NEW ORLEANS, La. – The Fort Hays State men’s and women’s cross country teams both have captured off-season academic honors. Released Thursday, the USTFCCCA announced their All-Academic honors for individuals and teams. Overall, six Tigers earned a nod from the USTFCCCA, along with both squads claiming team honors.
For the women, Mirena Goncalves, Abigail Stewart and Yessenia Gonzales were mentioned on the list. On the men’s side, Israel Barco, Brett Meyer and Reed Rome captured the award.In total, 379 women and 270 men across the nation who received the honors for NCAA Division II.
Aside from the individual honors, both squads claimed Team Academic Awards. The Fort Hays State men captured the team honor alongside 196 other programs in the nation. The Tiger men boasted a team GPA of 3.34. The women were one of 231 teams mentioned, and earned a cumulative GPA of 3.51.
To receive the award, teams must have compiled a cumulative GPA of 3.00 and must have scored at an NCAA Division II regional meet. Additionally, for individual honors to be earned, an athlete must earn at least a 3.25 GPA and finish among the top 30 percent at the regional meet or top 50 percent at the national meet.
Clara M. Riedel Finan, 86, of Salina, passed away February 11, 2019. She was born April 3, 1932, in St. Peter, Kan., the daughter of John and Anna Katherine (Rome) Riedel. She married her husband, Jerry, Sept. 12, 1953 in Salina. She was a bank teller for UMB and co-owner of Designs and Accents Flower Shop and an office manager for Dr. Bruce Johnson. She was a member of the St. Mary’s Parish, Ladies of Columbus, SRHC Ladies Aux, Beta Sigma Phi Sorority, Lady Elks, and enjoyed the card game, pitch.
She is survived by: her daughters, Malynn Gasswint (Randall) Broken Arrow, Okla., and Pamela Welsh (Todd) of Salina; grandchildren, Brett Gasswint (Amber) of Navarre, Fla., Tyler Gasswint of Tulsa, Okla., and McKenzie and Rase Welsh of Salina; brothers, Vern Riedel of Morland, and Robert Riedel of Topeka; and sisters, Jeannie Gross of Hays, Doris Perry of Salina, Vera Hartman of Grainfield, and Mary Lynn Ryan of Salina.
She was preceded in death by: her husband, Gerald “Jerry” in 1998; brothers, Edward, Joe, and John; and sisters, Isabel Fiffe, Aurelia Artzer, Viola Gross, and Leona Kinderknecht.
Visitation will be 4-8 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 14, at Ryan Mortuary, Salina, where the family will receive friends f rom 5-7, and vigil services will be at 7 p.m.
Mass of Christian Burial will be at 11 a.m. Friday, Feb. 15, at St. Mary Queen of the Universe Catholic Church, Salina, with burial in Mt. Calvary Cemetery.
Memorials to: St. Mary’s Church, St. Mary’s Grade School, or Sacred Heart Jr.-Sr. High School, all of Salina.
After pleading to three sex crimes involving a minor Thursday, a Hays man faces more than 20 years in prison.
Andrew Bayle Claude pleaded no contest to one count each of aggravated indecent liberties with a child and aggravated sexual battery in Ellis County District Court. He also agreed to an Alford plea of rape.
Under the plea agreement, Claude is expected to be sentenced to 155 months in prison for rape, 55 months for aggravated indecent liberties with a child and 31 months for aggravated sexual battery. All three sentences will run consecutively, for a total of 241 months in prison with the Department of Corrections.
In exchange for pleading the three counts, the state agreed to dismiss five additional charges.
According to court documents Claude had sexual contact with four teenage girls ages 16 and younger between November 2017 and March 2018.
In the initial criminal complaint, Claude was charged with raping a child under the age of 14, an off-grid person felony. According to Kansas law, a person convicted of the charge would be sentenced to 25 year to life in prison.
Under the Alford plea, Claude pleaded to rape, a level 1 person felony that does not carry the 25 year to life sentence.
An Alford plea means the defendant acknowledges that the charges do not exactly fit what happened, but it allows the court to impose the agreed-upon sentence. The defendant also acknowledges the state has enough evidence to prove he committed a crime.
As a result of the pleas Claude will also be subject to lifetime post release supervision and lifetime offender registration.
A sentencing hearing is expected to be held in March.
Barbara Ellen Berkley passed away February 12, 2019 at the Red Bud Village in Plainville, KS at the age of 94. She was born in Willits, CA on December 13, 1924 to Bernard W. Booker and Leota A. (Provines) Booker. Barbara married Warren “Jim” Riffel on January 13, 1944 in Oakland, CA. They were blessed with two children: Robert and Cynthia. Barbara later married Jack Berkley in 1978 blessing her with three step-children: John, James, and Patricia.
Barbara was born and raised in California. She graduated high school and attended two years of college studying art at the University of Berkeley. When WWII began, her schooling ended and she began her first job at a five-and-dime store. Barbara met her husband Jim, and they were blessed with Robert and Cynthia. They later relocated to Jim’s hometown of Stockton where Barbara was a bookkeeper for the sale barn and Ostmeyer Implement. She also worked at Solomon Valley Manor for a short time.
Barbara loved to paint everything from beautiful hollowed-out Easter eggs, mermaids in her pool, and grand sceneries on walls. She also enjoyed crewel embroidery, golfing, traveling and shopping. She had an eye for sales and was still shopping just two days before she passed for her “shimmery jacket”. Barbara loved, and was so loved by, her assisted-living nurses. Always the life of the party, she made everyone’s time at the home good.
Barbara is survived by her son, Robert Riffel and wife Kay of Stockton; daughter, Cynthia McDowell of Stockton; step-sons, John Berkley and wife Malee and James Berkley and wife Vicky of Stockton; step-son-in-law, Roger Taylor of Leawood; 4 grandchildren, Niki Cullum and husband Brian of Leawood, Wade McDowell and wife Suzie of Hill City, Christine Riffel of Topeka, and Tasha Kuhlmann and husband Danny of Wichita; 7 great-grandchildren, Lexie McDowell of Manhattan, Aaron, and Brody McDowell of Hill City, Madison and Colby Riffel-Kuhlmann of Wichita, and Imani and Preston Cullum of Leawood; 8 step-grandchildren, Rick Sanders and family of Bellevue, NE, Jerry Sanders of Stockton, Jonathan Berkley and family of Stockton, Brian Berkley and family of Stockton, Renee Earl and family of Alabama, Thui Miller and family of Topeka, Brooke Taylor of Kansas City, and Michael Taylor of Denver.
Barbara is preceded in death by her parents Bernard and Leota; husband Jack Berkley; step-daughter, Patricia Taylor; son-in-law, Arthur McDowell; daughter-in-law, Susan Riffel; and brother shot down in WWII, Robert Booker.
It has been said that the best things in life are free: hugs, smiles, friends, family, love, laughter, and good memories. Barbara will be forever missed and her memories forever cherished by family and friends alike. She showed us by example how to live every moment, laugh every day, and love beyond words.
A memorial service will be held at the funeral home in Stockton on Saturday, February 16, 2019, at 10:30 A.M. Burial will follow at the Stockton cemetery. There will be no visitation. Memorials are suggested to Hospice of Hays Medical Center or V.F.W. Auxiliary and may be sent in care of Plumer-Overlease Funeral Home, 723 N. 1st, Stockton, KS 67669.
OVERLAND PARK, Kan. (AP) — Students in suburban Kansas City have sent thousands of sweet notes of encouragement to students in Parkland, Florida, on the first anniversary of a shooting rampage that left 17 people dead.
Image courtesy Missy Pint
Missy Pint, of Lenexa, Kansas, began planning the surprise weeks ago. She encouraged students at several schools to write words of encouragement on a candy label for “The Sweet Note Project.”
Pint flew this week to Florida, where she and a friend spent 18 hours applying labels to 400 pounds of chocolate. They delivered about 3,500 chocolate bars Tuesday to Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School. Pint saved 2,000 for the Kansas City community.
One note read: “You are brave.” Another charmingly misspelled message proclaimed: “Your a treashore to the world.”
HaysMed, part of The University of Kansas Health System, has expanded services to their cardiac program recently.
Drs. Rhea Pimentel and Madhu Reddy have been seeing patients for several months at the Debakey Heart Institute. Both physicians are electrophysiologists, cardiologists who specialize in the electrical functions of the heart.
“Our affiliation with The University of Kansas Health System has made it possible to bring these much needed services available locally,” said Bryce Young, chief operating officer at HaysMed. “We were able to make arrangements for these physicians to come to Hays on a regular basis to see patients in our heart clinic. The addition of the two electrophysiologists will help strengthen the cardiac services available at HaysMed.”
Dr. Pimentel completed medical school at Northwestern University. She did here residency at the University Hospital of Cleveland at Case Western Reserve University and a fellowship at Washington University School of Medicine.
Dr. Madhu Reddy
Dr. Reddy completed medical school at the Armed Forces medical College and did a residency and fellowship at Creighton University and a fellowship at The University of Kansas Medical Center.
While cardiologists typically evaluate and treat patients with heart-related symptoms, including a fast or slow heartbeat, chest pain, dizziness and other symptoms, electrophysiologists deal with the diagnosis and management of irregular heart rhythm. In most cases, when a cardiologist suspects a patient has an arrhythmia, they refer that patient to an electrophysiologist for further care.
Arrhythmia is a condition in which the heart beats with an irregular or abnormal rhythm, whether that is too fast, too slow or erratically. When the heart is unable to beat properly, it can affect blood flow, which can cause damage to or even shut down the brain, lungs and other organs. Some arrhythmias are harmless, but others can be life-threatening.
One of the most common arrhythmias that electrophysiologists treat is atrial fibrillation, also known as AFib. AFib occurs when the heart’s upper chambers—the atria—contract irregularly. AFib is the most common type of heart arrhythmia in the U.S., and it is a leading cause of blood clots that can result in a deadly stroke.
The number of people with arrhythmias is increasing and as the population ages, that number will continue to go up.
“We are excited to be able to help patients in this region with their electrophysiology needs so they can have the convenience of receiving this type of care closer to home,” said Dr. Jeffery Curtis, cardiologist and administrative director of the DeBakey Heart Clinic.
“We’re fortunate that being part of the system has given us the opportunity to have access to additional cardiologists to focus on our patients with heart rhythm problems. Any time we can partner and offer additional services for our patients it is a win-win situation. It is definitely a benefit of being part of The University of Kansas Health System.”
SALINE COUNTY — Law enforcement authorities are investigating an alleged violent attack and have made an arrest.
Herrera -photo Saline County
On Tuesday, a 19-year-old who is pregnant, had gone to visit 38-year-old Gerad Herrera at the Budget King Motel, 809 N. Broadway in Salina, according to Salina Police Lt. Jim Feldman.
The woman told police that during the visit, Herrera became irate and repeatedly beat her and strangled her multiple times. Additionally, she reported that sexual acts took place against her will, Herrera shave off some of her hair and at one point threatened to kill her, according to Feldman.
On Wednesday morning, Herrera had to leave the motel and took the woman with him. She was able to get away from Herrera and made her way to a relative’s house, according to Feldman. The relative then took the woman to the Salina Police Department.
After reporting the incident, the woman went to Salina Regional Health Center to be treated for non-life-threatening injuries, according to Feldman.
Later Wednesday, police were able to make contact with Herrera at the motel, and after a short scuffle, he was placed under arrest and is being held on requested charges that include rape, aggravated sodomy, aggravated domestic battery, aggravated battery, criminal restraint, criminal threat, felony obstruction, possession of methamphetamine, possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia.
Herrera has a previous drug conviction, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections.
The USD 388 Board of Education Wednesday announced the selection of Corey Burton, as the new superintendent.
Burton will take the reins on July 1 after the retirement of Robert Young at the end of the 2018-19 school year.
Burton is currently serving as the Ellis JH/SH principal and has done so for 13 years.
Previously, Burton served as principal at Hillsboro Middle School and as district curriculum coordinator for USD 410 for three years and, prior to that position, he also served in Hillsboro High School as a business/computer teacher for from 1994-2003.
Q & A
Why did you want to be superintendent at Ellis?
My family and I truly enjoy living in the Ellis community and being a part of the Ellis school system. I knew that one day I wanted to be a school superintendent, and I am very happy that I will get that opportunity while staying in the community we love.
Are there any goals you have as the new superintendent?
I believe that we have a great teaching staff and excellent school system. My hope is to continue this tradition by working with staff, students, parents and the community to ensure we continue to meet our students’ needs.
What do you think the Ellis school district is doing well right now?
Providing our students (PK-12) a high quality caring learning environment.
What do you see as some of the challenges the district is facing and how would you address those challenges?
As with any western Kansas school district, I see maintaining a quality staff as a challenge. We will need to work together to ensure our staff has competitive wages and a positive work environment. We will need to be proactive in recruiting high quality staff members.
What are some of things you will take from working at the Jr./Sr. high into working in the superintendent position?
Serving in the role of Jr./Sr. high school principal for 13 years, I feel I have a pretty good understanding on how our district runs and functions. I think this will make my transition into my new role much easier.
Do you think you have good relations with teachers, how would you improve those relationships?
I do feel that I already have a good working relationship with most of the staff. I look forward to visiting with each of them to learn more about what I can do in my new role to help them in their position.
You seem to have a very positive relationship with community members, how have you built that and how do intend to maintain that?
I believe that the community knows that I care about kids and that I am committed to my job. I don’t see this changing as I move into my new role.
Our county Farm Bureau board members support Kansas Farm Bureau’s effort to ensure farmers and ranchers have access to affordable health care. We ask Kansas legislators to vote yes on Senate Bill 32. This will allow KFB to offer its members a market-based solution for health coverage while supporting local hospitals and providers.
The cost of health care benefits is a major expense for Kansas farm families. Area producers are also battling a decline in net farm income of more than 50 percent over the past five years. KFB estimates it can offer its members a robust and competitive benefit that’s 30 percent less expensive than current market options. KFB’s health benefit will offer local farmers and ranchers a cost-effective option to receive care they need in our community.
SB 32 will provide options for area farmers and ranchers who don’t qualify for subsidies under the Affordable Care Act and can’t afford spending up to $40,000 to insure their family.
KFB’s health benefit will offer farmers and ranchers a cost-effective option to receive care they need in the communities where they live.
We strongly ask the Kansas Legislature to allow KFB to offer this coverage to its members.
Ellis County Farm Bureau President Matt Grabbe
Trego County Farm Bureau President Gerald Riedle
Rooks County Farm Bureau President Anna Luna
Russell County Farm Bureau President Gerald Machin
Gove County Farm Bureau President Kassie Remington
Rush County Farm Bureau President Maureen George
Barton County Farm Bureau President Jerry Morgenstern
Ness County Farm Bureau President Lauri Petersilie
OBERLIN — The Decatur County Sheriff’s Office has announced an arrest after a series of burglaries across several counties in Kansas and Nebraska.
The department reported Thursday that Nathan Sunblade was taken into custody Wednesday by the Norton Police Department on a Decatur County warrant.
He was arrested on suspicion of six counts of felony burglary and two counts of theft. He remains held at the Decatur County jail on a $50,000 bond.
“I would like to thank the Norton Police Department and the Norton County Sheriff’s Office for their assistance with this investigation,” the department said in a release on social media. “We anticipate several other arrests in these cases.”
The Kansas Legislature opened its 2019 session on January 14. It will most likely close up shop sometime in May. Governor Laura Kelly came into office with a well-defined agenda, and lots of optimistic Democrats foresaw school funding increases and Medicaid expansion moving through the legislative process.
Burdett Loomis, Professor, Political Science, College of Liberal Arts and Science, University of Kansas
Conversely, conservative Republican leaders in both chambers, their numbers buttressed by the same electorate that decisively chose Kelly over Republican Kris Kobach, have made aggressive opening moves to return the so-called “windfall” from 2017 federal tax changes back to a select number of Kansas families and corporations who may pay increased state taxes.
Meanwhile, Kansas tax revenues have fallen substantially ($49 million) below estimates for January. No one knows if that is a hiccup or the start of a trend, but it does signal a possible problem for either increased spending or reduced taxes.
And that’s just it. Legislative sessions are not sprints, they are four-month marathons, often culminating in omnibus budget packages and other deals that address a multitude of issues under severe time constraints. This comes as no surprise. Still, every legislative session is different, and sometimes, as in 2019, it will take some time just to understand where power lies and when it can be used.
Crucial here, for both Republicans and Democrats, is to determine what is the three-party breakdown of conservative Republicans, moderate Republicans, and Democrats. Although numbers will shift from issue to issue, some rough breakdown will allow Governor Kelly and legislative leaders to assess what kinds of bills can pass through the Legislature and win her signature.
The Senate’s initial salvo, passing a $191-million “windfall” tax reduction, demonstrated that the GOP-dominated Senate likely has no automatic veto-override majority of 27 votes; nor will the House. That established, the legislative process can continue, although we should not expect much in the way of short-term results. As time passes, we will get the February and March revenue reports and then, in early April, a new set of revenue estimates. Only then, perhaps, will the actual outlines of major policy decisions become clear, despite the “deadline” of April 15 for both sides to respond to the Supreme Court’s school finance decision.
All this does not mean that the Legislature will not be busy, and potentially productive, over the next couple of months. A host of younger legislators, mostly House Democrats, are eager to make their mark, with their proposals on discrimination, on spousal abuse, and other issues; likewise, legalizing medical marijuana is on the agenda, and sports betting may be.
As lawmakers address these issues, with committee hearings and, eventually, floor votes and some attempted veto overrides, legislative leaders will form a better sense of what this year’s version of the Legislature will finally look like.
Ultimately, the dual realities of a Democratic governor’s veto pen and the more conservative nature of both House and Senate will define what policies merge from the Legislature. Most likely, we will see end-game legislating and close votes that will determine what Kansas does on taxation, Medicaid expansion, and adding funds for school finance.
Recently, GOP senators, per the Kansas News Service, have challenged Laura Kelly’s political strength and her toughness. Let’s be clear, her political strength comes from her ability to veto legislation and hold her troops together to prevent overrides. Her toughness? Ha. This is a legislator who has served in the minority for 14 years and has learned all the ropes. Beyond that, she decisively defeated Mr. Macho Machine Gun in the governor’s race. She’s tough, it she’ll need all the support and all the toughness she can muster to prevail as the legislative calendar turns to May.
Burdett Loomis is an emeritus professor of political science at the University of Kansas.
Irene Blanch (Sorell) Fringer was born September 28, 1921 in Garden City, Kansas to Louis Edward (Ed) and Evelyne Eva (Patenaude) Sorell.
She passed away February 13, 2019 at the age of 97 at Good Samaritan Center in Oberlin.
Irene was the youngest of four daughters born to Ed and Evelyne. Her childhood was spent in many places, as Ed was a handyman and went where he could find work. At the age of four, Irene and her family moved to Dresden, Kansas. This is where they called home for many years.
Irene graduated from Dresden High School in 1942. After high school she took care of her parents and was a house keeper for people in the community.
On January 19, 1957 Verman Jessy Fringer and Irene were married in Norton, Kansas. After their marriage they made their home on the Fringer farmstead in Custer Township south east of Oberlin. To this union three children were born. Rose, Robert, and Patricia (Patty).
Irene enjoyed farm life and all that came with the title of being a farmer’s wife. She loved and cared for the many animals on the farm. Her favorites were her cats; however, with the many family dogs running a close second.
In 1981 Irene and Verman moved to Oberlin as the farm life was getting too much for them. It was also about this time that Irene decided she needed to learn to drive a car. So, at age 60, Robert taught his mom to drive. She then became very self-sufficient and loved making trips up town.
Irene was a resident at CLC and then at Good Sam for many years. She always enjoyed being the “greeter” and always had a smile for those entering if she was at her table.
Irene enjoyed visiting with whoever might stop by. She especially loved visits from her grandkids and great grandkids, and always insisted she needed new pictures of them.
She is preceded in death by her parents, Ed and Evelyne; sisters: Zelda Barker, Josephine Plante and Louise Tilten and husband, Verman.
Irene is survived by her son, Robert Edward (Penny) Fringer of Oberlin; daughters: Rose Evelyne Fringer (Rick Stienhour) of Nebraska, and Patricia Ann (Bill) Killingsworth of Salina; grandchildren: Dylan Jay Killingsworth of Salina, KS, Ellen JoAnn (Fringer ) Osborne of Wichita, KS, Wayland Stienhour of Nebraska, Rebecca Jean (Fringer) Jones of Colby, KS, Wendi Alta Kay (Killingsworth ) Davila of Salina, KS, Dalton Stienhour of Nebraska, Sarah Jane (Fringer) Wolf of Colby, KS; 11 great grandchildren; nieces, nephews and many many friends.
A Wake Service will be held Saturday, February 16, 2019 at 1:30 pm at Pauls Funeral Home, Oberlin, KS. Burial will follow at Oberlin Cemetery. Visitation will be 9:00 am – 1:00 pm before the service. The family will receive friends from 10:00 – 11:00 am. Memorial Contributions may be made to the Good Samaritan Society of Decatur County for the flooring project. Condolences may be left at www.paulsfh.com
Chetty Ann (Brown) Peckham, 75, passed away after a long battle with Alzheimer’s.
She was born at Perrin Army Air Base in Sherman, Texas, on November 3, 1943, and died at home in Derby, KS, on February 11, 2019.
Chetty was very proud to have graduated Magna Cum Laude from Butler County Community College.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Chester Brown of Sherman, TX and Loretta Brown of Victoria, KS.
She is survived by her husband, Ray Peckham of Derby; daughter, Laurie Lynn Lo Nigro; granddaughter, Nora Ann Lo Nigro, both of Wichita; many cousins. Rosary will be at 7:00 pm, Friday, February 15, 2019, at Downing & Lahey East Mortuary.
Funeral Mass will be at 1:30 pm, Saturday, February 16, 2019, at Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church. Graveside Service will be at 1:00 pm, Monday, February 18, 2019, at St. Fidelis Cemetery, Victoria, KS. Special thanks to Kiefer Senior Care and Kindred Hospice. A memorial has been established with St. Fidelis Catholic Church, 900 Cathedral, Victoria, KS 67671.
