Betty I. McPhail, 83, passed away October 6, 2019 in the comfort of her home with her loving family present.
She was born August 22, 1936 in Larned, the daughter of Frank and Laurine Burris Hawk. A lifetime area resident; she worked in Housekeeping at Larned State Hospital, and is fondly remembered as a kind and cheerful person.
She was a member of Larned Assembly of God Church, she loved sewing, knitting and crocheting, she enjoyed taking swimming classes, painting, and doing ceramics to keep her mind and body active, enjoyed dancing with the cruise directors on their cruise vacation and was a Betty Boop enthusiast.
On October 5, 1957 she married Harold McPhail in Larned, Kansas. He survives.
Other survivors include; four daughters, Jonell Branstine, Larned, Shirley (Richard) Beltz, Larned, Sandra (Steve) Turley, Hoisington, Lachel (Jimmy) McDonald, Larned; ten grandchildren and four great grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by; her parents.
Cremation has taken place and no services are planned at this time.
GEARY COUNTY — Law enforcement authorities are investigating three suspects on drug charges after a traffic stop on Interstate.
Just after 1:30 a.m. Sunday, deputies stopped a vehicle for a speeding and arrested Dakota L. Atkinson, 20, Riverside, Missouri, Madison N. Morris, 18 and Evan J. Hoffman, 22, both of Gladstone, Missouri on drug related allegations.
Morris photo Geary Co.
Morris and Hoffman are being held for multiple requested charges that include suspicion of Possession of Marijuana, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia and No Drug Tax Stamp.
Atkinson was arrested on requested charges of Possession of Marijuana, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, No Drug Tax Stamp, Speeding and Driving While License Suspended. The remain in custody, according to online jail records.
Trick or Treat So Others Can Eat is Oct. 8 from 6 to 9 p.m. in Hays.
The annual Trick or Treat So Others Can Eat canned food drive is set for Tuesday, October 8, 2019 in Hays.
Volunteers will be going door to door collecting non-perishable food items from 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. Food items such as canned meats, canned vegetables, canned fruit, and boxed meals are much needed at this time.
To assure residents that the items collected are for the Community Assistance Center, all volunteers will be wearing an identification badge with “Trick or Treat So Others Can Eat” clearly printed. Please leave items on the porch if you will not be home or do not want someone ringing the doorbell. Youth and adult volunteers from Hays give of their time to make this food drive a success.
Any house missed or those living in a rural area may take food items to the Community Assistance Center in Hays located at 12th and Oak until noon October 31, 2019.
At approximately 6:20 p.m. Saturday, Barton County Sheriff’s Office deputies were dispatched to a reported injury accident on the Barton/Russell county line on the Susank blacktop.
A 2012 Harley-Davidson operated by Gregory Allison, 60, rural Great Bend, was westbound on the county line, according to a news release.
Investigation at the scene indicated Allison failed to negotiate the curve going south onto Susank Road. The motorcycle went into a skid, sliding over 100 feet. Allison was thrown from the bike, landing in the west ditch.
A helicopter was called to the scene, and Allison was transported by air ambulance to Wesley Medical Center in Wichita.
Deputies believe excess speed was a contributing factor. Allison’s condition is not known, the sheriff’s office said in the news release.
SALINE COUNTY — Law enforcement authorities are investigating a Kansas man on sex allegations.
Holmes photo Saline County
Following an investigation into allegations that arose over the summer that included a five-year-old girl and a nine-year-old girl, deputies arrested have Archie Lee Holmes, 50, Gypsum, on suspicion of multiple counts, including rape and aggravated indecent liberties with a child, according to Saline County Sheriff Roger Soldan.
One of the girls was a family member and one was a friend of the family, according to the sheriff.
The incidents allegedly occurred at Holmes’ residence in Gypsum and were reported to the Saline County Sheriff’s Office by the Kansas Department for Children and Families.
Holmes remains in custody on requested charges of Rape, Aggravated indecent liberties with a child, Aggravated intimidation of a witness, Aggravated criminal sodomy, according to online jail records.
RILEY COUNTY — Law enforcement authorities are investigating a burglary and asking the public for help to locate suspects.
Just before 7 p.m. Saturday, police filed a report for burglary in the 3000 block of Anderson Avenue in Manhattan, according to the Riley County Police Department activity report.
A 78-year-old man reported an unknown suspect took a Persian rug from his business. The estimated total loss associated with this case is approximately $12,000.
Police ask that anyone with information please contact RCPD or the Manhattan Riley County Crime Stoppers.
Come join the United Way at Tiger Burgers, 700 Main, Hays, on Thursday, October 10 for our Dine Out Day!! Tiger Burgers will donate a portion of the proceeds to the United Way!
MANHATTAN — A public hearing will be conducted at 10:00 a.m. on Thursday, October 10, 2019, to consider the adoption of proposed regulations regarding water use. The hearing will be held in room 124 on the first floor of the Kansas Department of Agriculture, 1320 Research Park Dr. in Manhattan.
The hearing will consider a proposal to repeal K.A.R. 5-21-7, which adopted change in use rules applicable only in Western Kansas Groundwater Management District No. 1; repeal of this rule would result in the statewide rule (K.A.R. 5-5-9) being applied within GMD 1.
The other proposed regulations — K.A.R. 5-25-2, 5-25-4, and 5-25-22 — will assist water users in Big Bend Groundwater Management District No. 5 in developing an augmentation project.
The R9 Ranch in Edwards County, owned jointly by the cities of Hays and Russell as a long-term water supply, is located in Groundwater Management District No. 5.
The proposed regulations can be found on the KDA website: agriculture.ks.gov/PublicComment. Written comments can be submitted online at this site as well.
All interested persons may attend the hearing and may present comments either orally or in writing, or both. In order to give all parties an opportunity to present their views, it may be necessary to request that each participant limit oral presentations to five minutes. Individuals wishing to participate by teleconference may go to either the KDA Garden City Field Office or the KDA Stafford Field Office on the date and time of the public hearing.
Any individual with a disability may request accommodation to participate in the public hearing and may request a copy of the quarantine in an accessible format. Persons who require special accommodations must make their needs known at least five days prior to the hearing. For more information, including special accommodations or a copy of the regulations or their economic impact statement, please contact Ronda Hutton at [email protected] or 785-564-6715.
Dr. Roger Marshall, R-Great Bend, is the First District Kansas Congressman.
Friends,
President Trump delivered on his promise to America’s farmers and to rural America. Building off of the year-round E-15 rule President Trump announced earlier this year, a new agreement between the USDA and EPA will not only work to expand renewable fuel volumes but bring transparency to the RINs process.
Under an agreement announced by the USDA and EPA, the two agencies will work together to expand biofuel requirements, including seeking comments on actions to ensure that more than 15 billion gallons of conventional ethanol be blended into the nation’s fuel supply beginning in 2020. The agencies will also confirm volume obligation for biomass-based diesel is met, including accounting for relief expected to be provided for small refineries.
Additionally, the EPA will continue to evaluate options for RIN market transparency and reform. And the USDA will look for opportunities to consider infrastructure projects to facilitate higher biofuel blends.
The renewable fuel industry is not only good for producers and consumers but good for Rural America and our environment. I applaud the work of President Trump and his administration to remove burdensome red tape and uphold the RFS.
Medicare Open Enrollment Tele-Town Hall Opportunities
It’s time to get ready for Medicare open enrollment. From October 15 to December 7, America’s seniors will have the opportunity to find a plan that best suits their needs. During this period, I will host three tele-town halls to connect seniors in the Big First with regional experts from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to provide a general overview of 2020 options and answer questions.
Tele-Town Hall Dates: (conference call information to follow)
Wednesday, October 23, 2019 – 2:00 p.m.
Wednesday, November 13, 2019 – 10:00 a.m.
Wednesday, December 4, 2019 – 6:00 p.m.
For those that want to preview and compare 2020 health and drug plans, Click Here to get started with the newly updated Medicare Plan Finder.
NBAF Director Named
The United States Department of Agriculture announced the hiring of Dr. Alfonso Clavijo as the National Bio and Agro-Defense Facility’s first permanent director. Dr. Clavijo brings international experience in animal research and diagnostic work that will help the new, state-of-the-art facility achieve its goal of protecting U.S. agriculture and consumers through cutting-edge research and the development of vaccines and countermeasures.
Since taking office, I have been a champion of the NBAF facility in Manhattan, doing my part to ensure it has the resources needed to meet its mission of protecting animal health. Congratulations to Dr. Clavijo, and if you would like more information on the appointment, Click Here.
National Manufacturing Day
Kansas is home to over 2,500 manufacturing companies, from Fuller Brush in Great Bend to AGCO in Beloit. These companies play an important role in growing local economies, contributing over $25 billion to the state economy annually.
Kansas manufacturers are constantly innovating, helping to maintain U.S. global leadership in the industry. I’m proud of all of the great manufacturing companies in Kansas and am happy to honor them. Rural and Independent Innovators Conference The Kansas Small Business Development Center will be hosting one of their Rural & Independent Innovators Conferences (RIIC) at Fort Hays University on October 15th. These conferences are modeled around supporting Kansan entrepreneurs and innovators with information and education, with the goal of fostering connections and business opportunities.
Executive Director of Grow Hays, Doug Williams, will be the keynote speaker at this upcoming RIIC and will be speaking on “Growth Through Innovation.” There will also be presentations on business growth, market access, and raising capital. This is a great opportunity to network and learn, and I hope many of you have a chance to attend. Additional information, along with registration details, can be found on their websiteHere.
Department of Labor Fighting for Workers
U.S. Department of Labor recently announced an update to its rules related to overtime pay eligibility under the Fair Labor Standards Act.
This rule gives hard-working American employees a much-needed opportunity to earn overtime pay. President Trump and his administration recognize the changing workforce climate and worked hard to deliver a rule that will deliver more income and prosperity for American workers.
The current rule was issued in 2004, and set the standard qualified salary level at $455 per week, or around $23,600 annually. Starting in 2020, that threshold will be raised to around $35,000 annually, which means that an additional 1.3 million American workers will now be eligible for overtime pay.
President’s Award for Distinguished Public Service
I was named the recipient of the American College of Cardiology’s (ACC) 2019 President’s Award for Distinguished Public Service.
ACC, which represents over 52,000 cardiovascular health care professionals across the US, recognized my efforts to advance legislation to streamline prior authorization in the Medicare Advantage program, advise the Trump Administration on various quality and access issues, and to address surprise billing. Having worked as a doctor for 25 years before coming to Congress, it has long been a goal of mine to advocate for policy issues that would best serve patients.
I will be honored to receive this award in person at ACC’s legislative conference next month.
Dr. Roger Marshall, R-Great Bend, is the First District Kansas Congressman.
