Lida (Warrick) Black, 71, of Topeka, Kansas, passed away March 6, 2019. She was born May 12, 1947, in Norton, Kansas, to John and Mae Warrick.
Lida graduated with a degree in nursing from Marymount College in 1967. She spent many years working as a registered nurse at Stormont-Vail hospital in Topeka.
Lida is survived by her husband, Phillip Paul Hutt; sister, Francis Lytle; brother, John Warrick; and her sons, Rex Norman Black II, Renton, Washington, and Russell William Black, Denton, Texas.
A private burial ceremony will be held at 1:00 p.m. on Wednesday, March 13, 2019, in the Clayton Cemetery, Clayton, Kansas.
Donna Maxine Roberts passed away at the Andbe Home in Norton, Kansas, on March 7, 2019. Donna was born to George and Elva Madden on May 23, 1928, in Norton County. Her paternal grandparents, John and Nancy Madden, homesteaded in Norton County in 1873.
Donna attended schools in Norton and Phillips counties and graduated from Norton County High School in 1941. She worked as an addressograph operator in Kansas City, Missouri, and a money transfer clerk in banks in Denver, Colorado.
Donna married Vernon D. Roberts on August 17, 1963, and they made their home in Norton, where she worked for Ideal Truck Lines and New York Life Insurance Company. Donna was admitted to the Andbe Home in Norton in July 2018. Donna and Vernon celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary in 2013, at an open house at the Norton Senior Center.
Donna attended and was a member of the Norton Christian Church and was also a member and active in the Norton Study Club.
Survivors include: her husband of nearly 56 years, Vernon, her sister-in-law, Beverley Roberts, Ogallala, Nebraska; her niece, Patricia Miller, and her husband, Overland Park, Kansas; nine nieces, nephews and spouses.
Donna was preceded in death by her parents, her sister, Evalyn Butts Stevens, and brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law.
FUNERAL SERVICE – Tuesday, March 12, 2019—10:30 a.m.
PLACE – Enfield Funeral Home – 215 W. Main – Norton, KS
INTERMENT – Norton Cemetery – Norton, KS
MEMORIAL – Donna Roberts Memorial Fund
Ten years ago, Chelsea Clanton had everything going for her. After numerous athletic accomplishments at Great Bend High School including WAC Championships for cross country and track events, she was running for the Varsity team in college and pursuing her dreams. After graduating from Wichita State University, she grew a successful career in Human Resources and continued to run and train in her spare time.
But that all came to a crashing halt last fall when Chelsea was in a tragic car accident that eventually resulted in the amputation of her left leg above the knee.
“After the accident, Chelsea fought for weeks in and out of surgeries with both knees dislocated, a broken right ankle, and so much pain. It was so hard to watch,” says Kayla Benedick, Chelsea’s mother.
“She couldn’t walk at all. It was so hard watching my baby girl go through this, but we are all so happy and thankful she is still here with us. She is a strong and determined person, and she is going to do big things. This won’t keep her down.”
Since getting out of the hospital in mid-December, she has been working with a physical therapist and has been fitted for a new prosthetic device. But all of that comes at a cost. To help offset the mounting expenses, some of Chelsea’s high school classmates have organized a fundraiser known as the “Still Standing 5K” to generate funds and emotional support for Chelsea and her family.
“Our friend Chelsea is one of the best runners we know, and her fighting spirit is an inspiration to a lot of people. What better way to raise money and show our support for an all-star track and cross country athlete than to organize a 5K event?” says high school classmate Valerie McAtee, organizer of the Still Standing 5K.
“But this 5K is a little different. It’s a virtual event, meaning there isn’t an actual race in a specific town on a specific day. Anyone from anywhere can give online and get signed up for the virtual race before March 30th, and their race t-shirt will ship directly to their house. Then they can put in their 3.1 miles any time after that (or not) and post a photo with our hashtag so Chelsea can see their support from around the country.”
McAtee and the other volunteers hope to see an outpouring of registrations for the virtual 5K event from all over the state, since Chelsea and her family have connections in Great Bend, Emporia where Chelsea ran in college, and in Wichita where she now lives and built her career.
“We’ve already seen a huge response, but are hoping to keep the traction going until the cut-off date for online registrations and donations closes on March 30,” McAtee says. “Chelsea has a lot of medical bills piling up, plus
modifications that need to be made to her home and an expensive prosthetic leg to pay for. Our goal is to help cover a significant portion of that to take the burden off of her shoulders.”
Chelsea’s family reports that she is hopeful about getting back to her passion of running at some point in the future.
“Chelsea’s starting all over, learning to stand and walk and balance. Just taking a shower and getting ready for a doctor’s appointment is a lot of work at this point,” says Benedick. “But down the road she hopes to learn how to run with a prosthesis and inspire others who have gone through traumatic events to keep pursuing their passions. It’s one step at a time right now, but all of this support has meant the world to her and to our family.”
With traction building around the region, volunteers for the fundraiser are asking for the public’s support leading up to the donation deadline at the end of this month. Anyone interested in registering for the virtual 5K event, or in donating through the event webpage, can visit the Facebook page listed under Still Standing 5K for Chelsea Clanton, or search for the virtual 5K event on RunSignUp.com.
JACKSON COUNTY — Law enforcement authorities are investigating three suspects after a traffic traffic stop in Jackson County.
Martin -photo Jackson Co.Fortune -photo Jackson Co.
Just after midnight Friday, deputies stopped a passenger car on U.S. 75 near 94th Road, according to Sheriff Tim Morse.
Deputies arrested the driver, Arron Dale Martin, 29, Topeka on a Jackson County District Court warrant for failure to appear on drug charges.
Deputies also arrested two of Martin’s passengers including Austin Healey Tonniges, 36, and Gretchen Merissa Fortune, 40, both of Topeka for possession of methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia.
Tonniges photo Jackson Co
Martin and Fortune were held without bond, according to Morse.
On Monday, Martin was still being held in the Jackson County without bond. Fortune had been released, according to online jail records.
Preliminary estimates reported by the Kansas Department of Labor and Bureau of Labor Statistics show a seasonally adjusted unemployment rate of 3.4 percent in January. This was up from 3.3 percent in December and down from 3.5 percent in January 2018.
While still extremely low, the jobless rate in Ellis County jumped from 2.1 percent in Deceember to 2.8 percent in January.
Rush, Rooks, Trego and Russell counties all posted unemployment rates higher than 3.4 percent.
“The revised 2018 annual data for the state is included in today’s Labor Market Report,” said Secretary Delía Garcia. “In that data, of note is that the number of Kansans participating in the labor force has increased for the first time since 2014, and with increased employment and fewer Kansans unemployed, the 2018 unemployment rate fell to 3.4 percent.”
Seasonally adjusted job estimates indicate total Kansas nonfarm jobs increased by 500 from December. Private sector jobs, a subset of total nonfarm jobs, increased by 1,100 from the previous month.
“Establishment survey data shows Kansas employers have been raising wages at an increasing rate,” said Senior Labor Economist, Tyler Tenbrink. “The labor market is historically tight right now and many employers are struggling to fill open positions. This, in turn, has put upward pressure on wages.”
Since January 2018, Kansas gained 14,300 seasonally adjusted total nonfarm jobs and 13,700 private sector jobs.
Brenda Myers, 78, died Friday, March 8, 2019 at the Ranch House Home and Rehabilitation in Garden City. She was born December 29, 1940 in Crawfordsville, Indiana the daughter of Cleo Houston & Anna Katherine (Free) Zachary.
Brenda grew up in Crawfordsville, Indiana where she attended school and graduated from high school in 1959. On July 5, 1959, she married James C. Myers in Crawfordsville, Indiana. They lived in Seattle, Washington, Indianapolis, Indiana, Hatteras, North Carolina, Garden City, Kansas, and Goodland, Kansas before moving to Holcomb, Kansas. A homemaker, Brenda also worked as a guide and gift shop manager at High Plains Museum while living in Goodland. She was a member of the First Baptist Church of Holcomb, RSVP, and NARFE. Brenda enjoyed her volunteer work with RSVP, reading, sewing, cooking, traveling, and spending time with her family especially attending her grandchildren’s activities.
Survivors include a daughter Cindy Crain of Holcomb, Ks; three grandsons Matt Hill of Hays, Ks, Brad Hill of Holcomb, Ks, & Steven Crain of Holcomb, Ks; four great-grandchildren Sloane Hill, Ruxin Hill, Jocelyn Hill, & Jaylee Hill; and a good friend Larry Burnett of Ladoga, Indiana. Brenda is preceded in death by her parents and a son Carl Myers.
Funeral services will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Tuesday, March 12, 2019 at the First Baptist Church in Holcomb with Pastor Jon Sanders officiating. A private family interment will take place at a later date. There will be no calling hours. The family suggests memorials given to Friends of Lee Richardson Zoo in care of Garnand Funeral Home of Garden City.
Dr. Roger Marshall, R-Great Bend, is the First District Kansas Congressman.
Friends,
March 1 is my mother’s birthday, and very fitting for her special day, it is also International Women’s Day. I admire my mom, and the many life lessons she has taught me and still teaches me to this very today. From an early age, she showed me the value of hard work, she worked a full-time job while also raising a family and caring for us around the clock.
From teaching me the importance of having the entire family sit down for dinner, to her endless advice and support, she will always amaze me! Happy birthday, mom!
Discussing Trade and Health Care with President Trump
Last past week leaders of the Republican Study Committee had the opportunity to sit down with President Trump and talk about conservative agenda for this Congress.
As the Chairman of the Health Care Task Force, I talked to the president about our plans to drive down health care costs and other market-based reforms that would give patients choice, access, and protect those with preexisting conditions. Fixing our broken health care system has been a top priority for my office since day one- As a physician for nearly 30 years, I saw many of the problems with our current system firsthand!
But before the President and I discussed health care, he singled me out to deliver one clear message to Kansas farmers- he told me to tell the folks back home that he would not sign a bad trade deal for Kansas producers. The president confidently said that they are making significant progress with China and will prioritize the approval of USMCA by Congress.
It was great to sit down and discuss both the need of our farmers and ranchers, as well as our common vision to fix our broken health care system.
International Women’s Day
March is Women’s History Month, and March 1 is International Women’s Day, so please, I challenge you to thank those women that have positively influenced your life, improved your community and contributed to the success of our great nation.
Supporting our Veterans- Addressing Suicide and Addiction
At our legislative coffee in Junction City many of you talked with me about your time serving our nation and resources available to veterans. Supporting our men and women in uniform and our nation’s veterans is a top priority for me. Last week I wrote an op-ed discussing the common issues that many veterans are facing and what we must do to help.
One of my top concerns today is veteran suicide rates. Last week the president signed the PREVENTS (President’s Roadmap to Empower Veterans and End A National Tragedy of Suicide) executive order to help put a stop to the 20 veterans who commit suicide each day in the United States. This new task force will be tasked with encouraging private-public partnerships to make mental healthcare more readily accessible to each and every veteran in the U.S.
In Kansas, we just opened a brand-new state of the art medical center, the Robert J. Dole Veterans Medical Center, that focuses on Substance Abuse Residential Rehabilitation and Treatment. This center honors the 220,000 veterans across Kansas and the 20 million veterans across the United States. It’s dedicated to helping veterans who have contemplated, or attempted suicide, veterans struggling with addiction, and those in recovery.
Substance abuse and addiction is a terrible problem in our nation and often for our veterans. I fully support the work being done by this administration and in our clinics around Kansas. For as long as I am in office I will continue to fight for the men and women who have fought for us.
Read my latest op-ed on the new veterans treatment facility in Wichita HERE.
Raising Awareness for PCOS- Polycystic Ovary Syndrome
During my time as an OB-GYN, I helped numerous women that struggled with PCOS through their pregnancies and their deliveries. Now on the Hill, I serve as the Co-Chair of the PCOS Caucus, where I am able to be the voice for millions of women across the country suffering from PCOS.
I am working with my fellow Co-Chair, Rep. David Scott, this Congress in introducing H.Res 146. H. Res 146 will designate September 2019 as PCOS Awareness Month. Furthermore, I am actively working with Scott on a letter that would have HHS do an inter-agency study on their work on PCOS and increase much-needed research. By advocating for both more awareness and research, I am hopeful we can help gather more information on this disease that impacts so many families. We want them to improve inter-agency collaboration, develop an awareness campaign, improve research output that will someday lead to better patient outcomes.
Last week I had the pleasure to speak with people who traveled from all over the country to D.C. for Polycystic Ovary Syndrome Advocacy Day. It is so great to see so many people getting involved and advocating to their lawmakers for more awareness of this disease.
Women, Infants, and Children Nutrition is so important
I had the honor of speaking at the annual WIC Leadership Conference lst week. I’ve always supported WIC and am again working on a letter to my colleagues urging them to keep the WIC program fully funded in 2019.
As an OB-GYN, I know firsthand the importance of nutrition, and I want to assure the people of Kansas that I will always work to support mothers and children. As a physician I could not stress enough to my patients the importance of their Infants and children receiving proper nutrition at an early age. I look forward to continuing my work with WIC!
Rep. Omar- Hate has no home here
Last week I voted to stand against hatred and Anti-Semitism. This Congress must make it clear to Rep. Omar that we will not tolerate her continuous anti-Semitic rhetoric and beliefs. During this time it is important to ask ourselves why an anti-Semite is still on the Foreign Affairs Committee. We can only hope that Nancy Pelosi will see how wrong it is to allow it. It’s mind-boggling to me that Democrat Leadership keeps turning a blind eye and not taking action to remove this type of hatred from this important committee.
Dr. Roger Marshall, R-Great Bend, is the Kansas First District Congressman.
From left: Lieutenant Tim Greenwood, Officer Lane Hoffman, Officer Nick Kleiber and Lieutenant Brandon Wright.The Hays Police Department has welcomed two new officers to its ranks.
Officers Lane Hoffman and Nick Kleiber graduated last week from the Kansas Law Enforcement Training Center as part of the 254th Class.
KLA has received numerous calls from members who have received insufficient fund checks originating from Plainville Livestock Commission, Inc. KLA staff was able to determine that Almena State Bank has frozen the custodial account of the market and filed an interpleader case in Norton County District Court to determine all proper claims on the account.
Members who have received an insufficient fund check resulting from the sale of cattle at this market should first call the western regional office of the USDA Agricultural Marketing Service, Packers and Stockyards Division at (303) 375-4250 to file a claim against the market’s bond. Affected members should then file a claim in Norton County Case No. 19-CV-02.
To file a claim, each individual or entity must submit to the court the following information:
1. A handwritten or typed statement that identifies the individual or entity owed money, including their contact information. In that statement, the claimant should also provide the total amount they are owed.
2. The claimant should attach a copy of the check received from Plainville Livestock Commission, Inc.
3. The claimant should also attach a copy of their sales receipt from Plainville Livestock Commission, Inc.
Once the above steps are complete, the claimant should contact the clerk of the court in Norton County at (785) 877-5720. The Clerk will let claimants know how to appropriately file their claim with the court. After the claim is filed, an attorney representing the Almena State Bank may contact claimants to explain future proceedings regarding claim collection.
As with any legal matter, it is advisable to consult with a personal attorney to ensure interests are being protected before agreeing to any settlement or signing any legal documents.
— This is a developing story. Check Hays Post for more as details become available.
RILEY COUNTY — Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect in connection with her brother’s Kansas murder trial.
Samantha Bland photo Webb Co. Sheriff
On February 19, authorities in Laredo, Texas arrested 29-year-old Samantha Bland on a Riley County District warrant for aggravated intimidation of a witness who testified against Bland’s brother Steven Meredith during the January preliminary hearing for murder, according to Riley County Attorney Barry Wilkerson.
The judge found sufficient evidence for Meredith of Junction City to stand trial in the killing of a confidential drug informant 48-year-old Carrie Jones. Her body was found by deer hunters in rural Riley County.
During the preliminary hearing, witnesses testified that Meredith believed Jones might reveal information about him and others in a 2013 drug case.
One witness testified that Meredith told her that he and another man drove Jones to a field, forced her to get out of the vehicle and then shot her. Meredith was arrested almost a year after Jones’ body was found in October 2017.
On Sunday, Bland was jailed in Riley County, according to the Riley County Police Department arrest report.
She is being held on a bond of $125,000 on requested charges of aggravated intimidation of a witness/victim; Furtherance of conspiracy, Intimidation of a witness or victim; Prevent testimony, according to the RCPD
FORT WORTH, Texas – Betty LaRue (Sibley) Covalt, 83, passed away Wednesday, March 6, 2019, in Fort Worth.
Celebration of her Life: 10:30 a.m. Tuesday, March 12, in the Longhorn Auditorium at Trinity Terrace, 1600 Texas Street, Fort Worth, Texas, with Chaplin Tricia Baldwin officiating. Graveside: A private family graveside service at Greenwood Memorial Park, officiated by Pastor Justin Beadles, LaRue’s nephew and Senior Pastor at Countryside Baptist Church in Stillwater, Oklahoma.
Memorials: Trinity Terrace Chapel Fund at Trinity Terrace, 1600 Texas Street, Fort Worth, Texas 76102 or James L. West Alzheimer’s Center, 1111 Summit Avenue, Fort Worth, Texas 76102.
The precious daughter of Zelma (McCarty) Sibley and Victor Bruce Sibley, LaRue was born Dec. 23, 1935, in Kansas City, Kansas and grew up in Lewis, Kansas. She attended the University of Kansas before transferring and graduating from Wichita State University.
While at WSU she met the love of her life, Austin Covalt. They celebrated 57 years of marriage before his passing in 2014. LaRue and Austin lived their early married years in Sterling, Kansas, where LaRue began work on her Master’s Degree in Elementary Education at Sterling College and later completed at Fort Hays State University after moving to Russell, Kansas in 1967. LaRue touched many young lives during her 25 year career as an elementary school teacher in Russell. LaRue and Austin had three children and two grandsons. She was fiercely loyal to her family and she loved being with them. Her most cherished week every year was in May when the three children and their family’s, along with her brother and his family would gather in Fort Worth for the Colonial Golf Tournament.
In 2012, after 45 years in Russell and too many wonderful friends and memories to count, LaRue made the most difficult decision to relocate closer to family due to Austin’s progression of Alzheimer’s disease so they moved to Fort Worth. After Austin’s passing, sadly, LaRue began enduring this same horrible disease in 2016. Together, as a family, the decision was prayerfully made to donate LaRue’s brain to The Brain Bank at UNTHSC for the specific benefit of Alzheimer’s research.
The family would like to thank the entire staff at Trinity Terrace for providing our mother a wonderful home since 2012. And, since May of this year, we especially extend our deepest gratitude to the Memory Care Unit, Emily Rider LVN, and all of the other angels who love and care so deeply for these residents who are in such a vulnerable state.
LaRue was preceded in death by her husband, Austin; her parents, Zelma and Bruce Sibley; and her brother, Veryl Sibley.
Survivors: Daughters, Ann Clinkscales and husband, Jim, of Fort Worth, and Sue Nevius and husband, Scott, of Valencia, CA; son, David Covalt of Arlington, TX; grandsons, Baird Clinkscales of Denver, CO and Austin Clinkscales of Dallas, TX; niece, Stephanie Chapman; and nephews, Greg Covalt, Jason Covalt, Geoff Covalt, Grant Beadles, Justin Beadles and their families.
