Billie J. Slemp, 85, La Crosse, Kansas, died Tuesday, Dec. 25, 2018, at Rush County Memorial Hospital Intermediate Swing Bed, La Crosse, Kansas.
Mrs. Slemp was born April 3, 1933, in Olinger, Virginia, the daughter of Harme and Sarah (McClancy) Greene. She was a resident of Rush County, Kansas, since 1984, moving there from Florida. She was a homemaker.
She was a member of the First Baptist Church.
On Sept. 22, 1949, she married James B. Slemp at Pennington Gap, Virginia.
Survivors include: her husband, James Slemp, La Crosse, Kansas; one son, Joseph Slemp (Linda), La Crosse, Kansas; one daughter, Nancy Bollermann, Perry, Florida; three grandchildren, Jeremy Slemp (Ashley), Bison, Kansas, Lacy Quake (Andrew), Three Rivers, Michigan, and Ron Reed (April), La Crosse, Kansas; and six great-grandsons.
She was preceded in death by her parents; her son-in-law, Paul Bollermann; and numerous brothers and sisters.
Visitation will be from 4 to 8 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 30, 2018 at the Janousek Funeral Home, La Crosse, Kansas.
Funeral service will be at 11 a.m., Monday, Dec. 31, 2018 at the Janousek Funeral Home, La Crosse, Kansas, with Pastor Tom Ferch officiating. Interment will be in the La Crosse City Cemetery, La Crosse, Kansas.
In lieu of flowers or plants, the family requests memorials to the Rush County Memorial Hospital Intermediate Swing Bed, La Crosse, Kansas.
Libbie A. (Borecky) Sebesta died Monday, Dec. 24, 2018 at her home in Wilson, Kansas at the age of 89. She was born Nov. 20, 1929 to John and Marie (Janda) Borecky in Palacky Township, Ellsworth County.
At the age of 3, her family moved to a farm in Nobel Township near Black Wolf. Libbie attended South Black Wolf School through eighth grade. She attended Wilson High School for two years, transferring to Ellsworth High School because her brother wanted to play football in 1947.
Libbie worked for numerous families as a hired girl during high school summers. Following graduation, she worked at the Black Wolf Store as a clerk and cream tester. Libbie wanted a better life so she with her sister Vi attended Brown Mackie Business College in Salina, Kansas. She convinced Black Wolf State Bank to loan her $500 without collateral to pay her education. Libbie worked at the cleaners on South Santa Fe to pay her living expenses while attending Brown Mackie.
Libbie married Joseph J. Sebesta on May 12, 1954 at the Presbyterian Church in Wilson, Kansas. To this union, two children were born, Diane Marie and Mark Jon. Libbie was a busy farm wife, mother, and community volunteer. She was a member of the Presbyterian Church, Noble Extension Homemaker Unit, and a Wilson Girl Scout Leader. Libbie was a member of numerous lodges associated with the Wilson Opera House. Eventually she became the volunteer caretaker and museum curator. Libbie was devastated when the Opera House burned.
Libbie was preceded in death by her husband Joseph J. Sebesta; parents John and Marie Borecky; her brother Lester Borecky; and sisters Vivian Kratzer and Vi Jireck.
She is survived by her daughter Diane Deaver and husband Tom of Manhattan; son Mark Sebesta and wife Susan of Wilson; grandchildren Allyson and Zachary Deaver and Lucas and Rachel Sebesta; sisters Mildred Hynes of Sylvan Grove and Myrene Soukup of Wilson; sister-in-law Elsie Sebesta of Wilson; and many nieces and nephews.
Funeral services are planned for 10:30 a.m. Friday, Dec. 28, 2018 at Plumer-Overlease Funeral Home in Wilson with burial to follow in the City Cemetery. Visitation will be Thursday from 2 to 8 p.m. at the funeral home. Memorials are suggested to the Wilson Heritage Museum or the Lange Memorial Library and may be sent in care of Plumer-Overlease Funeral Home, P.O. Box 533, Wilson, Kansas 67490.
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) – Health committees in the Kansas Legislature will be led by two conservative Republican lawmakers from Wichita who oppose expanding the state’s Medicaid program.
GOP leaders’ appointments of Rep. Brenda Landwehr and Sen. Gene Suellentrop will complicate Democratic Gov.-elect Laura Kelly’s efforts to expand state health coverage in line with the 2010 federal Affordable Care Act.
Landwehr will be chairwoman of the House Health and Human Services Committee, a post she’s held before during a 20-year legislative career. Suellentrop will be chairman of the Senate Public Health and Welfare Committee. Both take over Jan. 14.
Suellentrop replaces departing Sen. Vicki Schmidt of Topeka. She supported expanding Medicaid but was elected insurance commissioner.
Landwehr will replace fellow Wichita Republican and Medicaid expansion opponent Rep. Dan Hawkins. He will become House majority leader.
PEABODY, Kan. (AP) – Kansas officials are taking over a nursing home where inspectors found missing narcotics and more than $240,000 in bills that were more than four months overdue.
The Wichita Eagle reports that anonymous complaints prompted the state to send inspectors to Westview Manor of Peabody, a 45-bed facility in Marion County. The Kansas Department for Aging and Disability Services wrote in court papers filed this month that one staff member reported paychecks bouncing twice.
The court filings say several toilets couldn’t’ be fixed because there wasn’t enough money.
Inspectors also reported that 119 hydrocodone tablets prescribed to one resident were missing and that there wasn’t evidence that unused narcotics prescribed to three other residents were disposed of properly.
An attorney for the home’s owners didn’t immediately return messages from The Eagle.
Don R. Belt, 68, passed away Dec. 22, 2018, at Hays Medical Center. He was born June 16, 1950, at El Dorado, to A. D. and Fayrene (Usrey) Belt. He married Connie Suchy June 26, 1976, at Great Bend. She survives.
Don, a resident of Great Bend since 1965, coming from Louisiana and El Dorado, was a truck driver for Linde Global Helium, retiring in 2012. Don was an avid Dallas Cowboys fan, and enjoyed restoring old cars along with his son, Justin.
Survivors include wife, Connie Belt, of the home; one son, Justin Belt of Great Bend; one daughter, Caitlin Belt and fiancé Brandon Radenberg of Claflin; one sister, Connie Dickinson and husband George of Marquette; one brother, Ron Belt and wife Debbie of Maize; one grandchild, Autumn Harman Belt of Great Bend; brother-in-law, Roger Suchy of Great Bend; sister-in-law, Linda Suchy Ramey of Midlothian, Texas; and several nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his parents and an infant brother, Bobby Belt.
Funeral services are scheduled for 2 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 27, 2018, at Trinity Lutheran Church, Great Bend, with the Rev. Jon Brudvig presiding. Interment will follow at Great Bend Cemetery North, Great Bend. Visitation will be from noon to 9 p.m., Wednesday, Dec. 26, 2018, and 9 a.m. until noon Thursday, Dec. 27, all at Bryant Funeral Home.
The family will receive friends from 5 to 6 p.m. Wednesday. Memorial funds have been established with the American Heart Association or Donor’s Choice, in care of Bryant Funeral Home.
Herbert A. Hoff, died Dec. 24, 2018, at Clara Barton Hospital. He was born Jan. 16, 1937, in Hays, Kansas, the son of Herbert W. and Rose Marie (Leiker) Hoff. Herbert graduated from Claflin High School in 1956.
A resident of Claflin since 1953, he was a bulk tank agent for Standard Oil for over 40 years. He was also a bus driver for USD 112 for 15 years.
Herbert was a member of Immaculate Conception Catholic Church. He was active in his community, serving on the city council, as a volunteer fire fighter and an auxiliary deputy. He was an avid sportsman and enjoyed hunting and fishing.
On Aug. 17, 1967, he married Rhoda Marie Selness in Claflin, Kansas. After two short years of marriage, she died on Aug. 3, 1969. He then married Mary Richardson, with which he adopted a daughter, Kim. He and Mary later divorced. Then on June 28, 1975, he married Jane C. Weber in Coldwater, Kansas. They were married for 42 years when she died on Nov. 12, 2017.
Survivors include: daughter, Kim Traum and husband Harry of Arvada, Colorado; brother, Steve Hoff and wife Carol of Laramie, Wyoming; sisters, Annette Bourne and husband Gene of Ellsworth, and Dolores Hoff of Iola; four grandchildren, Joshlyn, Alexis, Mattea, and Danielle Traum.
He was preceded in death by his parents, wives, Rhoda and Jane, and an infant daughter, Alexandra Marie Hoff.
Friends may call from 1 to 8 p.m. Thursday, with family to greet friends from 6 to 8 p.m. Vigil and Rosary will begin at 7 p.m. all at Nicholson-Ricke Funeral Home. Mass of Christian Burial will be at 10 a.m. Friday, Dec. 28, 2018, at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church, celebrated by Father Terrance Klein. Burial will follow in Claflin Cemetery.
Memorials may be made to Claflin Community Scholarship or Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in care of Nicholson-Ricke Funeral Home, PO Box 146, Hoisington, KS 67544.
Glade, Kansas, resident, Byron D. “Tom” Morgan, age 79, passed away Monday, Dec. 24, 2018 at his home.
He was born March 20, 1939 in Glade, the son of Byron “Barney” and Etta (Spicer) Morgan. He served in the U.S. Navy and retired from the Kansas National Guard.
Tom was united in marriage to Lela M. Bennett on Dec. 8, 1959 in Oxnard, California. She survives.
Other survivors include his three daughters, Brenda Chance of Phillipsburg, Carla Bruning of Glade and Diana Gross of McCook, Nebraska; six grandchildren; and five great-grandchildren.
Funeral service will be at 2 p.m. Friday, Dec. 28, 2018 in the Olliff-Boeve Memorial Chapel, Phillipsburg. Burial with Military Honors conducted by the Kansas National Guard will follow in the Marvin Cemetery, Glade, Kansas.
Mr. Morgan will lie in state from noon until 9 p.m. Wednesday and 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Thursday at the funeral chapel.
In lieu of flowers, family request memorial contributions may be made to the Phillips County Healthcare Foundation.
Karen Nowak teaches communications and life skills at Hays Middle School.
By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays Post
Karen Nowak, Hays Middle School teacher, is asking kids the big questions — questions that many adults would have difficulty answering.
She poses these big questions in her new life skills class, which is like ethics, philosophy and debate all rolled into one. Nowak gave some examples of the of the class’s topics.
Would you want to know the exact date you would die?
Is success in life about who you know or what you know?
Is second place synonymous with losing?
Would you support the death penalty even if a personal friend had been sentenced to death?
Discuss an occasion in which you took responsibility for your actions and paid the consequences.
Do African Americans discriminate just as much as white Americans?
“They are things that kids have really never thought about, so it makes them really think,” she said. “They use a lot of their life experiences to help them. It is amazing how much some of the kids will open up. I think just being able to talk about things that go on in their lives knowing that they are not going to be judged [is important]. I think talking about it just helps.”
For her work in the life skills as well as advanced communications, Nowak was nominated as December’s teacher of the month. She was nominated by fellow teacher, Cade Scott. He student-taught under Nowak before taking a job as a social studies teacher at HMS.
In Scott’s nomination of Nowak he wrote, “In her classes, she teaches very relevant life skills for kids these days to know. She teaches how to have good face-to-face conversations with one another. She also teaches how to express feelings verbally with conversation with one another.
“These skills are somewhat lost with students these days due to technology. There are many character and leadership skills built in her classes that are applicable to any part of student life. She does a great job teaching role model skills and also is a great model for kids to follow. She has worked extremely hard to get this new curriculum going. It has been a very valuable addition to our school’s curriculum and education.”
Nowak has both general education and special education students in her life skills class, which focus on a character and leadership curriculum. The class looks at character traits and role models who exhibit those traits.
“The kids really open up,” Nowak said, “and the best part about it is that I feel I have been able to connect with the kids.”
Some of the discussions Nowak has with her students in class have thrown up flags that the children need more help and support than they are getting.
“I really have a soft spot for kids who struggle and have a rough home life,” she said.
Nowak has been a middle school teacher in the USD 489 Hays School District for 22 years. She has taught all the core classes — math, science, language arts and social studies. She also coached volleyball, basketball and track for many years, but left coaching when her own children began playing sports.
However, she said she has never been happier than she is this year.
“I will tell you this is the happiest I have been in 22 years with my teaching assignment,” she said, “and mostly because of my life skills class. The passion and the love I have for that class is amazing.”
Nowak said her ultimate goal as a teacher is to earn the trust of her students so they feel they can come to her if they have problems. She said there were people who supported her when she was a child and this her way of giving back.
Nowak’s father died when she was only 16 months old. Her mother and siblings were loving and supportive, but her mother often worked two and three jobs to support her family. She couldn’t always be very involved in Karen’s school activities. Her fifth-grade teacher, David Ottley, and his wife, Andrea, were neighbors and took Karen under their wings. She often ate dinner at the Ottleys’ home.
David Ottley, who recently retired as the superintendent at Victoria, encouraged Karen in school and was her inspiration to become a teacher.
“I am very thankful I had the Ottleys because I think they made a huge difference in the person that I am today,” Nowak said. “Truly I feel that losing my dad at such a young age molded me also to be the person that I am. In the back of your mind, it was always, ‘Would he be proud of me?’ ‘What would he think of this decision I am making?'”
Nowak said she tries to reinforce that kids are going to make mistakes, but it is important to reflect and learn from those mistakes.
“I had a kid come with her mom to parent teacher conferences and she broke down crying because of how much she loves my life skills class just because she feels like it focuses on life skills, on how to function and situations that they will encounter as they get older,” Nowak said.
The life skills students’ latest assignment is to write to a role model in their lives. The role model has to be someone they know personally. They will be mailing the letters soon.
“What has been hard is there are some kids who couldn’t think of somebody,” Nowak said. “That was really eye-opening. A lot of them were grandparents, aunts, teachers, parents, but there are some kids that unfortunately struggle to pick somebody in their life because some of these kids, the stuff they go through at home and in their lives is unreal.
“So many kids go home to situations that are really hard. I can’t tell you how many kids I wish I could take home because their lives are tough at home. Ever since I started teaching, I tried to reiterate that school should be every kid’s safe place — that every kid should be accepted and treated with respect because we don’t know what these kids go home to and go through on a daily basis at home.”
“It is so important to me that even if they come from situations like that they can overcome them. There is hope that they can make their lives better and have a better life.”
Nowak has consistently gone above and beyond in and out of the classroom to make this a reality for kids. She had one student whose mother was legally blind. She picked him up after school and took him home after she finished coaching at night. She visited his home, ate dinner with the family and even encouraged the boy to clean his room.
She’s been called to the police station when a couple of her students were in trouble. She takes calls even from former students to just talk about difficult times in their lives.
Nowak also encourages other students to help and accept their fellow students.
Nowak has students in her classes from the special education program. One student was not able to tie his shoe. Nowak said a big burley eighth-grade football player helped him do it. The students in her sixth-grade class are learning basic sign language so they can communicate with people who are hearing impaired and other students helped a young man who has struggle with his wardrobe.
“People say that kids have changed, but I can’t think of one kid who doesn’t have good in them. We just need to find it. The compassion and empathy kids have for others … I think kids are still the same, I think it is just the lives they are thrown into is what has changed. There is so much more that they have to deal with and go through.”
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Submit your nomination for Hays Post’s Teacher of the Month honor!
Hays Post and Eagle Communications seeking nominations for the next Teacher of the Month!
From October through April, Hays Post will solicit nominations from through the area from parents, students and colleagues. Fill out the form below to nominate your favorite educator!
The winning teacher will receive a Chamber Cheque and Hickok’s Steakhouse gift certificate.
[contact-form to=”[email protected]” subject=”Teacher of the Month”][contact-field label=”Your name” type=”name” required=”1″][contact-field label=”Your email” type=”email” required=”1″][contact-field label=”Teacher’s name” type=”text” required=”1″][contact-field label=”Teacher’s school and grade” type=”text” required=”1″][contact-field label=”Tell us why you are nominating this teacher” type=”text” required=”1″][/contact-form]
From left: HHS JAG-K students Hayden Giebler as the red blood cell, Cydney Howell, Aihxel Alcaya and Karina Carrillo sign people up for upcoming Red Cross blood drives.
By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays Post
Hays High senior Karina Carrillo is looking forward to graduation. She is passing all of her courses, and she looks forward to studying nursing next year.
“I want to help people,” Carrillo said.
Carrillo is in her second year of Jobs for America’s Graduates-Kansas. She spent a year in the Salina program before transferring to HHS. She said she really struggled in school before the JAG-K program.
“I passed my junior year because of JAG,” she said.
She also said she had no idea what she wanted to do for a job after graduation before she connected with JAG-K.
This year, Carrillo is the president of the HHS JAG-K Career Association.
The JAG-K program, which is new at HHS this year, provides assistance to students who have risk factors that might put them in jeopardy of not graduating. The program also focuses on preparing for careers after high school. Thirty-eight students in grades 10-12 participated in the program first semester and several more will likely be added in the spring.
JAG-K students complete a team-building exercise in class. Courtesy photo
The JAG-K students visited NCK Tech this semester and teacher Johnny Matlock said several students said they were interested in study nursing through the NCK-Tech program after that visit, including Carrillo.
“I think we had several students who for the first time really had a direction for the career they are interested in,” Matlock said. “When we came back, I was hooking students up with KansasWorks for students who were interested in going to culinary school or getting their CNA, so we were looking at funding for that. It was neat to see them pumped up about doing that.”
Aihxel Alcaya and Hayden Giebler also said they were interested in studying nursing.
Giebler said he thought the JAG-K program is preparing him to go on to nursing school.
“It has taught us a lot of communication skills,” he said. “I feel like you need that to go anywhere in life. … And leadership skills. We have learned a lot by going out to the ropes course at Fort Hays, and we have been working together in teams.”
Alcaya and Giebler, along with Cydney Howell were working as a team Monday to sign up students, teachers and staff to donate blood during the upcoming Battle of the Badges during the week after Christmas and the first week in January.
None of students had participated in a community service project before.
HHS JAG-K students completed the FHSU ropes course this fall. Courtesy photo
Matlock said the project has helped the students learn how to talk to people on the phone as well as in person — good practice for when they will be interviewing for jobs. The students did presentations on their Battle of the Badges project to Hays Police, Fire and EMS departments. They have also made a commercial for the Tribe radio station.
Howell said every year she failed at least one course, but this year she is passing all of courses and has a 3.6 GPA thanks to the help of Matlock and the JAG-K program.
Howell wants to be a tattoo artist and hopes to intern with a professional through her connections with JAG-K.
In addition to NCK-Tech, the JAG-K students toured businesses in the community and will tour more in the spring as well as participate in job shadowing.
“It think it opens their eyes to what is out there,” Matlock said.
Learning about potential careers is motivating the students in their high school studies, he said.
“I think it is connecting the dots that this does have meaning,” he said. “This is a step they need to go through in order to get to that post graduation goal they are interested in.”
JAG-K students visited NCK Tech during the fall semester and several expressed an interest in studying nursing after graduation. Courtesy photo
Matlock continued, “I think already we have had some lightbulb moments. I can look at their attendance. I can see what it was last year and see what it is this year, and their attendance has improved. It think we will really see results after our program has been up and running for a year or two.”
The Kansas Trio program of Great Bend will make visits to the HHS this spring as well. Trio focuses on job skills, financial literacy and career exploration. It will help college-bound students fill out financial aid forms and work with the students on test anxiety among other workshops.
JAG-K is a national program and offers regional, state and national career development conferences. The HHS students will be able to compete in eight events in the spring, some of which include public speaking, math skills, employability and entrepreneurship. Carrillo won a second place in the regional competition in employability last year.
Matlock said he sees the program growing as community awareness grows.
“I think we are going to see more and more opportunities open up for the program as we make those community connections and business connections and as people learn about the program,” he said.
Battle of the Badges
You can assist JAG-K in their work to recruit blood donors during the holiday season by donating during the Red Cross Battle of the Badges. Times, dates and locations are listed below.
• Wednesday, Dec. 4, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m at the Ellis County Administrative Center, 718 Main St.
• Thursday, Dec. 27, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Midwest Energy, 1330 Canterbury Drive.
• Saturday, Dec. 29, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Friday and Saturday Jan. 4 and 5 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Big Creek Crossing, 2918 Vine St.
As a special thank-you for helping meet the urgent need, those who come to give Dec. 20 through Jan. 6 will receive a long-sleeved Red Cross T-shirt, while supplies last.
A JAG-K team building exercise. Courtesy photo
JAG-K students participate in Trick-or-Treat So Others Can Eat. Courtesy photo
JAG-K officers attend a leadership development conference at K-State. Courtesy photo
The JAG-K installation and initiation ceremony. Tre Giles was the guest speaker. Courtesy photo
A bus was involved in an accident in Finney County on Thursday afternoon.
Kelsey B. Kelley, 32, of Garden City was talking on her cell phone when she pulled forward at a traffic stop on U.S. Highway 50 at milepost 69 and rear ended the bus, according to the Kansas Highway Patrol report.
No one on the bus was injured. The accident happened at 3:40 p.m.. It was unclear in the report who was on the bus at the time of the crash.
Kelley reported possible injuries at the time of the accident, but was not transported to the hospital via ambulance.
The driver of the bus, Maria I Ortiz-Corrales, 31, of Garden City, reported no injuries.
Ellie Bollig, Roosevelt second grader, receives her Best of the Best Award from the Hays USD 489 school board.
By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays Post
Ellie Bollig, a Roosevelt second-grader, was honored with the student USD 489 Best of the Best Award for her companionship and compassion toward a STAR student in her class.
She was nominated by Jan Burkholder, Roosevelt second-grade teacher.
“Many times our society selects individuals to receive awards based on what is visible or brightly proclaimed through different social media. While many of those individuals are very deserving of the recognition, I have chosen a young leader, a quiet student, for the caring assistance that she shows each day to one of our Roosevelt STAR students,” Burkholder read from her nomination.
The STAR program is a special education program at Roosevelt. All of its students have some level of disability.
“Without needing or getting any instruction from me her teacher, without waiting for an earned award, without expecting any recognition for being there, this student, Ellie, has initiated on her own to touch the life of another. Ellie gently leads her classmate to any place the student needs to go without needing to be first in line. She holds back and makes sure her buddy has the necessary supplies, zips up a coat to face that wintry outdoors or simply lends a gentle hand to walk to our next location
“Most of the time a loving arm is wrapped around the shoulder of her friend as they walk side by side down the hallway. During a quite reading time, Ellie’s lap becomes the cozy spot were her friend wants to sit.”
Burkholder noted the student has even fallen asleep in Ellie’s lap.
“Ellie gives of her time and gives of her energy and her love to show kindness and compassion to her STAR companion and friend. She leads by example, always calm, caring, kind and willing to help others.”
Burkholder said Ellie also excels in her academics and has a large group of other supportive friends.
“If I were to ask Ellie why she looks forward to each day, it won’t be those two accomplishments,” Burkholder said. “I know she looks forward to being there for her STAR student. That is where she places her heart and devotion. Ellie is a leader of tomorrow. We the parents, community and school are raising a generation of generous hearts for giving to others.”
Burkholder turned to Ellie and said through tears, “Ellie, as your teacher, I am very proud of you. Please continue to be the Best of the Best.”
Toni Lohrmeyer
Hays USD 489 school board member Luke Oborny tells the school board why he nominated Toni Lohrmeyer for the Best of the Best Award.
Toni Lohrmeyer was nominated by school board member Luke Oborny for December’s staff Best of the Best Award.
Lohrmeyer is a library secretary for both O’Loughlin and Wilson elementary schools. She checks in and out books, catalogs new books, shelves books, creates displays, maintains records and assists with the O’Loughlin book fair. She also supervises 20 classes as they use the library. Oborny’s wife is the librarian at O’Loughlin.
She said, “I can’t do my job without her knowledge, organization and help.”
However, her work in the school libraries is not why Oborny nominated her for the award.
During the summer, Lohrmeyer works in the Rockwell copy center. This summer the district made a change in its copier contract.
She noticed the district was starting to pay for staples out of the copy center. The cost of the staples in the new contract was going to be as much as $2,000 per year. She brought the cost to Luke Oborny’s attention.
Oborny sent a question to the district finance director, who addressed the issue in the contract with the district’s sales rep.
After the company reviewed the contract, they agreed the staples were to be included in the contract cost.
Oborny said $2,000 can make a big difference when the district is dealing with tight budgets. He encouraged other employees to look at their day-in-and-day-out expenses in the same way.
“She could have done nothing with this information,” Oborny said. “She could have could have complained about it.”
Oborny said instead Lohrmeyer had detailed notes about what the district should review.
“I look at this as a case of her persistence and her strive for excellence that just added up to a big saving for our district,” he said. “That attitude and concern for organization is why I nominated Toni for Best of the Best and why I am honored to be the first to congratulate her.”
District Judge Blake Bittel on Wednesday set Dec. 31 as the date for a hearing on a lawsuit that contests the race for the 111th Kansas House District seat.
Democrat Eber Phelps lost to Republican Barb Wasinger by 35 votes after a recount was conducted. The Board of Canvassers voted 2-1 to certify the results a second time.
A group of seven Hays residents filed a lawsuit against Wasinger alleging voting irregularities led to Wasinger improperly being named the winner of the election. The group most notably included former Kansas State Sen. Janis Lee. Lee currently serves as vice president of the Ellis County Democratic Party.
Arguments for Phelps
The suit levels a number of allegations against County Clerk and Election Officer Donna Maskus. They range from not properly maintaining and testing the county’s electronic voting machines to improperly handling the recount.
But in new allegations, the filers of the suit claim that because Maskus failed to do her job properly that “some voters were deprived of the right of voting for the candidate they intended and such deprival could change the result of the election.”
Barb Wasinger
The suit goes on to claim that illegal votes were counted while legal votes were not and errors in counting the votes could change the outcome of the election.
Motion to dismiss
Attorneys for Wasinger filed a motion to dismiss the case on Monday.
In the motion, attorney Joshua Ney alleged the Phelps’ supporters provide no specific proof any of Maskus’ actions or any other of the alleged voting irregularities, including failing to test the voting machines, changed the outcome of the election.
Citing a Supreme Court case, Ney said in his motion, “the courts should go to extreme lengths to preserve the validity of all elections, and be slow and reluctant to override the clear intent and purpose of the voters.”
Ney said any objections regarding provisional ballots should have been made during the canvas. He also noted the Phelps supporters have not pointed to any specific improperly counted ballots.
The Phelps supporters also alleged long lines at the polls caused by problems with the voting machines could have dissuaded voters from casting ballots. However, Ney noted if a voter chooses not to vote, that is not grounds to contest an election. He also noted the lawsuit did not specify any specific voters who were unable to vote because of long lines at the polls.
The judge will consider the motion to dismiss before the case proceeds to trial on Dec. 31.
Protection of information, inspection
During a conference on Wednesday, the judge agreed to put a protective order in place to secure the names and personal information of voters in the case.
The judge also agreed to allow the ballots and voting machines to be inspected per state statute. This provides for a three-person inspection team appointed by the judge.
State statute requires a hearing on a contested election to be heard 20 days from the date the case was filed. Dec. 31 is the last day the case could be heard per that requirement. However, the statue does not specify how long the judge has to rule in the case.
Another conference call in the case is set for 10 a.m. Dec. 27.
The Kansas 2019 Legislative session is set to start Monday, Jan. 14.
Hays Post reporter Jonathan Zweygardt contributed to this story.
