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Month: January 2019

Shirley Ann Hrabe

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Shirley Ann Hrabe, 79, passed away Thursday, January 3, 2019 at Hays Medical Center, Hays, KS.

She was born January 9, 1939 in Plainville, KS, the daughter of Steve and Dorothy (Allen) Hrabe. She was a member of Celebration Community Church of Hays, Webster Dam Babes, Red Hat Club and Sunflower Polka Club. Shirley was also a past owner of the Palco Grocery where she owned and operated the store for 15 years.

Shirley thoroughly enjoyed being with her family, children, grandchildren and great grandchildren. She loved playing cards, domino’s, dancing, going with the family on camping outings, and laughing! With a smile on her face, she never met a stranger.

She was preceded in death by her parents, a brother, Forrest (Dale) Hrabe and a brother-in-law, Bill Beitz.

Shirley is survived by two sons, Michael (Judith) Whisman of Irmo, SC, Danny (Shayne) Whisman of Victoria, KS; two daughters, Kim (Jerry) Terrell of Athol, KS, Brenda Odle & significant other, Kenny Rabe of Dodge City, KS; sister, Marvil Beitz of Wichita, KS; 14 grandchildren and 20 great-grandchildren.

A celebration of Shirley’s life will be held at 11:00 a.m., Monday, January 7, 2019 at the Celebration Community Church, 5790 230th Ave., Hays, KS, with Pastor Brant Rice officiating. There will not be a public visitation as cremation was chosen. Memorials may be given to Cancer Council of Ellis County and can be sent in care of All Faiths Funeral Chapel, 113 S. Madison St., Smith Center, KS 66967.

Ethel Mae James

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Phillipsburg resident Ethel Mae James passed away Sunday, December 30, 2018 in the Phillips County Hospital, Phillipsburg, at the age of 89.

Ethel was born July 11, 1929 in Emporia, Kansas the daughter of Harry & Edna (Busse) Waterman.

She met and married Ernest E. James on July 26, 1944 in Spanish Fork, Utah. He preceded her in death on June 8, 1990.

Ethel was also preceded in death by her parents and a daughter-in-law, Becky James.

Survivors include her 3 sons, Les James and Michael James & wife, Judy, all of Phillipsburg and David James & wife, Linda of Enid, OK; 4 grandchildren, 9 great grandchildren; and 1 great great grandchild.

Cremation was planned. Family and friends can gather to celebrate Ethel’s life at 1:00 p.m. Saturday, January 12, 2019 in the Olliff-Boeve Memorial Chapel, Phillipsburg. Friends may sign the book from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Thursday & Friday, Jan. 10th & 11th at the Olliff-Boeve Memorial Chapel, Phillipsburg.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Phillipsburg City Library

Fort Hays State volleyball adds seven for 2019 season

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FHSU Athletics

Fort Hays State head volleyball coach Jessica Wood-Atkins has announced the signing of seven student-athletes in advance of the 2019 season. This year’s signing class includes players from four states, two pairs of high school teammates, three outside hitters, two middle hitters and two setters.

Baird

Paige Baird | Outside Hitter | 5-7
Long Island, Kan. (Northern Valley HS)
Paige Baird joins the Tigers after a decorated athletic career at Northern Valley High School in Almena, Kan. The Long Island, Kan. native was a three-sport athlete, earning All-State honors in volleyball, basketball and track & field. She helped the Huskies win the 1A-DII state title inside Gross Memorial Coliseum as a junior. Baird earned All-State honors four times, including being named the Kansas 1A Player of the Year as a junior in 2017. The outside hitter compiled 2,164 kills and 388 aces in her high school career. Outside of volleyball, Baird has eclipsed 1,000 points on the basketball court while winning first place at the state track meet four times (400m three times, 300m hurdles once).

Christiansen

Morgan Christiansen | Middle Hitter | 6-0
Lincoln, Neb. (Pius X HS)
Morgan Christiansen has signed with the Tigers after three seasons at Pius X High School in Lincoln, Neb. A two sport athlete, Morgan earned three varsity letters with the volleyball team as well as the basketball program. The middle hitter was named second team all-city in 2017 while helping the Thunderbolts to three consecutive Class A State Tournament appearances (runner-up in 2018). Christiansen totaled 189 kills, 88 blocks, 34 aces and a .365 hitting percentage as a senior. She has also excelled in the classroom, earning honor roll accolades while being listed on the Academic All-State roster.

Dechant

Paige Dechant | Setter | 5-9
Hutchinson, Kan. (Trinity Catholic HS)
Paige Dechant comes to Hays via Trinity Catholic High School in Hutchinson, Kan. The setter earned a trio of Heart of America all-league honors, picking up first team honors as a senior after earning honorable mention recognition as a sophomore and junior. Dechant twice earned all-tournament honors at the Coleman Classic as well as the Red & Blue Classic. In addition to picking up four volleyball varsity letters, Dechant was a four-year member of the nationally recognized cheerleading squad while running track and field for three years.

Ellis

Emily Ellis | Middle Hitter | 6-0
Colorado Springs, Colo. (Rampart HS)
Emily Ellis is the first of two future Tigers from Rampart High School in Colorado Springs, Colo. Ellis lettered in volleyball two times while also participating in track & field and swimming. She earned all-league honors each season, picking up first team honors once and second team honors once. The middle hitter compiled 292 kills and 137 total blocks in her career with the Rams. She has been listed on the honor roll as well as the dean’s list three times.

Eshbaugh

Mykah Eshbaugh | Outside Hitter/Rightside Hitter | 6-1
Concordia, Kan. (Allen D. Nease HS)
Mykah Jo Eshbaugh will head to Hays after graduating from Allen D. Nease High School in Ponte Vedra, Fla. The 6-1 hitter was twice named to All-First Coast, earning first team honors as a senior after picking up second team accolades as a junior. Eshbaugh played her first two seasons at Concordia (Kan.) High School, earning first team All-State and all-league honors both years. Mykah earned all-state tournament honors in 2015 and 2016 while helping the Lady Panthers to a pair of state runner-up finishes. Mykah joins her sister, Jordan Eshbaugh, on the Tiger roster.

Humm

Delaney Humm | Outside Hitter | 5-9
Lincoln, Neb. (Pius X HS)
Delaney Humm is the second signee from Pius X High School. Humm earned three letters for the Thunderbolts, picking up multiple All-State honors. The outside hitter was named first team Class A All-State as a senior in 2018 after earning second team honors as a junior. Additionally, Humm was named to the third team of the All-Class All-State roster in 2018. She picked up first team all-city honors in 2018 after an honorable mention nod in 2017. Delaney was named first team all-state tournament after leading the Thunderbolts to a runner-up finish in 2018. She has been named on the honor roll each of the last two years thanks to her work in the classroom.

McCorkle

Haley McCorkle | Setter | 5-5
Colorado Springs, Colo. (Rampart HS)
Haley McCorkle joins high school teammate Emily Ellis as the second signee from Rampart High School in Colorado Springs, Colo. McCorkle picked up two varsity letters with the Rams, serving as the primary setter as a senior after seeing significant playing time as a junior. Haley was selected to play in the CCGS All-State game as a senior in 2018 after earning second team all-conference honors. She was named team captain, helping lead the Rams to a league title. McCorkle led the Colorado Springs Metro League in assists and aces as a senior, totaling 731 assists and 54 aces. Additional accolades include honorable mention Academic All-State honors as well as an XTRA Sports Drive Time Athlete of the Week award.

Police: Acetone, furnace flames cause explosion at SW Kansas home

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FINNEY COUNTY — Two people avoided serious injury after a home explosion and fire on Thursday.

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Just before 3:30p.m.,  police, firefighter, and EMS responded to the area of 1100 East Chestnut Street in Garden City for a reported explosion, according to police Sergeant Lana Urteaga.

Officers were told a house was on fire and a possible gas line exploded.

As officers arrived, they could see smoke coming from the roof of the residence. The investigation revealed occupants of the residence, Donald Calhoun, 65, and Richard Davis,43, were stripping floors with acetone. It is believed the flames from the furnace inside of the residence ignited the fumes from the acetone, causing the fire.

There were no other occupants inside of the residence at the time the fire started.

There were no injuries reported. EMS did evaluate one subject on the scene. He was not transported to the hospital. Estimated loss is approximately $25,000.00.

Fewer affected in Marriott hack, but passports a red flag

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BETHESDA, Md. (AP) — Fewer Marriott guest records than previously feared were compromised in a massive data breach, but the largest hotel chain in the world confirmed Friday that approximately 5.25 million unencrypted passport numbers were accessed.

The compromise of those passport numbers has raised alarms among security experts because of their value to state intelligence agencies.

The FBI is leading the investigation of the data theft and investigators suspect the hackers were working on behalf of the Chinese Ministry of State Security, the rough equivalent of the CIA.

The hackers accessed about 20.3 million encrypted passport numbers. There is no evidence that they were able to use the master encryption key required to gain access to that data.

Unencrypted passport numbers are valuable to state intelligence agencies because they can be used to compile detailed dossiers on people and their international movements.

In the case of China, it would allow that country’s security ministry to add to databases of aggregated information on valued individuals. Those data points include information on people’s health, finances and travel.

“You can identify things in their past that maybe they don’t want known, points of weakness, blackmail, that type of thing,” said Priscilla Moriuchi, an analyst with Recorded Future who specialized in East Asia at the U.S. National Security Agency where she spent 12 years. She left the agency in 2017.

When the Bethesda, Maryland, hotel chain initially disclosed the breach in November, the company said that hackers compiled stolen data undetected for four years, including credit card and passport numbers, birthdates, phone numbers and hotel arrival and departure dates.

The affected hotel brands were operated by Starwood before it was acquired by Marriott in 2016. They include W Hotels, St. Regis, Sheraton, Westin, Element, Aloft, The Luxury Collection, Le Méridien and Four Points. Starwood-branded timeshare properties were also affected. None of the Marriott-branded chains were threatened.

Marriott said Friday that it now believes the overall number of guests potentially involved is around 383 million, less than the initial estimate of 500 million, but still one of the largest security breaches on record.

The 2017 Equifax hack affected more than 145 million people. A Target breach in 2013 affected more than 41 million payment card accounts and exposed contact information for more than 60 million customers.

Kansas man dies in landfill accident

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JEFFERSON COUNTY — One person died in an accident just after 7 a.m. Friday in Jefferson County.

Jefferson County on Friday -photo courtesy WIBW TV

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2018 Peterbilt semi driven by Todd William Dunstan, 29, Beloit, was at a Hamm landfill, 609 Perry Place, Perry, dumping trash.

The driver was backing the semi onto the tipper, and the tipper operator Mark J. Wilson, 59, Lawrence, was between the truck and the dock.

Wilson was pinned against the dock and died at the scene of his injuries, according to the KHP.

Authorities released no additional details Friday afternoon as an investigation of the accident continues. There were no other injuries reported.

Tigers look to bounce back as road trip continues in Missouri

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Photo by Ryan Prickett / FHSU Athletics

FHSU Athletics

Fort Hays State looks to bounce back from a loss Thursday when it plays at Southwest Baptist in Bolivar, Missouri on Saturday (Jan. 5). Both teams enter at 8-4 overall and 2-1 in the MIAA. The Tigers will attempt to snap a five-game losing streak in true road games that dates back to last season.

The Tigers are coming off a 63-54 loss at Central Missouri on Thursday evening in Warrensburg. The Tigers held a seven-point lead with 10 minutes to go in the game, but the Mules rallied with a 28-12 run to close the game. FHSU shot its lowest field goal percentage of the season, hitting at just a 36.5 percent clip. Northwest Missouri State and Washburn are now the only remaining unbeaten teams in MIAA play so far.

Southwest Baptist claimed a 78-76 win over Nebraska-Kearney on Thursday night in Bolivar. It ran the Bearcats’ win streak to three games. Southwest Baptist has played 10 of its 12 games this year at home, posting an 8-2 record at the Meyer Sports Center so far. The Bearcats have played just one game outside the state of Missouri so far, that being a 97-72 loss at Washburn back on December 6.

Fort Hays State and Southwest Baptist split regular season meetings last year. FHSU won by 18 in Hays and SBU won by five in overtime in Bolivar. Saturday marks the only meeting between the schools this year.

Jeanette A. (Braun) Leiker

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Jeanette A. (Braun) Leiker, age 77, former Victoria, Kansas resident, died Monday, December 31, 2018, at Lubbock, Texas.

She was born July 5, 1941, in Hays, Kansas to Clarence P. and Pauline (Hammerschmidt) Braun. She married Anthony J. “Tony” Leiker on September 7, 1963, at Victoria, Kansas.

She was a registered nurse for over 40 years and retired in 2003. She was a 1959 graduate of Victoria High School and was a 1963 graduate of St. Anthony’s School of Nursing in Hays, Kansas. She was a member of the Holy Spirit Catholic Church in Lubbock, Texas. She moved from Kansas to Des Moines, Iowa in 1968, then in 1985 she moved to Lubbock, Texas.

Survivors include her husband, Anthony J. “Tony” Leiker, Lubbock, TX; two sons, Galen Leiker and wife, Jenny, Lubbock, TX; Kent “James” Leiker, Lubbock, TX; one grandson, Ryan; three granddaughters, Alexis, Kaitlyn and Jessica; four brothers, Leroy Braun and wife, Joann, Victoria, KS; Wayne Braun and wife, Edie, Hays, KS; Clarence Braun Jr., Hays, KS; Allen Braun and wife, Pattie, Claremore, OK; two sisters, Mary Jane Unrein, Hays, KS; Lorita Berens and husband, Ron, Great Bend, KS.

She was preceded in death by her parents, and one infant sister, Darlene Braun.

Funeral services will be at 10:00 A.M. Saturday, January 12, 2019, at The Basilica of St. Fidelis, Victoria, Kansas. Inurnment will be at St. Fidelis Cemetery, Victoria, Kansas.

A vigil service and rosary will be at 6:30 P.M. Friday, at Cline’s-Keithley Mortuary, 412 main Street, Victoria, Kansas 67671.

The family will receive friends from 6:00 to 9:00 P.M. Friday, at Cline’s-Keithley Mortuary, Victoria, Kansas and from 9:00 to 10:00 A.M. Saturday, at The Basilica of St. Fidelis, Victoria, Kansas.

The family suggests memorials to The Basilica of St. Fidelis or St. Fidelis Cemetery.

Condolences can be left by guestbook at www.keithleyfuneralchapels.com or can be sent via e-mail to [email protected]

WATCH: Roberts won’t run for 5th Senate term in 2020

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MANHATTAN — Republican Senator Pat Roberts will not run for re-election in 2020.

Roberts made the announcement Friday morning at the Kansas Department of Agriculture’s headquarters in Manhattan.

Roberts and his wife during Friday’s news conference in Manhattan

Roberts, 82, is chairman of the Senate Agriculture Committee and made the announcement weeks after Congress approved a massive farm bill

Roberts is serving his fourth term in the Senate. He began his career on Capitol Hill as an aide in 1967.

His longevity became a political liability during tough primary and general election races in 2014.

“Senator Pat Roberts has had an impressive tenure as a leader in both the House and the Senate, and has served Kansans honorably as chairman of the House and Senate Agriculture Committees, the Senate Intelligence Committee and the Senate Ethics Committee,” said fellow U.S> Sen. Jerry Moran. “Pat’s leadership, wit and ability to bring individuals on both sides of the aisle together, skills he honed in service to our nation as a U.S. Marine, will be missed in Congress. It’s been an honor to work with the senior senator from Kansas on behalf of our state. Thank you, Pat, for your friendship and many years of service.”

Betty L. Rundle

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Logan resident Betty L. Rundle passed away Jan. 2, 2019, at the Phillips County Hospital in Phillipsburg at the age of 87.

She was born June 11, 1931, in Little River, KS, the daughter of Charles and Pearl (Garretson) Shea.

Survivors include her son Bob of Houston, TX; her daughter Kathyrn Reeves of Littleton, CO; her brother Bill Shea of Kansas City, MO; her sister, Sharon McCann of Oberlin; 6 grandchildren and 8 great grandchildren.

Cremation was chosen. A memorial service will be held Sat. Jan. 5 at 11:00 a.m. in the Logan Christian Church with Pastor Troy Buss officiating.

Memorial contributions may be made to Teens For Christ.

Mark A. Robins

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Mark A. Robins, 70, of Oakley, passed in his home January 2, 2019. Mark was born to Bert and Elizabeth (Schreiber) Robins on June 7, 1948 in Dodge City, Kansas. The family settled in Holcomb, Kansas where Mark graduated from high school.

Mark was always active in sports in some way. He participated in sports in high school and college level. He played football at Ottawa University and was a four year letterman. His love was always for baseball and he was an avid Kansas City Royals and Chiefs fan.

While at Ottawa University Mark met and married his wife Cicily ‘Cis’ Park and they were married 47 wonderful years. To this union three children were born Tanya, Lance, and Erin.

Mark coached high school athletes for 31 years he was known by his athletes to be dedicated to their improvement on a daily basis. One athlete stated, “Mark played a huge part in making me the person that I am today.” Mark helped to train many successful athletes in football, basketball, and track. In 1998, he coached the Oakley boys track team to a second place finish at the Kansas High School State Track Meet.

Mark’s children and grandchildren were his life! He enjoyed spending time with them and watching them participate in their sports and activities. Mark always enjoyed spending time with family around the holidays but he especially loved the Fourth of July!

Mark was active in the United Methodist Church in Oakley Kansas. He was a youth leader with his wife Cis and served on various committees for the church.

After retiring from teaching and coaching in 2002 you could always find Mark active in the community. His love was to be outside and he assisted his wife with their greenhouse and lawn care business.

Mark was preceded in death by his parents Bert and Elizabeth Robins. Surviving are his wife Cis Robins; son Lance and wife Linda Robins; daughters Tanya Robins and Erin and husband Chris Notestein; eight grandchildren James, Jayden, Marcus, Tharron, Jenasea, Olivia, Elyn and Annissa; his brother Robin and wife Gail Robins; sisters, Annette and husband Bob Blecha and Janelle and husband Gene Gaede; brother in law Benjamin Park and family; sister in law Emy Jacobsen; seven nieces and nephews and many cousins.

Mark will be dearly missed by all of his family.

The family will receive friends at the Oakley United Methodist Church basement on Sunday, January 6, 2019, from 3-5:00 p.m. A graveside service will take place at 2:00 p.m. Monday, January 7, 2019, at the Cimarron Township Cemetery, Cimarron, KS. For condolences or information visit www.baalmannmortuary.com

Ellis Co. will host town hall meetings to discuss comprehensive plan

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Ellis County has scheduled town hall meetings for the County Engagement Process of its comprehensive plan.

The meetings will be at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 29, and Wednesday, Jan. 30, in in the basement of the Ellis County Administration Building, 718 Main. The meeting will be conducted by the consulting team of Marvin Planning Consultants and MSA Professional Services.

In addition, remember to fill out the county-wide survey available online or the hard copies are available at the Ellis County Administration Building, City of Hays (City Hall and Public Works Building), and the City Halls of Ellis and Victoria.

Click HERE to take the survey.

The survey will remain open through Feb. 17.

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