Video by Ricky Kerr

By JAMES BELL
Hays Post

VICTORIA — Almost within throwing distance of Victoria, Kevin and Laura McCarter have restored a destitute homestead first built 112 years ago and, up until recently, the couple had a modern luxury in the old house: drinking water. But after 10 months of research, questions, money and meetings, the couple still can’t drink the water at their home after the Victoria City Council refused to vote on running water service to the home.

“At the last city council meeting, it was supposed to be put to a vote. It never got that far,” Kevin McCarter said.

City Council member Leroy Schmidtberger motioned for a vote during the meeting but there was no second, effectively ending the measure without a vote by the council.

“Numerous people there asked why they wouldn’t allow us to get water and there was silence. They wouldn’t respond to anything,” McCarter said.

Ultimately one council member did give the McCarters an answer – they should have never bought the house, despite the couple having owned the home for 12 years.

“About 12 years ago, we totally restored the house. We’re in the process of getting it on the state and natural registry,” McCarter said.

Part of the restoration efforts to make the home livable was digging water wells and, for more than 10 years, the wells provided the couple what they needed, until something changed recently.

The couple drilled three wells when restoration began, with two producing “great water,” McCarter said, and had been approved by the EPA as safe for consumption.

Ten months ago, however, the couple noticed the water quality had changed. After looking at their commercial grade water-softening system and finding no issues, they sent samples for testing.

Those tests found the water from both wells were full of salts, sulfates and particulate matter, making another well on the property unavailable to the couple.

“I’ve been told by numerous water people, KDHE, Kansas Rural Water Association and others, it’s astronomical how high our numbers are,” McCarter said.

The couple then tried to get on area rural water districts, but were rebuffed due to the homes proximity to Victoria.

That’s when the long odyssey with the city began.

McCarter said the couple first was told the property and the neighboring household would first need annexed into the city, something the couple was willing to do. Then he said they were told only their property would need annexed, later confirmed not to be true.

“The water districts provided a state statue that stated that the city has the right to provide us water even without annexing us in,” McCarter said.

Despite initial actions, the couple still tried to work with the city.

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“We’ve been to numerous meetings with the city. We’ve met all their demands,” McCarter said, referring to a two-page list of requirements provided to them.

“Every time the meetings are thrown off by totally bogus things,” McCarter said. At one point, the couple was told they would have to run a water loop from the football field, only later to find “the state engineer actually signed off saying that wasn’t the case.”

The reasons for the constant push back are still a mystery to the couple but McCarter believes “its seems to be they are trying to drive the cost up, to keep us from doing things.”

McCarter said the Victoria mayor has been supportive to the plight.

“The mayor, Jerry Kanzenbach, has been a big advocate for us from the start. He publicly said if he could bring a garden hose to us he would,” he said.

RELATED: Mayor calls for action on couple’s plight.

In the City of Victoria, however, the mayor is an elected office and has no vote on the council, except in the case of a tie, and cannot second a motion to vote.

“There was nobody apposed to it in the audience. It was confirmed that we had met all their listed criteria,” McCarter said, including inspections for hazardous materials on site. “In the end, after all that, then it was not put to a vote.”

Surprisingly, the challenge faced by the McCarter’s is exclusive to the couple, others within a half mile of the city are currently on the city’s water system that don’t pay city taxes, something the McCarters say they are willing to do.

“One of the city commissioners, on the board, actually grew up in one of the annexed houses that the city paid money to provide water for, they spent almost $30,000 to bring water to them,” McCarter said.

“Her dad is in charge of the water here in town. He lives in the house and she is on the board. It’s a new house, but this has been here 112 years. That should mean something.”

“We just want to be treated fairly, McCarter said. “We want to move on with our lives, continue to restore this place and be a positive part of the community.”

The move to speak publicly didn’t come easy for the McCarters, but after 10 months, the need to have access to clean water drove them to speak out.

“We felt after this meeting it was time to say something,” McCarter said. “We’re not able to use drinking water all. We haven’t used drinking water for a long time and technically not supposed to be using it to shower in, but we do because we have no other option at this point.”

The water, isn’t just affecting the couple, but the property as well.

“Along with the water contamination comes numerous other problems,” McCarter said. “We have an industrial system that’s designed for our water that literally can’t handle it.”

That system recently failed, causing water to flood the basement and one bathroom in the home to become unusable. The couple has also replaced several inline water heaters in recent months and the water is so toxic it kills plants on the property.

“Literally, I can water a tree today and it will be dead tomorrow,” McCarter said. “We planted 50 oak tress, and I watered them in and they are all dead except two.”

After all of the wrangling to get fresh water, McCarter is still hopeful the town he has called home for over a decade will do the right thing so everyone can move forward.

The line needed to get water to the home is “possibly 200 yards at most,” McCarter said.

By JAMES BELL
Hays Post

The long wait is over for Hays residents as the opening for A&W is in sight.

The opening date has been set as Sept. 30, according to the Ellis County Coalition for Economic Development, as work training is near completion for management and staff

Rather than a standalone restaurant, A&W will share space with Long John Silver’s at 3380 Vine, and menus from both chains will be available in the store.

A&W in Hays almost ready for customers

The expansion has been undertaken by owner Eric Estes, owner of Pratt-based Estes Enterprises.

“We’ve been real pleased to work with Eric Estes and his staff and love seeing his expansion and growth in the community,” said Aaron White, executive director of the ECCED.

“They have been a real big asset to the community, and we’re happy to have them here,” White said.

During the opening, the first 100 customers will receive a free A&W collector’s mug.

 

By JAMES BELL
Hays Post

Local roots brought Anthony Luick, president and founder of American Veterans Quest for Peace, to Thomas More Prep-Marian High School Friday – as he graduated from the school, then known as St. Joseph’s Military Academy, in 1965. During his time in Hays, Luick delivered three lectures at the school during Homecoming weekend celebrations, enlightening students of the unintended consequences of having troops fight overseas and how he helps repair emotional wounds left behind for veterans.

“I really like talking to high school and university and high school students because this information isn’t being taught anymore,” he said.

Luick is a semi-retired clinical child psychologist and continues working with students in high school to find career paths as well as working with special-education students in the Tuscon, Ariz., area. Previously, he had 38 years in private practice.

But his most prolific endeavor may be his efforts to heal veterans left with emotional scars from deployments, especially veterans of the Vietnam War who suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder and other invisible scars.

Luick served in the Vietnam War just after graduation St. Joseph’s.

“I think Vietnam and the effects of Vietnam on veterans and family has really been lost,” he said. “The media and the public blamed the soldiers when they came back… It was our government that sent us to war, and we were simply soldiers that carried out our duties.

“Vietnam veterans were never treated the same as we returned,” Luick said.

His work with veterans includes taking them back to the places in Vietnam, helping their memories of the place shift from the dark fog of war, to the peaceful, scenic country Vietnam has become.

During his educational efforts Friday, Luick also pushed students to understand the true effects of war.

“People do not look at the true cost of the war and the intangible traumatic effects that are occurring,” Luick said, and with veterans returning from current deployments, repairing the damage might be even more difficult than in the past.

“I could see the PTSD was worse in Iraq and Afghanistan veterans and the reason is very simple: It’s the multiple tours. There’s no time for healing,” he said. “I think we are averaging many with eight tours now.”

But even with such staggering emotional burdens placed upon soldiers, the average American is greatly detached from current military actions.

“Less than half a percent of the American public have any attachment at all to military that has served in Iraq, Afghanistan and now Syria,” he said, pulling on past experiences to work towards healing current veterans.

“The correlation is rather amazing. … The statistics of the PTSD are almost identical to Vietnam veterans,” he said. “The American public needs to become aware” of the damage soldiers sustain fighting across the globe.

“I think the every citizen needs to get involved and support veterans in whatever way they can,” Luick said, noting Abraham Lincoln first pushed the idea of government support for veterans. “We have a responsibility.”

Despite the seriousness of the message Luick delivered Friday, he was also happy to credit the school as part of the reason he made it through the war to become the healer he is today.

While at SJMS, he served as a Cadet Colonel and Battalion Commander. One year later, Luick was drafted, commissioned as Second Lieutenant and sent to Vietnam from 1968 to 1969.

Many of his classmates also served during the war, with this year marking the 50th anniversary of their graduation.

Luick estimated nearly half of the classmates served in Vietnamn and credits the training from the school for preparing those classmates to serve without a single causality.

“I think it is due to our training we received here,” he said. “I know it saved my life in Vietnam.”

For more information about Luick’s work with veterans, click here, or watch a short video about his work here.

By JAMES BELL
Hays Post

Knoll Clinic, 1106 E. 27th, Hays, is getting ready for some major upgrades in preparation for a big move into a facility currently under construction on 22nd Street, just east of Vine.

While the clinic is relatively new, having started in June of 2009, Dr. Tonya Knoll is no stranger to medical care in Hays – having been a longtime physician at Hays Medical Center – and a lifelong resident.

“I love (Hays). I was born and raised here,” Knoll said. “Born and raised and never leaving.”

The move to the new facility is necessary, according to Knoll, as the clinic has expanded over the years.

“We’ve outgrown this clinic,” Knoll said. “We just need more room in general, so we decided to build a bigger facility.”

During the expansion, a variety of expanded services are being considered.

“We’d like to start setting up where we can do IV and fluids, so they don’t have to go to special nursing or the emergency room,” Knoll said. “We’re also talking to a company right now that does ultrasound and other types of tests.”

Those services could start this month, before the move to the larger facility, but the expansion will help accommodate new services and expanded staff.

The practice recently hired a nurse practitioner who has helped balance Knoll’s workload.

“We do a lot of procedures here. We do allergy testing, and I’m planing on increasing the amount of procedures that are able to be done on site so we don’t have to send people places to get them done,” she said.

“I also do urgent care,” she added, noting the clinic can take walk-in patients with minor emergencies, if necessary.

As far as the building, Knoll, along with her husband, who works as the office manager, are fully invested into the building and hope to make the move in November.

They are using a local contractor for the construction.

“Our builder is amazing, and he is working really hard to keep costs down,” Knoll said.

The construction could prompt other business moves, as well, as the current facility is being looked at by interested parties as Knolls prepare to exit the building, which they own, and the new facility will not be completely occupied by the clinic.

“Its also big enough that we plan on renting space to other physicians or other entities that would work in that building,” Knoll said.

When asked to sum up the clinic, Knoll offered a simple response: “We offer comprehensive health care to people of all ages.”

More information about the clinic can be found on its Facebook page or the clinic’s website.

By James Bell
Hays Post

During Thursday proceedings at the Kansas Board of Regents meeting in Topeka the regents approved for submission to Gov. Sam Brownback, an increase of $28.85 million in the 2017 Unified State Appropriations request. Fort Hays State University would receive nearly $2.2 million of the increase for initiatives to increase retention and graduation rates.

Seven schools’ priorities were included in the request with the largest amount requested for Kansas State University at $5 million for support in Geosciences.

The regents also approved seven other requests for future consideration in fiscal year 2017, none of those requests, however, included FHSU.

Other requests in the appropriations measure include $2 million for the Wichita State University to establish a department of Chemical & Materials Engineering program, $3.5 million for the University of Kansas’ Integrated Science buildings, $3.4 million for merit-based salary increases at KU Medical Center, $500,000 to establish state funding for Emporia State University’s Department of Nursing and $1.5 million to create a School of Transportation at Pittsburg State University.

Supplemental requests include $8.3 million to close the gap in the tiered technical education formula, $2.2 for the excel in CTE initiative, $178,000 for office space and the annual state commitment increase of $20,000 to the Midwestern Higher Education Compact.

By James Bell
Hays Post

“You’re never to old to learn,” said Susan McRae Bickle, owner of Northglen Antiques, 4945 N. General Hays Rd., when asked about using the term car boot sale. Despite how it might sound neither cars nor boots are offered at the monthly flea market that will once again take place Saturday at her shop.

The term comes from the United Kingdom, and Bickle is quick to explain why she uses the term at her shop.

“The car boot sale or boot fairs are a form of market in which private individuals come together to sell household and garden goods,” she said. “Im going with the car boot sale because our specialty is Scottish at Northglen antiques.”

“My hope was to bring something a little bit different to the area by making it like a car boot sale.”

While shopping for goods for the store she often visits flea markets while oversees.

“People pull their cars up, unload their boot (or trunk) and if you’re there early enough you take your torch (or flashlight) as they are unloading,” Bickle said.

The sales have been part of the shop since the move to the new location north of I-70, in an old life-stock sale barn, from the Wiesner building downtown.

“We’ve reopened Northglen Antiques April 1, 2015 and my desire was to offer a place for my vendors that I lost from the main street location, in the old Wiesner building, a place to come bring their stuff to sell,” Bickle said. “So the plan was to do a flea market and/or car boot sale.”

The sale has yet to find a regular schedule, but Bickle has hosted one every month since June and plans on expanding each sale as they are gaining in popularity.

“We’ve had a nice variety of sellers,” she said. But hopes to keep expanding the sale’s offerings.

“I hope even to get some produce out here from the farmers market and maybe some crafters too.”

The sales will continue to be held monthly as weather permits, and will return again in the spring.

The sale will begin at 8 a.m. and run until 1 p.m.

Buyers and sellers can reserve a spot for the sale by calling 785-623-4005.

For more information about the store or the sale visit the shop’s facebook page here.

By James Bell
Hays Post

Roger Marshall, Republican candidate for the Kansas First Congressional District, stopped in Hays late Tuesday afternoon for a meet and greet during a quick tour of the area.

“We’ve been in Scott City, then went to Goodland, then Atwood, then this morning we started off in Colby, then here and we will be finishing up in Salina this evening,” Marshall said.

Despite the small gathering awaiting him at Gella’s Diner & Lb. Brewing Co., Marshall was optimistic about the campaign and found residents have been generally responsive to his message as he listens to district residents.

“I needed to spend some time up there and I feel like we meet a lot of people and got a lot accomplished,” he said. “We’ve been in 52 communities now and I feel like we have a good base in those communities and our relationships with people are growing.”

Even while he’s busy with his campaign, Marshall has not cut back on his duties as a doctor in Great Bend. He has a practice in obstetrics and gynecology.

“I’m still trying to do both,” Marshall said, while spending “three to four days a week,” on the campaign.

With election season quickly approaching,  Marshall has seen fundraising for the campaign pick up, and the incumbent Rep. Tim Huelskamp’s (R-Fowler) campaign apparently has noticed.

“They continue to send people to record me and tape record me everywhere I go, hoping to catch me in a mistake, but that’s not surprising,” Marshall said.

During his tour, one of the key issues residents have brought to the attention of the candidate is education, something Marshall feels can be addressed by giving states more power to control their own education systems.

“My whole philosophy is to push everything down from the federal level down to the state level. I want the state to make the decisions, not the federal government,” Marshall said. “I think there is still a bureaucracy created by the federal government, and that’s what the school superintendents have told me.”

Marshall believes that bureaucracy is hurting the nation’s education system, making it over-complicated and over-regulated.

“Whatever’s complicated, let’s make it simple,” Marshall said.

Despite his desire to see less regulation, he said there are elements of the currently debated Common Core federal standard that may remain useful, but as currently implemented, they are making education less efficient at the local level.

“It’s created more bureaucracy for them to deal with,” Marshall said.

Marshall however, agreed that some of the points of Common Core, including base standards and educational standards, are still important to education.

“I think Common Core establishes minimum levels we should be following.”

More information about Marshall and his campaign is available here.

By JAMES BELL
Hays Post

After the announcement A&W would be returning to Hays after a decades-long absence, close observers have surely noticed the conversion at the Long John Silver’s, 3380 Vine, into a combination of both chains is nearly complete. Property owner Eric Estes announced this weekend the location is expected to open soon.

“Our construction/renovation is finally complete and we are now in the process of hiring and training for the opening launch of the A&W in the end of this month” Estes said in an email. “Management training is being completed in the A&W in Wichita for the Hays team while the A&W corporate training team is scheduled in Hays to assist our grand opening team.”

As part of the opening celebration, Estes said the first 100 guests on opening day will receive a free collectors A&W mug — a company tradition.

The renovations at the location are being handled by local contractors including Jerry Befort of JB Enterprises, Chris Dinkel, who worked as an architect and in construction, Leon’s Plumbing and Heating, Ralph’s Electric, Pepsi Beverages, and C&N Plumbing.

“We are very excited to bring this great 1919 A&W Brand to Hays, Kansas, once again,” Estes said.

By James Bell
Hays Post

At 3:30 a.m. Sunday a fire in a storage unit adjacent to the Hays Municipal Golf Course, 1450 Golf Course Rd., was being contained by at least six fire trucks, along with members of the Hays Police Department, as a fire, caused by an unknown source, ravaged a storage unit north of the course.

While no injuries are being reported at this time, the large blaze had consumed at least one unit in the storage facility and several others had been opened to contain the blaze.

As firefighters reported to the scene large flames were pouring out of the building at the far west side of the multi unit storage facility, but were extinguished quickly although smoke billowed from the building for at least an hour as crews worked to extinguish the fire.

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The Hays Fire Department released the following information about the fire Sunday morning:

At 3:57 AM on Sunday, September 13, 2015, the City of Hays Fire Department, assisted by the Hays Police Department and Ellis County EMS, was dispatched to a building fire at the Fort Hays Municipal Golf Course; 1450 Golf Course Road. On arrival, firefighters found a golf cart storage building with fire spreading throughout. The Ellis County Rural Fire Department was called to assist.

Firefighters used four hose lines to bring the fire under control. Because of the limited water supply at the golf course, a tanker truck from the Rural Fire Department was used to augment the fire hydrant water supply.

The fire was discovered by a passing motorist. The building was heavily damaged by the fire. There were no injuries.

The cause of the fire was accidental but due to the heavy damage, the most probable cause was not determined.

Seven fire trucks and twenty four firefighters responded. The last firefighters left the scene at 5:55 AM.