Pawnee County Progress 2018

GREAT BEND (KAN.) TRIBUNE • SUNDAY, JANUARY 28, 2018 •

PAWNEE COUNTY

PROGRESS

2018

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Special to the Great Bend Tribune Sunday, January 28, 2018

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• GREAT BEND (KAN.) TRIBUNE • SUNDAY, JANUARY 28, 2018

One campus, many missions

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BY SUSAN THACKER sthacker@gbtribune.com

he 78-acre campus west of Larned is often referred to as Larned State Hospital, but the land actually houses more than the mental health facility.

According to the Kansas Department for Aging and Disability Services, Larned State Hospital is the largest psychiatric facility in the state, serving the western two-thirds of Kansas with nearly 1,000 employees and the capacity to treat more than 450 patients daily, 24-hours a day, seven days a week. LSH is accredited by The Joint Commission (TJC) and certified by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS).

A totally separate entity is the Larned Correctional Mental Health Facility, operated by the Kansas Department of Corrections. Construction of the 150-bed facility began on the grounds of the Larned State Hospital in 1991 and the facility was dedicated in December of that same year. The facility received its first inmates on January 22, 1992.

This information is still posted on the KDOC website; however, the mission of LCMHF is changing (see related story on this page): LCMHF houses the most severely and persistently mentally ill adult male inmates within the KDOC, along with a significant number of inmates with borderline personality disorders or a conduct disorder which makes them an unacceptable risk for housing in another facility.

LCMHF consists of a maximum-security Central unit with 150 beds and a minimum-security West Unit with 288 work detail beds. The facility’s Central Unit serves as a transitional unit for inmates who are not able to function in the general population of a traditional correctional institution for mental health reasons, but are not in need of psychiatric hospitalization. Inmates are assigned to this facility by mental health staff at other correctional institutions.

In addition, 115 beds are reserved for KDOC offenders housed in the Isaac Ray Building on the Larned State Hospital campus. There, inmates are provided mental health care and treatment in either the acute care or the residential rehabilitation program (RRP). The purpose of RRP is to provide psychiatric rehabilitation and vocational services to adult males referred from the KDOC with the intent of preparing these individuals for successful reintegration into the community or back into KDOC services as determined on an individual basis.

The purpose of the facility’s West Unit is to provide facility support and community work programs for minimum-custody inmates. The West Unit also houses inmates who are admitted to the Chemical Dependency Recovery Program (CDRP).

Juvenile facility closed The LSH campus previously housed the Larned Juvenile Correctional Facility, also operated by KDOC and capable of housing 128 male youths, but its doors were permanently closed on March 3, 2017.

The facility employed about 140 full-time workers.

The decision to close the facility was announced in July of 2016.

The state had seen a decline in the number of incarcerated juveniles by about 35 percent since 2010.

The last juveniles housed by KDOC at Larned were transferred to the State’s sole correctional facility for youth, the Kansas Juvenile Correctional Complex in Topeka.

The LJCF began at the beginning of fiscal year 1988 under the newly created Juvenile Justice Authority.

Before that, it was the Youth Center at Larned (YCAL) and was under the Department of Social and Rehabilitation Services.

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GREAT BEND (KAN.) TRIBUNE • SUNDAY, JANUARY 28, 2018 •

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Barton expands Mental Health Tech Program

BY SUSAN THACKER sthacker@gbtribune.com

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arton Community College works with area employers to learn what job training is needed, which has resulted in the development of several vocational education programs over the years.

Four years ago, the college began working with Larned State Hospital to develop a Mental Health Technician certificate program.

The program was first offered to LSH employees, but starting this spring the college will accept enrollment applications from community members at large. Dr. Kathy Kottas, executive director of Nursing & Healthcare Education at Barton Community College, talked about why this program was created and who it will benefit.

Students who enroll in Barton’s Mental Health Technician (MHT) program can become licensed technicians (LMHTs_ after they complete the coursework and take their licensure exams.

“We started building the program out of a need for staff at Larned State Hospital,” Kottas said. “They had shifted over to using LPNs at that level of patient care, and then were having trouble finding LPNs.” Kottas said MHT programs nationally have been dying off, but Kansas was seeing

COURTESY PHOTOS

Pictured is the Welcome to Barton Community College sign on campus.

Kottas a need at facilities at Osawatomie and Larned.

Osawatomie developed an in-house training

program and Barton starting talking to the administrators at LSH about developing an MHT program that could be taken for college credit as well as prepare students to take the state license exam.

The program is approved by the Kansas State Board of Nursing.

“Initially all students were Larned State Hospital employees but as of the next cycle application are open to anyone who is interested,”

Kottas said. Applications are due by April 1.

It is a 45-hour college-credit certificate recognized by the Kansas Board of Regents, Department of Education and the Higher Learning Commission. This means students who enroll in the program may be eligible for federal financial aid.

Students who enroll in the classes will be introduced to related areas of study, Kottas noted

“The prerequisite work could dovetail into a degree in nursing or psychology sociology or social work,” she said. “They could work in other mental health environments, whether it be an outpatient environment or with developmentally disabled individuals, so there’s a lot of other opportunities besides just working with a psychiatric facility.”

Elaine Simmons, Barton’s vice president of Instruction and Student

Services, said this LSH is still a partner with the college. BCC has partners on advisory board across many vocational program.

Employers not only have input on what sort of training students receive, but they benefit from a broader field of potential trained employees. For the students, this means training is available for jobs possible jobs in the area following completion of the program.

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• GREAT BEND (KAN.) TRIBUNE • SUNDAY, JANUARY 28, 2018

LCMHF undergoes shift in mission Department of Corrections changing how it prepares young offenders for reentry as many as 15 men might be studying for a GED diploma.

“We have always done GED at Larned Correctional,” Howard said. “But by the time we’re done (with this transition) we will be servicing 50 inmates at a time.”

BY SUSAN THACKER sthacker@gbtribune.com

L

ast year, the Kansas Department of Corrections announced a plan to reduce the rate of young criminal offenders returning to prison after release. The Larned Correctional Mental Health Facility will transition into a facility for male offenders 18 to 25 years old, and there will be a specialized program focusing on education and vocational training.

Barton Community College, a long-time partner with KDOC, will have a role in the education of these inmates.

Elaine Simmons, Barton’s vice president of Instruction and Student Services, said the changes started last summer.

Some of the new inmates have arrived. Eventually there will be 300.

Another KDOC program, the Larned Juvenile Correctional Facility, closed its doors in March 2017. Within weeks, staff at the college, which contracts with the state to provide education, started getting a heads-up about more changes coming down the pike, said Jane Howard, executive director of the Correctional Education Program at Barton. Most of the mental health population at the correctional facility will moved to El Dorado.

The shift of inmates was scheduled to start Jan. 22, 2018, moving one entire and then the other. Different prison populations can’t be mixed, Howard said. “As pods open they will move in youthful offenders.

It will be at least March before that movement ends.”

Some of the work had already begun by the first of the year.

“Right now we have about 52 youthful offenders we can work with,” she said early in January.

Simmon’s recalled previous meetings where the KDOC

COURTESY PHOTOS

Matt Mazouch teaches carpentry at the Larned Correctional Mental Health Facility. This year, the facility will change its focus to education and vocational training for male offenders 18 to 25 years old.

Secretary described a vision to lower the recidivism rate of youthful offenders.

“The youthful offender has a greater tendency to be re-incarcerated,” she said.

“Education is a component to better preparing them for reentry. A high percentage do not have a high school diploma; a high percentage have little or no work experience.” And, because a high percentage will return to their communities when they leave KDOC custody, the goal is to prepare them to do that successfully with education, job training and other things the correctional facility will do outside of BCC.

The Kansas Department of Corrections has announced a new mission for the Larned Correctional Mental Health Facility.

General education General Educational Development (GED) courses

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were previously offered to Larned inmates through the college, but on a smaller scale; perhaps

Job skills Phase One of the career training program got underway this month. Matt Mazouch, who previously taught carpentry classes at the LCMHF West Unit, started as a full-time carpentry instructor at the Central Unit on Jan. 8 with 22 students.

As the job training program expands, KDOC plans to build a career technical education facility within the fence containing the Central Unit, Howard said. “It will house carpentry, plumbing and welding.” The college may also offer a Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) program in the future. More full-time instructors will be added as the program grows.

“DOC will building (the new facility) with inmate labor,” Howard said. “Our carpentry class is going to help as they can with hands-on learning.”

“The Department of Correction is driving this plan,” Simmons stressed. However, she noted the college has many years of experience as a partner with KDOC, dating back to 2001.

“The Department of Corrections’ high regard for education in successful reentry gives the college the opportunity to work hand in hand with our partner to provide current and new career technical education training and adult ed to prepare these young men to come back to society. It’s a very significant partnership for the college and it’s a very critically important endeavor for the state,” Simmons said. “We want the young men (who leave the prison) to come into our communities and contribute. It’s a large scale project.”

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Our full service Crop Production Department in Sanford provides a full range of agronomy services including custom application of dry and liquid fertilizer and chemicals, soil testing, wholesale and retail sales of fertilizer and chemicals, application equipment rental, custom blending and NH3 outlets at Rozel, Burdett and Sanford.

The Petroleum Department offers cardtrol pumps at all three locations and a bulk fuel delivery truck for on site deliveries. The Service Department, located in Rozel, provides a variety of services and products for farm and automotive needs. Golden Valley can replace or repair tires either in our shop or in the field with our on farm tire truck.

At the Burdett location, Golden Valley operates a full service feed mill, a seed cleaner and a farm store offering a selection of hardware and farm supplies.

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GREAT BEND (KAN.) TRIBUNE • SUNDAY, JANUARY 28, 2018 •

5

HOME TOWN FLAVOR

RUSSELL EDEM Great Bend Tribune

Pictured here is Damian Solis (left) manager of El Dos De Oros Mexican Restaurant in Larned and his two younger brothers Jose Solis and Manny Solis who help their brother with daily operations of the restaurant.

Local restaurant serves the community

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BY RUSSELL EDEM redem@gbtribune.com

f you are driving through Larned and looking for a place to grab some chow, stop no further than El Dos De Oros Mexican Restaurant in Larned located at 417 W 14th St. You will be greeted with friendly hello’s, a warm smile and good food.

The restaurant serves hot Mexican food along with chips and salsa with your order, full line of drinks including really good Margaritas according to restaurant manager Damian Solis. The seating is fast along with receiving the food.

“We strive to please our customers every way we can,� Solis said. “We not only serve Larned, we have people come from the surrounding communities as well. Not only for the food, but I am told we have the best Margaritas in this area and the people really enjoy them.�

Solis became the manager of El Dos De Oros Mexican Restaurant five years ago leaving behind a career in the construction business. He was approached by the owners of the place and asked if he would like to take over the restaurant as manager. “I was very please to be asked to become the manager of the restaurant,� Solis said. “I was a little hesitate at first, but after

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brothers Jose and Manny. All three of them come from Arizona were when Solis was a young boy, his father worked in the restaurant business and he would take young Damian with him and this is where he said he got his interest in restaurants. “I really enjoyed going to work with my dad,� Solis said. “Even though I went into construction after school, I always enjoyed the restaurant business.�

So if you are driving through Larned or just looking for a place with good food, the restaurant opens every day at 11 a.m., but be warned they really get busy for lunch and dinner, so get there early and get a seat and a great welcoming as you walk in.

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When asked what his favorite part of running a restaurant was, he said it was the people and getting to know them on a first name basis. The small town living and just being part of the community. “The people is what makes this job worth it, without them and their support, I would not be here today,� Solis said. “I really enjoy getting to know them and becoming friends and greeting them as they come in for lunch or dinner. This is what makes this job so special to me.�

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• GREAT BEND (KAN.) TRIBUNE • SUNDAY, JANUARY 28, 2018

A CONTINUING TRADITION My Favorite Things Furnishings keeps a staple business in downtown Larned

BY DALE HOGG dhogg@gbtribune.com

COURTESY PHOTO

(Left) The showrooms at My Favorite Things Furnishings are remodeled and filled with new merchandise.

W

hat has been a staple business in downtown Larned for over 60 years ago has been given a new lease on life. Long-time local business owners Jim and Suzan Haynes have purchased Tabler Furniture at 401 Main, reopening it as My Favorite Things Furnishings.

Haynes opened in 1963. “We’re brand new to the furniture business,� Suzan said. But, “We needed to keep it and get it back to the great reputation it once had.� “It is important for this business to stay in Larned,�

Suzan said, adding it is also important for residents to stick together and support their community. “We need all the things we can get in larned.

It took a month and a half, but the Haynes have totally remodeled and renovated the store, started in 1952 by Vane Tabler.

Realizing it is important to support local businesses, the utilized contractors from Larned and Great Bend for the work. Now, it has undergone a total restoration.

This includes five new heating units, five new air conditioners, new sheetrock

DIANE LACY-TROSTLE Great Bend Tribune

(Below) These display cases are among the many items for sale at My Favorite Things Furnishings Larned.

and paint, a new ceiling and high-efficiency LED lighting. “It doesn’t look like the same store anymore,� Susan said.

Jim and Suzan are no strangers to the Larned business landscape. They also own the 55-year-old electrical contracting business Haynes Electric started by Jim’s dad and mom Stan and Norma Haynes opened in 1963.

Among the furniture lines carried by My Favorite Furnishings are: LaCrosse (produced in LaCrosse), Best, Coaster; Ashley; and

COURTESY PHOTO

This Polish pottery is among the many unique items available at My Favorite Things Furnishings in downtown Larned, a store that keeps a long business tradition alive.

Restonic mattresses (produced in Haven). They are also eyeing lines of appliances.

But, they want My Favorite Furnishings to be more.

With their new venture, Suzan said they want to make this more than just a furniture store by creating a destination shopping experience. “We want to add a little pizzazz,� she said.

They have had the opportunity to travel and see items from around the world. Now, they want to bring some of these items to Larned.

All about service They will deliver within a hour’s radius of Larned, but will work with customers beyond that, Suzan said. “We’ve already had people come in from McPherson and Lyons.

They heard about us and wanted to check us out.�

So far, they’ve received several truck loads of furnishings. They have also went to market in Dallas in January, bring back more items and ideas. “The store is pretty full right now,� Suzan said.

Now, she is encouraging area residents to stop by, take a look and see what they have to offer. “It’s all about customer service,� Suzan said. They will work with customers to find what they need and any ordering will be done in a timely manner.

This has already paid big

dividends. “It’s gone well so far,� Suzan said.

Hours for the business are 8:30 to 5:30 p.m. Monday through Friday and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Moreton is available for consultation by appointment during business hours.

Family connections “I guess it is a family affair,�

Suzan said.

Family is important to Jim and Suzan.

Suzan’s brother Duane Ashley, a Larned High grad, is the store’s general manager.

Ashley spent 30 years in the car business before coming back home to Larned.

Kari Moreton is the designer who also assists in setting up furnishings in the home. She adds new items to the store’s Facebook page regularly and provides design ideas.

Moreton’s mother, Cathy Teagarden, and Suzan’s father, Ernie Ashley, also pitch in on a part-time basis.

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GREAT BEND (KAN.) TRIBUNE • SUNDAY, JANUARY 28, 2018 •

7

A NEW LEVEL OF CARE

Country Living of Larned’s addition ready for business

BY DALE HOGG dhogg@gbtribune.com

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he newest addition to the Country Living of Larned Community has been completed and Kansas Department of Aging and Disability issued the license on Dec. 12, 2017, a fact that pleases facility Executive Director Laura Smith. “The newest residence is a 12-bed licensed home plus that offers all levels of care based of the individual needs of the residents that live there,� said.

The new wing only adds to the Country Living of Larned campus. It now includes an assisted living residence with 18 Suites, a memory care residence with 12 Private Rooms, along with the Home Plus also with 12 private rooms.

The new 6,166-squarefoot residence stands between the existing memory care and the assisted living residences.

It took about 10 months to complete and was constructed under the supervision of Haynes Electric of Larned. Local contractors will be employed for most of the construction work. “There is an increasing need for a setting that provides a continuum of care for our residents and the citizens of our area,� Smith said. “We provide spaces and services that feel like home. We are conveniently located adjacent to our fine local community hospital.

We are very proud of our residences and our contribution to this community.�

Continuing to grow

“The Campus can serve a total of 46 seniors which allows for several married couples,� Smith said. They

DIANE LACY-TROSTLE Great Bend Tribune

Shown is the new 12-bed Licensed Home Plus addition at Country Living of Larned.

are tended to by 44 support and other staff members and some of the services offered range from bathing, grooming, dressing, ambulation, medication management, social activities and well as end of life care.

A facility like Country Living is important and fits well into the fabric of Larned and surrounding area. “Country Living is conveniently located just south of Pawnee Valley Community Hospital and Pawnee Valley Medical Associate which allows a close partnership with the medical community as well as the surrounding communities,� Smith said. “Families love having a setting where a family member can receive the help they need with every day needs as well as the medical healthcare services located so close to their home at County Living.

The support and involvement from the healthcare members of community is overwhelming and deeply appreciated.�

care support they may need in order to maintain their independence,� Smith said. “Our mission at Country Living is to provide each resident with the individual and personalized support they need to maintain a healthy active lifestyle.�

Background

Country Living of Larned provides residents with a home-like atmosphere.

residents continue to drive and participate in area wide activities out-side of their assisted living residence.�

This is vital to their overall health. “When our seniors remain in their own community they maintain a close connection to the schools they graduated from,

family functions, church fellowships and community events,� Smith said. “So often we see seniors move away from their community and suffer from feelings of isolation and loneliness.

By providing a homelike environment with healthcare services our seniors are able to live active life-

styles with support when they need it.�

This all meshes with Country Place’s philosophy of care. “Each resident is afforded the opportunity to grow in knowledge, meet new friends and participate in activities that interest them yet with the health-

Country Place has maintained a respected reputation as a leader in the assisted living industry.

The Larned campus, which began in 2005 with Country Place Memory Care, provides residences that are welcoming, well-designed and focus on the specific needs of their residents.

Individual care and comfort are stressed, and the residences are staffed to provide the appropriate level of assistance for each resident.

Each residence is constructed to exacting standards for quality, and the modern and elegant interiors are designed to help seniors feel independent, secure and dignified.

To learn more about Country Living, call Smith at 620-285-6900.

An important piece

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Prairie Vista Apartments A Residential Community West 16th Street (K-156 & Morris) 620-285-8519 prairievista@cityoarned.com

Fort Larned Elementary School 2104 Broadway 620-285-2141 www.usd495.net New state of the art learning center.

Pre-Kindergarten through 5th grade.

3 bedroom rental duplexes, 2 full baths, safe room, single car garage, 1200 sq. ft. per unit.

Pawnee Valley Community Hospital A HaysMed Partner 923 Carroll Ave. 620-285-3161 www.pawneevalleyhospital.com Includes 24 Hour Emergency Care, Laboratory, Imaging Services, Cardiac Rehab, Swing Bed, Colonoscopies, Cataract and Dental Surgery

Larned Golf Course 681 E. 14th Street 620-285-4955 Well maintained course features small & sloped Bentgrass greens with bluegrass & perennnial rye fairways. Includes sloping, dog legged fairways & tree-lined water hazards. 9 hole, par 35 course, course rating is 35.9 and it has a slope rating of 106.

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• GREAT BEND (KAN.) TRIBUNE • SUNDAY, JANUARY 28, 2018

COURTESY PHOTO

Pictured is the interior of the Orphan Grain Train location in Larned.

FILLING A VOID

Orphan Grain Train meeting the needs of the needy

BY DALE HOGG dhogg@gbtribune.com

“I will not leave you as orphans, I will come to you.� – John 14:18

T

his one Bible verse sums up the mission of the Norfolk, Neb.-based Orphan Grain Train organization. And, in its short existence, the Larned OGT collection site has certainly lived up to this calling. “We’re a one-stop shop,� said Brenda Holopirek, a Larned OGT board member. In addition to collecting items for the OGT national efforts, the Larned facility at 501 Main houses a food pantry, a clothes closet, and has furniture and other household items available for those in need. “We just do a variety of services,� Holopirek said.

Some of the services sharing the OGT building receive funding from the Salvation Army and United Way and offer assistance for utility payments and fuel vouchers.

This is above and beyond boxing, tagging and shipping donated clothes off to those in need across the country and around the world. A semi-truck arrives periodically and picks up collected items and hauls them to warehouses or where there is an immediate crisis, such as Houston after the recent hurricane. “At the same time, we’re helping Pawnee County,� she said. They also offer clothes for job interviews and for the work place and allow those needing community service hours to volunteer.

The summer Food Buddy program, which provides food to needy school-aged children when school is out, operates out of the OGT facility as well.

COURTESY PHOTO

Piles of boxes at the Orphan Grain Train location in Larned await distribution.

“I think that is really special,� Holopirek said, adding that is what drew her to the program. “That’s what I like about this.

Nonetheless, there are expenses. The building is community owned, but Holopirek said they have to pay for the insurance, liability, utilities and upkeep, costing between $6-8,000 per year. “We do take left-over garage sale items and estate sale

Providing a wide range of products to meet the needs of every customer.

Filling a need Holopirek said the Larned OGT has been around for six or seven years. “But in last four years, we’ve been expanding� as more and more services have become available.

And it is all done with an all volunteer staff and board.

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items,� What doesn’t get sent on to the national office gets sold at garage sales three times each year. “This is our only fundraiser,� she said.

The center is open from 4-6 p.m. Monday through Friday or by appointment. This is when food,clothing and vouchers will be available.

For more information, contact Holopirek at 620-3386317.

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GREAT BEND (KAN.) TRIBUNE • SUNDAY, JANUARY 28, 2018 •

Background In 1992, the Rev. Ray S. Wilke, pastor of Grace Lutheran Church in Norfolk, Neb., volunteered with a group who traveled to Latvia and Russia to help with a church mission, said OGT President the Rev. Dr. Wallace Schulz. Wilke, former Associate Speaker of The Lutheran Hour radio broadcast, and his family were sent to Riga, Latvia, to start broadcasting The Lutheran Hour.

There they met people with “no hope” in desperate need of spiritual, emotional and humanitarian aid after the breakup of the former Soviet Union, Schulz said.

The Latvians begged Rev. Wilke to help them more after he went home, and he promised he would. Wilke envisioned a train that would travel through America’s Midwest, picking up donated grain along the way until it reached a port from which the grain would be shipped to feed starving orphans in Eastern Europe. Upon his return to the United States, Wilke contacted Clayton Andrews, president of Andrews Van Lines, a worldwide transportation company, and told his story. Together they founded Orphan Grain Train.

As it turned out, railroad operating protocol made the original grain train concept impractical.

Within a year, Grain Train’s first shipment, a container of clothing and quilts, arrived in Riga, Latvia.

How does is work?

Volunteers throughout the United States use their own cars, trucks, horsetrailers and 18-wheelers to “climb aboard” the Orphan Grain Train. They donate desperately needed materials to people around the world.

Donated materials are shipped from Orphan

9

DIANE LACY-TROSTLE Great Bend Tribune

Above: The Larned Orphan Grain Train building is the site of numerous services for the needy. Below: Items are ready to be sorted and boxed for distribution.

Grain Train warehouses in steel containers the size of semi-truck trailers to Eastern Europe, Africa, Mexico, and Central America where they are distributed by Orphan Grain Train volunteers in churches, hospitals, orphanages, old people’s homes, schools, soup kitchens, etc. Orphan Grain Train managers and trained volunteers distribute the goods to people in need.

In addition to international efforts, disaster relief within the United States is a key part of Orphan Train Train’s work. Since hurricane Katrina, 147 semi loads of supplies have been shipped to the Gulf Coast to support the recovery efforts. There were 330

semi loads of hay and forage products were delivered in 2002-03 to drought-stricken farmers in the Midwest during Operation Hay and Grain Lift. Orphan Grain Train provided help to Greensburg following the tornado and has also been in Joplin, Mo. More than 2,381 semitrailer truckloads of food, clothing, medical supplies, and religious materials have been sent to 64 countries and several disaster areas in the U.S. since 1992.

All of this is done by volunteers and individual contributors - “people who are thankful for their blessings and want to provide a blessing to someone they will probably never see this

side of heaven,” Wilke said.

Volunteers sort and pack the donated items in warehouses across the U.S. Contributors donate money to ship the precious cargoes of hope where

most needed.

The organization has 27 regional offices across the country. There are two in Kansas, one in Wichita and one in Stuttgart, along with a warehouse in Philipsburg.

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• GREAT BEND (KAN.) TRIBUNE • SUNDAY, JANUARY 28, 2018

New school opening leads to changes throughout the city

TRIBUNE FILE PHOTO

Pictured is the exterior of the new Larned Elementary school building. The construction of the new building has led to differing fates of the existing elementary buildings throught Larned.

New places to live, play, and dream coming Johnson purchased what remains of the junior high property. A portion of the structure has already been demolished, but the gymnasium was left for wrestling practice until an addition at the high school was completed. It then became the Early Education Center. The USD 495 Board of Education accepted their offer to purchase the building for $25,000.

They also came to an agreement with the district to purchase the storage sheds at Phinney and Northside Elementary for a total price of $500.

Earlier, the Johnsons purchased the annex and transformed it into a personal residence.

Jeanette used to be an art teacher and principal of Sacred Heart School, and now she is the counselor at the high school. Jerry taught Industrial Arts for years at the high school at the state hospital, and is teaching now at the high school. They utilize part of their residence as display space for their projects.

BY VERONICA COONS vcoons@gbtribune.com

L

ARNED — In 2017, USD 495 Larned cut the ribbon on a brand new elementary school as students headed back to school in August. Then, school board members began the important task of disposing of four district properties vacated to fill the new school.

The sale of two properties, Hillside Elementary and Larned Junior High, have already been executed. Northside and Phinney elementary schools are set to be demolished, and the Larned Recreation Commission will then take ownership of the properties to utilize them as additional playing fields.

Phinney used to house first and second grade, Hillside third and fourth grades, and Northside fifth and sixth grades.

The opening of the newly constructed Larned Elementary School made them obsolete.

Hagerman, Dorothy A. Burkley and Kathleen Foster, created Hillside Envisions-Pawnee Co., Inc. , and submitted an offer that month to purchase Hillside Elementary in order to use the building “to promote businesses in the community and provide a meeting space for organizations.�

Their offer for $2,000 was unanimously accepted, with board members noting they liked the idea pleased with the proposal and the fact that “several of the individuals owned property close to the building and that they would take pride in the property and its upkeep.�

According to an Kurtz, the members of Hillside Envisions feel the building has potential to be used as an “incubator� for community betterment.

Ideas include a new business incubator, space for informal education, and promotion of the arts. The kitchen and gymnasium will be available for use by individuals and groups to

utilize for fund raising, a meeting location, receptions and more. “We have just begun to brainstorm how this building can remain an integral part of this community,� Kurtz said.

The sale also included the playground equipment there. The contract was accepted at the October Board of Education meeting.

Northside Elementary No interest had been expressed for the Northside and Phinney Elementary buildings, and the district received an estimate of $280,000 for asbestos abatement and demolition fees to raze them. “Cost of the project will be fairly expensive, but it’s one the board planned to take on once the new elementary had been completed, USD 495 Superintendent Joe Sample said.

The district asked if the City of Larned would assist with the project,

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the commission planned to install a practice field for baseball and softball there, with an eye towards eventually moving the soccer and flag football practice fields there in the future. This, the school board noted, would benefit students and families in the area.

While there was a subsequent offer to purchase the Northside building, residents in the area who visited with members of the Board of Education asked that board use caution in accepting proposals.

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Hillside Elementary A group of five from Larned, Rita Kurtz, Brenda Hagerman, Wayne

Junior High Jerry and Jeannette

but that request was shot down. But, there appeared to be one bright spot.

The Larned Recreation Commission submitted an offer to the Board of Education in September for the Northside Elementary property for $7.500, with the obligation of demolishing the property to lie completely with the district. The amount was based on the land value of the property, estimated to be between 4 and 5 acres, at a cost of $1,500 per acre.

According to Mike Seeman, director of the LRC,

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GREAT BEND (KAN.) TRIBUNE • SUNDAY, JANUARY 28, 2018 •

11

COURTESY PHOTOS Janet Fleske

Hillside Elementary

By October, board members accepted the proposal from the LRC for $7,500 following completion of the demolition.

At that meeting, Seeman said, the district inquired if the LRC had any interest in a similar arrangement with the Phinney Elementary property.

In November, the board accepted John Golightly’s offer to purchase and move the modular building located at Northside for $500.

Phinney Elementary Residents near Phinney Elementary hoped somehow the property could be turned into a park and playground. In July, the Larned City Council received a petition from residents in support of making it a new public park. Without it, children in the area would have to cross US-156 to get to Tera Jordaan Park, or cross NE Trail Street to go to the playground at Park School. The discussion was tabled until more information could be obtained from the school district. It was never revisited.

At the November USD 495 BOE meeting, members accepted a purchase proposal from the LRC for Phinney Elementary in the amount of $1,800.

“At Phinney, we plan to use the property as green space, and while remove some of the playground equipment that is run-down and obsolete, we will be leaving the newer equipment for now,” Seeman said.

The commission will focus on Northside for now, he said, but will plant grass after the building is demolished. If the area is ever designated for a specific use, the equipment may be moved to a different location on the property. For now, though, children living near Phinney will continue to have a place to play.

The Larned Recreation Commission is not a department of either the city or the school district. It consists of a board consisting of two appointees from the city, two from USD 495, and one at-at large, Seeman said. Funding comes through a mill levy that is administered through the school district. All proceeds will go back into the USD 495 Capital Outlay Fund.

According to Sample, closing on the two properties will be completed after they are demolished. The district hired Schaller Construction Services as the consultant who will handle the bidding process and work with a contractor chosen by the district. At the time of publication, the district is still accepting bids for abatement and demolition, with an eye towards beginning work sometime this spring.

Northside Elementary

Larned Junior High

Phinney Elementary

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• GREAT BEND (KAN.) TRIBUNE • SUNDAY, JANUARY 28, 2018

Dress It Up keeps momentum rolling

BY JIM MISUNAS jmisunas@gbtribune.com

L

arned’s Dress It Up, 511 Broadway, keeps on plugging along successfully. Dress It Up will celebrate its seventh anniversary of success this spring for the local women’s dress shop. Store hours are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday and 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Saturday.

Dress It Up features modern fashion style including hand bags, shoes and accessories. The community owned and operated dress shop is funded by local stock investors and operated by part-time employees and volunteers.

The success of the local store depends on a nine-member board who were shareholders in the project seven years ago.

“The original board members were invested to see the store do well,” said Tama Hanson, a board member. “Everyone is pleased how well it’s done. It’s been well received by the people who shop there.”

Carol Wilson has worked with Dress It Up since it was launched.

“Carol Wilson is a great support,” Hanson said. “She has a

great eye for style.”

Local buyers have visited Kansas City, Dallas and Las Vegas to insure the shop maintains upto-date items.

“The selection, quality and price bring people back,” Hanson said.

“Everything is affordable in the store. They offer good selection.”

Pawnee County shoppers join out-ot-town customers from Great Bend, Pratt and Hoisington.

Dress It Up is a community owned business organized by COME (Connect, Outreach, Model and Equip) Together’s business development action team. The idea for Dress It Up came from 250 community surveys and 65 individual interviews done by the COME Together’s steering committee in the fall of 2009.

Weekly meetings helped brain storm ideas about what kind of store to open, building ideas, what items they would need and how the store would be operated. The surveys helped assess what brands and types of clothing featured.

“This store is extremely important to the community,” said Teresa George. “It provides the women of the community a place to shop. They don’t have to travel and being a community-owned store it benefits everyone.”

JIM MISUNAS Great Bend Tribune

Scarves are a popular item at Larned’s Dress It Up, open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday and 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday at 511 Broadway.

Eakin reputation set in concrete

BY TRIBUNE STAFF news@gbtribune.com

E

akin Enterprises in Larned is a local provider for readymix concrete, sand, gravel, and dirt for both commercial and residential projects. It has three locations across central Kansas: Hays Ready-Mix in Hays, Eakin Ready-Mix in Great Bend, and Larned ReadyMix in Larned.

But, the company has a rich history in the area.

Eakin Enterprises Inc., has been a family owned business for over 60 years. Currently owned and operated

by Chad Eakin, the business was founded in 1950 by Chad’s grandparents, Wanda and Willis Eakin.

Prior to moving to Larned, the Eakins leased a sandpit in Dodge City. In 1957 they purchased a concrete plant in Larned which

COURTESY PHOTO

Eakin Enterprises staff works on the new Camp Aldrich building in Barton County.

was set up east of the train depot. They later moved the plant to the current location one-half mile west of Larned on U.S. 56.

The business was run

by Willis and Wanda with the help of their two sons,

Wendell (Chad’s father) and Nolan. Chad started helping the business as a young boy and opened his own construction business while still in high school.

Another concrete plant was put into operation in

Great Bend in 2001, and in 2004 the Hays Ready-Mix location was added to the growing business. Chad purchased the remainder of the original Larned business from other family members in 2006.

The three locations currently employ more than 50 people. The main business office is located in Larned with Chad overseeing the day to day services and projects of the work crews.

Eakin covers a very large area with a variety of services including sand and gravel, dirt work, concrete construction, ready-mixed concrete, and construction rental equipment. According to Chad “customer service is very important to us and going that extra mile for our customers makes a huge difference.”

Services: • Ready Mix - sand and

gravel For over 60 years the Eakin family has been providing quality ready-mix concrete, sand, and gravel.

Sand and gravel delivery is available by semi or tandem load. No job too big or too small. Free estimates are available upon request.

• Telebelt and pump The Telebelt is a truckmounted telescopic conveyor that will reach lengths up to 110 feet. Perfect for moving concrete, sand, and other materials into hard to reach areas.

The Alliance 37Z Concrete Pump has a horizontal reach of 106 feet and a vertical reach of 119 feet.

• Concrete construction Commercial or residential concrete construction crews offer professional, turn-key project completion for home or business.

Sidewalks, parking lots, driveways, foundations,

basements, excavation and dirt work.

• Decorative stamped concrete Add polish and class to your patio or porch with our decorative stamped concrete. Hundreds of design and color combinations are available to make your patio or porch one of a kind.

• Equipment rental Bobcats Skid Steers Excavators Loaders Trenchers Power Trowels Electric Jackhammers Concrete Saws • Demolition Demolition and debris removal services, crushing and recycling.

The company is located at 111 Main St. in Larned. It can be contacted at 620285-2097 or www.eakinenterprises.com.

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