FINNEY COUNTY — Law enforcement authorities and officials with USD 457 are investigating an alleged threat to Garden City High School.
Just after 3:30p.m. Wednesday, police were made aware of content posted on a social media site suggesting a potential threat to the Garden City High School, according to Police Sgt. Lana Urteaga.
Through the course of the investigation, it was learned there was no threat to the school or students. However, two Garden City high school students created a social media post about another, uninvolved student making a threat to the school.
The uninvolved student did not make a threat to the school, according to Urteaga.
Disciplinary action has been taken by the school for the students involved in making the social media posts. Police encouraged parents to remind your child to report any information about any school safety-related incidents to administrators/staff at school and or the Garden City Police Department.
SEDGWICK COUNTY — The Catholic Diocese of Wichita Thursday published a list of diocesan clergy against whom an allegation of sexual abuse of a minor has been substantiated.
Bishop Carl A. Kemme
According to a statement on the diocese website, this list is being published after a comprehensive and independent audit of all clergy files over the last several months by Stephen Robison, a non-Catholic lawyer with many years of experience in criminal and civil investigations, of Fleeson, Gooing, Coulson and Kitch, Attorneys at Law.
Published on the list are the names of nine priests of the Catholic Diocese of Wichita, who have substantiated allegations of sexual abuse of a minor. Included with the nine named priests are an additional six priests, who, though not priests of the diocese, served in the diocese for a period of time, are identified because they were published by other dioceses.
The names, ordination dates, assignment histories and current status are now available on the diocesan website.
All clergy currently listed have either been removed from ministry or are deceased. The majority are deceased. Going forward, the Catholic Diocese of Wichita in cooperation with its Policy on Suspected Abuse of Children will continue to disclose the names of any clergy against whom an allegation of sexual abuse of a minor is substantiated.
Mary D. Mead, 103, of Russell, Kansas, died on Wednesday, September 18, 2019, at the Wheatland Nursing Home surrounded by her loving family.
Mary was born on January 15, 1916, in Johnston, Rhode Island to Germano and Anastasia (Girardi) Torrice who were immigrants of D’Evandro, Italy. Mary was one of 7 children and grew up in Cranston, Rhode Island. She was a secretary in the Pentagon during WWII. She met her future husband Jay Mead, who was from Waldo, Kansas, in Washington DC at a ballgame. Jay and Mary met while Jay was a soldier waiting to be shipped out for overseas duty. After Jay’s return, Mary and Jay were married on October 02, 1944, at the Church of Saint Teresa of Avila in Providence, Rhode Island. Mary would say that her new life began when she moved to Kansas, which meant life would be without butchers and bakers and a great distance from everyone and everything she knew.
She was a quick learner becoming a wonderful homemaker, and everything was made from scratch and laundry was done on a wringer washer and hung outside to dry. She often said she came to Kansas and got healthy. She resided at the homestead near Waldo until November 2000, when she moved to September Apartments in Russell and enjoyed many activities with the ladies who lived there. Mary will be remembered for her ability to put on a meal for a crowd with seemingly little effort. She was a master at cinnamon rolls, homemade pizza and lemon meringue pie that people fought over at community dinners.
Mary is survived by her sons Stephen Mead of Hesston, Kansas, Allen Mead (Sandy) of Kismet, Kansas and Mark Mead (Patty) of Russell, Kansas; daughter Jackie Brown (Kevin) of Oberlin, Kansas; ten grandchildren, twenty-one great grandchildren, sister Yolanda DePalo of Providence, Rhode Island, many nieces, nephews and extended family and friends.
Services are pending at this time, please check back later for funeral service date and time.
Augustine Anthony Christopher Espinosa, infant son of Alex and Crystal Espinosa, of Colby, was born August 5, 2019, at the Rocky Mountain Children’s Hospital, in Denver and died there September 15, 2019.
He is survived by his parents; grandparents, Alex and Sherry Espinosa, of Garden City, KS, Roger Gibbs, Tracy Kinney, of Denver, CO and Pat Rich, of Lakin, KS and great-grandfather Robert Espinosa, of Blanca, CO.
He was preceded in death by great grandmother Emma Espinosa.
A private family service will be held. Memorials are suggested to Alex and Crystal Espinosa, sent in care of Baalmann Mortuary, PO Box 391, Colby, KS 67701. For information or condolences visit www.baalmannmortuary.com
In a significant legislative victory for Cold War Era veterans across Kansas and the Nation, President Trump signed a bill July 30 that declares the United States has been in a state of war since Dec. 7, 1941.
The American Legion sought the declaration as a way to honor approximately 1,600 U.S. servicemembers who were killed or wounded during previously undeclared periods of war.
The LEGION Act (Let Everyone Get Involved In Opportunities for National Service Act) also opens the door for approximately 6 million veterans to access American Legion programs and benefits for which they previously had not been eligible.
“Recognizing the service of these wartime veterans is the right thing do and it is long overdue,” National Commander Brett Reistad said.
“The families of those who were killed or wounded during these wartime acts should take pride in knowing that we recognize their sacrifice and service. Moreover, we are proud to welcome any of the six million living veterans from the previously unrecognized periods into our organization and call them ‘Legionnaires.’”
Now that the legislation has been signed, the American Legion’s eligibility criteria immediately changes from seven war eras to two: April 6, 1917, to Nov. 11, 1918, and Dec. 7, 1941 to a time later determined by the federal government. No other restrictions to American Legion membership are changed.
What does this mean to Cold War Era Veterans across Kansas? The American Legion Post near you is waiting with open arms. Come help us serve our communities veterans, children and first responders and show your community what a group of determined veterans can do to improve our community, state and nation.
Frederick (Rick) Miller American Legion, Department of Kansas PR Chair Olathe
BUTLER COUNTY— Law enforcement authorities and USD 402 officials are investigating e-cigarettes and working to inform students about the dangers.
VAPING 360 / FLICKR
The dangers of e-cigarettes are not confined to the health risks related to nicotine only. SRO Meckel and Augusta Schools USD 402 – Augusta High School are working hard to enforce e-cigarette laws and inform youth about the dangers.
According to August police, the school resources officer at Augusta High School arrested one student after confirming the use products in e-cigarettes that contain THC, the principal psychoactive constituent of cannabis. Police also arrested an adult for distributing the substance.
Authorities have found about 1/2 dozen e-cigarette cases since the beginning of the school year, according to police
Campus officers are also equipped with field test kits to identify and classify illegal substances. If a student has an unknown substance police will test it to determine what it is. If it’s illegal – they will get arrested.
The school district reminded students and parents, “vaping devices are never allowed on USD 402 Properties. Our administration, SRO, and public safety officers are being vigilant about stomping these products out of our schools. This is a national issue, and schools around the country are facing this onslaught. Please take time to talk to your children about this topic and partner with us in providing safe schools. If you, or your students, know of any unsafe activities taking place in our schools please make us aware. If you prefer to report anonymously, use our anonymous reporting app “Fight Song!”. “
Thelma Louise Pettijohn, 87, passed away September 17, 2019, at Sandpiper Health & Rehab, Wichita. She was born November 29, 1931, in Clinton, MO, to Emmett R. and Nettie Ethel (Love) Lowe. She married Richard Pettijohn at Great Bend. He passed from this life September 29, 2004.
A Wichita resident, previously living in Eucha, Okla., and living the majority of her life in Great Bend, was of the Baptist faith. Thelma was a newspaper carrier for the Wichita Eagle and enjoyed spending time with her family.
Survivors include three sons, John Sutton and wife Vicki of Amarillo, Texas, Mark Pettijohn of Brighton, Colo., and Phillip Pettijohn and wife Rhonda of Wichita; three daughters, Barbara Palmer and her significant other Brad Reich of Denver, Becky Ramirez and husband Leon of Woodward, Okla., and Sue Joiner and husband Jay of Virginia; 17 grandchildren, 21 great grandchildren, and one great great grandchild. She was preceded in death by her husband Richard Pettijohn; parents; and four sisters, Dora, Wanda, Joyce and Emma Lou.
Visitation will be from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. with the family present, Sunday, September 22, 2019, at Bryant Funeral Home. Graveside Service will be held at 10:30 a.m., Monday, September 23, 2019, at Golden Belt Memorial Park, with Rev. Dick Ogle presiding.
Memorials are suggested to Thelma Pettijohn Memorial Fund, in care of Bryant Funeral Home.
Berneice Ann Greenwood died from her second bout with cancer at 8:19 a.m. on Wednesday, September 18, 2019.
While just having lost her husband of 54 years to cancer in February, Berneice was learning to live on her own. She exhibited the strength that so many of us knew of her and was hoping to someday begin travelling again to see the world.
As a born and raised Kansas woman, Berneice worked hard inside and outside, had plenty of food on hand for those ice storms and folks who just stopped by, always cared for her family physically and emotionally, loved a good game or two or three of pitch or rummy (until she won!), watched G-rated romantic movies, and enjoyed a slow drive at sunset to see the deer.
Whether it was how to be a help mate (the practical one for Ron getting his dreams), powering through adversity (always finding the silver lining), delighting in children (hugs and kisses all around), or fishing with enthusiasm (I got one! I got one!!), Berneice taught by example. She brought humor to our lives with her feigned innocence, funny sayings, ready smile and easy laugh. She loved every gift just because she got to open a package. She was as unique as an individual as her green eyes are to the population.
Berneice lived through more tragedy than most know, which strengthened her faith in God. She held strong to her Catholic faith to the very end, encouraging her children to put God first in their lives. She died peacefully while her children were praying the rosary at her bedside.
We all picture Ron welcoming her at the gates of heaven with other family members around, including her parents, Walt and Toots; her brothers Jerry and Joker; her sister, Betty; and many aunts, uncles, a nephew, and cousins.
Kim, Debby and husband, Randy Pfeifer, James and wife Becky, Tim and wife Teresa, 19 grandchildren and one great granddaughter as well as her siblings Marie and husband Milo Sarchet, Charlie and wife Mary Conant, Evelyn and husband Jeff Fertig, sister-in-law Linda and husband Tom Bartlett, and many family and friends will miss her greatly.
The viewing will be at Plumer Overlease mortuary at 610 24th St., Wilson, KS 67490, from 5 to 8 pm with the rosary at 7:30 pm on Monday, September 23. The funeral mass will be held at St. Wenceslaus Catholic Church in Wilson, Kansas, on Tuesday, September 24, 2019, at 10 a.m.
Donations in her memory may be sent to Right to Life, St. Wenceslaus Catholic Church in Wilson, or St. Joseph Catholic Church in Dorrance.
Clyde Luke Scheffe, age 89, passed away on Wednesday, September 18, 2019 at Greeley County Hospital in Tribune, Kansas.
Clyde was born February 5, 1930 in Windthorst, Texas, the son of Henry Luke & Catherine Ann (Zihlman) Scheffe. Clyde attended high school at St. Mary Catholic School in Marienthal, Kansas and then worked on the family farm until he left for the service. Clyde served his country in the United States Army, 101st Airborne Division and 81st Engineers during the Korean Conflict. After he was discharged, he headed back to Kansas in 1954 and met the love of his life. On February 19, 1957 he married Inella Marie Baker in Marienthal, Kansas.
They lived in Wichita, Kansas briefly where he was a member of the fire department, before they moved back to Wichita County and took up farming. He wore many hats over the years including dairyman and retired federal crop insurance district director. He enjoyed visiting his family, watching his Dallas Cowboys and a highlight in 2017 was a trip to Washington, DC on an Honor Flight with his fellow servicemen.
Clyde was a member of St. Mary Catholic Church in Marienthal, Kansas, the Veterans of Foreign Wars in Leoti, Kansas and was a life member of Knights of Columbus in Windthorst, Texas. He also served on the Board of Directors for the Leoti Senior Citizens Center. He loved gardening, playing cards, and his family. His memory will be cherished by many.
Siblings
Gladys Wolf- Windthorst, TX
Marie Vietenheimer- Windthorst, TX
Bernard & (Pat) Scheffe- Windthorst, TX
Bobby & (Pat) Scheffe- Windthorst, TX
(Terry) & Catherine Carlton- Wichita Falls, TX
Evelyn Scheffe – Wichita Falls, TX
Francis Scheffe – Amarillo, TX
Sixteen Grandchildren, 2 step grandchildren, 15 great grandchildren
His parents, and three siblings, Earl Scheffe, Henry Scheffe, Jr. and Mildred Koetter precede him in death.
Friends may call from 5:00 p.m. until 8:00 pm Friday and Saturday and from 1:00 p.m. until 5:00 p.m. Sunday at Price & Sons Funeral Home in Leoti, Kansas.
Vigil services will be held 7:00 p.m. Sunday, September 22, 2019 at St. Mary Catholic Church in Marienthal, Kansas.
Funeral Mass will be held at 10:30 am Monday, September 23, 2019 at St. Mary Catholic Church in Marienthal, Kansas with Father Tim Hickey officiating.
Burial will be in St. Mary Cemetery in Marienthal, Kansas.
Memorials may be given to Clyde Scheffe Memorial Fund in Care of Price and Sons.
Condolences may be sent to the family through the funeral home website at priceandsons.com
WICHITA – The Kansas Complete Count Committee, created through executive order by Governor Laura Kelly in April to assist the U.S. Census Bureau in promoting participation in the 2020 Census, met for the first time recently in Wichita.
“Every voice is important, and every Kansan must be counted,” Governor Kelly said. “In addition to the amount of federal funding that is on the line, we need an accurate picture of our communities so that we can properly plan for the future. The members of the Complete Count Committee are qualified professionals eager to make sure we have an accurate count.”
Brian McClendon, a Lawrence Democrat, and Joyce Warshaw, a Dodge City Republican, serve as co-chairs of the committee. McClendon is a professor at the University of Kansas and the former vice president of Google and Uber. Warshaw serves on the board of directors for the Kansas League of Municipalities and is the vice mayor of Dodge City.
“We’ve been meeting with stakeholders and recruiting members of our committee for months, so it was wonderful to finally have them all together to formally begin our efforts on Census participation,” Warshaw said. “These efforts are crucial to ensuring we have an accurate count in 2020.”
According to Warshaw, for every person not counted in the 2020 Census, Kansas stands to lose about $2,000 in federal funds per year for 10 years. That funding goes to dozens of programs such as Head Start, KanCare and the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program.
The Census will determine how the federal government distributes over $6 billion in federal funds to Kansas every year.
“Our state receives federal funding for everything from law enforcement to infrastructure to healthcare,” Warshaw said. “Since this affects so many different aspects of life in Kansas, we wanted to make sure our Complete Count Committee included a diverse group of people from across the state representing different communities with different interests.”
McClendon said they had been working with the Governor’s Office and the Kansas Department of Commerce to find and recruit members of the committee. The committee now includes representatives from nonprofit organizations such as Kansas Catholic Charities, Kansas Appleseed, Dane G. Hansen Foundation in Logan, El Centro and Kansas Farm Bureau. It also includes elected officials from across the state.
“It was great to see such a broad range of Kansans focused on helping Kansans get counted in the Census,” McClendon said. “It was a very productive session with many stepping up to take on more.”
During the Sept. 10 initial meeting, McClendon urged committee members to reach out to help form local Complete Count Committees in their communities to promote Census participation.
Emily Kelley, Complete Count Committee member and partnership coordinator for Kansas with the U.S. Census Bureau, also invited members to attend the formal openings of Census Bureau field offices in Overland Park and Wichita on Oct. 1. Governor Kelly will be attending the opening of the Overland Park office, while Lieutenant Governor Lynn Rogers will be at the Wichita opening.
Wonder Women League Co-Chairs Rhonda Meyerhoff and Nancy Jeter speak at a League event Tuesday.
By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays Post
The Wonder Women League is looking forward to several projects that will help children.
The nonprofit, which is affiliated with United Way of Ellis County, had a member drive luncheon Tuesday.
The Wonder Women League hopes to partner with HaysMed to buy stainless steel wagons and/or remote controlled cars for children who are patients at the hospital, Rhonda Meyerhoff, League co-chair, told the group.
“Mom or dad can take the child for a ride, and it is another way of transport,” she said.
The remote-controlled cars, can be a way a child can ride to surgery.
“I didn’t really think about it, but the impact on a child who is really, really scared …,” Meyerhoff said. “They want to cling to mom or to dad because they don’t know what is going to happen. They are scared. What we are told is if they can get the child into one of these motorized vehicles and into surgery, they have accomplished a lot with this child because the child is not going to fight them now.”
The Wonder Women League is a nonprofit that raises money for and implements projects that help children, families and the community.
HaysMed has approved the project, and it will be up for a vote in front of the Wonder Women in October. The group meets every other month on the second Thursday of the month for about an hour.
The group is trying to organize a cyber security program that could be presented to children in schools, the group also hopes to discuss this project at its next meeting.
The group also hopes to partner with the Fort Hays State University veterans organization to assist in its annual sports equipment drive. That could happen as soon as this fall.
“We know there may be children whose parents can’t afford the athletic equipment that they need to even do Hays Rec or some other team,” Meyerhoff said. “I don’t know about you, but it seemed every year I was having to buy new sizes of shoes for my kids for what they were going through because they had grown that much and the old pair just kind of got dumped.”
New equipment can be donated, but gently used equipment like basketballs, footballs, soccer balls or baseballs could also be donated.
The group has also discussed a long-term goal of creating a woman’s scholarship fund.
The League continues to participate in Matthew’s Gift in cooperation with HaysMed. The project provides bags with necessities, such as toiletries, bottled water, a lap blanket and snacks, to families who have loved ones who have to be transferred out of Hays on an emergency basis. The project was named for 3-year-old Matthew Wellbrock, who died as a result of an accident on his family’s farm.
Nancy Jeter, League c0-chair, said Matthew’s father and mother received a similar bag when Matthew was in the hospital. Matthew’s father told Jeter the bag was invaluable to the couple, because neither one of them wanted to leave Matthew’s side when he was in the hospital. They lived out of that bag until Matthew passed away.
Tammy Williams, HaysMed emergency department nurse, said the families who have received the bags have been very grateful. About three dozen bags have been distributed since the program began in the spring.
Meyerhoff said, “In my heart, when we give them that bag, I think we give them some love from Ellis County to go with them.”
Other projects Wonder Women have supported since the group launched two years ago included a self-defense class and Sunrise Park’s Born Learning Trail, which is a walking trail that includes interactive learning activities for children.
Prior to the event Tuesday, the group had about 35 members.
The group has changed its membership structure. The minimum contribution to become a member is $50. You can pay using check, cash or credit card. You can register online using a credit card.
You can volunteer for events or be on committees, but the League also offers a donor only option.
Registration is good for one year, and the money raised goes to support Wonder Women League projects. The group also accepts contributions from corporate sponsors. Although the League is under the United Way’s nonprofit umbrella, the funds raised through this organization are kept separate for League projects.
The exception is the annual Power of the Purse event, which jointly supports the League and United Way.
“I don’t think any of these logos were adopted by ordinance by the commission in the past,” Toby Dougherty, city manager, told city commissioners Thursday night.
“But because of the staff’s goal to combine them into one logo, we would like you to come to some sort of consensus.”
Dougherty, along with Melissa Dixon, Convention and Visitors executive director, and other city staff members worked with Hays artist Scott Gross who was contracted to design a new logo.
Three similar designs were shown to commissioners who agreed with the staff recommendation of the abstract lowercase “h” option.
Vice-mayor Sean Musil was a little hesitant. “I don’t hate it. I’m just not in love with it,” he said. “I love this logo,” Musil said holding up his bottle of water sporting a current city logo. “To me, this looks fresh.”
The goal of the logo project was to create a standardized city logo that will work in all type of media, signage, letterhead and even employee clothing. The logo color can be tailored to different departments such as green for parks and blue for water resources.
“The logos that are out there aren’t very organized or cohesive,” said Gross. “It was time to give it an update, give it a nice refresh.”
Gross, who has also designed logos for several local businesses including Regeena’s Flowers and Gella’s Diner in downtown Hays, showed mockups of the logo on city vehicles, clothing, the blue trash carts and a photo of the iconic Frontier Park bridge.
“The logo looks like it’s two colors but it’s really just one color,” Gross explained. “You’re only spending money on one color when you go to printing on different things. It’s portable. You can’t really embroider two tones like that so you’re just doing one color, nice and simple.”
The city’s “3 Amigos” logo featuring General George A. Custer, James B. “Wild Bill” Hickok and William “Buffalo Bill” Cody often utilized multiple colors, a more expensive process than a single color.
The new logo will use common Pantone colors and the sans-serif Gotham font.
Gross also showed examples of the logo reversed, in 1-color, gray-scale, and 2-color with a color background.
Some of the logo changes will start immediately.
“All the online electronic stuff, that will happen right away. The stuff we give to the press, the letterhead. All that stuff is going to change quickly,” Dougherty said.
Employee shirts will change as they need to be replaced.
The 50-plus wayfinding signs in Hays may not change. “We may look at it and say keep it. It’s a whole separate entity aside from the organizational logo for the city of Hays.”
Hays Regional Airport has its own logo. The new logo will be adapted, perhaps by adding an airplane, to keep the same organizational theme.
Commissioner Ron Mellick asked if the city was going to “throw away thousands of dollars of letterhead.”
“We buy letterhead in really low amounts,” Dougherty answered, “because commissioners’ names change and we have to redo that letterhead. We buy on an as-needed basis. It’s not like we’re going to toss a lot of stuff into the recycling.” Letterhead will not be changed until after the 2020 commission is seated in January, so there will be no additional cost.
The police and fire departments will also use the updated letterhead. Uniform patches will not be affected and for now, the logo will not be placed on police vehicles. Other city vehicles will get new vinyl decals right away.
The logo committee anticipates the cost to implement the new logo is less than $10,000.
