Hubert Holzmeister, age 93, of Quinter, passed away Sunday, May 19, 2019, at Gove County Medical Center Long Term Care, Quinter.
Schmitt Funeral Home, Quinter. Please check back for full obituary.
Author: Hays Post
Authorities identify Kan. man who disappeared while swimming
The patrol says the body of 57-year-old Gary Reece of Arkansas City was found Saturday just south of the Oklahoma-Kansas state line.
His body was found tangled in debris under 4 feet of water less than a mile south of where he disappeared while swimming in the Arkansas River.
Authorities say Reece was swimming with three friends on Thursday when he went under. His friends made it to safety.
South Elm Street closes Monday for 3 months
CITY OF HAYS
The reconstruction of Elm Street between 4th and 6th Streets in Hays will begin on Mon., May 20.
Elm Street will be closed to traffic between 4th and 6th Streets for approximately three months.
This is part of the larger project to reconstruct portions of Ash Street, 4th Street and Elm Street near Lewis Field Stadium.
Signs will be in place to direct the traveling public. The traveling public should use caution and if possible avoid areas of construction.
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, Morgan Brothers Construction at 432-3104 or 394-1777.
Exploring Outdoors Kansas: So you think you’re a fisherman
My brother just bought a really nice boat, and I’m jealous. I shouldn’t be, because Joyce and I learned years ago that although we both like to fish and both enjoy eating fish, neither of us will ever grace the “fisherman hall of fame.” For starters, we are both lousy fishermen.
I have fished sitting 3 feet from someone, using the same bait, on the same tackle at the same depth and caught one fish to their ten. Once when we still had a boat, we fished over the same brush pile as some friends, again, using bait and tackle they gave us and caught one fish while they filled their cooler. I’ve named it the Gilliland fishing curse. Along with that, we both despise temperatures above 80 degrees, dramatically limiting summer fishing opportunities.
My dad was quite the opposite and hated temperatures below 80, often wearing long sleeved shirts in July and rarely ever running his air conditioner. So ever year when summer dawns, I expect those inherited genes to kick-in and my tolerance for heat to grow, but if anything, it only gets worse.
We have a walleye fishing trip to Glen Elder Lake planned, where we’ll attempt once again to overpower and vanquish the dreaded Gilliland fishing curse. Until then, here are some ways I’ve come up with to tell if fishing might not be your thing either.
When someone hollers “Quick, get the net,” and you dive for your smart phone to quickly pull up the internet, you probably shouldn’t be a fisherman.
If you worry more about whether your life jacket makes you look fat than whether it would save your life, you probably shouldn’t be a fisherman.
If you insist on scrubbing your hands like a surgeon each time you dip into your snack bag, you probably shouldn’t be a fisherman.
If choosing what to wear on the boat each day makes you more emotional than landing a five pound bass, you probably shouldn’t be a fisherman.
If it bothers you immensely when the color of the lure you’re casting doesn’t match the color of your reel, you probably shouldn’t be a fisherman.
If you feel the need to read a eulogy for each night crawler you thread onto a hook, you probably shouldn’t be a fisherman.
If you show up to clean fish wearing a full chemical suit complete with gas mask, you probably shouldn’t be a fisherman.
If you think “trolling” has something to do with ugly, wart-covered creatures that live under bridges you probably shouldn’t be a fisherman.
If a deep-seated concern for “night crawler rights” leads you to make midnight covert raids on fishermen’s cabins, emptying worm boxes and pillaging bait buckets you probably shouldn’t be a fisherman.
And finally, if bending or stretching the truth even slightly makes you break into a cold sweat, stutter or lose control of your bodily functions, you DEFINITELY should not be a fisherman!
Steve Gilliland, Inman, can be contacted by email at [email protected].
TMP-M Junior High Student Council gives back
Junior High Student Council Officers Arin Schibi, Jenna Schlyer, MyKayla Romme and Jensen Brull presented Mrs. Paula Flesher, Director of the Cancer Council of Ellis County, a check for $918.91 that the students contributed to the Coins for Cancer Campaign.
Mr. Troy Ruda, Advancement Director for TMP-Marian, received a check for $500 for the Thomas More Society from the Junior High Student Council Officers Arin Schibi, Jenna Schlyer, MyKayla Romme, and Jensen Brull (not pictured).
“Student Council worked extremely hard in order to be able to perform these acts of service to the county as well as the school,” TMP-M said on its website. “There is no greater reward than watching our students give back.”
Windy, wet Monday
Monday Showers, with thunderstorms also possible after 10am. Some of the storms could produce heavy rain. High near 54. Windy, with an east wind 15 to 25 mph, with gusts as high as 36 mph. Chance of precipitation is 100%. New rainfall amounts between 1 and 2 inches possible.
Expected rainfall amounts for Monday afternoon and evening through Tuesday night with a flash flood watch in effect for the same time frame. pic.twitter.com/BZMDpEAcfj
— NWS Dodge City (@NWSDodgeCity) May 19, 2019
Monday Night Showers and possibly a thunderstorm. Some storms could be severe, with heavy rain. Low around 51. Breezy, with an east wind 16 to 24 mph, with gusts as high as 34 mph. Chance of precipitation is 80%. New rainfall amounts between three quarters and one inch possible.
Tuesday A chance of showers and thunderstorms before 1pm, then a slight chance of showers between 1pm and 4pm, then a slight chance of showers and thunderstorms after 4pm. Some of the storms could produce heavy rain. Cloudy, then gradually becoming mostly sunny, with a high near 71. Very windy, with an east wind 21 to 30 mph becoming south in the afternoon. Winds could gust as high as 41 mph. Chance of precipitation is 50%.
Tuesday Night A slight chance of thunderstorms before 7pm. Partly cloudy, with a low around 47. Windy, with a southwest wind 23 to 28 mph decreasing to 10 to 15 mph in the evening. Winds could gust as high as 38 mph. Chance of precipitation is 10%.
WednesdaySunny, with a high near 80.
Wednesday NightA 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms after 1am. Partly cloudy, with a low around 61.
ThursdayA 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 79. Breezy.
Marion LaVerne Johnson
Marion LaVerne Johnson, “Mr. J.,” son of the late Harold L. and Mary C. (Ming) Johnson, died May 17, 2019, at age 83.
Marion was born on Dec. 30, 1935, in Aurora, and he was confirmed at the Evangelical Lutheran Church, in Mankato. He and his brother grew up in the Miltonvale, Scottsville, Ionia and Lovewell communities, and he graduated from Lovewell High School in 1954.
Marion was a 35-year educator and coach at junior and senior high schools across north-central Kansas, with 20 years in Belleville, where he taught dozens of students the craftsmanship of woodworking. With his students, he stressed attention to detail, and their projects, from grandfather clocks to hope chests to cabinetry, are keepsakes in homes across the region.
He also taught industrial arts and coached sports at Culver, Montrose, Republic, Haddam, Courtland, Osborne and Belleville. One of his girls’ basketball teams at Haddam once had a winning streak. His parents and his younger brother, Eugene, taught and coached while farming in western Republic, eastern Jewell and southeastern Cloud counties.
He was teaching at Montrose High School when he met Kathyrn Lynn “Kathy” Konovalsky. They married on July 24, 1960, at Ada Lutheran Church, southeast of Courtland, near Kackley. To this union two sons were born: Bryan and Whitney.
Marion graduated from Fairbury (Neb.) Junior College and McPherson College, where he received a Bachelor of Arts degree in industrial education. He earned a Master’s Degree from Fort Hays State University.
Marion was a member of the Belleville Masonic Lodge No. 129 A.F. & A.M.; the North Central Kansas Shrine Club; the Isis Shrine Temple, of Salina; the Elks Lodge, of Superior, Neb.; and the Order of the Eastern Star. He served as Exalted Ruler of the Belleville Elks for two years, and he was a 50-year member of three clubs: the Masons, the Isis Shrine and the Eastern Star. Marion supported his wife, Kathy, as she served five years in Eastern Star state positions and advanced to the office of Worthy Grand Matron.
His hobbies were working in his woodworking shop, gardening and attending any and all activities of his granddaughters. His tomato garden treated many Belleville residents, including those at Golden Bell Haven senior center.
Marion will be forever remembered by his wife, Kathyrn Johnson, Belleville; sons Bryan Johnson (Roger Aguirre), Ensenada, Mexico, and Whit (Shelley) Johnson of Belleville; granddaughters Kayley Johnson of Minot, North Dakota, and Kendsey Johnson of Belleville; brother Eugene (Joy) Johnson of St. Joseph, Missouri and many other relatives and a host of friends.
O.E.S. services by Ophal Chapter 115 and the Grand Family were held Monday, May 20th at 7:00 p.m., following the family visitation. Marion’s Service of Remembrance was held Tuesday, May 21, 2019, at 11:00 a.m., at the Belleville American Lutheran Church. Masonic service following the service were conducted by Belleville Lodge No. 129 A.F. & A. M. In accordance to the wishes of Mr. J., cremation followed his service. A family inurnment will be in the Belleville City Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, the family wishes memorial contributions in honor of Mr. J. to be made to the Isis Temple Travel Unit or the Belleville American Lutheran Church, and can be sent in care of the funeral home. Tibbetts-Fischer Funeral Home, Belleville, Kansas is honored to assist Mr. J’s family with these arrangements.
Kansas deputies find $47K in pot during I-70 traffic stop
SHAWNEE COUNTY — Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect on drug charges after a Kansas traffic stop.
Just after 11a.m. Friday, Shawnee County Sheriff’s Office deputies conducted a traffic stop on a rented 2019 Cadillac CT5 traveling eastbound on Interstate 70 just east of the Topeka toll plaza on theKansas Turnpike in Shawnee County, according to Deputy Shayna Anderson
The driver, later identified at Robert A. Love, 55, Troy, Ohio, was stopped for a traffic violation. Through the investigation of the stop, deputies seized 13.2 pounds of Marijuana
12 containers of 30 count 10mg Marijuana edibles and one half pound of concentrated wax marijuana
The estimated street value of these items is around $47,000.
Deputies arrested Love and booked him into the Shawnee County Dept. of Corrections with charges of Felony Possession of Marijuana with Intent to Distribute and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia.
Kansas to have top business recruiters in Texas, Missouri
Commerce Secretary David Toland says two recent personnel moves are part of a larger restructuring aimed at strengthening his department’s Business and Community Development Division.
Toland says longtime department employee Alicia Janesko Hutchings will become business recruitment manager. The position has been vacant for nearly four years.
Hutchings has been working on projects in Texas and will remain there.
Toland also says that International Trade Representative Chang Lu will manage the recruiting of businesses from southern and central states. He will be based in Springfield, Missouri, but still will help foreign dignitaries prepare for meetings with Gov. Laura Kelly.
Toland says the changes will be effective June 15.
Kansas high court: Man accused in child rape must be freed
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — A divided Kansas Supreme Court says a man accused of rape and aggravated sodomy against a 3-year-old relative cannot be tried a second time and must be released from prison.
A Saline County judge declared a mistrial in March 2018 trial of Rictor Bowman because the then-4-year-old girl wouldn’t take the oath to be sworn in as a witness. The judge ruled the state couldn’t prove its case without the girl’s testimony.
In a 4-3 split decision announced Friday, the Supreme Court ruled the trial judge should not have declared a mistrial. The justices said putting Bowman on trial a second time would violate his constitutional right against double jeopardy.
Warning signs, tips for Better Speech, Hearing Month
FHSU University Relations
With speech and language disorders ranking among the most common disabilities in children, Fort Hays State University’s Herndon Speech-Language-Hearing Clinic encourages parents to learn the signs of trouble for May’s Better Hearing and Speech Month.
FHSU’s Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders encourages parents and caregivers to learn the signs and seek an evaluation if they have concerns about their child’s ability to communicate.
“Development of strong communication skills is extremely important, and parents anxiously await their child’s first words,” says an information bulletin from the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association.
“Yet, common misconceptions remain. One is that children generally ‘grow out’ of speech or language difficulties, but unfortunately this mistaken impression too often delays treatment.”
Speech and language disorders are evaluated and treated by speech-language pathologists. Speech is the ability to produce speech sounds using the mouth, lips and tongue, while language is the ability to use and put words together, and to understand others’ words.
Difficulties in speech may include the child saying sounds the wrong way, repeating sounds and words, or is difficult to understand. Difficulties in language may include difficulty understanding questions, following directions or naming objects. Early speech and language treatment sets a child up for future school and social success.
“Good communication skills are critical, helping with behavior, learning, reading, social skills and friendships,” says the ASHA bulletin. “It is much easier, more effective, and less costly to treat speech and language disorders early, and May is a great time to educate parents on this important point.”
Warning signs to watch for in young children, as suggested by the Herndon Clinic:
· Does not babble (4 to 7 months).
· Makes only a few sounds or gestures, like pointing (7 to 12 months).
· Does not understand what others say (7 months to 2 years).
· Says only a few words (12 to 18 months).
· Says p, b, m, h and w incorrectly in words (1 to 2 years).
· Words are not easily understood (18 months to 2 years).
· Does not put words together to make sentences (1.5 to 3 years).
· Says k, g, f, t, d and n incorrectly in words (2 to 3 years).
· Produces speech that is unclear, even to familiar people (2 to 3 years).
· Repeating first sounds of words, like “b-b-b-ball” for “ball” (any age).
· Stretching out sounds such as “ffffffarm” for “farm” (any age).
Warning signs in school-aged children:
· Has trouble following directions.
· Has problems reading and writing.
· Does not always understand what others say.
· Is not understood by others.
· Has trouble talking about thoughts or feelings.
Tips for parents from the Herndon Clinic to encourage a child’s communication development:
For young children:
· Talk, read and play with your child.
· Listen and respond to what your child says.
· Talk with your child in the language that you are most comfortable using.
· Teach your child to speak another language, if you speak one.
· Talk about what you do and what your child does during the day.
· Use a lot of different words with your child.
· Use longer sentences as your child gets older.
· Have your child play with other children.
For elementary-aged children:
· Have your child retell stories and talk about their day.
· Talk with your child about what you do during the day. Give them directions to follow.
· Talk about how things are the same and how things are different.
· Give your child chances to write.
· Read every day. Find books or magazines that interest your child.
“Although treatment ideally begins early – in the toddler years – it is never too late to get treatment,” said Breanna Taylor, assistant clinical coordinator of the Herndon Clinic and an instructor in the CSD Department. “The large majority of parents report significant improvement after treatment.”
For more information, visit https://IdentifytheSigns.org and www.asha.org/public.
To schedule an assessment, contact FHSU’s Herndon Clinic at 785-628-5366 or email [email protected].
Police ask public for help with investigation of Washburn player’s shooting death
TOPEKA — After three weeks, law enforcement authorities have not announced an arrest in the April 28 shooting death of 23-year-old Dwane Simmons and wounding of 23-year-old Corey Ballentine, both members of the Washburn University football team.
On Friday, police reported are looking into all leads that have been brought forward to this point and are asking for additional assistance from anyone in the 1400 Block of SW 13th or surrounding area just before 1a.m. on April 28.
According to Lt. Andrew Beightel, detectives are still trying to identify people and search for evidence that may have been recorded during the incident. Detectives are asking that anyone who was attending the party that night to come speak with police.
Detectives are looking for photographs and or video that was taken throughout the night leading up to, during and after the fatal shooting.
The day before the crime, the New York Giants selected Ballentine in the NFL draft. He signed a contract with the team Thursday.
Signed✅ pic.twitter.com/eevRcb4DCt
— Corey Ballentine🇯🇲 (@cbxiii__) May 16, 2019
Anyone with information regarding this crime is encouraged to contact the Topeka Police Criminal Investigation Bureau at (785) 368-9400 or Shawnee County Crime Stoppers at (785) 234-0007. You can also make anonymous tips online here.
Hester Folkner
Hester Folkner, 89, formerly of Downs, passed away May 15, 2019.
She was born in Mandrin, Tennessee to Della (Hubbard) and John Williford on December 29, 1929. She married Bill Folkner, October 18, 1956.
She is preceded in death by her parents, husband Bill in 2007, brothers, Hubert Williford and Benji Williford and sister, Sue Whalen.
She is survived by daughter, June (Charles ) Fischer of Esbon, grandson James Folkner of Dahlgren, Virginia, two great grandsons, brothers LaVern Williford, William Williford, Benny Williford and sister Joyce Grogan.
Graveside services will be held at Pleasant Hill Cemetery in Concordia Kansas Monday, May, 20, 2019 at 10:30 am. No visitation. Memorials may be given to Belleville Health Care Center in care of Domoney Funeral Home at PO Box 127 Downs, Kansas 67437.