We have a brand new updated website! Click here to check it out!

Month: January 2018

No. 6 West Virginia holds off Kansas State

Posted on

MANHATTAN, Kan. (AP) — Teddy Allen scored 22 points, Lamont West added 19 and sixth-ranked West Virginia beat pesky Kansas State 77-69 on Monday to push the Mountaineers’ winning streak to 13 games.

James Bolden and Daxter Miles Jr. added 10 points apiece for the Mountaineers (13-1, 2-0 Big 12), who have not lost since their season opener against Texas A&M in Germany.

West Virginia was clinging to a 65-61 lead down the stretch when Allen went to work, slicing down the lane and picking up fouls. He kept knocking down the free throws, scoring eight points in the closing minutes while helping the Mountaineers to their first win on New Year’s Day.

West Virginia had lost its previous four games on Jan. 1.

The Wildcats (11-3, 1-1) were led by Xavier Sneed with 20 points and Dean Wade with 17 points and 10 rebounds, but the duo couldn’t compensate for miserable performances by guards Barry Brown and Kamau Stokes.

Brown finished with 14 points, but he was just 5 of 13 from the field and committed seven of the Wildcats’ 15 turnovers. Stokes was 0 for 10 from the field and had six points.

The Mountaineers’ pressure defense caused several lengthy first-half droughts for Kansas State, and at one point West Virginia had built a 25-15 lead with just over three minutes to go.

It took little-used guard Brian Patrick, whose career-best night came against West Virginia last season, to get the Wildcats going. He entered just before the break and knocked down a 3-pointer, then fed Brown for another 3, closing the deficit to 31-26 heading to the locker room.

The Mountaineers kept the Wildcats at arm’s length most of the second half, relying on their tough defense, some ugly misfires and a few fortunate calls to maintain their advantage.

Kansas State trailed 65-55 with 5 1/2 minutes left when it made a final run. Wade got to the foul line, Brown followed him there and Sneed knocked down his sixth 3-pointer from right in front of his bench to claw the Wildcats within 65-61 at the under-4 media timeout.

Allen and the Mountaineers showed their poise down the stretch.

The freshman forward went to the foul line on three consecutive trips down the floor, knocking down six straight free throws. And when Wade threw the ball away and failed to convert on a free throw of his own, the Mountaineers built enough of a cushion to hold on the rest of the way.

BIG PICTURE

West Virginia is often undersized, but the Mountaineers had a 38-27 rebounding advantage and a 40-18 edge for points in the paint. That kind of production inside makes the frenetic, guard-oriented team of coach Bob Huggins a nightmare to defend.

Kansas State scorched the nets in a win at Iowa State to open Big 12 play. But throw out Sneed’s 3s and the Wildcats were 4 of 17 from beyond the arc and shot 35.7 percent from the field.

UP NEXT

West Virginia heads home to face No. 7 Oklahoma on Saturday night.

Kansas State travels to No. 18 Texas Tech on Saturday.

Police arrest Kansas man for alleged New Year’s Eve stabbing

Posted on
Brown-photo KDOC

TOPEKA— Law enforcement authorities are investigating a stabbing and have a suspect in custody.

Just after 11p.m Sunday, police responded to the 2100 Block of  SW High in Topeka on a report of several male subjects armed with knives in a parking lot beating another man, according to Lt. Colleen Stuart.

All involved subjects had left prior to officer’s arrival. Officers were then called to a local hospital for a subject with injuries consistent with having been stabbed.

The victim advised officers he was struck several times with a knife after having an altercation with a known subject over a game. The victim’s injuries were considered non-life threatening. Officers responded back to the 2100 Block SW High to locate the suspect in this incident.

Deques Brown 35, was taken into custody without incident and transported to the Department of Correction for aggravated battery and a warrant from another county. Brown has previous convictions for drugs, aggravated battery of a law enforcement officer and flee, attempted flee-elude law enforcement, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections.

Kan. man jailed for alleged child endangerment, felony drug charges

Posted on
Johnson-photo KDOC

DICKINSON COUNTY —  Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect on drug charges.

On Friday, the Dickinson County Sheriff’s Department reported the county drug enforcement unit, police and parole officers executed a search warrant at a home in the 300 Block of Opal Road lot 20, Red Rock Trailer Court, Abilene on December 20.

Deputies arrested 22-year-old Austin Michael Johnson of Abilene on suspicion of felony count of Possession of Methamphetamine, Possession of Marijuana, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, on misdemeanor counts of Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, Endangering a Child and a Parole violation.

During the search of the residence, law enforcement officers seized methamphetamine and marijuana along with drug paraphernalia. Prior to conducting the search warrant there was a child present in the residence.  Johnson has two previous drug convictions, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections.

The case is ongoing and further arrests are possible, according to Hoffman.

KSU’s Landon Lecture Series to feature former president of Malawi

Posted on
Banda courtesy photo

MANHATTAN — Activist and philanthropist Joyce Banda, the first female to serve as president of the African nation of Malawi, will present a Landon Lecture at 10:30 a.m. Monday, Jan. 29, 2018, at Kansas State University. Banda’s lecture will be in Forum Hall at the K-State Student Union and is open to the public.

“It a privilege to welcome her excellency, Joyce Banda, to Kansas State University as a Landon Lecturer,” said Jackie Hartman, chair of the Landon Lecture Series and the university’s chief of staff and director of community relations. “As the second female to lead an African nation, President Banda helped turn her country’s economy around and has been a longtime champion of women’s rights.”

As president of Malawi from 2012-2014, Banda was credited with turning around the nation’s ailing economy. Under the economic reforms she instituted, Malawi’s rate of economic growth rose from 1.8 percent in 2012 to more than 6.2 percent in 2014. In that same time span, Malawi’s operational industrial capacity rose from 35 percent to 85 percent.

Banda also repealed a number of laws which had weakened democratic institutions, infringed on civil liberties and restricted freedom of the press. The health of women and children was a priority in Banda’s presidency. She established the Presidential Initiative on Maternal Health and Safe Motherhood, which helped drop the maternal mortality rate in Malawi.

Before becoming president of Malawi, Banda served as the nation’s vice president, foreign minister, minister of gender and child welfare, and as a member of its Parliament. As minister of gender and child welfare, she championed enactment of the Prevention of Domestic Violence Bill in 2006, which provided the legal framework to support the prevention and elimination of all forms of violence against women and girls.

Since leaving office, Banda serves on the boards of Nutrition International Canada and the Tana High Level Forum of Peace and Security in Africa. She is a member of the Council of Women World Leaders and a distinguished fellow with the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars and the Center for Global Development.

The founder of the Joyce Banda Foundation International in 1997, Banda continues her work with the foundation today to transform villages in Malawi by supporting women’s economic empowerment, education, maternal health and HIV/AIDS programs, leadership training and human rights. She also serves as a panelist and motivational speaker at international conferences and forums.

Banda’s work has drawn many honors. She was named one of the world’s most powerful black women by Forbes magazine in 2013 and 2014; one of the most influential people in the world by Time and Forbes; and one of the most inspirational women in politics by CNN.

Her degrees include a bachelor’s in gender studies from Atlantic International University and a master’s in leadership from the Royal Rhodes University of Canada.

Harold James Giebler

Posted on

Harold James Giebler, 90, Hays, died Sunday, December 31, 2017 at Via Christi Village.

He was born December 9, 1927 in Hays the son of Edmund and Anna (Staab) Giebler. He was a 1945 graduate of St. Joseph Military Academy and served in the U.S. Army during World War II and played with the 5th U.S. Army Band. On June 20, 1953 he was united in marriage to Petronilla “Nellie” Leiker at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Hays. They celebrated over 64 years of marriage. He attended Fort Hays State College for two years and was a mail carrier for many years with the United State Postal Service. After his retirement from the USPS, he was a bus driver and van driver for over ten years with USD 489. He was a member of Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Church, Third Degree Knights of Columbus Council #1325, and the Hays American Legion. He was a cantor for many years at Immaculate Heart of Mary, and was also a member of the church choir and the Volga German Men’s Choir. He was very active, true to his word, and was known to be able to build or fix anything.

Survivors include his wife Nellie, of the home in Hays, four daughters; Cecilia Burke and husband Marty of Lawrence, Rose Coon and husband Steve of Topeka, Teresa Schrant and husband Larry of Hays, and Barbara Gonzales and husband Mike of Wichita, a son; Andrew Giebler and wife Tara of Andover, a sister; Berniece Schumacher of St. Louis, two brothers; Norman Giebler of Hays and Patrick Giebler and wife Terri of Colby, eighteen grandchildren, eight great grandchildren, and numerous nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents, and infant son; Stephen Giebler, a sister; Sybilla Schukman, and three brothers; Albert, Herbert, and Edmund Giebler, Jr.

Mass of Christian Burial will be at 10:00 am on Wednesday, January 3, 2018 at Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Church with Fr. Barry Brinkman officiating. Burial with military honors by the Hays VFW Honor Guard will follow in the St. Joseph Cemetery. Visitation will be from 5:00 pm until 8:00 on Tuesday and from 9:00 am until 9:45 on Wednesday, all at the Hays Memorial Chapel Funeral Home. A Daughters of Isabella rosary will be at 6:00, a parish vigil service will be at 6:30, and a Third Degree Knights of Columbus Council #1325 rosary will be at 7:00 pm, all on Tuesday at the funeral home.

Memorials are suggested to Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Church or to masses, in care of the funeral home. Condolences may be left for the family at www.haysmemorial.com

Susan M. Davis

Posted on

Susan M. Davis, 74, of Kansas City, Missouri, passed away peacefully Thursday, December 28, 2017, following a long-term illness.



Services will be held on Wednesday, January 3, at Little Sisters of the Poor, 8745 James A. Reed Rd, Kansas City, MO, where Susan lived since moving to Kansas City from Hays, Kansas, four years ago. She will be buried next to her parents at St. Fidelis Cemetery in Victoria, KS. Visitation will be held at 9:30 a.m. with a Rosary at 10:00 a.m., followed by a Mass of Christian Burial at 10:30.



Born on her Mother’s birthday, April 24, 1943, in Hays, KS, Susan grew up in nearby Plainville, KS, where she attended Sacred Heart Grade School and then graduated from Plainville Rural High School in 1961. She worked in the family grocery store from an early age until the store was sold a few years after she graduated from high school. Many years later, after starting her family, Susan returned to school, and in 1989 she earned an Associate of Science degree in Secretarial Administration from Fort Hays State University.



Susan was preceded in death by her parents, Emil E. Kuhn and Zita (Giebler) Kuhn. She is survived by her three children: Cynthia Davis, Michael Davis and wife (Shana), and Christopher Davis; four grandchildren: Micaela, Austin, Ayden, and Rylie Davis; five brothers: Ronald Kuhn (Cindy), Earl Kuhn (Kasey), Richard “Whitey” Kuhn (Fran), Raymond Kuhn (Jana), and Vernon Kuhn (Cindy); and one sister, Phyllis Schapker (Richard); as well as many loving nieces and nephews and their families.



In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorial contributions be made to Little Sisters of the Poor or the Kidney Foundation.

Police: SUV, 1-year-old found safe after Kansas City carjacking

Posted on
Intersection where the carjacking occurred-photo courtesy Fox-4 Kansas Cty

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) – Police say a toddler who was inside a vehicle when it was carjacked in Kansas City has been found safe in a nearby suburb.

The Kansas City Star reports that the carjacking occurred around 11 a.m. Sunday when a man forced himself into the sport utility vehicle and then forced the driver and some children out, except for the 18-month-old boy.

Surveillance video from a nearby business shows the man and another person get in and speed away. The woman gave chase on foot and then in a taxi as the SUV headed south.

Belton police reported finding the SUV and the child about an hour later. An unidentified suspect was taken into custody.

The names of the woman and child haven’t been released.

Times, Teams, & Talent at Nicodemus NHS

Posted on

NICODEMUS – Nicodemus National Historic Site presents the exhibit Times, Teams, & Talent from the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum. The display consists of panels that detail the history of the Negro League history of the leagues, basic questions about teams and players as well as information on the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum in Kansas City, Missouri.

The exhibit will be at the Nicodemus Township Hall in Nicodemus, Kansas through Friday, February 8, 2019 from 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Saturday. The Visitor Center is open to the public free of change, and everyone is welcome to come in a view the display.

To learn more, contact Phyllis Howard at 785-354-1489 ext. 224 or [email protected]

The park is located on Highway 24, 13 miles east of Hill City and 19 miles west of Stockton.

The town of Nicodemus is symbolic of the pioneer spirit of African Americans.  They dared to leave the only region they had been familiar with to seek personal freedom and the opportunity to develop their talents and capabilities.

Nicodemus NHS represents the western expansion and settlement of the Great Plains, and includes five buildings: The First Baptist Church, St. Francis Hotel, Nicodemus School District Number One, African Episcopal Church, and Township Hall.

USGS: First earthquake of new year reported in Kansas

Posted on
Location of Monday’s quake -USGS image

HARPER COUNTY — The new year got off to a shaky start in Kansas. A small earthquake shook south-central Kansas. The quake just after 2a.m. measured a magnitude 2.6 and was centered approximately 22 miles south of Anthony, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.

It is the first quake in Kansas since a pair of quakes including a 3.1 magnitude temblor were reported in Harper County on December 15.

There are no reports of damage or injury from Monday’s quake.

Roberta Reh

Posted on

Roberta Reh, 94, and former Natoma, Kansas, resident, died December 25th at Hilltop Manor in Cunningham, Kansas.

Roberta was born in Natoma, Kansas on September 26, 1923 the daughter of Arthur and Elise (Larsen) Hoskins. She was united in marriage to Marion Reh on June 30, 1940; they were married 52 years.

She was a former member of the First Baptist Church in Plainville, Kansas. She loved gardening, sewing, reading, painting and teaching her art. She continued painting into her nineties.

Roberta is survived by a sister, Neva Dodson of Salina, two sons Marion Reh of Rose Hill, Gary Reh (Robin) of Pratt, Kansas, 8 Grandchildren, 22 Great-grandchildren, 4 Great-great Grandchildren, other family and many friends.

Roberta was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, 2 brothers, 3 sisters and 1 son.

A celebration of Roberta’s life will be held at 11 A.M. on Tuesday, January 02, 2017, at the Pohlman-Varner-Peeler Mortuary in Russell, Kansas with Pastor Roger Dennis officiating. Burial will follow at the Natoma City Cemetery in Natoma, Kansas. Family and friends are invited for food and fellowship at the Natoma Community Center after the graveside service. Visitation will be from 9 A.M. to 11 A.M. the day of the service at the mortuary. Memorial may be given to the Natoma Community Center and can be sent in care of the mortuary at 610 N. Maple St, Russell, KS 67665. Pohlman-Varner-Peeler Mortuary of Russell and Natoma is in charge of the funeral service arrangements.

MADORIN: Old stories about new beginnings

Posted on

Native Kansan Karen Madorin is a local writer and retired teacher who loves sharing stories about places, people, critters, plants, food, and history of the High Plains.

Fresh beginnings make people reflect as well as anticipate. I’m no different as I behold the clean canvas of a brand-new year. Like many of you, genealogy and ancestry sites have captured my interest, and I’m intrigued by ancestors who migrated to begin fresh lives and kept on traveling. I’m curious about why so many kin made it to Kansas and stayed. As I explore their stories over the next few months, I hope your families examine your sunflower roots as well.

Our first Kansas ancestors arrived by train from Devizes, Ontario, Canada, in 1872. Although former brickmakers, they homesteaded along the Kansas/Nebraska border in Norton County, KS. While they exchanged longitudes, latitudes, and occupations, they maintained familiarity with their previous home by naming their new home Devizes, Kansas. According to family records, they donated land for a school, post office, and cemetery. Only the cemetery remains. Like so many start ups at the end of the 1800s, this little community withered til little except headstones remain to remind us of hopes that once existed in this isolated place.

This particular group of immigrants came not only to claim land, but also souls. Though Grandpa Reuben missed the Second Great Awakening of the earlier 1800s, he discovered a deep faith and committed himself and his family to the demands of a prairie Methodist Circuit rider. This meant he frequently left wife, children, and parents to develop the homestead while he and his pony traveled drainages with names of Beaver, Sappa, Prairie Dog, Solomon, Deer, and more. No matter the weather, he crisscrossed mostly empty miles, holding services for those settled far from town.

His tiny wife Hannah grew up as a daughter of ship captain who navigated Lake Michigan. Marrying Grandpa meant exchanging her predictable life for the exact opposite. I’m certain she surprised to herself by starting a family in a sod house far from any large body of water.

She made do in those first homes, offered bread and coffee to roaming Cheyenne, hid children in native grass to protect them from hostile natives, lived off missionary barrel goods sent by established eastern congregations, buried children, and in-laws, and lived to ripe old age before dying in Ford, Kansas.

Grandpa writes about arriving soon after the Rebellion when Kansans still reeled from the border wars. He detailed insect and weather-related devastation and expressed his satisfaction that many settlers hungered to hear the Lord’s message.

As I read his memoirs, I note town names have changed. Lenora was once Spring City while Glade was Marvin. He shared his frustrations with getting actual church buildings constructed. In Kensington, he and the Baptist preacher held services in the local saloon Sundays when it closed for regular business. He and the Methodists of Agra raised funds to build a sanctuary that was soon destroyed by a tornado. They didn’t give up. The community rallied and rebuilt their church.

With a love of history and so many roots in Kansas, I’ve stories to share. Perhaps our tales intersect with yours. I’m eager to hear from those with details to fill empty blanks in our saga.

Native Kansan Karen Madorin is a local writer and retired teacher who loves sharing stories about places, people, critters, plants, food, and history of the High Plains.

Copyright Eagle Radio | FCC Public Files | EEO Public File