SALINE COUNTY — One person died in an accident just before 3:30p.m. Tuesday in Saline County.
A 2006 Buick LeSabre driven by Dean Swisher, 88, Gypsum, was northbound on Ninth Street, according to Salina Police Seargeant Brent Rupert.
The driver ran a red light at Magnolia and struck a westbound 2011 BMW driven by Christian York, 21, Salina.
Swisher continued north on Ninth Street and was conscious enough to get his vehicle off of Ninth Street and onto the access road near three restaurants.
Witnesses reported that Swisher was unconscious once he had his car on the access road, Rupert said. The car came to a stop in the drainage ditch, according to Rupert.
Witnesses removed Swisher from the car and administered CPR until EMT personnel got to the scene. Swisher was transported to Salina Regional Health Center, where he died.
Authorities determined Swisher was suffering from a heart attack at the time of the crash.
SEDGWICK COUNTY — Law enforcement authorities continue to investigate a shooting which injured a 16-year-old Kansas boy.
Police at the scene of the shooting investigation-photo courtesy KWCH
Just before 5p.m. Tuesday, police responded to a shooting in the 2800 block of south Hillside, according to officer Charley Davidson.
Upon arrival, officers located the 16-year-old victim who had a gunshot wound to his chest and left hand. The teen was transported to an area hospital for medical treatment. Davidson did not have an update on the teen’s condition early Wednesday.
An investigation revealed the victim was walking on the east side of Hillside when two unknown suspects exited a white pickup and fired multiple shots, striking him and then fled in the pickup.
Police believe the shooting to be gang related.
Police are seeking additional information from the community on the shooting.
NESS COUNTY — Twenty students and two adults were injured in an accident just after 9:15p.m. Tuesday in Ness County.
The accident on Kansas 96 Highway at Ness County J Road involved a Dodge pickup pulling a trailer and a Ness City High School USD 303 activity bus with approximately 40 students, according to Ness County Sheriff Brandon Mitchell.
Sheriff’s deputies responded and were on scene within one minute of the report. Kansas Highway Patrol, Ness County EMS and Ness County Fire units also responded and began assisting in injury assessments.
Twenty-two individuals, including 20 students and 2 adults, were transported to the Ness County Hospital in Ness City, according to Mitchell.
The sheriff’s department did not have details on the extent of injuries early Wednesday.
Kansas Highway Patrol continues to investigate the accident that briefly shut down K96 Highway.
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A crash involving a bus from the Ness City school district closed a portion of K-96 in both directions Tuesday night.
According to the Kansas Highway Patrol, the bus was carrying basketball players from Ness City High School’s games in Dighton. A Kansas Highway Patrol dispatcher said no one was seriously injured in the crash, but there were minor injuries. The dispatcher could not confirm how many people were hurt.
Trooper Mike Racy with the Kansas Highway Patrol tweeted early Wednesday that all lanes of K-96 in the area of the wreck are now open.
ELLIS COUNTY— One person was injured in an accident just before 4:30p.m. Tuesday in Ellis County.
The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2005 Chrysler PT Cruiser driven by Matthew David Zaleski, 43, Southfield, MI., was westbound on Interstate 70 just west of Toulon Avenue.
The driver lost control of the vehicle. It entered into the median and rolled, came back onto the roadway in the east bound lanes and rolled three times crossing the east bound lanes.
The vehicle came to rest on its wheels in the south ditch. The driver was not wearing a seat belt and was ejected from the vehicle.
Stanley James “Stan” Werth, 56, died Tuesday, December 18, 2018 at HaysMed.
He was born November 20, 1962 in Hays the son of Frank and Rosie (Pfannenstiel) Werth. In 1981, he graduated from TMP-Marian High School and was in the Kansas Army National Guard. He was united in marriage to Rochelle Einsel.
He was a successful business man and was owner/operator of Werth Heating Plumbing and Air Conditioning.
He was a member of Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Church. He loved fishing in Alaska and boating and spending time at Wilson Lake with friends and family. He loved his work, helping others and enriching the community.
Survivors include his wife Rochelle of the home, two daughters; Sabrina Werth and Hannah Werth of the home, his parents; Frank and Rosie Werth of Hays, his mother-in-law; Carol Einsel of Hays, a brother; Keith Werth and wife Coleen of Hays, three sisters; Brenda Benoit and husband Tim of Damar, Glenda Leiker and husband Rick of Sylvan Grove, and Chris Werth and husband Phil Younie of Hays, a sister-in-law; Roxy Einsel of Hays, and 13 nieces and nephews.
Mass of Christian Burial will be at 10:00 am on Friday, December 21, 2018 at Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Church, 1805 Vine Street, with Fr. Barry Brinkman, Fr. Alvin Werth, and Fr. Earl Befort officiating. Burial will follow in St. Joseph Cemetery. Visitation will be from 4:00 pm until 8:00 on Thursday and from 9:00 am until service time on Friday, all at the church. A Daughters of Isabella rosary will be at 5:30 pm, followed by a parish vigil service will be at 6:30, both on Thursday at the church.
Memorials are suggested to Holy Family Elementary School or Thomas More Prep-Marian High School, in care of Hays Memorial Chapel Funeral Home, 1906 Pine Street, Hays. Condolences and memories of Stan may be shared with the family at www.haysmemorial.com.
OLATHE, Kan. (AP) — Kansas will pay $1.1 million to a Missouri man who spent nearly 17 years in prison for a robbery that he argued was committed by his doppelganger.
Richard Anthony Jones-photo KDOC
Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt announced Tuesday that a settlement had been reached with 42-year-old Richard Anthony Jones, of Kansas City, Missouri. Schmidt said Jones was the first to settle a payout under a new state law that provides compensation to people who are wrongly imprisoned. Jones also was granted a certificate of innocence.
Eyewitness testimony sent Jones to prison for an attack and robbery in the parking lot of a Walmart in Roeland Park, Kansas. No physical evidence linked Jones to the crime. He was freed after supporters found evidence that another man who looked just like him lived near the Walmart.
NEW YORK (AP) — The Los Angeles Chargers placed seven players in the Pro Bowl, including safety Derwin James, one of six rookies across the league to make the game.
James, a first-round draft choice, will be joined on the AFC squad by veteran quarterback Philip Rivers, wide receiver Keenan Allen, running back Melvin Gordon, defensive end Melvin Ingram, center Mike Pouncey and special-teamer Adrian Phillips for the game, which will be played Jan. 27 in Orlando. James and Phillips are the only starters, though.
Rivers is a backup to Kansas City’s Patrick Mahomes, one of 29 first-time Pro Bowlers. That, of course, includes all the rookies: James, Giants running back Saquon Barkley, Seahawks punter Michael Dickson, Broncos running back Phillip Lindsay, Indianapolis guard Quenton Nelson and Cleveland cornerback Denzel Wads. Lindsay is an undrafted player.
New England’s Tom Brady is the other AFC quarterback, making it for the 14th time. Noticeably missing is the Colts’ Andrew Luck.
New Orleans, led by quarterback Drew Brees, Dallas and Chicago paced the NFC with five players each. Brees is the starter, backed up by Green Bay’s Aaron Rodgers and the Rams’ Jared Goff.
Buffalo, Oakland and Tampa Bay had no Pro Bowl selections.
Pittsburgh and Kansas City each had six players chosen, including such first-timers as Steelers running back James Conner and Mahomes, both having breakthrough years.
Cleveland has a first overall draft choice in the game — not Baker Mayfield, but 2017 top pick Myles Garrett at defensive end.
“Football is a team game and you can’t do it on your own,” said Garrett, who leads the Browns with 12½ sacks. “I’m happy to be able to share this experience with Denzel because this honor is really a testament to our entire defense.”
Among the perennial AFC choices returning to the game are Houston DE J.J. Watt, Pittsburgh WR Antonio Brown, Baltimore guard Marshal Yanda and safety Eric Weddle, Cincinnati DT Geno Atkins and Denver LB Von Miller.
“To get recognized by your peers, the coaches and the fans, it means a lot,” Weddle said. “It’s always special to put in the hard work and to try your best and then get recognized. The Pro Bowl is something I never take for granted, and I’m pretty stoked about it. Each year you just work hard and try to play your very best. To receive recognition for what you do on the field, even if it may not show up in other areas, is awesome.”
For the NFC, frequent repeaters include Atlanta WR Julio Jones and C Alex Mack, Dallas tackle Tyron Smith, inside LBs Luke Kuechly of Carolina and Bobby Wagner of Seattle, Arizona CB Patrick Peterson, Rams DT Aaron Donald and Bears LB Khalil Mack.
One of the newcomers, Chicago DT Akiem Hicks, sounded overwhelmed by the honor.
“I have played the game of football my entire life and this is the greatest accolade I’ve ever achieved,” he said.
There will be a brother combination at center for the AFC as Maurkice Pouncey of Pittsburgh is the starter ahead of Mike Pouncey.
The Jets, despite a 4-10 record, have three Pro Bowlers in safety Jamal Adams, kicker Jason Myers and return specialist Andre Roberts — all first-timers.
Pro Bowl coaching staffs will be from the losing teams in the AFC and NFC divisional playoffs with the best regular-season records. Each player on the winning Pro Bowl team receives $67,000, while each player on the losing squad earns $34,000.
Randy Clinkscales
I am like most people. I tend to do the same things the same way, over and over. Even in church, I gravitate to the east side, sitting in about the same pew each Sunday.
Sunday (December 9) I was running a little late. So as to disturb as few people as possible, I slipped in on the west side of the United Methodist Church, and sat in a west side pew.
Many of you know that the Hays Methodist Church has beautiful stained glass windows. By moving to a new location, I was able to see a set of windows that I do not ordinarily see—the east windows.
This was not the first time I had this view. While the view was the same as it was on those rare other occasions, it was just as spectacular, as if it was a new sight.
As I sat there, with the church decorated for Christmas, I thought about Christmas past and my family.
I always lived miles from my grandparents—the closest being 250 miles, the longest, 560 miles. But as a child, regardless of the distance, my parents packed us up and we headed to Fort Worth for our annual celebration. Even after my parents divorced, my mom and step-father continued the tradition.
And every time, every time, we were greeted with my grandparents coming out of their house, whether early morning or late at night. My grandmother would pull me into her, hugging and kissing me, telling me how “handsome” I was. My sister would go to my grandfather, “Poppa”, who would pick her up in his giant arms and call her “sissy.” Then we switched. In the house we were met with smells of macaroni and cheese, pumpkin pie, turkey dressing, and much more.
After I married Barbara, we had three sons. Barb’s parents lived in Wichita. They had their own traditions for Christmas. When we went to their home, we were met with the bustle of preparations for a large gathering. Many foods and their smells were of Mennonite origin, including bohne-beroggi and pfeffernusse. Soon a turkey would be placed in the smoker, and Barb’s dad and I would check it throughout the night to be sure it was ready for the noon meal the next day. Tradition.
After we married, each year Barbara and I coordinated visits between my grandparents and my wife’s parents. Many times it saw us on the road on Christmas Eve, Christmas Day or the day after Christmas. And it was with three little active boys in the Suburban for hours! But we made it to both places, every year.
Gosh, it was hard. And it was special and wonderful and meaningful. It was just another Christmas.
Sunday, as I sat in church, all those memories rushed at me. Barb’s parents, and my grandparents and parents, are now gone. I wish I had one more Christmas with all of them—just another Christmas. But our memories, and those of my sons, are still here. They still warm me.
As I was looking out the east windows of our church, through the stained glass, with the sun streaming in, we sang a song “People, Look to the East.” Just as we finished the last line of the song, the dark shadow of several birds flew by the windows headed to the North. I felt like it was my grandparents, my parents, and Barb’s parents, flying free, but letting me know they are still with us.
Christmas is here again. As the stain glass windows, it is the same. But I hope you will look at it from a different angle and see how spectacular it is. I hope you will appreciate that all the effort you put in to be together is worth it. Now and for generations to come.
Merry Christmas.
Randy Clinkscales of Clinkscales Elder Law Practice, PA, Hays, Kansas, is an elder care attorney, practicing in western Kansas. To contact him, please send an email to [email protected]. Disclaimer: The information in the column is for general information purposes and does not constitute legal advice. Each case is different and outcomes depend on the fact of each case and the then applicable law. For specific questions, you should contact a qualified attorney.
Started in 2013, the Master of Science in Education with an emphasis in higher education student affairs has become one of the fastest growing programs at Fort Hays State University.
The first year the concentration was only offered to on-campus students but is now offered to virtual students as well. FHSU’s HESA program was just ranked as the best experiential learning by OnlineMasters.com, which analyzed every online masters in higher education in the nation.
“While all of our programs in the department are online, our HESA program is unique in that it is offered fully as either an online program or a face-to-face program.” said Dr. Brooke Moore, interim chair for the Department of Advanced Education Programs.
This semester, the program had 24 on-campus and 48 virtual students.
“The program is successful because of the high quality of our program and the price point we are able to offer it,” said Dr. Edward Hammond, professor for Advanced Education Programs. “Our program was built on the research by NASPA that identified 10 core competencies of successful student affairs administrators.”
Each class in the program is built around one of the 10 competencies.
“One really unique part of our program is the amount of faculty who have been practitioners in full-time student affairs positions currently, as well as some who have worked for FHSU in the past,” said Ashley Templeton, current graduate student.
Many students enrolled in this program are already working on a college campus and wish to further their education to continue their career in higher education.
“Having full-time professionals share their experience with us is valuable beyond measure as we are learning from individuals who are in the shoes we hope to fill one day at institutions around the country,” said Templeton.
FHSU promotes experiential learning in HESA through the implementation of two practicums where students must work with a university or college for 150 hours on projects or activities that address four of the competencies.
“Another really awesome part about the HESA program at FHSU is a requirement of our degree is to have two practicums throughout our time here,” said Templeton.
“We are able to place candidates from the HESA program in student affairs internships here at FHSU, but also around the state and nationally,” said Moore.
Students who study in this concentration must prove in a final portfolio presentation that they have grown in all 10 of the competency areas.
“I don’t know of another program that has that kind of integrated commitment to a competency based practice,” said Hammond.
Many, many traditions exemplify Christmas – a decorated tree, colored lights, gift giving, parties and turkey or ham dinners. Most of these traditions are recent additions.
The greatest gift associated with Christmas is the one of caring for one another. This gift is also the ultimate Christmas story – God’s love for man.
A tradition that continues in our family is going to church and Midnight mass. In the small, northwestern Kansas community where I grew up, church was the spiritual and social center for life among rural farm people. As a youngster, I remember mother dressing us in our Sunday best and then bundling us up for the walk to St. Martin of Tours.
Magic dwelled inside our church during Christmas. On the right side, miniature statues of cattle and sheep surrounded Mary, Joseph and the Christ child. On the altar, candles flickered as their dark, tongued-shaped shadows danced on the sacristy wall. Christmas carols streamed out of the choir loft as organist Lilly Kingston offered her gift to the newborn babe.
I enjoyed every minute of the service, but it was pure torture to stay around and visit in front of the church afterwards. While we attended church services, Santa dropped by our home.
I couldn’t wait to run home and rip open packages. Like every other youngster, I counted the days. It seemed like Christmas would never arrive.
As a young child, I don’t remember seeing Santa until I was 4. That’s about the time the jolly, old fat man dropped down our chimney with gifts galore.
While Santa was a big part of Christmas in our family, the Christ child was of course more important. My family did a good job balancing the two.
My parents grew up during the Great Depression. Anything that cost money was rare at Christmas. Gifts for mom and dad consisted of useful things like clothing and maybe one toy for each child – if crops and harvest had been bountiful. Ice cream and fresh oranges were always a special treat reserved for the celebration of the Christ child.
We were more fortunate in the gift department. Santa always came to our door toting a bulging burlap bag filled with toys. You see, the Schlageck children were very good little girls and boys – at least that’s the way we pictured ourselves, especially before Christmas.
Probably my favorite gift was a “wind-up” toy train. I played for hours with that wonderful gift. If this wasn’t heaven, it was the next best thing.
Until the mid-60s our family always celebrated Christmas with a real tree. Then plastic, artificial trees dominated the market. Unfortunately, we erected one too.
Mom decorated our house with brilliant red poinsettias. While she was decorating, she would tell us the legend of how the poor Mexican boy prayed to Christ for a gift he could give. As he arose from his knees a poinsettia plant grew at his feet. The boy broke off the branches and took the beautiful poinsettia to the altar.
Our dining room table was a celebration of food during the holiday season. Christmas dinner consisted of turkey, mashed potatoes and gravy, cranberries, fresh-baked crescent rolls, green peas and a relish dish. For dessert, pumpkin pie and freshly whipped cream was the fare that completed the feast. That was our favorite, and my mother made the best.
Mom also made chocolate fudge with walnuts. I ate too many walnuts as a 5-year-old, so I picked out the walnuts and ate only the fudge. Homemade peanut brittle was another specialty my mother made for us during Christmas.
As a youngster I had plenty to be thankful for during the holiday season. A wonderfully decorated home, the smell of baking turkey and the anticipation of Christmas are memories I will cherish forever.
This Christmas, like so many folks, we will celebrate Christmas with our family and friends. We celebrate Christmas in our home with traditions of our own.
Christmas is truly for children and those who love them. The joy we see in the eyes of a child will remain always in our hearts.
Remember during this holiday season that joy springs from the heart of anyone dedicated to caring and helping others. The Christmas spirit dwells inside each of us.
This holiday season, say a prayer of peace for all, and worship the Christ child like many have for more than 2,000 years.
Merry Christmas.
John Schlageck is a leading commentator on agriculture and rural Kansas. Born and raised on a diversified farm in northwestern Kansas, his writing reflects a lifetime of experience, knowledge and passion.
