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Author: Hays Post

Hansen Foundation helps send NW Kan. students to Eisenhower museum

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ABILENE — Thanks to a generous grant from the Dane G. Hansen Foundation, based in Logan, Kansas, the Eisenhower Foundation will be able to continue offering the Dane G. Hansen Field Trip Program to schools in Northwest Kansas. This unique program provides stipends to cover field trip expenses associated with visiting the Eisenhower Presidential Library, Museum, and Boyhood Home and is available to any school within the 26-county Hansen service area.

The Dane G. Hansen Field Trip Program was established in 2013 and is offered through IKEducation — the Eisenhower Foundation’s K-12 initiative that provides innovative programs and activities to school groups. Each educator-led IKEducation program or activity aligns with national and state educational standards and integrates primary sources from the collection at the Eisenhower Presidential Campus.

Designed to honor Mr. Dane Hansen’s personal interest in promoting education, the Dane G. Hansen Field Trip Program has enabled over 5,300 students and teachers to travel to Dwight D. Eisenhower’s hometown in Abilene, Kansas, to learn about his life and legacy. Since the launch of IKEducation, also in 2013, over 20,000 students and teachers have participated in programs and, of this total, 25% have been from the Hansen service area — a testament to the value the Dane G. Hansen Foundation places on education.

As Lynn Wacker, a teacher from Lakeside Elementary School, explained on her program application, “Due to state funding issues, we have been very limited for the past few years on the ability to take our students on field trips. With the help of this grant, our students get to go to the Eisenhower Presidential Library, Museum, and Boyhood Home. It is a treat to these children, who without this trip, may never know the enjoyment of viewing such an extraordinary museum.”

Schools can apply for the Dane G. Hansen Field Trip Program on the Eisenhower Foundation’s website: www.EisenhowerFoundation.net. For more information about IKEducation and the Eisenhower Foundation’s K-12 school initiative, please contact the Director of IKEducation, Mitzi Bankes Gose at [email protected].

About the Eisenhower Foundation
The mission of the non-profit, public Eisenhower Foundation is to honor and champion the relevance today of the life and leadership of Dwight D. Eisenhower through compelling programs and events that celebrate his legacy.

Donations to the Eisenhower Foundation provide funding to support the exhibits, educational programs, and community events at the Eisenhower Presidential Library, Museum, and Boyhood Home in Abilene, Kansas.

— Submitted

Kenneth Carl Doebbeling

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Kenneth Carl Doebbeling, age 96, died on February 15, 2018 at Cedar Village, Ness City. He was born the son of Simeon and Maria Miller Doebbeling on January 16, 1922 on a farm West of Nonchalanta, Ness County, Kansas.

He served in the 15th Air Force 94th Fighter Squadron during WWII, from 1942-1946 in Naples and Foggia. He received two bronze stars and was recognized for designing an acetylene gas generator made from a German parachute supply.

He was a member of the Ness City American Legion Post 152, Past President of the Citizen Band Club, and the Ness County Historical Society.

Kenneth was a farmer, cattleman, and a mechanic. He and his brother, Ed, operated a machine shop for may years, anything that needed repaired they could fix it.

Kenneth married Velma Fehrenbach on January 2, 1948. She died on August 23, 1977. He married Anne Lewis Hale on February 24, 1979. He was preceded in death by his parents; four brothers, Henry, Clarence, Pete and Ed; and a sister Grace Litzenberger.

Survivors include his wife, Anne of Ness City; three step-daughters, Betty Dexter of Ness City, Patricia (Orval) Weber of Topeka, and Brenda (Bryan) Sutton of Ness City; seven grandchildren and 12 great grandchildren.

Funeral service will be on Tuesday, February 20, 2018 at 10:00 A.M. at Fitzgerald Funeral Home, Ness City followed by burial in the Buda Cemetery. Viewing will be at the funeral home on Sunday and Monday from 10:00 A.M. until 9:00 P.M.

Memorial contributions may be made to the First Baptist Church, Ness City.

Kansas man jailed after overnight standoff

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SHAWNEE COUNTY— Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect on an outstanding warrant following a five hour standoff.

Dodds- photo KDOC

Just before 9:30p.m.Thursday, police responded to a residence in the 1100 block of SE Lime in Topeka in reference attempting to serve an arrest warrant on a known fugitive, according to Lt. Andrew Beightel.

Upon arrival officers attempted to make contact with the resident. They then saw the fugitive Harley Dodds, 37,  Topeka, through a window.

Dodds refused to comply and come outside. Negotiators and Response team were called to the scene to assist. After several hours of trying to persuade Dodds to come out, Response Team members entered the residence and Dodds was taken into custody without any further incident.

He was transported and booked into the Shawnee Co jail.  Dodds has previous convictions for criminal threat, obstruction, drugs,  his role in a burglary, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections.

LETTER: Grateful for generosity of the Hays community

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We would like to thank the entire community of Hays for supporting Kaizer and his battle with Williams syndrome and related heart defects.

The benefit bake sale sold out, and we are absolutely astonished by how many people continue to reach out to us for support. We are so proud to live in such an amazing, supportive community! We had so many people that brought in baked goods or donated and we want everyone to know how thankful we are for your love, kindness, and generosity.

Kaizer is very blessed to have so many people behind him. We will forever be grateful for the generosity we have received from this community.

Thank you!!

Jason, Krista, Braxton and Kaizer Dechant

Kansas man sentenced for dismemberment murder

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Campillo-Echevarria – photo Shawnee Co.

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — A Kansas man will spend more than 50 years in prison for the slayings of two men, one of whom was dismembered.

Maximo Campillo-Echevarria, 63, Topeka, was sentenced Thursday for the September deaths of 61-year-old Thomas Paul O’Conner and 22-year-old Chance Christian Crank, who was dismembered. He was sentenced to 51 years for O’Conner’s death and a concurrent term of nearly 13 years for Crank’s death.

O’Conner was found suffering from stab wounds at an apartment building in September. At the same time, firefighters found Crank’s dismembered body while extinguishing a fire at Campillo-Echevarria’s nearby apartment.

Campillo-Echevarria was convicted in 1981 of first-degree murder in the death of 34-year-old Pedro Machado. He was paroled from a life sentence in 2000.

Campillo-Echevarria fled Cuba in the 1980 Mariel boat lift.

Sunny, windy Friday

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Today Mostly sunny, with a high near 40. North wind 9 to 14 mph becoming light and variable.

Tonight Partly cloudy, with a low around 25. South southeast wind 9 to 13 mph becoming west southwest after midnight.

SaturdaySunny, with a high near 57. Breezy, with a west southwest wind 8 to 13 mph becoming northwest 15 to 20 mph in the afternoon.

Saturday NightMostly clear, with a low around 34. Northeast wind 6 to 16 mph becoming south after midnight. Winds could gust as high as 28 mph.

SundaySunny, with a high near 72. Breezy, with a south southwest wind 13 to 21 mph, with gusts as high as 33 mph.

Sunday NightMostly clear, with a low around 30.

Washington’s BirthdayMostly sunny, with a high near 42.

Former Pitt State professor jailed third time for alleged stalking

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PITTSBURG, Kan. (AP) — One of the two former Pittsburg State University associate professors arrested for stalking and breach of privacy last year has been arrested again.

Peter Rosen, PhD was Chair, Associate Professor
Accounting & Computer Information Systems-photo Crawford County

Pittsburg police say 47-year-old Peter Rosen was arrested Wednesday on charges of stalking and violations of a protection from stalking order. He was released on $2,000 bond.

The Pittsburg Morning-Sun reports Rosen has been arrested three times since a search in December found illegal videotaping of someone who was nude or nearly nude.

Rosen, former associate professor and chairman of Accounting and Computer Information Systems, also was arrested in November on a misdemeanor stalking charge.

All three arrests involve the same person.

Barry Wilson, former associate professor and chairman of Graphics and Imaging Technology, was arrested at the same time as Rosen in December. He was released $2,000 bond.

LeRoy Joseph Schmidtberger

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LeRoy Joseph Schmidtberger, 85, of Overland Park, KS, passed away on February 10, 2018 in Houston, TX. He was born on March 21, 1932 in Vincent, KS to Nicholas and Katherine Schmidtberger.

He grew up on a farm in Vincent, KS. After leaving the farm he worked for Union Pacific Railroad, then joined the Army and because of his railroad experience, was assigned to the Railway Transportation Division. In the late 1960’s he founded Schmidtberger Supply Company in Hays, KS. He loved spending time with his family. His recreational time was spent boating, skiing, fishing, hunting, woodworking and he earned his pilot’s license. LeRoy joined the Knights of Columbus in 1958 and became a 4th degree Knight in 1961. He has been deeply involved in the Knights of Columbus for over 50 years. He was a dedicated, active parishioner of Holy Spirit Catholic Church in Overland Park, KS.

LeRoy is survived by his children, Terry Schmidtberger and Diana Schmidtberger, both of Houston, TX; grandchildren, Lyndsi, Travis and Kelsi Schmidtberger; and a great-grandson, Hayden.

He was preceded in death by his loving wife of 60 years, Melba Schmidtberger; his parents, Nicholas and Katherine; an infant brother, Joseph; an infant sister, Mary Katherine; brothers, Marvin and Robert; and his grandson, Scott Schmidtberger.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be given to Holy Spirit Catholic Church, Overland Park, KS.

Rosary: Thursday, February 15, 2018 from 6:00pm to 6:20pm

Visitation: Thursday, February 15, 2018 from 6:20pm to 8:00pm

Service: Friday, February 16, 2018 at 10:00am

Interment: Resurrection Catholic Cemetery

Man sentenced for abduction, rape of Kansas deputy

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OLATHE, Kan. (AP) — A man has been sentenced to 41 years and three months in prison for kidnapping and raping a suburban Kansas City sheriff’s deputy with the help of another man.

Luth and Newman-Caddell

26-year-old William Luth, of Blue Springs, Missouri, was sentenced Thursday after the prosecutor read a statement from the deputy in which she described “two hours of hell.” The deputy wasn’t in uniform when she was abducted in October 2016 from the parking lot of a detention center in Olathe, Kansas, while headed to work. She was released in the Missouri suburb of Lee’s Summit.

Charges in the attack also are pending against Brady Newman-Caddell. Luth and Newman-Caddell also are charged with sexual assaulting a Missouri woman while her 2-year-old daughter was in the same bed.

Man sentenced for abduction, rape of Kansas deputy

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OLATHE, Kan. (AP) — A man has been sentenced to 41 years and three months in prison for kidnapping and raping a suburban Kansas City sheriff’s deputy with the help of another man.

Luth and Newman-Caddell

26-year-old William Luth, of Blue Springs, Missouri, was sentenced Thursday after the prosecutor read a statement from the deputy in which she described “two hours of hell.” The deputy wasn’t in uniform when she was abducted in October 2016 from the parking lot of a detention center in Olathe, Kansas, while headed to work. She was released in the Missouri suburb of Lee’s Summit.

Charges in the attack also are pending against Brady Newman-Caddell. Luth and Newman-Caddell also are charged with sexual assaulting a Missouri woman while her 2-year-old daughter was in the same bed.

Kan. man wants to withdraw plea in baseball bat killing

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TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — A man who pleaded guilty to killing a Topeka man with a baseball bat wants to withdraw his plea.

Ford-photo Shawnee Co.

The Topeka Capital-Journal reports 37-year-old Arthur Lee Ford IV, of Topeka, asked Wednesday to withdraw his plea after realizing he could spend nearly 50 years in prison, rather than about 23.

Ford accepted the plea deal in October to a reduced charge of second-degree murder in the 2016 death of 52-year-oldl Mark Everett Johnson.

Prosecutors say Johnson was killed during a break-in at his apartment.

At the time, Ford’s attorney told him he likely would be sentenced to about 23 years in prison. Instead, the sentence could be 49 years because Ford has a stronger criminal history than originally believed.

The motion to withdraw Ford’s plea will be heard March 22.

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