Wednesday, August 27th, 1941 – Saturday, July 6th, 2019
An obituary is pending with Baalmann Mortuary.
Cremation was chosen. No services are scheduled at this time.
Year: 2019
Community agencies feel bite of Ellis County budget cuts
By CRISTINA JANNEY
Hays Post
Outside agencies that have traditionally received funding from Ellis County are feeling the county’s budget crunch this year in the form of cuts.
Although the county has not approved its final budget, commissioners recommended $124,000 in cuts for the 16 agencies that requested funds for the 2020 fiscal year.
Some of the agencies said they would attempt to raise more private funds. Others suggested they might have to cut staff or programming.
Hays Arts Council
The Hays Arts Council requested $3,385, and its funding, along with the funding for the Ellis Jr. Free Fair, was cut entirely.
Brenda Meder, HAC director, said the agency’s funding from the county has been steadily decreasing over the last several years.
She said the agency has planned to make a push for more memberships in attempts to make up for the county funding cut. The HAC will also look at its reserve funds or adding a fundraiser, she said.
Meder said she was disappointed to see the funding cut completely.
“There is something to be said in being validated as a community entity that is truly there to serve the broadest needs of the community in regards to quality of life,” Meder said.
DSNWK
Developmental Services of Northwest Kansas had its funding reduced from $240,000 to $215,000. It also manages the community’s general public transportation service, ACCESS, which was cut from $60,000 to $50,000.
Because ACCESS funds are matched, the service will lose another $23,000 in matching funds.
Jerry Michaud, DSNWK president/CEO, said the agency is already stressed trying to make up the difference between the actual cost of services for community members with developmental disabilities and state reimbursement rates.
“We can’t go to the state and say we’ve lost $57,000 and can you help fill that gap,” Michaud said. “It is not the way it works. We have to figure out how do we stretch something that is already stretched. It’s a challenge.”
The agency is still required to serve the same number of people and provide the same level of services, but with less money.
Michaud said DSNWK will strive to not allow the cuts to affect staff or services.
“What we have is what we need, and [we] need more,” he said. “Potentially for crisis types of needs, we may look at donations as a way to supplement, but that’s not a long-term solution. Generally donors, I can’t speak for all, donors are not interested in paying for your light bill. They are not interested in paying for those types of things.”
Michaud mentioned in his presentation to commissioners that the agency has struggled to recruit and retain care professionals because of low wages and a shortage of workers in the labor pool. He said the county cuts will not improve the agency’s staffing challenges.
High Plains Mental Health
High Plains Mental Health received the second largest cut in terms of dollars. It received $281,646 in 2019 and will receive $260,000 in 2020 if the budget passes with the commissioners’ current recommendations.
The county is required to fund HPMH per an interlocal agreement; however, Director Walt Hill said the agreement does not specify the amount.
The county mental health agency recommends a dollar amount annually based on a formula that is in part based on the counties residents’ use of the High Plains’ services.
Hill said although the cut is significant, county funding from all of the counties the mental health agency only accounts for about 8 percent of the agency’s budget.
“One of the things we are headed to is focusing on individuals paying their share of the cost of services — making sure we focus on people paying their bills as they go,” he said. “Anymore as you go to the doctor’s office, you are asked to pay for the service for the day, and I think we may have to move more and more in that direction.”
About half of the clients HPMH sees have family incomes of less than $25,000 per year. HPMH offers a sliding-fee scale and allows clients to extend payments, so Hill said payment should not be a barrier to receiving services.
“Our budget won’t happen until December, so we will know what counties will do and then we work around what resources we have in terms of if we can give raises to staff, in terms of what we can afford in capital outlay next year,” Hill said.
Conservation District
The Ellis County Conservation District was so concerned about the effects of its cut of more than $17,000, it went back to the county commission to ask some of the funding be restored.
Sandra Scott, district manager, said the county cut would mean the district would have to eliminate a decades-long cost-sharing program that supports terracing and soil conservation efforts at local farms. The county money pays for an average of six projects per year, depending on the size of the projects.
The commissioners told district officials Monday night it would not reinstate any of the funding.
Humane Society
Humane Society of the High Plains shelter manager Betty Hansen said the Humane society was expecting the cut. It reduced its request from $4,500 to $3,000, and the commissioners recommended $2,600.
The agency will attempt another fundraiser to try to make up the difference in funding. They are planning an event with Defiance Brewing Co. in September.
“We work with what we are given is the way we look at it,” Hansen said.
The community has been responsive to the funding need. Several people have dropped donations at the shelter in a response to the news of the county cut, Hansen said.
Hansen said she was concerned about the long-term effects of funding cuts. The other alternative would be to charge for strays that are surrendered from the county.
The shelter is using the county money to pay for the care of strays. Shelter officials don’t want to charge people who surrender those animals because workers are concerned people will stop bringing in the strays, and the animals will be left to die or run wild.
“It is not that you have to pay,” Hansen said. “It is the animal needs help, and we are going to do it one way or the other. We will figure it out. If someone is kind enough to pick up puppies out of a ditch and bring them to us, we are going to take care of them.”
Although the Humane Society’s donors have been generous, Hansen said there is a limit to the amount of money any agency can raise, and all the nonprofits that requested funds from the county are being affected in the same way.
NWKP&DC
The Northwest Kansas Planning and Development Commission wrote the grant that secured $1 million in funding for a new pool in Ellis, but its funding was cut from $38,877 to $22,500.
Randall Hrabe, development commission director, said Ellis County will likely not be the only county that cuts the development commission’s funding for 2020.
He said the agency offers about $20 million in business loans across northwest Kansas as well as oversees low-income housing projects across the the region. Two homes are being prepared for sale in Hays through a development commission project.
“I would like to see everyone support it,” Hrabe said. “If Ellis County has to cut $2 million from its budget, somebody’s got to get cut.”
Grow Hays
Grow Hays did not receive any funds from the Ellis County last year. However, it requested $50,000 for 2020. Director Doug Williams told the commission, the economic development organization would no longer be able to operate after the 2019 fiscal year if it was not at least partially funded by local municipalities.
All economic development organizations in the state are at least partially funded by local governments with many of them funded 100 percent with taxpayer money.
Grow Hays requested $50,000 from the county, but the commissioners cut that to $27,500. The agency has also requested $100,000 from the city of Hays, $4,000 from the city of Ellis and $1,000 from the city of Victoria.
Williams said the agency’s budget will hinge on what the city of Hays comes back with in the next couple of weeks. He noted the city of Hays and Ellis County both provided more than $100,000 each to the the organization in the past. Those ties were temporarily cut during a recent reorganization. The organization, in the interim, has relied on reserves and private funding.
Williams said that model is not sustainable.
Williams said he thought Grow Hays is not only important to the economic health of Ellis County, but all of northwest Kansas.
“We face a lot of challenges out here in terms of population loss and trying to maintain the businesses we have and attract others. The funding of our organization to do those type of things is critically important,” he said.
Ellis County Historical Society
Lee Dobratz, director of the Ellis County Historical Society, said she did not want to comment for this story.
However, she said during her presentation to the county commission, the historical society would have to cut a staff member if its funding was cut.
Dobratz raised concerns about the historical society’s facilities. Part of the historical society’s collection had to be temporarily moved recently when a section of plaster fell from a wall due to water damage.
She said the organization is working on a strategic plan, which could include a new building. The agency also hopes to begin fundraising for an endowment, Dobratz told the commissioners.
Whispers, suspicion about Epstein on Caribbean island
By DÁNICA COTO
Associated Press
CHARLOTTE AMALIE, U.S. Virgin Islands — Ask about Jeffrey Epstein on St. Thomas and rooms go quiet. Some people leave. Those who share stories speak in barely audible tones.
The 66-year-old billionaire bought Little St. James Island off this U.S. Caribbean territory more than two decades ago and began to transform it — clearing the native vegetation, ringing the property with towering palm trees and planting two massive U.S. flags on either end. When guides took scuba divers to spots near the island, security guards would walk to the water’s edge.
It was off-putting to residents of St. Thomas — a lush tropical island east of Puerto Rico with winding roads through mountains dotted with dainty Danish colonial-era homes. Then, when Epstein pleaded guilty in a 2008 to soliciting and procuring a minor for prostitution, his need for privacy began to appear more sinister.
“Everybody called it ‘Pedophile Island,’ ” said Kevin Goodrich, who is from St. Thomas and operates boat charters. “It’s our dark corner.”
Many people who worked for Epstein told The Associated Press this week that they had signed long non-disclosure agreements, and refused to talk. One former employee who declined to be identified said Epstein once had five boats, including a large ferry in which he transported up to 200 workers from St. Thomas to his island every day for construction work.
The man said he saw a handful of young women when he was on Epstein’s property but he believed they were older than 18.
“When he was there, it was keep to yourself and do your thing,” the man recalled, adding that Epstein paid well and would give away older machinery and surplus including lumber to his employees.
Epstein built a stone mansion with cream-colored walls and a bright turquoise roof surrounded by several other structures including the maids’ quarters and a massive, square-shaped white building on one end of the island. Workers told each other it was a music room fitted with a grand piano and acoustic walls. Its gold dome flew off during the deadly 2017 hurricane season. Locals recalled seeing Epstein’s black helicopter flying back and forth from the tiny international airport in St. Thomas to his helipad on Little St. James Island, a roughly 75-acre retreat a little over a mile southeast of St. Thomas.
Government documents and ledgers show that Little St. James Island was once known as Mingo Cay. In April 1998, a company called L.S.J. LLC bought it for $7.95 million. Additional documents showed that Epstein is the sole member of L.S.J., with his signature reminiscent of an infinity loop.
Epstein later bought neighboring Great St. James Island, which once was popular with locals and tourists for its main attraction, Christmas Cove, a place where you could hang out and order pizza and have it delivered via boat.
“He wasn’t well received,” recalled Spencer Consolvo, a St. Thomas native who runs a tourist shop near a large marina. “People think he’s too rich to be policed properly.”
According to public records obtained by the AP, the island was once worth $3 million and owned by a woman who died in a chalet in Switzerland. The island had been divided into parcels and given to three people and was later sold to Epstein.
Federal authorities consider the smaller of the two islands to be Epstein’s primary residence in the United States, a place where at least one alleged victim said in a court affidavit that she participated in an orgy, as well as had sex with Epstein and other people. She said she saw former U.S. President Bill Clinton on the island, but that she never saw him having sex with anyone. A Clinton spokesman issued a statement saying he never visited there.
A day after he pleaded not guilty in a New York courtroom to charges of sexually abusing dozens of underage girls, there was scant movement on the Caribbean island. Hurricane shutters covered the windows, locals hadn’t seen any lights at night and a lone worker drove a bright blue golf cart around the property.
At a nearby office that locals say Epstein owns in a seaside strip mall, a man in a T-shirt and sunglasses on his head opened the door a crack, shook his head vehemently when asked about Epstein and locked the door. The firm, Southern Trust Company Inc., hired Cecile de Jongh, wife of former Gov. John de Jongh, as its office manager, according to records with the U.S. Virgin Islands Economic Development Authority.
Meanwhile, Epstein’s arrest also prompted the U.S. Virgin Islands representative in Congress, Stacey Plaskett, to announce she would give the money Epstein had donated to her campaigns to charitable groups.
Now that Epstein has been arrested a second time, locals say tourists are increasingly asking about his islands when they visit St. Thomas. A woman who did not want to be identified for fear of losing her job running a charter company said she was elated when Epstein got arrested but is now vexed at tourists’ curiosity, saying she reluctantly shares whispered details of his case to prying adults if children are around.
Some of that fascination aggravates Vernon Morgan, a taxi driver and St. Thomas native.
“It brought some kind of notoriety to the Virgin Islands,” he said. “We would much rather that the Virgin Islands be seen in a different light.”
Kansas AG gives governor until Friday to drop welfare plan
The Wichita Eagle reports that Republican Attorney General Derek Schmidt has given Kelly a deadline of Friday to act.
Kelly has stood by the policy and her office plans a news conference Thursday to address the issue. She has long been critical of the state’s restrictions on welfare, which lawmakers placed into law under former Republican Gov. Sam Brownback.
The policy at issue represents an attempt to minimize welfare restrictions through agency action after unsuccessful attempts by Democrats to make changes through the legislative process.
Photos of storm that rolled through Clay County on Wednesday morning
CLAY COUNTY — What a way to start the morning! From the Clay County Kansas Emergency Management Facebook page:
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Great Bend planning tours ahead of $45M bond issue election
By COLE REIF
Great Bend Post
GREAT BEND — It comes down to two simple “yes” or “no” questions for the Great Bend school district. The outcome from a mail-in ballot will determine if USD 428 is able to move forward with renovations, enhancements, and additions to their facilities.
The first bond question worth $41,750,000 plans to make renovations to all seven of the school buildings, including a new sixth-grade classroom wing at Great Bend Middle School to make the shift of sixth graders to the middle school.
USD 428 Superintendent Khris Thexton says the district will be providing tours to anyone that wants to view the existing buildings and hear about the plans.
“We’re talking about virtual tours as well,” Thexton said. “If you want to see it in person or virtually, you have that option.”
The first bond would also demolish the 100-year-old portion of Washington and build new in its place. Plans are to build a new transportation, maintenance, and grounds building at the District Education Center site.
The second bond question of $3,120,000 wants to build a new gymnasium and locker rooms at the middle school to accommodate the addition of sixth grade.
“We want to get out the information as much as possible,” said Thexton. “We want to eliminate some of the misinformation that might be out there.”
All registered voters in the school boundary will be mailed a ballot on August 20 with September 5 as the deadline to return the ballot. The voter registration deadline is August 6.
Detailed information on the bond issue can be found at www.greatbendschools.net/bond.
The Post Podcast: As temperatures rise in Hays, water violations increasing
William Dean Cole
William Dean Cole, age 90, passed away on July 7, 2019, at Sunrise of Lenexa.
He was born September 2, 1928 in Bazine, KS to Don and Dorcas Cole. Bill attended Joint 1 Rural School in Ness County and graduated from Bazine High School in 1946. He began teaching in the Fall of 1946 in a one-room schoolhouse, Francis Rural School. He married Dorothy Mae Foos on July 30, 1950, in LaCrosse. He joined the Air Force in 1952 during the Korean Conflict and was stationed at Parks Air Force base in Livermore, California. Dorothy joined him there and their first two children, Colette and Susan, were born at the base hospital.
After his service, he returned to Bazine to continue his teaching career and acquired his degree in elementary education from Fort Hays State College. Three more children were added to the family, Patricia, James, and Mary. Bill taught and coached in the Bazine School System for over 38 years. Bill loved teaching and spending time with his students and was dedicated to his profession. He was proud to have taught all five of his children in grade school. In the summers, you could find Bill at the ballpark, coaching baseball and softball. He also kept busy helping family and friends with farm work and harvest and taking care of his own livestock. Bill was a loving father, husband, and son. He was blessed over the years to find wonderful companions to share his life.
He lost his wife, Dorothy, on March 13, 1989. He then retired from teaching in May of 1990 but continued to be involved with the school for many years and was a fixture at all the sporting events. Bill took great pride in his grandchildren, attending their ballgames and school activities as much as possible.
Bill found a loving companion in Alvina McCormick Foster and they married on July 30, 1991. They resided in McCracken and enjoyed ten years of marriage, spending time together and traveling to visit extended family and old friends. Bill was active at St. Mary’s Catholic Church, becoming a Eucharistic Minister. Alvina passed away on December 8, 2001.
While visiting friends in Arizona, Bill reconnected with a high school classmate, Celesta Schaben Bondurant, and they were united in marriage on October 3, 2003 in Youngtown, Arizona. Bill and Celesta enjoyed their time together relaxing in sunny Arizona. He always looked forward to his children visiting him in the spring and attending many spring training baseball games with them. Celesta passed away on August 23, 2016.
Bill returned to Kansas, residing in Ness City until moving to Lee’s Summit, MO in October 2017 to be closer to his family. When his health started to decline, he moved to Sunrise of Lenexa, KS in February 2019, and passed away peacefully surrounded by his family.
Bill was proud to live in Ness County and was always an active community leader and happy to help organize community events. He was a member of many organizations and helped organize the Bazine High School reunions during Old Settlers. Bill took part in the many community events and was honored to be the Grand Marshall of the Bazine Picnic parade in 2014. He was a long-time member of the Sacred Heart Catholic Church of Ness City. Bill was a charter member of the Bazine Lions Club and then a member of the Ness City Lions Club. He was a member of the Bazine American Legion Post #392, a member of the Knights of Columbus, and the Kansas National Education Association.
Surviving him are his children, Colette (Perry) Traxler, Overland Park, KS; Susan (Dwight) Lilly, Mentor, KS; Patricia (Rod) Bruntz, Valley Center, KS; James (Monica) Cole, Long Island, KS, and Mary (Jeff) Carter, Lenexa, KS; 10 grandchildren, 9 great-grandchildren, his sister, Donna Stahl, Plainville, KS, his sister-in-law, Fay Foos, Wichita, KS and many other relatives and friends.
Rosary and Parish Vigil will be on Thursday, July 11, 2019 at Fitzgerald Funeral Home at 7:00 P.M. Funeral service will be on Friday, July 12, 2019 at Sacred Heart Church in Ness City at 10:00 A.M., with burial in the Bazine Cemetery.
Memorial Contributions may be given to the Sacred Heart Church or Ascend Hospice.
David A. ‘Dave’ Dreiling
David A. “Dave” Dreiling, 57, Schoenchen, died Tuesday, July 9, 2019 surrounded by family at his home.
He was born September 21, 1961 in Hays, the son of Hubert A. and Clementine M. (Zerr) Dreiling. In 1979, he graduated from Thomas More Prep-Marian High school. On April 20, 1985, he was united in marriage to Margie A. Roth at St. Fidelis Church in Victoria, and they celebrated 34 years of marriage. He was a Facilities Specialist / Welder at Fort Hays State University. His memberships included The Basilica of St. Fidelis, Schoenchen Third Degree Knights of Columbus Council #4166, and Helping Hands of God. Dave enjoyed welding, golfing, mowing, washing vehicles, being outdoors, and cooking. He liked cattle, old tractors, beer, playing pinochle, and loved to spend time with his granddaughters.
Survivors include his wife; Margie of the home in Schoenchen, a son; Nicholas D. Dreiling and fiancé Jennifer Rome of Hays, a daughter; Sara A. Zimmerman and husband Kyle of Schoenchen, three granddaughters; Abigail and Ellie Zimmerman and Mindy Dreiling, a brother; Chris Dreiling of Victoria, a sister; Sandy Gottschalk of Hays, his mother-in-law; Jean Roth of Victoria, his brothers and sisters-in-law; Tom Roth of Victoria, Chris Roth and wife Kara of Fort Collins, CO, Joe Roth and wife Christine of Russell, and John Roth and wife Annie of Casper, WY, and numerous nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his parents, his father-in-law; Bernard Roth, and his brother-in-law; Keith Gottschalk.
Mass of Christian Burial will be at 3:00 pm on Friday, July 12, 2019 at The Basilica of St. Fidelis with Fr. John Schmeidler officiating. Visitation will be from 5:00 pm until 8:00 on Thursday and from 2:00 pm until service time on Friday, all at the church. A Daughters of Isabella rosary will be at 6:00 pm, a vigil service will be at 6:30 pm, followed by a Knights of Columbus rosary at 7:00 pm, all on Thursday at the church. Memorials are suggested to the TMP-Marian Future Farmers of America Chapter, Tammy Walker Cancer Center, or The Basilica of St. Fidelis, in care of Hays Memorial Chapel Funeral Home, 1906 Pine Street, Hays, Kansas. Condolences and memories of Dave may be shared with the family at www.haysmemorial.com
Teen looking at crash in KCK causes another
KANSAS CITY, Kan. — One crash led to another in Kansas City on Wednesday morning, sending one teen to the hospital.
The Kansas Highway Patrol reported Cheyenne Reynolds, 19, Bonner Springs, was northbound on 18th Street south of Interstate 70 when she looked at a crash in the southbound lane. The KHP said Reynolds did not see the vehicle stopped in front of her and rear-ended a van.
Reynolds was taken to KU Med for treatment of a suspected minor injury. She was wearing a seat belt, the KHP reported.
None of the three people in the van were injured.
Free swimming and free food at Hays PD Community Night Out
The Hays Police Department’s 4th Annual Community Night Out will be held on Thursday, August 1 from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the Hays Aquatic Park.
We will provide free admission to swim, and will have free hot dogs and hamburgers for the first 1,000 people in attendance
Thank you to our sponsors for helping make this event possible: City of Hays, Walmart, Hays Recreation Commission, Pepsi, Heartland Building Center, Fraternal Order of Police Hays Lodge 48, Phaze 2 and Nex-Tech.
Former U.S. Rep. Huelskamp resigns as leader of think tank
The Heartland Institute announced Huelskamp’s departure last month from his job as the conservative think tank’s president and chief executive officer. The board chose communications director Jim Lakely as interim president. The institute’s co-founder, Joseph Bast, said in a statement that the board also elected other new officers and approved several new hires.
The statement provided no reason for Huelskamp’s departure, and neither Lakely nor Bast returned email messages from The Associated Press.
Efforts to reach Huelskamp were unsuccessful. He served three terms in the U.S. House before losing the August 2016 Republican primary to now-U.S. Rep. Roger Marshall, a Republican from Great Bend.