Royalty

Marmaton Valley’s Karlie Stephens and Caiden Elliott were crowned 2018 Homecoming Queen and King. They were escorted by flower girl Chloe Henderson and crown bearer Douglas Dix. PHOTO COURTESY OF HAILE LUKEN

Oscar Percy

Oscar Latimer Percy passed away on Sept. 14, 2018, at his home in Phoenix, Ariz., surrounded by his family.
Oscar was born on the family farm near Carlyle, on Aug. 10, 1925. He was the fourth of six sons born to Mack Joseph and Pearl Pansy Latimer Percy. The family moved to Iola where Oscar attended Lincoln and Carpenter grade schools, Iola Junior High and Iola High School, graduating in 1943.  He worked at various jobs, growing up during the Depression to help make ends meet for his family.
He joined the Navy in 1943 during World War II. He was trained in explosives for the U.S. Navy Underwater Combat Demolition Unit and participated in the invasion of southern France. In 1945, he was reassigned to the Pacific Theater and to Guam. He returned to the U.S. in 1946 and attended the University of Kansas.
On Aug. 29, 1947, he married his longtime Iola hometown girlfriend, Mary Jeanne Campbell. After their marriage, they moved to Arizona where Oscar graduated in 1951 from Arizona State College with a degree in architecture and architectural engineering and drafting. After graduating,  they returned to Kansas City where Oscar was employed by Larkin and Associates Engineering with his brother, Claude. In 1959, the family moved back to Phoenix and he was employed by John Carollo Engineers and spent the next 30 years as resident project engineer and inspector for various projects throughout the southwest U.S. He retired from this firm in 1992 following a diagnosis of heart disease.
Oscar and his family returned to Kansas annually for family reunions for many years until his failing health prohibited his travel.
Oscar loved playing golf but his favorite activity was fishing, especially with his brothers. He also enjoyed his garden and woodworking.
Oscar is survived by his wife of 71 years, Mary Jeanne Campbell Percy; three sons, Robin Scott Percy, Christopher Gene Percy and Daniel Robert Percy, all of Phoenix; by two grandchildren, Jessica Marie Percy Deelstra and her husband Michael, and Jeremy Ryan Percy and his fiancee, Tanya Merk; by two great-grandchildren, Riley Deelstra and Katie Mae Deelstra; by one brother, Claude Orris Percy of Shawnee Mission; by two sisters-in-law, Joan Kathleen Burke Percy of Manhattan and Jeanne Ann Masterson Percy of Iola; and by many nieces and nephews.
Oscar was preceded in death by his oldest son, Michael Kirk Percy; by his father Mack (Michael) Joseph (Gervais) Percy; by his mother, Pearl Pansy Latimer Percy, by his father-in-law, Dr. Robert Finley Campbell; by his mother-in-law, Mary Kathrine Hays Campbell; by his four brothers, Robert John Percy, Carl Leslie Percy, Eugene Mack Percy and William Glenn “Curly” Percy; by two sisters-in-law, Ramona Zoe Riepen Percy and Margaret Yvonne Dreher Percy; and by one nephew, Thomas M. Percy.
Funeral home services for Oscar are provided by Dignity Memorial: Advantage Funeral and Cremation in Phoenix, Ariz. A Celebration of Life Service will be held by the family at a later date.
Condolences may be left for the family at the funeral home website or cards may be sent to the family c/o Mary Jeanne Percy, 208 E. Bluefield, Phoenix AZ 85022.

 

Kelly vows to revive state’s biotech industry

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Democrat Laura Kelly is vowing to revive a program that invested in the biotech industry if she is elected governor.
The Lawrence Journal-World reports that Kelly credited the Kansas Bioscience Authority with helping to create a biosciences corridor stretching from Manhattan to Columbia, Mo., before it was sold off in 2016. She also says it was instrumental in the federal government’s decision to locate a new National Bio- and Agro-Defense Facility, or NBAF, at Kansas State University.
“We need to put something back in place that works for Kansas, and I think the Bioscience Authority worked,” Kelly said in an interview. “Whether we go back to exactly that, I don’t know yet. I need experts to come around the table and we’ll work that through, but something like that. We know it works, and we know it works quickly, and we have no time to spare in turning our economy around.”
The program was funded largely by taking Kansas tax withholdings that were generated by jobs in bioscience companies, and state university employees who were associated with bioscience research, and transferring that to the Bioscience Authority — up to $35 million a year.
In 2012, the agency came under intense criticism from lawmakers after an external audit found that a former head of the agency, Tom Thornton, had misused agency funds and had destroyed documents and erased the contents of his computer after he had resigned from the agency the year before.
There had also been philosophical concerns within the Legislature and, later, within former Gov. Sam Brownback’s administration that the state should not be using taxpayer dollars to be in the venture capital business. Following the audit’s release, Brownback urged KBA to put a moratorium on new investments and commitments until the Legislature made a decision about the agency’s future.
With new state money all but cut off after that, the KBA decided to become an entirely private organization, and the state sold its assets in the agency for about $14 million, far less than the $25 million state officials had hoped for.
Today, sentiment in the Legislature toward the KBA is still mixed.
Sen. Julia Lynn, R-Olathe, who chairs the Senate Commerce Committee, said in an interview that she felt “a sigh of relief that the thing is over and done with.” But Senate Vice President Jeff Longbine, R-Emporia, said in a separate interview that he thought problems at KBA were mainly about management, not the basic concept.

Mahomes returns to Denver in charge of high-flying Chiefs

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Patrick Mahomes finally gets to face a team in an environment that’s familiar to him.
The Chiefs’ hotshot quarterback takes his record-setting show to Denver on Monday night to face the Broncos, the team he made his debut against in Week 17 last season.
But whereas that game was mostly meaningless, with Kansas City assured of its playoff positioning and the Broncos’ season over, the trip back holds plenty of significance for both clubs.
The Chiefs are 3-0 with two of those victories coming on the road, where their second-year star has been downright dynamite. The Broncos (2-1) are just a game back in the AFC West.
“I mean, every game I go in I know that the defense is going to have some surprise they’re going to try to throw at us,” Mahomes said. “I know that defenses in this league are good and that defensive coordinators are going try to find ways to distract us and keep us from doing what we do.
“But I know that if we run the game plan the right way and I get the ball out of my hands and to those guys,” he said, “there is a chance for success.”
Especially if there’s a team he’s seen before.
Then again, maybe it’s not such an advantage for Mahomes that he’s seen Denver already.
The Chargers, Steelers and 49ers went into their games against Kansas City largely blind, unsure of what the strong-armed passer could do. The Broncos saw it firsthand last year, when the Chiefs rested their starters in their regular-season finale and Mahomes led a come-from-behind win.
“He’s playing well. He’s got a bunch of weapons, and again, they have a good scheme also,” Denver coach Vance Joseph said.
“You combine a quarterback’s arm talent with the skilled players he’s throwing to and with Andy Reid’s system, it makes it a tough out.”
More broadly, the Chiefs have been an impossible out for the Broncos lately. They have won five straight in the series, including two in Denver and a Christmas Day rout in Kansas City.
“They’ve got an explosive offense right now and their defense is making plays, too. For us, we’ve just got to go out there and play our game,” Broncos defensive tackle Shelby Harris said.
“Last week is last week, I’m not really worried about that anymore,” he added. “Go out there and just focus on just doing what we have to do: sticking to our keys and making plays.”
Indeed, the Broncos are coming off a road flop in Baltimore in which they blew a 14-10 halftime lead. And now the task is a Chiefs team that has scored at least 38 points in each of its games, with a quarterback in Mahomes who has an NFL-record 13 touchdown passes in the first three weeks.
“They’re averaging almost 400 yards a game and almost 40 points,” Joseph said. “The quarterback is playing at a high level. He’s got multiple weapons. Along with Reid’s system, it’s going to be difficult for us to get them stopped.
“We’re looking forward to the challenge, but being a six-point underdog, I’m not surprised. They’ve won the last three times in Denver. They’ve beaten the Broncos five straight times. I’m not surprised they’re favored. That means nothing.”
As the Broncos try to end their streak of futility, here are some things to know:
FAST STARTS
The Chiefs have scored on their first possession in every game this season, and they led San Francisco 35-7 late in the first half a week ago. Those quick starts stand in contrast to the Broncos, who have trailed entering the fourth quarter in each of their games.
THE CASE FOR CASE
The Broncos gave Case Keenum a two-year, $36 million contract to play at the same level as he did last year in Minnesota. But so far Keenum is faring no better than Trevor Siemian, Brock Osweiler or Paxton Lynch. He’s completing just 61 percent of his passes with three TDs and five interceptions, including three in a Week 1 win over Seattle.
TRACKING TRAVIS
Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce is coming off back-to-back 100-yard receiving games, and he’s been good against Denver in the past. Two of his three career games with 130 yards or more have come against the Broncos.

Facebook: 50M user accounts affected by security breach

NEW YORK (AP) — Face-book reported a major security breach in which 50 million user accounts were accessed by unknown attackers.

In a blog post , the company says hackers exploited a bug that affected its “View As” feature, which lets people see what their profiles look like to someone else. That would let attackers steal “access tokens,” which are digital keys that Facebook uses to keep people logged in. Possession of those tokens would allow attackers to “seize control” of user accounts, Facebook said.

Specifically, from the “View As” feature, a bug somehow allowed a video uploader to appear for sending “happy birthday” messages, Guy Rosen, Facebook’s vice president of product management said. Another bug then created an access token that made Face-book think the hacker had legitimately signed in with the account being viewed.

“We haven’t yet been able to determine if there was specific targeting,” Rosen said in a call with reporters. “It does seem broad. And we don’t yet know who was behind these attacks and where they might be based.”

Facebook says it has taken steps to fix the security problem and alerted law enforcement.

To deal with the issue, Face-book reset some logins, so 90 million people have been logged out and will have to log in again. That includes anyone who has been subject to a “View As” lookup in the past year.

Facebook says it doesn’t know who is behind the attacks or where they’re based. In a call with reporters on Friday, CEO Mark Zuckerberg said that the company doesn’t know yet if any of the accounts that were hacked were misused.

Jake Williams, a security expert at Rendition Infosec, said the stolen access tokens would have likely allowed attackers to view private posts and probably to post status updates or shared posts as the compromised user, but wouldn’t affect passwords.

Mynatts stay in touch

The Mynatt cousin reunion was last weekend at the home of Mike and Julie Wilson on Perry Lake.

Relatives spent a beautiful weekend partaking in several activities, including boating, swimming, zip-lining, and playing games. Aunts, cousins and their families came from Malaysia, Colorado, Missouri and Kansas.

Attending were:

Phyllis Mynatt Parr, Colorado Springs, and her family: James Parr, Blackhawk, Colo., Travis Parr, Malaysia, Glen Parr and family, La Junta, Colo., Steven Parr, Parker, Co. and Brent Parr, Canon City, Colo., Jean Kendall and Robert Kendall, Burlingame, Robbie Kendall and family, Topeka, Kristine Kendall and Adam Gall, Brookville, and Kathleen Kendall Elliott and family, Auburn.

Dwight Mynatt’s family members were Carolyn Mynatt, LaHarpe, Mashawna Mynatt Thompson and family, Edwardsville, Micah Mynatt and family, Moran, and Sarah Trout and family, Mindenmines, Mo.

Aileen Mynatt Wilson, Iola, and her family members were Clifford Wilson and family, Overland Park, Doug Wilson and family, Iola, hosts Julie and Mike Wilson, Meriden, and son Evan Wilson, Dodge City, and guest Scott Smith, Topeka.

Court report

DISTRICT COURT Judge Daniel Creitz Civil cases filed:

Alicia Hess vs. Christina Stotler, protection from abuse Jerald R. Long Law Offices LLC vs. Mary Parnell, debt collection

Marriage licenses issued:

Chad R. Thompson and Julia E. Ayers Jonathan M. Ulrey and Kristen M. Winslow

MAGISTRATE COURT Judge Tod Davis Convicted of no seat belt and fined $30:

Sharon K. Trester, Iola Nicole A. Trester, Iola

Convicted of speeding with fines assessed:

Ricky E. Keeler, Iola, 79/65, $178 Larry T. Junell, Quinlan, Texas, 85/65, $213 Kolbie H. McDaniel, Mulvane, 75/65, $153 Magie M. Stevenson, La-Harpe, 73/55, $201 Juan A. Pina, Baltimore, Md., 70/5, $183 Deiondre L. Ragsdale, Kansas City, Mo., 68/45, $240 Margaret A. Matlock, Chanute, 60/45, $183 Garry E. Wyatt, Belton, Mo., 68/5, $171 Russell H. Null, Union-town, 65/55, $153 Donald R. Macon, Kansas City, Mo., 69/45, $249

Convicted as follows:

Dennis L. Schell, Marys-ville, over weight limits on wheels and axles, $248 Charles Leckrone II, Savonburg, domestic battery, $483 Juan C. Conteras-Lemus, Overland Park, no driver’s license, 86/65, $577 Lucas G. Carmichael, Saint Francis, 58/45, no registration, $291 Moriah A. Weeks, Du Guoin, Ill., failure to yield, $183 Jennifer D. Cady, Fort Scott, possession of opiate, opium or narcotic Melvin A. Thomas, Kansas City, Kan., 87/45, driving while suspended, $475 Kelly E. Green, Fort Worth, Texas, disobey traffic control device, $183

Failed to appear:

Rosemary F. Smith, Huntington Beach, Calif., 81/65, $189

Criminal cases filed:

Jonathan D. Gay, LaHarpe, domestic battery Jimmy D. Kimbrell Jr., Moran, battery Blake T. Stewart, La-Harpe, domestic battery, criminal restraint, criminal damage Seth W. Pace, Iola, aggravated battery Cynthia L. Gilmour, Lenexa, driving while suspended, interference with law enforcement Kenneth Lee Istre Jr., Moran, aggravated assault, domestic battery Kandra R. McCullough, Iola, possession of methamphetamine, possession of marijuana, possession of drug paraphernalia, identity theft, three counts of criminal use of a financial card Trevor J. Hockaday, Iola, aggravated battery on a law enforcement officer Kamron E. McManus, Coffeyville, possession of marijuana, possession of drug paraphernalia Savannah D. Williams, Humboldt, possession of marijuana, possession of drug paraphernalia Rhett M. Smith, Iola, consumption of alcohol by a minor, transporting liquor in open container Robin R. Hyden, Iola, giving a worthless check Damian M. Splechter, Moran, giving a worthless check Denay Gore, Shawnee, Okla., giving a worthless check Tylor D. Donley, Pomona, giving a worthless check

Contract cases filed:

Cavalry SPV I, LLC vs. Carmen J. Patterson Samuel D. Johnson vs. Candace Dwyer Allen County Hospital vs. James M. Creason Allen County Hospital vs. Marion Carson Midland Funding LLC vs. Brandon Callahan

IOLA MUNICIPAL COURT Judge Patti Boyd Convicted of speeding with fines assessed:

Ashley R. Ikehorn, Lawrence, 47/30, $522 Tabitha L. Jackson, Iola, 40/30, $155 Kathleen M. Seal, Olathe, 39/25, $179 Ashley L. Walker, Tulsa, Okla., 44/25, $209

Convicted as follows:

Ryker M. Donovan, Chanute, driving in violation of restrictions, $315 David W. Guthrie, Garnett, no insurance, $425 Ruth L. Jackson, LaHarpe, violating traffic control signal, $195 John Norris, Yates Center, failure to yield, $195 Keirstan M. Peterson, Fort Scott, battery, $565 Devon M. Simpson, Iola, no child passenger restraint, failure to comply with traffic citation, $437 Janelle C. Vance, Iola, failure to yield, $195

Meeting of the minds

Economic development directors from across southeast Kansas gathered for a quarterly meeting in Iola Friday morning. The event was hosted by Thrive Allen County. Among the participants were, from left, Allen County economic development director Bill Maness, Fort Scott Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Lindsay Madison, Barbara Anderson of the Kansas Department of Commerce and Pam Henderson, a representative for Sen. Jerry Moran’s office in Pittsburg. 

Gil Gillespie

Lester Merle “Gil” Gillespie, Jr., 64, of League City, Texas, passed away on Tuesday, Sept. 25, 2018. He was born Feb. 9, 1954, to Lester M. Gillespie, Sr. and Dorothy A. Phillips Gillespie in Iola, and grew up in Yates Center.

Gil’s biggest joy in life was his family. He loved his wife of 40 years beyond words and lived for his daughters; and in most recent years his whole life was his two grandbabies.

Whatever those grandbabies were into is what he was into. He was definitely Mr. Fix-It. He could fix or build just about anything. Growing up we never saw a plumber, electrician, appliance repairman, mechanic or anything, he could do it all. He also enjoyed woodworking and built many beautiful items. He also enjoyed fishing, hunting, and sports, he was very outdoorsy. He was an engineer by trade, employed by Moore Fabrication in Houston, Texas.

He was preceded in death by his parents; brother, Phil Gillespie; and nephew, Rustin Dewitt.

Gil is survived by his loving wife, Vada; daughter, Shannon Stanford and her husband JJ, their children, Addison and Gavin; daughter, Megan Gillespie; sister, Sheri Dewitt; mother-in-law, Myrtle Caudell; and many other beloved family members and cherished friends. He was very close to Vada’s family; they all adored him and thought the world of him.

Friends are cordially invited to the visitation with the family at 1 p.m. on Saturday with the funeral service to begin at 2 p.m. at the Jeter Memorial Funeral Home, 311 N. Friendswood Dr., Friendswood, Texas 77546 (281) 992-7200 with the Rev. Moe Mays officiating.

Condolences may be sent to the Gillespie family in care of Jeter Memorial Funeral Home at www.jeterfuneralhome.com.

Letter to the editor — September 28, 2018

Dear editor,

Your Sept. 19 editorial criticizing my decision to challenge the constitutionality of the federal health insurance law, commonly known as “Obamacare,” left me scratching my head. What you dismiss as a “veil of legalese,” many Kansans call the rule of law required by our Constitution. I took an oath to uphold the Constitution, not the health insurance law.

You suggest that questioning the statute’s constitutionality shows “why people distrust government.” But I think many people distrust government because too often people in public office follow public opinion polls rather than the Constitution they swore to uphold.

The powers of the federal government are limited and enumerated. If the Constitution does not grant Congress the power to enact an “individual mandate” that commands Americans to buy insurance, then the law purporting to do so is null and void — no matter how popular that law may be.

That’s what’s at issue here. This is not some “cunning” plan. It’s basic civics.

Sincerely,

Derek Schmidt,

Kansas Attorney General