SMITH CENTER – Ken Schwertfeger, age 87, passed away Thursday, September 12, 2019, at his home in Smith Center.
Arrangements are pending with Simmons-Rentschler Mortuary.
Month: September 2019
SW Kan. ophthalmologist announces run for Congress in Big First District
GARDEN CITY – A southwest Kansas ophthalmologist announced his candidacy Thursday for the U.S. House of Representatives as a Republican in Kansas First Congressional District.
Dr. Bill Clifford is an Air Force Veteran and small business owner based in Garden City.
He joins former Kansas Lt. Governor Tracey Mann and former elementary school teacher Kali Barnett who have announced plans to run for the state’s First District seat in Congress.
In a media release, Clifford said, “Like most Kansans, I am appalled at what is happening in Washington today. After much consideration, I am compelled to represent the people of Kansas,”
Clifford said he would stand with President Trump and represent the conservative values of the Big First Congressional District. He pledged to defend Second Amendment rights, support the Right to Life, advocate for farmers and ranchers, and work to secure the borders.
Clifford is co-owner of Fry Eye Associates in Garden City. A 1976 graduate of the Air Force Academy, he flew the F-15 jet fighter in the Air Force for four years. He attended the University of Southern California Medical School from 1985 to 1989 and completed Eye Surgery Residency and Fellowship Training in Glaucoma and Cornea at the University of Oklahoma.
After a year at the King Khaled Eye Hospital in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, he joined Dr. Luther Fry in the practice of ophthalmology. He is board certified by the American Board of Ophthalmology and is a member-at- large of the American Academy of Ophthalmology Board of Trustees.
Dr. Clifford and his wife of 37 years, Jean, both have held elected offices for more than a dozen years. Dr. Clifford was elected three times to the Garden City Community College Board of Trustees and is currently serving his fifth year on the Finney County Commission, which he chairs.
Kansas City homicide total grows to 5 over 24-hour span
KANSAS CITY, MO. (AP) — Authorities say a second victim has died from wounds sustained in a Kansas City shooting that occurred during a bloody 24-hour span in which three others also were killed.
Police say 20-year-old Makih Briggs was driving a car that came under fire Tuesday afternoon in the southern part of the city. He then ran off a road and hit a parked vehicle. His passenger, 21-year-old Jalen Stevens, died at the scene. Briggs died Wednesday at a hospital.
The scene of the shooting is less than 1 mile (1.6 kilometer) from where 20-year-old Dajuan Reese and 44-year-old Rance Burton were killed about six hours later inside an apartment.
The fifth victim, 41-year-old Antwain Foster, was shot to death late Monday. The deaths come among mounting concern about gun violence in the state’s two largest cities.
Kansas officers seize about $884,000 in suspected drug money
Nearly $100K seized after Ellis County stop
WICHITA (AP) — Federal prosecutors have filed four cases seeking to keep more than $358,000 in suspected drug money recovered by Kansas officers in separate traffic stops on Interstate 70 in August and September.
The U.S. Attorney’s office filed the four cases involving traffic stops in Ellis, Ellsworth, Shawnee and Wabaunsee counties.
In the most recent case filed Wednesday, a Kansas Highway Patrol trooper reportedly found $98,600 during a stop in Ellis County. The money was wrapped in rubber bands inside vacuum-sealed plastic bags hidden in a quarter panel.
Federal prosecutors filed four similar cases in June in Shawnee, Wabaunsee, Ellsworth and Chase counties.
The eight cases filed since June total about $884,000 in suspected drug money seized by law enforcement officers on interstate highways in Kansas.
UPDATE: Russell firefighters battle fire at downtown Mecca building
By JAMES BELL
Hays Post
RUSSELL — At approximately 10:40 a.m. Thursday, Russell Fire and EMS were dispatched to 815 N. Main in Russell in response to reports of a structure fire.
“When crews arrived on scene, heavy smoke was coming from Northwest of the main entrance to The Mecca Plaza,” said Fire Chief Dylan Riedel. “Fire crews made entry into the structure and determined that the fire was burning in the underground tunnels that run below the sidewalk, in front of the businesses on Main Street.”
At 10:50 a.m., firefighters entered the basement with fire extinguishers and found heavy smoke in the tunnel.
By 10:56 a.m., a hose line was called in as the fire was reported as mostly out. It was reported as completely out by 11:10 a.m.
The cause of the fire is undetermined, Riedel said, noting the fire did not spread to any other area of the building outside the basement. Damage is estimated at $500. No injuries were reported.
“The City of Russell Fire Department would like to thank The Russell Police Department, Russell Grant Fire Department, Russell County EMS, Russell Electric Department, and Kansas Gas Service for their quick response,” Riedel said.
Enter for a chance to win in the 8th Street Liquor Tailgate Photo Contest
Did you know with any 8th Street Liquor purchase you can get your game day cups for tailgating?
Fort Hays State takes on Missouri Western on Sept. 12 and then Missouri Southern on Sept. 28 and we want to see photos of your 8th Street Liquor Cups out supporting your Tigers.
Take your best tailgate photo at the game or in the comfort of your home with your 8th street cup and upload here for your chance to win this Coors Ultimate Tailgate Grill!
Entries will be accepted through Sept. 29. Then we’ll let the community vote on their favorite tailgate photo Sept. 30 to Oct. 6!
Ellis chamber’s golf tourney to be rescheduled
ELLIS — The Ellis Chamber of Commerce Golf Tournament will be rescheduled to a later date, according to chamber representative Glen Keller.
The four-person scramble was scheduled for Friday at the Ellis Country Club.
Girl Scouts set slumber party at Big Creek Crossing
By CRISTINA JANNEY
Hays Post
Girl Scouts will be taking over Big Creek Crossing the night of Saturday, Sept. 28, for its “Girls Just Want to Have Fun” night at the mall.
The event will include a visit from the Cosmosphere and the FHSU Maker’s Van. Girls of all ages and levels will be able to earn credit toward badges.
Girls will enjoy snacks, games, crafts, a movie and be able to lip synch with a live D.J. The night will be capped off with popcorn and a slumber party.
Check in for the event will be 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m., and the event goes to 7 a.m. Sunday, Sept. 29. Breakfast is provided.
You don’t have to be from Hays to participate, but you do have to be a registered Girl Scout. You can still register as a Girl Scout to attend the event. That can be done at www.girlscouts.org. The cost to register as a Girl Scout is $25. Scholarships are available and can be requested during registration.
If you are a registered Girl Scout, you can register on Ultracamp. Click here for a link and instructions on using the site. Deadline to register is Monday, Sept. 16.
Cost for the mall event is $25 for girls and $5 for adults. Daisy (kindergarten and first graders) and Brownies (second and third graders) are required to be accompanied by an adult chaperone at the event or attend with a troop that has an appropriate number of adult chaperones. Parent or guardian chaperones don’t have to be registered Girl Scout volunteers, but they need to registered for the event.
The mall will be open regular hours until 9 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 28, during the event.
If you have questions about this event or Scouts, you can call 1-888-686-6468 or visit the Hays office at 2707 Vine, Ste. 8 (behind Cervs). The Hays office is open from noon to 6 p.m. Mondays, noon to 5 p.m. Tuesdays through Thursdays and 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Fridays. You can also contact Monica Legleiter [email protected]
The event is sponsored by Girl Scout Service Unit 74, which includes Ellis, Trego, Ness, Russell and Gove counties.
Plainville PD will increase patrols after Rooks Co. homicide
PLAINVILLE — Following the homicide reported Tuesday in rural Rooks County, the Plainville Police Department announced this week it would be increasing patrols in residential areas of the community.
“As members of this community as well as being sworn to protect our citizens, we will do our best to make sure everyone here remains safe and protected,” the department said in a social media release.
Anyone with information about the crime is asked to call the Kansas Bureau of Investigation at (800) KS-CRIME or the Rooks County Sheriff’s Office at (785) 425-6312.
The KBIs’ investigation of the crime is ongoing.
Mother testifies in trial of Kan. priest charged with molesting her daughter
KANSAS CITY, Kan. (AP) — A mother has testified in the trial of a suspended Kansas priest charged with molesting her daughter that she was raised to hold priests in high regard and didn’t know how to respond when she became concerned.
The mother said Wednesday that she waited months to come forward after seeing the Rev. Scott Kallal chase her daughter into the bathroom of Kansas City, Kansas, church, go in after her and carry her out.
The mother testified that said she didn’t see him touch her daughter’s breast, as the girl later reported, and feared her concerns would be “swept under the rug.” Her daughter also says Kallal touched her inappropriately at a graduation party earlier in 2015. She was 10 at the time.
Kallal is being tried on two felony counts of aggravated indecent liberties with a child. He’s pleaded not guilty.
Kansas man dies after pickup strikes tree, rolls
DOUGLAS COUNTY — One person died in an accident just before 10p.m Wednesday in Douglas County.
A pickup driven by Silvestre Guebara, 52, Wichita, was northbound in the 1200 Block of Iowa Street in Lawrence, according Police Sgt. Amy Rhoads. The pickup exited the road at Stratford, struck a tree and rolled.
Guebara was pronounced dead a the scene.
At this time, it appears as though no other vehicles were involved in the accident. Police released no additional information early Thursday.
8th Street Liquor Tailgate Photo Contest
Tigers host Missouri Western for home opener Thursday night
#25/22 Fort Hays State (0-1, 0-1 MIAA) vs
Missouri Western (0-1, 0-1 MIAA)
Thursday, Sept. 12 – 7 pm
Hays, Kan. – Lewis Field Stadium
Game Sponsor: Eagle
Game Theme: Blackout (Wear black to the game)
Free Pregame Concert: Country artist Seth Cook (5-6:15 pm on the east lawn outside of Lewis Field Stadium)
Game Sponsor Promotion: Eagle is giving away 500 TGOF shirts starting at 5:30 PM on the northwest side of Lewis Field. Look for the “We love FHSU” flag.
Fort Hays State Football will play its first home game of the 2019 season on Thursday night (Sept. 12) when it takes on Missouri Western. Kickoff is set for 7 pm at Lewis Field Stadium. The No. 25/22 ranked Tigers seek their first win of the season after falling in the season opener at Central Missouri last week.
The Tigers look to avenge a loss to the Griffons last year. Missouri Western defeated FHSU by a score of 23-13 in St. Joseph when FHSU was No. 5 in the AFCA Top 25 Poll. Prior to that, FHSU had won two in a row against the Griffons. This will be the first meeting between the teams in Hays since the 2016 season, when the Tigers won 35-27. FHSU won the 2017 installment of the series, winning 38-10 in St. Joseph. This is the third straight meeting between the teams in which the Tigers have held a top-25 national ranking.
Fort Hays State has been tough at home the last two seasons, going 12-0 in MIAA play during that span at Lewis Field Stadium. The only blemish at home since the beginning of the 2017 season was a playoff loss to Ferris State (Mich.). FHSU has claimed its last four home openers.
Fort Hays State held a 30-21 fourth-quarter lead over Central Missouri in the season opener, but UCM rallied for a pair of touchdowns in the final six minutes of the game to upend the then No. 11/8 ranked Tigers. Chance Fuller threw for a career-high 333 yards in the game, while Harley Hazlett (184), Charles Tigner (120), and Layne Bieberle (104) all produced over 100 all-purpose yards in the game.
The Tigers held the Mules to 34 total yards in the first quarter, but the Mule offense found its footing after halftime. The Mules produced 329 of their 516 yards in the game in the second half. The 516 yards allowed was well above the average of 326.1 the Tigers surrendered per game in 2018. However, it was the second straight year the Tigers surrendered more than 500 to the Mules.
The Tiger defense will look to bounce back after its second-half struggles last week. Tanner Hoekman and Drew Harvey tied for a team-high eight tackles each last week. FHSU held Missouri Western to 302 total yards last year despite the loss.