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Sports Pitching, defense lead SC girls to season opening win Page 17
Volume 24 • Number 35
Thursday, April 6, 2017
Published in Scott City, Ks.
$1 single copy
Area wheat gets a reprieve For most of the past four months, rain gauges have collected more dust than moisture in Scott, Lane and Wichita counties. Not any longer. During a four-day period that began March 31, the area was soaked with upwards of five inches of rainfall. It came just in time for a parched wheat crop coming out of an extremely dry winter. “There was a lot of wheat, especially in the southern part of the county, which was barely
holding on,” says Scott County Extension Agent John Beckman. “While subsoil conditions to the north were a little better, this was a real timely rain in terms of (wheat) development and for those farmers who will be planting corn in the next 10 to 14 days.” In the final three months of 2016, official rainfall for Scott City was just 40/100 of an inch. From October 1 through March 27, only 1.99 inches had been
record. Since March 28, the city and the immediate surrounding area has received 3.2 inches. Widespread Rainfall During the past week, the National Agricultural Statistics Service reports that every county in the state averaged at least one inch of precipitation, with most counties averaging 2-3 inches. During a four-day period, Wichita County received rain-
fall ranging from 2-1/2 to 4-1/2 inches. “It’s been a crop saver,” says Wichita County Extension Agent Allen Baker. “Without it, our wheat would have been done. It had pretty well tapped into the subsoil moisture.” He said a number of farmers had already begun prewatering in preparation for corn planting. In some instances the lack of moisture for such a prolonged (See WHEAT on page eight)
State Kansas House targets $750 million for public education Page 2
Education SCHS preparing for start of ElectroRally state racing series Page 9
Index
bucking the trend
Opinions...................4-7 Calendar...................... 7 Youth/education.......... 9 Legals...................10-11 Deaths....................... 12 Easter services.......... 12 Church services......... 13 Health care...........14-15 Sports...................17-24
Classified ads.......29-31
Deaths
Health Legislature finally reaches a decision on e-cigarette tax Page 14
406 Main, St. Scott City • 620-872-2090 www.scottcountyrecord.com
Agriculture Funding for state water plan runs into roadblock Page 26
Katie Eisenhour’s job is to promote Scott County. As director of the Scott County Development Committee, Eisenhour has had plenty to talk about when it comes to housing, health care and good schools. But, if you really want to get Eisenhour fired up mention the studies which indicate that Scott City - like many other rural
406 Main, St. Scott City • 620-872-2090 www.scottcountyrecord.com
Sports Former SCHS track standout is DII All-American Page 17
Scott County defying forecasts of declining population, school enrollment communities - will be a mere shadow of itself in another 15 or 20 years. Some of the “experts” who try to determine population shifts and enrollment trends aren’t very optimistic about Scott City’s future. One of those studies in particular was cited by architects in a recent meeting with the USD 466 (Scott County) board of education. According
to data compiled by demographers with the University of Kansas, Scott County’s current population of 4,928 will slide dramatically over the next two decades. The study, conducted in 2016, projected the population would be 4,115 by 2020. The population is expected to tumble to 2,646 by 2040. (See TREND on page eight)
City makes change to regs for home-based businesses Regulations regarding homebased businesses in Scott City have been eased a little with the passing of an ordinance at Monday’s city council meeting. Home-based businesses are now allowed to operate out of an “unattached, accessory building.” In the past, these businesses were restricted to operating within the primary residence. The size of the “accessory building” is subject to zoning codes. Whenever a home-based busi-
406 Main, St. Scott City • 620-872-2090 www.scottcountyrecord.com
406 Main, St. Scott City • 620-872-2090 www.scottcountyrecord.com
Edwin Allen Lucille Dirks Marc Mitchell
406 Main, St. Scott City • 620-872-2090 www.scottcountyrecord.com
Farm section.........26-27
A construction crew with Grand Choice Homes shingles the roof on a new home being built in the Eastridge Sub-Division in Scott City. (Record Photo)
ness is established within the city the owners/operators are required to get a permit from City Hall. However, there is no cost for the permit. “This is simply to make the city aware of the business so that we know planning and zoning guidelines are being followed,” explains City Clerk Brenda Davis. The ordinance approved by the council also defines what types of home-based businesses are allowed. In addition, the busi-
ness owner can have only one employee working on the premises who isn’t a resident of the home. As a further restriction on retail businesses, the owner can host “parties” no more than one time per month. It cannot operate as a typical retail business with regular hours and multiple days each week. City Council President Everett Green noted that retail businesses are prohibited in residential areas
406 Main, St. Scott City • 620-872-2090 www.scottcountyrecord.com
Easter ham winners... 19 Business.................... 25
(See HOME-BASED on page two)
Farmer’s market gets city’s approval; info meeting Friday The Scott City Council has given its okay for a farmer’s market to be held within the city. Hester Geurin will be the market manager. She told the council the market will be held the first and third Fridays from 4:00-7:00 p.m. at Patton Park. The opening date is set for May 19. Market participants will be required to pay a $20 fee. An organizational and information meeting for those interested in participating in a farmer’s market will be held Fri., April 7, 7:00 p.m., in the Scott County Library.
The Scott County Record • Page 2 • Thursday, April 6, 2017
House targets $750M for public education Funding hike would be spread over five years The crowd filling the old Supreme Court room at the Kansas Statehouse expected a bit of a showdown Wednesday when the House K-12 Budget Committee discussed how much money to put into public education. In the end, that debate lasted about 10 minutes and the committee stood pat on adding $150 million a year for five years for
a total package of $750 million. The plan aims to satisfy the Kansas Supreme Court, which ruled in early March that the current system is constitutionally inadequate and said without a fix it will shut down public schools June 30. Rep. Melissa Rooker, a moderate Republican from Fairway, isn’t sure $750 million is enough for the court. She tried to add $22 million more in the first year of the plan, but that proposal failed Wednesday on an 8-8 vote. “All in all, I’m happy that we put a five-year escalation of
Home-Based because of the traffic they generate which can be a nuisance to neighbors. “Depending on the location, perhaps a homebased business that operates similar to a retail store isn’t a major problem. Maybe the traffic doesn’t bother the neighbors. “But, that may not be true of another person who operates their business in a similar manner, but in a different location. We have to enforce our ordinances in a way that’s fair for everyone.” That was the same concern expressed by Councilwoman Barb Wilkinson. “How do you say yes to one and no to another?” she wondered. Looking at the list of prohibited uses for in-home businesses, Wilkinson said she was aware of at least one instance where “retail and wholesale sales” was taking place in a residential area. “Who’s responsible for notifying them?” she asked.
funding in place,” Rooker said. “We’ll leave it to the wisdom of the court to decide if that’s too much time to be appropriate or not.” Rep. Larry Campbell of Olathe, chairman of the committee, acknowledged that uncertainty. “No one in this building knows the right number,” he said. “Only those judges across the street know.” The committee didn’t actually approve the bill. Campbell said he wants to wait until the Legislature hires a constitutional lawyer to review the bill
and determine whether it will satisfy the justices. Campbell said he’ll call for a vote when lawmakers return May 1 for their wrap-up session. Rep. Scott Schwab, a conservative Republican from Olathe, didn’t even want to discuss putting money into the plan until a lawyer is on board. Schwab said the committee was “taking a shot in the dark” without having a lawyer comment on funding. Campbell rejected that: “I think we need to have a position for an attorney to look at.” The committee thought it had
(continued from page one)
Home-Based Business Criteria 1. The business shall be conducted entirely within the principal residential building with some exceptions. An unattached building may be used with approval of the zoning administrator and the planning commission/board of zoning appeals. 2. No home occupation shall generate vehicular traffic, noise, parking, sewage or water use that is in excess of what is normal in a residential area. 3. Deliveries to and from the home shall not require the use of vehicles other than parcel post or similar service vehicles. 4. Commercial vehicles greater than one ton capacity shall not be parked at the location. 5. The residential structure shall not be altered so as to change its character or appearance. 6. No mechanical or electrical equipment shall be used, nor any business activity permitted, that creates a nuisance from noise, smell, dust or other disturbance uncharacteristic of a normal residential district. 7. The home occupation shall involve the employment of only the residents of the dwelling and not more than one nonresident. No more than twenty-five percent (25%) of the total square feet of the dwelling shall be used by the home business. 9. The home occupation may display a wall sign not to exceed two square feet, or a yard sign not to exceed three square feet. 10. Home occupations include, but are not limited to, the following example occupations: •Artist, sculptors, authors, photographers and composers. •Computer programming, personal computer data processing and home computer bulletin board services. •Direct sale product distribution (Amway, Avon, Tupperware, etc.) provided parties for the purpose of selling merchandise
or taking orders shall not be held more than once a month, limited to 10 customers per party and held between the hours of 9:00 a.m. and 10:00 p.m. •Dressmakers, seamstresses, and tailors. •Hairdresser/barber provided only one person may conduct such activity. •Home crafts, such as model making, rug weaving, woodworking, ceramics (with a kiln up to six cubic feet) and similar activities, provided that no machinery or equipment shall be used or employed other than that which would customarily be found in the home, including machinery or equipment that would ordinarily be employed in connection with a hobby or avocation not conducted for gain or profit. •Home offices for architects, engineers, lawyers, realtors, insurance agents, brokers, ministers, rabbis, priests, sales representatives, manufacturers’ representatives, home builders, home repair contractors, haulers and similar occupations. •Mail order, not including retail sales from the site. •Music and art teachers or other tutoring services on an individual basis. •Washing and ironing. Prohibited Uses The following uses shall not be used as a home occupation. •Automobile repair service. •Commercial stables, kennels or animal hospitals. •Dancing schools. •Manufacturing of goods. •Professional offices for health care services. •Renting of trailers or equipment. •Restaurants. •Retail or wholesale sales.
City Attorney John istrator Paul Kasselman individuals when they are Shirley said zoning admin- has the task of notifying in violation of city codes.
Area Upcoming Events April 8
Easter egg hunt
Patton Park
April 15
Easter egg hunt
Palmer Park
April 17-21 Spring clean-up May 16
SCES boat regatta
City Pool
June 3
Bluegrass concert/BBQ
Patton Park
Movie in the Park
Patton Park
a lawyer when leaders offered the job to former Sen. Jeff King of Independence. However, King failed to gain enough support in the Legislative Coordinating Council, so leaders are now searching for an attorney. While $750 million in new spending may be enough to satisfy the high court, having it doled out over five years could be a problem. Rooker offered a bill early in the session that would have spent about the same amount of money but over four years.
Power outage leaves county in dark for 2-1/2 hours A failed relay at the Patton substation put most of Scott County in the dark for about 2-1/2 hours on March 30. “We had an equipment failure that caused a circuit switch to open on the Patton sub-station,” said Wheatland Electric spokesman Shawn Powelson. About 3,200 meters in Scott County, located north of Shallow Water, were affected by the power interruption which began at about 8:30 p.m. Local crews had to wait for a part to arrive from Garden City before power could be restored at about 11:00 p.m.
The Scott County Record
Community Living
Rhubarb is great in pie, but it must be done right I know it seems early, but I recently noticed my rhubarb is growing like crazy. It’s back behind my shed and I don’t give it much attention, but it always seems to grow like crazy. I don’t really care for rhubarb, but my husband likes it in pie, so I decided to do some research to find out the best methods of Carol Ann making a rhubarb pie. Crouch One of the reasons Family and I don’t like it in pie is Consumer it seems as if my pies Sciences Agent for come out runny, no Scott County matter what I do to prevent this from happening. I found an article in the “Cooks Illustrated” magazine that says the reason is that the rhubarb breaks down and floods the pie with juice which the berries then absorb. That makes sense to me. Here are a few other suggestions that they have shared when it comes to rhubarb pie. To fix the mushiness of rhubarb, pre -cook the rhubarb in the microwave first to “rid” it of some of the water content. Then the rhubarb stalks will not “blow” out when the water is converted to steam in the pie cooking process. Microwave just slightly with some sugar, which will also help draw out the moisture. About 1-1/2 minutes is what they suggest. Make sure you only microwave the rhubarb, and then add the strawberries. To prevent you strawberries from bloating or puffing up, macerate them first. What this means is to mix your strawberries with some sugar and let them set. The sugar will draw out some of the liquid that then you would drain off before making the pie with them. Or, you can precook your filling on
Births PARENTS OF DAUGHTER Gatz and Megan Graf, Concordia, Mo., announce the birth of their daughter, Braelyn Lea Graf, born March 30, 2017. She weighed 8 lbs., 10 oz. and was 20-1/2 inches long. Braelyn was welcomed home by her brother, Kolten. Maternal grandparents are Mike and Deb Scheuerman, Healy. Paternal grandparents are Lyndon and Debbie Graf, Marlow, Okla. Great-grandmother is Betty Sheuerman, Healy.
Rhubarb Pie
Ingredients 4 cups rhubarb, chopped 2 cups strawberries, sliced 1-1⁄3 cups granulated sugar 1⁄4 cup cornstarch 1 tablespoon lemon juice 1⁄4 teaspoon cinnamon pastry for a double-crust 9-inch pie 1 egg, beaten for glaze and sugar (optional to enhance the looks of the crust, but not necessary) Directions •In a bowl, combine rhubarb, strawberries, sugar, cornstarch, lemon juice and cinnamon. •On lightly floured surface, roll out half of the pastry and line a nine-inch pie plate. •Spoon in filling. •Roll out pastry for top crust; using pastry wheel or knife, cut into 1-inch wide strips. •Brush pastry rim with some of the beaten egg. •Gently weave strips over the pie to form lattice; trim and flute the edge. •Brush lattice with beaten egg. Sprinkle top with sugar if desired. •Bake on a baking sheet with sides in a 425 degree Fahrenheit oven for 15 minutes. Tip: If you do not have a cookie sheet handy, make a drip catcher out of foil paper, larger than the bottom of the pie plate, and place it under the pie plate and up the sides loosely. •Reduce heat to 375 degrees and bake for 50 to 60 minutes longer or until rhubarb is tender, filling thickened, and the crust is golden. Let stand for 15 to 20 minutes before cutting.
the stove top to reduce the liquid. This is what I do with apple pie filling to prevent runny pies. Remember, you can eat the plant’s stalks, but not the leaves due to high levels of oxalic acid. Other uses for rhubarb include; jelly or jam, fruit compote, and any desert. Just don’t eat the leaves.
KIDS o r n e r
Page 3 - Thursday, April 6, 2017
Recipe favorites . . . Sweet and Tart Strawberry Salad
Ingredients
1-1/2 pounds
fresh strawberries,
2-1/2 tablespoons
brown sugar
1 tablespoon
1/4 teaspoon
rinsed and sliced balsamic vinegar
freshly ground black pepper
Directions
In a large bowl, toss berries with sugar and let stand
at room temperature for 10 minutes.
In a small bowl, combine the vinegar and pepper.
Pour over berries and toss to coat. Divide berries among 4 serving bowls and serve.
Monday-Friday April 10-14
in Scott City Majestic Theatre 420 Main • 872-3840
Lunch Tuesday-Friday • 11:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m. Evenings Thursday-Saturday • 5:30-10:00 p.m. Tuesday Open-faced prime rib sandwich with french fries $11.95 Wednesday Pork chop with corn, mashed potatoes and gravy Thursday Spaghetti dinner with side salad Friday Fish and chips
$7.95
$7.95
$6.95
No Membership Required
Looking for a summer job?
1211 Main • 872-3215
5Buck Lunch
• Chili Cheese Dog • Deluxe Cheeseburger • 3 Piece Chicken Strips
Includes Fries, 21 oz. Drink and Small Sundae
Try all 4 Flavors!
Students post your services here!
Free to USD 466 students 7th-12th grades Call 872-2090 and ask to place a Kids Korner ad.
1720 S. Main Scott City 872-5767
Wheeler Kids Mowing • Lawn mowing, trimming
The Broiler
Call Kale 620-214-4130 or Julie 620-214-3231
102 Main Street • 872-5055
Monday - Steak and Velveeta on a hoagie bun $6.00 Tuesday - Tacos Funny Tacos
1304 S. Main • 872-5301
6
$
49
Full Buffet
99¢ $1.50
Wednesday - 2 pc. chicken dinner, includes potato and vegetables $6.25 Thursday - 4 oz. chicken fry dinner, includes potato and vegetables $6.25 Friday - Fish and chips
$6.25
Saturday - Ham and two eggs
$7.95
Sunday Buffet 10:30 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.
1502 S. Main 872-7288
The Scott County Record
Editorial/Opinion
Page 4 - Thursday, April 6, 2017
editorially speaking
Medicaid veto:
Ultracons show disregard for Kansas and its citizens
A bipartisan effort to improve the health care of our citizens and improve the financial health of our state has been struck down by Gov. Sam Brownback’s veto of Medicaid expansion and the failure of the House of Representatives to override that veto. The House voted overwhelmingly (81-44) to override the governor’s veto, but that fell three votes shy of the number needed to send the measure to the Senate for a similar vote. It’s obvious from the initial House and Senate votes and the override attempt that Medicaid expansion has considerable support. Unfortunately, a handful of ultraconservatives continue to cling to their failed ideology rather than represent what’s best for the majority of Kansans and this state. The numbers are undeniable: •82% of Kansans say they are in favor of Medicaid expansion. •About 150,000 low-income Kansans would meet income eligibility guidelines and be eligible for medical care. But facts, as ultraconservatives have proven time and again, don’t matter. Consequently, we have Kansas lawmakers who are more eager to put guns into the hands of 18-year-olds on college campuses and into the hands of patients at state mental hospitals than they are to make sure that more Kansans have access to health care. They defend that level of insanity by declaring, as Rep. Shannon Francis (R-Liberal) did, “It’s not fiscally prudent to add to our deficit.” The Kansas Hospital Association estimates that with Medicaid expansion the state will see a net financial gain of $13.1 million in 2018 and $73 million in 2019. And it also begs the question: how “fiscally prudent” was it to enact a massive tax cut that created a deficit of nearly $1 billion for our state while, at the same time, gutting essential programs and dismantling our infrastructure? Brownback and his core of ultraconservative ideologues have proven to be immovable on a failed tax policy and unmoved by a growing desire to make health care accessible to more Kansans. They have once again failed the test of good judgement and moral character.
Blame the poor:
GOP is ignoring the real able-bodied tax cheats
Mention the words Medicaid expansion and the immediate pushback from conservative Republicans is that it will be abused by those who don’t need the assistance. In a statement criticizing the legislature for its vote to expand Medicaid to more low-income families, Melika Willoughby, Gov. Brownback’s communications director, sounded a familiar theme by describing the program as “ . . . giving handouts to able-bodied adults.” How she arrives at that conclusion is a mystery, as are most rantings by Willoughby. But, it’s long been a familiar tactic by Republicans to discredit programs that target the poor. Ronald Reagan made the same accusation when he referred to “welfare queens” arriving at government offices in Cadillacs to collect their public assistance checks. It’s not as though Reagan had proof such abuses were occurring, or to what degree they occurred, but it played well to his conservative audience. It’s no different with voter fraud. Secretary of State Kris Kobach continues to claim that it’s a threat to our democracy in Kansas and throughout the nation. Yet, in three years, he’s filed just 13 charges of voter fraud in the state. It’s always easy to target the poor because they don’t have well-paid lobbyists protecting their interests and funneling tens of thousands of dollars to lawmakers. Is that to say abuses don’t occur? Of course, not. Some people make it their life’s work to cheat the system - whether it’s welfare or income taxes . . . or military defense contractors who bilk taxpayers of billions of dollars in cost overruns for fighter jets that can’t fly or weapons systems ill-equipped for the kind of conflicts we face in today’s world. But, these tax “cheats” are given cover by lawmakers because they are the so-called “job creators.” Whether it’s welfare queens, able-bodied Medicaid recipients or voter fraud, ultra-conservatives are always in search of the next bogeyman while ignoring the real culprits who are scamming taxpayers for billions of dollars more than a single mom on welfare could even imagine. Government isn’t perfect. Neither, believe it or not, is the private sector. There are plenty of able-bodied people who are stealing millions and billions of tax dollars. And you won’t find them collecting food stamps.
Defining what’s really obscene While debating whether to take out a $330 million payday loan, if they could override the governor’s veto on Medicaid expansion and how much money would need to go into public education to avoid another reprimand from the Supreme Court, our lawmakers in Topeka paused long enough to tackle an issue that’s been on the minds of every Kansan. Of course, we’re talking about pornography. The lesser informed among you might have thought our legislators would tackle issues like job creation, the high cost of college tuition or maybe even the declining Ogallala Aquifer. It’s a good thing you’re not representing us in the House because you’d be completely out of touch with your constituents. Yes, 123 out of the 124 members in the House of Representatives made the courageous decision to pass a resolution that says porn is bad. Not that the lone dissenting vote is getting huge campaign contributions from Hugh Hefner.
Rod Haxton, editor
Rep. John Carmichael (D-Wichita) reminded his colleagues there’s a little thing called the First Amendment (tucked neatly ahead of the Second Amendment) that shouldn’t be ignored. No problem, according to Rep. Chuck Weber (R-Wichita). “There are limits to speech,” he declared. Isn’t that always the case? Free speech is great as long as certain individuals can control the perimeters of what’s being said and who’s saying it. And while ultraconservatives like to lead the battle against government overreach in our lives, they’re willing to make an exception when it comes to sex - sex on the internet, sex education and sexual identification. Notice a theme? It only stands to reason that Weber and his Sex Police should determine
that pornography has joined opioids, meth and diabetes as a public health hazard. “It messes up the wiring in our brains. It changes the way we function,” said Weber, who could have just as easily been referring to a Trump rally. Weber and his fellow ultracons are convinced - call it a gut feeling that pornography leads to more substance abuse, prostitution, criminal violence and divorce. He claims the data is “undeniable” that pornography “correlates to a wide range of negative health outcomes.” His evidence, however, isn’t “undeniable.” America, not surprisingly, is the world’s largest consumer of porn and yet rape figures have fallen from 41.2 cases per 100,000 in 1990 to 25 per 100,000 in 2013. According to Clemson professor Todd Kendall, more internet access to porn has reduced reported rapes. Milton Diamond, a professor at the University of Hawaii, notes that in every region of the country,
researchers have found that as porn has increased in availability, sex crimes have either decreased or not increased. This isn’t meant as an endorsement of porn, nor are we or anyone else promoting porn as a means of reducing crime in our communities. We’re only saying that Weber and like-minded legislators are entitled to their opinions - we’ll focus on the facts. If obscenity is what Weber and fellow lawmakers want to tackle, we’re all for it. But before passing resolutions and claiming the moral high ground, let’s determine what is truly obscene. Let’s begin with a man who brags on tape that because of his celebrity status he can grab women by the private parts and it’s okay. Is that obscene? What happens if this man is elected President of the United States? Does that give the people who voted for him any greater moral standing than the person who buys a Playboy or clicks on a porn website? (See OBSCENE on page six)
Feeding a kid, starving a family Imagine a parent who starves his children and fails to do any number of basic parental duties, but then buys one of his kids a healthy meal. Well, that’s good. But a single act of goodness directed at one child cannot feed an entire starving family. That’s essentially what Trump has done by donating his first paycheck, $78,333, to the National Park Service. Don’t get me wrong. Our national parks sorely need the money, and I believe this might be the very first thing Trump has ever done that I approve of. But consider the bigger picture. The National Park Service is one starving child among many. Trump’s paycheck will go to maintain our nation’s historic
Where to Write
another view by Jill Richardson
battlefields, and they alone are $229 million behind in overdue maintenance. In other words, Trump’s paycheck covered 0.03 percent of their needs for old battlefields alone. He’ll get some praise and a nice tax rebate for his trouble. Meanwhile, his budget proposal advocates cutting some $1.5 billion from the Interior Department, which houses the National Park Service. His budget metaphorically starves other government agencies too, and quite literally starves homebound seniors who rely on Meals on Wheels, which he wants to eliminate.
Gov. Sam Brownback 2nd Floor - State Capitol Topeka, Ks. 66612-1501 (785) 296-3232
Trump’s budget slashes funds for nearly every government department except three - Veteran Affairs, Homeland Security and Defense. The EPA alone loses nearly one-third of its budget if the plan passes Congress. The State, Agriculture, Labor, Justice, Health and Human Services, Commerce, and Education Departments are also big losers. What will go away if these departments are forced to operate on the limited funds allocated by Trump? Will the Department of Agriculture reduce food stamps to hungry families? Or will it cut conservation programs? Or agricultural research? Which of those would you eliminate if you had to choose? And here’s the thing: Although the cuts in these
Sen. Pat Roberts 109 Hart Senate Office Bldg. Washington, D.C. 20510 (202) 224-4774 roberts.senate.gov/email.htm
departments are large in percentage terms, they’re quite small (by government budget terms) in dollars. The EPA’s 31 percent budget cut only saves $2.6 billion. The largest savings come from cuts to Health and Human Services, with a budget reduction of $12.6 billion. That may sound enormous, but it pales in comparison to the massive $54 billion Trump wants to add to our military, which already spends over $600 billion a year. Imagine our nation with one-third less environmental protection. What will those cuts mean? What would you sacrifice? Clean air or clean water? Which pollutants are you willing to live with in the environment? (See FAMILY on page six)
Sen. Jerry Moran 141 Hart Senate Office Bldg. Washington, D.C. 20510 (202) 224-6521 www.moran.senate.gov/public/
The Scott County Record • Page 5 • Thursday, April 6, 2017
Is our quest for the American dream killing us? by Robert Samuelson
It isn’t often that economics raises the most profound questions of human existence, but the recent work of economists Anne Case and Angus Deaton (wife and husband, both of Princeton University) comes close. A few years ago, Case and Deaton reported the startling finding that the death rates of non-Hispanic middle-aged whites had gotten worse - they were dying younger. The results were startling because longer life expectan-
cies have been a reliable indicator of improvement in the human condition. In 1940, U.S. life expectancy at birth was 63 years; by 2010, it was 79 years. The gains reflect medical advances (drugs, less invasive surgery), healthier lifestyles (less smoking) and safer jobs (less physically grueling factory work). These trends were expected to continue. But in a new paper, Case and Deaton confirm and extend their findings. In the new century, mortality - that is, dying - has increased among mid-
The main causes of rising death rates among non-Hispanic whites 50 to 54, men and women, are so-called “deaths of despair” - suicides, drug overdoses and the consequences of heavy drinking. Since 1990, the death rate from these causes for this group has roughly doubled to 80 per 100,000.
dle-aged non-Hispanic whites, mainly those with a high school diploma or less. By contrast, life expectancy is still improving among men and women with a college degree. It’s also increasing among blacks and Hispanics,
whose mortality rates have traditionally exceeded whites’. The conclusions largely corroborate the work of conservative scholar Charles Murray. In a 2012 book - “Coming Apart: The State of White America, 1960-2010” - he argued that the country was splintering along class lines as well as racial and ethnic lines. Like Case and Deaton, he focused on people without a college degree. Some political analysts have attributed President Trump’s victory to support from this angry group. The main causes of rising death rates among non-Hispan-
ic whites 50 to 54, men and women, are so-called “deaths of despair” - suicides, drug overdoses and the consequences of heavy drinking. Since 1990, the death rate from these causes for this group has roughly doubled to 80 per 100,000. These deaths offset mortality gains among children and the elderly, leading to a fall in overall U.S. life expectancy in 2015, Case and Deaton say. Why? That’s the mystery. Trying to answer takes us afield from economics to questions usually left to literature. (See DREAM on page seven)
A radical idea for reforming health care
Trump’s court is in need of a fool
Here’s a radical idea for reframing the health-care debate on the ruins of the GOP’s halfbaked plan: Let’s listen to doctors rather than politicians. And let’s begin with a simple formula offered last week by the National Academy of Medicine: “Better health at lower cost.” Better and cheaper. It’s hard to argue with that prescription. The real health-care crisis in America is about delivery of care, more than the insurance schemes that pay the bills. Costs are continuing to rise, even as public health in America declines. We’re getting less for more. And the GOP’s proposal to starve Obamacare will make that downward spiral worse. Watching President Trump’s “repeal and replace” debacle play out on Capitol Hill drove me to the doctor - specifically, to Dr. Delos “Toby” Cosgrove, head of the Cleveland Clinic. Cosgrove is one of medicine’s visionaries - sought, unsuccessfully, by the Obama and Trump administrations to head the Department of Veterans Affairs. I asked Cosgrove how sensible people should think about health-care reform, now that there’s an opportunity for a fresh start. He offered pragmatic advice that’s neatly condensed by the Academy of Medicine report: Government should help health-care professionals get the incentives right so that they provide better output (care) with fewer inputs (cost). Americans don’t realize just how bad our system is. Healthcare costs are far higher in the United States than in other developed countries, but our health is worse. That’s especially true among older whites without a college education - Trump’s core demographic whose mortality rates are rising alarmingly. Life expectancy is declining in the United States for the first time in nearly 20 years, according to the Journal of the American Medical Association. And the gap in life expectancy between the richest and poorest Americans is 15 years for men and 10 years for women. That’s an appalling trend. The problem certainly isn’t that America doesn’t spend enough. The United States now pays $3.4 trillion annually. But the Academy of Medicine study estimates that 30 percent of this money is wasted on unnecessary services, high prices, inefficient delivery, excess administration and fraud. These problems long predate Obamacare. Health-care expenditures rose as a percentage of GDP from five percent in 1960 to 17.8 percent in 2015. The cost of government health
I’ve finally figured out why the Trump administration is so dysfunctional. The White House needs a fool. Not the kind of fool that some believe already occupies the Oval Office. Rather, the medieval-court kind - clad in motley, with a belled hat and one of those scepters topped with a tiny head (and perhaps tiny hands, for good measure). You know: a court jester, a harlequin, a Shakespeareanstyle clown. Someone to cartwheel around the West Wing, wisecracking and gobsmacking, speaking truth to power without fear of getting sacked. This would be a funnyman who could draw attention to funny business, a fool to call out the boss on his foolishness, a know-it-all know-nothing to tell the president what no one else dare will. Think King Lear’s “all-licensed fool,” except in a Cabinet post. I realize it’s a bit gauche to suggest the administration start talent-scouting clowns when 488 of 533 Senate-confirmed jobs still don’t even have a nominee. But most of those jobs can be filled by Jared Kushner. Normally, there’s no need for a formal fool position in the White House. That’s because most executives are capable of tolerating some degree of dissent, devil’s advocacy and gentle ribbing. In fact, some presidents have cultivated these things. Barack Obama was so keen on making sure his staffers offered honest opinions rather than merely what they thought he wanted to hear that he developed a secret code language with Vice President Joe Biden. When given the signal, Biden would lob provocative ideas in the Situation Room without revealing where Obama stood, as Jonathan Alter has reported. And of course Obama famously picked his rival from a bitter presidential primary for a Cabinet post. George W. Bush fiercely valued loyalty, but he too knew the value of internal debate. He was able to withstand fierce external criticism relatively graciously, as well; recall that he continued showing up to the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner even after being the object of a scorching roast by Stephen Colbert. How does the current administration feel about dissension, disagreement, a “team of rivals”? Well, let’s just say Pepe isn’t the only toad(y) who followed Trump all the way to the White House.
by David Ignatius
(See RADICAL on page six)
Catherine Rampell
Why was Trumpcare a failure? by Jim Hightower
Why? That’s the big question the mass media is asking about the sudden failure of the Republican leaders’ relentless push to demonize and kill Obamacare. After all, the GOP bragged that they now control the legislative game and would quickly knock Obama’s trademark reform out of the park. And their star slugger was on deck - Donald Trump, the self-proclaimed dealmaker extraordinaire! Trump assured his fawning political cronies that selling his “repeal and replace” plan to Congress was no different from selling memberships in his luxury golf resorts. “It’s the same thing,” he insisted. “Really, it is.”
So, why did he fail? Most media speculation has focused on the real estate mogul’s inability to grasp the nuances of legislating. True, but the fundamental cause of the embarrassing public collapse of the Trumpcare plan wasn’t about process, but substance. As a master huckster, Trump could probably sell BS to a feedlot - but this bill was far more repugnant than the stinkiest load of BS. It gutted health care coverage for millions, while also sneaking in nearly a trillion-dollar tax cut for huge corporations and Wall Street speculators. Even some Republican lawmakers gagged on the stench. But the real story is that the American people themselves including many working-class
voters who believed Trump was actually going to help them - got a whiff of the nasty stuff he was peddling. Alerted by grassroots groups like Our Revolution and Indivisible, a mass rebellion erupted in the home districts of Republican congress critters who were selling out the health of America’s workaday majority. As the protests spread and dozens of GOP lawmakers washed their hands of his bill, Trump was exposed as a clueless dealmaker, repeatedly asking his staff: “Is this really a good bill?” Maybe Trump didn’t know what he was selling, but it’s a good thing the rest of us did.
Jim Hightower is a national radio commentator, writer, public speaker and author
Tea Party helping build a bridge to single-payer health insurance
In September 2011, a little over two years into its existence and fresh off some highprofile victories in the midterm elections, the Tea Party hosted its first presidential debate in Tampa, Fla. Late in the evening, CNN moderator Wolf Blitzer asked Congressman Ron Paul, a physician by training, what should happen to a 30-year-old healthy young man who decides to forgo insurance but then becomes catastrophically ill. “Who’s going to pay if he goes into a coma, for example?” Blitzer inquired. Paul rattled off some libertarian bromides about the evils of “welfarism and socialism” and how “freedom is all about taking your own risks.” Unsatisfied, Blitzer drove home the point: “But Congressman, are you saying that society should just let him die?” At which point, the audience burst into applause,
behind the headlines by Richard Kim
as several members roared out “Yeah!” followed by all-around laughter. It was a stunning moment, spiked with instant and unfaked schadenfreude, that caused even Paul to blink back surprise and that overshadowed anything else on the stage that night. The debate’s other newsworthy moment came when thenfront-runner Rick Perry was jeered for defending the HPV vaccine. The GOP’s ignominious withdrawal of the American Health Care Act, backed by President Trump and House Speaker Paul Ryan, brought this insurrectionary moment full circle. Rebranded and purified as the House Freedom Caucus, the Tea Party’s hard-core mem-
bers took Ryan’s already shoddy proposal - including a giant tax cut for the super-wealthy and the end of coverage for some 24 million Americans and extracted concessions that would have made it remarkably worse. The caucus insisted on gutting the requirement that insurance companies offer essential benefits, permitting them to sell junk plans. The resulting monstrosity would have simply allowed millions of sick Americans to die. Moderates bolted, even as the Freedom Caucus refused to budge. And so ended, at least for now, the Republican Party’s abiding obsession with abolishing Obamacare. A complete disaster - but one richly earned. Since the first year of Obama’s presidency, the (See BRIDGE on page six)
The fact that it has become more popular as more people have used and understood it should come as no surprise. The more unexpected turn of events is that significant majorities of Americans - and 41 percent of Republicans in one poll - now support a single-payer plan.
(See FOOL on page six)
The Scott County Record • Page 6 • April 6, 2017
Willful neglect, sabotage is our new health policy by Davis Merritt
Whither the Affordable Care Act now? Consider its contentious history. 2009: Republicans on the bipartisan Senate “Gang of Six” walk away from further negotiation and no Republicans - not one - vote for the ACA. 20l0: ACA takes hold, as does a continuous chant of “repeal” by Republicans. 2014: Republicans gain
control of both houses of Congress. 2015: The “repeal” chant is replaced - except in the most radical segment of the GOP - with “repeal and replace” because it dawns on opponents that the ACA is signing up millions of newly insured people, many of them happy to be insured. 2016: With a Republican president making the federal government wholly GOP,
. . . Trump’s Day One executive order made willful neglect backed by callous cruelty the nation’s new health policy. It enables Price to fulfill the persistent Republican predictions of the ACA’s collapse, depriving millions of Americans of insurance protection they need . . .
the new chants are “Obamacare is in a death spiral” and “repeal and replace on Day One.” 2017: On Day One, Donald Trump injects the first poison into the ACA’s veins: an executive order instructing all agencies to “waive, defer,
grant exemptions from or delay its rules.” 2017: On Day 53, the Congressional Budget Office reports that the health insurance market “would probably be stable in most areas” under either the ACA or the proposed GOP replacement
Obscene Kushner reads up on Middle (continued from page four)
Weber says he’s concerned about women and whether they’re treated with the dignity they deserve. How about a resolution that condemns a wage gap in which women are typically paid 80 cents for every dollar paid to men doing the same work? Weber says pornography is “a public health hazard,” but when given the opportunity to do something that would improve the health of low-income women and children in Kansas, he and 43 other Republicans in the House of Representatives chose to go along with the governor’s veto of Medicaid expansion. You want more examples of obscenity? How about voting tax breaks for the wealthiest Kansans and keeping those tax breaks intact even as the state sinks deeper and deeper into debt? And how obscene is it to protect those tax breaks while stealing money from early-childhood programs, public education, and Medicaid for our elderly while pushing thousands of families off the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program? Weber claims that pornography “negatively impacts the dignity of the human person . . . . We know this . . . on a personal level, within our heart.” We would argue that in order to protect a wealthy minority, and to defend a failed ideology, Weber and fellow ultracons have negatively impacted lowincome individuals and children in this state, the consequences of which we will be living with for years to come. That’s obscene. We know it on a personal level . . . within our heart.
East while waiting for ski lift by Andy Borowitz
BAGHDAD (The Borowitz Report) - Jared Kushner said on Tuesday that he became “incredibly well-informed” on the Middle East by reading up on the region while waiting for the ski lift on a recent trip to Aspen. “There would be times when you’d have to wait five or even ten minutes for the ski lift, and that’s when I’d take out my phone and read up on the Middle East,” he said. “I really got into it.” Kushner said that the Middle East was a “truly fascinating region” because of “all the countries that they have there.” “There is Israel, and Egypt, but there is also Yemen and places like that,” he said. “Sometimes I would start learning about a new country, but then the ski lift would come.”
Radical
programs has increased an astounding 63-fold since 1974, according to the Congressional Budget Office. America’s problem is that it squanders money on the wrong things - expensive procedures and tests rather than preventive care and social programs. A study of premature deaths estimated that just 10 percent were the result of poor medical treatment, while 40 percent came from behavioral issues, such as obesity and alcoholism. Most advanced countries recognize that public health is a shared social responsibility. For every dollar spent on health care in developed economies, an average of $2 is spent on social services, the Academy report notes. For the United States, the social-spending figure is a puny 50 cents. The Academy offers a Rod Haxton can be reached four-point plan for alterat editor@screcord.com
Bridge Republican establishment has allowed its extreme right-wingers to run off the leash. It has amplified their every outburst, fed every conspiracy theory, nurtured every grievance, and enabled every act of hostage-taking. Now, it - and the vandal in chief that the Tea Party helped elect president - is their hostage. In the battles ahead on infrastructure spending, taxation, and the debt ceiling, there’s no reason to believe that the GOP will behave in any less dysfunctional a manner. Given this self-inflict-
Kushner said that, during a meeting on Monday in Baghdad, he “wowed” the Iraqi Prime Minister, Haider al-Abadi, with knowledge that he had gleaned about the nation while waiting for the ski lift. “I told him that Iraq’s main agricultural products include wheat, barley, corn, and rice,” he said. “He seemed really surprised that I would know things like that.” “Something else that’s interesting about the Middle East is there is a country called Jordan,” he added. Kushner’s wife, Ivanka Trump, said that her husband’s ability to learn so much about the Middle East while waiting for the ski lift was “nothing short of amazing.” “Jared is such a quick learner,” Trump said. “He reminds me of Daddy.” Andy Borowitz is a comedian and author
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ing this miserable combination of high cost and poor care. First, providers should be paid for value - for patient outcomes, not for the volume of procedures. Second, incentives should empower people to take better care of themselves through wellness programs or lifestyle changes. Third, better connectivity is needed among doctors, patients and others to encourage data-driven advances. Finally, the Academy argues for community strategies that target the highest-need patients, who are also most costly to treat. The top five percent of spenders, often with multiple ailments brought on by obesity or other chronic conditions, account for 50 percent of total U.S. health outlays. How would such reforms work in practice? Cosgrove cites his expe-
rience at the Cleveland Clinic, which is Ohio’s second-largest employer and provides health insurance for more than 80,000 employees and family members. The Clinic shocked people in 2007 by announcing it wouldn’t hire smokers; since then it has added many incentives for employees to stay fit and be healthy. Sick days have declined 28 percent; the percentage of eligible employees using preventive care for chronic disease has increased from nine percent to 54 percent; employee health costs have fallen 2.2 percent since 2012. Americans should be embarrassed by our system’s performance. It’s time we began working on reforms that actually treat what’s wrong.
plan, so long as the government continues to subsidize low-income policyholders. 2017: On Day 64, repeal and replace dies an ignominious death. Trump predicts once more that the ACA will go away. “ . . . it can’t do well. It’s imploding and soon will explode and it’s not going to be pretty.” 2017: Day 69, Secy. of Health and Human Services Tom Price tells
Fool
a congressional committee, “Fourteen hundred and forty-two times the ACA says ‘the secretary shall’ or ‘the secretary may’” and “we’ll look at every single one” for any opportunity to execute Trump’s poisonous executive order. And so the stage is set not for outright repeal or repeal-and-replace or any effort to fix the system. It’s set for sabotage. (See POLICY on page seven)
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Trump says he doesn’t “mind being criticized,” and claims to have a “very strong, very thick skin.” But let’s be real. He stews for days over silly “Saturday Night Live” jokes. White House aides reportedly scavenge for positive news coverage to show him, to ward off his Twitter tantrums. The one time the White House endorsed a critical take on his policies, it did so by accident - it apparently hadn’t read past my Post colleague Alexandra Petri’s sarcastic headline. This is not merely an issue of being a good sport. His snowflake-like levels of fragility are likely preventing the president from getting good, honest counsel. Mistaking flattery for loyalty - King Lear’s cardinal sin, you’ll recall - Trump has blackballed new or would-be administration members for having expressed any criticism of him in the past. And this inclination to surround oneself with dipping-duck yes-men (and -women), nodding at every harebrained idea, seems to have infected other departments, too. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson has decided not to fill a senior department job that some previous
Family
secretaries have used as a “kind of in-house truthteller,” as my Post colleagues Anne Gearan and Carol Morello reported. In this environment, it’s hard to imagine any White House aide willing to be the bearer of bad news, much less the loyal internal opposition. Of course the White House’s claque of lackeys has lots of leaks; with no internal channel for honest, wellintentioned criticism to flow, it dribbles outward. To be fair, there’s no evidence that such untouchable truth-telling clowns ever existed outside of literature. But with its endorsement of “alternative facts,” this White House has long shown an eagerness to dabble in political fiction. “‘A source says that Donald Trump is a horrible, horrible human being.’ Let ’em say it to my face,” a wounded and disbelieving Trump riffed in a February speech, in one of his many imaginative screeds against anonymous leaks. Hire an unfireable fool, Mr. Trump and you might just get the honest, faceto-face feedback you’re looking for. Catherine Rampell is a columnist at The Washington Post
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A memo from the EPA outlines what the cuts will look like. It’s a long list. Say goodbye to the entire program for climate change, programs on indoor air quality, a program on radiation protection, and so on. Gone with them are jobs. Hundreds of jobs. Didn’t Trump say he was David Ignatius is an associate editor and columnist for going to be “the greatest The Washington Post jobs president“?
In short, when you hear Trump applauded for donating his salary to the Park Service, he did a good thing. But let’s keep it in context. While he’s busy dismantling our government, his donation is barely a drop in the bucket to compensate for what he’s destroying.
Parenthood, the AARP, MoveOn, Our Revolution, the chapters of Indivisible, and others - is amped up to push for its passage. Along the way, Democrats must continue to defend the current law. Trump’s promise to “let Obamacare explode” was not an empty threat. Already he’s appointed two leading saboteurs to head key agencies: Tom Price at the Department of Health and Human Services and Seema Verma at the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.
alternative plan to expand and improve coverage: to extend Medicaid, increase subsidies, elevate insurance standards, and lower Medicare eligibility age to 50, as Senator Jeff Merkley has proposed. Taken together, these steps would grow the public aspects of Obamacare while reducing its reliance on private markets. Obamacare was always designed as a bridge to a single-payer system. Wouldn’t it be amazing if the Tea Party helped make it happen?
Jill Richardson is a freelance columnist and author
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ed gridlock, Democrats may be tempted to let the Republicans implode and live with the status quo. This would be a catastrophic mistake following the uprisings of angry constituents at congressional town halls. The 25-year-olds who raged at the prospect of getting kicked off their parents’ plans, the senior citizens worried about out-of-control costs, the patients anxious about pre-existing conditions, were expressing a much more profound belief: that health care is a fundamental right.
Obamacare falls far short of that mark. The fact that it has become more popular as more people have used and understood it should come as no surprise. The more unexpected turn of events is that significant majorities of Americans - and 41 percent of Republicans in one poll - now support a single-payer plan. To that end, in the coming weeks, Senator Bernie Sanders plans to reintroduce his Medicare for All bill. The citizen coalition to defend Obamacare - backed by Planned
Together, they could radically reduce subsidies to insurance companies, causing more to leave the exchanges; discourage enrollment and weaken enforcement of the individual mandate; undermine Medicaid by allowing states to impose premiums and work requirements; and reinterpret what qualifies as an essential benefit, letting insurance companies offer stingier plans. These changes will come wrapped in a thick fog of bureaucracy. We need to counter each proposed cut with an
Richard Kim is executive editor of The Nation
Policy Here’s how it will happen, unless Trump and Price recover their consciences or congressional Republicans hear enough from back home to fear for their political lives in 2018’s elections. The ACA’s 1,442 “shalls” and “wills” each represent a dial that Price can tweak on his own - at least until he’s taken to court. He cannot unilaterally do away with the core requirement that everyone buy insurance or pay a penalty - the GOP-reviled mandate. Any large health insurance plan requires a mandate because no insurance company can charge reasonable rates if its policyholder base is only sick or elderly people. But Price can dial back how vigorously the mandate is enforced and, as fewer healthy people enroll, more insurance providers will have to drop out. He already has cut back the HHS effort to sell the plan through advertising
(continued from page six)
and other informational campaigns. He can cut back on “essential benefits,” the list of things that all insurers must offer. He can dial back the cost-sharing subsidies offered to low-income participants who are having problems paying their out-of-pocket expenses, driving away even more insurance companies. And the White House can help Price by not opposing in court a challenge by House Republicans that the subsidies are illegal. In short, Trump’s Day One executive order made willful neglect backed by callous cruelty the nation’s new health policy. It enables Price to fulfill the persistent Republican predictions of the ACA’s collapse, depriving millions of Americans of insurance protection they need, and all while blaming the Democrats. Davis Merritt is a Wichita journalist and author. He can be reached at dmerritt9@ cox.net
Dream How do people judge themselves? What do they expect from life? How do they deal with disappointments and setbacks? One theory attributes the spike in deaths of despair to growing income inequality. There would be fewer suicides, drug overdoses and alcohol-related deaths if incomes were distributed more equally, the argument goes. People take out their frustrations and anger by resorting to self-destructive behavior. Although this sounds plausible, Case and Deaton are skeptical. They don’t discount it entirely but think the argument is oversold. They point out that, in many places and among many populations, growing income inequality has not increased death rates. For example, American
The Scott County Record • Page 7 • Thursday, April 6, 2017
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blacks and Hispanics are living longer despite growing economic inequality. In Europe, slow economic growth and more inequality have not led to higher death rates. Instead, Case and Deaton advance a tentative theory - they emphasize tentative - that they call “cumulative deprivation.” The central problem is a “steady deterioration in job opportunities for people with low education.” One setback leads to another. Poor skills result in poor jobs with low pay and spotty security. Workers with lousy jobs are poor marriage candidates; marriage rates decline. Cohabitation thrives, but these relationships often break down. “As a result,” write Case and Deaton, “more
men lose regular contact with their children, which is bad for them, and bad for the children.” To Case and Deaton, these “slow-acting and cumulative social forces” seem the best explanation for the rise in death rates. Because the causes are so deep-seated, they will (at best) “take many years to reverse.” But even if their theory survives scholarly scrutiny, it’s incomplete. It misses the peculiarly American aspect of this story. The proper question may be: Is the American Dream killing us? American culture emphasizes striving for and achieving economic success. In practice, realizing the American Dream is the standard of success, vague though it is. It surely includes home-
ownership, modest financial and job security, and a bright outlook for our children. When striving accomplishes these goals, it strengthens a sense of accomplishment and selfworth. But when the striving falters and fails - when the American Dream becomes unattainable - it’s a judgment on our lives. By our late 40s or 50s, the reckoning is on us. It’s harder to do then what we might have done earlier. We become hostage to unrealized hopes. More Americans are now in this precarious position. Our obsession with the American Dream measures our ambition and anger. Robert Samuelson is a contributing editor of Newsweek, writing about business and economic issues
Trend “The people who are making these projections don’t know Scott City,” insists Eisenhour. “If we were doing nothing as a community it’s possible that we would have the outmigration that some are projecting for 2040 or beyond.” She noted an equally disturbing study from Wichita State University which also shows an outmigration of “catastrophic proportions” in rural Kansas, especially in Western Kansas. “Are some rural communities struggling? Sure they are,” says Eisenhour. “We have our challenges, too, but I believe we’ve proven over the years that we’re not like every other community. We’re doing things which set us apart from a lot of towns.” That’s one reason why Eisenhour has been invited to speak later this month at a Rural Opportunities Conference in Junction. “They want to know the why behind our success. Other eco-devo groups and communities see what we’re doing and they want to learn from that,” she says.
Wheat period has taken its toll. Wheat that was planted early and emerged lacked the moisture to carry it through the late fall and winter. In addition, wheat that was double-cropped after corn has suffered for lack of moisture. “The later planted wheat was still looking fairly good,” Baker says. “If everything plays out well from here on, we could have an average wheat crop, or slightly above average.” On the other hand, if the area sees temperatures in the 90s during May, it will promote disease problems and yields will take a hit. Conditions were similar in the Walnut Creek District which includes Lane County. Much of the area received close to three inches of rainfall while up to five inches was reported north of Ness City. “It’s given us some promise for a decent crop that we didn’t feel a week or so ago,” says Extension Agent Chris Long. Because of the extremely dry conditions last fall, there were a number of fields in which
The Scott County Record • Page 8 • Thursday, April 6, 2017
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Enrollment Climbing That same optimism is shared by the board of education which is planning major upgrades to the district’s facilities. Each of the attendance centers are included in tentative expansion and renovation plans which could fall in the $20 million to $25 million range. The board showed no reservations about moving ahead with those plans when their architects asked about future enrollment trends. “When you look at the large classes in kindergarten and working their way through our school system, there’s nothing to indicate that won’t continue,” said Supt. Jamie Rumford. He said the average class size is currently 74 students and a study by the Kansas Association of School Boards projects the average will increase to 80 students by 2020. “Our intent is to prepare for what we see as continued growth in our district,” Rumford says. “We’re putting together expansion plans that will
accommodate an average apart from other commuof 80 students.” nities over the years is the willingness of taxpayers ‘Returning Home’ to invest in their future, Mayor Dan Goodman emphasizes Eisenhour. feels that a lot of Scott She estimates that since City’s success has to do 2002 the community has with a “tradition of doing invested about $92 milthings the right way and lion in infrastructure. being a town where peoThat includes taxpayer ple like to live.” supported projects such as “People who used to the Scott County Hospital, live here have good mem- Scott Community High ories of Scott City and School Addition and new they want to come back Law Enforcement Center, - either to retire or to raise just to name a few. Also a family,” says Goodman. on that list are a numThat’s why Goodman ber of private investsupports expansion plans ments, including the new in the school district. Catholic Church, Shopko, “We have a lot of young Love’s and a number of people coming back here. other businesses which You need good schools, a good hospital and things have developed along for people to do if you US83 Highway. “This number is critiwant to bring them to cal when we’re talking to Western Kansas,” he says. lawmakers about econom“We’ve been fortunate to have a lot of can-do ic development programs. people in our community They want to know that who get things done,” the we’re investing in ourmayor adds. “Probably selves and not just going our greatest strength is the to them for a handout,” people who live here and Eisenhour says. Again, that investment the pride they have in our also reflects the unique community.” nature of Scott City. “There are commuInvesting in Future One of the big things that has set Scott City
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the wheat didn’t emerge until recently. “Those areas where we didn’t see germination until this spring are going to be down considerably on yields,” Long predicts. “The areas which had a decent stand should continue to fill out and could produce an average crop . . . maybe a little better than average.” While the rainfall has given the wheat a second life, just as important will be continued cool temperatures during what Long describes as a “critical stage in the head development.” “What we don’t need are high temperatures and strong winds. As long as this moisture stays around we’ll see a lot of these thin stands fill in,” Long says. “Later this spring, once we see heads appear, we’ll need more moisture to maintain a healthy flag leaf.” Disease is Spotty More disease issues seem to have occurred in the Lane County area, primarily wheat streak mosaic which is promoted by the presence of volun-
teer wheat. Long says he’s also seen triticum mosaic and High Plains Virus. “We had some wheat streak mosaic showing up last fall. Some fields were wiped out completely, which is very unusual to see that early,” Long notes. Beckman and Baker haven’t reported disease problems on that scale, though they do agree that farmers will need to decide in the near future whether to spray a wheat crop that just a couple of weeks ago they may have been ready to give up on. “Some guys will have to decide whether it’s going to be worth spraying to keep the weeds out,” Beckman says. Because of low wheat prices and anticipated low yields, some farmers have already decided to plant dryland corn. “It’s made a tougher decision than they were facing two or three weeks ago,” Beckman says. “Some guys were ready to give up on their wheat. Now they will have to harvest, and with prices where they are, there’s no money to be made.”
nities who have just as much wealth as we do, but the difference here is that we have people who are willing to invest back into Scott City,” says Goodman. Eisenhour agrees. “It comes down to what you choose to spend your money on,” she says. “We have a lot of people who are very philanthropic and that helps to set us apart. We’re also fortunate to have a very active community foundation which has created more awareness and made it possible for people to give back to the community in so many different ways.” A Positive Attitude The former Chamber director and current ecodevo director also points out that a community’s success is a reflection of the attitude of its citizens. When they believe in their town and speak highly of it, it’s contagious. “Being proud of who you are and where you’re from can go a long way in setting the stage for success,” she says. “People
Happy Birthday Premier Daughter
are telling their kids to come home, that this is a great place to raise your kids. “There was a time when you didn’t see people think about returning to their home town until they were in their 30s, or maybe later. We’re seeing demographics that show a lot of young people in their mid- to early-20s coming back to Scott City. That’s exciting. That shows they have faith in our community.” That also puts even more pressure on the Scott County Development Committee, the Chamber of Commerce and other leaders in the community to make sure there continues to be job and business opportunities available for young people. “We also need to promote the idea that it’s possible to work for a corporate entity somewhere else, but to do it from right here. You can still pursue your career and enjoy the benefits of small-town living. It’s the best of both worlds,” Eisenhour says.
Love
You!
April 5
You put the bling in life!
5
Saturday, April 15 9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. (Weather permiting)
Wichita County Fairgrounds Leoti
Presents
the Touchstone Energy Cooperatives Balloon!
FREE tethered rides! 8:00 a.m
(weather permitting)
Stabel Family Farms Stabel Trucking Kearny County Feeders
Youth/Education
Section B Page 9 Thursday, April 6, 2017
Logan ready to defend title as ElectroRally season gets underway Karlee Logan is more than just a championship ElectroRally driver. The Scott Community High School senior has also helped design and build one of the cars that will be competing in the state championship series which begins Thursday at Beloit. Logan is a two-time defending champion in the solar division and will be seeking her third title when the three-race series gets underway next week. Scott City will host the second race in the series on April 26 and the final race will be held at Olathe on May 6. There are just four team members this year and three cars. Sophomore Chase Cupp is content with being in the pit area as the team mechanic and welder. “The reason I got into this is because this is the closest thing we have to an auto mechanics program. This is a chance for me to work on cars,” says Cupp. The other two team members are rookie drivers Emily Hall, a senior, and Chandler Hornbostel, a junior. The SCHS team had completed the framework for a new car this year. Logan did the design work and also added a feature that had been lack-
ing from previous cars adjustable pedals. In the past, if two drivers were to split time in a vehicle on race day they needed to be of similar stature. The pedals could be adjusted, but it meant taking off the outer shell of the car. Logan has modified that process, putting the pedals on a track that can more easily slide forward or backwards to accommodate the length of the driver. “We had a design last year that didn’t work so well. This should be a lot easier,” says Logan. The fiberglass shell of the vehicle won’t be ready for the opening race and probably won’t be finished this season, says team sponsor Chuck Ellis. Instead, the bottom half of the new vehicle will be wrapped in aluminum and the top half in a hard plastic. The students hope to test drive their vehicle at least once before Thursday’s race, “just to make sure the nuts and bolts don’t fall off,” jokes Ellis. They also have two other cars in their fleet that they will be taking to Beloit. ElectroRally racing is split into two divisions solar and standard. Logan started in the solar class two years ago
ElectroRally racing team member Chase Cupp welds part of the framework for a new vehicle which will see competition for the first time at Beloit on Thursday. (Record Photo)
and decided to remain in she will be in again this that division last year so year. she could defend her state Ellis points out that title. That’s also the class Logan would have won
the standard class last “The driver makes a big year based on the number difference and Karlee’s of laps completed within a pretty good driver,” he an hour. adds.
KASB study shows poverty has negative impact on test scores The Kansas Association of School Boards has released a report that shows poverty has a negative impact on student test scores.
In the study, results of the 2015-16 Kansas State Assessments were compared between students who were eligible for free or reduced-price lunch
and those who paid full price. On the English Language Assessment, 85.31 percent of students paying full price for lunch
performed at grade level or above and 52.17 percent performed at college or career ready. That compared with 71.20 percent of students eligible
for free or reduced-price lunch performing at grade level and 32.24 percent at college or career ready. On the Mathematics Assessment, 81.97 per-
cent of students paying full price performed at grade level or above and 43.91 percent performed at college or career ready. (See SCORES on page 16)
For the Record How does retirement look if you haven’t saved? The Scott County Record
by Nathaniel Sillin
The picture of retirement that many of us have is a post-work period filled with travel and plenty of relaxation. It’s a time when you can finally take up a new hobby, sink into the pile of books and enjoy more time with family and friends.
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The reality is that many haven’t been able to save enough money to enjoy this idealized retirement. What might their retirement look like? You may be working for longer than you expected. Many people undergo a period of “phased retirement” and either reduce their hours or start a new
USD 466 Board of Education Agenda Monday, April 10 • 7:00 p.m. Administration Building • 704 College •Comments from the public •Presentations 1) Todd Richardson: weights/powerlifting •Recognition of persons/delegations present 1) Board representative reports 2) Administration reports •Financials 1) Treasurer’s report 2) Bills payable 3) Transfers, if needed 4) Capital outlay plan •Consent agenda 1) Approve previous minutes 2) Approve credit recovery 3) Approve summer weights •Consider items pulled from consent agenda New business 1) Neighborhood Revitalization Plan 2) Representatives of Gibson, Mancini, Carmi chael and Nelson, to discuss plans for building upgrades/additions 3) Attendance at “Visioning” meeting on April 27 at SCHS commons area 4) KSDE audit report •Executive session 1) Non-elected personnel •Resignations/hires •Executive session (negotiations) •Additions, if any •Adjournment
Public Notice (First published in The Scott County Record, Thurs., March 23, 2017; last published Thurs., April 6, 2017)3t IN THE 25TH JUDICIAL DISTRICT DISTRICT COURT OF SCOTT COUNTY, KANSAS PROBATE DEPARTMENT IN THE MATTER OF THE ESTATES OF LYLE ELBERT CROWELL, a/k/a LYSLE ELBERT CROWELL, DECEASED, & LETHA L. CROWELL, a/k/a LETHA CROWELL, DECEASED Case No. 2017-PR-0004 Title to Real Property Involved NOTICE OF HEARING Pursuant to K.S.A. Chapter 59 THE STATE OF KANSAS TO ALL PERSONS CONCERNED: YOU ARE HEREBY NOTIFIED that a Petition has been filed in this Court by Sandra Lee Crowell, daughter and heir of Lyle Elbert Crowell a/k/a Lysle Elbert Crowell, deceased, praying for determination of descent of a certain mineral interest described in the Petition, together with all personal property and Kansas real estate owned by decedent at the time of death; and that such property and all personal property and Kansas
real estate owned by decedent at the time of death be assigned pursuant to the laws of intestate succession. YOU ARE HEREBY FURTHER NOTIFIED that the Petition also prays in the Estate of Letha L. Crowell a/k/a Letha Crowell, deceased, that the foreign will of Letha L. Crowell be admitted to probate and record without administration; the will be construed; and the property described in the Petition be assigned to the persons entitled thereto in accordance with the terms of the will. You are required to file your written defenses thereto on or before the 18th day of April, 2017, at 11 o’clock a.m. of said day, in such court, in the City of Scott City, Scott County, Kansas, at which time and place such cause will be heard. Should you fail therein, judgment and decree will be entered in due course upon the Petition. Sandra Lee Crowell, Petitioner Cody A. Phillips, #26825 MORRIS, LAING, EVANS, BROCK & KENNEDY, Chartered 300 North Mead, Suite 200 Wichita, KS 67202-2745 (316) 262-2671
part-time job after retiring from a full-time schedule. Even those who don’t have a financial need may find that they value the activity and connections work brings to their lives. Without savings, continuing to work might not be a choice, but you can still look for fulfilling opportunities.
Continuing within the same profession part-time or taking on related consulting work could be the most financially rewarding route, if it’s an option. Alternatives such as customer service positions with a retailer are popular among some retirees. There are also Internetbased jobs that allow you
to work from home. Social Security could be your sole source of income. Retirees who don’t have a pension or savings and stop working may find that Social Security is their only income. Your Social Security benefit depends on when you were born, how much
you’ve paid into the program, when you start to take benefits and whether or not you’re eligible for a government pension. Once you start receiving benefits, you’ll lock in your monthly amount, although it will adjust to account for inflation. (See SAVED on page 11)
House puts an end to debate on campus concealed carry Members of the Kansas House on Tuesday shot down a proposal to debate whether to allow concealed firearms on college campuses. A motion by the chamber’s top Democrat would have forced the House to consider a bill regarding out-of-state concealed carry licenses. However, the real motivation was for critics of the state’s concealed carry law to propose changes during the debate. House members rejected the idea of even bringing up the bill for debate with a 44-81 vote. A 2013 state law says concealed firearms must be allowed in most public buildings, unless there are security measures in place to make sure no one brings guns into the facility. Universities, public
hospitals and some other buildings have a temporary exemption that expires at the end of June. Republican Majority Leader Don Hineman said Tuesday that lawmakers have been working on a compromise and most want to continue those negotiations. “We’re still hopeful we can get to a resolution in that way,” he said. “That would be preferable to a wide-open debate with endless possibilities and a very indeterminate outcome.” Hineman wouldn’t say if the compromise could include universities, hospitals or other facilities like mental health centers. Most moderate-leaning Republicans, including Hineman, joined with conservatives in the vote to deny the debate.
Public Notice (First published in The Scott County Record, Thurs., March 23, 2017; last published Thurs., April 6, 2017)3t IN THE 25TH JUDICIAL DISTRICT DISTRICT COURT OF SCOTT COUNTY, KANSAS PROBATE DEPARTMENT IN THE MATTER OF THE ESTATE OF LAURA I. CROWELL, DECEASED. Case No. 2017-PR-0005 Title to Real Property Involved NOTICE OF HEARING Pursuant to K.S.A. Chapter 59 THE STATE OF KANSAS TO ALL PERSONS CONCERNED: YOU ARE HEREBY NOTIFIED that a Petition has been filed in this Court by Sandra Lee Crowell, in the Estate of Laura I. Crowell, deceased, praying that the foreign will filed with the Petition be admitted to probate and record without administration; the will be construed; and the
property described in the Petition be assigned to the persons entitled thereto in accordance with the terms of the will. You are required to file your written defenses thereto on or before the 18th day of April, 2017, at 11 o’clock a.m. of said day, in such court, in the City of Scott City, Scott County, Kansas, at which time and place such cause will be heard. Should you fail therein, judgment and decree will be entered in due course upon the Petition. Sandra Lee Crowell, Petitioner Cody A. Phillips, #26825 MORRIS, LAING, EVANS, BROCK & KENNEDY, Chartered 300 North Mead, Suite 200 Wichita, KS 67202-2745 (316) 262-2671
“It’s a reflection of their desire to see the process of negotiations play out and see if we can come to an agreement that pretty much everyone is on board with,” Hineman said. The top Democrat in the House, Jim Ward, introduced the motion to bring up the firearms bill and allow debate on concealed carry laws. “There are a lot of people in the state of Kansas that are concerned about gun safety,” Ward said. “We had a perfect opportunity to have a full and vigorous debate, and it was rejected.” The argument that there could be a compromise in the works wasn’t enough to satisfy Ward. He said the best way to forge a compromise would start
with the House taking a stand on the issue. “So when you have a compromise you know what you’re giving up,” Ward said. Critics of the current law say concealed firearms shouldn’t be allowed at places like universities and public hospitals. They say it is unfeasible or very expensive to provide security so guns can continue to be barred. Supporters of the current law say people have constitutional rights to carry guns and defend themselves. They say those rights should extend to places like college campuses, unless there are security measures in place to make sure no one is carrying a firearm. Efforts to amend the law have faltered in House and Senate committees.
Public Notice (First published in The Scott County Record Thurs., March 30, 2017; last published Thurs., April 6, 2017)2t NOTICE OF REQUESTS FOR ZONING VARIANCE Notice is hereby given that the Scott City Planning Commission will hold a special meeting on April 13, 2017, at 7:00 p.m., in the Scott City Council Meeting Room at City Hall, 221 West 5th Street, Scott City, Kansas, to discuss the following agenda items: 1. Application for variance by Jamie Percival to construct a fence taller than allowed by ordinance on: Lot Eight (8), Block Four (4), Case’s Addition to the City of Scott City, Kansas (905 Washington) 2. Application for variance by Daniel F. and Susan R. Carter to allow a lot size less than allowed by ordinance on: North forty feet (40’) of Lot Four (4), Block Seven (7), Case’s Addition to Scott City, Kansas (1003 Myrtle) All interested persons will be given an opportunity to be heard at such hearing. Dated: March 27, 2017 Rodney Hogg, chairman Scott City Planning Commission
Have questions about the Scott Community Foundation? call 872-3790 or e-mail: julie@scottcf.org
Public Notice (Published in The Scott County Record Thurs., April 6, 2017)1t ORDINANCE NO. 1180 AN ORDINANCE AMENDING TITLE TEN, CHAPTER NINE, SECTION SIX OF THE CODIFICATION OF THE CITY RELATING TO HOME OCCUPATIONS AND REPEALING THE EXISTING SECTION. BE IT ORDAINED BY THE GOVERNING BODY OF THE CITY OF SCOTT CITY, KANSAS, SECTION I: Title 10, Chapter 9, Section 6 is hereby amended to read as follows: 10-9-6: HOME OCCUPATIONS: A. Purpose and Intent: The purpose of this section is to permit and regulate the conduct of home occupations as an accessory use in a residence, whether owner or renter occupied, and to ensure that such home occupations are compatible with the neighborhoods in which they are located. The intent is to protect residential areas from adverse effects of activities associated with home occupations, while allowing residents of the community to utilize their homes as a workplace and source of livelihood under certain conditions. B. GENERAL PROVISIONS AND REVIEW CRITERIA; 1. Location; Secondary Use: The home occupation shall be conducted entirely within the principal residential building, except as provided by this section and such use must be clearly incidental and secondary to the residential use of the building. The home occupation may be conducted in an unattached accessory building with prior approval of the zoning administrator and the planning commission/board of zoning appeals and provided all other requirements of this section are complied with. 2. Adverse Impact: No home occupation shall generate vehicular traffic, noise, parking, sewage or water use that is in excess of what is normal in a residential district. 3. Traffic Generation: Deliveries to and from the home occupation shall not require the use of vehicles other than parcel post or similar service vehicles. 4. Commercial Vehicles: Commercial vehicles greater than one ton capacity shall not be parked at the location of the home occupation operator, including the public right of way or private driveway. 5. Alteration of Principal Structure: Residential structure shall not be altered so as to change their character or appearance. 6. Nuisance: No mechanical or electrical equipment shall be used, nor any business activity permitted, that creates a nuisance from noise, smell, dust or other disturbance uncharacteristic of a normal residential district. 7. Outdoor Storage: No outdoor storage of equipment or materials used in the home occupation shall be permitted. 8. Employees and Space: The home occupation shall be conducted by and involve the employment of only the residents of the dwelling unit and not more than one nonresident. No more than twenty-five percent (25%) of the total square feet of the dwelling shall be used by the home occupation.
Saved
9. Signage: The home occupation may display a wall sign not to exceed two Therefore, decid(2) square feet, or a yard sign not to exceed three (3) ing when to start taking square feet. Social Security benefits is 10. Permit Required: A important, as it can impact permit to establish a home your income for the rest occupation is required. C. Permitted Uses: Home of your life. Claiming benefits once occupations include, but are not limited to, the following you reach your full or example occupations: normal retirement age, Artist, sculptors, authors, photographers and compos- 65 to 67 depending on when you were born, is ers. Computer programming, when you’ll receive 100 personal computer data pro- percent of your monthly cessing and home computer Social Security benefit. bulletin board services. Direct sale product dis- Taking benefits early can tribution (Amway, Avon, lock in a lower rate, while Tupperware, etc.) provided waiting can increase the parties for the purpose of monthly benefit. selling merchandise or takIn 2017, if you’re eliing orders shall not be held gible for the maximum more than once a month, limited to ten (10) customers benefit and start claiming per party and held between at 62, you’ll receive about the hours of nine o’clock $2,153 per month. If you (9:00) a.m. and ten o’clock waited until you were 70 (10:00) p.m. Dressmakers, seamstresses, and tailors. Hairdresser/barber proPublic vided only one person may conduct such activity. (First published in The Scott Home crafts, such as County Record, Thurs., model making, rug weav- March 30, 2017; last pubing, woodworking, ceram- lished Thurs., April 13, ics (with a kiln up to 6 cubic 2017)3t feet) and similar activities, IN THE DISTRICT COURT provided that no machinery OF SCOTT COUNTY, KANSAS or equipment shall be used Walter L. Christy and Rex W. or employed other than that Grothusen, Co-Trustees of which would customarily be the Walter L. Christy Trust found in the home, includ- Dated July 21, 2014; Earl L. ing machinery or equipment Rippetoe; Dennis McGlockthat would ordinarily be em- lin and Lora Lee Nicholson, ployed in connection with a PLAINTIFFS hobby or avocation not con- vs ducted for gain or profit. Ida M. Lewis, deceased, also Home offices for archi- known as Ida M. Christy, tects, engineers, lawyers, formerly, Trustee of the Ida realtors, insurance agents, M. Lewis Trust dated June brokers, ministers, rabbis, 8, 1978, and the unknown priests, sales representa- heirs, executors, admintives, manufacturers’ repre- istrators, devisees, trustsentatives, home builders, ees, creditors and assigns home repair contractors, of such of the defendants haulers and similar occupa- as may be deceased; the tions. unknown spouses of each Mail order, not including of the defendants; the unretail sales from the site. known officers, successors, Music and art teachers or trustees, creditors, and asother tutoring services on an signs of such defendants individual basis. as are existing, dissolved or Washing and ironing. dormant corporations; the “Work at home” activities unknown executors, adminwhere employees of a busi- istrators, devisees, trustees, ness, located at another lo- creditors, successors and cation, perform work for the assigns of such defendants business in their own resias are or were partners or dence, provided all physical in partnership; the unknown contact between the busiguardians, conservators and ness and the employee octrustees of such or defencurs at the place of business dants who are minors or are and not the residence, other in any wise under legal disthan the initial installation ability; the unknown heirs, of any equipment or other executors, administrators, work facilities. The work acdevisees, trustees, creditors tivities of the employee shall conform to all other require- or assigns of any person alleged to be deceased and ments of this section. D. Prohibited Uses: The made defendants, following uses shall not be DEFENDANTS CASE NO. 2017-CV-05 used as a home occupation. NOTICE OF SUIT Automobile repair service. The State of Kansas Commercial stables, kento the defendants above nels or animal hospitals. named designated and all Dancing schools. other persons who are or Manufacturing of goods. Professional offices for may be concerned: You are hereby notified that healthcare services. Renting of trailers or a Petition has been filed in the District Court of Scott equipment. County, Kansas, by Walter Restaurants. Retail or wholesale sales. L. Christy and Rex W. GroSECTION II: The existing thusen, Co-Trustees of the Title 10, Chapter 9, Section Walter L. Christy Trust Dated 6 of the Codification of Ordi- July 21, 2014; Earl L. Rippenances of Scott City, Kansas toe; Dennis McGlocklin and Lora Lee Nicholson, Plainis repealed. SECTION IV: This ordi- tiffs, praying for an order nance shall take effect and quieting title to real estate be of force from and after its described as: passage and publication in Logan County, Kansas, to wit: the official city paper. All of Section Two (2), Passed by the Council Township Fifteen (15) this 3rd day of April, 2017. South, Range Thirty-six City of Scott City, Kansas (36) West of the 6th P.M.; Dan Goodman, Mayor The South Half (S/2) and ATTEST: the Northeast Quarter Brenda Davis, MMC (NE/4) of Section Three City Clerk
Distribute funds to 249 crime victims
The Kansas Crime Victims Compensation Board awarded financial assistance to 249 victims of crime at its March meeting. Awards were made in 124 new cases. Additional expenses were paid in 125 previously submitted cases. The awards totaled $200,714.08. The Division of Crime Victims Compensation in the Kansas Attorney General’s office administers the Crime Victims Compensation program, which was established in 1978 to help victims of violent crime pay for their unexpected expenses such as medical treatment, mental health counseling, lost wages, dependent support and funeral costs. The state’s three-member Crime Victims Compensation Board determines claims that are eligible for payment and decides how much money will be awarded to each claimant. Awards are limited to a maximum of $25,000.
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(continued from page 10)
this year, you’ll receive about $3,538 per month. You can use the SSA’s Retirement Age Calculator to see how taking Social Security early, or waiting, can affect your benefit. You might have to downsize and make lifestyle changes. Moving to an area that has a significantly lower cost of living could mean the difference between living with financial challenges and having a comfortable retirement. Some people look for less expensive areas close to family members or even an expat community in a different country. If you decide to stay in the same area, a small-
Notice (3), Township Fifteen (15) South, Range Thirty-six (36) West of the 6th P.M.; The North One-half (N/2) of the Northwest Quarter (NW/4), and the Southwest Quarter (SW/4) of the Northwest Quarter (NW/4) of Section Ten (10), Township Fifteen (15) South, Range (36) West of the 6th P.M.; The Northwest Quarter (NW/4) of the Southwest Quarter (SW/4) and the East One Half (E/2) of Section Ten (10), Township Fifteen (15) South, Range Thirtysix (36) West of the 6th P.M.; and the Northeast Quarter (NE/4) of Section Thirty-five (35), Township Fourteen (14), Range Thirty-two (32) West of the Sixth (6th) P.M.; and, Scott County, Kansas, to wit: The South Half (S/2) of Section Twenty-nine (29), Township Sixteen (16) South, Range Thirty-four (34) West of the 6th P.M.; The East Half (E/2) of Section Twenty-two (22), Township Sixteen (16) South, Range Thirty-two (32) West of the 6th P.M.; and the Southwest Quarter (SW/4) of Section Six (6), Township (19) South, Range Thirty-one (31), West of the Sixth (6th) P.M.; and, Wichita County, Kansas, to wit: The Northwest Quarter (NW/4) of Section Three (3), Township Nineteen (19) South, Range Thirtyfive (35) West of the 6th P.M. and the Northeast Quarter (NE/4) of Section Four (4), Township Nineteen (19) South, Range Thirty-five (35) West of the Sixth (6th) P.M. and in the alternative an order partitioning said real estate and for judgment against Defendants for partition of any interest said Defendants may have therein. You are hereby required to plead to said Petition on or before May 15, 2017, in said Court at the Courthouse at the City of Scott City in the County of Scott, Kansas. Should you fail therein, judgment and decree will be entered in due course upon said Petition. Keen K. Brantley #7160 WALLACE, BRANTLEY & SHIRLEY 325 Main Street - P.O. Box 605 Scott City, Kansas, 67871 (620) 872-2161 Attorney for Plaintiff
er home can lower your property taxes and maintenance costs. You can also take any profits from the sale of a larger home and pay off debts or build an investment portfolio. Housing aside, there are many ways to downsize your lifestyle, such as selling a vehicle, shopping at secondhand stores and cutting back on monthly entertainment expenses. One helpful part of aging is you’ll be eligible for all sorts of new discounts and benefits. Look online for lists of stores or organizations that offer senior discounts. You can use the National Council on Aging BenefitsCheckUp to see
which benefits you might be eligible for based on your ZIP code and personal information. Bottom line: Many aging Americans don’t have enough savings to fund their lifestyle through retirement. Deciding when to take Social Security benefits and where to live are two of the most pressing questions on the horizon. No matter what you choose, you may need to supplement your income with part-time work and look for ways to significantly lower your cost of living to enjoy retirement. Nathaniel Sillin directs Visa’s financial education programs
Public Notice (Published in The Scott County Record Thurs., April 6, 2017)1t ORDINANCE NO. 1181 AN ORDINANCE AMENDING TITLE THREE, CHAPTER THREE, SECTION THREE OF THE CODIFICATION OF SCOTT CITY, KANSAS RELATING TO TEMPORAY BUSINESS LICENSES. BE IT ORDAINED BY THE GOVERNING BODY OF THE CITY OF SCOTT CITY, KANSAS, SECTION I: Title 3, Chapter 3, Section 3 is hereby amended to read as follows: 3-3-3 EXEMPTION: The following activities, businesses, organizations or persons shall be exempt from the licensing provisions of this chapter: A. Activities or businesses where a permit has been obtained, if applicable, or where such activity or business is sponsored in part by the city, civic organization, not for profit organization, charitable organizations, public or private schools, or educational institutions. B. Auctions regulated by this code or state statute. C. Garage sales at private residences. D. Sales of farm products, value-added farm products, nursery products, foliage plants and handcrafted items including, but not limited to, jewelry, soaps, silk flowers and quilts at an organized Farmers Market at specified places and times approved by the governing body provided: 1. Farm products include but are not limited to agricultural products such as fresh fruits, vegetables, mushrooms, herbs, nuts, eggs, honey or other bee products, flowers and nursery stock, all subject to the licensing requirements contained in section D 6. 2. Value-added Farm products are products made by a Producer from a Farm Product, including but not limited to some baked goods, jams and jellies, or other prepared foods, all subject to the licensing requirements contained in section D 6. 3. It is conducted under the supervision of a Market Manager, who is a person or organization that manages the operation of the Farmers’ Market, assigns space to vendors, directs the maintenance of the premises and records and performs related duties as required. 4. All vendors must comply with the Market Manag-
ers regulations. 5. Food vendors shall comply with all Regulations and Best Practices contained in Food Safety for Kansas Farmers Market Vendors published by Kansas State University Agricultural Experiment Station and Cooperative Extension Service, as revised from time to time, and obtain and exhibit all licenses required by the Kansas Department of Agriculture Food Safety and Lodging Program. 6. All vendors shall submit to the Market Manager proof of a current sales tax license from the state of Kansas or proof of exempt status from state sales tax. E. Food service establishments, except as noted herein, that are otherwise regulated and inspected by the Kansas Department of Health and Environment, notwithstanding the foregoing, this exemption specifically excludes mobile restaurants, mobile food service units, street food vendors, or push food carts as included in the definition of food service establishments in Kansas Statutes Annotated 36501. F. Sales at wholesale to retail merchants by commercial travelers or selling agents in the usual course of business. G. Sales to the owner or legal occupant of residential premises at such premises pursuant to prior invitation by the owner or legal occupant. Such invitation shall have been issued by the owner or legal occupant at least twenty four (24) hours prior to the sale and the invitation shall not have been solicited in person, but by other means such as telephone, mailing, e-mail, internet, or other advertisement. SECTION II: The existing Title 3, Chapter 3, Section 3 and Title 10, Chapter 10, Section 1 of the Codification of Ordinances of Scott City, Kansas are repealed. SECTION III: This ordinance shall take effect and be of force from and after its passage and publication in the official city paper. SECTION IV: This ordinance shall take effect and be of force from and after its passage and publication in the official city paper. Passed by the Council this 3rd day of April, 2017. City of Scott City, Kansas Dan Goodman, Mayor ATTEST: Brenda Davis, MMC City Clerk
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Deaths Marc M. Mitchell Marc M. Mitchell died March 31, 2017, in Lawrence. H e was born June 30, 1952, in Garden City, Ks., to Lewis and D o n i s Marc Mitchell Mitchell, Scott City, Ks. Marc attended Scott Community High School and graduated in 1970. He enrolled at the University of Kansas later that year and joined the Delta Chi fraternity where he served as rush chairman his sophomore year. Marc graduated from KU with a degree in business administration and joined GTE in their management training program. He eventually settled in Durham, N.C. Marc left GTE and formed his own consulting company and spent the next several years providing financial advice to small and start-up companies. Around 2004, he was diagnosed with inclusion body myositis, an autoimmune disease that began weakening his muscles and eventually confined him to a wheelchair. Marc was smart, intellectually curious, and looked at things from many perspectives. He loved a lively discussion and through social media he connected with a wide network of friends and family, shar-
Edwin L. Allen ing his knowledge, humor, compassion and love with all. He never complained and his disease did not define him. Marc loved the University of Kansas and Jayhawk basketball. He followed news of the team, kept us updated on the newest recruit and remembered all the details of every season. March Madness will not be the same without Marc. He was preceded in death by his father. Survivors include, his mother, Donis, Providence, R.I., and Scott City; his sisters, Meredith Mitchell, Melanie Mitchell Key, and husband, Stephen, and Marci Mitchell Duys, and husband, John; a niece, Catie Duys; former wife, Marilyn Metzler; many aunts, uncles and cousins; and his dear friend Amy Kessler. Marc was cremated and a remembrance gathering was held in Lawrence on April 5 at Warren-McElwain Mortuary. A memorial service will be held at a later date in Scott City. Memorial contributions may be made to Midland Care Connection which provided Marc’s wonderful caregivers and other services, or to The Myositis Foundation in care of Warren-McElwain Mortuary, 120 W. 13th Street, Lawrence, Ks. 66044-3402.
Edwin L. Allen, 94, died April 4, 2017, at Park Lane Nursing Home, Scott City. H e was born on Feb. 2, 1923, in Scott C o u n t y, to Albert A l l i s o n Edwin Allen and Ethyl Gertrude (Miller) Allen. A lifetime resident of Scott County, he was a farmer. He was a member of the Prairie View Church of the Brethren, Friend. On April 9, 1944, he married Maurine Snyder in Scott City. She died Oct. 25, 1975. On July 17, 1976, he married Evelyn Neal in Scott City. She died June 22, 1993. Edwin’s last companion of 17 years, Elvira Billinger, died Jan. 22, 2017. Survivors include: two sons, Dennis Allen, and
Lucille D. Dirks wife, Elaine, Scott City, and Mike Allen, and wife, Linda, Garden City; three daughters, Darlene Bontrager, and husband, Barry, North Newton, Patti Quakenbush, and husband, Greg, Valencia, Calif., and Jana Miller, and husband, David, Hays; 13 grandchildren, 26 greatgrandchildren and one great-great-grandchild. He was preceded in death by his parents, two wives, companion, twin infant daughters, one brother and one sister. Funeral service will be held Fri., April 7, 10:30 a.m., at Price and Sons Funeral Home, 410 S. Washington, Scott City, with Dr. Greg Quakenbush presiding. Interment will be in the Scott County Cemetery. Memorials, in lieu of flowers, may be given to Park Lane Nursing Home in care of the funeral home, Box 591, Scott City, Ks. 67871.
Lucille D. Dirks, 87, died April 1, 2017, at the Scott County Hospital, Scott City. S h e was born Dec. 8, 1929, in Cimarron, to Enoch D. and Lucille Dirks Suzanna (Ratzlaff) Unruh. A resident of Scott City since 1945, when she moved from Fredonia, she was a certified nursing assistant (CNA) and EKG technician. She was a member of the Scott Mennonite Church and Garden Club, both of Scott City. On March 20, 1949, she married Marvin L. Dirks in Scott City. He
died April 6, 2001. Survivors include, one son, Dale Dirks, and wife, Vicki, Scott City; one sister, Vivian Dirks, and husband, Floyd, Scott City; and one grandson. She was preceded in death by her parents, husband and two infant sons, Terry and Tommy Dirks. Funeral service was held April 6 at the Scott Mennonite Church, Scott City, with Richard Koehn, Daniel Koehn and Charles Nightengale officiating. Memorials, in lieu of flowers, may be given to Park Lane Nursing Home, Scott County EMTs or the Scott County Hospital in Care of Price and Sons Funeral Home, Box 553, 401 S. Washington St., Scott City, Ks. 67871.
Pastime at Park Lane Church services were led by the Community Christian Church. Monday afternoon’s pitch and domino game helpers were Madeline Murphy, Lynda Burnett, Bert Lucas, Gary Goodman and Mandy Barnett. Some residents played Wii bowling on Monday evening. Tuesday morning Bible study was led by Pastor Bob Artz with Doris Riner playing the piano. Tuesday evening Bible study was led by Russel and Mary Webster. Wednesday morning Bible study was led by Rev. Warren Prochnow.
Moomaw and Co. entertain
Max Moomaw and Company played a variety of folk songs and country hymns on Thursday afternoon. Band members also included Jo Fouse and Maxine Wilson. Bingo volunteers on Wednesday were Madeline Murphy, Barbara Dickhut, Mary Lou Oeser and Mandy Barnett. Denton and Karen Berry played cards with some of the residents Wednesday evening. Chet Quance sang a variety of Irish and country songs on Friday afternoon.
Sr. Citizen Lunch Menu Week of April 10-14 Monday: Grilled chicken breast, baked potato, green beans, whole wheat roll, strawberries and bananas. Tuesday: Baked ziti with meat sauce, buttered broccoli, tossed salad, breadstick, applesauce. Wednesday: Chef salad with grilled chicken, salad dressing, baby carrots, whole wheat roll, poached peaches. Thursday: Barbeque pulled pork, baked beans, confetti cole slaw, diet emerald pear gelatin dessert. Friday: Tilapia with lemon butter, garden blend rice, zucchini and yellow squash, whole wheat roll, blueberry cheesecake bar. meals are $3.50 • call 872-3501
Rev. Warren Prochnow led Lutheran services on Friday afternoon. Lucille Dirks, who had been a resident of Park Lane for the past three years, passed away on April 1. Park Lane would like to thank the family of Linda Helmers for the flowers brought in her memory. Dona Dee Carpenter was visited by Roger and Jackie John.
The Scott County Record • Page 13 • Thursday, April 6, 2017
Boots Haxton had as her visitors last week Nancy Holt and Rod and Kathy Haxton. Delores Brooks was visited by Nancy Holt, Fritzie Rauch, Cheryl Perry and Charlie Brooks. Corrine Dean was visited by Nancy Holt, Dianna Howard, Aaron and Mandy Kropp and Carol Ellis. Yvonne Spangler was visited by Yvette Mills. Darlene Richman had a birthday last week. She received a card and a gift from James Still, flowers from Phoebe Unruh, balloons and a gift from Park Lane and a card from Marilyn Watters.
by Jason Storm
Louise Crist was visited by Nancy Holt, LeAnn Kuntz, Jean Burgess and Melba Trout. Cecile Billings was visited by Ann Beaton, Delinda Dunagan and Justin Singley. Hugh McDaniel was visited by Ron Hess, Mark McDaniel, Faye Hoover, Karen Roberts and Berniece McDaniel. Doris Riner was visited by Trudy Eikenberry, Bill and Sue Rose, Mary Lou Oeser and Karen Harms. LaVera King was visited by Velda Riddiough, Marsha Holloway, Don and Marlo Wiechman, Carol Latham, Shellie Carter, Tatum Wells and Gloria Gough.
Mike Leach and James Still were visited by Rev. Don Martin. Cloide Boyd was visited by Dick and Jackie Boyd. Clifford Dearden was visited by Kirk and Janet Ottoway. Lorena Turley was visited by Tammera Terry, Mike and Tracy Hess, Neta Wheeler, Rex Turley, Tami Bloedorn, Mary Lou Oeser, Karen Harms and Mary Ann Leatherman. Lowell Rudolph was visited by Chuck Kirk, Jeff Buehler, Tom and Kathy Moore, Jon and LuAnn Buehler and Rev. Don Martin. Jim Jefferies was visited by Libbie Joles.
Attend the Church of Your Choice
Refuse to be Silenced
“Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to Jesus, ‘Teacher, rebuke your disciples!’ ‘I tell you,’ he replied, ‘if they keep quiet, the stones will cry out.’” Luke 39,40 NIV * * * As we celebrate Palm Sunday this week, we are reminded of how Jesus entered Jerusalem at the beginning of the week of Passover. This happened in accordance with the prophecies of Isaiah and Zechariah. * * * “Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout, Daughter of Jerusalem! See your King comes to you, righteous and having salvation, gentle and riding on a donkey, a colt, the foal of a donkey.” Zechariah 9:9 * * * Followers of Jesus, who had seen the miracles he had performed, celebrated loudly as he entered the city, laying palms and their cloaks on the street before him. This offended the Pharisees, the religious leader-
ship, and they demanded Jesus tell his followers to quiet down. Jesus’ response was to inform them that if his followers were squelched, the very rocks would cry out in praise! It seems in this day and age, some are offended by the message of the cross, the salvation brought by Jesus’ death and resurrection. Christians are being told to quiet down and don’t say that Jesus is the only way to the Father. We, as Christians, need to refuse to be silenced! We are instructed by Jesus to go and make disciples of all nations. We are called to proclaim the name of Jesus wherever we go. We are still to be inspired to shout his praises for what has been done for us. Besides, why let the rocks have all the fun, because all of nature will cry out in praise to him if we are silent. Attend the church of your choice this Palm Sunday and do your part to bring praise to the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit!
Pastor Jon Tuttle Prairie View Church of the Brethren, Friend
Scott City Assembly of God
Prairie View Church of the Brethren
1615 South Main - Scott City - 872-2200 Ed Sanderson, Senior Pastor 9:00 a.m. - Pre-Service Prayer 10:00 a.m. - Sunday Worship Service and Children’s Church Wednesday: 7:00 p.m. - Bible Study and Prayer
4855 Finney-Scott Rd. - Scott City - 276-6481 Pastor Jon Tuttle Sunday School: 10:00 a.m. Morning Worship: 11:00 a.m. Men’s Fellowship • Tuesday breakfast at 6:30 a.m. will be held at the church Wednesday Bible Study, 7:00 p.m., at the church
St. Joseph Catholic Church
Holy Cross Lutheran Church
A Catholic Christian Community 1002 S. Main Street - Scott City Fr. Bernard Felix, pastor • 872-7388 Secretary • 872-3644 Masses: 1st Sunday of month - 8:30 and 11:00 a.m. Other weekends: Sat., 6:00 p.m.; Sun., 11:00 a.m. Spanish Mass - 2nd and 4th Sundays, 1:30 p.m.
Pence Community Church
1102 Court • Box 283 • Scott City 620-872-2294 • 620-872-3796 Pastor Warren Prochnow holycross-scott@sbcglobal.net Sunday School/Bible Class, 9:00 a.m. Worship every Sunday, 10:15 a.m. Wed.: Mid-Week School, 6:00-7:30 p.m.
Community Christian Church
8911 W. Road 270 10 miles north on US83; 2 miles north on K95; 9 miles west on Rd. 270 Don Williams, pastor • 874-2031 Wednesdays: supper (6:30 p.m.) • Kid’s Group and Adult Bible Study (7:00 p.m.) • Youth Group (8:00 p.m.) Sunday School: 9:30 • Morning Worship: 10:30 a.m.
12th & Jackson • Scott City • 872-3219 Brian Thompson, pastor Sunday School, 9:30 a.m. Sunday Morning Worship, 10:45 a.m. Wednesday Night Bible Study, 7:00 p.m. Wednesday: God’s High School Cru, 7:30 p.m.
First Baptist Church
Immanuel Southern Baptist Church
803 College - Scott City - 872-2339
1398 S. US83 - Scott City - 872-2264
Kyle Evans, Senior Pastor Bob Artz, Associate Pastor
Robert Nuckolls, pastor - 872-5041
Sunday School, 9:30 a.m.
Sunday School: 9:45 a.m. • Worship: 11:00 a.m.
Sunday morning worship: 8:30 a.m. and 10:45 a.m.
Wednesday Bible Study, 7:00 p.m.
Gospel Fellowship Church
1st United Methodist Church
Morning Worship: 10:30 a.m.
5th Street and College - Scott City - 872-2401 John Lewis, pastor 1st Sunday: Communion and Fellowship Sunday Services, 9:00 a.m. • Fellowship, 10:15 a.m. • Sun. School, 11:00 a.m. All Other Sundays • Worship: 8:30 and 10:45 a.m. Sunday School: 9:30 a.m. • MYF (youth groups) on Wednesdays Jr. High: 6:30 p.m. • Sr. High: 7:00 p.m.
First Christian Church
St. Luke’s Episcopal Church
120 S. Lovers Lane - Shallow Water Bill Geurin, pastor • 874-8395 Sunday School: 9:30 a.m.
701 Main - Scott City - 872-2937 Scott Wagner, pastor Sunday School, 9:30 a.m.; Worship, 10:45 a.m. Wednesday is Family Night Meal: 5:45 p.m. • Study: 6:15 p.m. Website: www.fccscottcity.org
Elizabeth/Epperson Drives • Scott City • 872-3666
Scott Mennonite Church
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints
12021 N. Eagle Rd. • Scott City Franklin Koehn: 872-2048 Charles Nightengale: 872-3056 Sunday School Worship Service: 10:00 a.m. Sunday Evening Service: 7:00 p.m.
Holy Eucharist - 11:45 a.m. St. Luke’s - 872-3666 (recorded message) Senior Warden Cody Brittan • (913) 232-6127 or Father Don Martin • (785) 462-3041
9th and Crescent - Scott City - 872-2334 James Yager • 620-214-3040 Sacrament, 9:30 a.m. Sunday School, 10:50 a.m. Relief Society and Priesthood, 11:20 a.m. YMYW Wednesday, 8:00 p.m.
The Scott County Record • Page 14 • Thursday, April 6, 2017
E-cigarette tax fix moves forward in legislature Meg Wingerter Kansas News Service
The Kansas House voted Tuesday to substantially reduce a tax the state had struggled to enforce on e-cigarette liquid. At the end of the historically long 2015 session, the Legislature approved a bill that included a 20cent tax on the liquid used to create a vapor in electronic cigarettes. The tax technically came into effect at the start of 2017, but the Kansas Department of Revenue has yet to collect it due to confusion about whether the full volume of
liquid or only the nicotine in it should be taxed. This year’s legislative fix, Senate Bill 96, would lower the tax from 20 cents per milliliter to five cents per milliliter and authorize the revenue department to start collecting it on July 1. The Senate passed the bill unanimously and the House voted 123-2 in favor of it, although the House amended the bill so the Senate must concur or send it to a conference committee. Vape store owners who already remitted some tax to the state will get a refund or a credit.
Reduce anxiety from end-of-year testing by the American Counseling Association
As the end of the school year approaches, most students will be facing a variety of end-of-year tests. Some of them will be routine course exams, while others may be state-mandated standardized tests. But regardless of the type of test, they all tend to increase anxiety and stress for students. While it isn’t possible to remove all the anxiety, or to make test taking fun, there are things any student can do to make himself or herself feel less anxious and stressed out. An important step is simply to be physically in good shape for test taking. A big test might not seem like an athletic event, but both have much in common. The test-taker needs to be well rested and well nourished to perform well. The brain is not that different from one’s muscles. If a person is overtired, has skipped breakfast, or has been loading up on high-sugar junk foods, studies have shown that mental performance is going to suffer. It’s also important to plan ahead for tests. Experts have found that last minute cramming seldom improves test grades, but often does a great job of increasing text anxiety. The best advice is to start studying for a test early, and to spread the preparation out over several days. It’s also smart to anticipate what will be on the test. No test covers everything about a subject. It helps to review class notes and important sections of the text book. If the teacher hands out a review guide or has a pre-test review class, that’s the material to focus on. It also helps to be mentally prepared for the test. A first step there is simply to try some relaxation techniques as the test approaches. Practice relaxing by closing your eyes, taking several deep breaths and thinking positive thoughts about how well you’re going to do on the test. If you feel yourself getting tense during the exam, close your eyes again, take a few big breaths and focus on your posture and breathing before getting back to work. Doing well on tests isn’t magic. It takes planning, studying and relaxing. But if doing all this still doesn’t help, you may suffer from moderate or severe test anxiety. In such cases, talk to the school counselor, or consider seeing an outside professional counselor for help in overcoming the problem. “Counseling Corner” is provided by the American Counseling Association. Comments and questions to ACAcorner@counseling.org or visit the ACA website at counseling.org
dent of the Kansas Public Health Association and former secretary of the Kansas Department of Health and Environment, testified in opposition to the bill in February. E-cigarettes haven’t been shown to be safe, Moser said, and maintaining a high tax could discourage young people from becoming addicted to nicotine. “E-cigarettes are fairly new to the market and therefore do not have sufficient clinical research to prove their harm; however, early information and Committee Testimony research on the harms of Robert Moser, presi- using other nicotine-based Spencer Duncan, who lobbies on behalf of vape shops, said the bill came out of a compromise between the industry and the state. The vape shop owners received the lower tax rate they wanted but gave ground on what substances will be taxed, he said. As the bill stands, liquids used in an e-cigarette will be taxed regardless of whether they contain nicotine. “For now, (the bill) is just fine,” he said. “Like anything, over time, we’ll have tweaks.”
A bill that will clarify how Kansas taxes electronic cigarette liquid gained approval Tuesday in the Kansas House.
products indicate they are not safe, especially for children, adolescents and pregnant women,” he said in his written testimony. Tom Rogers, co-owner
of Lucky’s Convenience and Tobacco in Wichita, told the Senate committee considering the bill that many of his customers (See E-CIGS on page 15)
House fails to override veto of Medicaid expansion A motion to override Gov. Sam Brownback’s veto of a bill to expand Medicaid eligibility failed Monday in the Kansas House. The 81-44 vote was three short of the override total needed to send the bill to the Senate. Gov. Sam Brownback vetoed the bill last week, saying it would prioritize healthy adults over those with disabilities, although some disability rights groups dispute that characterization. Two House members who supported the bill in February changed their
votes Monday during the override attempt. Rep. Clay Aurand (R-Belleville) said he supported a form of expansion but thought the existing bill wasn’t specific to Kansans’ needs and concerns. In explaining his Monday vote against the override, Aurand said he hoped House leaders would form a group to design a new plan. “I want to tighten this up,” he said. Rep. Tory Marie Arnberger, a Great Bend Republican who also switched her vote to help
defeat the override, said she was concerned about how to fund Medicaid expansion because the Legislature hasn’t come up with a budget plan. She said she would support a future attempt to expand Medicaid. “This is not any antiMedicaid expansion vote, I just don’t know how fiscally we’re going to do it,” she said. Two Republican House members who opposed Medicaid expansion in February - Rep. Fred Patton of Topeka and Rep. Troy Waymaster of Bunker Hill - flipped their
votes and voted for the override. ‘Not a Welfare Bill’ During Monday’s debate, supporters of Medicaid expansion reiterated just about every argument they had used earlier in the session, including that added coverage would assist struggling hospitals, draw down more federal dollars for Kansas and assist lowincome people in accessing preventive care. The bill would have expanded Medicaid coverage to adults earning up (See OVERRIDE on page 15)
Simple steps for preventing falls Fall prevention may not seem like a lively topic, but it’s important. As you get older, physical changes and health conditions - and sometimes the medications used to treat those conditions - make falls more likely. In fact, falls are a leading cause of injury among older adults. Still, fear of falling doesn’t need to rule your life. Instead, consider these simple fall-prevention strategies. 1) Make an appointment with your doctor. Begin your fall-prevention plan by making
an appointment with your doctor. Be prepared to answer questions such as: What medications are you taking? Make a list of your prescription and over-thecounter medications and supplements, or bring them with you to the appointment. Your doctor can review your medications for side effects and interactions that may increase your risk of falling. To help with fall prevention, your doctor may consider weaning you off (See FALLS on page 15)
Occupational Therapy
at Scott County Hospital
Occupational therapy is the only profession that helps people across the lifespan to do the things they want and need to do through the therapeutic use of daily activities (occupations). Occupational therapy practitioners enable people of all ages to live life to its fullest by helping them promote health, and prevent – or live better with – injury, illness, or disability.
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Occupational therapy services include: · Rehabilitation to gain independence in what is important to you · Rehabilitation for hand, wrist, elbow injuries · ASTYM therapy for upper extremity injuries · Custom hand splinting · Vestibular rehabilitation · Home safety evaluations · Pediatric Therapy · Low vision rehabilitation · Recommendations for adaptive equipment and durable medical equipment
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Open to all Kansas middle school and high school students. Entries due by April 30, 2017.
For more information call the rehabilitation department at (620) 874-4848
Contact your local newspaper or the Kansas Press Association for more details.
Scott County Hospital Occupational Therapists Bethany Beckman, OTR/L and Sara Hawkins, OTR/L © 2016 AT&T Intellectual Property. All rights reserved.
201 Albert Avenue Scott City, KS 67871 (620) 872-5811 • www.scotthospital.net
The Scott County Record • Page 15 • Thursday, April 6, 2017
E-Cigs had used e-cigarettes to quit smoking. “I urge each of you to talk with someone you know who vapes, as I do every day with our customers. I believe you’ll hear the same resounding support for the products from former smokers and even their physicians,” he said in his written testimony. Some research has shown that e-cigarette users are exposed to lower levels of chemicals that can cause cancer than smokers are, but the longterm effects of vaping
(continued from page 14)
aren’t clear because most studies have followed users for less than two years. The differences among various brands and flavors of liquid further muddy the issue, as does the fact that some people use both e-cigarettes and tobacco. Hilary Gee, Kansas government relations director for the American Cancer Society’s Cancer Action Network, said the group hasn’t taken a position on e-cigarette taxes in Kansas. But it is pushing for a $1.50 per-pack increase in cigarette taxes,
Override to 138 percent of the federal poverty line, or about $16,640 annually for an individual. Estimates show about 300,000 Kansans would qualify for Medicaid under the expansion, though only about half that many were expected to sign up in the first year. Rep. Susan Concannon, a Beloit Republican, told lawmakers to remember that expansion had received widespread support from hospitals and other medical organizations. She also disputed Brownback’s contention that expansion would delay services for people
Falls medications that make you tired or affect your thinking, such as sedatives and some types of antidepressants. Have you fallen before? Write down the details, including when, where and how you fell. Be prepared to discuss instances when you almost fell but were caught by someone or managed to grab hold of something just in time. Details such as these may help your doctor identify specific fall-prevention strategies. Could your health conditions cause a fall? Certain eye and ear disorders may increase your risk of falls. Be prepared to discuss your health conditions and how comfortable you are when you walk - for example, do you feel any dizziness, joint pain, shortness of breath, or numbness in your feet
which could come up in budget discussions, she said. “Unfortunately, with something like a 50-cent (per-pack) increase, you don’t see the same health benefits” of smokers quitting, she said. Rep. Henry Helgerson (D-Wichita) attempted to amend the e-cigarette bill to increase cigarette taxes by $1.50, with the extra revenue going to fund Kansas state employee pensions. The House voted down the amendment, which would have
increased the cigarette tax to $2.79 per pack. “This is one way of limiting individuals’ access to diseases and stopping people from getting addicted,” he said. But Rep. John Carmichael (R-Wichita) said some people would go without other necessities, such as groceries for their families, because their addiction wouldn’t allow them to quit smoking. “If you think taxing sick people is a really good idea, you should vote for this amendment,” he said.
(continued from page 14)
with disabilities. “Did you know that able-bodied citizens can get cancer?” she said. “Able-bodied citizens need health care as well.” “This is not a welfare bill. This is a bill to provide health care to the working poor,” added Rep. Linda Gallagher (R-Lenexa). ‘What can we do?’ With the possibility of a veto override looming over the weekend, lawmakers were inundated with emails and calls, said Rep. Dan Hawkins (R-Wichita), who serves as chairman of the House
Health and Human Services Committee and opposed the bill. After Monday’s vote, he said some lawmakers were concerned about how expansion would affect the state’s budget, mentioning that states with expanded programs have seen higher-thanexpected costs. “Their budgets have ballooned,” he said. “Their budgets are just enormous on this. And with what we’re doing here in the state, and the budget constraints that we have, I think it’s truly irresponsible for us to expand today.”
(continued from page 14)
and legs when you walk? Your doctor may evaluate your muscle strength, balance and walking style (gait) as well. 2) Keep moving. Physical activity can go a long way toward fall prevention. With your doctor’s okay, consider activities such as walking, water workouts or tai chi - a gentle exercise that involves slow and graceful dance-like movements. Such activities reduce the risk of falls by improving strength, balance, coordination and flexibility. If you avoid physical activity because you’re afraid it will make a fall more likely, tell your doctor. He or she may recommend carefully monitored exercise programs or refer you to a physical therapist. The physical therapist can create a custom exercise program aimed at
improving your balance, flexibility, muscle strength and gait. 3) Wear sensible shoes. Consider changing your footwear as part of your fall-prevention plan. High heels, floppy slippers and shoes with slick soles can make you slip, stumble and fall. So can walking in your stocking feet. Instead, wear properly fitting, sturdy shoes with nonskid soles. Sensible shoes may also reduce joint pain. 4) Remove home hazards Take a look around your home. Your living room, kitchen, bedroom, bathroom, hallways and stairways may be filled with hazards. To make your home safer: Remove boxes, newspapers, electrical cords and phone cords from walkways.
The Alliance for a Healthy Kansas, a nonprofit advocacy group created to lobby for expansion, said in a statement released after Monday’s vote that it would continue reaching out to lawmakers who voted against the override. David Jordan, executive director of the alliance, estimated expansion could have brought Kansas more than $1 million a day in federal funds. “While the override vote was a lost opportunity to protect our interests as Kansans, we will continue to work hard to expand KanCare,” Jordan said.
Brownback endorses Scores House flat tax proposal
The Scott County Record • Page 16 • Thursday, April 6, 2017
(continued from page nine)
budget quickly and have a short session and give certainty to all Kansas taxpayers.” Lawmakers are looking at ways to fill a budget hole projected to hit $1 billion by the middle of 2019. Because the Senate plan doesn’t raise the full amount needed, Wagle said lawmakers also could consider increasing taxes on alcohol and tobacco products. The Senate and House previously passed a tax bill, but Brownback vetoed it and an override effort fell short. Friday marks the end of the Legislature’s regular session. Lawmakers are schedule to return May 1 for the wrap-up session.
That compared with 68.42 percent of students eligible for free or reduced-price lunch performing at grade level or above and 25.76 percent performed at college or career ready. The study found that schools with higher percentages of students in poverty have lower student assessment results on the 2015-16 Kansas Math and ELA assessments. This means that not only does an individual student’s lunch status impact their assessment results, but the amount of poverty in the school will impact results. Further, the study shows that school enrollment size also impacts state assessment results, but to a lesser extent than poverty.
Rather than propose a new tax plan, Gov. Sam Brownback on Wednesday opted to endorse a flat tax proposal that a Senate committee advanced this week. “My goal has always been to make Kansas the best state in America to raise a family and grow a business,” Brownback said in a statement. “A flat tax accomplishes this goal by making taxes fair for everyone and encouraging economic growth.” Agreeing to the Senate committee’s proposal is a change for the governor, because it would roll back a business income tax exemption key to his signature 2012 income tax plan.
The Senate plan would eliminate the current state income tax brackets of 2.7 and 4.6 percent and instead apply a 4.6 percent rate on all taxpayers. It also would lower the sales tax on food and adjust deductions and credits to try to limit its effect on lower-income Kansans. Senate President Susan Wagle welcomed the news of progress on a new tax plan, which the Senate will consider Thursday - one day before the Legislature is scheduled to leave Topeka for a three-week break. “I’m very pleased that the governor’s working with the Legislature on a new proposal,” Wagle said. “We would love to be able to balance the
Summer hours start for GC zoo
BAK registration begins; route includes Scott City
The Lee Richardson Zoo in Garden City has begun extended hours which will be in effect through Labor Day. The pedestrian entrance is open from 8:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. daily. The vehicle entrance is open from 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Visitors may stay until 7:00 p.m. Pedestrians and FOLRZ (Friends of the Lee Richardson Zoo) member vehicles are admitted free. All day admission for non-member vehicles is $10 per car. The day pass is valid for unlimited reentry on the day of purchase. All vehicles are admitted free on Wild Wednesdays, which take place on the first Wednesday of every month through October. Memberships can be purchased online at www. folrz.org, at the Friends of Lee Richardson Zoo Office, the Safari Shoppe, or at the entrance booth.
Registration has begun for the 2017 Biking Across Kansas (BAK) tour. The 43rd year of the largest bicycling event in Kansas history - a 513mile ride - begins on Sat., June 10. The eight-day tour begins at the KansasColorado state line with routes consisting of up to 900 cyclists and support staff. Overnight stops will be Dighton, WaKeeney, Plainville, Lincoln, Chapman, Rossville and Tonganoxie. BAK is also routed through Scott City, Ness City, Hill City, Lucas, Abilene, Junction City, Manhattan, Oskaloosa, and many more Kansas towns.
The cyclists’ final night together will be in Tonganoxie on Fri., June 16. The following morning they will cycle to the banks of the Missouri River and celebrate the end of the ride in Leavenworth. The 2017 route offers tour of quintessential Kansas landscapes. Starting in the High Plains of Western Kansas, participants will enjoy easy pedaling along K-18 through the green valleys of the Saline and Smoky Hill rivers, the rolling Flint Hills and the scenic byways leading to the Missouri River at Leavenworth. “Some of the highlights include the Garden
of Eden in Lucas, the Eisenhower Museum in Abilene and the Flint Hills Discovery Center in Manhattan,” says David Rohr, BAK chairman. Riders will range in age from eight to 85 years old. Families representing multiple generations we be participating again this year. Many riders will be from Kansas, but entries will also represent as many as 30 states, including Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Florida, New Mexico, Washington and California. Bikers from outside the U.S. are also anticipated. For more information on BAK or to register visit www.bak.org.
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The Scott County Record
www.scottcountyrecord.com
4-time champ With a record-setting performance Gallegos captures another state title Page 24
Thursday, April 6, 2017
Section C • Page 17
Defense shines in season open
With several young and inexperienced players on the roster, Scott City head coach Erin Myers knows her team may have to rely on defense and solid pitching to carry them through the early part of the schedule. The Lady Beavers delivered on both with a 5-3 win Scott City 5 8 at Goodland in Goodland 3 9 their postponed season opener on Monday. Goodland split the doubleheader with a 9-8 win in the nightcap. Starting pitcher Kaitlyn Roberts scattered six hits over seven innings and added four
Scott City senior Krystal Appel collides with a Goodland player as she dives back to second base during Monday’s season opener. (Record Photo)
strikeouts to keep the Cowgirls in check for most of the game. The only time Roberts struggled was in the bottom of the
third inning when she walked The inning ended with center for Kaitlyn to figure out the the bases full and gave up a fielder Krystal Appel making a umpire and where he was going to call strikes,” says Myers. two-run single that tied the catch at the fence. “It took a couple of innings game, 3-3. (See DEFENSE on page 18)
All-American
Former Scott City standout and FHSU sophomore Brett Meyer heads down the straightaway in the 800m during the Alex Francis Classic on Friday. (Record Photo)
Meyer 5th in DII nationals; focuses on return trip in 800m Brett Meyer keeps breaking barriers and, along the way, is emerging as one of the top middle distance runners in the nation. The Fort Hays State University sophomore earned All-American status in NCAA Division II after finishing fifth in the 800m at the National Indoor Track and
Field Championships held in Birmingham, Al. “Everything has started falling into place,” says the 2015 Scott Community High School graduate. “Mentally and physically, things began turning around for me last spring so I set some pretty high expectations for the indoor season.”
Despite getting stronger in the weight room and logging a lot of miles during the off-season, Meyer was frustrated as he approached the final month of the indoor season and he still hadn’t reached his goal of 1:51. (See MEYER on page 21)
Speer shatters shot put record
Rewriting the record book has become the norm during Jordan Speer’s high school track career. She already owns the Dighton High School shot put and javelin records - and is just two feet shy of the discus mark. All that remains is to see how much farther she can extend her impressive distances. She wasted no time doing that at the Greeley County Early Season Meet last Thursday in Tribune. On her very first toss of the season, the DHS senior shattered her own shot put record with a distance of 46-9 1/2 - easily topping her old record of 43-0 1/2. “She exploded,” says head coach Ken Simon. “It was pretty impressive and that was after only about six or seven practices.” That distance is also well ahead of the current Class 1A state track meet record of 45-0 1/4. While she didn’t set any more school records, Speer easily added two more gold medals in the discus (107-6) and the javelin (116-9). Both are well off her career bests of 120-9 and 133-1, respectively. Borell Wins Golds A pleasant surprise was the performance by freshman Zoey Borell who claimed four gold medals. Borell (13.64) nudged teammate Sara Cramer (13.91) in the 100m and followed that up with easy wins in the 100m high hurdles (17.54) and 300m low hurdles (52.29). Borell added a leap of 15-4 in the long jump to finish more than two feet ahead of the runner-up. “That was the first time she’d ever run the 300 (meter) hurdles in competition and she three-stepped the 100s, which was pretty impressive for a freshman,” says Simon. Cramer collected three gold medals in the high jump (5-feet), 400m (63.69) (See SPEER on page 23)
The Scott County Record • Page 18 • Thursday, April 6, 2017
Cramer signs hoops letter with Blue Dragons As a four-year starter for the Dighton High School basketball team, Sara Cramer has experienced nothing but success. During that time, the Lady Hornets compiled a 77-18 record, including three state tournament appearances and a state title in 2016. The DHS senior will continue her successful career with one of the top junior college programs in the nation after signing a letter-of-intent to play for Hutchinson Community College. The Lady Blue Dragons are a perennial powerhouse in the Kansas Jayhawk Community College Conference and consistently ranked among the top junior college programs in the nation. “They have a great pro-
gram that prepares you for the next level,” says Cramer, who hopes to play for a Division I program following two years at HCC. “They’ll make me a better player and they’re a program that’s seen by a lot of other colleges, so it will give me a great opportunity to play somewhere after I leave Hutch.” Cramer was highly recruited by programs around the state and had narrowed her choices to KJCCC rivals Cloud County and HCC. While she liked the coaches from each college and felt she could have enjoyed success at either, academics was a big factor in her final decision. “Hutch has a good pharmacy program, which helped,” she said. Cramer also feels she will be a good fit in the
Defense “After that, she controlled the game well.” Appel, a senior, also contributed at the plate where she was 2-of4. She sent the second pitch of the season over the center field fence for a leadoff home run. The Lady Beavers extended their lead later in the first inning when Macie Price singled and Nancy Wiebe followed with a RBI single. Appel’s long ball even surprised Myers considering it was into a stiff north wind. “Krystal has a lot of power, but that was still pretty impressive under these conditions,” said the head coach. Scott City regained the lead in the top of the fourth when Roberts reached base on an error and scored on a triple to right field by sophomore Aspyn Nix. The Lady Beavers scored their final run in the fifth inning after Price reached base on an
Dighton senior Sara Cramer is joined by DHS assistant coach Kelsey Hubin (left) and head coach Amy Felker while signing a letter-of-intent to play for Hutchinson Community College.
Blue Dragons “disciplined, but up-tempo style of ball.” During her high school career, Cramer scored 1,126 points, including an average of 17.1 points per game this past season. Her value and versatility as a point guard for the Lady Hornets also saw her averaging 5.9 steals, 5.1 assists and 3.6 rebounds per game. She expects her role with the Blue Dragons to primarily be as a No. 2 guard, but Cramer has
also been informed by head coach John Ontjes there will be times when she’s expected to bring the ball up the floor. HCC is coming off a 33-2 season, but Ontjes says they will be rebuilding with the loss of several sophomores. There are only three returning guards on the roster, which should open the opportunity for Cramer to gain added playing time. “I’m going to have to work hard over the summer,” she says. “Coach
has talked about my footwork and learning to get a quicker shot from the outside. Defensively, I need to work on fundamentals that fit with how they like to do things.” Cramer continues the family tradition of college sports that began with her parents, Dean (basketball) and Cindi (volleyball), who played at Garden City Community College. Likewise, her oldest sister, Kaylee, played two years of volleyball at Pratt
Community College and two years of basketball at McPherson College while Katren played two years of hoops at Dodge City Community College followed by one year at Bethany College. “I’ve been very fortunate. I’ve received a lot of community support throughout high school and I’ve been around great coaches and great players,” adds Cramer. “I feel it’s prepared me well for the next step in my career.”
a break.” Roberts’ break lasted for two innings before she resumed pitching. She limited Goodland to just two runs over the final five innings. Scott City climbed back into the game in the fourth inning when they scored four runs to tie the
game, 8-8. Appel began the rally with a leadoff single, Latta walked and Price stroked a RBI single. A sacrifice by Wiebe brought home another run and SCHS picked up two more runs on singles by Roberts and Gabby Martinez. Goodland held Scott
City scoreless over the final three innings before filling the bases in the seventh and scoring the winning run. SCHS pounded out 17 hits in the game, led by Roberts who was 4-of-4 and Price who was 3-of-4. All were singles except for a double by Price.
(continued from page 17)
infield error with two outs and advanced to third on a single by Wiebe. She scored on an infield hit by Roberts which gave SCHS a 5-3 lead. Roberts held Goodland scoreless over the final four innings, but the Cowgirls threatened in the seventh when a batter reached base on an error and advanced to third base with just one out. The defense turned in a pair of gems, starting when first baseman Kaitlyn Wolkensdorfer scooped up a low throw from third base to get the second out of the inning. The game ended when Price was able to make a shoetop catch of a hard liner at shortstop. “Considering the lack of practice time and the young girls we have on the field, I felt our defense played pretty well,” says Myers. “We’re going to need our defense to be solid, especially early in the season while we get things figured out on
offense.” Scott City had nine hits in the opener, including two each by Price, Wiebe, Appel and Roberts. “Our young girls struggled at the plate. I’m confident they’ll get things figured out as they see more live pitching,” Myers says. “I was more concerned with our mental errors on the bases,” says the head coach. “We’ll get that cleaned up with more playing time.” Fall in Nightcap After giving up seven runs in the first two innings, Scott City rallied to tie the nightcap, 8-8, before Goodland scored the winning run in the bottom of the seventh inning. Junior Bailey Latta was on the mound to start the second game and struggled, giving up 14 hits and seven earned runs. “I have confidence in Bailey and she’ll continue to get better,” says Myers. “Her job is to give Kaitlyn
The Scott County Record • Page 19 • Thursday, April 6, 2017
lessons learned
Wycoff hitting her stride with goal of qualifying for DII nationals
Track is fun again for Kelly Wycoff. There was a time when one wouldn’t have given that statement a second thought considering the standout career that Wycoff enjoyed while competing for Scott Community High School. After struggling through her initial season at Fort Hays State University and not experiencing the success she was accustomed to having, Wycoff began to doubt herself. “My times were getting worse instead of better,” recalls Wycoff about her first season with the Lady Tigers. “I was worried that the coaches were questioning whether they’d made a mistake in recruiting me.” That’s when Wycoff learned perhaps her most valuable lesson - listen to your coaches. “They’re right about pretty much everything,” she says. The result has not only been a lot more success on the track, but Wycoff is once again having fun. Of course, winning four events at the Alex Francis Classic last Friday also helps. Wycoff swept the 100m (12.17) and 200m (24.71) in addition to being on the winning 4x100m and 4x400m relays. This weekend at the Friends Invitational in Wichita, Wycoff expects to compete in the 400m, which has typically been one of her strongest events. She broke her own school record during the indoor season with a time of 56.99 and also set the indoor 200m record (25.03). She had provisional national qualifying times early in the season in the 200m and 400m, slipping into the top 25 at one time. Only the top 16 advance to the NCAA Division II national meet. “The sprints can be frustrating. Just 1/10 of a second can make a huge difference in your ranking,” she says. “But I got a lot closer to qualifying than I ever thought I could.”
Fort Hays State University junior Kelly Wycoff (right) sprints to a win in the 100m dash during the Alex Francis Classic in Hays on Friday. (Record Photo)
In her season opening competition at Emporia just before spring break, Wycoff broke 12 seconds in the 100m for the first time. “That came out of nowhere,” she says. In addition, the 21-year-old broke her old career best in the 200m by 2/10 of a second with a time of 24.47. “I’m not necessarily focusing more on the 100 and the 200, but early in the season the coaches like us to compete in those events and we can add the 400 later,” she explains. “Now that I ran so well in the 100, I think the coaches are giving that a little more thought. It’s just that our conference is so tough. If you aren’t breaking 12 in the 100 you don’t have a chance.” Wycoff says the 400m will “always take priority” over the
100m, but she’s also keeping an open mind about the 100m. “I’ve gotten a lot stronger and my technique coming out of the blocks is so much better,” she says. “I’m also running so much more efficiently.” Out of Comfort Zone Wycoff admits that this year she has set much loftier goals for herself, which include earning a trip to the national meet to be held at Bradenton, Fla. “Before this year, I was just focused on placing in conference. I didn’t think about qualifying for nationals,” she says. Another lesson learned by Wycoff is not to be afraid to set goals which may seem unattainable at the time. In order for that to happen, the FHSU junior “definitely had to get out of my comfort zone.”
“What’s cool is that I met each of my goals during the indoor season. I made more progress than I expected,” she says. She’s taking that same strategy into the outdoor season. Wycoff has set a goal of 54.5 in the 400m and 24 seconds in the 200m, which she believes will be good enough to qualify for nationals. “It helps to be in a conference as tough as ours. If you aren’t ready to raise the level of your game you aren’t going to do well,” she points out. A Leadership Role Being on a team without any seniors has also thrust Wycoff into taking on a leadership role along with a junior teammate. “That’s made a huge difference. I feel that everyone is looking to me as a leader so I
need to make sure I’m doing things right,” she says. “Not that I wasn’t before, but you become even more conscientious about everything you do.” Which has led to another valuable lesson: athletic ability doesn’t guarantee success. “It’s not just what you do during practice, but what you do outside practice that sets an example and has also allowed me to compete at a higher level. It’s important that you eat right, get enough sleep, drink enough water and make the right choices on the weekends,” emphasizes Wycoff. “Everyone you compete with (in college) has the talent you did in high school. You have to do the extra things that take you beyond that talent and give you the opportunity for greater success.”
It’s never too late to learn! • Earn your high school diploma • Take credit recovery and enrichment classes • Career certification classes are available • English language learner support Open enrollment all year long • $10 enrollment fee Adults 19 and over welcome Students 14-18 are welcome pending district approval
706 Washington Street • Scott City Questions? Contact Melissa Jasnoch at 872-3785 or email her CLC.scott_city@swplains.com
The Scott County Record • Page 20 • Thursday, April 6, 2017
Kansas birding festival coming to Great Bend Bird watching has never much appealed to me. Don’t get me wrong, I love birds as much as the next outdoorsman, especially hawks and owls. I would be content to spend the rest of my life in the woods at dusk listening to the soft, soothing hoots of great horned owls and the soulful, staccato cries of barred owls pierce the
Outdoors in Kansas
by Steve Gilliland
darkness. I could watch forever the effortless soaring of a hawk high overhead as it searches the ground for a snack with eyes like spotting scopes. I can spend hours fantasizing
that I’m riding along on the immense outstretched wings of a vulture as it glides high on the Kansas winds. But bird watching per se doesn’t sound like my bag. For those of you who know me, picture seeing me clad in some natty outfit complete with stylish headgear, a bird book and note pad under my arm,
WAFWA acquires 30,000 acres in Kansas as permanent LPC habitat The purchase of an “ecologically significant property” in Kansas which can serve as longterm habitat for the Lesser Prairie Chicken (LPC) was announced in a report prepared by the Western Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies (WAFWA). The third annual report was submitted to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service as part of the Lesser Prairie Chicken Rangewide Conservation Plan. Property acquired by the WAFWA will permanently protect nearly 30,000 acres of high-quality lesser prairie chicken habitat. The range-wide plan is a collaborative effort of the state wildlife agencies of Texas, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Kansas and Colorado and is administered by WAFWA. It was developed to promote conservation by providing a blueprint for lesser prairie chicken conservation through voluntary cooperation of landowners, land management agencies and industry participants. The plan allows partici-
pants to continue operations while restoring and maintaining habitat and reducing development impacts to the bird and its habitat. “As we close out our third year of implementation, we’re really hitting our stride,” said Alexa Sandoval, director of the New Mexico Department of Game and Fish and chairman of the Lesser Prairie Chicken Initiative Council. “We are encouraged that despite an oil and gas industry downturn, support for this collaborative conservation approach remains strong.” The plan was endorsed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in 2013. As part of the conservation effort, states agreed to report annually on the overall progress of the plan. Other report highlights include: By the end of 2016, WAFWA was conserving 133,703 acres on 16 sites, either through fee title ownership or long-term contractual agreements. Three of those sites, totaling 33,053 acres, are
permanently conserved through perpetual conservation easements or fee title ownership. The other 13 sites are in 10-year contracts with private landowners and cover 100,650 acres. Most significantly, a 29,718-acre land acquisition by WAFWA was finalized in June 2016, permanently protecting high-quality habitat in the sand sagebrush ecoregion. The property was purchased from a willing seller and will continue to be managed as a working cattle ranch using livestock as the primary tool to create optimum habitat for lesser prairie chickens. In addition, 1,781 acres of privately owned native rangeland is now permanently protected in the mixed grass ecoregion. WAFWA purchased a perpetual easement on the property that protects the conservation values of the site. The easement is held by Pheasants Forever. Stable Population The 2016 annual lesser prairie chicken aerial sur(See HABITAT on page 21)
a pair of high-dollar binoculars around my neck and a couple-thousand dollar camera on a tripod in front of me. First of all, I’d have one of my “bull-in-achina-closet” moments and knock over the tripod, dumping the highdollar camera into the dirt. Then the stylish headgear would blow away as I bent over to rescue the
camera, banging the highdollar binoculars into the ground in the process, and then . . . well you get the picture. Bird watching for me would better consist of crawling into a tumbledown, old barn to observe a mother turkey vulture on her nest (which both Joyce and I have done.) All that aside, now that I have managed to
completely tick-off every legitimate bird watcher in the state, real authentic bird watchers have my utmost respect. I know they dress nothing like I described, and most can probably tell a warbler from a waxwing with a mere glance. Well Kansas bird watchers, listen up! The 2017 Wings and Wetlands (See BIRDING on page 23)
Backup QBs to get a close look during KSU’s spring drills Kansas State’s spring football practices started March 29 and will conclude with the spring game on April 22. K-State is positioned to have a formidable team this fall. by A big question will be the health Mac of Coach Bill Snyder who is recovStevenson ering from throat cancer treatment. Snyder attended several of K-State’s late-season basketball games, but very few details of his illness have been released. If Snyder is fully healed he will be able to resume his position as one of the best college football coaches ever. Quarterback Jesse Ertz had surgery on his right (throwing) shoulder last January and he’ll be limited during spring drills. This will give the Wildcats’ coaching staff the opportunity to work with the backup quarterbacks. Sophomores Alex Delton and Skylar Thompson are the main contenders for the backup slot. Thompson is a red-shirt freshman while Dalton saw limited action last year, primarily as a runner. Thompson was a highly regarded recruit and will gain from detailed coaching this spring. Having a quality backup ready to play in the event of an injury is critical. With the proven and experienced Ertz back at quarterback, the Wildcats’ offense is going to be special. The offensive line is the most important position group on any team and K-State returns almost all of their stellar unit from 2016. The receiving corps will also be outstanding. Snyder’s runningbacks, however, haven’t received the accolades they deserve. Justin Silmon and Alex Barnes return after excellent seasons in 2016. Barnes is a powerful runner who showed signs of being extra special last season. Some nagging injuries hampered his development in the latter part of 2016. Silmon also played well last year. These two will be pushed by other promising prospects. K-State is loaded at the runningback position. Kansas State’s top three linebackers from 2016 are no longer on the roster and these positions are up for grabs among a number of promising prospects. As usual with Snyder’s teams, a group of talented youngsters will have a chance to earn playing time. The Big 12 is better as a league in football than basketball. Nevertheless, Kansas State will be one of the leading contenders for the conference championship. Coach Snyder will be 78 this October and he can’t go on forever. But if his health allows, the 2017 team could be one of his best in a long line of great ball clubs. WSU May Switch Conferences Taking a cue from the nation’s politicians, numerous unnamed sources claim that Wichita State is all set to join the American Athletic Conference. This will be a major improvement for the Shockers if it comes to fruition. These anonymous sources claim that Wichita State will be a member of the AAC right away, in time for the 2017-18 basketball season. This would be terrific for Coach Gregg Marshall and his team. The Shockers finished 31-5 last season and took Kentucky to the wire in the NCAA Tournament before losing. And Wichita has all of their noteworthy players returning for next season. The timing for such a move couldn’t be better. These latest speculations suggest the conference change could come within the next two weeks. TCU crushed the ACC’s Georgia Tech (88-56) in the championship game of the NIT. Coach Jamie Dixon had an encouraging season in his first year with the Horned Frogs. TCU will be one of the top-rated teams in the Big 12 next season. Dixon returns his top six scorers and has a first-rate recruiting class coming in. Kansas State announced that Coach Bruce Weber will return for the 2017-18 basketball season. Interim AD Laird Veatch made the announcement, however, in all probability, President Richard Myers made the final decision. Veatch is in the running to become the full-time AD, but there’s no timetable for when that will occur. Weber lost two key players - D.J. Johnson and Wesley Iwundu - due to ineligibility. K-State returns the rest of last season’s starters and top reserves. Weber’s main need is to recruit a big-time scorer who can carry the rest of the team when they’re having a bad game offensively. The best teams have one or two of these exceptional athletes who can create a shot on their own when necessary. That’s been lacking at K-State. Coach Weber will be sitting on a very warm seat next season.
Meyer “I was hitting 1:52 and 1:53, but that was only good enough to be a provisional time for nationals,” says the 20-year-old. That meant Meyer was on the bubble for being among the top 16 qualifiers who would earn a trip to the national meet. It wasn’t until early February at the Concordia (Nebr.) Indoor Invitational that Meyer and teammate Decano Cronin removed the “provisional” for their national prospects. They ran a 1:50 on a flat track which converted to a 1:48 on a banked or 300m track. “They convert the times on a flat track because it’s so difficult, especially when it’s just 200 meters,” explains Meyer. “The turns are really hard. Basically, on every turn I was falling out to lane two.” After qualifying at Concordia, injuries and health issues hung over Meyer and Cronin. Meyer had suffered an Achilles injury just before the conference meet. Cronin came down with pneumonia and was unable to make the trip to nationals. Given the injury and the mediocre times he’d been posting just prior to the conference meet, Meyer was skeptical about his chances at the national championships. However, he qualified for the finals after finishing with the seventh fastest time in the prelims (1:52.43).
The Scott County Record • Page 21 • Thursday, April 6, 2017
(continued from page 17)
A Near Disaster The finals offered an unusual challenge for Meyer. “During the season, there were usually just two of us, maybe three, who were running alone at the front,” he says, which eliminated dealing with heavy traffic on a 200 meter track. In the national finals there was no room for tactical mistakes. “The finals were unbelievable. All eight guys could have gone under 1:50 if we’d have started out faster,” he says. Because the runners were packed so tightly, Meyer said his long legs were continually bumping into another competitor and he got tripped up a couple of times but was able to maintain his balance. “At the 400 meter mark, everyone started to go and I didn’t get the memo,” joked Meyer, who immediately fell off the pace. “I was on the inside when they started kicking and the next thing I knew I was boxed in way at the back.” There was a wall of runners across the first three lanes when a slight gap opened in front of Meyer. He took advantage of the opportunity and passed three runners to move into fifth place. Meyer’s time of 1:50.75 was just 79/100 of a second behind first place.
“I didn’t run a very smart race. If I hadn’t got boxed in there was a good chance I could have finished in the top three,” Meyer says. “It seems that in every race I learn something which will make me better.” Outdoor Season Meyer opened his outdoor season in the Alex Francis Classic on April 1 at the new FHSU track complex. The sophomore was second in the 800m (1:53.82), finishing just behind Cronin (1:53.12). He was also a member of the winning 4x400m relay. Last season he ran a personal best of 1:51 which ranked him 24th nationally with only the top 20 advancing to nationals. Meyer’s goal this season is 1:50 which he feels will put him in the national meet. The addition of Cronin, a junior, to this year’s squad has also proven to be a big help for Meyer. Cronin is originally from Ireland and competed for two seasons at Iowa Central Community College before transferring to FHSU. Meyer is glad to have Decano (“Our English name for him is Dean,” says Meyer) as a teammate and a rival. “People assume that I wouldn’t like Dean because he kicks my butt, but he’s helped me so
much to get the times I want,” Meyer notes. “It’s amazing to have a training partner better than you.” In addition to the 800m, Meyer has hopes the 4x400m can also qualify for nationals. The relay currently has three runners capable of running 48 second quarters and they’re searching for a fourth. “I believe Dean and I can run 48 (seconds) with good competition,” he says. “I never thought I’d be able to compete on a 4x400 team in college, so if we can make it to nationals that would be a lot of fun.” Despite the success he’s starting to have in the 800m, Meyer isn’t sure that will be his best event during the final two years of college. “I ran the mile twice indoors and I really liked it,” he says. “The 800 can really wear on you because it’s a dead sprint at this level.” His fastest indoor mile was 4:15 and Meyer has a goal of reaching 3:50 in the 1500m which should be fast enough to qualify for nationals. His first competition at that distance will be at the Friends Invitational in Wichita on Saturday. “I see myself becoming more of a miler and 1500 runner now that I’m getting the strength I need,” Meyer says. “I’m looking forward to changing things up a little bit.”
Habitat (continued from page 20)
vey showed stable population trends. An estimated breeding population of 25,261 birds was documented in 2016, which scientists say is not statistically different from the estimate of 29,162 birds in 2015, given the variability associated with the survey methodology. Aerial surveys for 2017 are underway and will run through mid-May. Results are anticipated in early July. In 2016, 114 industryrelated projects were mitigated. There continues to be a surplus of credits available with a rangewide positive value of 71,639 units. This reflects the continued low energy prices that have slowed industry development in the region. WAFWA has focused on committing enrollment and mitigation fees for conservation contracts to benefit the bird and to ensure companies have available mitigation credit to develop as energy prices rebound. Finally, a renewed cooperative effort between the Natural Resources Conservation Service, Pheasants Forever and WAFWA will enhance monitoring activities and conservation planning. These activities included lesser prairie-chicken translocation efforts that moved birds from the shortgrass to sand sagebrush ecoregion.
Easter egg hunt in Scott City’s Patton Park • Sat., April 8, 1:00 p.m. • ages 3-10
The Scott County Record • Page 22 • Thursday, April 6, 2017
Sunday scenes at Lake Scott
(Top) While the setting sun casts diamonds across the lake a fisherman heads back to the boat ramp. (Above left) A goose goes bottoms up. (Above right) Two geese take a break on the spillway. (Below) A father and son fish just off the dam. (Record Photos)
Birding
(continued from page 20)
Birding Festival will be April 28-29 at Great Bend, headquartered at the Best Western Angus Inn Courtyard. Just outside of Great Bend are two of the best birding spots in the Central Flyway - Cheyenne Bottoms Wildlife Area and Quivira National Wildlife Refuge. Cheyenne Bottoms and Quivira are both wetlands of international importance that provide a stopover resting spot for thousands of birds on their north and south migration routes. The festival dates coincide with the peak of the annual shorebird migration, and approximately 180 species of birds have been documented during most previous festivals. Curtis Wolf, site manager of the Kansas Wetlands Education Center (KWEC) says, “The main focus of the festival is getting participants out on field trips with experienced guides to find as many bird species as we can. “We are excited to be able to bring a diverse crowd of birders into the area to experience our
wetlands and our communities.” Besides the wetlands birding trips, participants in this year’s twoday festival can attend a shorebird identification workshop, a presentation by renowned birder and photographer Bob Gress, attend night birding and prairie chicken lek tours, and see other area attractions along the Wetlands and the Wildlife National Scenic Byway. If you’d like more information on this event contact the KWEC at 1-877-243-9268. Maybe I should give proper bird watching a chance. I might find I was good at it and even liked it. I’m afraid the rest of the group might take exception to my dressing in full camo with my $46 Fuji camera mounted on a garage sale tripod, all the while carrying my 12 gauge strapped on my back in case an errant snow goose flew overhead and gave me a chance to put it in my freezer. Continue to Explore Kansas Outdoors!
Takedown Kids Wrestling
SHPTV to air DC Law football
Midwest Classic Nationals Championships April 1, 2017 6-Years and Under 60: Kasey Rohrbough pinned Nathan Duros (Nebraska Wrestling Academy) 0:39; maj. dec. by Tj Lovell (Hammerin Hawks) 10-2; pinned Anakin Deppe (DC Elite) 2:47; pinned Maddux Hernandez (Midwest Destroyers) 2:27; pinned by Tymari Francis (Little Cougar) 1:33; dec. Isaac Garcia (Bear Creek Jr. Wrestling) 6-3. Fifth Place. 60: Kirbey Rohrbough pinned Mykal Robles (Nebraska Wrestling Academy) 0:39; pinned by Tymari Frances (Little Cougar) 0:51; maj. dec. by Jace Hammond (Gibbon) 17-3. 8-Years and Under 75: Brodey Rohrbough pinned by Emmet Kelley (Hastings Wrestling Club) 1:29; dec. by Cayson Boltjes (Sidney Wrestling Club) 5-4. 10-Years and Under 85: Houston Frank pinned Tieran J Cox (Lincoln Jr. Hawks) 0:47; tech fall Aiden Crawford (Scrbner-Snyder Wrestling Club) 16-0; pinned by Frankie Trevino (Scottsbluff Wrestling Club) 4:01; dec. Braxton Peacher (Nebraska Wrestling Academy) 7-0; tech fall Patrick McCartney (Sidney Wrestling Club) 18-0; pinned Cole Compton (Andover Wrestling Club) 1:00; pinned by Frankie Trevino (Scottsbluff Wrestling Club) 1:51. Fourth Place. 12-Years and Under 88: Zach Rohrbough maj. dec. Dylan Ancheta (Golden Eagles Wrestling Club) 13-3; pinned Brayden Brecka (East Butler) 3:48; maj. dec. by Zachary Marrero (Grandview Wolves) 15-2; pinned Connor Whiteley (Scottsbluff Wrestling Club) 0:44; dec. by Tyler Eise (Grandview Wolves) 6-1. Fourth Place. 15-Years and Under 130: Theron Tucker dec. by David Mendoza (GI Grapplers) 6-1 OT; dec. by Carter Abels (Golden Eagles Wrestling Club) 8-2.
Steve can be contacted by email at stevenrgilliland@ gmail.com
Smoky Hills Public Television is partnering with the Dodge City Law indoor football team to broadcast their home games this season. The next game to be aired will be against the Wichita Force on Thurs., April 20, 9:00 p.m. Other Dodge City games to be broadcast will include: May 18: DC Law vs Duke City Gladiators June 1: DC Law vs Texas Revolution All games are at 9:00 p.m.
Speer “Sara looked pretty good in the 400 (meter) for this early in the season, but the lack of conditioning was evident in the 800,” Simon says. Mallory Dowell added a bronze in the 1600m (6:58.5) and was fourth in the 3200m (15:40.35). Gentry Shapland picked up a bronze medal in the triple jump (27-7 1/2). The Lady Hornets (151) easily outdistanced the six-team field, followed by Greeley County
The Scott County Record • Page 23 • Thursday, April 6, 2017
(continued from page 17)
(97) and Cheylin (82). Foos has Career Best In his first competition of the season, Dylan Foos set a career mark in the javelin (160-2) to claim one of his two gold medals. He also added a win in the 100m (12.13). Likewise, Logan Lingg (39-8) had a career best in the shot put while winning a gold medal. He finished second in the javelin with a toss of 144-2. Also claiming a gold medal in the 400m was
Garrett Keal (55.13). The 4x100m relay posted a winning time of 47.91, finishing nearly 9/10 of a second ahead of Greeley County. Relay members were Dalton Hoffman, David Cramer, Blair Hoffman and Foos. “I was hoping that we could come close to 48 (seconds) in our first meet,” says Simon. “To run as well as we did was a bit of a surprise.” The 4x400m relay (3:51.04) collected a gold medal. It included B. Hoff-
man, Cramer, D. Hoffman and Keal. The 4x800m relay returns all four members from a squad that qualified for state last year, but they had to settle for a silver medal with a time of 9:14.98) behind Greeley County (9:12.06). Relay members were B. Hoffman, Cramer, D. Hoffman and Keal. Dighton (109) finished ahead of Greeley County (99), Weskan (84), Deerfield (82), Cheylin (66) and Triplains (52).
The Scott County Record • Page 24 • Thursday, April 6, 2017
Leoti senior Jorge Gallegos successfully completes a state recordsetting lift in the hang clean at the Class 2A championships and also earned his fourth weight class title last weekend. (Record Photo)
it’s a 4-peat
Gallegos completes sweep; sets hang clean state record Jorge Gallegos wasted no time when he had a chance to claim a state record during the Class 2A State Powerlifting Championships. Breaking away from the game plan that he and Wichita County coach Haydon Parks had talked about before the competition, Gallegos increased his second lift in the hang clean by 20 pounds - a huge amount by state standards - and was successful at 255 pounds. Having tied the state record, Gallegos then earned sole possession of the mark with a lift of 260 pounds on his third and final attempt. It was a perfect ending to a great career that saw Gallegos collect his fourth state title - the last two years as a 132-pounder. His two previous titles came at 114- and 123-pounds. “Pound for pound, he’s one of the strongest kids in the state when you look at his power rat-
ings,” says Parks, who began coaching at Wichita County High School four years ago, at the same time Gallegos was a freshman. The hang clean has always been Gallegos’s best event and Parks knew that a state record was within reach when the WCHS senior lifted 255 pounds during a workout on Wednesday. Only he didn’t tell Gallegos that he had already matched the record. “I didn’t want to put any extra pressure on him. He was already thinking about winning a fourth championship,” Parks says. Saturday’s state championship in Solomon didn’t start out well for Gallegos who was successful on his first attempt in the squat at 295 pounds, but failed on two attempts at 315. “I expected to do much bet-
Sophomore Jesse Hermosillo competes in the heavyweight division at the Class 2A state powerlifting championships held last Saturday in Solomon. (Record Photo)
ter,” says Gallegos, whose goal Class 2A State Powerlifting was 325 pounds. “Since the Lifter Class Bench Squat Clean Total Place track meet was called off yesterday, I figured that would help Aylin Heredia 123 100 175 115 390 1st Jorge Gallegos 132 215 295 260 770 1st Jesse Hermosillo Hwt. 245 465 245 955 3rd
WCHS junior Aylin Heredia competes in the squat during the Class 2A state powerlifting championships. (Record Photo)
my squat, but it didn’t work out that way.” Had he been successful with his 315-pound attempt, Gallegos would have tied the state record of total combined weight for the three lifts at 790 pounds. His lift was still good enough for a gold in the squat and he added another win in the bench with a lift of 215 pounds - 40 pounds ahead of his nearest rival. Gallegos wrapped up the overall title with his opening lift of 235 in the hang clean. In fact, everyone else was out of the competition before Gallegos made his first attempt. It wasn’t until the start of the hang clean that Parks informed the senior what he would need to lift for a state record. “The record wasn’t something I’d even thought about coming in here,” Gallegos said. “I was just wanting to perform my best and I was able to do that.” Because Gallegos had made his 235-pound lift with such ease, he and Parks decided to skip 245 pounds as originally planned and attempt 255 pounds on his second attempt. “He was feeling good and he’d already wrapped up the championship, so we decided
to try 255 right away. We knew he’d have another shot at it if he didn’t get it the first time,” Parks explained. Gallegos has enjoyed an impressive career thanks to Parks’ revival of interest in powerlifting. “They had powerlifting in the past, but no one had done it for a few years before I came here,” says Parks. “Kids began showing interest in it and I saw that some of the athletes, like Jorge, could be pretty good at it.” Parks isn’t surprised at the success that Gallegos has earned. “It’s not just because of his natural strength, but his work ethic,” he emphasizes. “He’s busted his butt in the weight room every summer that I’ve been here. I can count on one hand the number of days he’s missed in the weight room during the summer and during the school year. He never takes a day off.” Gallegos says powerlifting has given the three-sport athlete yet another sport he can excel at. “I thank God that I’ve been able to perform all four years at a high level,” he adds. “I’ve always enjoyed anything that involves weights.”
Business
The Scott County Record Page 25 • Thursday, April 6, 2017
Bill promotes safe sleeping rules for child care facilities
Child care providers would face stricter guidelines promoting safe sleep practices and tougher rules on the people allowed to work in their facilities under a bill that passed the Kansas Senate on Tuesday. An amendment to the bill, which was approved 35-4 and will now land on
Gov. Sam Brownback’s desk, generated discussion about too much government oversight from some legislators who questioned the bill’s inflexibility. The bill highlights safe sleep practices promoted by the American Academy of Pediatrics in an effort
to decrease the risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome, or SIDS. The proposal drew support from the Kansas chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics. Rep. Tom Burroughs, D-Kansas City, introduced the bill following a death in his family.
The bill would ban child care facilities from placing crib bumpers, blankets and other loose items in sleeping areas for infants. Sen. Ty Masterson, R-Andover, fought to allow mesh bumpers, arguing the Legislature was engaging in overregulation.
“We’re now moving into that crib,” Masterson said. “And we’re not even allowing some new technology, which this appears to be. It could be illegal to put a blanket on the baby to protect them from hitting their head on slats.” The bill also bars from living or working at child care facilities any indi-
$150,000 donation to boost RCDC building campaign Area electric cooperatives and CoBank have joined together to support the Russell Child Development Center’s “Building a Brighter Future” campaign. The five cooperatives have pledged a combined $75,000 over the next three years. CoBank has pledged to match those pledges for a total donation of $150,000. Participating cooperatives include Pioneer Communications, Pioneer Electric, Southern Pioneer Electric, The Victory Electric and Wheatland Electric. The campaign goal is to provide RCDC a facility with the capacity to support the programs and staff members serving families in Southwest Kansas.
“The generous donation by area cooperatives will help us toward our goal of building a facility to meet our current and future needs,” said Deanna Berry, RCDC director. “We depend on the support of donors to cover the gap between government funding and the actual cost of providing services.” RCDC is a communitybased nonprofit that works with young children and their families. The agency has four main programs aimed at providing free services to address the needs of at-risk, young children to improve child health and education outcomes. “Russell Child Development Center provides much-needed free
viduals who are convicted of arson, convicted of or adjudicated for any crime that requires registration as a sex offender, or who are listed in any child abuse and neglect registries maintained by other states or the federal government that are similar to the Kansas Child Abuse and Neglect Registry.
KSU seeks innovative entrepreneurs
Cooperative and RCDC representatives include (from left) Anita Wendt, Pioneer Electric Cooperative and Southern Pioneer Electric Company; James Davis, RCDC Board President; Katrina Lowry, RCDC Building Blocks director; Dana McNutt, RCDC financial officer; Kasey Krueger, Pioneer Communications; Deanna Berry, RCDC executive director; Seth Hart, CoBank vice president of Electric Distribution, Water and Community Facilities; Alli Conine, Wheatland Electric Cooperative; Jose Olivas, RCDC board member; and Kennedy St. George, Victory Electric Cooperative.
services to families across southwest Kansas,” noted Wheatland Electric general manager Bruce Mueller. “In the cooperative spirit of helping the communities we serve, Wheatland Electric is happy to support the tremendous efforts and the services Russell Child
Development Center brings to southwest Kansas.” Wheatland Electric serves more than 33,000 electric meters in 15 counties and maintains over 4,000 miles of distribution power lines across Western and southcentral Kansas and parts of Colorado.
Kansas State University is seeking applications from Kansas-based startups to participate in its annual K-State Launch a Business (LAB) program. LAB provides entrepreneurs resources that include facultyled courses, hands-on student research teams and access to the K-State alumni mentor network. It is intended for early-stage companies and is designed to provide the building blocks for turning a concept into a successful venture. As many as 25 startup ventures or concepts will be selected for participation. Each venture that successfully completes the program will receive $1,500 and is eligible to participate in the culminating Launch Party, where a total of $80,000 in additional prizes will be awarded. Application deadline is April 14. More information and application forms are available at k-state.edu/lab.
Lane Co. Community Fund hosts intro to estate planning DIGHTON - Estate attorney Kenneth Wasserman says there are lots of ways to plan for the future of your farm or business, and coming up with a plan sooner rather than later could help keep the peace among your heirs. Wasserman spoke to an audience at Dighton’s JOY Center as a guest of the non-profit Lane County Community Fund, a 501(c)3 created to improve the community through grants and scholarships. He said estate plans can be built to consider an array of factors like life insurance policies, wills, federal tax plans, Medicaid, and trusts, and can be complex. However,
he added that landowners “don’t have to re-invent the wheel” to achieve their succession goals. To make those transitions happen the way a landowner envisions it, Wasserman suggested building an estate transition around a structure tailor-fit to each farmer, and could include donations to non-profits as a way to benefit landowners while enriching the community. Lane County Community Fund (LCCF) committee member Andy Hineman said he hopes members of the community will use the Fund in their own estate planning. Specifically, he said the Lane County Community Fund could be used to benefit the community
while relieving tax pressure as estate changes hands. “The Lane County Fund is focused on preserving the wealth that is already in Lane County while supporting projects and non-profit causes that will continue to make Lane County great,” Hineman said. “It’s mutually beneficial because the Fund is a vehicle that can help reduce residents tax burden while using those charitable donations for the betterment of the community. “Proper estate planning, and a plan that involves the Lane County Fund, can be mutually beneficial for both the donor and the entire community.”
LCCF Chairman Logan Campbell agreed, saying donors can “help insure that Lane County remains a great place to live.” He said donors making taxdeductable contributions can create scholarships, endowments, and infrastructure projects. Campbell said gift donations can come in the form of cash, securities, stocks, real estate or land, commodities, life insurance, retirement accounts or other appreciated assets. The LCCF is being operated through the guidance and structure of the Scott Community Foundation, under the leadership of executive director Ryan Roberts. He said landowners of
Lane County have a great opportunity to “preserve productive lands while ensuring the future vitality of agriculture in the community,” by donating land to the Fund. “When a landowner donates land to the Fund, they’ll have the option to continue to manage their land and retain the income from that land throughout their lifetime,” Roberts said. “It also means they can honor relationships with current tenants and have a say in who the tenants would be after their death. And of course, there’s the benefit from charitable deductions, avoidance of capital gains taxes, and reduced estate tax.” Roberts said there are
a couple of ways to set up gifts, including: •Setting up a Retained Life Estate or Charitable Remainder Trust: Deed your land now and continue to manage it and retain the income throughout your lifetime. •Making an outright gift: Land ownership and management will be transferred immediately upon the gift’s completion. •Deed the land to a trust: This benefits both landowners and universities. Make checks payable to “Scott Community Foundation” noted as “Lane County Community Fund” in the memo line. Read more about the Fund at http://scottcf.org or donate online at http://scottcf.org/#/ ways-to-give/donate-now
The Scott County Record
Farm
Sorghum Checkoff releases videos on aphid management The United Sorghum Checkoff Program recently released eight videos on sugarcane aphid management. The series provides growers with information received from the Sorghum - Sugarcane Aphid Research Exchange meeting held earlier this year where nearly 60 researchers from across the country shared the results of Sorghum Checkoff-funded research conducted in 2016. “The sugarcane aphid continues to affect sorghum growers, and we want to make sure farmers are equipped with the latest information on how to best identify and manage this pest,” said Brent Bean, Sorghum Checkoff agronomist. The videos discuss topics such as sugarcane aphid biology, tolerant versus susceptible hybrids, insecticide rates and applications, control with other pests, late season control, integrated pest management and pre-planting decisions. In the videos, Bean summarizes the research data and best practices concluded from the research exchange meeting and provides growers with steps they should take to defend against the sugarcane aphid. “The key to managing the sugarcane aphid is having access to all available information,” said Bean. “There are numerous factors involved with managing this pest including hybrid selection, planting date and thresholds.” The full video series can be found on the Sorghum Checkoff’s YouTube channel.
Page 26 - Thursday, April 6, 2017
State water plan funding hits roadblock in House
Hopes of getting more funding in future years to protect the state’s endangered water resources were dealt a severe setback Tuesday when the House budget committee rejected a proposal to spend even the amount the state is already legally obligated to spend for water projects. Increasing funding for water preservation projects was one of Gov. Sam Brownback’s top pri-
orities for this legislative session, and Rep. Tom Sloan (R-Lawrence) was named to lead a special House committee that was charged with coming up with a funding plan. Sloan’s committee has been stalled, however, because other groups that pay fees that go into the state’s Water Plan Fund - including municipal water utilities - have been unwilling to accept any plan calling for them to
pay higher fees, at least until the state of Kansas starts paying its own share of the cost, something it has not done since 2008. During a meeting Tuesday of the House Appropriations Committee, which is working on the next twoyear budget bill for the state, Rep. Sydney Carlin (D-Manhattan) offered an amendment to add money to make the payments that the state is obligat-
ed by statute to make: $6 million from the state general fund and $2 million from the Economic Development Initiatives Fund, which comes from state Lottery proceeds. The committee rejected that amendment on a voice vote. But even many of those who opposed it said they understood the importance of it. “It is going to be a huge, huge crisis, and it (See ROADBLOCK on page 27)
Ear tags, implants stimulate cattle growth A Kansas State University study has shown that cattle producers can improve their profits and add another layer of safety for their herds by using ear tags in combination with growth implants. Beef cattle specialist Dale Blasi said using the two treatments reduces
horn flies, a nuisance that costs the U.S livestock industry approximately $1 billion in losses each year, according to a recent study from Oklahoma State University. The Kansas State University study showed that when using the two treatments separately in stocker cattle grazing for
90 days, those animals increased live weight gain by 15 or 16 pounds. But when the treatments were used together, “our gains were incredible,” Blasi said. “We were picking up 30 or 40 pounds of live animal gain relative to doing one or the other alone.”
Though the actual benefit to producers’ profits will vary, at a price of 70-80 cents per pound, Blasi said the added value could be about $25. “And after you remove the cost of the products, you’re still several dollars ahead.” (See EAR TAGS on page 27)
Mac’s move to fresh beef: is it too little, too late? Here’s the story as the San Francisco Chronicle published it: “Something completely different at McDonald’s: Fresh beef. It’s a major change for McDonald’s, which has relied on frozen beef for more than 40 years.” Sounds promising, doesn’t it? But as the late Paul
Meat of the Matter Dan Murphy
contributing columnist Drovers CattleNetwork
Harvey loved to say, “And now . . . the rest of the story.” The changeover isn’t as sweeping as Oak Brook executives might have
Projected sorghum acres not likely to meet demand The latest report from the National Agricultural Statistics Service projects 5.76 million acres of sorghum will be planted for harvest in 2017. That’s a 13.9 percent decline from a year ago. The National Sorghum Producers expects planted acreage to increase in the next few weeks in response to heavy rains across the Midwest. “With recent weather events across four states, we feel confident there will be additional sorghum acres planted behind failed wheat and other crops,” says NSP CEO Tim Lust. “Demand for sorghum continues to rise, and expected ending stocks-to-use ratios are now down to 7.92 percent. “Current sorghum prices, like corn and wheat prices, are a reflection of our current economy and the situation farmers are facing with local basis.” Lust says the industry also recognizes the challenge in “supplying growing domestic and export demand that continues to aggressively seek sorghum at-cost or above the corn price in more locations across the Sorghum Belt. “This is encouraging for our industry,” says Lust. “We encourage farmers to evaluate the entire market and policy landscape as they make planting decisions this spring.”
wanted consumers (and investors) to assume. The fast-food chain is only swapping frozen patties for fresh ones in its quarter pounder sandwiches. And it’s only taking place at “most U.S. locations.” And it won’t launch until “sometime next year.” According to Reuters’ reporting, “It was not
immediately clear what impact the use of fresh beef would have on margins at McDonald’s USA, which does not disclose what percentage of sales come from the quarter pounder.” No, but you can bet that they’re only a fraction of same-store sales. When you add up all the
Warm Gulf temps bring regional rainfall Unusually warm water temperatures in the Gulf of Mexico are fueling outbursts of severe weather and bringing muchneeded rain to Kansas. According to a recently published article in the technology journal Ars Technica, temperatures in the Gulf broke records for at least 31 days between November 1 and February 28. One contributing factor is the lack of cold air making its way south from Canada. Instead, most of those winter blasts have been confined to the Dakotas and states along the northern U.S. border.
“That allows those surface waters in the Caribbean Basin or the Gulf of Mexico to stay warmer than they would typically be at this time of the year,” says Mary Knapp, a climatologist with K-State Extension. May tends to be the biggest month for severe weather activity in Kansas. “As you move into June and July, you’re not getting the air mass contrast that you get in the spring months,” says Knapp. “You don’t have the sharp gradient from warm to cold temperatures which fuels the big storm events.”
other menu items, the breakfast traffic, the coffee and beverage sales, the Happy Meals, the french fries and the dessert items, revenue from quarter pounder orders is miniscule. But here’s a truly startling statistic, one which partly explains the move to fresh beef, but also puts
into perspective how minimal the impact is likely to be. As Reuters noted: “McDonald’s U.S. restaurants have suffered four straight years of traffic declines, resulting in 500 million lost transactions since 2012.”
Market Report
Weather
Closing prices on April 5, 2017 Bartlett Grain Red Wheat............ $ 3.11 White Wheat ....... $ 3.11 Milo .................... $ 2.60 Corn ................... $ 3.12 Soybeans (new crop) $ 8.19 Scott City Cooperative Wheat.................. $ 3.10 White Wheat ....... $ 3.10 Milo (bu.)............. $ 2.60 Corn.................... $ 3.12 Soybeans ........... $ 8.19 Sunflowers.......... $ ADM Grain Wheat.................. Milo (bu.)............. Corn.................... Soybeans............ Sunflowers..........
$ 3.12 $ 2.60 $ 3.12 $ 8.19 $ 12.00
(See MAC on page 27)
H
L
P
March 28
50 42 2.03
March 29
42 40 .61
March 30
63 37
March 31
55 41
April 1
41 38 .56
April 2
62 34
April 3
65 37
Moisture Totals
April 0.56 2017 Total
4.79
Food Facts Blueberries are first picked by hand to gather the best of the early fruit. Later, if the fruit is to be mechanically harvested, a harvesting machine goes through the field and gently shakes each bush so only the ripe blueberries drop off.
Roadblock is barreling down fast,” said Rep. Larry Campbell (R-Olathe). “It is absolutely imperative that at some point in time, this comes to the top of our list. This will someday probably be one of the biggest and most important issues we have in this state. We are quickly heading to a disaster.” At the same time, however, Campbell, who also chairs a committee in charge of coming up with a new school funding formula, said he could not support funding the water plan this year in the midst of a significant budget crisis. The State Water Plan program was established in the 1980s to pay for
Mac If it’s accurate, that number is beyond belief. How in the world can that many potential store visits be recaptured just by switching out the beef patties in a single sandwich? Obviously, such a decline represents something more fundamentally flawed than just the substitution of fresh instead of frozen beef. Unsolicited Advice McDonald’s management has never asked me for my opinion, and if it ever was solicited I doubt anyone would pay attention. Nevertheless, here’s my take on why those 500
(continued from page 26)
projects such as streambank stabilization and soil conservation measures that prevent reservoirs like Clinton Lake from filling up with silt. It also helps pay for other conservation measures intended to reduce depletion of underground aquifers. One of the biggest projects the program has ever taken on is the recent dredging of John Redmond Reservoir near Burlington, a $20 million project that will remove 3 million cubic yards of sediment from the lake. The project was financed with state-issued bonds that were backed, in part, with future Water Plan revenue. Most of the funding
for the Water Plan comes from fees charged to various types of water users. Municipal water utilities, including the one in Lawrence, charge a fee to their users that appears on their monthly water bills. Industrial water customers also pay a fee, as do livestock producers. The state also charges fees that go into the fund for the purchase of farm fertilizers and pesticides. Those fees generate about $13 million a year. The state currently does not, however, charge a fee for water pumped out of the ground for irrigation, which actually accounts for roughly 80 percent of all the water consumed in Kansas each year.
A blue ribbon task force that Brownback appointed to study funding options has recommended the state increase funding to about $56 million a year. That group also proposed earmarking a portion of the state’s existing sales tax to pay for the increase, something that Republican leaders in the House have declined to even consider. Others have suggested increasing existing fees and levying fees on groundwater pumped for irrigation. But during debates in Sloan’s committee, lobbyists representing agriculture groups and municipal water utilities have said they will not accept any plan to increase
the fees they already pay unless irrigators also pay into the fund. And none of them will accept any package of higher fees as long as the state continues to withhold the payments it is supposed to make. Withholding payments into the Water Plan fund is nothing new for the Kansas Legislature. Since 1991, according to the Legislative Research Department, the state has shorted its payments into the fund by a total of more than $65 million. Most of that, nearly $54 million, has been withheld since 2010. The Senate version of the next two-year budget also does not include funding for the State Water
Plan. Had the House committee included the money, it could have been an issue the two chambers would negotiate in a conference committee. Sloan said after the meeting that despite what happened in the Appropriations Committee, he still holds out hope that there will be additional funding for water projects. “I continue to work with the Appropriations Committee and the House leadership to fund at least some high-priority programs and projects,” he said. “Until we go home in May, there’s still that hope we’ll get something for water funding. Slim hope.”
(continued from page 26)
million visits never happened: •Consistency over quality. That has been a corporate mantra for McDonald’s since the beginning. Unfortunately, the chain’s quality has been consistently inferior to virtually all of its competitors. •Speed as opposed to service. Look, very few fast-food restaurants excel at customer service, but when Andrew Puzder, the CEO of Hardee’s and Carl’s Jr., recently voiced his eagerness to replace human workers with robots, I’m not sure that wouldn’t be an improvement. •Economy rather than
Ear Tags Growth implants are used in beef production systems throughout the United States to increase growth efficiency and stimulate the development of lean muscle. The university’s work was a follow-up to an earlier study in which researchers looked at the effectiveness of ear tags in reducing horn flies. Blasi said the university’s newer research paired growth implants with either the ear tag or an injectable dewormer to see what the potential response would be. Ear tags contain insec-
The Scott County Record • Page 27 • Thursday, April 6, 2017
value. Too often, the goal of most McDonald’s franchisees seems to be shoving enough of something edible into the bag to make you feel like you scored a bargain, not a banquet. Admittedly, the McDonald’s franchise has been incredibly successful - but with the emphasis on “has been.” The company’s muscular promotional campaign touting the new “Grand Mac” as a step up from the Big Mac lured me and my son into trying one. But when a hungry teenager tosses his half of a burger back into the bag, you know something’s amiss, and to be honest, it
was truly one of the worst sandwiches I can remember (partially) eating in quite a while. A p p a r e n t l y , McDonald’s is already testing the new fresh beef quarter pounder, because in its news release, McDonald’s USA President Chris Kempczinski eagerly noted that, “It’s a really hot, juicy burger.” Um, shouldn’t a burger chain’s sandwiches already be served hot and juicy? Here’s a suggestion for Ronald and friends: Switch to fresh beef patties across the entire menuboard, and do it sooner, rather than later.
(continued from page 26)
ticides that reduce the fly populations and allow the cows to graze stress-free. The Kansas State study showed that cattle with one ear tag gain an additional nine pounds of live weight, and those with two ear tags gained 12 pounds. A separate study tested the use of growth implants in combination with an injectable dewormer called Long Range, a product that was not known previously to be a deterrent to flies. Blasi and his colleagues used a digital camera and software to count horn flies in
a field where cattle were grazing. “What we observed was a significant decline in the number of flies compared to another product,” he said. “There was a dramatic difference.” The injectable dewormer provided about 10 weeks of control for horn flies, and a single ear tag provides about eight weeks of protection. The research was presented recently at Kansas State University’s Cattlemen’s Day and is available online at www. asi.k-state.edu/research-andextension/beef/research-andextension/2017CattlemensD ay-2-24-2017.pdf
560 AC. LANE CO. LAND AUCTION
WED., APRIL 26 • 11:00 a.m SELLER: BETTY JANE YATES ESTATE LOCATION: JOY CENTER, 144 N. 1ST St., DIGHTON TRACT #1: E/2 NE/4 22-16-29, Lane Co., KS-- 80 Ac., +/- w/78.02 Ac. Currently Enrolled in CRP at $39.95/Ac. Thru 9/30/2021. 2016 Taxes Were $254.10. TRACT #2: S/2 14-16-29 & NE/4 23-16-29, Lane Co., KS-- 480 Ac., +/- w/375 Ac., +/-, Native Pasture. 102.19 Ac., +/-, Enrolled in CRP at $39.95/Ac. Through 9/30/2021. 2016 Taxes Were $723.74. TERMS: $5,000 Down on Tract #1, $30,000 Down on Tract #2. Balance Due in 30 Days or Sooner With Title Approval. POSSESSION: Day of Sale with Mutual Execution of Contract and Receipt of Earnest Money. FSA INFORMATION: CRP Contract is Combined on Both Tracts (180.2 Ac. Total) (Annual Payment. of $7,199). Buyer(s) to Comply with Federal Program Guidelines. Buyer(s) to Receive 2017 CRP Payment. MINERALS: Seller’s Mineral Interest is Included in the Sale and Will Transfer at Closing. TAXES: 2017 Taxes Will Be Paid by Buyer(s). Any Announcement Made Sale Day Shall Take Precedence Over All Advertised Material. Call For Brochure or Check Our Web Site For More Information.
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The Scott County Record • Page 28 • Thursday, April 6, 2017
Call 872-2090 today!
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The Scott County Record Professional Directory
There’s no better way to reach your potential customers in Scott County and the surrounding areas.
Agriculture
Preconditioning and Growing
• 45 Years Experience • Managed and owned by full-time DVM • 2,000 Head capacity Office - 872-5150 • Scott City Stuart Doornbos Home - 872-2775 Cell - 874-0951
Berning Tree Service David Berning • Marienthal
620-379-4430
Tree Trimming and Removal Hedge and Evergreen Trimming Stump Removal
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Professional Extermination Commercial & Residential
• Termites • Rodents • Soil Sterilization • Pre Treats • Lawn Care • Fly Parasites
John Kropp, Owner • Scott City 874-2023 (cell) • 872-3400 (office) • prox2@live.com
Sager’s Pump Service • Irrigation • Domestic • Windmills • Submersibles
Cell: 874-4486 • Office 872-2101
Construction/Home Repair
Walker Plumbing, Inc. Backhoe & Trenching services • Irrigation & gas leak repairs • Full-line irrigation parts T-L center pivot dealer Floor heat systems Pump & install septic systems Boring equipment
423 S. Mesquite Rd. • Scott City • 872-2130
RT Plumbing
ELLIS AG SERVICES
Rex Turley, Master Plumber
• Custom Manure Conditioning • Hauling and Spreading • Custom Swathing and Baling • Rounds-Net or Twine • Gyp and Sand Sales • Custom Harvesting
Residental and Commercial Plumbing Water Systems, water lines, sewer cleaning faucets and fixtures, garbage diposals and more
Marienthal, Ks.
620-909-5014 (H) • 620-874-4128 (C)
Call Brittan Ellis • 620-874-5160
Automotive
CHAMBLESS ROOFING Residential
All Types of Roofing
Commercial
Cedar Shake and Shingle Specialists Return to Craftsmanship Attention to Detail and Quality Guaranteed 620-872-2679 • 1-800-401-2683
Landscaping • Lawn/Trees
Faurot Electric, Inc. Office • 620-872-5344 Jeromy Lisenby • 620-214-3247
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The Scott County Record • Page 29 • Thursday, April 6, 2017
Professional Directory Continued
Medical
Charles Purma II D.D.S. P.A. General Dentistry, Cosmetics, and Insurance Accepted
We welcome new patients. 324 N. Main • Scott City • 872-2389 Residence 872-5933
Tuesday-Saturday 10:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m.
www.reganjewelers.com
412 N. Main • Garden City • 620-275-5142
Brent Rogers
Sales Consultant b.rogers@officesolutionsinc.biz
Office (620) 276-3131 Toll Free 1-800-794-9052 Cell (620) 874-0014 Fax (620) 276-8876 1007 N. 8th, Garden City, KS 67846 www.officesolutionsinc.biz
Dr. Jeffrey A. Heyd Optometrist 20/20 Optometry
Treatment of Ocular Disease • Glaucoma Detection Children’s Vision • Glasses • Contact Lenses
For Sale
Truck Driving
40-FOOT GRADE A steel cargo containers. $1,600 in KC. $2,100 in Solomon, Ks. 20s, 45s, 48s and 53s also available. Call (785) 655-9430 or go on-line to Chuckhenry. com for pricing, availability and freight estimates.
GREAT PLAINS TRUCKING, Salina, is hiring OTR tractor-trailer flatbed drivers looking for a career. Our drivers travel 48 U.S. states. We offer well-maintained equipment, excellent home time, compensation and benefits package. Contact Brett or Judy at 785-823-2261 or brettw@ gptrucking.com, judym@ gptrucking.com or fill out an online application at www.gptrucking.com. ––––––––––––––––––––– CLASS A OTR. Regional, home weekly. End dump drivers for newly expanded business. Late model Peterbilts and Raven trailers, Vacation pay, health ins., 401K. (800) 776-5672.
Sports/Outdoors GUN SHOW. April 8-9. Sat., 9:00-5:00; Sun., 9:00-3:00. Kansas ExpoCentre (19th and Topeka Blvd.), Topeka. For info: (563) 927-8176 www.rkshows.com. ––––––––––––––––––––– OUR SPORTSMEN will pay top $$$ to hunt your land. Call for a free base camp leasing info packet and quote. 1-866-309-1507. www. BaseCampLeasing.com.
Medical
Complete family eye center! 106 W. 4th • Scott City • 872-2020 • Emergencies: 214-1462
Pro Health Chiropractic Wellness Center (Scott City Chiropractic) “TLC”... Technology Lead Chiropractic
Dr. James Yager 110 W. 4th St. • Scott City • 872-2310 Toll Free: 800-203-9606
Kansas Classifieds Ad Network
The classified ads below are appearing in 147 Kansas newspapers with a total circulation of 500,000 the classified display ads appear in 142 Kansas newspapers with a total circulation of 457,000. KCAN line ad is $300 for up to 25 words and $12 each additional word. A 2x2 display ad is $800 per insertion and a 2x4 display ad is $1,650 per insertion. To find out more, contact The Scott County Record at 872-2090.
Services
Berning Auction “Don’t Trust Your Auction to Just Anyone”
For all your auction needs call:
(620) 375-4130
Russell Berning Box Q • Leoti
Horizon Health For your home medical supply and equipment needs!
DIGITAL HEARING aids. Now offering a 45-day risk free offer. Free batteries for life. Call to start your free trial. 877687-4650. ––––––––––––––––––––– LUNG CANCER? And 60+ years old? If so, you and your family may be entitled to a significant cash award. Call 866-3272721 to learn more. No risk. No money out of pocket. ––––––––––––––––––––– OXYGEN. Anytime. Anywhere. No tanks to refill. No deliveries. The all new Inogen One G4 is only 2.8 pounds. FAA approved! Free info kit: 844-359-3973. ––––––––––––––––––––– VIAGRA/CIALIS users. There’s a cheaper alternative than high drug store prices. 50 pills. Special $99. Free shipping. 100% guaranteed. Call now. 855-850-3904. ––––––––––––––––––––– LIVING WITH KNEE or back pain? Medicare recipients may qualify to receive a pain relieving brace at little or no cost. Call now. 855-796-7301.
Misc. DONATE YOUR CAR to charity. Receive maximum value of write off for your taxes. Running or not. All conditions accepted. Free pick-up. Call for details. 844-268-9386.
Homes SAVE YOUR HOME! Are you behind paying your mortgage? Denied a loan modification?Is the bank threatening foreclosure? Call Homeowner’s Relief Line now for help! 855-401-4513. ––––––––––––––––––––– LENDERS OFFERING special government programs for mobile homes and $0 down for landowners. Promo homes with reduced down payments. Use tax refund for additional incentives. Singles from $39,900. Doubles from $59,900. 866-8586862.
Have questions about the Scott Community Foundation? call 872-3790 or e-mail julie@scottcf.org
We service and repair all that we sell. 1602 S. Main • Scott City • 872-2232 Toll Free : 1-866-672-2232
Retail
Gene’s Appliance
411 S. Main St. Scott City, KS 67871 (816) 591-1637 Cell (620) 872-5935 Fax www.safinancialservices.com
Craig S. Richards (620) 872-5949 Office craig@richards-financial.com
Over 200 appliances in stock! COMPARE OUR PRICES!
We have Reverse Osmosis units in stock. Remember us for parts in stock for all brands of all appliances.
Investment Advisory Services offered through S&A Financial Services, Inc., a Registered Investment Advisor.
Sales and Service Days • Mon. - Sat. Deliveries • Mon.-Sat.
Largest Frigidaire appliance dealer in Western Ks. 508 Madison • Scott City • 872-3686
Networktronic, Inc.
Computer Sales, Service and Repair Custom computers! Networking solutions! Mon. - Fri. 9:00 a.m. - 5:30 p.m. 402 S. Main, Scott City • 872-1300
All Under One Roof
Revcom Electronics
Your RadioShack Dealer Two-way Radio Sales & Service Locally owned and operated since 1990
1104 Main • Scott City • 872-2625
Northend Disposal A garbologist company. Scott City • 872-1223 • 1-800-303-3371
ES N JOLUB S B C Driving M LA
for the PURPLE!
Jeremy • 620-397-1638 Stefanie • 620-397-8075
Dining
Classifieds
The Scott County Record • Page 30 • Thursday, April 6, 2017
Buy, sell, trade, one call does it all 872-2090 or fax 872-0009
Classified Ad Deadline: Monday at 5:00 p.m. Classified Ad Rate: 20¢ per word. Minimum charge, $5. Blind ad: $2.50 per week extra. Card of thanks: 10¢ per word. Minimum charge, $3. Classified Display Ad rate: $6.50 per column inch. Classified advertising must be paid in advance unless business account is established. If not paid in advance, there will be a $1 billing charge. Tear sheet for classified ad will be $1 extra.
Garage Sale ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS
Saturday, April 8, 8:00 a.m. to noon 1317 Glenn St., Scott City You can park on south side or alley. Furniture, kitchen supplies, clothing (ages 5/6 and up), lots of misc.
Help Wanted FARM/RANCH HELP wanted. Scott City, Leoti, Dighton area. CDL preferred. Call 620-8741160. 3417t4c ––––––––––––––––––––– WELL SERVICE OPERATOR. Hurricane Services, Inc. is seeking a full-time well service operator in Garden City. HS diploma/GED preferred. Industry related experience preferred. Competitive pay and benefits. Apply at murfininc.acquiretm.com. EOE. 3417t2p ––––––––––––––––––––– FLOOR HAND Hurricane Services, Inc. is seeking a full-time floor hand in Garden City. HS diploma/GED preferred. Industry related experience preferred. Competitive pay and benefits. Apply at murfininc.acquiretm.com. EOE 3417t2p ––––––––––––––––––––– FARMWORKER 4/15/17-12/1/17, Anderson Harvesting, Bridgeport, Nebr., 3 temp jobs. Assist with custom harvest in Nebr. Operate machinery (i.e. combines, grain carts, trucks). Drive heavy truck to transport produce and to haul harvesting machines between work sites. Service, clean machinery, make in-field repairs. 3 months experience, employment reference, clean MVR, CDL, English required. $13.79/hr, ¾ work guarantee, tools/equip/ housing provided at no cost, trans and subsistence exp reimbursed. Apply at Kansas Works, 620-2272149. Job #405420. 3517t1c ––––––––––––––––––––– FARMWORKER 5/10/17-1/31/18, Sandy Creek Farms, Bradley, Okla., 3 temp jobs. General farm labor. Clean, maintain, repair, field ready equipment, grain bins. Maintain irrigation equipment. Drive trucks, tractors to perform crop raising duties. Plant, harvest, cultivate crops using tractor drawn machinery. 3 months experience, clean MVR, employment reference, DL, English, post hire drug test required. Pay depends on experience, $11.59/hour minimum, ¾ work guarantee, tools/equip/housing provided at no cost, trans and subsistence exp reimbursed. Apply at Kansas Works, 620-227-2149. Job #OK1322772. 3517t1c
Rentals HIDE AND SEEK STORAGE SYSTEMS. Various sizes available. Virgil and LeAnn Kuntz, 41tfc 620-874-2120. ––––––––––––––––––––– PLAINJAN’S RENTAL houses and duplexes. Stop by the office or call 62005tfc 872-5777. ––––––––––––––––––––– PRIME RETAIL SPACE AVAILABLE in downtown Garden City. 309 N. Main, 1,800 sq/ft. $1,400 per month. Call 620-276-0891. ––––––––––––––––––––– NICE, 2-BEDROOM home for rent. Central air. All new appliances. No pets. Call (620) 872-5844. 3117t4p ––––––––––––––––––––– VERY NICE, REMODELED house for rent. 3 bedrooms 1 bath plus utilities. No pets. No smoking. Call (620) 397-8075.
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Services WANTED: Yards to mow and clean up, etc. Trim smaller trees and bushes too. Call Dean Riedl, (620) 872-5112 or 34tfc 874-4135. –––––––––––––––––––– FURNITURE REPAIR and refinishing. Lawn mower tune-up and blade sharpening. Call Vern Soodsma, 872-2277 or 4015tfc 874-1412. –––––––––––––––––––– MOWER REPAIR, tune-up and blade sharpening. Call Rob Vsetecka 4515tfc at 620-214-1730. ––––––––––––––––––––– SUNNY DAZE cleaning, cooking, assisting with all your daily needs! If you need help, call Linda at 360-355-4058. Affordable and satisfaction guaran3417t8p teed.
Agriculture WANT TO BUY. Stored corn. Call for basis and contract information. 1-800-579-3645. Lane County Feeders, Inc. 32tfc ––––––––––––––––––––– WANT TO BUY. Wheat straw delivered. Call for contracting information. Lane County Feeders, 44tfc 397-5341. ––––––––––––––––––––– BLACK ANGUS BULLS, Registered, tested, 2-yearolds, yearlings, heifer bulls. Delivery, conformation, performance. Call: Black Velvet Ranch, Aaron Plunkett, Syracuse 620-384-1101. ––––––––––––––––––––– REGISTERED ANGUS yearling and 2 year old bulls, Crooked Creek Angus, St. Francis, Ks. 7853517t22c 332-6206. ––––––––––––––––––––– 26 REGISTERED ANGUS Open Replacement heifers. Wright 750 lbs. Ready to breed, number freeze branded. Willing to sale without registrations. Crooked Creek angus, St. Francis, Ks. 785-332-6206 3517t5c
For Sale FRIGIDAIRE STAINLESS STEEL REFRIGERATOR for sale. Tradition top freezer, bottom fridge. Purchased in Fall of 2013. Has been in storage for two years. Works perfectly. $500. Call 316259-4150. 1716tfc ––––––––––––––––––––– HOUSE FOR SALE North side of Scott City. 2 bed 1 bath. Large yard. Central heat and air. New furnace. Cute kitchen. 203 Victor, Scott City. Call 620-214-4769. 3517t1p
If you want to drink, that’s your business. If you want to stop, that’s ours. Alcoholics Anonymous meetings. Tuesday nights at 8:00 p.m. at the United Methodist Church basement (use west door). 412 College, Scott City. Al-Anon at same time and location. Contact: 874-0472 or 872-3137. 25tfc
Built for the Empty Nester!
Traditional
in style, but high in detail! 1,960 sq. ft. ranch home has 2 bedrooms, 1 full bath and 1 master bath with tiled walk-in shower, kitchen with central island and large pantry, den and sunroom. A two-stall garage completes this plan. Call for your private showing: Darryl Clinton 620-874-2304 Matt Clinton 620-874-2305 Check us out on facebook.com/ ClintonConstruction 3517t2c
Price Slashed
Price slashed to $199,500 with $5,000 repair allowance! Very nice home in southwest location. Master bedroom has walk-in shower AND whirlpool tub. 4 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, family room downstairs with wet bay and fireplace.
Move Right In!
Very nice home at edge of town with office, family room, 2 full baths, SA garage, carport and wood fence on corner lot!
Lawrence and Associates
Deb Lawrence, GRI Broker Shorty Lawrence, Sales Assoc. 513 Main • Scott City 872-5267 ofc. 872-7184 hm. lawrenceandassocrealty.com Sheila Ellis, Broker Assoc. 872-2056 Kerry Gough, Sales Assoc. 872-7337 Russell Berning, 874-4405 www.berningauction.com Maranda Cersovsky, 874-8332 Serving Dighton and Healy
The Scott County Record • Page 31 • Thursday, April 6, 2017
Employment Opportunities Scott County Health Department is accepting applications for a Full-Time RN Applicants must: • Have a nursing license in Kansas Position offers: • 40 hour work week (8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m., M-F) • Excellent benefits • Vacation time and sick days accrued • Paid holidays • Competitive salary Applications may be obtained at and returned to: Scott County Health Department 204 S. College Scott City, Ks. 67871
Logan County Manor Oakley, Ks.
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City of Scott City
is seeking a Director of Nursing in a 45 bed long-term care facility.
is accepting applications for two seasonal positions: Street Department Parks Department Applicants must be 18 years of age. Pick up and return applications to: City Hall 221 W. 5th, Scott City Applications will be accepted until positions are filled.
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District 11 AA Meetings
Scott City
Unity and Hope Mon., Wed. and Fri. 8:00 p.m. 807 Kingsley Last Saturday of the month Birthday Night • 6:30 p.m. All open meetings 214-4188 • 214-2877
Dighton Thursday • 8:30 p.m. 535 Wichita St. All open meetings 620-397-2647
We have room for you!
Scott County Hospital Has Openings for the Following Positions PATIENT CARE Acute Care RNs - FT Night Shift Physical Therapist - FT PACU/Circulating RN - FT Operating Room Supervisor RN - FT Dietary Aide - FT Applicants for these positions are required to be able to read, speak and understand English. Pre-employment physical, drug/alcohol screening, immunization titer, physical assessment and TB skin test required. We are a tobacco free campus. We offer competitive pay and great benefits. Applications are available on our website at www.scotthospital.net or call 620-872-7772 for more information.
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Position Requires: * Kansas nursing license * Strong leadership skills * Ability to manage multiple priorities Position offers: * Competitive wages * KPERS * Health insurance * Excellent PTO Call for more information 785-672-1333 Check us out at www.logancountyhospital.org
E.O.E.
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City of Scott City is accepting applications for : Maintenance worker in street, water and sewer department Position offers: • BC/BS • Vacation • Sick leave Pick up and return applications to: City Hall 221 W. 5th, Scott City Applications will be accepted until position is filled.
E.O.E.
Moving? Contact The Scott County Record to update your address, so you don’t miss your paper. P.O. Box 377, Scott City, Ks. 67871 • 620-872-2090 • www.scottcountyrecord.com
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The Scott County Record
Lawn and Garden
Page 32 - Thursday, April 6, 2017
Annual aeration needed for most lawns Just walking or driving across a lawn to mow it can compact the soil. Watering the grass can squeeze out soil’s oxygen, too. That’s why many wellestablished lawns are suffocating slowly - unless their owner is providing periodic help. Their soil compaction rate is even faster if lawns have poor drainage, heavy foot (paw) traffic, thatch buildup and/or crossover by heavy equipment, says Megan Kennelly, horticulturist at Kansas State University. “The problem can start if you over-till when preparing the seedbed,” she notes. “And, it can get worse if you let soil stay compacted into summer, because your lawn will dry out so quickly.” That’s why Kennelly generally recommends homeowners aerate their lawns at least once a year. The only exceptions are people with newly seeded lawns and those with sandy soils.
“If you grow turf that develops thatch problems, you’ll need to aerate more often - twice a year, at least,” she said. “If your lawn is in clay and gets lots of use, you also will need to aerate twice yearly.” For homeowners growing tall fescue or Kentucky bluegrass, the best time to aerate is in March, April and/or September. For those with bermuda, buffalograss, or zoysia, prime aeration time lasts from late May through July. No matter the month, however, core aeration should come before seasonal maintenance chores such as fertilizing, seeding and applying pre-emergence herbicides (e.g., crabgrass preventer). Most equipment rental stores have core aerators available. The machines come equipped with hollow tines that punch and pull out a narrow core of soil, depositing it on top of the grass. “This kind of equip-
How to Assess Soil Texture Assessing soil texture can be a scientific or roughand-ready task. Getting soil tested in a lab will not only provide an exact measure of soil type but also reveal any nutrient deficiencies. Extension offices across Kansas can provide instructions on gathering a good sample. If desired, they also can forward samples to K-State Extension’s soils testing lab in Manhattan. But anyone can get a rough assessment of texture by squeezing a handful of moist (not wet and not dry) soil. If the resulting ball falls apart when the hand’s opened again, the soil is sand. If the ball crumbles easily, the soil is loam. If it holds together without help, the ball is clay. This test works well for turf, flowerbed or garden soil.
ment isn’t lightweight. If you can’t handle a fullsize tiller, for example, you might want to hire a professional to aerate your lawn,” advises Kennelly, who is the turfgrass specialist for K-State Extension. Soil moisture content is vital to successful aeration. Tines can’t penetrate deeply enough into droughty soils. They clog in wet soils and may not deposit the soggy cores on the lawn’s surface. Good hole spacing also is important.
“If the holes are spaced too far apart, you won’t exactly be wasting your time. But, you’ll still have a compaction problem, she explained. “If the holes are too close together, that’s not as big a deal; they’ll simply remain visible for a little longer. So, you should err on the side of overdoing things, if you’re unsure about the results you’re getting.” Kennelly said that achieving good spacing will require making three or more passes over the lawn, with each pass go-
ing in a different direction. Homeowners should strive for cores that are three inches deep and three inches apart. Rainfall and the lawn itself will remove correctly spaced holes from sight in about a month. “You won’t see the full results of regular aerating for about three years,” Kennelly said. “But your lawn’s roots will be getting healthier, deeper and stronger almost immediately.”
Where thick thatch is a problem, some lawnowners fight back by power raking. “If thatch is that thick, however, they really should power rake and core aerate,” she said. Thatch often is the only physical sign that a lawn needs aeration. Compaction has gone on too long when lawns dry out so quickly in summer that their “breathing” problem becomes obvious, Kennelly adds.
Emerald Ash Borer is confirmed in eastern Kansas The Kansas Department of Agriculture along with the U.S. Department of Agriculture has confirmed the presence of emerald ash borer (EAB) in Doniphan County. On March 31, several EAB larvae were removed from an ash
tree in a native stand of timber in rural Doniphan County by the Kansas Forest Service and KDA staff. Regulatory officials with USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service’s Plant Protection and Quarantine (USDAAPHIS-PPQ) confirmed
the presence of EAB. Kansas will expand the EAB quarantine, currently in place in Atchison, Douglas, Jefferson, Johnson, Leavenworth and Wyandotte counties, to include Doniphan County to help slow the spread of EAB in Kansas.
If Kansans outside of the quarantined areas think any of their trees may have the pest, they should notify KDA immediately at (785) 564-6698 or KDA.ppwc@ks.gov. Emerald ash borer, a pest of ash trees native to Asia, was first discovered
in North America near Detroit, Mich., in the summer of 2002. Since that time, the pest has killed millions of ash trees. KDA is committed to serving Kansas farmers, ranchers and agribusinesses, and to protecting the state’s natural resourc-
Box 377 • 406 Main St., Scott City • 620-872-2090 • www.scottcountyrecord.com
es. All Kansans will play an important role in monitoring for EAB. To learn the most current information on the quarantine, visit http:// agriculture.ks.gov/EAB. To learn more about EAB, visit www.emeraldashborer.info.