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Author: Hays Post

Leon Sample

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Leon Sample

Leon Sample, 74, passed away Monday, December 25, 2017 at his home in Hoxie, Kansas. He was born September 22, 1943 to Benjamin Leslie and Dorothy Henrietta (Epler) Sample.

He married Barbara Deibert, December 10, 1961, and shared 56 years of wonderful married life. They were blessed with three children, Dana, Darrel & Mike.

Leon attended school at the Tasco Grade School and graduated from Hoxie High School. He was always known as an honest and hard working person. He enjoyed many jobs from a very young age; farming for Rodney Martin, helping Uncle Fred on the farm, Don’s Alignment & Foster Lumber Company. When his father retired, he was proud to purchase the family business, “Sample Oil Company.” He owned and operated this business until 1978 when he accepted an offer to manage the Studley Coop. He held this position until his retirement in May, 2005. He rarely missed a day of work other than an annual trip to the state wrestling tournaments to watch his sons and nephews wrestle. After retiring he enjoyed riding along with Mr. P on his truck runs and helping Archie, Rick and Don Moss with corn harvest.

Leon was an avid Royals baseball fan through good times and bad. He was able to visit 20 major league stadiums and 2 minor league stadiums with his wife. He loved watching car races and flying remote controlled airplanes with his flying buddies and gained the nickname “King Pin“ for his bowling skills. He was a regular visitor at the Howard Cass home and enjoyed the tales he heard there. And he sure enjoyed that first tomato from his garden each summer.

He always enjoyed having family visit. He loved and was proud of his three children and the adults they have become and loved every grandchild as if they were his own. He instilled in each of them good values to live by and an excellent example of how to love.

He continued the practice of date night and supper out with his wife once a week, and they shared a love for the birds that gathered daily in their back yard for food and water. He was a good provider for his family and the rock we all leaned on.

Leon knew Jesus as his Lord and Savior and had a personal ministry of spreading kindness wherever he went, never turning down anyone in need. He will be sadly missed by all who knew and loved him.

He was preceded in death by his parents, brother, Lyle Sample; sister, Doris Rachau; sister-in-law, Nettie Richmeier; brothers-in-law, Tom McClain & Ken Deibert; and his Epler and Sample Grandparents.

He is survived by his wife, Barbara, of the home; daughter, Dana Sample, Columbia, MO; sons, Darrel Sample & wife Hana, Highlands Ranch, CO; Mike Sample and wife Ann, Lindsborg, KS.; brother, Leo Sample & wife Eileen, Hoxie; sister, Donna McClain, Aurora, CO.; mother-in-law, Peggy Allen; sister-in-law, Sandra Reitcheck and husband Gary all of Hoxie and Brother-in-law Terry Deibert and wife Cyndi of Bartlesville, OK.

He is also survived by grandchildren Chris Chase, Holly Hickam, Megan Sample, Haileah Chase, David & Dylan Sample, Breahna Wright, Ashtyn Chase and Rocco Hickam. Also among survivors are nieces, nephews and friends too numerous to mention.

Memorials are suggested to the Wounded Warriors Project, and may be sent in care of Mickey-Leopold Funeral Home, PO Box 987, Hoxie, KS 67740.

Visitation will be December 29, 2017, from 1:00 until 6:00, with family receiving friends from 5:00 PM until 6:00 PM at Mickey-Leopold Funeral Home.

Services will be December 30, 2017, at 10:30 a.m. at Christian Fellowship Church with Pastor Micah Howery officiating.

SW Kansan recognized for conservation efforts

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Andrew Larson Jr. (right) of Finney County accepts the 2017 Don Rezac Memorial Award, presented to him by Bill Simshauer (left), President and Area II Director of the Kansas Association of Conservation Districts.

KDA

MANHATTAN — The Division of Conservation in the Kansas Department of Agriculture (KDA-DOC) is pleased to recognize Lazy VJ Farms near Fredonia as the recipient of the 2017 Kansas Leopold Conservation Award® and Andrew Larson Jr. of Finney County as the recipient of the 2017 Don Rezac Memorial Award.

The Kansas Leopold Conservation Award® honors Kansas landowner achievement in voluntary stewardship and management of natural resources, and is presented by the Sand County Foundation in conjunction with the Kansas Association of Conservation Districts and the Ranchland Trust of Kansas. Lazy VJ Farms is owned and managed by Rod Vorhees and his family. When Vorhees began taking a leadership role at the farm, he focused on improving land health, converting tillage land to cover crops and using other methods to extend the time of available quality forage. The pastures on the ranch are managed using rotational grazing, and dedicates care to land management issues such as nongame wildlife, pollinators and migrating species.

The Don Rezac Memorial Award recognizes an individual who exemplifies commitment to conservation, community leadership and family, and is presented by the Kansas Association of Conservation Districts. Larson is a self-employed farmer who has served Kansas conservation efforts in a number of roles including on the State Conservation commission since 1994 and on his Conservation District Board starting in 1978. He embraces the grassroots approach to conservation: “locally led, locally developed and implemented” and values the building and maintaining of relationships and partnerships throughout many levels.

“The Division of Conservation appreciates the dedication of both Rod Vorhees and Andy Larson to the efforts of conservation in Kansas,” said Rob Reschke, director of the KDA-DOC. “Local involvement is critical to conservation, and we are fortunate to have the leadership of these two individuals, as well as the example they have set for others by implementing conservation practices on their own land.”

The Kansas Division of Conservation works with local conservation districts, watershed districts, other special purpose districts, and state and federal entities to administer programs to improve water quality, reduce soil erosion, conserve water, reduce flood potential and provide local water supply. These efforts support KDA’s mission, which includes helping to ensure a safe food supply, protecting natural resources, promoting public health and safety, protecting animal health, and providing consumer protection to the best of their ability.

For more information about the Leopold Conservation Award, go to www.leopoldconservationaward.org. For more information about the Kansas Division of Conservation, go to www.agriculture.ks.gov/conservation.

Kirwin National Wildlife Refuge hosts annual raptor program Jan. 23

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Bald eagle at Kirwin National Wildlife Refuge, Phillips County

FWS

KIRWIN– Experience a close encounter with a live Bald Eagle.  Kirwin National Wildlife Refuge is sponsoring an American Bald Eagle and raptor program for the public on Tuesday, January 23, 2018 at 7:00 p.m. at Dane G. Hansen Scout Camp.  The Dane G. Hansen Scout Camp is located on the south side of Kirwin National Wildlife Refuge in Phillips County.

The program will be presented by Diane Johnson, wildlife rehabilitator, from Operation WildLife, Inc. located in Linwood, Kansas.

The exciting ingredient is a live Bald Eagle and other raptors.  The presentation will focus on the natural history of eagles, the recovery of the Bald Eagle, and wildlife rehabilitation.

All ages are encouraged to attend this very informative and entertaining program.  For more information please call 785-543-6673.

Learn more about the refuges by visiting our websites: www.fws.gov/kirwin and “Like” us on Facebook.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service works with others to conserve, protect, and enhance fish, wildlife, plants, and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people. 

Police: Kansas man shot during attack in his home

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Police on the scene of Tuesday night’s shooting-photo courtesy WIBW TV

SHAWNEE COUNTY — Law enforcement authorities are investigating a home-invasion shooting.

Just before 10p.m. Tuesday, police  responded to the 400 blk of SW Taylor in Topeka in reference to shooting that had just occurred, according to Lt. Andrew Beightel.

Upon Officers arrival they located the crime scene inside an apartment and learned the adult male victim, with a possible life threatening gunshot injury, had already been driven to the hospital by a private vehicle.

The victim advised two adult males broke into his apartment and attacked him. One of the suspects is described as an adult black male in his 40’s wearing a black and white checkered t-shirt. After the shooting the suspects fled the area in an unknown direction. It is unclear at this time if the victim and suspects were known to one another.

Patrol Officers, Detectives and Crime Scene investigators are currently on scene investigating this incident. This case is ongoing, if you have any information relating to this crime; please call the Topeka Police Department at 785-368-9400 or Crime Stoppers at 785-234-0007.

KDA offers reimbursement to specialty crop growers

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KDA

MANHATTAN —  The Kansas Department of Agriculture has funds available for reimbursement to Kansas specialty crop growers who attend the Great Plains Growers Conference held in St. Joseph, Missouri, Jan. 11-13, 2018.

KDA will reimburse Kansas specialty crop growers up to $145 for conference registration, and also offers a flat-fee conference travel stipend of $150. Both awards are available on a first-come, first-served basis. The deadline for application is December 29.

Recipients will be required to attend the conference and to complete surveys before, immediately after and six months post-conference prior to payment being issued.

This program is made possible by the U.S. Department of Agriculture Specialty Crop Block Grant Program. The SCBGP grant makes funds available to state departments of agriculture solely to enhance the competitiveness of specialty crops. According to USDA, specialty crops are defined as “fruits, vegetables, tree nuts, dried fruits, horticulture and nursery crops, including floriculture.”

This grant fits the vision of KDA to provide an environment that enhances and encourages economic growth of the agriculture industry and the Kansas economy.

More information about the Great Plains Growers Conference can be found at www.greatplainsgrowersconference.org.

For application details, go to the KDA website at agriculture.ks.gov/grants. Questions should be directed to Robin Blume, KDA education and events coordinator, at 785-564-6756 or [email protected].

Now That’s Rural: The Schoen Family, Downs

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Ron Wilson is director of the Huck Boyd National Institute for Rural Development at Kansas State University.

By RON WILSON
Huck Boyd National Institute for Rural Development

“Family.” As the football team comes running out of the locker room, the word “family” is displayed on a wooden block held up high by the players. Lots of athletic programs use the word family to describe their relationship with the fans. Today we’ll meet a family which literally has family members playing in not one, but two, college sports at the same time.

Kelly and Kristi Schoen are the parents of this athletic family. Their two sons are making their marks in college athletics in two different sports.

Kelly Schoen is originally from a farm near the rural community of Downs, Kansas, population 873 people. Now, that’s rural.

Kelly went to K-State and got a finance degree. Kristi is from Manhattan and also went to K-State where the two met and ultimately married. Kelly got an MBA at Creighton and went to work for a large accounting and consulting firm in the Kansas City area. He later became CFO of another company and started Freedom Bank in Overland Park with some partners in 2006. Today he specializes as a consultant in strategic planning, corporate transactions, and mergers and acquisitions.

“I really enjoy it,” Kelly said. “Our bank serves the community and works a lot with small- and medium-sized entrepreneurial businesses.”

Kelly and Kristi have three children. “They don’t send you home from the hospital with an owner’s manual,” Kelly said. “When you start to raise your own kids, you reach back to those values of faith, family and hard work that you learned from your parents and grandparents. We were taught to value education and to always do your best.”

Their older daughter Chandler learned the value of caring for others. She is a nurse in Kansas City and is working toward a doctorate in nursing practice.

The Schoens’ two sons also excelled in academics as well as athletics. Mason, the older son, was a two-year letterman on the Blue Valley Northwest High School basketball team. As a senior and team captain, his team went undefeated and won state.

Mason chose to go to K-State and earn a finance degree while walking-on with the K-State basketball team. Today he is the lone senior on the K-State basketball roster. He has made the Big 12 Commissioner’s Honor Roll for six straight semesters, was a National Association of Basketball Coach’s Honors Court Recipient, and made the 2017 Academic All-Big 12 First Team.

His younger brother Dalton was a standout multi-sport athlete as well, but his college sport of choice was football. He considered the Ivy League and then looked at the top engineering schools in the Midwest, including K-State. When a walk-on position opened up on the K-State football team, he made that his choice.

For years, there has been a pattern of Kansas kids who develop remarkably in the K-State football program. Dalton Schoen seems to be another example.

2017 was his break-out year as a wide receiver. The season started with a bang. In the first game, he took his first catch of the year 70 yards for a touchdown. That sounds like a lot, but his next touchdown catch was for 82 yards against Texas! (This has to make for a pretty good average.)

During the 10 games in which Dalton played, he averaged more than two catches per game. It was especially exciting to see the catches he made in crunch time. Against Texas Tech, for example, he caught five passes for more than 100 yards, including the two-point conversion that sent the game to overtime for an eventual win.

The two Schoen brothers lived together in the summertime and now get to see each other at the athletic training table. “All that work and preparation has paid off,” Kelly Schoen said. “From a parent standpoint, I’m just happy that they get to live their dreams.”

Family. That’s a good term for the relationship of sports teams and fans. We commend Kelly, Kristi, Chandler, Mason and Dalton Schoen for making a difference with their values and hard work. It’s good to see that it’s all in the family.

Teen dies in Kansas rollover crash

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HASKELL COUNTY — One person died in an accident just after 10p.m. Tuesday in Haskell County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2005 Toyota Tacoma driven by Luis Rene Guitierrez-Loera, 49, Chihuahua, Mexico, was northbound on U.S. 83 ten miles north of Sublette.

The driver attempted to pass another vehicle.  Due to inclement weather, the driver lost control of the pickup. It entered a side skid, tripped in the dirt and rolled an unknown number of times into the east ditch.

Cristian Rene Guiterrez-Portillo, 13, Chihuahua, Mexico, was transported to the hospital in Garden City, where he died.

Guitierrez-Loera was transported to the hospital in Satanta. Another passenger Allen Alexander Guiterrez-Portillo, 17, Chihuahua, Mexico, was not injured.

They were not wearing seat belts, according to the KHP.

Suspect arrested with stolen car during Christmas Day high-speed chase in Sheridan & Thomas counties

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SHERIDAN CO. SHERIFF

SHERIDAN COUNTY – On December 25th, 2017 at approximately 12:51 pm, officers with the Sheridan County Sheriff’s Department attempted to stop a 2013 Toyota Rav4 for a speeding violation on U.S. Highway 83 near Selden, Kansas.

The driver of the vehicle attempted to elude law enforcement heading southbound on U.S. Highway 83 with speeds near 100 mph. Additional law enforcement units were called to assist from Thomas County Sheriff’s Department and the Kansas Highway Patrol. The vehicle came to a stop on County Road J and U.S. Highway 83 just south of Halford, KS in Thomas County. The suspect was taken into custody without further incident.

The vehicle was confirmed to be stolen out of Hartford, Vermont. The suspect also had an active warrant from New York, and will be facing new charges for fleeing or attempting to elude, reckless driving, possession of stolen property, driving while license is suspended, transporting open container and speeding. The suspect’s name will not be released at this time, due to an on-going investigation of items found within the vehicle.

“I want to commend not only my officers and dispatcher, but all the officers and dispatchers involved on a job well done,” Sheriff Brandon Carver said. “It was a busy Christmas Day in northwest Kansas for many agencies, but everyone made it home safe and no one was hurt. Citizens are very fortunate out in our area to have such dedicated law enforcement officers.”

Kansas State beats UCLA 35-17 in Cactus Bowl

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PHOENIX (AP) — Bill Snyder stood on a makeshift stage in the middle of a baseball stadium with a roof, a sparkling trophy at his side depicting a football sailing through cactus uprights.

If this was the end of his storied coaching career at Kansas State, it sure was a great way to go out.

Alex Delton ran for 158 yards and accounted for four touchdowns, leading the Wildcats to a 35-17 Cactus Bowl victory over UCLA on Tuesday night in what could be Snyder’s final game.

“We’ve got so many people to be proud of at Kansas State University and it starts with our players, quite obviously,” Snyder said.

Delton replaced Skylar Thompson late in the first quarter and scored on runs of 68 yards, 3 yards and 1 yard. Alex Barnes added 117 yards and a touchdown for the Wildcats, who rushed for 345 yards.

Kansas State (8-5) struggled in the first half against UCLA’s potent offense, but shut down the Bruins in the second to give Snyder his 210th — and possibly last — win with the Wildcats.

UCLA (6-7) played without top NFL prospect Josh Rosen, who’s recovering from a concussion, and built a 10-point halftime lead without its star quarterback.

The Bruins’ offensive success didn’t carry over into the second half and their defense had a hard time containing Delton, saddling interim coach Jedd Fisch with a loss in his last game before Chip Kelly takes over the program.

“We handled a ton of adversity this year and a ton of change,” Fisch said. “After the (USC) week, they continued to play as hard as possible.”

Snyder turned around one of the nation’s worst programs after taking over in 1989, leading the Wildcats to eight straight bowl appearances after un-retiring in 2008.

He says he has not decided whether he will return for a 27th season or retire again to spend time with his family.

The 78-year-old coach made a quarterback change in the first quarter of the Cactus Bowl after Thompson threw an interception. Delton had an immediate impact, bursting up the middle for a 68-yard touchdown run.

Snyder opted to go for it on fourth-and-goal from the 1 in the third quarter, and Delton came through again, bulling his way through a massive pile — with some help from his teammates.

Kansas State’s Denzel Goolsby recovered Bolu Olorunfunmi’s fumble at the Bruins 24-yard line on the next play from scrimmage, and Delton hit Dominique Heath for an 8-yard touchdown to give the Wildcats the lead.

“That was possibly the play of the ballgame,” Snyder said.

UCLA turned it over on downs — after a successful fake punt — and Kansas State turned its fourth-down try into a touchdown, with Alex Barnes putting the Wildcats up 28-17 with a 41-yard run.

Kansas State ended UCLA’s comeback hopes with an eight-minute drive capped by Delton’s final TD run.

“They wore us down,” Fisch said.

Rosen, expected to leave for the NFL after his junior year, was in uniform and warmed up before the game, but Devon Modster trotted out to the huddle.

The Bruins still had their big-play game going even without Rosen, building a 17-7 halftime lead on two long TD passes by Modster.

UCLA’s offensive roll ended with halftime. The Bruins had 100 total yards and three first downs in the second half.

“I just threw too many incomplete passes,” said Modster, who threw for 295 yards. “That’s pretty much it.”

THE TAKEAWAY

If this was the final game of Snyder’s career, the Wildcats sent him out on a high note with a dominant second-half performance.

UCLA’s defense, a sore spot all season, had no answer for Delton, and its offense could have used Rosen in the second half.

ROSEN’S DECISION

Reports surfaced this week that Rosen wouldn’t play in the bowl game, possibly to protect himself from injury. Fisch shot that notion down quickly.

“I want to be clear on this: Josh wanted to play,” he said. “Josh was unable to play because of the fact that he had two concussions within a four-week span in November, and our physicians didn’t feel comfortable putting him out there and putting him at risk for a possibility of a third concussion.”

UP NEXT

Kansas State: The Wildcats should be in good shape on offense next season whether Snyder returns or not. Kansas State has no seniors on its two-deep roster on offense, though there are five on defense.

UCLA: Kelly will likely have to replace Rosen when he takes over, but will have plenty of firepower returning. He’s also a top recruiter, so the Bruins should be well-stocked with talent.

Mary Lou Matzke

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Mary Lou Matzke, age 69, of Ellis passed away Monday, December 25, 2017 in Ellis.

Funeral services will be 10 AM Tuesday, January 2, 2018 at North Oak Community Church 3000 Oak Street in Hays. Burial will be at 2:30 PM Mountain time at the Armel Cemetery rural Wray, Colorado.

Visitation will be Monday 5 PM – 8 PM at Brock’s-Keithley Funeral Chapel and Crematory 2509 Vine Hays, KS 67601. Tuesday visitation will be 9 AM until service time at the church.

A complete obituary is pending.

Virgil Lynn Hamm

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Virgil Lynn Hamm

Virgil Lynn Hamm, 81, Hays, died Saturday, Dec. 23, 2017 at Via Christi Nursing Home, Hays.

He was born July 23, 1936 in Fort Scott, Kansas. He married Allura (Steely) Hamm on Aug. 15, 1954.

He was employed as an assistant manager at Otasco in Wichita before moving to Hays in 1963. He became the manager/owner of the Hays Otasco store (Coast to Coast, Hamm’s True Value) for almost 50 years. He enjoyed fishing, hunting, and watching the K.C. Royals. He especially loved spending time with his grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

Survivors include his wife of 63 years, Allura; three daughters, Brenda Epperson and husband Scott, Owasso, Oklahoma, Julia Kuntz and husband Andy, Hays, and Nikki Hamm, Enid, Oklahoma; three grandchildren, Heather Schmitz and Joshua Kuntz, Hays, and Garrett Epperson, Owasso, Oklahoma; two great-grandchildren, Savannah and Elijah Schmitz, Hays.

Condolences and visitation may be made in person to the family Wednesday, Dec. 27, 2017 from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. at North Oak Community Church, Hays.

Services will be at 9:00 a.m. Thursday, Dec. 28, 2017 at North Oak Community Church, Hays. Viewing and burial services will follow at 2:00 p.m. at Old Mission Funeral Home, 3424 East 21st Street in Wichita.

Cold, windy Wednesday

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Today Mostly cloudy, with a high near 17. Wind chill values as low as -15. South southeast wind 8 to 18 mph, with gusts as high as 28 mph.

Tonight Partly cloudy, with a low around 13. Wind chill values as low as 1. South wind 7 to 13 mph.

Thursday Mostly sunny, with a high near 36. Wind chill values as low as 5. South southwest wind 7 to 11 mph becoming north northeast in the afternoon.

Thursday NightPartly cloudy, with a low around 12. North northeast wind around 6 mph becoming light and variable.

FridayPartly sunny, with a high near 36.

Friday NightMostly cloudy, with a low around 9.

SaturdayPartly sunny, with a high near 18.

Health insurance in Kansas 2016

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KHI

TOPEKA – In 2016, there were 239,578 uninsured Kansans. Of them, 35,577 were already eligible for Medicaid or the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP), but were not enrolled. Another 117,563 could have qualified for subsidies to purchase health insurance on the marketplace created by the Affordable Care Act (ACA). If the state had expanded its Medicaid program, 74,341 uninsured Kansans would have been newly eligible for coverage.

This is just some of the information shown in KHI’s latest infographic, Health Insurance in Kansas 2016, (click here) which breaks down the population of Kansas into those with different types of private and public insurance, and those without insurance. The infographic further divides the uninsured population into income categories and describes how many were potentially eligible for various coverage options in 2016.

The infographic uses the latest-available data, which come from the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2016 American Community Survey Public Use Microdata Sample and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. Stay tuned for additional analysis of these data in early 2018.

The Kansas Health Institute delivers credible information and research enabling policy leaders to make informed health policy decisions that enhance their effectiveness as champions for a healthier Kansas. The Kansas Health Institute is a nonprofit, nonpartisan health policy and research organization based in Topeka, established in 1995 with a multiyear grant from the Kansas Health Foundation.

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