Stacy Reneé Shearrer, 41, passed away June 26, 2019 at North Kansas City Hospital, North Kansas City, Missouri.
She was born July 16, 1977 in Larned, Kansas; the daughter of Charles Leon and Virginia Kaye Swartz Shearrer. A longtime area resident; she worked in the Medical field for over 19 years.
She was of the Christian faith.
Survivors include; two sisters; Jennifer (Ryan) Eakin, Lawrence, Rebecca Knauf (W.G. Wilson), Larned; four nieces and nephews; one great nephew; one daughter, Jasmine Kingcannon, Charlotte, North Carolina; two sons, Antowine Lamb, Little River, Kansas and Scott Blackmon, Kansas; her partner, Charleeka Thigpen, Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri; her lifelong friend, Keke Blackmon, Blue Springs, Missouri; one granddaughter, Kasydi Blackmon and numerous aunts, uncles and cousins.
She was preceded in death by; her parents.
Funeral will be 10:30 a.m. Tuesday at Beckwith Mortuary Chapel, Larned with Pastor Eugene Blackmon and Pastor Damon Bradley presiding. Visitation will be 9:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Monday at Beckwith Mortuary. Casket will remain closed. Burial will be in the Larned Cemetery, Larned, Kansas.
Memorials may be given to the Pawnee County Humane Society, in care of Beckwith Mortuary, P.O. Box 477, Larned, KS 67550. Personal condolences may be left at www.beckwithmortuary.com.
Jace Ashton-Lee “Smo” Smothers, passed away June 28, 2019, in Lyon County, Kentucky, at the age of 19.
Visitation will be held at the Enfield Funeral Home in Norton, Kansas on Tuesday, July 2, 2019 from 5:00 PM until 7:00 PM. Funeral services will be held Wednesday, July 3, 2019 at 10:30 AM at the Norton Christian Church. Burial will be held at the Norton Cemetery.
Kory Taylor passed away on Wednesday, June 26, 2019 at the age of 47. He was born on December 2, 1971 in Hoxie, Kansas to Louis “Tuffy” and Lodema (Coberley) Taylor . Kory grew up in Hoxie where he attended Hoxie Grade School, graduating with the Hoxie High School class of 1990. He attended Kansas University (KU) and graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Environmental Science.
Kory married his high school sweetheart, Stacie Randolph, on October 26, 1996, at the Hoxie Christian Church. They lived in Hoxie, Kansas where they raised their three sons, Josh, Cayle, and Peyton. Kory, loved all things green, managing Taylor Implement. He was a genuine friend and humble leader. In 2017, Kory and Stacie purchased the Hoxie Stop 2 Shop. It was his dream to make it a fun place to be for the community.
Kory loved people generously. His witty humor brought a smile to everyone. He didn’t know a stranger and believed everyone had value and a story worth hearing. He was a proud dad, never missing an opportunity to play and be involved in the life of his boys. He adored his grandchildren, Kadence and Harper, and never missed an opportunity to spend time with them. He relished and appreciated the time he spent with the love of his life, Stacie, his family and his dog, Lucy. Kory loved deeply and always put his family first.
Kory was an adventurous person from an early age and grew into a man of many talents and interests. Two of his favorite hobbies were hunting and fishing. He could hardly wait until Fall when the hunting season was getting into full swing. Kory was a life-long KU fan. He enjoyed flying and often used his passion as a pilot to help others. He was a true competitor. With a healthy dose of humor and love, he made his boys earn their victories, whether it be a video game, backyard basketball, and even all the way out to the ski slopes.
Kory is survived by his wife, Stacie of the home, Hoxie, Kansas; sons, Josh & wife Ashli of Hays, Kansas, Cayle Taylor of Hays, Kansas, and Peyton Taylor of Hays, Kansas; grandchildren, Kadence and Harper Taylor; father, Louis Taylor of Colby, Kansas; father and mother-in-law, Bob and Linda Randolph of Topeka, Kansas; brother, Kyle Taylor of Colby, Kansas; sister, Kami Booi and husband Brandon of Colby, Kansas; sisters-in-law, Jamy Taylor of Lawrence, Kansas and Shelley Johnson and husband Warren of Aberdeen, North Carolina; brother-in-law Ryan Randolph and wife Hanna of Lawrence, Kansas; nieces and nephews, Sophie and Ethan Taylor, Hagan and Hali Booi, Alexis, Macey, Gabriel, Chloe, Haven and Matthias Johnson, Joe, Jayden and Riley Randolph, and many, many friends.
He was preceded in death by his mother, Lodema Taylor and his grandparents.
A funeral service is planned for Tuesday, July 2, 2019, 10:30 A.M. at the Hoxie Christian Church with Pastors Ben Rhodes and Carl Dumler presiding. A visitation will be held Monday, July 1, 2019 from 11:00 A.M. until 7:30 P.M. with family receiving friends from 5:30 P.M. to 6:30 P.M. at Mickey-Leopold Funeral Home, Hoxie, Kansas. Family suggests memorials to the Kory Taylor Memorial Fund and may be sent to Mickey-Leopold Funeral Home, P.O. Box 987, Hoxie, Kansas 67740. Online condolences may be left at www.mickeyleopoldfuneral.com.
Kory was a kind, gentle person who was loved by many and dearly loved his family . He will be missed, but he would tell you all to keep up your chin and go on with your life because the day will come when all will be together again.
Alberto Carrasco Jr., 71, Hays, died Friday, June 28, 2019 at the Ellis Good Samaritan Society.
He was born December 30, 1947 in Hays, the son of Alberto and Evelyn (Speier) Carrasco. He was a graduate of Hays High School, worked in the oilfield, and also in lawn care.
Survivors include his six brothers; James Carrasco (Sue) of Hays, Robert Carrasco of Gillette, WY, Paul Carrasco (Linda) of Victoria, Frank Carrasco (Diane Meyers) of Hays, Daniel Carrasco (Colette) of Hays, and Mike Carrasco of Hays, three sisters; Carol Susie Hood (Howard) of Wichita, Debbie Carrasco of Hays, and Lisa Gillpatrick (Bob) of Overland Park, his children, grandchildren, and numerous nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his parents.
Private family inurnment will be in the St. Joseph Cemetery at a later date. Memorials are suggested for family wishes in care of Hays Memorial Chapel Funeral Home. Condolences and memories of Alberto may be shared with the family at www.haysmemorial.com
Joyce Irene Langhofer, 76, of Russell, Kansas, joined the Lord on Friday morning, June 28, 2019, at the Homestead Assisted Living Center in Russell, Kansas.
She was the daughter of Samuel and Dolores (Sprinkle) Langhofer, born on June 30, 1942, on the family farm south of Bunker Hill, Kansas. She attended school in Bunker Hill. She later relocated to Towanda, Kansas, with her parents and brothers where she spent the majority of her life. She was a caregiver to her mother for 21 years. She enjoyed mowing the lawn, riding her bicycle and working on crafts. She baked cakes and gave them to her neighbors and she also liked to walk. After her mother went to be with the Lord, she located to Camdenton, Missouri to be with her sisters. In 2016, she moved to Russell, Kansas, and resided at Parkside Manor. In 2019, she moved to the Homestead Assisted Living Center in Russell. She accepted Christ as her Savior and was baptized in Fairview Baptist Church in Towanda, Kansas, the same day her Daddy was baptized. She was a member of Bible Baptist Church in Russell. Joyce never met a stranger and was always willing to help a person in need.
She is survived by her three sisters Janice Jack of Russell, Kansas, Marilyn Bond (Graden) of Riverton, Wyoming, Carolee Robie (Donnell) of Russell, Kansas; brother Sam Langhofer (Connie) of Benton, Kansas; son Shannon W. (Shannon) Nicholas and 2 grandchildren Garrett and Liddy from Chandler, Oklahoma and many nieces, nephews and cousins. She was preceded in death by her parents and one brother Ronald whom she had a special bond with.
A celebration of Joyce’s life will be held at 11 A.M. on Tuesday, July 02, 2019, at the Bible Baptist Church in Russell, Kansas, with Pastor Dale Lane officiating. Burial will follow at the Dorrance City Cemetery in Dorrance, Kansas. Visitation will be from 9 A.M. to 8 P.M. on Monday, July 01, 2019, at the mortuary with family present to greet guests from 7 P.M. to 8 P.M. Monday evening. Memorials can be given to the Bible Baptist Church and sent in care of the mortuary. Pohlman-Varner-Peeler Mortuary of Russell, Kansas, is in charge of the funeral service arrangements.
Dixie “Charlene” Anderson, 87, of Salida, CO formerly of Graham County, KS, died June 24, 2019. She was born November 29, 1931, in Morland, KS to Ivan Louis and Geraldine (Boss) Rawson. She graduated from Morland High School in 1949 and married Dwane M. Anderson on May 22, 1949. She worked side by side with her husband at Anderson Motor Company, in Kinsley and Beloit, KS and Salida, CO from 1971 until 2005. Charlene and Dwane enjoyed traveling the US. She also was a quilter and seamstress and enjoyed crafting. Charlene was a member of the Salida Red Hats Society. Her greatest love was her family.
She was preceded in death by her parents; husband Dwane; infant children, Jerry and Dixie Anderson; brothers Stanley and Gerald Rawson and brother-in-law Gene Keith.
She is survived by her children Cathy Dimmick, Hoxie, KS and Craig (Kayla Velharticky) Anderson, Howard, CO; grandsons, Brandon (Kari) Dimmick, Brady (Leanne Chamberlin) Dimmick and Wyatt Velharticky; granddaughter Miranda Archuleta; great grandchildren, Cameron and Caleb Dimmick, Trinity Dimmick, Preston Burt, Rylin, Rahlison, Royceton and Radisen; sisters-in-law, Sharon Rawson, Doris (Marvin) Warner and Gail Keith.
Visitation starts at 9:00 a.m. with the Funeral Service at 10:00 a.m. Monday, July 1, 2019, at the Christ Community Church, Hoxie, KS. Burial will follow in the Morland Cemetery, Morland, KS. Memorials are suggested to the Valley to Valley Senior Care Center, sent in care of Baalmann Mortuary, PO Box 391, Colby, KS 67701. For information or condolences visit www.baalmannmortuary.com
SHAWNEE COUNTY — After two months, law enforcement authorities have not announced an arrest in the shooting death of 23-year-old Dwane Simmons and wounding of 23-year-old Corey Ballentine, both members of the Washburn University football team.
Dwane Simmons photo Washburn Athletics
Over the past week, an anonymous donor came forward with a $5,000 reward leading to an arrest in the shooting death of Washburn football player Dwane Simmons, according to a media release.
Just before 1a.m. April 28, police responded to the 1400 Block of SW 13th in Topeka after report of a disturbance with gunshots. Upon arrival, officers discovered a victim identified as 23-year-old Dwane Simmons. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
Another victim from the same incident identified as 23-year-old Corey Ballentine arrived at an area hospital by private vehicle with a non- life-threatening gunshot wound.
Simmons was a junior mass media major from Lee’s Summit, Missouri.
Investigation has determined that this incident occurred during a social gathering outside of a residence, according to a media release. There were dozens present at the social gathering.
In addition to the $5,000, Crime Stoppers is also offering up to a $2,000 reward. You can call us to report tips anonymously at 785-234-0007 or online at p3tips.com/128.
Anyone with information regarding this crime is encouraged to contact the Topeka Police.
By RANDY GONZALES FHSU University Relations and Marketing
Adriana Cervantes remembers feeling uneasy about her accent while participating as a high school student in Fort Hays State University’s Hispanic College Institute back in 2016.
FHSU student volunteers helped her overcome her self-consciousness. Now a sophomore at Fort Hays State, Cervantes served as a student volunteer for this summer’s HCI. She provided similar support to participants in the program that is one of a kind in Kansas and one of only a few in the nation.
Cervantes, a double major from Shawnee, wanted to give back as a student “Tiger Team leader,” guiding a group of Hispanic students at this year’s HCI.
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“I wanted to help other students who are in the same situation as I was and to tell them that everything is going to be OK, everything is going to be fine,” Cervantes said. “I understand them. I was in their shoes.”
Since the inaugural HCI at Fort Hays State in 2016, Hispanic sophomores and juniors in high school spend three-and-a-half days on campus in June learning about college life.
Cervantes can look back now at how even after her high school graduation she still was not sure if she could succeed in college. She credits her HCI experience in contributing to her confidence to attend college and is glad she chose Fort Hays State.
“Last year, I thought I wasn’t college material,” said Cervantes, who will be a sophomore at FHSU this fall. “HCI helped me. I really fell in love with the campus and the faculty members. I’m really happy with the decision, and right now, I have really good grades.”
Cervantes and her family immigrated to the Kansas City area from Mexico five years ago, and she attended HCI two years. HCI student leaders helped Cervantes think differently about her accent.
“They really helped me open my mind, not be embarrassed about my accent,” Cervantes said. “They helped me see that being Hispanic is fine.”
HCI is just one example of how Fort Hays State cares about education and opportunity.
“What I love about the DNA of Fort Hays State University is that we provide the access, give students the opportunity at an affordable cost,” said Dr. Joey Linn, vice president for student affairs. “I think Fort Hays State is perfectly poised for a program like this to let students know that there is an institution here that truly cares about them.”
Cervantes came to the United States as an undocumented immigrant as a freshman in high school and did not know a word of English. She recalled how HCI helped her in the summers after her sophomore and junior years at Shawnee Mission North High School.
At HCI, Cervantes met other Hispanic high school students who also had an interest in attending college. She felt at home.
“I think it’s good that Fort Hays State makes Hispanic and Latino students feel welcome,” Cervantes said.
Alicia Santos, a first-time HCI participant this year, appreciated Fort Hays State hosting the program again this summer.
“I think it’s amazing,” said Santos, who will be a junior this fall at Dodge City High School. “Hispanic people need to come together and do this kind of thing. I think it’s good that they’re encouraging people to go to college and get that education that they need.”
Sixty-four high school sophomores and juniors from Kansas and Colorado at this year’s event learned about college life and how to get into college. The FHSU community – from President Tisa Mason to student volunteers who served as Tiger team leaders – made the high school Hispanic students feel like they were part of a “familia.”
“You can go to college and you can succeed,” Mason said at Saturday’s closing ceremony, adding she was a first-generation college graduate. “I just want to thank you for being here and continuing to believe in your dream and taking the chance to learn during this week. We’re going to believe in you, and your dreams will come true.”
Linn was all smiles while handing out scholarship money at the closing ceremony. FHSU awarded $9,500 in scholarships.
He said the final day is the most transformational, because parents who come to pick up their children marvel at the difference they see. He surprised the HCI students by announcing that one of the program’s sponsors had agreed to pay everyone’s application fees to Fort Hays State.
“It’s truly exciting to know that their dreams can come true,” Linn said. “I think Fort Hays State does a tremendous job of making these students understand it can be done. They just need that extra push, that extra support. That’s what Fort Hays State University does well.”
Skills and information gained at HCI are part of the success story. Among other activities, participants learn about college life, the application process and obtaining financial aid. They participated in a service project and had fun times, too, highlighted by a lip sync battle among “familias.”
Linn told the students that Fort Hays State wants to make sure they have the opportunity to succeed.
“You’re not just a student here,” Linn said. “We take great pride in making sure we help you get across the finish line.”
Xavier Hernandez, whose son Ezra participated in this year’s HCI, liked how FHSU helped get students to the starting line. Having buses pick up students from all across the region made a difference, he said, especially since they live in Overland Park.
“That’s initially why I jumped on it,” Xavier said of having his son participate. He added that he had never heard of FHSU, but the opportunity for his son to spend time on campus was a big selling point.
After the HCI experience, which included receiving a $500 scholarship during the week, the Hernandez family now has FHSU on its radar as a college choice.
“I thought it was a really cool thing to do, just give a college experience and surround ourselves around our culture,” said Ezra, who will be a senior this fall at Shawnee Mission North. “It’s been incredible.”
Cervantes has a younger brother, Jesus, who will be a sophomore in high school this fall. She said she is going to make sure he attends next summer’s HCI program.
“I’m sure he can go to college,” she said. “HCI will help him.”
Your horticulture questions can be answered Monday and Wednesday between 1-4pm by calling the extension office’s help desk at 628-9430 or visit them online at Cottonwood.K-State.edu.
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A vaccine refrigerator at a health clinic in the Coffeyville school district. CELIA LLOPIS-JEPSEN / KANSAS NEWS SERVICE
The national measles outbreak — numbering more than 1,000 cases so far — hasn’t hit Kansas yet, but it has crept awfully close to home.
State health officials think a case in Kansas looks nearly inevitable. And the state’s annual survey of kindergartener vaccination rates suggests some counties do better than others at getting little kids their potentially life-saving shots of MMR vaccine.
But while measles snags all the headlines, doctors, nurses, and public health workers worry not just about that, but about other vaccine-preventable diseases that rarely raise the same alarms for the public.
The best evidence suggests hundreds of thousands of Kansans lack one shot or another — or several. Those inoculations have the potential to save lives from pneumonia, cancer and other threats.
Why so many under-vaccinated people?
The latest map of the 2019 measles outbreak. Kansas is in a shrinking minority of states without cases yet (light blue).
CREDIT CDC
As best as public health experts can tell, religious objections and the anti-vaccination movement account for just a tiny sliver of the myriad reasons.
More commonly, the obstacles involve busy work lives, rural distances, poverty, spotty vaccine records, health providers with gaps in vaccine stock or limited walk-in hours, and the public’s lack of knowledge about things like adult vaccine schedules.
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Every age group is affected, from infants to the elderly. Though Kansas theoretically requires shots against illnesses such as measles, whooping cough and polio for school attendance, 15% of kindergartners last year weren’t up to date on those.
If this all sounds dismal, some public health experts see cause for optimism.
Changing the mind of someone truly opposed to vaccines can seem daunting, even amid outbreaks of illnesses such as measles. This despite the risks of foregoing shots: hospitalization, brain damage, deafness or even death. A 105-degree fever is common with measles, Mayo Clinic says.
The vaccine against measles, mumps and rubella is required to attend school in Kansas.
CREDIT CELIA LLOPIS-JEPSEN / KANSAS NEWS SERVICE
“They cannot be swayed,” pediatrician Barbara Pahud said. “Focus on this ginormous group in the middle …. They’re already on board for some vaccines, so there is hope if you want to see it that way.”
That “ginormous” middle group of under- or unvaccinated people greatly outnumbers those who reject all vaccines based on religion or other beliefs. Researchers peg the latter group at just 1 to 3 percent of the population, said Pahud, a specialist in infectious diseases at Children’s Mercy Hospital in Kansas City and an associate professor at the University of Kansas and University of Missouri-Kansas City.
Read about the known side effects of specific vaccines here. No evidence links vaccines to autism, a myth that got its start with a debunked academic article. Read Autism Speaks’ FAQ page on what does and doesn’t cause autism here.
Likewise, researchers estimate inoculation against the cancer-causing HPV virus would wipe out 80 percent of the tens of thousands of cancer cases it causes across the country each year. (The vast majority of people pick up HPV at some point in their lives, though most clear it out of their bodies naturally without necessarily ever knowing.)
“Just imagine: Almost everybody knows a woman who’s had an abnormal pap smear,” said Edward Ellerbeck, chair of preventive medicine and public health at KU’s School of Medicine. “And imagine now, ‘Oh, I don’t have to worry about abnormal pap smears.’”
The HPV vaccine eliminates the number one cause of those worrying results.
Yet surveys and other sources that the federal government uses to gauge vaccine rates suggest just half of Kansas teens get even the first dose of the two-to-three dose HPV vaccine. The same problematically low rates apply to the state’s elderlyand the recommended pneumonia immunizations.
That frustrates groups trying to rein in the havoc these diseases wreak on our health, happiness and pocketbooks. Compared to other measures we should take to safeguard ourselves — exercise more, eat healthier, quit smoking — a shot in the arm is an easy lift.
“If there was a vaccine against breast cancer or lung cancer or prostate cancer, we’d probably run out of vaccine,” said Dan Leong, of the American Cancer Society in Kansas.
It’s tempting to conclude Kansans simply don’t want the HPV vaccine for cultural reasons. That theory seems less convincing when the best data available, though imperfect, suggest many more teens get the shots in other states. That includes nearby states with similar populations and cultural attitudes.
Checking records
It’s difficult to single out what hurdles stand between Kansans and vaccines — HPV or otherwise. Public health experts see a patchwork of barriers large and small, some of which are counterintuitive.
Last month, the Immunize Kansas Coalition launched a video campaign targeting not just parents but fellow doctors. Why? Because some physicians don’t talk to parents about the HPV vaccine. For that matter, says Wichita pediatrician Gretchen Homan, some don’t talk to patients about other vaccines, either.
Sometimes doctors assume parents will say no. Other times, they may not have the vaccines on hand.
“They don’t even pull up a vaccine record on the kids that they see,” said Homan, a professor at the KU School of Medicine in Wichita. “Because they’re not stocking those vaccines, they don’t even check the status and don’t have the conversation.”
That can leave families mistakenly thinking they’re up to date on all their shots, or that inoculation isn’t important. She encourages doctors and nurses to check vaccine records no matter what, and tell patients about locations that stock what they need.
Families, meanwhile, should feel free to ask.
Hepatitis A vaccine is already required for daycare in Kansas and will likely soon be required for school, too.
CREDIT CELIA LLOPIS-JEPSEN / KANSAS NEWS SERVICE
“Say, ‘Hey, I’ve heard there are three vaccines due at this age,’” she said, “‘and I want to know about all of them.’”
Other hurdles
Getting a handle on the problem is tough in part because of gaping holes in what we know about who does and doesn’t get vaccines.
“Our struggle right now is really being able to know what the true vaccination rate is in any county,” said Phil Griffin, who heads immunization programs at the Kansas State Department of Health and Environment.
State and federal vaccination estimates both have their limits. Kansas calculates rates among kindergartners annually with cooperation from a solid sampling of schools that provide more precise data than some of what the Centers for Disease Control publishes.
The CDC rate calculations, though, cover a wider range of shots and age groups.
But state health officials will gradually get a better picture of immunization rates across the state in coming years. Lawmakers tightened rules for electronic vaccine records starting next year.
That same change will fill in some of the gaps for health providers who often don’t know which shots a new-to-them patient has yet to get. Doctors and pharmacists will gain more consistent access to vaccine histories, as long as the shots occurred in-state.
Kansas lawmakers passed a law to give health providers more consistent access to electronic vaccine records when patients move within the state.
Griffin hopes that will boost vaccine rates. Think of a person dropping by a local pharmacy for a flu shot, for example. He or she could easily find out whether they need a pneumonia shot, too. And if so, get it then and there.
A few other efforts going on to boost vaccine rates in Kansas:
Starting this fall, Kansas plans to phase in two more vaccine requirements (hepatitis A and meningococcal ACWY) for school attendance. Inoculation rates for both would likely increase, though the hep A rates were already fairly strong because they’re required for day care in Kansas. On Thursday, parents opposed to vaccinations protested the state’s plans at a public hearing.
The state recently hired an epidemiologist to dig into vaccine rates across the state, is chasing grants to support the effort, and working closely with individual health providers on a regular basis to improve their practices.
Lawmakers also recently expanded vaccine access by letting pharmacists give more shots. That may particularly benefit teenagers who no longer visit their pediatricians as often, but who still lack a number of vaccines.
Celia Llopis-Jepsen reports on consumer health and education for the Kansas News Service. You can follow her on Twitter @Celia_LJ or email her at celia (at) kcur (dot) org.
Photo #2 (L to R): Lt. Governor Lynn Rogers, CEO – Joe Kreutzer (photo credit: Nick Poels, Executive Director Phillips County Economic Development)
PHILLIPSBURG — The Kansas Department of Commerce awarded local business, Prairie Horizon Agri-Energy, with the Governor’s Regional Award of Excellence on Tuesday. This award kicked off the KDC Business Appreciation Month to spotlight businesses that contribute jobs and support their local communities. The award presentation took place in conjunction with the Lieutenant Governor’s Office of Rural Prosperity Listening Tour in Phillipsburg.
The KDC Business Appreciation Month program has been in place since 1995 and serves as a statewide tribute to Kansas businesses for their contributions to our state. Businesses are nominated in one of four categories: Service, Retail, Manufacturing/Distribution and Hospital/Non-Profit.
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One winner in each category is chosen from each of the seven designated regions of the state by a panel of judges from the business and economic development community. “We were honored to receive the award and thank PECD for nominating us. Phillips County thrives on support from all of its’ area businesses and residents. We are proud to be part of Phillips County and give back to our community,” said CEO, Joe Kreutzer. “Every year the Governor of Kansas recognizes the very best of trade and industry across the state. Award winners are notably businesses that exhibit strength with both internal success and community impact; Prairie Horizon is a shining example of these qualities,” said Nick Poels, Executive Director Phillips County Economic Development.
Prairie Horizon Board President – Monte Abell, Rep. – Ken Rahjes, Sen. – Rick Billinger, CEO – Joe Kreutzer, Lt. Governor Lynn Rogers, Prairie Horizon Board Member – Lloyd Culbertson
The ethanol plant was one of many stops during the Lt. Governor’s visit to Phillipsburg on Tuesday. Topics of discussion during the tour included: the importance of ethanol to the ag community and in offering consumers a choice at the pump, as well as the challenges the industry faces today. The tour is intended to foster new ways to help rural Kansas communities by hearing from the residents themselves.
Prairie Horizon Agri-Energy is a limited liability corporation, founded in November 2003 in the rural community of Phillipsburg, Kansas. Our company is owned by 300 area investors and employs thirty-six people. Annually, Prairie Horizon produces over 40 million gallons of ethanol and grinds 15 million bushels of grain; yielding just around 127,000 tons of high protein livestock feed. Prairie Horizon’s USA Clean Fuels on East Highway 36 in Phillipsburg, KS offers the consumer a fuel choice that is cleaner, more affordable and better performing.
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