The Allen County Community Foundation is looking for local heroes Saturday. The foundation will host “Allen County Gives,” on Saturday to help link local non-profits to donors.
Allen County Gives is a countywide fund drive with 100 percent of gifts going directly to the participating non-profits.
Currently 38 non-profits are registered for the event which will be from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the old Classy Attic Building, 15 E. Madison Ave., on the Iola square.
Some partners include ACARF, ANW Co-op, Special Olympics, Hope Unlimited, Pregnancy Resource Center and Sunday Soups.
Last year, the foundation raised more than $145,000 during the first “Day of Giving.” Foundation executive director Susan Michael said even the smallest donation can make a big difference.
Booths will be set up Saturday displaying information about the non-profits and what their needs are. This year the event will continue through to May 8 to allow donors more time to digest the information.
For more information on the event contact Michael at 620-380-6154.
Roger Weast
Roger Dean Weast, 58, died peacefully while surrounded by his family, Thursday, April 23, 2015, after a battle with leukemia.
Visitation with the family will be from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m., Saturday at Rolling Hills Country Club.
Roger graduated from Allen County Community College with an associates degree and from Pittsburg State University where he served as president of Sigma Tau Gamma fraternity and received his bachelor’s degree in business administration. Roger went on to lead a successful career in real estate and development. He is preceded in death by his father, Donald Leon Weast; grandparents, Leon A. and Edith Weast and Deane and Velma Foster. Survivors are his wife, Jennifer, of the home; sons, Zach Weast (Bria) and Hunter Weast of Wichita; mother, Bernadene, and stepfather, Max Snodgrass of Iola; brothers, Randy Weast (Jane) of Overland Park, Ernie Snodgrass (Christy) of Augusta; sister, Pam Blair (Bob) of Boulder City, Nev.
In lieu of flowers, memorials established with the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, 300 N. Main, Suite 300, Wichita, KS 67202 and Therapy Dogs International, 88 Bartley Rd., Flanders, NJ 07836. Downing & Lahey Mortuary West. Online tributes to the family via www.dlwichita.com
Joseph Hicks
Joseph Z. Hicks, Jr., 56, McLouth, passed away Friday, April 24, 2015.
Joseph was born Sept. 5, 1958, in Iola. He was the son of Joseph and Shirley (Martin) Hicks. He served four years in the U.S. Marine Corps. He recently retired as manager from McGraw Fertilizer Co., Tonganoxie.
He was preceded in death by his father, Joseph Z. Hicks, his sister, Beverly Arbuckle, and his sister-in-law, Christina Hicks. Survivors include his mother Shirley L. Hicks, LaHarpe; brother Jon Hicks, LaHarpe; sister Mona (Joe) Spurlock, El Dorado; wife Bonny Hicks, McLouth; and his children, Joseph D. Hicks and Jamie Hicks, both of Tonganoxie. Nieces include Alyssa Hicks of Portland, N.D., Hannah Keagle, Iola, and Amy Arbuckle, Cross Timbers, Mo. Joe’s stepchildren include Dustin Schubert, Fairbanks, Alaska, and Michael Hochard, Topeka.
Funeral services will be at 6 p.m. Friday at the Quisenberry Funeral Home, Tonganoxie. The family will receive friends from 4 to 6 p.m. before the service. A memorial tree dedication will be at 11 a.m. May 9 at the Tonganoxie VFW Post No. 927. In lieu of flowers the family suggests memorials to Tonganoxie VFW Post No. 9271.
Colby Works finishes sixth at Salina tourney
SALINA — Iola High’s Colby Works got in extra competition Saturday before the team’s Class 4A Regional May 8 in Parsons. Making up for missing some matches earlier in the season, Works placed sixth at the Salina Central Invitational. There were 36 competitors in Works’ bracket.
Works started the day as the seventh seed.
He began with an 8-1 win against Gordon Wong of Andover Central. He then beat Salina Central’s Will Hayes, 8-6. In the quarterfinals, Works lost to eventual runner-up Jack Weiner of Salina Central, 8-0. Works moved into the loser’s bracket, where he beat Pitt’s Adrian McAfee, 8-7. In the fifth-place match he lost to Pitt’s Logan Berham, 8-1.
Works finished the regular season at 23-6.
The state’s budget is structurally unsound
On track to be $800 million in the hole
Kansas legislators have waited until the wrap-up session to address the state budget. Traditionally, this is the time of year loose ends are tied off. But state finances are so out of whack that you can’t blame our lawmakers for waiting until the bitter end to decide what we all fear will be drastic measures to make the numbers come out right.
Come Wednesday, the bloodletting will begin.
THE GOOD news is that not all legislators are living in denial about the numbers. Even Republicans are alarmed by recent figures that show the state’s finance formula is structurally unsound. To wit: Kansas is heading to an annual deficit of $800 million, according to a recent report by the Consensus Revenue Estimating Group.
Yes, we’ve pretty much headed off this year’s $400 million deficit thanks to the generosity of the “Bank of KDOT” and other one-time transfers, but for fiscal year 2016 and beyond, expenditures outweigh revenue estimates by $800 million.
Had Gov. Brownback’s tax cuts not been enacted, the state would be $1 billion richer today, according to the state’s legislative research department. And we’re only about half way toward his ultimate goal — of eliminating the personal income tax completely.
Instead of backtracking, Brownback is suggesting legislators raise taxes on goods, like alcohol and cigarettes, as well as the statewide sales tax of 6.15 percent. Even if these things were approved — which is a long shot — it would fall far short of what is needed.
Brownback has said he’s offered all he can in terms of raising revenue, leaving it to legislators to take the reins.
Doesn’t matter. We know how we got in this mess in the first place.
— Susan Lynn
Eileen Wagner
Eileen Jane “Hanson” Wagner, 80, Carthage, Mo., passed away Thursday, April 23, 2015.
Eileen was born March 19, 1935, in Ada, Minn., to Ole Hanson and Hilma “Ljunggren” Hanson. She had been a resident of Carthage the past four years, moving here from Iola (Mildred). Eileen was a homemaker, loved music and dancing, an active member of the National Humane Society, and a devoted Lutheran who was very proud of her Swedish-Norwegian heritage. She was a lifetime member of the Warren Minnesota First Lutheran Church, Warren, Minn.
Eileen was united in marriage to Wilbert “Bill” Wagner from Aug. 27, 1954, to June 1996. Bill preceded her in death April 12, 2015.
Survivors include three sons, Billy Wagner and wife Marilyn, Iola, Michael Wagner and wife Judy, El Dorado, and Keith Wagner and wife Gina, Scammon; three daughters, Jan Bratton and husband Gary, Carthage, Barbara Jones, Colony, and Jozi Ljunggren, Iola; 13 grandchildren and several great-grandchildren.
She is preceded in death by her parents, one brother Laverne Hanson, one sister, Myrtle “Hanson” Charon, and one granddaughter, Marie Jane Jones.
Services are at 2 p.m. today at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Carthage. Burial will be in Good Shepherd Cemetery, Carthage.
A sincere “Thank You” to the Carthage Health & Rehab, Avalon Hospice and Good Shepherd Lutheran Church family for all their prayers and support. Contributions may be made to Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in care of Ulmer Funeral Home. Online condolences can be made at www.ulmerfh.com. Arrangements are under the direction of Ulmer Funeral Home.
Marvin Peery
Marvin N. Peery, 73, Lone Elm, passed away Friday, April 24, 2015, at St. Luke’s Hospital of Kansas City.
Marvin was born Aug. 17, 1941, in Ottawa, the son of Charles Kenneth and Irene (Carrier) Peery. He grew up in Lone Elm where he attended grade school and he graduated from Kincaid Rural High School in 1959.
On Nov. 20, 1960, Marvin married Judith E. Blagg in Kincaid. They made their home southwest of Lone Elm. He farmed and started operating heavy equipment. He owned and operated Marvin Peery Construction and later was a partner in S.T.P. Construction. They lived in the Bush City area 35 years before returning to Lone Elm.
He has been a 45-year member of Land Improvement Contractors Association. He was a volunteer and member of the Bush City Fire Department, charter member of International Harvester and Historical Heavy Equipment. He has played music in this area and was a member of the Iola Branch of the Old Time Fiddlers and Pickers.
Marvin is survived by his wife of 54 years, Judy Peery, of the home, daughter Kim Ellis, Lone Elm, and grandchildren Haley and Brock Ellis. He was preceded in death by his son, Kelly P. Peery, in 2010.
Funeral services will be at 10 a.m. Friday at Kincaid High School with visitation to follow. Inurnment will be in the Lone Elm Cemetery at a later date.
Memorials are suggested to Kincaid High School Community Center and may be left with Waugh-Yokum & Friskel Memorial Chapel of Iola, which is in charge of arrangements. To sign the guestbook online or leave a condolence, go to www.iolafuneral.com.
Cubs, Lady Cubs sweep tournaments
HUMBOLDT — Humboldt High’s baseball and softball teams swept through the competition to take first place in their respective tournaments Friday.
The Cubs started the day with a 4-2 baseball win against Anderson County.
“Kason [Siemens] threw really well for us and made some big pitches in key situations to get out of some jams,” coach Mike Miller said. “Jake Haviland threw well in relief to pick up the win. On a day where our bats weren’t really there, we played good defense and did just enough offensively to get the win.”
Humboldt had five hits. Tyler Korte led the team with two singles and an RBI. Rayce Hoepker had a single and RBI. Tanner Orth and Rhett Smith each had a single.
Siemens made it through five innings on the mound. He gave up two runs, three hits, three walks and struck out three. Haviland finished the next two innings in relief. He gave up two hits, a walk and struck out one.
In the championship game, Humboldt’s offense took over for a 10-4 win adjacent Neodesha.
“Rayce [Hoepker] battled some control issues early, but eventually settled in to give us six solid innings,” Miller said. “Evan Gean got his first varsity experience on the mound to finish the game and threw well in relief. We struggled to really put any big innings together all day, but came through late in some big situations to break the game open.”
Haviland had a double and two RBIs. Orth had a single and two RBIs. Corey Whitcomb didn’t have a hit, but did get two RBIs. Siemens also didn’t have a hit, but had an RBI. Jacob Carpenter had a double and single. Zach Vanatta had a double. Smith had a double and three runs scored.
In Hoepker’s six innings of work, he gave up one earned run, six hits, three walks and struck out five. Gean gave up two hits and a walk, but didn’t let anyone score in the final inning.
Humboldt (10-2) travels to Cherryvale Tuesday.
THE LADY CUBS shut out both of their opponents on Friday to win the Lindsey Friederich Memorial Softball Tournament.
The day started with a 10-0 win against Anderson County.
Courtney Richey started and finished the game. She gave up two hits, a walk and struck out eight.
Jacie Ross led the team with her bat. She had three RBIs, a single and double. Kasey Beeman had a single and two RBIs. Richey had a double, single and RBI. Sabrina Arell hit a single, double and had an RBI. Breanna Kline hit a double. Delaney Umholtz had two doubles. Brook Turner, Mallory Roush and Makayla McCall each had a single.
In the championship game, Humboldt beat Central Heights 13-0.
Richey pitched and finished this game as well. She gave up only one hit and struck out 11.
Kline started the game off with a home run. She finished with a double, single and two RBIs. Beeman had a home run, triple, single and three RBIs. Roush had a double and RBI. Richey had a single, double and RBI. Ross had a single and RBI. Umholtz had a single and two stolen bases. Arell hit a double and had an RBI. McCall had a single, double and RBI.
Humboldt (10-0) plays at Cherryvale Tuesday.
Driskel, Taylor shine at Fredonia
FREDONIA — Iola High’s track team competed at the Fredonia Invitational on Friday. Two athletes stood out in a day in which everyone had to contend with strong wind.
Emery Driskel took third in the high hurdles with a time of 16.2 seconds. The time matched her personal best. However, she was injured during the race and wasn’t able to compete in the intermediate hurdles or 200-meter dash. Coach Dana Daugharthy said he is hoping some rest will be enough to get her healthy.
Olivia Taylor took third in the 3200-meter run with a time of 13 minutes, 36 seconds. She also took fifth in the mile in 6:12. Daugharthy said he was pleased where. He expects Taylor to continue improving.
No one else for Iola placed, but Daugharthy said it may have had to do with the wind.
“I am looking forward to the next couple weeks because I think several of our athletes are going to make noticeable improvements,” Daugharthy said.
Iola’s junior varsity athletes travel to Fort Scott Tuesday and the varsity team will compete at Osawatomie Thursday.
Jett Whitworth
Jett Edward Michael Whitworh was born on March 27, 2015, at Neosho Memorial Regional Medical Center to parents John Whitworth Jr., Hutchinson, and Haylee Malloy, Chanute.
He weighed 7 pounds and 11 ounces and was 19.5 inches long.
He is the maternal grandson of Candie and Cayle Ranabargar, Chanute, and Shawn Malloy, Iola. He is the paternal grandson of Reeva and Chris Lindsey, Iola, and the late John Edward Whitworth Sr. Jett is the great-grandson of Chris and Marty Richards, Iola, Carol and Jim West, Iola, Mike Malloy, Iola, Helen Whitworth, Fort Scott, Alma Lindsey-Williams, Bronson, Valerie Humphrey, St. Louis, Mo., and Carl and Cindy Ranabargar, Chanute, and Jim and Eileen James Garnett. Great-great-grandparents are Bill and Joyce Meech, Fort Scott.