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Author: Hays Post

Driver rescued from flash flood in Dickinson County

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By Dewey Terrill, JC Post

DICKINSON COUNTY —Heavy rains swept through Dickinson County Thursday night and Friday morning and resulted in some rural road closures due to high water south of Abilene and runnng to the west toward Solomon.

1900 Avenue between Barn and Camp in Dickinson County photo courtesy Dickinson Co. Emergency Management

One man had to be rescued from his vehicle after it was swept off the road by the water, according to Emergency Management Director Chancy Smith.

The site was south of Abilene between Eden and Fair Roads.

“Just had some high water across the road, person drove through it and it floated their car off into  the ditch. He was sitting on top of it until rescue could get there and get him off.”

There were no injuries.

The National Weather Service issued flash flood  watches and warnings for many areas of central and south central Kansas.

James W. Betts

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James W. Betts, 81, Topeka, formerly of Russell, passed away Thursday, July 25, 2019.

Jim was born May 20, 1938 in Kansas City, MO, and was adopted by George and F. Nadine (Howard) Betts. The family moved to Geneso and lived there through Jim’s high school years. He graduated from Geneso High School in 1956 and attended Sterling College.

He served in the medical corps in the U.S. Navy. Jim married Carolyn Joan Hartman on November 3, 1963. They moved to Wichita in 1964, where they both worked in the Wichita Clinic. They moved to Russell in 1966 and Jim took the position as the Chief Radiological Tech at the Russell Regional Hospital, retiring after 34 years of service. Carolyn, his wife of 46 years, died May 26, 2000.

Survivors include daughters, Jonette (Jeff) Penton, Topeka, Paula (Aaron) Marshall, Elkhorn, NE; grandchildren Connor and Lizzie Penton, Matthew and Caroline Marshall; and life partner, Peggy Hammerschmidt and family of Overland Park. He was also preceded in death by his parents; and a sister, Judy Voeltz.

Cremation has taken place and a Graveside service will be held at 1:00 p.m. on Saturday, August 3, 2019 at the Russell City Cemetery. Memorial contributions may be made to the Russell Regional Hospital Ladies Auxiliary. Pohlman-Varner-Peeler Mortuary is in charge of the graveside services.

Dove Southwest Chapel is assisting with the Topeka arrangements. To leave a special message for the family online, visit www.DoveTopeka.com

Howard Marshall Finley

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Lifelong Sharon Springs resident Howard Marshall Finley, 86, passed away at his home in Sharon Springs on Wednesday, July 31, 2019.

Howard was born on December 26, 1932 at home in Sharon Springs to Marshall Joseph and Lena Roberta (Reed) Finley.  He was one of four children.  Howard attended school in Sharon Springs, and graduated from WCHS in 1951.  He joined the military and served in the United States Navy from 1952 until 1956.  After serving four years in the Navy, Howard then went on and completed four years of college at Fort Hays State University and graduated from there in 1960.

On June 8, 1959, Howard married Norma Jean Montgomery in Sharon Springs.  To this union, three daughters were born; Sheryl, Carolyn and Deborah.

From 1960 to 1966, Howard taught Elementary School in Brewster and McDonald, Kansas.  After those six years, Howard decided that he wanted to become a full time farmer and rancher.  Howard retired from farming and ranching in 2006.  He was a member of the Sharon Springs United Methodist Church and the VFW.

Preceding him in death were his parents, his brother Benjamin Finley, his sister Mattie Jackson and one grandson Andrew Newton.

He is survived by his wife Norma of their home in Sharon Springs, his three daughters, Sheryl Finley of Topeka, KS, Carolyn (Scott) Crontinger of Carbondale, KS and Deborah (Danny) Newton of Salina, KS.  He is also survived by his seven grandchildren; Angela Beach, Jerad, Dustin, James and Tyler Crotinger, Collin and Garrett Newton, fourteen great grandchildren, one brother Delgar (Phyllis) Finley of Sharon Springs, a sister-in-law Alice Baehler of Sharon Springs, one brother-in-law Junior (Rosalie) Montgomery of Sharon Springs, KS; as well as numerous nieces, nephews, great nieces and nephews and friends.

Funeral services were held on Saturday, August 3, 2019 at 10:30 AM MT at the Sharon Springs United Methodist Church with Pastor Galen Crippen officiating.  Burial followed in the Sharon Springs Cemetery.

Visitation was held on Friday, August 2, 2019 from 6:00 to 8:00 PM MT at Koons-Russell Funeral Home in Sharon Springs.

Memorials may be designated to the Wallace County Ambulance Service or to the Sharon Springs United Methodist Church and may be left at the services or mailed to Koons-Russell Funeral Home, 211 N. Main Ave., Goodland, KS 67735.

Online condolences for the family may be left at www.koonsrussellfuneralhome.com.

Funeral services have been entrusted to Koons-Russell Funeral Home in Sharon Springs, KS.

Pearl Mary Leiker

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Pearl Mary Leiker, age 88, of Munjor, Kansas passed away Wednesday, July 31, 2019 at Hays Medical Center in Hays.

Funeral services will be 10:30 Tuesday, August 6, 2019 at St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church in Munjor. Burial will follow in the church cemetery.

Visitation will be Monday 5 PM – 8 PM and Tuesday 9 AM – 9:30 AM all at Brock’s-Keithley Funeral Chapel and Crematory 2509 Vine Hays, KS 67601.

A combined Munjor Daughters of Isabella rosary and parish vigil will be 7 PM Monday at the funeral chapel.

Condolences may be left by guest book at www.keithleyfuneralchapels.com or by email at [email protected]

A complete obituary is pending.

SPONSORED: Northwest Kansas Juvenile Service seeks family support workers

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Northwest Kansas Juvenile Service is currently seeking to hire 2 Family Support Workers to provide support to youth and families that are involved with the criminal justice system. One office will be based in Colby and one in Hays.  Applicant must have a bachelor’s degree, valid driver’s license, pass a background check and random drug testing.

Family Support Worker’s responsibilities will be to provide cognitive based interventions to children and families and to assist in over-coming barriers to success.  Does involve travel to counties within the districts. Worker will also facilitate parenting classes 1 to 2 evenings a week.

40 hour work week with flexible scheduling. $40,000 yearly salary. KPERS, paid single BCBS policy. A vehicle will be provided.  If interested, contact Lisa Schlegel, Family Engagement Supervisor,785-874-4219 or send a resume to Lisa Schlegel at [email protected].  Resumes are due by August 15th. 

Kansas sex offender jailed for alleged human trafficking

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Long Van photo KDOC

SEDGWICK COUNTY — A Kansas registered sex offender is in custody on new sex crime allegations after a Monday arrest in Sedgwick County.

Long Van, 38, Wichita, was convicted in 2018 for commercial sexual exploitation of a child for a crime that occurred in 2017.

He was sentenced in December, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections and had been on parole.

Police arrested him again Monday on requested charges of aggravated human trafficking involving a victim under the age of 18, according to the Sedgwick County booking report. He also faces two probation violations, according to online jail records. Van is now being held on bond of $350,000.

Citywide sealcoating set to begin next week in Hays

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City of Hays

Beginning Tuesday, seal coating will begin on various street throughout the city. Door-to-door notification will be made the day prior to street closure.

Seal coat is spray applied in two coats with a dry time of two to three hours per pass, so the streets being sealed will be temporarily closed during this time. On the date scheduled for treatment, all cars need to be moved from the street by 8 a.m. Streets being sealed will be closed from approximately 8 a.m. until 5 p.m. Access can be achieved in cases of emergency.

Parking on adjacent streets is recommended during the daytime. Parking in driveways is okay if you do not plan on moving the vehicle between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m.

The seal coat treatment should not be driven on until it has dried. It will stain surfaces such as concrete, carpet or flooring if tracked from construction areas.

All lawn watering devices should be turned off the evening before the scheduled date to help keep the streets clean and dry for a smooth and lasting project. Traffic control will be set in areas of work being completed and picked up by the end of the work day. The project is scheduled to be completed within two weeks, pending weather conditions.

The City of Hays regrets any inconvenience this may cause to the public. If there are any questions, please call the Office of Project Management at 628-7350 or the contractor, Circle C Paving at (316) 570-4652.

INSIGHT KANSAS: Anxiety is a public health problem

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Michael A. Smith is a Professor of Political Science at Emporia State University.
I can perceive the increasing anxiety among my students. Today, they come to the office not only to discuss courses, internships, and post-graduation plans, but also to apologize for missed classes and changing behavior due to new doses of medication, personal and family drama, and other stressors. My colleagues and I are receiving more and more training about warning signs, counseling referrals, and conducting interventions, alongside the usual degree reports and add/drop slips. K-12 teachers tell me they see this as well, and I also see it in my younger colleagues.

The data show it, too. Anxiety is on the rise. The American Psychiatric Association ran a 1000-respondent poll in 2017, finding that two-thirds of respondents identified themselves as extremely or somewhat anxious– a 36% jump from 2016. These answers were most common among the millennial generation. Health and safety for self and family were the most common concerns. The poll was repeated in 2018 and found another 5% increase. Surveys in other developed countries also show increases.

Why should political scientists be concerned? First, professors are, first and foremost, teachers, and our first responsibility is our students’ well-being. Second, research should explore the rising anxiety levels and our divisive, fear and anger-driven political climate, manifested in figures like former Kansas Secretary of State and current U.S. Senate candidate Kris Kobach. Third, labeling anxiety a public health problem is a public policy issue.

Labeling anxiety as a public health problem would benefit those struggling with it. One feature of American culture–particularly rural culture —is to treat all health problems as resting with the individual, and solvable only by the individual. Thus, many people with anxiety wonder if there is something “wrong” with them. Acknowledging the public health aspect lets sufferers know that they are not alone and removes the stigma from seeking help. This is a good start, but we can do more.

K-12 schools, universities, and employers may need to consider developing codified procedures for handling the increasing number of claims asserting that classes, assignments, deadlines, and work days were missed due to changes in medication. Handling such claims on a case-by-case basis may no longer be feasible. Of course, insurance coverage for mental health is also a policy issue, requiring a balance between data-driven best practices, on the one hand, and flexibility on the other, since there is no one-size-fits all treatment that works for everybody. Unfortunately, many anxiety sufferers are treated primarily through trial and error, particularly with types and doses of medication. Funding for new research — for example, at KU Medical Center and its extensive research facilities — may help us find a better way than just seeing what sticks.

Finally, changes in our culture may be required. Many of my students, for example, see it is a badge of honor to cram in as many courses as possible, as well as to spend long hours at off-campus, part-time jobs, while also intervening to deescalate family dramas. The inevitable results are high stress and chronic sleep deprivation, which mutually reinforce one another into a toxic spiral. We need to re-think our cultural messages. While achievement is great, within reason, a shift in cultural norms toward balance and self-care is needed, too.

Michael A. Smith is a Professor of Political Science at Emporia State University.

Health officials reporting another case of rabies in NW Kansas

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THOMAS COUNTY — Authorities in Thomas County are investigating after a skunk  tested positive for rabies, according to the Thomas County Health Department.

This is the fourth animal that has tested positive for rabies in Thomas County for 2019. Two skunks and a cow tested positive for rabies previously.

Thirty-five cases of animal rabies have been reported in Kansas in 2019, according to the health department. The rabid animals included 22 skunks, five bats, three cats, one cow, one dog, one horse, one raccoon, and one sheep.

According to the health department release, the risk for human exposure to rabies is real, but preventable. Animal rabies is common in Kansas and skunks are the animals most likely to have the disease. However, skunks can pass the virus to other animals and those animals can then pass the virus to people. People may not realize that bats can have rabies too. Prevention of human rabies depends on maintaining an adequate buffer zone of vaccinated domestic animals, eliminating human exposures to stray and wild animals, and providing exposed persons with prompt post-exposure rabies treatment.”

The Thomas County Health Department reminded the public to make sure their animals are vaccinated against rabies by their veterinarian. Vaccines are available for dogs, cats, ferrets, horses, cattle, and sheep. Vaccinated animals need to have periodic boosters of vaccine to maintain proper protection.

They also offers these tips to prevent rabies.
• Have your veterinarian vaccinate all dogs, cats, ferrets, horses and valuable breeding stock (cattle and sheep) against rabies.
• If bitten by an animal, seek medical attention and report the bite to your local health department or animal control department immediately.
• If your animal is bitten, contact your veterinarian for advice.
• If you wake up in a room with a bat present, regardless if there is evidence of a bite or scratch, seek medical attention. If at all possible, trap the bat for testing. Do not release the bat.
• Do not handle or feed wild animals. Never adopt wild animals or bring them into your home.
• Do not try to nurse sick wild animals to health. Call animal control or an animal rescue agency for assistance.
• Teach children never to handle unfamiliar animals, wild or domestic, even if they appear friendly.

Sheriff identifies Kansas girl swept away by river in Colorado

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PITKIN COUNTY, Co. —Authorities have located the body of teenager who was missing after being swept away by a river.

First responders on the scene of the Wednesday photo by Craig Turpin courtesy Aspen Daily News

Just after  9:15 a.m. Thursday a Swift Water Rescue team participating in a multi-agency search and recovery mission located the victim  16-year-old Jamie Tran of Wichita, according to a media release.

Her body was located approximately 100 yards down river from The Devil’s Punchbowl.

It was reported at 4:45 p.m. Wednesday that a young woman was crossing the river just below the Punchbowl and was swept down-stream by the strong current. The young woman’s companions and others in the area performed their own search of the immediate area, and also sent someone to call for help from an ‘Emergency Call Box’ along the Highway, according to the sheriff’s department.

Valley wide resources immediately responded to the area, and thoroughly searched the banks of the
Roaring Fork River. No sign of the young woman was found by nightfall, when search efforts were
suspended for safety.

The Pitkin County Sheriff’s Office would like to remind the public that although peak run-off has subsided many rivers and streams in the area are still flowing higher and faster than what might be
expected for this time of year.

UPDATE: Search continues for man missing at Lake Wilson

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UPDATE 11:40 a.m. Friday: Body found at Lake Wilson

As of Thursday evening, the Russell County Sheriff’s Office was still actively searching for Engel Rosario at Lake Wilson.

“I would like to thank all volunteers and emergency personnel for their continued hard work, the sheriff’s office said in a social media update. “The constant wind has been a complication this week, but today it dropped off enough to allow the use of two drones provided by the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks. I would also like two thank the Red Cross and the Russell Rotary club for taking very good care of all the responders and volunteers.”

Rosario, 26, was reported missing late Tuesday afternoon.

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