Kathleen Louise “Kathy” Haselhorst, 68, Hays, died Thursday, February 7, 2019 at HaysMed.
She was born November 7, 1950 in Monterey Park, California the daughter of Joseph and Mildred (Patton) Lefebvre. On April 8, 1967 she was united in marriage to Gilbert Werth. He preceded her in death on April 4, 1995. On November 11, 2000 she was united in marriage to Bernie Haselhorst. She was a housewife or “domestic engineer” as she liked to call it. She was a former member of Our Lady Help of Christians Catholic Church, the Christian Mothers, and a former religion teacher at church. She was a 4-H leader, and a former Ellis County 4-H board member. She enjoyed traveling, landscaping, cooking, sewing, and spending time with and caring for her grandchildren.
Survivors include her husband, Bernie Haselhorst, of the home in Hays, three sons; Christopher L. Werth and wife Angela of Kinsley, Michael J. Werth and wife Charlene of Antonino, and Dallas Haselhorst and wife Dacia of Hays, two daughters; Cynthia M. Pulse and husband Greg of St. George, Kansas, and Wendy Porembski of Overland Park, two brothers; Joe Lefebvre and wife Sydna of Tacoma, WA and Tony Lefebvre and wife Clara of Colwich, a sister; Becky Lefebvre of Colorado Springs, sixteen grandchildren; Shaina Werth, Justine Sperber and husband Chase, Clarissa Werth, Jessica Isaac and husband Eli, Jacob Werth, Phillip Werth, Lauren Benjamin, Carly Benjamin, Jarrett Woofter, Brody Pulse, Matthew Werth, Mason Dean, Gianna Haselhorst, Aria Haselhorst, Ellia Haselhorst, and Ayla Haselhorst, two great grandsons; Xaedin Werth and Jaxson Sperber, and numerous nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband Gilbert, a brother Roger Lefebvre, and a sister Linda Lefebvre.
Mass of Christian Burial will be at 10:30 am on Monday, February 11, 2019 at Our Lady Help of Christians Catholic Church in Antonino. Private family inurnment will be at a later date in the church cemetery. Viewing will be from 4:00 pm until 8:00 on Sunday and from 9:00 am until 10:00 on Monday, all at the Hays Memorial Chapel Funeral Home, 1906 Pine Street. A parish vigil service will be at 6:30 pm on Sunday at the funeral home. Memorials are suggested to Madonna Rehabilitation Hospital in Lincoln, Nebraska or to Our Lady Help of Christians Catholic Church. Condolences and memories of Kathy may be shared with the family at www.haysmemorial.com
As a pastor is finishing up his sermon one Sunday morning he said, “In preparation for my sermon next week, I want you all to read Mark chapter 17. You are dismissed.” So next week everybody comes back to church. After singing a few hymns, the pastor comes to the pulpit.
“How many read Mark chapter 17 like I said last week?” Everyone raised their hand. The pastor says “and it’s a great chapter, amen??” There are shouts of “amen!” from the congregation. Then the pastor smirks.
“Well, Mark only has 16 chapters. I will now begin my sermon on the terrible sin of lying.”
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas Democrats are attacking a Republican tax relief bill approved Thursday by the state Senate as a give-away to large corporations and managed to peel away a couple of GOP votes Thursday by highlighting how it benefits big businesses.
Gov. Laura Kelly
The bill is designed to prevent Kansas residents and businesses from paying higher state income taxes because of changes in federal tax laws at the end of 2017. The Senate vote was 26-14 , leaving GOP leaders one vote short of the two-thirds majority necessary to override a veto by new Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly, who has opposed the bill.
A key part of the bill would prevent thousands of individuals from losing itemized deductions on their state forms, but nearly three-quarters of the relief in the first year of the changes would go to businesses — and much of that to corporations with international operations.
“They’ve had tax breaks for years, and it’s time for them to start paying their fair share,” said Sen. John Skubal, a moderate Kansas City-area Republican who was one of two GOP senators to vote no.
Kelly and other Democrats want to boosting spending on public schools and expand state Medicaid health coverage for needy families. But Republicans — who have supermajorities in both chambers — are making tax relief a top priority, which would make Kelly’s spending goals more difficult.
The populist arguments from Democrats haven’t given GOP leaders pause because many Republicans argue that the state’s business climate and economy will suffer if it doesn’t provide corporate tax relief quickly.
“Our young people are going to have fewer job opportunities and have fewer companies looking at Kansas,” Senate President Susan Wagle, a Wichita Republican and the bill’s architect, said during its debate. “We need to have an economic environment that encourages growth, encourages new jobs, encourages creativity.”
The Kansas Department of Revenue estimates that the bill would save taxpayers $187 million during the next budget year, which begins in July.
Corporations would save $137 million of that, or 73 percent of the total tax relief, and $81 million — or 43 percent of the total — comes from provisions designed to prevent the state from taxing foreign income that it hasn’t previously taxed.
“How many multi-national corporations are small?” House Minority Leader Tom Sawyer, a Wichita Democrat, said Thursday. “You’re not talking mom-and-pops.”
The federal tax changes included provisions preventing corporations from sheltering income and assets outside the U.S. that could lead to Kansas and other states taxing foreign income.
The Kansas Department of Revenue said the state is among only a dozen taxing one part of companies’ foreign income. Other parts could be taxed by more than half with the federal changes, according to a report last month from the conservative Tax Foundation.
In Kansas, Kelly’s called on legislators to wait at least another year to consider tax changes. Her staff has called the tax bill irresponsible, and Kelly spokeswoman Ashley All said Thursday that the bill benefits “top income earners” and “does nothing for the people who need it the most.”
A conservative GOP senator predicted Wednesday that the bill is headed for “a big, fat veto.” Republicans have the two-thirds majorities needed in both chambers to override a veto, but the Senate vote Thursday showed how Kelly could prevail if just a few GOP moderates bolt.
All 11 Democrats and the Senate’s one independent member voted against the bill. Republicans hold 28 seats, but Skubal and Sen. Mary Jo Taylor, a moderate western Kansas Republican, voted no.
Taylor said lawmakers ought to settle budget issues, including school funding, before tackling tax relief. Skubal raised the same issue but said he might have been able to vote for the bill had its relief gone only to individuals.
GOP leaders contend Kansas is receiving an unanticipated “windfall” from the federal tax overhaul championed by President Donald Trump and Republicans in Congress. The state’s tax laws are tied to the federal tax code.
Federal individual and corporate income taxes were cut but the overhaul included provisions that are expected to raise revenues in some states while lowering it in others.
The federal tax changes limit itemized deductions, and Kansas estimates that 200,000 individual filers will stop itemizing on their federal returns this year. But only 26 percent of Kansas filers itemized on their 2017 federal returns, and a smaller group, 14 percent, itemized on their 2017 state returns.
A Senate committee’s hearings last week on the tax bill were dominated by the concerns of business groups and big corporations with a sizeable Kansas presence, such as aviation’s Spirit AeroSystems and agribusiness’ Seaboard Corp.
A trade association for multistate corporations told lawmakers their state taxes could rise 11 percent.
“We operate in competitive markets with small margins,” David Rankin, a senior Seaboard vice president, told senators in committee testimony. “It seems counter-productive to penalize U.S.-based companies for growing their international operations.”
But Democrats have not been moved by such arguments. Kelly, a former state senator, has said her top tax relief priority would be reducing the state’s 6.5 percent sales tax on groceries — a goal Democrats and many Republicans share.
“If we were to make changes to tax policies, those changes should benefit every Kansan, or at the very least those who need it the most,” said Senate Minority Leader Anthony Hensley, a Topeka Democrat. “Giant multi-national corporations with record profits don’t fit in either category.”
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TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly’s fellow Democrats are attacking a Republican tax relief plan approved by the state Senate as a give-away to large corporations.
The vote on Thursday in the GOP-dominated Senate was 26-14. GOP leaders have acknowledged that big businesses would benefit but see that as helping the economy.
The bill goes next to the Republican-controlled House. It is designed to prevent Kansas residents and businesses from paying higher state income taxes because of changes in federal tax laws at the end of 2017. Most of the relief would go to businesses in the first year.
Many Republicans expect Kelly to veto it. GOP leaders fell one vote short of a two-thirds majority in the Senate necessary to override a veto when two moderate Republicans voted no.
BUNKER HILL – Smoky Hills Public Television invites you to take part in the 2019 SHPTV PBS Kids Writers Contest. Smoky Hills Public Television encourages children in central and western Kansas to build critical literacy skills by creating their own stories.
Smoky Hills Public Television is looking for stories from kids throughout the viewing area to write and illustrate their own stories. The stories will be judged and winners will receive a visit at their school or home from a representative from SHPTV where we award them with a trophy and fun prizes. The SHPTV PBS Kids Writers Contest is designed to be a valuable, hands-on, active learning tool.
The contest is for children in grades K-3.
The contest is currently underway, and entries can be submitted to SHPTV through March 29, 2019. Smoky Hills Public Television will select local winners and award prizes in May. The rules and entry form are available at www.shptv.org.
A little-known love triangle with author J.D. Salinger at the apex is the focus of an article by Dr. Brett Weaver, a professor of English at Fort Hays State University.
Weaver’s thesis is that one of Salinger’s stories was a revenge piece aimed at movie legend Charlie Chaplin.
“I propose that the story was written to get back at Chaplin, who had stolen away Salinger’s true love,” said Weaver.
The article was recently accepted for publication in The Explicator, a quarterly journal of literary criticism. “Take That, Charlie Chaplin! The Meaning of Names in Salinger’s ‘Pretty Mouth and Green My Eyes’” examines a short story that is considered to be an anomaly among Salinger’s stories.
“It is an anomaly because it is the only story without children, and Salinger almost always wrote about young people,” said Weaver.
Weaver’s article is one of only three ever published on this particular story. Of the other two, one took a classical literary angle and one took a psycho/social perspective. Weaver’s article focuses on the relationship between Salinger, Chaplin and Oona O’Neill, daughter of the great American playwright Eugene O’Neill.
Salinger dated Oona before being drafted into the Army during World War II. Oona was whisked off by Chaplin.
“Salinger’s life, at the time, almost perfectly paralleled Jay Gatsby from Fitzgerald’s iconic novel,” said Weaver.
“Salinger wanted to publish in The New Yorker so he could prove his literary worth to Oona and the world, just as Gatsby sought Daisy only after he had acquired great wealth that he believed would win her over,” he said.
“Of course, Salinger did then begin publishing in The New Yorker, but he lost the girl and his story was his way of getting revenge.”
Randy Clinkscales
I have two friends with whom I hunt with each year. I met one (Lane) in college, and the other (Russel) I met though Lane, while in college. Since college, we have hunted together every year, once a year.
Though I am close to both of them, Lane and Russell were childhood friends with each other in the Dallas area, attending both church and grade school together. Both are married and each have one daughter, and those daughters are about the same age. Many Fridays, Lane and Russell have dinner together with their wives.
They are both men’s men. In many ways they represent to me all the good things about men: they are strong, reliable, honest, loyal, and trustworthy. And they are there when needed.
The last couple of years have been challenging. I had a fall on a rappelling trip that was a near death experience; Lane was diagnosed with Parkinson’s; and Russell had a significant automobile accident that resulted in surgery on his neck.
Russell’s neck surgery turned out to be more than any of us expected, though it appears to have turned out ok. However, something interesting happened afterward.
Lane called me one night after Russell’s surgery. He asked that I call Russell; that he, Lane, was concerned about Russell. I could tell the real, heartfelt worry and fear in Lane’s voice. He was shaken.
So I called Russell. Though groggy from medication, Russell assured me he was ok, but he did not want to talk about that; he wanted to talk about Lane. He said he was worried about Lane, and wondered what we were going to do. He asked me questions about Parkinson’s, and where I thought Lane was. We talked for a while. Russell was shaken.
When I got off the phone with both Lane and Russell, several things struck me. They were really worried about each other, and they could not completely express it to each other. They truly love each other, as close brothers, and know they would be lost without the other. We all realize that life is very fragile, that stuff happens, and our moments together are being used up.
My lessons from this are multiple: tell those you love that you love them, but also have someone in your life that can tell you what you need to hear.
In my practice, sometimes we get charged with saying things to a client that their family members will not say: please do not drive; you need help in the home; you need to get planning done while you have the ability to do it. It is important that my clients trust me enough to believe that I am giving good, unbiased advice.
I feel like I can trust Lane and Russell to have those hard conversations with me; that when I am failing, or if they are concerned, they will feel free to say so. One thing I do know is that they will say it out of love for me.
Be sure you have someone in your life that you trust to have those conversations with.
Randy Clinkscales of Clinkscales Elder Law Practice, PA, Hays, Kansas, is an elder care attorney, practicing in western Kansas. To contact him, please send an email to [email protected]. Disclaimer: The information in the column is for general information purposes and does not constitute legal advice. Each case is different and outcomes depend on the fact of each case and the then applicable law. For specific questions, you should contact a qualified attorney.
Gary Eugene Withers was born January 4, 1945 in Colby, KS to Willard and Norma Jean Withers. He was raised by his mother and step-father, Henry Petersen. Gary passed away February 1, 2019, at the age of 74.
Gary attended school in Rexford, KS and graduated in 1963. He enjoyed basketball in high school and excelled in track, still currently holding the record for the mile race set in 1962 with a time of 4 min and 49 seconds. Gary began working at the Menlo Rexford Coop just out of high school.
On May 29, 1966, he married Mary D. Dible. They celebrated their 52nd wedding anniversary last year. In 1967, Gary and Mary bought their farm in Rawlins County from Herman and Maxine Latimer. They raised cattle and pigs and grew crops. Gary loved farming and especially enjoyed his livestock. Later they also custom harvested from Oklahoma to North Dakota.
Gary accepted Jesus as his Savior around 1965 and was a member of the Rexford Community Church. He loved and delighted in his children and grandchildren. Kristi Lynn joined the family in February 1975 and Daniel Eugene join in January 1978. Gary had a good heart and loved helping people.
Gary is survived by his wife, Mary Withers; daughter, Kristi Gray; daughter-in-law, Tammy Withers; brothers: Mike (Kay) Petersen and Skip (Betty) Petersen; sisters: Pat (Bob) Vavricka and Gayle (Preston) Hucks; brother-in-law, Ron (Jeanette) Dible; sister-in-law, Pat (Charles) Williams; six grandchildren; one great grandchild and many nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his mother, Norma Petersen; step-father, Henry Petersen; son, Daniel Withers and brother, Robert Carl Petersen.
Dylan Werth as Theodore Laurence in Hays Community Theatre’s presentation of “Little Women.” File photo
By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays Post
If you have been to a Thomas More Prep-Marian or Hays Community Theatre performance in the last four years, you have probably seen Dylan Werth.
Werth’s extensive involvement in local theater has helped him land a $15,000 per year, four-year scholarship to Sterling College.
Werth, 18, a senior at TMP, signed with Sterling College on Wednesday for the scholarship, which is a combination of a music, theater and dean’s academic award.
Werth had been looking at larger public schools, including Fort Hays State University, but Werth, who is also a state champion in improvised duet acting, attended a forensics workshop at Sterling last spring.
“I just fell in love with the place. I think the first thing that got me was that it was a good time of year because it looked beautiful. It was the people there. They were so nice, and I genuinely felt like they cared about the people. It was like ‘You are here. You are in the arts. We like you already.’ We could leave everything at the door and just have fun.”
TMP student Dylan Werth with his parents as he signs for a theater scholarship at Sterling College. Courtesy photo
Werth started with HCT’s performance of “Shrek,” and has been involved with every show TMP and HCT has staged since.
Some of Werth’s more notable roles in the last few years included Jack in TMP’s production of “Into the Woods,” Will in TMP’s “Oklahoma!” and Theodore Laurence in HCT’s “Little Women.”
He was nominated for a theater Jester award for his portrayal of Jack in “In the Woods.”
“It’s a passion,” he said. “It’s what I like to do.”
Werth’s favorite part was Will in TMP’s “Oklahoma!”
“It was very consuming on all parts and all surfaces,” he said. “I had to sing, act and dance and all of that. I helped a lot backstage too with teaching choreography and with the set and props. I liked that best because I got to take all that in and learn all those different areas I haven’t before.”
He said his favorite show was “Into the Woods.”
“The music is amazing, There was no sad part about him,” he said of his character Jack. “He wasn’t happy, but he was too stupid he couldn’t be sad because he didn’t know what was going on. He was always in that la la land stage. That was fun to have fun with and be creative.”
This semester Werth is in three shows as well as participating in forensics at TMP.
He is an assistant director on HCT’s upcoming performance of “Steel Magnolias.” He is Ryan, a suspect, in HCT’s Feb. 15 and 16 show, “Murder Can be Habit Forming.” He will be Tony Kirby, the son of a business mogul, in TMP’s spring comedy “You Can’t Take it With You.”
“My mom always tells me ‘Don’t spread yourself too thin or work yourself to death,'” he said. “But if I am doing what I love, I don’t count it as work. Sure it is work, but I don’t count it as so hectic and time-consuming. I would want to be here anyway.”
When he graduates college, Werth hopes to land a job in live theater.
“I just want to go somewhere and get paid to do what I love,” he said.
He said he would choose live theater over TV or film.
“Nothing else can take it,” he said. “You don’t know what is going to happen when you do live theater. Sure you can practice and practice, but you can’t account for everything. I think that bring a sort of charm to live theater.”
Werth said theater allows you to experience different times and places.
“I think that is why I like theater so much, because you get to travel without moving.”
Werth said Travis Grizzell, TMP drama teacher and active HCT member, has been a role model for him in the last several years.
Werth is in Grizzell’s forensics class. He competes in duet acting and improvised duet acting. Werth and his partner’s piece for duet acting is a selection from a musical comedy, “The Big Bang.” It tells the tale of the history of civilization through campy song and dance.
“It is fun to do. We laugh a lot, and we are being weird characters,” he said.
He said he prefers comedy.
“There is something relaxing about a good comedy,” he said, “to watch them just laugh. Laughter is the best medicine.”
You can buy tickets now to see Dylan in HCT’s “Murder Can be Habit Forming.” Click here to access the HCT webpage for tickets. HCT’s “Steel Magnolias” is set for March 22-24. Tickets will also be available on the HCT website.
Watch the TMP website for more information on “You Can’t Take it With You.” Performance dates are April 12, 13 and 14.
SHAWNEE COUNTY — Law enforcement authorities are investigating an aggravated battery involving a firearm.
Location of the early Friday morning altercation -photo by Alyssa Willetts courtesy WIBW TV
Just after 2:00a.m. Friday, police were dispatched to the Brass Rail Bar, 401 NE Emmett in Topeka on a report of a fight in the parking lot, according to Lt. Manuel Munoz.
Officers were advised that there was also a report of a shooting. Police located a male victim suffering from non-life threatening injuries in the rear parking lot. The victim was transported to a local hospital for treatment.
The victim and witnesses are being uncooperative at this time. Detectives are following up on some leads and have not release the victim’s name.
FridaySunny, with a high near 33. Wind chill values as low as -7. Light and variable wind becoming south 11 to 16 mph in the morning.
Friday NightClear, with a low around 19. Wind chill values as low as 4. South southeast wind 15 to 18 mph.
SaturdayIncreasing clouds, with a high near 42. Wind chill values as low as 4. Breezy, with a south wind 16 to 22 mph, with gusts as high as 32 mph.
Saturday NightMostly cloudy, with a low around 26. South wind 10 to 17 mph.
SundayMostly sunny, with a high near 39.
Sunday NightA 20 percent chance of snow after midnight. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 22.
MondayA chance of snow before noon, then a chance of rain and snow between noon and 1pm, then a chance of rain after 1pm. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 39. Chance of precipitation is 40%.
RENO COUNTY — A Kansas woman arrested in Reno County on Jan. 30 for drug charges failed to get a bond reduction when she appeared in court Thursday.
Deborah Jones -photo Reno County
Deborah Jones, 26, Liberal, is charged with trying to arrange a drug transaction using a cell phone in what the state says is the unlawful distribution of methamphetamine. Jones is also charged with possession of methamphetamine, marijuana and interference with law enforcement.
Jones asked for a bond reduction for fear of losing her job in Liberal. However, she has prior crimes in both Seward and Meade counties. She also has a history of failing to appear in court, so Magistrate Judge Daniel Gilligan denied her request.
PITTSBURG, Kan. – Aaron Nicholson hit a layup with five seconds to play to give Fort Hays State the lead then Grant Lozoya missed a contested 3-pointer at the horn and the Tigers end their two-game losing streak with a 77-75 win over Pittsburg State Thursday at John Lance Arena.
Fort Hays State (14-7, 8-4 MIAA) trailed by six with just under six minutes to play but used an 11-2 run keyed by a couple of Trey O’Neil 3-pointers to take a 73-70 lead with 1:31 to play.
The Tigers led by eight with under four minutes to play in the first half but three straight turnovers keyed a 15-2 Pittsburg State run which gave the Gorillas (14-8, 7-6 MIAA) a 40-35 halftime lead.
Mark Johnson Postgame Interview
Game Highlights
Brady Werth led the FHSU with 25 points and 13 rebounds. O’Neil added 12 and Nicholson 11.
Lozoya, who leads the MIAA in scoring, led the Gorillas with 27 points.
The Tigers shot 48-percent in the game including 8-of-22 from three-point range but went 7-for-13 from the free throw line.
Kathleen Louise “Kathy” Haselhorst, 68, Hays, died Thursday, February 7, 2019 at HaysMed.
