheridan County road 70W from U.S. 24.

Leavitt was transported to Sheridan County Hospital. Kaus was not injured. Both drivers were properly restrained at the time of the accident, according to the KHP.

Lt. Col. (Ret.) Vicki Ann Woldt

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Vicki Ann Woldt passed into Heaven on August 17, 2017, in Bel Aire, Kansas. She was born on April 22, 1943, to Eldon and Phena VanCampen, formerly of Colby, Kansas.

Following graduation from Colby, she obtained her nursing degree at Mercy School of Nursing in Denver, Colorado. She enlisted in the Army Nurses Corp and served our country in various locations around the world including 13 months in Vietnam with the 7h Surgical Hospital in Xuan Loe. She continued her education at Catholic University in Washington, D.C., and retired from the military as a Lieutenant Colonel in 1995.

She enjoyed her retirement with her companion, Pat Steinlicht, residing in Apache Junction, Arizona. Following the passing of Pat, she relocated to Bel Aire, Kansas to be near family.

Vicki is survived by her son, Michael Woldt of Fayetteville, North Carolina, her daughter, Eve Woldt, of Portland Maine, her brother, Mike (Connie) Vancampen, of Turon, Kansas, her nephew, Brian Vancampen of Pratt, Kansas, and niece, Lisa (Cole) Young of Frisco, Texas.

Cremation has taken place and a military memorial service are scheduled for 11 a.m. Saturday, October 28th, at Beulah Cemetery – Colby, KS .

Donations may be made to Kansas Honor Flight, P.O. Box 2371, Hutchinson, Kansas 67504.

Condolences: kersenbrockfuneralchapel.com

Habitat for Humanity Vine & Dine set for Nov. 12

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Hays Post

Habitat for Humanity of Ellis County will have its first Vine & Dine Food Festival fundraiser from noon to 4 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 12 on the main concourse of Big Creek Crossing.

Tickets are $20 for adults, $20 for two children ages 4 through 12 and children 3 and younger are free.

Tickets can be purchased online through Eventbrite at https://vine-dine.eventbrite.com.

Participating restaurants include Al’s Chickenette, Applebee’s Neighborhood Grill and Bar, Cancun Mexican Grill, China Garden, Dillons, El Dos de Oros Mexican Restaurant, Freddy’s Frozen Custard & Steakburgers, Gambino’s Pizza, Golden Corral, Golden Griddle, Gutierrez Cocina Mexicana, Hickok’s Steakhouse, Jalisco Restaurant, JD’s Chicken, Jimmy John’s Mokas, Osaki Japanese Restaurant, Pasta Jay’s Hays, Pheasant Run Pancake House , Popt! Gourmet Popcorn, Professor’s Steakhouse and Saloon, Sake2Me Sushi & Seafood Grille, Snow Cone Express, Soda Shoppe, Taco Shop, Thirsty’s Brew Pub and Grill, TK’s Smokehaus, Vernie’s Hamburger House, Whiskey Creek Wood Fire Grill.

Additional raffle prizes have been donated by Advanced Auto Parts, GameStop, G & L Tire and Automotive, Flowers by Frances, Merle Norman Cosmetics and more Hays merchants.

For more information, contact Habitat for Humanity of Ellis County at executivedirector@habitat elliscounty.org.

 

Man admits robbing 4 Kansas City area banks of $25K

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Holmes -security camera image courtesy KC police

KANSAS CITY (AP) – A man has pleaded guilty to a series of four Kansas City area bank robberies that netted around $25,000 over five months.

The U.S. attorney’s office says 57-year-old Tam Henry Holmes entered the plea Monday. Prosecutors say he stole $450 from Kansas City bank last November. In April, he is accused of robbing a Liberty bank of around $8,300, an Independence credit union of around $12,205 and another Kansas City bank of around $4,050.

In all the robberies, he is accused of handing notes to the tellers. One note read, “give me all the money, hurry up, or I will hurt you.” Another robbery note read, “Don’t pull any dye packs, bail or alarms. I know where you live.”

He faces a sentence of up to 80 years in prison.

Hays school board discusses graduation rates, post-secondary success

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By CRISTINA JANNEY
Hays Post

The Hays USD 489 school board received its first taste of data Monday night that will be used in district accreditation starting this year.

Among the data is postsecondary progress, graduation rates, attendance, ACT scores, teacher licensure, dropout rates, demographics, standardized test scores, comparative performance and fiscal systems, and special education reports.

Assistant Superintendent Shanna Dinkel discussed the district’s postsecondary success numbers.

“We are looking more globally than a single test,” she said.

By the year 2020, an estimated 70 to 75 percent of Kansas jobs will require post-secondary degrees or certificates.

The district’s five-year graduation rate is 87 percent. The state average is 85 percent. The state goal is 95 percent.

The district’s five-year post-secondary success rate is 54 percent. That includes students who have earned degrees or certificates or are in school.

The state then figures an effectiveness rate. That takes into account the district’s number of students with risk factors such as disabilities.

The range the state would expect the district to be in is 43.2 to 48.2 percent. The district’s effective rate is 47 percent.

Superintendent John Thissen said a five-year predicted effectiveness rate of 47 percent is good. Those districts whose effective rates are at or below the state’s predicted effectiveness rate will have a greater the challenge to meet the new state standards.

Dinkel also discussed the drop out rate, which was 1.6 percent in 2015 and 1.7 percent for 2016 for the district. The district’s rates match the state’s rates for the same years.

The rate is recorded annually and accounts for all students in seventh through 12th grades who leave the district without a transferring school.

You can search the entire report as well as state figures at https://ksreportcard.ksde.org/.

In other business, the board:

• Heard a financial report from Tracy Kaiser, executive director of finance.

Kaiser said the district has taken in about $35,000 more in miscellaneous income that it budgeted. This included Midwest energy capital credits and additional funds in tech fees.

The district has spent about 10 percent of its budget at a time when it budgeted to have spent 21 percent.

• Approved the purchase of three suburbans at a total cost of $116,856 and the purchase of two route buses at a total cost of $181,662. The purchases are part of the district’s five-year transportation plan. The bids were under the $304,000 budgeted for the purchases.

• Conducted an executive session on negotiation, but took no action.

• Heard a report on materials/ workbook fees. Thissen said the district would look closer at the possibility of lowering fees when it has a better idea of what funding will come from the state for the 2018-19 school year.

Gertrude M. Kelly

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Phillipsburg resident Gertrude M. Kelly passed away Sun., Oct. 22, 2017 at the Phillips County Hospital in Phillipsburg, KS at the age of 99.

She was born Jan. 11, 1918 in Phillips County, KS, the daughter of Herman & Margaret (Himmelein) Merklein. She married Melvin Kelly on Feb. 27, 1946 in Stuttgart, KS. He preceded her in death on Sept. 22, 2003.

Survivors include her sons, Warren Kelly of Phillipsburg and Kent Kelly of Wichita, KS; her brother, Ehrhart Merklein of Phillipsburg; 2 grandchildren, 3 step grandchildren, 3 great-grandchildren and 2 step great-grandchildren.

Funeral services will be held Thursday, Oct. 26, at 2:00 p.m. in the Emmanuel Evangelical Lutheran Church, Stuttgart, with Pastor Lee Bennight officiating. Burial will follow in the Fairview Cemetery, Phillipsburg.

Mrs. Kelly will lie in-state Tuesday, Oct. 24, from 5 – 9 p.m. and Wed., Oct. 25, from 9 a.m. – 9 p.m. at the Olliff-Boeve Memorial Chapel, Phillipsburg.

Memorial contributions may be given to the Emmanuel Evangelical Lutheran Church. Online condolences to: www.olliffboeve.com.

Olliff-Boeve Memorial Chapel, Phillipsburg, is in charge of arrangements.

LeRoy L. Braun

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Phillips County resident LeRoy L. Braun passed away Sat., Oct. 21, 2017 at the Good Samaritan Hospital in Kearney, NE at the age of 77.

He was born Oct. 27, 1939 in Ellis County, KS, the son of Leonard & Regina (Drieling) Braun. On Nov. 11, 1961, he married Thelma Chestnut in Logan, KS. She preceded him in death on Dec. 30, 2013.

LeRoy is survived by two sons, Delton Braun of Phillipsburg and David Chestnut of Franklin, NE; five daughters: Regina Borthwick of Hays, KS, Rhonda Stegmaier and Roxie Braun, both of Phillipsburg, KS, Rolanda Capps of Kirwin, KS and Becky Davis of Waverly, NE; his brother, Donald Braun of Stockton, KS; his sister, Barbara Zimmerman of Hays, KS; 18 grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren.

Mass of Christian Burial will be Friday, Oct 27, at 10:30 a.m. in the SS Philip & James Catholic Church, Phillipsburg, with Fathers George Chalbhagam & Alvin Werth officiating. Burial will follow in the Marvin Cemetery, Glade, KS.

LeRoy will lie in-state on Wed. & Thurs. from 9 a.m. – 9 p.m. in the Olliff-Boeve Memorial Chapel, Phillipsburg. A Rosary service will be Thurs. evening at 7:00 p.m. at the funeral home with the family receiving friends afterward from 7:30 – 8:30 p.m.

Memorial contributions may be given to the LeRoy L. Braun Memorial Fund. Online condolences to: www.olliffboeve.com.

Olliff-Boeve Memorial Chapel, Phillipsburg, is in charge of arrangements.

Art Miller

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Phillipsburg resident Art Miller passed away Thursday, Oct. 12, 2017, at his home in Phillipsburg at the age of 77.

He was born March 5, 1940 in Coffey County, KS, the son of John Arthur & Wanda (Birk) Miller. Art worked as a Production Supervisor for Tamko Roofing Products for many years.

Survivors include his wife, Janice, of Phillipsburg; three daughters: Tanya Czarnecki of Erie, PA, Julie Quaring of Shelton, NE and Andrea Keesee of Phillipsburg, KS; his sister, Ruth Wentz of Wichita, KS; as well as five grandchildren.

A memorial service will be held Thursday, Oct. 26, at 10:30 a.m. in the Luctor Christian Reformed Church, Phillips County, with Pastor Aaron Rust officiating. Military honors will be conducted by the U.S. Navy.

Friends may sign the book Wednesday, Oct. 25, from 9 a.m. – 9 p.m. at the Olliff-Boeve Memorial Chapel, Phillipsburg, where the family will receive friends from 7:00 – 8:30 p.m. that evening.

Memorial contributions may be given to Teens For Christ, Hospice Services, or the Luctor Christian Reformed Church. Online condolences to: www.olliffboeve.com.

Olliff-Boeve Memorial Chapel, Phillipsburg, is in charge of arrangements.

Raymond William Bongartz

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Raymond William Bongartz, age 78, of Ogallah, passed away October 13, 2017, at Hays Medical Center, Hays. He was born July 10, 1939, in rural Trego County, to Frank Henery and Mary Cecelia (Jacobs) Bongartz.

Raymond was a graduate of Ellis High School. He went on to serve our country in the United States Army. He was a farmer and rancher, worked in the oil field, and went on to work for Trego County Road and Bridge Department before enjoying retirement. Raymond was an avid gardener and enjoyed bowling, traveling, going to local auctions, and collecting. Raymond will be missed by many friends and family.

Survivors include siblings, Janette Shantz of Branson, Missouri; Joanne Mays of Tucumcari, New Mexico; Norma Offutt, of Hays; Lynda Wallace of Houston, Texas; and Susan Ketchum of Choctaw, Oklahoma; David Bongartz of WaKeeney; and Kandy (Steve) Michel of Garden City; 13 nieces and nephews; and numerous great nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents; brothers, James and Gary (infant); and one nephew.

Memorial/Vigil service will be 6:30 p.m., Friday, October 27, 2017, at Schmitt Funeral Home, WaKeeney. Inurnment will take place at a later date at Kansas Veterans’ Cemetery, WaKeeney.
There will be no visitation as cremation was chosen.

Memorial contributions are suggested to Knights of Columbus (Ellis). Donations to the fund may be sent to Schmitt Funeral Home, 336 North 12th, WaKeeney, KS 67672.

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