Grow Hays invites the public to attend TriSpective on Monday at BriefSpace, 219 W. 10th.
Similar to TED Talks, the speakers will each focus on a topic. Tim Speno, founder, president and CEO of E2E Summit, will address market segmentation. Scott Gross, owner of one44 Design, will focus on branding, and Joseph Boeckner, owner of Job Bob Outfitters, will talk on business growth.
Doors will open at 5:30 p.m. with the event starting at 6 p.m.
SALINE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a Kansas man for alleged criminal threat against two hospital employees.
Garrison photo Saline Co.
Just after 6:30p.m. Sunday, police responded to Salina Regional Health, 400 South Santa Fe, according to Police Captain Paul Forrester.
A 28-year-old man in the hospital emergency room had become agitated, was acting in a disorderly manner and allegedly threated to harm two security hospital security guards as he left the hospital. The suspect identified as Christopher Garrison walked south from the hospital and police arrested him in the 600 Block of South Santa Fe, according to Forrester.
He was booked on requested charges of criminal threat and interference with a law enforcement officer, according to Forrester.
The annual Alex Francis Classic collegiate track and field meet has been moved up a day earlier to Thursday. The meet will still have the same schedule with the field events starting at 12 pm and the running events starting at 2 pm.
SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating an alleged theft and have released security camera images of the suspect.
Detectives are asking for help identifying the woman seen taking a tip jar from the Reverie Roasters Café at the Library inside of the Advanced Learning Library 711 West 2nd Street North in Wichita, according to a social media report.
If you can identify this individual call 316-268-4407 or you can call Crime Stoppers anonymously at 316-267-2111.
Dr. Roger Marshall, R-Great Bend, is the First District Kansas Congressman.
Friends,
It seems spring has finally arrived in Kansas and I have enjoyed the opportunity to get back to the district and catch up with folks during our town halls and round-table discussions. Last weekend I met with the leadership team at Seward County Community College to learn how they are developing education programs to meet the workforce needs of western Kansas and held town halls in six different counties in southwest Kansas.
Fort Riley Excellence Award
Fort Riley has always stood as a symbol of excellence and leadership and last week the Army recognized those efforts and awarded Fort Riley the Bronze Medal for the 2019 Army Communities of Excellence Award.
This prestigious award, which recognizes the progress of management across all components within the Army installations including leadership, analysis and knowledge management, workforce and operations, comes on the heels of national recognition for the work being done at Irwin Army Community Hospital at Fort Riley.
I am honored to represent the men and women who serve our country and believe this honor validates the division’s motto of “No mission too difficult, no sacrifice too great, duty first.”
Brazil to Open Quota for U.S. wheat
Last week, President Trump met with Brazil’s new President, Jair Bolsonaro, to lay the groundwork for a new partnership between our two countries. The leaders made a number of trade-related commitments, including the announcement that Brazil will implement a Tariff Rate Quota (TRQ), allowing for the annual importation of 750 thousand tons of American wheat at a 0% rate.
The agreement for a duty-free TRQ on wheat exports to Brazil is something our wheat farmers have spent over a decade fighting for and I was proud to join them in this fight.
I recently led a letter with a number of my colleagues to Chief Agricultural Negotiator Gregg Doud, a native of the Big First, requesting that the TRQ issue be a top priority for these negotiations, and I was very pleased to see Ambassador Doud and President Trump come through for our producers back home.
KU Republicans
KU College Republicans
It’s always exciting to meet with college students and discuss the future of our country. Last week I had the opportunity to speak with members of the University of Kansas College Republicans, I shared with them my work on bi-partisan legislation to make colleges and technical schools eligible for the USDA’s Community Foods Projects grants that help nonprofits address hunger. We also had good discussions surrounding the students’ hopes for impactful but pragmatic approaches to fixing our broken healthcare system and innovative solutions to clean energy production.
I was impressed with the students’ understanding of the issues and solutions and hopes to make a positive change in their communities.
Harvesters helping Kansas Food Banks
Food banks play an important role in many communities across the Big First and the state. The success of this service is largely due to the volunteers and organizations like Harvesters in Kansas City that supplies these food banks with the resources they need to care for their local families.
Early last week I had the opportunity to tour Harvesters and learn just how many people and volunteer hours it takes to keep the operation going. The facility hosts more than 200 volunteers a day and in 2018 Harvesters provided more than 52.5 million pounds of food to its 26-county distribution area, including pinto beans grown by the farmer-owners of 21 Century Bean in Sharon Springs, Kan.
Our family has a long history of volunteering at our local food bank, and I continue to support food banks across my district as I believe they provide an essential service for our communities.
The Crisis in Venezuela
President Trump has continued his efforts towards the goal of seeing the tyranny of the Maduro regime come to an end, and I want it to be known that I fully support him in these efforts. The good people of Venezuela continue to be oppressed by the Maduro regime in what is well beyond a humanitarian crisis. I send my prayers to those suffering and pledge all the support I can give in congress.
For more on my position on the crisis in Venezuela please see my Op-Ed on the subject.
Passing of Dick Nichols
Last week we mourned the passing of former Congressman Richard “Dick” Nichols. The WWII veteran and fellow Rotarian was a proud husband, father, and grandfather and a mentor to me as I made my way to Congress.
He served one term in the U.S. House of Representatives, serving the 5th Congressional District before it was lost following the 1990 census. He returned to banking but continued to guide and support elected officials at all levels.
Our deepest sympathies go out to his family as they mourn the loss of a great man.
Response to the Opioid Crisis
Last week the Department of Health and Human Services released their second installment of State Opioid Response grants. Kansas received $2,112,683 to expand treatment and reduce opioid overdose-related deaths through prevention and recovery initiatives for those suffering from addiction.
This funding will expand access to treatment that has been proven to work by focusing on medication-assisted treatment coupled with appropriate social support. As a nation, we are continuing to tackle this crisis head-on, and we are starting to produce results! That is due primarily to our communities, law enforcement, first responders, and our legislators all working together to address this deadly epidemic.
Dr. Roger Marshall, R-Great Bend, is the Kansas First District Congressman.
Henry Schwaller, mayor of the city of Hays, filed for re-election to the Hays City Commission on March 18.
“I’m honored to have served Hays residents for the last four years. We’ve seen slow, yet steady and sensible, growth locally despite the state’s economy,” Schwaller said in a news release. “If re-elected, I will continue work to keep Hays as the region’s hub for education, health care, retail and services.”
Schwaller said his decision to seek re-election was based on resident support.
“I appreciate the encouragement I’ve received,” he added. “Frankly, our residents are Hays’ top strength, and I feel their input and feedback is vital. A commissioner’s primary responsibility is listening and responding to all residents’ concerns, then taking action.”
Financial accountability is also a priority for Schwaller.
“The city has limited resources and it’s critical we do not add to our community’s tax burden,” he said. “When considering any expense, I support austere and adequate investment in city services.”
Schwaller was first elected to the Hays City Commission in 1999.
There are three open seats on the commission, those of Schwaller, Ron Mellick and James Meier. Mellick has also filed for re-election.
Schwaller is owner and president of Henry Schwaller and Associates Inc., a real estate investment company, and he is an instructor of Management and Entrepreneurship at Fort Hays State University.
Filing deadline for all city and school board candidates is noon Monday, June 3, in the Ellis County Clerk’s Office, 718 Main. The filling fee is $20. A current list of candidate filings is available on the Ellis County website.
The Nov. 5 general election also includes candidates for improvement district leadership as well as Extension directors, according to Donna Maskus, Ellis County Clerk and Election Officer.
A primary election will be held Aug. 6, if necessary.
Elizabeth “Betty” Franken Anschutz, of Hoover, Alabama passed away on Tuesday, March 19, 2019.
She was born on May 29, 1934 in Cologne, Germany to the late Katharina and Otto Franken into a large family of eight sisters and one brother. After surviving WWII in Germany, she came to the United States in 1958. She self-taught and mastered the English language and went on to become a US Citizen in 1974.
Elizabeth “Betty” was strong willed, passionate, and full of life. She loved to spend time in the kitchen cooking and baking and was known for her amazing chocolate chip cookies. She also enjoyed swimming, camping, fishing, and spending time with family.
She is survived by her husband, with whom she celebrated their 47th Anniversary on Valentine’s Day, Wayne Anschutz; her children, Heide Hinds (Billy), Sue Stevens (David), Becki Hess (Ron), and John Johnson Jr. (Dorothy); eight grandchildren; and eleven great-grandchildren.
A visitation for Elizabeth “Betty” will be held Tuesday, March 26, 2019 from 1:00 PM to 2:00 PM at Southern Heritage Funeral Home, 475 Cahaba Valley Road, Pelham, AL 35124, followed by a memorial service at 2:00 PM.
Graveside services will be held on Tuesday, April 2, 2019, at 2:00 PM at Saint John Lutheran Cemetery in Russell, Kansas.
Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.southernheritagefunerals.com for the Anschutz family. Pohlman-Varner-Peeler Mortuary of Russell, Kansas is in charge of the graveside funeral service arrangements.
Melvin Andrew Flegler, 86, of Russell, Kansas, passed away Wednesday, March 20, 2019 at the Revask Center of Wichita, Kansas.
Melvin was born September 20, 1932, in Hays, Kansas, one of three boys born to Elsie and Andrew Flegler. He grew up on the family farm south of Russell and graduated from Russell High School.
Melvin served his country in the U.S. Army- attached to U.S. Air Force SCARWAF Engineer Unit during the Korean War. After his tour of duty, he returned to the family farm to help his father.
Melvin was united in marriage to Juanita Krug on September 11, 1960 at the Trinity Lutheran Church south of Russell. This union was blessed with three children; Kim, Kevin and Kristen. They made their home on the family farm.
Melvin was a man who loved his family and the outdoors. He was proud to be a Kansas Farmer and Rancher. He was also the owner and operator of the Melvin Flegler Dirt and Sand Company from 1985 to 2010. In his spare time, he also helped out at Radke Implement in Milberger. He was a member and Church Council member for St. John Lutheran Church. He formerly was a member of the Trinity Lutheran Church. He was a member of the Russell V.F.W. Post #6240, Township Board President and Treasurer, past Grant School Board Member, AGCO member of Board of Directors, Russell County Livestock Association, Farm Bureau Board Member, Kansas Association of Wheat Growers, Steering Committee of County Solid Waste Disposal, past chairman of county Extension Executive Council, Electrical Leader of Sunflower 4-H Club, 1968 Outstanding Young Farmer from Russell County, 1971 received Kansas Bankers Award in Soil Conservation, 1969 Beef Cattle Production Certificate Award, Heartland Camping Club. He enjoyed camping, fishing, hunting, playing horse shoes, helping local farmers with his welding skills, watching all types of racing, watching college football and basketball, and loved taking every opportunity to be with his children, grandchildren and great grandchildren.
Melvin’s surviving family include his wife of 58 years, Juanita of the home; daughters, Kimberly Stoppel (Blaine) of Russell, Kansas and Kristen Pfeifer (Dave) of Hays, Kansas; son, Kevin Flegler (Denise Simpson) of Russell, Kansas; brothers, Roger Flegler of Russell, Kansas and Dwaine Flegler of Hays, Kansas; nine grandchildren, Brooke Whitney, Blake Stoppel, Jennifer Gantt, Caitlyn Porter, Brady Stoppel, Tanner Pfeifer, Victoria Boos, Alexandra Flegler and Caleb Pfeifer; and eight great grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his parents.
Celebration of Melvin’s Life will be held at 10:30 AM, Monday, March 25, 2019 at St. John Lutheran Church. Burial will follow at the Bender Hill Cemetery, where Military Rites will be conducted by the Russell V.F.W. Post #6240 Honor Guard. Visitation will be held from Noon to 8:00 PM, Sunday, March 24, 2019 at Pohlman-Varner-Peeler Mortuary, with the family present to greet friends from 6:00 PM to 7:00 PM. Memorials have been established with St. Jude Children’s Hospital or Kans for Kids. Contributions and condolences may be sent to Pohlman-Varner-Peeler Mortuary, who is in charge of these arrangements.
Donald Kenneth Polifka, 95, of Brigantine, N.J., passed away on Tuesday, March 19, 2019.
Donald “Don” Polifka was born in Hays, Kansas, to the late Charles and Elisabeth Polifka. He was an honors graduate of St. Joseph’s Military Academy, Hays, Kansas, class of 1942. Prior to enlisting in the U.S. Army, he served as an instructor for Ft. Hays Kansas State College, Kansas.
Don is survived by his daughter Mary H. Crane (Glenn) of Brigantine, NJ; Donald K. Polifka, Jr. (Judy) of Kinsale, VA; and son Christopher A. Polifka of Kona, Hawaii; four grandchildren: Deborah Batson (Robert), Wendy Bates (Alan), Amy White (Tom) and Donald K. Polifka, III (Joyce); nine great grandchildren: Samantha Fabrizio, Michael Fabrizio, Jade Bates, Gannon Bates, Elle Polifka, Luke Polifka, Jane Polifka, Amalia White and Isabella White; and great great grandson Nicholas Fabrizio. Don was predeceased by his sisters Helen Vitztum and Alice Polifka, and brothers Charles and Alvin Polifka.
Donald met his wife Winnie while in the hospital after World War II. Winnie, who was from Atlantic City, NJ was a nurse and Donald, originally from Hays, Kansas was an Army officer. He had 62 wonderful years with Winnie who passed ten years ago in Brigantine, NJ. Don was a loving father, husband, grandfather, great grandfather, and friend to everyone.
Don is a U.S. Army veteran of World War II and the Korean War, where he earned several medals, including the Purple Heart and two Bronze Stars. He was wounded in the South Pacific and received other commendations for his dedication and bravery. In addition, Don received the Commendation Medal with three oak leaf clusters representing his meritorious service while stationed at Ft. Myers and Ft. Monroe, Virginia. He held such positions as Ceremonial Officer for the Old Guard at Arlington National Cemetery and Ft. Myers, Virginia and held a key military headquarters position at Ft. Monroe, Virginia. During this time, he was responsible for organizing and overseeing General MacArthur’s funeral, President John F. Kennedy’s inaugural parade and was a key decision maker during the Cuban Missile Crisis. After 24 years of military service, Don retired as a Lt. Colonel. The discipline and patriotism he learned in the U.S. Army never left him, as friends and family will attest.
Following his military career, he retired in Virginia and he and Winnie bought a store in Upperville, Virginia. At this point in his life, going back to a more slower country lifestyle was just his thing – he grew up on a farm near Hays, Kansas, where he learned to plow fields, sow and harvest wheat, herd cattle and help with the multitude of tasks that come with farm life. This latest move was a great segue as he excelled at organizational leadership and turned a small country store into a thriving and personable business.
In the late 1980’s, Don and his wife decided to move back to where they met. They settled in Brigantine and Don fully retired. For many years, he volunteered for Meals On Wheels, and was a star player for the Bocce Ball team. He remained in Brigantine for the rest of his life and proclaimed this is “the city you would love for life.”
Relatives and friends are invited to attend Don’s Life Celebration gathering on Tuesday April 2, 2019 from 10 to 11 am with a Memorial Service to follow at the Brigantine Community Presbyterian Church, 1501 W. Brigantine Avenue, Brigantine NJ. A final military salute will follow the memorial service. Concluding the service, all are welcome to attend a reception at the American Legion, Brigantine Post # 396, 3218 Brigantine Avenue, Brigantine, NJ. Don’s final resting place will be at Arlington National Cemetery, VA.
There is a lot of “libel talk” — and filing of mega-million-dollar lawsuits — in the air, and as long as such stays there the people’s ability to openly criticize public officials is safe.
Advocates of free speech, free press and holding government publicly accountable — liberals and conservatives alike — need to keep cautious eyes on new, perhaps coordinated, efforts to chill critics and water down legal protections regarding public comments about officials and famous individuals. In the space of a few weeks:
Justice Clarence Thomas called for the U.S. Supreme Court to revisit its landmark 1964 decision New York Times Sullivan, which set a high standard for public officials and figures of having to prove “actual malice”— knowing or reckless disregard for the truth — in our speech;
Devin Nunes, R-Calif., has said he will sue Twitter, a political consultant and the anonymous holders of two Twitter accounts for at least $250 million, claiming Twitter has a “political agenda” by allowing the consultant and anonymous accounts — @DevinNunesMom and @DevinCow — to remain active. Nunes also claims Twitter has restricted his ability to reply and “amplified” abusive and hateful content aimed at him;
Nicholas Sandmann, a Kentucky high school student, has sued The Washington Post for $250 million and CNN for $275 million over news coverage of a January incident at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C., where Sandmann and classmates were face-to-face with a man at an Indigenous Peoples March. The lawsuit claims the Post’s news reports were a “modern-day form of McCarthyism” and — given Sandmann was wearing a Trump-themed baseball call — that its coverage was skewed by a “well-known and easily documented biased agenda against President Trump” and his supporters. Sandmann’s lawyers also said they sent letters to about 50 media organizations signaling potential legal action against those outlets.
President Trump has called for changes in libel law — mistakenly speaking of a federal law on defamation, which does not exist — to make it easier for politicians to sue news organizations. When Sandmann’s lawsuit was announced, Trump tweeted, “Go get them Nick. Fake News.”
Thomas’ call for revisiting the 9-0 Times decision was not supported by any other justice and most court observers consider it more of a call to action in upcoming years — perhaps when more sharply conservative justices are appointed.
In the Times decision, the Supreme Court held that public debate in a democracy should be “uninhibited, robust and wide-open” on matters of public interest and when public officials are involved — later expanded to include most public figures.
Nunes’ lawsuit isn’t given much chance of success: Opinion, satire and hyperbolic language are protected speech. Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act of 1996 protects social media sites because they don’t originate speech or information, but merely convey it. Given that hundreds of news outlets carried initial reports of the incident involving Sandmann similar to the Post and CNN, it may be difficult to single out their coverage as biased because of what the lawsuit calls an anti-Trump “agenda.”
As such, many consider Nunes and Sandmann lawsuits as little more than political posturing. But the impact of bringing those lawsuits — and the potential for more like them — ought to concern us all, whether or not the news outlets ever pay a dime on these two complaints.
We must not forget it’s not just news organizations or social media moguls that would be affected — or the White House or Congress more emboldened — by weakening the Times standards, or by legislative action in states.
All of us would be more exposed when criticizing public officials at any level — and there are tens of thousands of local public officials and staffers who might just want to chill, punish or silence the critics and watchdogs in their particular community.
The nation’s founders faced insults and satire far beyond what officials today face. In 2008, a CNN report documented exchanges in the 1800 presidential race: Vice President Thomas Jefferson’s camp accused President John Adams of being a “hideous hermaphroditical character, a fool, a hypocrite, a criminal and a tyrant.” Adams’ backers called Jefferson “a mean-spirited, low-lived fellow, the son of a half-breed Indian squaw, sired by a Virginia mulatto father” and a “weakling, an atheist, a libertine and a coward.”
From bumper stickers to yard signs to social media posts, we generally can join without fear in the back-and-forth of that “uninhibited, robust and wide-open” exchange envisioned by the high court more than 50 years ago.
The next battles over our freedom to speak, write and post with a critical — sometimes vulgar, even erroneous — manner will take place in the rarified air of our society, and involve the Post, CNN, Congress and perhaps the Supreme Court.
Make no mistake: The impact of chilling or weakening the Times legal protections will reach into every home, every cellphone and every social media post any one of us chooses to make on matters of “public interest.”
Gene Policinski is president and chief operating officer of the Freedom Forum Institute. He can be reached at[email protected], or follow him on Twitter at@genefac
Nile L. “Mick” Cochran, 82, passed away Friday, March 23, 2019, at the Andbe Home, Norton, KS.
Mick was born November 29, 1936, in Norton, KS, the son of Vance and Elsie (McCrea) Cochran. Mick grew up in Norton County on a farm north east of Norton. He graduated from Norton High School, class of 1954.
On August 18, 1957, he married Ida Marie Nuttycomb in Almena, KS, and to this union they were blessed with two children, William “Billy” Frank and Tamra Ellen. Mick and Ida made their home in Norton until 1959 when they moved to Belleville, KS, and resided there until 1962.
In June of 1962, Mick began his career with the United States Bureau of Reclamation building the Norton Dam in Norton, KS Mick stayed with the Bureau of Reclamation for thirty-one and half years working dams, canals, laterals and substations. Mick worked jobs in Kansas, Nebraska, Washington State (Grand Coulee Dam), Northern CA, Montrose, CO, Utah, Page, AZ and Grand Junction, CO until June of 1992. He moved back to Norton in May of 1997 from Grand Junction, CO.
Mick had many hobbies throughout his life including leather craft, mechanics, carpentry, cabinet making, general handyman, but he truly loved to go hunting and fishing with his son Billy. While his favorite was pheasant hunting, he enjoyed hunting elk and deer whenever he could. He also enjoyed camping and 4-wheeling with the whole family while living in Colorado. He loved his Labrador dogs, too, and owned one of each color throughout his life. Mick enjoyed playing the fiddle. He often played square dances with his folks as a young man.
It was very rare for Mick to have missed a concert in which his daughter, Tamra, was either directing or performing. He was totally devoted to his wife, Ida Marie.
He was preceded in death by his parents, wife Ida Marie, son Billy, three brothers, Gene, Earl, and Lowell Cochran and two sisters, Leta Rooney and Claire Poage.
Mick is survived by his daughter Tamra Cochran of Norton; two sisters-in-law, Velma Cochran of Syracuse, KS and Mona Cochran of Bentonville, AR and many nieces, nephews and friends.
Funeral services will be held at 10:30 a.m., Tuesday, March 26, 2019, at Church of God, 1010 Churchill Dr., Norton, KS, with Pastor Rob Mohr officiating. Visitation will be held from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m., Monday, March 25, 2019, at the Church of God, Norton, KS. Burial will take place in Mt. Hope Cemetery, Almena, KS. Memorials may be given to Nile L. Cochran Memorial Fund and can be sent in care of All Faiths Funeral Chapel, 113 S. Madison St., Smith Center, KS 66967.
