From all of us at The Hugoton Hermes to all of our readers... We wish you a very Merry Christmas!
Volume 127, Number 52
Thursday, December 25, 2014
16 Pages, 70 Cents Plus Tax Per Copy
Openings and Closings as 2014 draws to a close The year is quickly drawing to a close, and New Year's celebrations may alter the hours of your favorite local businesses. Both Pizza Hut and Sonic report they will stay open throughout the holiday. Ranchito Tex Mex will close at 3:00 p.m. December 31 and will remain closed through New Year's Day. If you have a hankering for donuts, you should grab a few extra from Donut XPress Wednesday morning, as they will be closed New Year’s Day. They will not be serving lunch December 31. The Jet will be open until 8:00 p.m. Wednesday and will reopen Saturday and Sunday with regular hours. Dominoes will be open throughout both New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day. China plans to be open regular hours New Years Eve and New Years Day. McDonalds and Subway will close at 8:00 p.m. New Year’s Eve and open with regular hours New Year’s Day. Antlers will be closed New Year’s Day. The Steakhouse will close at 2:00 p.m. Wednesday and remain closed all day Thursday, January 1. The Pantry in Hugoton and The Store in Moscow
will be open both Wednesday and Thursday with regular hours. Express Lane will close at 8:00 p.m. New Year’s Eve and reopen New Year’s Day with regular hours. White's Foodliner reports they will be open both days as well. Twisted H Liquor and Rolla Corner Stop will have regular hours for New Year’s Eve, and both will be closed Thursday, January 1. Alco plans to be open from 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Wednesday, and from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Thursday, January 1. Dollar General will be open with regular hours both December 31 and January 1. In case you don't have plans for New Year’s Eve, stop by Showplace Video! They will be open from 1:00 to 9:00 p.m. New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day. Speaking of entertainment, be sure to pick up a new book at the Stevens County Library Wednesday, as they will be closed Thursday. They will open again Friday with regular hours. Senior Citizens Center will be closed New Year’s Day. The Center will have a New Year’s Eve Dance from 8:00 p.m. to Midnight with Craig Stevens.
Members of the Stevens County LEPC - Local Emergency Planning Committee - meet for a working lunch. Rodney Kelling addresses the
To start the year off with fresh flowers, be sure to contact Creative Specialties by Wednesday, as they will be closed Thursday. Yardmaster will also be closed New Year’s Day. Country Garden will close at noon New Year’s Eve and be closed New Year’s Day. Hugoton Area Chamber of Commerce reports they will be closed Thursday only. Citizens State Bank will close at 1:00 p.m. Wednesday and will reopen Friday, January 2 with regular hours. First National Bank will be closed New Year’s Day, and reopen Friday. Hugoton Hermes will close at noon New Year’s Eve and be closed until Monday, January 5. Hi-Plains Lumber, as well as Lin Goode and Company, will be closed Thursday. American Implement plans to close at 12:00 noon Wednesday and remain closed through New Year’s Day. Bultman, Inc. reports they will close at 2:00 p.m. Wednesday afternoon and will reopen Friday. If you think you might have something more serious than the “sniffles”, you should make an appointContinued to page 3
small group in the Hugoton Fire Station. Officers were elected or reelected as was the majority of the offices.
Local Emergency Planning Committee meet The Stevens County Local Emergency Planning Committee (LEPC) met at 11:30 a.m. Wednesday, December 17 at the Hugoton Fire Station / EOC at 110 West Fifth. The 12 members present were, Harry Bartel, RoGlenda Coulter, Richard Everett, Joshua Grubbs, Gene Johnson, Rodney Kelling, Courtney Leslie, Paula Rowden, Susan Schulte, T.J. Steers, Phil Thompson and Commissioner Pat Hall taking the place of Jim Bell. Guests signing in were Adam Mauk, Perry Crane and Trista Panjwani. President Paula Rowden called the meeting to order. Minutes from the September 3 meeting were handed out. Approval of the minutes was accepted with no changes. The visitors were introduced and welcomed. Trista came to join the discussion about EBOLA.
In regard to old business, which included the tours of Abengoa and KDI, someone suggested that more information is needed about the two facilities’ emergency plans and procedures. The tours did not really include this information. It was suggested to have some representatives come in and talk to the LEPC at one of the future meetings. New business included nomination for officers. a - Chairperson - Paula Rowden was reelected; b - Vice Chairperson Richard Barnes is outgoing - Courtney Leslie was elected to fill the spot; c - Secretary Susan Schulte was reelected; d - Information Coordinator Rodney Kelling was reelected. The plan was to talk about EBOLA so the floor was turned over to Richard Everett. Richard said it would be rather difficult since Kathy Haynes
was unable to attend from the hospital due to illness. Paula and Trista from the Health Department told of their responsibiliContinued to page 3
Six local musicians are awarded the honor to play with the Sixth Grade Honor Band. They are from the left back row Rolanda Gerber,
GCCC Sixth Grade Honor Band picks six local musicians Rolanda Gerber - trumpet, Cody Perez - trumpet, Jacob Bell - trombone, Erick Munoz - tuba, Rafael Guereque - percussion and Gillian Heger - percussion, were all selected to play in the Garden City Community College Sixth Grade Honor Band February 7, 2015. This one-day event is an effort of the Garden
City Community College Department of Music to further enrich the music opportunities for students. Performers for the band were selected from area Kansas schools based on names recommended by their individual band directors. Students will travel to Garden City and spend the day rehearsing
with the other chosen members of the honor band. The band will be under the direction of Mr. Steve Lueth, Director of Instrumental Music at Barton County Community College. Students will spend the day rehearsing and will give a concert for the public later in the day. By Amy Freeman.
Huelskamp leads Town Hall meeting in Hugoton Congressman Tim Huelskamp conducted a Town Hall meeting Thursday afternoon, December 18, 2014 at the Stevens County Senior Center. He began the meeting by stating he thought this past week had been a very good week for Congress. Tim commented he had served with the VA committee for the past four years. He said he has learned that the VA has been failing in providing for a lot of Veterans’ needs. In July his committee helped to pass a major reform that if a Veteran lives more than 40 miles from a VA facility or has been waiting more than 30 days for care, the Veteran can pick a local doctor or hospital. Veterans will receive a Veteran’s Choice card in order to do this. This reform will only be good for two years. Congressman Huelskamp stated that news, not so good, was about the EPA regulating clean water, even
Christmas Eve events The First Church of God, located at 801 W. City Limits invites the community to join them for a Christmas Eve Candlelight Communion Service to celebrate the reason for the season. The service begins at 6:30 p.m. The Hugoton United Methodist Church will have Christmas Eve Worship at 7:00 p.m. First Christian Church has planned a candlelight service at 6:00 p.m. Christmas Eve. Bethel Friends Church will offer Christmas Eve Services at 6:00 p.m. St. Helen Catholic Church’s Christmas Eve Mass will start at 7:00 p.m. and Christmas Morn-
Jacob Bell and Erick Munoz; and front row are Gillian Heger, Rafael Guereque and Cody Perez. Photo courtesy of Amy Freeman.
ing Mass will be at 11:00 a.m. Sovereign Redeemer Church plans to have a Christmas Eve Candlelight Service at 5:00 p.m. Moscow Everyone is invited to Moscow Baptist Church for a Candlelight Service and Cantata Christmas Eve at 7:00 p.m. Cookies and punch will be served in the fellowship hall following the service. Come meet the new preacher Sean Schrader and his wife Stephanie. The Moscow UMC invites the community to the Christmas Eve Candlelight Service which begins at 6:30 p.m.
Congressman Tim Huelskamp has Town Hall meeting. in farm ponds, not just in rivers and lakes. The endangered species law concerning the Lesser Prairie Chicken will affect windfarms as well as drilling for oil and gas. Huelskamp stated he also thought the Presidential order concerning the illegal immigrants was illegal and unconstitutional. Congressman Huelskamp then opened the floor for questions. Dana Swan stated she heard China was going to
put a dairy farm in southwest Kansas. She hoped that they were not going to be allowed to do this. The congressman replied that it was still a law that ownership of agriculture land by a foreign country must be recorded in the Secretary of State’s office. He stated that the United States owes China $1.3 trillion. Congressman Huelskamp informed the crowd that Obamacare will take $716 billion out of Medicare. This will heighten the end of Medicare. He stated if we lose Medicare, we will lose most of our hospitals in rural Kansas. Judy Clark commented that some doctors and hospitals will not take Medicare now. Tim responded by saying that he thought they all will take Medicare, just not Medicaid. The reimbursements of Medicaid is significantly lower than the cost of treatment. David Eckert asked how Continued to page 3
Soil Conservation District Manager Sherri Martin awards Sesthleng Gracia as the State first place poster winner. Her poster will be displayed in New Orleans February 1 through 5, 2015 for the National contest. Good Luck Sesthleng!!!