The
Hugoton
Hermes
Thursday, January 12, 2017 Volume Volume 130, 130, Number Number 22 14 16 pages, pages, 69 69 cents cents plus plus tax tax per per copy copy
City Council discuss level of discharges with KDI
Congratulations to Hugoton High School Senior Cross Country runner Katy Heger as Coach Rodriguez presents her with a plaque for her accomplishments. Katy has been nominated and selected to the Class 3A Academic All State Cross Country Team.
Hugoton High School senior and HHS cross country team member Katy Heger was selected as a member of the Class 3A Academic All State Cross Country Team. In order for an athlete to be eligible for the team they must be a junior or senior in school; maintain an unweighted GPA of 3.75 or higher at the end of the 2015-2016 school year; and finish in the top 30 at the 2016 State Cross Country meet. Katy finished twenty-
ninth at this year’s Class 3A State Cross Country meet. Her performance was instrumental to help lead the Lady Eagles’ Cross Country team to a State Championship finish at the State Meet. Katy received a plaque for her accomplishments sponsored by the Kansas Association of American Educators. Congratulations Katy for your amazing accomplishment! Katy is the daughter of Chris and Stephanie Heger of Hugoton.
Hugoton City The Council met January 9, 2017 for their regular monthly session at the council meeting room. Present at the meeting were City Inspector Joshua Grubbs, Electric System Supervisor Gary Rowden, Outside Utilities Supervisor Paul Nordyke, Mayor Jack E. Rowden and councilmen Dean Banker, Frankie Thomas, Dan Corpening and Shannon Crawford. Also attending were City Clerk Thomas G. Hicks, City Attorney Wayne R. Tate, Police Chief Courtney Leslie, Carrie Baeza, KDI’s Matt Green and Hugoton Hermes reporter Ruthie Winget. Councilman Jason Teeter was absent. The minutes of December 5, 2016 and December 27, 2016 were read and approved. Each member of the governing body was provided a copy of Municipal Judge Paula Sosa’s report for the month of December, showing seven new cases brought before the court and $3,987. remitted to the city. The council voted to accept the report. City Inspector Joshua Grubbs reported he had been busy with license renewals and building permits. City Attorney Wayne R.
Tate reported Andy Farmer has made significant progress on the cleanup of his property at 516 W. Ninth Street. Pictures were circulated, showing what else needs to be removed. The city attorney recommended Mr. Farmer be given additional time. Councilman Frankie Thomas inquired about the lack of permits on the remodeling of the business building at 621 S. Main Street. The city inspector stated the owner had told him he was only doing superficial improvements.
The city inspector will check to be sure the wiring is up to code. Kansas Dairy Ingredients had a failure in its operation on the day the city was taking a sample to determine the level of discharges over allowable. Matt Green was present with data to show the mishap was an isolated incident. The council passed the motion to not bill KDI for the fats, oil and grease portion of the December discharges. After 120 days, the city will see how KDI has performed and make a deter-
mination at that time as to any charges. Outside Utilities Supervisor Paul Nordyke reported the trash truck will soon be four years old, and it is time to take bids. Nordyke was instructed to get two bids, if possible. The meeting went into executive session in regard to personnel matters of non-elected personnel. The meeting reconvened. The councilmen voted to pay the bills. The meeting adjourned. The next regularly scheduled meeting will be February 6, 2017 at 5:15 p.m.
Stevens County officials sworn in for 2017
Thursday, January 5, newly elected and reelected officials are led in their swearing-in lines before Judge Linda Gilmore. From the left to right are, Stevens County Sheriff Ted Heaton, newly elected Commissioner Third District Tron Stegman, Twenty-Sixth District Magistrate Judge Paula Sosa, Stevens County
Register of Deeds Zilpha “Betty” Rosel, Stevens County Treasurer Vanessa Willis and newly elected Stevens County Clerk Amy Jo Tharp. Reelected Commissioner Pat Hall and County Attorney Paul Kitzke were sworn in at a later date. Congratulations!!
Kansas Highway Patrol reports New Year’s weekend activity Fatal Non-DUI Related Crashes Non-DUI Related Fatalities Fatal DUI Related Crashes DUI Related Fatalities DUI Arrests Speed Citations Speed Warnings Safety Belt - Adult Citations Safety Belt - Adult Warning Safety Belt - Teen Citations Safety Belt - Teen Warning Child Restraint Citations Child Restraint Warnings Motorist Assists
2017 3 3 0 0 12 794 535 77 5 2 0 15 2 721
Winter weather comes to Hugoton in the form of snow. The city park looks deserted and frosty as the snow covers all the playground
2016 2 2 0 0 26 785 609 90 6 5 0 15 3 703
The Kansas Highway Patrol is releasing preliminary data from its New Year’s weekend holiday activity. The reporting period for the holiday weekend ran from 6:00 p.m.
Friday, December 30, 2016, through 11:59 p.m. Monday, January 2, 2017. During that timeframe, the Patrol worked three fatal crashes, none of which were alcohol-re-
lated. The fatal crashes occurred in Ottawa, Douglas and Harper counties. Information in the table is compared to data from 2016. The 2016 New Year’s reporting period
Down Under Sports is pleased to announce Brionna Beard from Hugoton High School has
been invited to represent Kansas on the 2017 Kansas Central Conference Golf Team. Brionna will depart for Queensland, Australia Friday, June 30, 2017 to compete down under for individual honors and a team championship title. Each participant must raise money to cover the cost of the nineday Australia Tournament Package. Fundraising is an important step to achieve the goal of competing on the international stage. Down Under Sports was founded in February 1989 based upon the dream of a New Zealander by the name of George O’Scanlon. George fell in love with athletics, especially American football, or “gridiron”, as a young man growing up in his native country of New Zealand. His desire over the years has been to promote gridiron, not only to the people of New Zealand, but also to Australia where he lived for many years. That is
why George started the Down Under Bowl which eventually led to the establishment of the Down Under Hoops Classic and the Down Under International Games. The Down Under Sports programs use the common language of sports to bridge the continents and provide a forum for athletes from around the globe to compete head-to-head in the sport they love. During the past 27 years, Down Under Sports has had the opportunity to share the land down under with tens of thousands of individuals from across the United States. Some prior standouts of the Down Under Bowl include Jake “The Snake” Plummer of the Denver Broncos, Ahman Green of the Green Bay Packers, Rob Morris of the Indianapolis Colts, Dave Dixon of the Minnesota Vikings and Jesse Williams of the Seattle Seahawks. The 2017 Down Under Sports program will in-
was from 6:00 p.m. Thursday, December 31, 2015, through 11:59 p.m. Sunday, January 3, 2016. Submitted by the Kansas Highway Patrol.
HHS golfer Brionna invited to Australia
equipment. The scene creates a beautiful post card look, inviting a fun frolic in the snow.
Brionna Beard clude competition in wrestling, football, cross country, golf, track and field, basketball and volleyball. Down Under Sports’ goal is to continue to provide athletes who excel in their sport the opportunity to experience the culture, beauty and grandeur of the land down under all within the framework of spirited and intense competition. For more information, visit www.DownUnder Sports.com. Submitted by Down Under Sports.