Roberta Louise Foster was born Sept 16, 1925 in Los Angeles, CA to Earl and Martha (Bailey) Dunning. She passed away August 8, 2019 in Huffman, TX surrounded by her family.
Roberta was raised in California, where she also graduated from high school. She married Elferd J. Foster November 20, 1945. They lived in California, Kansas, Washington, Arizona and Texas. Roberta worked in SWFPAC as a secretary in Bangor, WA until retiring in 1979. She lived in Benson, AZ from 1980-1990 and then moved to Onalaska, TX. While living there she joined the Greater Onalaksa Lions Club in 1997 and was secretary of the club until 2000.
Roberta was preceded in death by her parents Earl Dunning and Martha Sweeney; husband, Elferd; her twin brother, Robert Dunning and sister Barbara Exe. She is survived by her daughters: Jo-Dean Greenlee and husband Jerry and Betty Ford; grandsons, Brian and David Greenlee and wife Terri and Paul Kadlecek; great grandson, Michael Kadlecek; great granddaughter, Makayla Lowery; two great grandsons, Austin Magee and wife Jackie and Preston Magee and Wife Elyse and a great-great grandson, Ledger Magee.
Graveside service will be held 3:00 pm Tuesday, August 13, 2019 at Dresden Cemetery. Condolences may be left at www.paulsfh.com
Kenneth (Kenny) Lee Oberkrom, 89, passed away on August 7, 2019 in Smith Center, Kansas
Kenny was born January 25, 1930 to Charles Lee and Leona Anna ( Pinet) Oberkrom in Linn, Missouri.
Kenny spent the first 25 years growing up in Missouri. He enjoyed swimming in the river and spending time with his family. He moved to Kansas in 1955 and worked on the Lindeman farm in Graham County. Later Kenny went to work for Studley Co-op delivering gas. He was very proud of the fact that he was a lifetime member of the Church of God.
He married Nadine (Shoemaker) Moss in 1973 and became a dad to her six children: Jennifer, Marie, Kathy, Carla, Jonilyn and Jim.
They lived on a farm north of Morland. Nadine and Kenny divorced, but Kenny continued to be a great dad to the kids and friend to Nadine.
He married Rose Mary Niehaus in 1991. They lived happily together until her passing in 2010. Kenny moved to Hill City where he lived until moving to Smith Center to be closer to family in 2018.
Kenny is preceded in death by his parents Charles and Leona; three brothers: Charles, Floyd and Glenn; four sisters: Nadine, Velda, Juanita and Gertrude; his wives: Carla Nadine Oberkrom and Rose Mary Oberkrom.
He is survived by his brother: Harold Oberkrom, Ft. Wayne, Indiana; three sisters: Irma Hunter, Blue Springs, Missouri; Edna Armstrong, Kansas City, Missouri; Leona Singleton, Kansas City, Missouri. Step-Children: Jennifer (Glenn) Richmeier, Brooksville, Florida; Marie Lee, Prairie Park, Kentucky; Kathy (Greg) Bashford, Brooksville, Florida; Carla (Gary) Cochrun, Agra, Kansas; Jonilyn Cambell, Kensington, Kansas, Jim (Jolene) Moss, Smith Center, Kansas.
He leaves behind many grandchildren, great grandchildren, family and friends. Kenny enjoyed being a prankster and dad. He was known and loved by many. He will be missed.
We are giving away the Chicken Soup for the Soul book “Running For Good.”
Listen during a KZ Country Morning with Theresa Trapp Monday, August 12 – Friday, August 16, 2019 for chances to call 785-628-2995 and win. No age requirement to win.
Winners will need to pick up their books at the KZ Country Studio, 2300 Hall, Hays, KS within 30 days of winning.
Whether you want to get moving, or keep moving, you need inspiration. Novice walkers and seasoned runners alike will find that inspiration, and so much more, in these stories written by those who know that the toughest step to take in any walk or run is the first.
Beginning an athletic pursuit like running or walking for fitness takes a good deal of motivation, determination, and inspiration, all of which can be found in these 101 real-life stories. Written by people who took that all-important, and elusive, first step, these stories will not only help readers get off the couch and get moving, but they’ll inspire even the most seasoned of athletes to keep moving. Coauthored by the famous ultramarathoner Dean Karnazes, who brings his own advice to readers, as well as stories from some of the best-known runners in the world.
Congrats Lenee Horting, Amy Payne, Fred Friess, Pat Sauer and Janet Ehrlich!
SEDGWICK COUNTY — Law enforcement authorities are alerting the public to counterfeit oxycodone pills that contain fentanyl found in Kansas.
The pills appear from their markings to be legitimate, according to Wichita Police Captain Jeff Allen. Investigators confirmed the pills do contain the potentially fatal drug fentanyl.
“The counterfeit pills are being sold as Oxycodone pills and the consumer is unaware that the pills may contain Fentanyl,” according to Allen. “Fentanyl is a highly dangerous drug and can be up to 30-50 times more powerful than heroin and small amounts ingested can be fatal.”
These counterfeit pills may also be responsible for overdoses and overdose deaths in Sedgwick County over the past few months, according to police. Investigators have also received information from after police have confiscated the counterfeit pills in surrounding counties.
There is a great risk to the public, according to Allen.
Police remind the public that any narcotic or prescription drug not purchased with a doctor’s prescription at a legitimate pharmacy should be considered unsafe and could potentially contain fentanyl or other harmful substances.
Anyone with information about the illegal use or sale of any drug is urged to call Crime Stoppers at (316) 267-2111. Those needing help with addiction should call Sedgwick County COMCARE Addiction Treatment Services at (316) 660-1100.
Toby Dougherty, Hays city manager, review highlights of the 2020 budget.
By BECKY KISER Hays Post
The 2020 budget for the city of Hays includes a projected increase in sales tax revenues, the primary source of funding for the city’s general fund.
Following Thursday night’s public hearing for the budget, City Manager Toby Dougherty reviewed some of the highlights with city commissioners.
“The most notable item in the General Fund is that we are budgeting a sales tax (revenue) increase over the 2019 budget of 2.9%. Been a lot of flat years in sales tax (revenue) and we’ve seen a positive trend as of late, so this is a little bit helpful for us,” Dougherty said.
Within Levy Funds, Dougherty pointed out a reallocation of 0.5 mills to the Hays Regional Airport.
“The airport has subsisted on a 1 mill levy for a lot of years and we are outgrowing that 1 mill with the capital and operational requirements we have.”
The total mill levy for Hays in 2020 is 25.000, the same as it’s been the past 13 of 14 years.
Commissioner Ron Mellick pointed out the mill levy is “actually 18 for the city and 7 pass-through for the library.
“Once again, city staff as well as department heads and all of our workers, it takes all of us pulling together in order for us to be able to to that for 13 of the last 14 years,” Mellick said.
The Hays mill levy is the seventh lowest in Kansas and the lowest levy outside of Johnson County.
Street maintenance projects have a budget of $1.3 million next year.
“I think extending the life of our streets and keeping up on that infrastructure, like with our sewer cleaning, that’s got to be saving us money in the long run,” said Eber Phelps, commissioner.
In 2004 when the city sales tax was voted in, one of the promises was that more money would be spent on street maintenance, recalled Dougherty.
“Beginning in 2006 we went from having very little money – maybe $100,00 a year – to having over a million dollars a year to spend on street maintenance. …Our problem was where do we start because every street needed help. Now as you drive around, our streets are in pretty good condition. There’s always maintenance that needs to be done but it’s not overwhelming. We’re ahead of the curve right now.”
Next year’s budget includes $100,00 for creation of a new stormwater master plan. “The last master plan was completed in the ’90s and we have fulfilled the master plan. We’ve done all the notable things that we were going to do. It’s time to put a new master plan in place, one that marries up dollars with risk.”
A new multi-use path on the east side of Hays will be funded in Special Parks. Phase one will be a 1.25 mile path between the Hays Recreation Commission and the 22nd Street access to the HaysMed walking trail.
Projects in the 2020 Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) include the first year of the North Vine Street Corridor Improvements and a second, redundant waterline crossing under Interstate 70 to the north side of Hays.
Four million dollars is designated in the CIP for design engineering of the R-9 Ranch long-term water supply project “assuming we start moving through the (state) water transfer process in 2021,” Dougherty said.
Lighting will be upgraded for runway 4-22 at the airport and runway 16-34 will be repainted.
The Convention and Visitors Bureau (CVB) budget will reflect a shift from print/billboard to electronic/social media marketing. CVB will also hire an analytics consultant to help quantify the return on investment for various types of travelers and visitors.
In the fleet replacement schedule for several vehicles and pieces of large equipment, two police vehicles will be purchased and the fire department will replace its 1998 rescue pumper.
The city’s approved 2020 budget must be submitted by the director of finance to the Ellis County Clerk by Aug. 23.
TOPEKA – The Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE), in conjunction with the Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism (KDWPT), has issued public health advisories for Kansas lakes.
Warnings:
Big Eleven Lake, Wyandotte County (unchanged)
Camp Hawk Lake, Harvey County (upgraded from 8/1)
Gathering Pond near Milford (Hatchery Supply Pond), Geary County (unchanged)
Jerry Ivey Pond, Saline County (unchanged)
Lake Afton, Sedgwick County (upgraded from 8/1)
Lakewood Park Lake, Saline County (new)
Lebo Kids’ Pond, Coffee County (unchanged))
Marais des Cygnes Wildlife Area (new)
Marion County Lake, Marion County (unchanged)
Melvern Outlet Pond, Osage County (unchanged))
Melvern Swim Pond, Osage County (unchanged))
Neosho State Fishing Lake, Neosho (new)
South Lake, Johnson County (unchanged)
Westlake in Gage Park, Shawnee County (unchanged)
When a warning is issued, KDHE recommends the following precautions be taken:
Lake water is not safe to drink for pets or livestock.
Lake water, regardless of blue-green algae status, should never be consumed by humans.
Water contact should be avoided.
Fish may be eaten if they are rinsed with clean water and only the fillet portion is consumed, while all other parts are discarded.
Do not allow pets to eat dried algae.
If lake water contacts skin, wash with clean water as soon as possible.
Avoid areas of visible algae accumulation.
Watches:
Carousel Lake (Gage Park), Shawnee County (unchanged)
Hiawatha City Lake, Brown County (unchanged)
Hodgeman County State Fishing Lake, Hodgeman County (unchanged)
Keith Sebelius Reservoir, Norton County (unchanged)
Lake Shawnee, Shawnee County (unchanged)
Lovewell Reservoir, Jewell County (unchanged)
Marion Reservoir, Marion County (unchanged)
Rock Garden Pond (Gage Park), Shawnee County (unchanged)
A watch means that blue-green algae have been detected and a harmful algal bloom is present or likely to develop. People are encouraged to avoid areas of algae accumulation and keep pets and livestock away from the water.
During the watch status, KDHE recommends the following precautions be taken:
Signage will be posted at all public access locations
Water may be unsafe for humans/animals
Avoid areas of algae accumulation and do not let people/pets eat dried algae or drink contaminated water.
Swimming, wading, skiing, and jet skiing are discouraged near visible blooms
Boating and fishing are safe. However, inhalation of the spray may affect some individuals. Avoid direct contact with water, and wash with clean water after any contact.
Clean fish well with potable water and eat fillet portion only.
KDHE samples publicly-accessible bodies of water for blue-green algae when the agency receives reports of potential algae blooms in Kansas lakes. Based on sampling results, KDHE reports on potentially harmful conditions.
Kansans should be aware that blooms are unpredictable. They can develop rapidly and may float around the lake, requiring visitors to exercise their best judgment. If there is scum, a paint-like surface or the water is bright green, avoid contact and keep pets away. These are indications that a harmful bloom may be present. Pet owners should be aware that animals that swim in or drink water affected by a harmful algal bloom or eat dried algae along the shore may become seriously ill or die.
JUNCTION CITY — The Junction City Commission has approved the purchase of new video surveillance equipment for the 5th Street Playground Park in the area of the new playground equipment.
Police Chief Dan Breci said it will enhance security in that area and aid in the apprehension of criminals during criminal investigations.
“The cameras could also prevent the open sale of narcotics in the park and surrounding areas. The city has made an investment as well as obtained private donations for the upgrade of Playground Park. and adding these cameras with 360-degree viewing would improve not only perceived security of park-goers but also cause potential criminals to stay out of the park.”
Total cost of the project will be $26,934.75 including installation.
WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — Sedgwick County Commissioner Michael O’Donnell said Thursday that a Kansas government watchdog that purchased transcripts this week of the testimony of four campaign workers at his federal trial was acting in response to a self-referral last year seeking an investigation by the state agency.
Michael O’Donnell-photo Sedgwick Co.
Jurors in March acquitted O’Donnell on 21 counts of wire fraud, but deadlocked on two counts of wire fraud and three counts of money laundering related to his state and county campaigns. The judge later dismissed the remaining counts at the request of the government.
Docket notices filed Tuesday in U.S. District Court of Kansas indicate the general counsel of the Kansas Governmental Ethics Commission bought the transcripts of trial testimony of the four friends who testified against O’Donnell.
“This is in response to us asking them to open an investigation,” O’Donnell said Thursday after talking with his attorney. “They just waited until after trial.”
The ethics commission, established by the Legislature in 1974, is a bipartisan citizen commission that administers, interprets, and enforces the state’s Campaign Finance Act and other laws relating to conflict of interests, financial disclosure, and lobbying. Its members are appointed by the governor and other state officials.
Brett Berry, general counsel for the commission that enforces campaign finance law, said Thursday that he can’t confirm or deny any investigation.
O’Donnell said that he has since learned that the agency’s action came in response to a self-referral made last year in an effort to get the commission to investigate the allegations against him before his federal trial.
“I didn’t even break Kansas law, let alone federal,” O’Donnell said. “That was the whole problem and that is why we self-referred because we wanted it cleared up before (trial), and once you turn in a referral you can’t call and say, ‘Never mind, I take it back.”
He contended he has called the commission twice since the trial ended to ask them to clear it up.
O’Donnell noted that Carol Williams, the commission’s former head, testified on his behalf. Williams told jurors that state law leaves payment of staff up to a candidate’s discretion.
In an earlier affidavit, Williams also said that when a questionable expenditure is made by a candidate the matter would usually be resolved by its staff asking the candidate to explain the expenditure and if necessary reimburse the campaign. She said in her 40 years at the commission, she did not recall the federal government prosecuting a state or local candidate for a campaign finance matter.
Prosecutors had alleged that O’Donnell, a former state legislator, took $10,500 of campaign funds to put into his personal checking account or give to friends. But the jury in their acquittal mostly sided with O’Donnell, who argued the funds were legitimate campaign expenditures.
Among the transcripts that the commission purchased are those involving the testimony of Colby Rankin and Jonathan Dennill, two friends of O’Donnell who were given a pair of $1,000 checks following an Aspen ski trip. They told jurors they weren’t sure why O’Donnell gave them the money and then immediately asked for it back. O’Donnell claimed at trial the checks were bonuses for previously unpaid campaign services that the two men used to repay personal ski trip expenses. The counts related to that trip are among those that hung the jury and were subsequently dismissed.
The commission also requested transcripts of the testimony by David Jorgenson and Jack Masterson related to the 21 acquittals connected to a series of checks O’Donnell wrote from campaign accounts. Jorgenson and Masterson had testified they did nothing to earn that money. O’Donnell contended the two had forgotten the work they’d done or were being paid to be on standby, as allowed by the state’s campaign finance law.
The Wichita Republican was elected to the Kansas State Senate in 2012 for a term that ended in January 2017. He did not run for re-election and instead ran for and won a term on the Sedgwick County Commission that began in 2017 and is set to expire in 2020.
Hays city commissioners unanimously approved the 2020 budget Thursday night.
By BECKY KISER Hays Post
Hays city commissioners unanimously approved the city’s 2020 budget during their meeting Thursday night. The budget total is $$41,966,419.
Following the public hearing which had no participants, City Manager Toby Dougherty reviewed the budget goals.
“We want the budget to be balanced. We want to keep the mill levy at 25. We have not added an employee since 2010. And we want to continue paying cash for large projects,” said Dougherty.
The mill levy for Hays is the seventh lowest in Kansas and the lowest levy outside of Johnson County.
The city’s assessed valuation increased by 1.6% since 2019, with the value of 1 mill equal to $226,802. The mill levy for Hays has been at or below 25.000 for 13 of the past 14 years.
Dougherty was quick to give credit to Kim Rupp, city finance director.
“The budget is his baby to put together and get to me in raw form, then meet with department heads and sort of congeal it into something that we feel will be palatable to you guys. Then you guys finish molding it before it’s passed,” explained Dougherty. “Kim does a lot of the heavy lifting.”
Commissioners also thanked city employees.
“Employees now have buy-in to the budget,” said Mayor Henry Schwaller, “whether it’s their healthcare program or finding some savings (in their department).
“Most of this budget is possible because they’re finding savings, particularly in recent years as sales tax dollars have dropped,” Schwaller noted. “So we’re able to carry those savings forward and fund future budgets.”
Most of the city’s general fund monies come from a local sales tax.
The 2020 budget contains a programmed step and cost of living increase for all city employees.
VICTORIA — The 37th annual Herzogfest is this weekend in Victoria.
The annual celebration of German Heritage gets underway Friday with the grounds at the Victoria City Park opening at 5 p.m. Numerous vendors will also open at 5p.m. Friday.
The highlight of the evening Friday is the concert featuring the Bart Crow Band. Jaron Bell will take the stage at 7 p.m. with Bart Crow to follow about 9:30 p.m.
There is a full day of events again on Saturday with the 5k color run and the Rods and Reels Custom Car show set for 8 a.m. Breakfast will also be served at 8 a.m.
The Herzog Heritage Market will once again return to the Herzogfest grounds. It marks the third year for the market with items for everyone including food and clothes.
Back again this year is the extremely popular corn hole tournament with registration at 9:45 a.m. The tournament starts at 10 a.m.
The kinderfest will again have fun games for the kids with bounces houses and face painting starting at 10a.m.
The vendors will also open at 10 a.m. with free swimming at 11 a.m. and the jam session at bingo at 12 p.m.
Eagle Med will conduct a helicopter landing and a safety demonstration at 3 p.m. followed by the Polka Mass and the Wes Windholz Polka Band.
The day comes to a close with performances by Candice and the Business Casual and DOC.
Roberta Louise Foster was born Sept 16, 1925 in Los Angeles, CA to Earl and Martha (Bailey) Dunning. She passed away August 8, 2019 in Huffman, TX surrounded by her family.
We are giving away the Chicken Soup for the Soul book “Running For Good.”
