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Author: Hays Post

Kan. teen in custody for armed robbery that left another teen dead

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SEDGWICK COUNTY — Law enforcement authorities are investigating a shooting during an armed robbery have a teenager in custody.

Police on the scene of the robbery investigation -photo courtesy KWCH

Just after 2:45 p.m, Friday, police responded to a shooting at the B & H Fast Trip, 2796 S. Seneca in Wichita, according to officer Charley Davidson.

Police located  a 16-year-old suspect with a gunshot wound. The investigation revealed three unknown male suspects including the 16-year-old suspect entered the store, pointed handguns at an employee and customers, demanding money.

The suspects took money and cigarettes. During the robbery, an armed 42-year-old male customer pulled out his firearm and fired multiple shots toward the suspects, striking the 16-year-old. The other three suspects fled the business. On Monday, police reported they have arrested a 17-year-old in connection with the robbery. He was booked into the Juvenile Detention Center on three counts of aggravated robbery, according to Davidson. Police are looking for two other known suspects.

In addition to the incident on South Seneca, police believe the suspects were were involved in an armed robbery at 12:10 p.m. on Friday at the Family Dollar Store, 936 S. Woodlawn in Wichita.  A 59-year-old female employee reported three unknown suspects entered the store, pointed handguns at her and demanded property. The suspects who then fled the business took money and cigarettes.

Brenda Waynette Russett

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Brenda Waynette Russett, age 57, of Ulysses, Kansas, died Thursday, December 27, 2018, at St. Catherine Hospital in Garden City, Kansas. She was born September 30, 1961, in Ulysses, Kansas, the daughter of Wayne and Lucreta (Martin) Russett.

Brenda, with an exception of two years in Canton, Georgia, was a lifetime resident of Ulysses and graduated in 1979 from Ulysses High School. She was formerly a manager at Sonic, and worked at Grant County Bank for 13 years, a title company, and most recently at MRC. She enjoyed collecting, going to auctions, playing bingo, reading, listening to music, watching cooking shows, and spending time with her family.

Brenda is survived by her daughter, Larissa Brooke Talbert of Ulysses; father, Wayne Russett of Ulysses; siblings, Debbie Theye and husband Densel of Liberal, Kim Leiker of Hays, David Russett and wife Patty of San Antonio, Texas, and Kari Geerdes and husband Victor of Hays.

Brenda is preceded in death by her mother, Lucreta in 2012; Aunt Joyce Griffith in 2017; nephew, D. J. Theye in 2016; and great-nephew, Braiden Smith in 1998.

Funeral service will be Thursday, January 3, 2019, at 10:00 AM at Garnand Funeral Home Chapel in Ulysses with Pastor Richard Stafford officiating. Interment will follow at Ulysses Cemetery. Visitation will be Wednesday, January 2, 2019, from 10:00 AM until 8:00 PM at Garnand Funeral Home Chapel in Ulysses. Memorial contributions may be given to Brenda Russett Memorial Fund in care of Garnand Funeral Home, 405 W. Grant Ave, Ulysses, KS 67880.

Jenna Marie Schafer

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Jenna Marie Schafer, 31, of Junction City, Kansas and formerly of Salina, Kansas, passed away December 25, 2018, in Junction City.

Jenna was born August 26, 1987, in Ellsworth, Kansas. She was the daughter of Jeff Cullen and Tonya Schafer. Her father was in the military so they moved around some during her childhood. They lived at Fort Riley, Fort Campbell and Salina, Kansas.

Jenna was a stay-home mom for her daughters. She enjoyed music, cruising, social media, and dolphins. She was known for her love of taking selfies and saying the phrase; Live, Life, Love.

Jenna’s surviving family include her two daughters, Nevaeh Schafer and Pyper Schafer both of the home; parents, Tonya and Jeffery Cullen of Gorham, Kansas; brothers, Matthew Schafer (Kimberly) of Oak Grove, Kentucky and Anthony Turner (Samantha) of Odgen, Kansas; and several nieces, nephews, aunts and uncles. She was preceded in death by her grandmother, Judith Schafer and step grandparents, Henry Cullen and Dorothy Wallace.

Celebration of Jenna’s Life will be held at 11:00 A.M., Wednesday, January 2, 2019 at Pohlman-Varner-Peeler Mortuary in Russell. The family will be present to greet friends from 10:00 A.M. to Service time at the mortuary. Cremation has been selected by the family and no visitation being held. A memorial has been established as the Jenna Schafer Memorial Fund. Contributions and condolences may be sent to Pohlman-Varner-Peeler Mortuary, who is in charge of these arrangements.

Ruth A. Mai

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Ruth A. Mai, 94, died on Sunday, December 30, 2018, at the Russell Regional Hospital in Russell, Kansas.

Services are pending at Pohlman-Varner-Peeler Mortuary, Russell.

W. Kansans named to nominating committee for Appellate Court vacancy

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OFFICE OF GOV.-ELECT

TOPEKA – Reaffirming her commitment to transparency, Governor-elect Laura Kelly Friday announced the nominating committee and applicants for the Appellate Court vacancy. The Nominating Committee will review, interview, and recommend applicants to the governor after she is sworn in.

“This bipartisan committee brings a wide range of knowledge and experience that will be critical in selecting a highly-qualified person to fill this important judicial position,” said Kelly. “They share a dedication to making this process as open and transparent as possible. I look forward to seeing the candidates they select and sharing those with the people of Kansas.”

The names and short biographies of the nominating committee members are listed below:

David Rebein (Chair) is a trial lawyer from Dodge City, Kansas. Mr. Rebein is a past president of the Kansas Bar Association and has served two terms on the Kansas Supreme Court Nominating Commission.

Tracee Adams is the President & CEO of Hawthorn Capital LLC. Investment & Wealth Management Firm. She is a resident of Wichita, Kansas.

Jennifer Cocking is Vice President and Associate General Counsel for Capitol Federal Savings Bank in Topeka. Previously, she was a research attorney for the Hon. Lawton R. Nuss, Chief Justice of the Kansas Supreme Court.

Lon Frahm is a 6th generation farmer in Colby, Kansas. He holds degrees in Agricultural Economics and Business from Kansas State University.

Eloy Gallegos is a native of Garden City, Kansas. He graduated from Washburn University School of Law in 2013 and is the owner of Gallegos Law, LLC.

Julie Menghini is a lifelong Kansan who served eight years in the Kansas House of Representatives. Menghini currently works for Pittsburg Community Schools.

Tom Niermann is an educator. He has taught in high schools and at the college level. He earned a PhD in American history from the University of Kansas and currently resides in Prairie Village, Kansas.

Tim Owens served in the Kansas Senate, the House of Representatives and the Overland Park City Council. Owens is a Vietnam veteran who now serves as a volunteer Attorney Emeritus at Kansas Legal Services and an adjunct Political Science Professor at Johnson County Community College.

Linda Parks has practiced law in Wichita for more than 35 years. She is the managing partner of Hite, Fanning & Honeyman LLP. She practices in banking, real estate and commercial transactions and is also a Chapter 7 Bankruptcy Trustee.

Judicial Applicants

The deadline to apply for the vacancy on the Court of Appeals was noon on Friday, December 28th. As of that deadline, the following Kansans had submitted their applications for consideration:

Joni S. Cole, Wichita
Jay D. Befort, Topeka
Christopher E. Biggs, Junction City
Sarah E. Warner, Lenexa
Jeffry L. Jack, Parsons
Steven M. Roth, Topeka
Marcia A. Wood, Wichita
Constance L. Shidler, Overland Park
Carrie E. Josserand, Shawnee
Aaron L. Kite, Dodge City
Teresa L. Watson, Topeka
Steven J. Obermeir, Olathe
Michael F. McCulloch, Olathe
Daniel Cahill, Kansas City
Angela D. Gupta, Lake Quivira
Carl A. Folsom, III, Lawrence
John P.D. Washburn, Tecumseh
Steven P. Smith, Wichita

For more information about the merit-based selection process, click here.

NW Kan. groundwater levels to be measured

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KU

LAWRENCE — A crew from the Kansas Geological Survey, based at the University of Kansas, will be in western Kansas measuring groundwater levels the first week of January. Most of the measured wells are drilled into the High Plains aquifer, a vital source of irrigation, industrial and municipal water in the region.

“We get landowners’ permission to access the wells, which we measure annually to monitor the health of the aquifer,” said Brett Wedel, manager of the KGS’s water-level-data acquisition. “Most have been measured for years, even decades.”

The High Plains aquifer is a massive network of underground water-bearing rocks. The extensive Ogallala aquifer, which underlies parts of eight states, makes up a large portion of the High Plains aquifer. Two other units in the state are the Great Bend Prairie aquifer in west-central Kansas and the Equus Beds aquifer north and west of Wichita. About 10 percent of the measured wells tap deeper aquifers or shallower alluvial aquifers along creeks and rivers rather than the High Plains aquifer.

Weather permitting, the KGS crew will be working near Colby and Atwood on Jan. 2, Goodland and St. Francis on Jan. 3, Tribune, Syracuse and Ulysses on Jan. 4, Elkhart and Liberal on Jan. 5, and Meade and Dodge City on Jan. 6.

Groundwater levels in much of western Kansas have dropped as pumping increased over the past 70 years. Declines in some areas, particularly southwest Kansas, accelerated in the early 2000s when prolonged drought conditions led to increased pumping.

In 2018, precipitation over the Kansas portion of the High Plains aquifer was low in the early months, but by summer much of the region was receiving favorable rains.

“When we measure in January, we’re expecting to find decline rates in the aquifer that are, by and large, less than we’ve typically measured over the years,” said Brownie Wilson, KGS water-data manager. “There are a few counties in northwest Kansas where that may not hold true because they missed out on some of those summer precipitation events.”

The monitoring project is coordinated with the Kansas Department of Agriculture’s Division of Water Resources (DWR). Of the more than 1,400 wells monitored in 48 counties, the KGS will measure 581, and crews from DWR’s field offices in Garden City, Stafford and Stockton will measure 840. New wells are added to the program as older wells become inaccessible or to fill in spatial gaps in the monitoring network.

Most of the wells are within the boundaries of the state’s five Groundwater Management Districts, which are organized and governed by area landowners and water users to address local water-resource issues.

Groundwater levels are measured in December, January and February to avoid short-term declines caused by widespread pumping during the growing season.

Historical annual measurements for each well are available at the KGS’s website. Results of measurements made in January 2019 will be added in late February.

Dessa F. Bryant

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Dessa F. Bryant, age 88, passed away on Tuesday, December 25, 2018 at Greeley County Hospital in Tribune, Kansas. Dessa was born September 28, 1930 at Bentonville, Arkansas, the daughter of Theodore Y. & Faye (Branson) Crittenden. A resident of Tribune, Kansas since 1948 she was a homemaker and clerk.

On November 23, 1947 she married Glen Doty at Sharon Springs, Kansas. Glen passed away on December 18, 1980 at Tribune, Kansas. On September 2, 1983 she married Philip Bryant at Syracuse, Kansas. Phil passed away on February 10, 2014 at Tribune, Kansas.

Dessa surviving family includes-

Four Children-
Dessa F. Woods- Tribune, Kansas
Glenna M. Fogo- Larned, Kansas
Gary A. Doty- Stafford, Kansas
Pamela S. Babcock- Scott City, Kansas

Three siblings-
Wilbur M. Crittenden- Tribune, Kansas
Betty S. Palmer- Angel’s Camp, California
Patsy A. Caraway- Belfair, Washington

Ten grandchildren, 31 great grandchildren and 14 great great grandchildren.

Funeral services will be held at 10:30 am (MDT) on Wednesday, January 2, 2019 at Price & Sons Funeral Home in Tribune, Kansas with Jeri Smith officiating.

Burial will be in Greeley County Cemetery in Tribune, Kansas.

Friends may call from Noon until 5:00 p.m. Monday and from noon until 8:00 pm Tuesday at Price & Sons Funeral Home in Tribune, Kansas.

Memorials may be given to Greeley County Hospital in care of the funeral home.

Condolences may be sent to the family through the funeral home website at priceandsons.com

Richard Lee (RL) Titus

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Richard Lee (RL) Titus, age 85, passed away on Monday, December 17, 2018 at Wallace County Community Care Center in Sharon Springs, Kansas. Richard was born November 3, 1933 at Lewis, Kansas, the son of Clarence & Mary Francis (Goin) Titus. He had been a lifelong western Kansas resident and was a farmer, stockman as well as a car salesman & implement dealer.

Richard served his country in the United States Coast Guard from 1953 through 1957. He was a 32 Degree Mason holding membership in Anthem Masonic Lodge #0248 in Scott City, Kansas where he had received his 50-year membership pin in 2015.

He married Mary Al Rigor in Kinsley, Kansas in.1954. He married Lou Ann Woolman in 1979 in Garden City, Kansas.

Richards surviving family includes-

Three Children-
Debbie & John Nicholson- Silt, Colorado
Donna & Terry Haines- Leoti, Kansas
Danny & Francy Titus- Garden City, Kansas

A sister-
Lida Mae Mc Cune- Greeley, Colorado

Six grandchildren-
Megan & Charles Malvo- Hutchinson, Kansas
Halee & Alfredo Aranda- Leoti, Kansas
Nicole Roeder- Goodland, Kansas
Morgan & Brock Whitmore- Hays, Kansas
Audrey Titus- Hays, Kansas
Erin & John Witmer- Denver, Colorado

Nine great grandchildren

Numerous nieces and nephews.

His parents, three brothers, Pete, June, Bill and two sisters Bernice and Thelma precede him in death.

Services will be held 11:00 am Saturday, January 5, 2019 at Leoti Cemetery in Leoti, Kansas with Pastor Galen Crippen officiating and military honors provided by the United States Coast Guard.

There will be no calling times.

Memorials may be given to the Wichita County Amusement Association or Anthem Masonic Lodge # 0248 in care of Price & Sons Funeral Home in Leoti, Kansas.

Condolences may be sent to the family through the funeral home website at priceandsons.com

Marilynn Kraisinger

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Marilynn Kraisinger, 66, passed away December 27, 2018 at Providence Medical Center in Kansas City, KS.

She was born September 18, 1952 in Larned, the daughter of Claud and Beryl Lewis Buhrer. She was a Licensed Mental Health Technician for Larned State Hospital.

She was of the Christian faith.

She is survived by four sons; Josh Kraisinger, Jake Kraisinger (Jordanne Lemuz), both of Larned, Eddie (Jamie) Kraisinger, Augusta, Kevin (Angela) Hammeke, Belpre; a daughter, Renee Hammeke – Tyner, Bonner Springs; a sister, Jeanette Berry, Wichita; an aunt, Loretta Rose, Larned; granddaughter Teal Viegra and fourteen other grandchildren; two great grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her parents.

Cremation has taken place and a memorial service will be held 2:00 p.m. on Monday, December 31, 2018 at Beckwith Mortuary Chapel, Larned with Pastor Jarred Smith presiding.

Leta Rosalie (Hines) Sidebottom

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Leta Rosalie (Hines) Sidebottom, age 87, died December 27, 2018 at Rhode Island Suites, Ransom, Kansas. She was born in Norton County Kansas on March 21, 1931 to Leonard Vivian and Janettie (Kendall) Hines. She had three sisters, Laurine, Emily and Wilma and two brothers, Darrell and Rollin.

She graduated Almena High School and was Valedictorian of her class. She married Ernest Keith Sidebottom on February 1, 1953 in Norton, Kansas. He died April 21, 2009. They moved to Winfield, Kansas to run the Drive-In theater. All four sons were born in Winfield, Timothy Keith, William Jessie, Steven Neal and David Lee. They later moved to Topeka, Kansas where Ernie worked at a flour mill and Leta worked as a bookkeeper for Lewis Toyota. After Leta and Ernie retired they moved to the Sidebottom homestead in Ransom, Kansas.

Leta was a member of the Ransom United Methodist Church and was very active. She was also involved in the VFW and the Senior Center. Alzheimer’s made it difficult for her to live alone so she lived her remaining days at the Rhode Island Suites Nursing Home. She is survived by all four sons and their wives, Tim (Marilyn), William (Carmen), Steven (Brenda) and David (Lane). She also leaves behind 10 grandchildren and 6 great grandchildren.

Funeral service will be held at the United Methodist Church, Ransom, on Thursday, January 3, 2019, 10:30 A.M. followed by burial in the Ransom Cemetery. Friends may call on Wednesday from 9:00 A.M. until 9:00 P.M. with the family present from 6-8 P.M. at Fitzgerald Funeral Home, Ness City.

Memorial contributions may be given to Rhode Island Suites or the United Methodist Church both of Ransom.

Lenna R. Berry

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Lenna R. Berry, 76, of Osborne, KS died on Thursday, December 27, 2018, at the Hays Medical Center of Hays, KS.

Lenna was born in Benkelman, NE on May 6, 1942 to the late Elsie (McCallister) & Leonard Gauger.

Lenna worked as a C.N.A. at Parkview Care Center of Osborne, KS.

Lenna is survived by her daughter, April Cameron of Osborne, Ks.; son: Dwight Anderson of Hurst, TX; sisters: Dianna Deiter of Osborne, KS; Patricia Cramer of Wauneta, NE; 3 grandchildren; 4 great-grandchildren.

Click HERE for service details.

Michael E. Pollnow

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On Wednesday, December 26, 2018, Michael E. Pollnow, loving husband, and father of three sons and one daughter, passed away at age 66. Mike was born on September 2, 1952, in Oberlin, KS. He graduated from Decatur County High School in 1970 and attended college at Colby College and Kansas State University where he majored in Animal Science. He was then drafted into the U.S. Army and served in the Colorado National Guard where he rose to the rank of Sergeant. After the Army, Mike served 26 years in various roles in farmers’ cooperatives before retiring from the Frenchman Valley Cooperative in 2014. He was General Manager and President/CEO for a total of 16 years of service at the Farmer’s Elevator Company in Chappell, NE. After retiring, Mike enjoyed driving his Peterbilt semi-truck as an owner/operator of M.P. Logistics, LLC.

Mike loved Jesus Christ and was involved in various ministries with his wife, Sue, and his church congregation, McCook Evangelical Free Church, serving on the security team, as an usher, and as an officer for the Men’s Retreat for several years. Additionally, he was a member of NRA, Gideons International, the American Legion, and held several officer positions in various other organizations. He enjoyed classic cars as well as restoring semi-trucks and tractors. He was an avid collector of Terry Redlin paintings, loved listening to many kinds of music, and enjoyed watching war documentaries or western movies. He was most at home when outdoors planting trees, working in his shop, landscaping and maintaining his property, and helping Sue with the horses. He was awarded the “Nebraska Outstanding Tree Planter” award from the Nebraska Association of Resources Districts in 2001. He loved remodeling homes and had a knack for interior design. He taught the value of hard work to his kids and grandkids and they enjoyed playing a part in some of his many projects.

Mike was a survivor. He was resilient despite multiple occasions where his body tried to give up on him. He endured Lymphoma in his late 20s between 1979-1981. In 2003, he had a double heart bypass and was given only five years to live. Heart ablation surgery was performed in 2015 to correct an arrythmia. In each of these instances, Mike exceeded the odds. He once quipped, “It looks like God still has a plan for me!” Following his recovery from each of these setbacks, you could find him in his shop, yard, or truck, working harder and longer than men half his age.

Mike was preceded in death by his father, Vollie, mother, Elizabeth Susan (Sue), and his father-in-law, Elton Lanka.

Mike is survived by his wife Sue (Lanka) Pollnow, his son Brandon (Kyla) Pollnow, step-daughter Samantha (Chris) Ewing, step-son Owen (Kim) Johnson, and step-son Luke (Maggie) Johnson. He is also survived by his mother-in-law Marian Lanka; his sisters Linda Pollnow, Carol (DeWayne) Knudson, and Janet (Steve) Myers; sisters-in-law Diane (Lee) Wonch and Vanessa (George) Grimsley; and brother-in-law Rex (Beth) Lanka; and their families. His beloved grandchildren are Bryce, Madison, Elizabeth, Silas, Emory, Elias, Owen Harold, and Grace. He also leaves behind numerous nieces and nephews.

A service will be held on Monday, December 31, 2018, at the McCook Evangelical Free Church at 1 PM followed by a procession to the Oberlin Cemetery. A visitation will be held at the church Monday, December 31, 2018 from 11:30 P.M. until service time. Memorials are suggested to Gideons International in lieu of flowers may be sent to 37161 Old Hwy 17, Culbertson, NE 69024.

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