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Year: 2019
Back to School Bash
The Post Podcast: Former TMP teacher and coach Chuck Schmidt in Hays promoting new book Tuesday
The Post Podcast: HCT’s The Little Mermaid set for this weekend
New record low set in Hays after 100 years
By BECKY KISER
Hays Post
It was cooler than usual Monday night in Hays.
The temperature dropped low enough to set a new record low for July 22 – just barely.
According to official records from the K-State Agricultural Research Center, the overnight low was 52 degrees.
That beats the previous low for July 22 of 53 degrees set exactly 100 years ago in 1919.
Monday’s high in Hays was 83 degrees.
One year ago it was 89 degrees with an overnight low of 69 degrees.
St. John Lutheran invites area children to attend Vacation Bible School
Vacation Bible School at St. John Lutheran Church is scheduled for Monday through Friday, August 5-9. This year’s theme, “Who Is My Neighbor: Learning to Love Like Jesus,” will be utilized while teaching kids (from pre-K through 5th grade) through music, crafts, activities and fellowship.
Vacation Bible School will start each evening at 5:30 p.m. and wrap up by 8:30 p.m. A light supper will be provided each evening. The VBS program will be presented in the St. John Lutheran Sanctuary on Saturday, August 10.
There is no registration fee to attend Vacation Bible School at St. John Lutheran, but a donation of $3 per child is requested to help defray meal costs. Donations of supper and craft supplies are also being accepted at this time. A current donation list is available in the church office.
Registration forms for Vacation Bible School are available in the St. John Lutheran office, Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. If you have any questions, or for more information, call 785-483-5358.
Hays gets $1M KDOT grant for S. Vine Street reconstruction
By BECKY KISER
Hays Post
The city of Hays is among 23 Kansas towns selected for grants from the Kansas Department of Transportation (KDOT) for projects to improve intersections and roads.
Norton, Colby and Phillipsburg will also receive KDOT grants.
KDOT’s City Connecting Link Improvement Program (CCLIP) funds improvements to state highways that extend through cities.
John Braun, project manager for the city of Hays, says the Hays award of $1 million will be used for reconstruction of south Vine Street/Highway 183 in state fiscal year 2021 – a $4 million dollar project.
“This will start south of 13th Street – about where McDonald’s is – south through the intersection with the Highway 40 Bypass.
“It will also involve adding pedestrian crossings at 8th and Vine.”
The city applied for the grant in March, according to Braun.
“The pavement is starting to get really bad. We did a concrete patch 15 to 18 years ago. After consulting with engineers and with KDOT about doing a patch again, we decided it would be money better spent to completely replace the pavement,” Braun said.
The city of Hays will provide $3 million in matching funds for the grant, which is in the Capitol Improvement Projects portion of the city’s budget.
The work will be a KDOT project.
“It would be coordinated with KDOT with a KDOT bid letting in Topeka and they would manage the project,” Braun explained. “We would get it designed and then basically turn it over to them, paying our share up front.”
The cities will receive a combined total of approximately $18 million in funding under the CCLIP for the 23 projects. The total includes $7 million in state fiscal year 2021 and $11 million in state fiscal year 2022.
“KDOT was able to add $5 million into the CCLIP because of the additional $50 million that the governor provided as a one-time transfer from the State General Fund,” said Deputy Secretary Lindsey Douglas in a Tuesday news release. “Communities then provided an additional $6.5 million in matching funds to create a total of $11.5 million beyond the initial plan to expand the amount invested in various projects.”
Under the CCLIP, a city is required to contribute up to 25 percent of the project cost based on its population, though some cities contribute significantly more. Cities under 2,500 in population aren’t required to provide a match. Projects in this program may fall into one of three different categories including Surface Preservation (SP), Pavement Restoration (PR) or Geometric Improvement (GI).
SP projects involve maintenance work such as resurfacing and are funded up to $300,000 per project. PR projects typically involve full-depth pavement replacement without changes to the overall geometric characteristics and may also address drainage issues. GI projects address geometric issues such as adding turn lanes, improving intersections or modifying the lane configuration to address capacity. The PR and GI categories are funded up to $1 million per project.
For the state fiscal year 2021, the city, category and amount awarded include:
Concordia Pavement Restoration $1,000,000
Gardner Pavement Restoration $1,000,000
Hays Pavement Restoration $1,000,000
Independence Pavement Restoration $1,000,000
Norton Geometric Improvement $1,000,000
Pratt Pavement Restoration $1,000,000
Winfield Pavement Restoration $1,000,000
For the state fiscal year 2022, the city, category and amount awarded include:
Cimarron Pavement Restoration $800,000
Colby Surface Preservation $300,000
Dodge City Geometric Improvement $1,000,000
Ellsworth Geometric Improvement $600,000
Emporia Geometric Improvement $600,000
Garden City Pavement Restoration $1,000,000
Gardner Pavement Restoration $1,000,000
Garnett Pavement Restoration $1,000,000
Herington Surface Preservation $300,000
Lyons Surface Preservation $300,000
McLouth Pavement Restoration $500,000
McPherson Geometric Improvement $1,000,000
Minneola Geometric Improvement $1,000,000
Newton Surface Preservation $300,000
Phillipsburg Pavement Restoration $1,000,000
Yates Center Surface Preservation $300,000
USD 489 extends contract with developer to buy Washington school
By CRISTINA JANNEY
Hays Post
The Hays USD 489 school board approved a contract extension Monday night for a developer who wants to buy the Washington school building.
Overland Property Group presented an addendum to its contract to allow it to reapply for tax credits to turn the school into low-income apartments.
The school is being vacated by the Early Childhood Connections, which is moving to the Oak Park complex next week.
The addendum will allow the school district to re-market the building for two months. The school district can take an offer equal to or higher than the $500,000 purchase price being offered by Overland Property Group.
Board member Greg Schwartz said he did not think the school district would find a buyer that will offer more than $500,000. He supported signing the addendum to the agreement.
“The risk is if we don’t sign it, they can yank it at any time,” he said.
A representative of the Overland Property Group told the board at a prior meeting he is hopeful his organization will be able secure the tax credits needed for the project next year.
The developer received a letter form the director of Housing Development supporting the project. The department indicated the developer’s application had scored well on all aspects of its application with the exception of the rent structure. Overland Property is working to restructure its application to meet this requirement.
Overland Property Group has another housing complex on Main Street in Hays. That complex is consistently full, according to the developer.
Rod Petty
Rod Petty, 64, died on Friday, July 19, 2019 at his home in Garden City surrounded by family. He was born on December 6, 1954 at Cheyenne Wells, Colorado the son of Francis Eugene & Norma Jean (Hobson) Petty. He married Vickie Regan on June 4, 1994 at Garden City.
Rod was a 1972 graduate of Sharon Springs High School. Foregoing opportunities to play football at the next level he immediately started working for the Sharon Springs Co-op pumping gas and fixing tires, and quickly worked his way into the ranks of management. In 1991 he moved to Garden City to manage the tire distribution center for Cenex for 4 years. He then moved to Mt Pleasant, Iowa to become Vice President of Petroleum for the Co-op there. In 2000 he moved back to Garden City to be Vice President of the Garden City Co-op Petroleum Division. In 2008 he became the manager of APM Energy and after it was bought Rod became a self-employed consultant for MFA out of Columbia, Missouri. Rod was a member of St. Dominic Catholic Church and enjoyed traveling, hunting and especially fishing. He was preceded in death by his Father.
He is survived by his Wife- Vickie Regan Petty, Mother- Norma Jean Petty of Lakin, Daughter- Stephanie Regan of Fairfield, Iowa, Son- Stephen Regan of Montezuma, Iowa, Brother- Jerry Petty (and wife Jo) of St George, Kansas, nephew Tim Petty of Wamego, Kansas, niece Amy Glaves (Scott) of Clay Center, Kansas, & 3 grandchildren Kevin, Taylor, and Brooklyn of Iowa.
Vigil Service will be at 7:00 PM Wednesday at Garnand Funeral Home. Funeral Mass will be at 10:30 AM Thursday at St Dominic Catholic Church with Rev. Warren Stecklein as Celebrant. Burial will be in Valley View Cemetery in Garden City. Memorials are suggested to St Catherine Hospice in care of Garnand Funeral Home. Friends may call from 9:00 AM to 8:00 PM Wednesday at Garnand Funeral Home. Condolences may be posted at www.garnandfuneralhomes.com
Robert Joseph ‘RJ’ Dickman Jr.
Robert Joseph “RJ” Dickman Jr., 76, of Grinnell, died Sunday, July 21, 2019, at his home.
He was born July 16, 1943, in Wichita, KS, to Eunice (Andregg) and Robert Joseph Dickman, Sr. RJ graduated from Grinnell High School in 1961 and served in the United States Army from 1965-1967, stationed in Germany. He married Leona Schwarz on November 21, 1973, in Grinnell. RJ farmed with his grandfather, Walter Andregg, until 1994. He then started his own mechanic and electric shop in 1995 “RJ’s Repair”. RJ went to work for CD Clark and Sons, in Oakley, from 1999 to 2001, when he started Dickman Memorial with his wife. He also ran a mail route for four years. RJ was a member of the Immaculate Conception Catholic Church and served as the church cemetery sexton.
RJ was preceded in death by his parents and brother Tommy Dickman.
He is survived by his wife, Leona, of the home; sons Walter (Julie) Dickman, of Grinnell and Jeffrey (Bretta) Dickman, of LeCompton; siblings, Julie (Neal) O’Brien, of Scott City, Becky Roberson, of St. Francis, Cindy Degenhardt, of Oakley and Ben (JoAnn) Dickman, of Grinnell and five grandchildren, Trevor, Taryn, Rylan, Regan and Theodore.
Visitation is 5-7:00 p.m. Wednesday, July 24, 2019, at the Immaculate Conception Parish Center, Grinnell, with a Vigil at 7:00 p.m. Funeral Mass is 10:00 a.m. Thursday, July 25, 2019, at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church, Grinnell, with burial in the church cemetery. Memorials are suggested to the church or Hospice, in care of Baalmann Mortuary, PO Box 204, Oakley, KS 67748. For information or condolences visit www.baalmannmortuary.com
Alvin R. Colbert
Alvin R. Colbert entered into his earthly life on September 26, 1934. He was the eldest child of Roy and Mildred (Derringer) Colbert.
Alvin married Margaret Bell on October 28, 1956, and together they experienced the joys and they endured the challenges of this world. Alvin and Margaret worked together for many years as janitors of the schools at Morland, Kansas, and, then, continued to work together as the resident managers of Epworth Towers in Hays, Kansas.
After fully retiring, Alvin became the primary caregiver to Margaret, very lovingly provided care to her for approximately 15 years as she suffered with great pain caused by Renaud’s Disease. Alvin will be most remembered for being a humble servant of God and his fellow man. Two children, Stanley and Janet Katherine, were born to the marriage.
Two children, Stanley and Janet Katherine, were born to the marriage. Alvin is preceded in death by his loving wife, Margaret, his parents and his brother, Galen Colbert. He is survived by his children, a son-in-law, John Scott, two granddaughters, Haley and Jamie Scott, a sister, Alberta Colbert and two brothers, Albert, Gerald and Roland Colbert.; sister-in-law, Wilda Wenthe.
He was preceded in death by: parents; wife, Margie November 2, 2018; brother, Galen; sister-in-law Bernice Fountain.
Alvin will be sorely missed, but has joined his Lord and Savior and the love of his earthly life.
Click HERE for service details.
Defense attorney: Kansas boy was legally justified in killing mom
WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — An attorney argues that a boy who was 14 when he shot and killed his drunken mom at a mansion near Wichita was legally defending himself and his then 12-year-old brother.
The defense is seeking the dismissal of a voluntary manslaughter charge in the June 2018 shooting death of 41-year-old Lisa Trimmell. Her sons were the only people present at the time of the shooting, which occurred about a month after her husband filed for divorce.
Attorney Dan Monnat says the older boy “acted bravely and legally in defending himself and his younger brother … from her attack.”
The autopsy found Trimmell had “acute and chronic alcoholism” and scarring of the liver. Her blood-alcohol level was more than double the legal limit for driving.
FHSU Alumni Association announces new board members
FHSU University News
The Fort Hays State University Alumni Association Board of Directors has announced the addition of three new board members for the 2019-20 fiscal year.
New members announced at the June 8 board meeting in Hays were Dr. Kendall Krug, Hays; Eric Norris, Lawrence; and Mari Tucker, Topeka.
Krug, an optometrist, graduated from FHSU in 1983 with a bachelor’s degree in general science. He will serve a two-year term on the board and serve on the Awards and Recognition Committee.
Norris, librarian for the state of Kansas, received a Master of Arts degree in 2009 from FHSU. He will serve on the Membership and Marketing Committee.
Tucker, a partnership liaison for registered nurse education at the Washburn School of Nursing, has earned two FHSU degrees, a Bachelor of Science in computer information systems in 1986 and a Master of Business Administration in management in 1987. She will serve on the Finance and Operations Committee.
“These highly talented Fort Hays State alumni bring a wealth of knowledge and experience to the FHSU Alumni Board of Directors,” said DeBra Prideaux, executive director of alumni and governmental relations. “We are fortunate to have such expertise added to an already talented board as we continue our commitment to strengthen Fort Hays State University.”
The 2019-20 Executive Council is comprised of Betty Johnson, Lawrence, board president; Mike Koerner, Hays, vice president; Dr. Mike Slattery, Hays; Lance Tilton, Chapman; Dr. Jennifer Brantley, Wichita; and Chelsey Ladd.
Johnson, a 1980 FHSU graduate, received a bachelor’s degree in communications. She is president of Betty Johnson and Associates. This will be her second one-year term as president.
Koerner, operations and systems manager for Eagle Communications, has two degrees from FHSU, a bachelor’s degree in information networking and telecommunications, 2000, and a master’s degree in INT in 2005. He is vice president of the board and holds a position on the Finance and Operations Committee.
Slattery is a retired FHSU professor of education administration. He received three degrees from FHSU: a 1973 B.S. in physical education, a 1977 M.S. in education administration (secondary), and a 1989 Ed.S. in education administration (superintendent). He will serve as chair of the Awards and Recognition Committee.
Tilton, market president and ag/commercial lender for Astra Bank, is serving as chair of the Finance and Operations Committee. He graduated from FHSU in 2009 with a bachelor’s degree in marketing.
Brantley, director of Sedgwick County Research and Extension Center, will serve as chair of the Membership and Marketing Committee. She received a bachelor’s degree in biology from FHSU in 1993.
Ladd will serve in an at-large position on the Executive Council and as a member of the Membership and Marketing Committee. Ladd is the manager of constituent services for U.S. Sen. Jerry Moran and graduated in 2008 with a Bachelor of Science degree in organizational leadership and a Bachelor of Arts degree in political science.
Other members of the board:
• Leo Lake, Manhattan, retired educator.
• Rob Schocke, Castle Rock, Colo., senior implementation analyst for VISA Inc.
• Larry Daugherty, Russell, retired.
• Dean Lavielle, Newton, retired high school principal.
• Brooke Oleen Tieperman, Denver, program manager for the Environment, Energy and Transportation, National Conference of State Legislatures.
• Dr. Doug Wright, Humboldt, clinical director of the Southeast Kansas Mental Health Center.
Brad DeMers, Osceola, Neb., president of the FHSU Student Government Association, will also serve on the board in an ex-officio position along with FHSU President Dr. Tisa Mason, FHSU Athletic Director Curtis Hammeke, and Jason Williby, president and CEO of the FHSU Foundation – all of Hays.
Retiring board members were recognized for a combined 29 years of service: Cathy Domsch, Atwood; Angela Gaughan, Wichita; Mitch Hall, Harper; Denise Riedel, Overland Park; and Dave Voss, Colby.
Established in 1916, the Fort Hays State University Alumni Association serves the population of FHSU graduates by identifying needs and providing solutions. More than 69,000 graduates live throughout the United States and approximately 77 foreign countries.
The board sets the policy and direction of the association in developing life-long relationships between the university and alumni.
Board nominations are accepted as positions become available. For more information, visit www.goforthaysstate.com, email [email protected] or call 785-628-4430 or toll free 1-888-351-3591.