Susan D. Weisenberger

Susan D. Weisenberger, 68, rural Yates Center, passed away Monday, July 25, 2016, at her home surrounded by her family.

Susan was born May 11, 1948, in Washington, D.C., the daughter of William and Helen (Bunten) Dvorachek. 

She grew up in Vienna, Va., and received her BS Degree from the University of Wisconsin, her RN Degree from the University of Massachusetts, worked on her Post-Baccalaureate in Architecture from the University of Vermont, and her Master’s Degree from Emporia State University. 

After working in photography and nursing, Susan became a mother and homemaker. After her sons were older, she pursued a career in Library Science and retired as Director of the Library at Neosho County Community College in Chanute.

Susan enjoyed gardening, woodworking, water color painting, environmental concerns and photography.

Her memberships include St. Timothy’s Episcopal Church, Kappa Kappa Gamma, Rails to Trails and Southeast Kansas Library Association.

Survivors include her two sons, Daniel Weisenberger and wife Megan, Manhattan, and Matthew Weisenberger, Kansas City, Mo.; grandson William Weisenberger; three siblings, Peggy Richardson, Boulder, Colo., Nancy Brewer and husband Daryl, Lake Butler, Fla., and Harold Dvorachek and wife Cindy, Yates Center; seven nieces and nephews, Dana Lindstrom, Scott Haight, Joel Brewer, Erin Brewer, Anneke Brewer-Acree, Dorothy Larson and Andrew Dvorachek; and her devoted friend, Pat Haire.

She will be greatly missed by her friends and family.

The family will host a Celebration Of Life at 11 a.m. Saturday at St. Timothy’s Episcopal Church in Iola. Memorials are suggested to Allen County Animal Rescue Facility (ACARF). 

Feuerborn Family Funeral Service of Iola assisted the family. 

 

Go to www.iolafuneral.com to leave a condolence online.

Nadine Hegwald

Nadine Floy Hegwald, 82, Humboldt, passed away Sunday, July 24, 2016, at her home. Nadine was born Jan. 6, 1934, in Neosho Rapids, the daughter of Edward and Lura (Slead) Osman.

Nadine married Jack Hegwald on June 16, 1951, and they had five children together before Jack passed away on Feb. 8, 1987.

Nadine obtained her Associate’s Degree from Allen Community College in Iola, before getting a job as a courier for Peterson Laboratories. She was an active person who rode a motorcycle in her younger days and was a good softball player all the way into her 70s. She also loved dancing, playing pool and cards with friends. When at home, she enjoyed painting landscapes and birds as well as making Native American headdresses out of beads. Nadine was a member of the Humboldt United Methodist Church, where she taught Sunday school and sang in the choir.

Nadine is survived by sons, Brian Hegwald and wife Vikki, Humboldt, Landon Hegwald and wife Jeannette, Colony,  and Jack Hegwald Jr. and wife Janiece, Omaha; daughters, Christine Pfeiffer and husband John, Waxahachie, Texas, and Lydia Hegwald, Humboldt; her friend of 22 years, Joyce Chambers; 13 grandchildren and 25 great-grandchildren.

Nadine was preceded in death by her parents; a grandson, Brian Michael Hegwald; brother, Maxwell Osman; twin brother, Eugene Osman; and sister, Marjorie Potter.

A funeral service will at 10 a.m. Thursday at the United Methodist Church in Humboldt. A visitation will be held from 5 to 7 p.m. today at Countryside Funeral Home, Humboldt Chapel. Online condolences may be left at www.countrysidefh.com.  

 

Memorials have been suggested to the Humboldt United Methodist Church (for their youth programs) and may be left with or mailed to the funeral home.

Go to the fair; you’ll be glad that you did

Friday evening the Lyle Dreher Roughriders Arena in Riverside Park will be the focus of the 123rd annual Allen County Fair. 

Mutton busting, featuring kids trying desperately to hang on to a sheep and one of the most delightful of fair events to watch, will kick things off, followed by the big boys and girls in rodeo events. 

Saturday Rotary Day in the Park, with barbecue cook-off and car show, gives continuity to the festival, and from then on through Thursday evening’s livestock auction Riverside will be the place to be. If that isn’t enough, a Mud Run at Wide Open Speed Park a couple of miles or so south of town will be the topper Saturday evening.

For those who rail about no place to go and nothing do, they need to get their noses out of the pitiful fare on TV, lay aside electronic gadgets that burn up time that could be better spent and go to the fair.

Fair board members work diligently throughout the year to put on the week of activities, and a multitude of others of all ages prep and plan with just as much fervor.

With not so many farm folks these days and so many things begging attention, 4-H membership isn’t what it once was. But don’t be fooled, the kids who bake and sew and create all sorts of projects, as well as nurture and work with animals, will have many entries that will amaze and delight.

When the livestock auction rolls around, it behooves folks to participate, and tell our youngsters that we appreciate all the work they’ve expended by financially recognizing their accomplishments. For many kids, premiums paid for their animals go to college funds and will make a huge difference in their lives in years to come.

Do your part to make this year’s fair a rousing success.  

 

— Bob Johnson

Don’t vote blindly

An online poll in the Hutchinson News — unscientific but probably as accurate as most — finds that two-thirds of respondents won’t watch this week’s Democrat convention, or if they do, very little. Only 20 percent say they’ll watch very closely or be riveted to the TV screen.

That’s a shame regardless of your political convictions.

While the conventions offer a self-serving look at presidential candidates and their running mates, they do reveal much. That should be one part of decision-making for voters.

Paying close attention to what respected writers and broadcasters find is another component, although taking all at face value is discouraged.

Ultimately, voters must decide whether views of one candidate or another find acceptance, an outcome that is difficult without spending the time to listen and learn.

Process all — and then vote. 

 

— Bob Johnson

Letter to the editor — July 26, 2016

Dear editor,

After reading the July 20 editorial regarding the candidate for Allen County Attorney, I debated about keeping my opinion to myself, but decided I had to speak.

I am the grandmother of three grandsons who have had their share of negatives.

The Linus Thuston you wrote about is not the Linus Thuston I know. I’m not privy to some information, so have no way of knowing if what was written is factually correct. I just hope the other candidates have been vetted in the same manner as Linus.

Helen Ambler,

 

Iola, Kan.

Barbara E. Clay

Barbara E. Clay, 75, Iola, passed away Friday, July 22, 2016, at Allen County Regional Hospital in Iola surrounded by her family.

Barbara was born June 28, 1941, in LaHarpe, the daughter of Eugene and Jane Marie (Ransom) Hobert. She grew up in LaHarpe and graduated from Iola High School in 1959. She then attended and graduated from Wichita Business College. 

On Oct. 27, 1962, Barbara married Billy R. Clay at the LaHarpe Christian Church. They made their home in Wichita, where she worked as a secretary for The Coleman Company. They moved to Iola in 1970 and Barbara started working as a secretary for USD 257 on Nov. 1, 1980. She retired July 1, 2008, but continued to sub at Crossroads.

Her memberships include the Iola Church of Christ, Allen County Association of Retired School Personnel where she served as Secretary, National Association of Education Office Professionals, and Kansas Association of Educational Office Professionals where she served as State President, President Elect, Immediate Past President, website chairperson, Professional Standards Program Chairperson and a State Educational Office Professional of the Year. She helped establish the Iola Educational Support Personnel and served as President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer and Scholarship Chairman. 

Barbara loved to camp, cook, travel and spend time with family and friends. 

Survivors include her husband of 53 years, Billy; her four children, Kent and wife, Monica of Ohio, Audra Rose and husband George, LaHarpe, Aaron, Overland Park, and Matt and wife Melissa, Kansas City, Mo.; four grandchildren, Kendra Michael, Zack Rose, Henry Clay and Hailey Clay; one great-grandson, Jase Michael; and a sister, Beverly Robinson, of Georgia. She was preceded in death by her parents.

 

Visitation will be 6-8 p.m. Tuesday at Feuerborn Family Funeral Service in Iola. Funeral services will be at 10 a.m. Wednesday at the funeral home with burial to follow in Highland Cemetery in Iola. Memorials are suggested to Alzheimer’s Association and may be left with the funeral home. To leave a condolence online, go to www.iolafuneral.com.

A super Sonic feat

Iolans were hankering for cheeseburgers Thursday.

As part of its nationwide promotion, Sonic offered up cheeseburgers at half price through its 3,500-plus restaurants in 43 states.

Of those restaurants, none sold more than the 1,765 cheeseburgers sold at Iola’s Sonic.

 

The total was about 500 more than the nearest total sold elsewhere, employees noted.

Budget work continues

Iola City Council members will continue tonight discussions on the city’s 2017 spending plan, which is due in August.

The council is working to erase a projected $800,000 budget shortfall for next year.

Several options have been discussed, including delaying street repair projects; removing equipment reserve funds; ending the city’s relationship with Van Scoyoc and Associates, a Washington, D.C., lobbying firm; and upping trash collection fees from $8.50 to $10.50 a month.

City Administrator Carl Slaugh has set up a budget with those steps, that still would require a  property tax levy increase of about 2 mills, from 42.899 to about 44.899 mills.

Council members also are expected to discuss further the city’s agreement to sell water to Gas. Gas City Council members have balked at accepting a proposed rate increase because Iola has already increased water rates six times since the cities reached a 30-year agreement in 2001.

Tonight’s 6 o’clock meeting will be held at the Bass North Community Building, 505 N. Buckeye St., because the regular meeting site at Riverside Park is being set up for the Allen County Fair, which starts this week.

 

The public is invited.

Commissioners knew better than to cut levy much

Why, the caller asked, didn’t county commissioners use the increase in assessed valuation to lower our tax levy?

A good question that begs answering.

Two reasons, and they need to be answered in three-year perspective.

In 2014 the county’s assessed valuation was $99.5 million. Commissioners knew it was going to increase for support of this year’s budget because Enbridge properties — a crude oil pipeline that runs diagonally across the county and a huge pumping station southeast of Humboldt — were to  be added to the mix.

Enbridge’s assessed valuation of $38 million or so this year was more than was anticipated, but it was welcome after the county had to plod along with tight budgets for years. Commissioners then could have reduced the general fund levy — it was 39.14 mills — but chose instead to create a capital improvement fund. When the ink had dried, the budget had about $2.5 million thus sequestered.

This year Enbridge’s valuation again was a mild surprise. With crude oil prices dropping precipitously, expectation was Enbridge’s valuation likewise would drop. However, it held relatively stable, shaking out at about $35 million.

That left the county assessed valuation for 2017 at $138.3 million, down less than $3 million from this year’s $141.1 million.

Back to the question.

Commissioners were reluctant, as they were this year, to cut the 2017 budget levy much because of a state law that takes effect in 2017. Legislators, with the urging of Gov. Sam Brownback, decided local budget levies should not increase more than the rate of inflation — meager of late — without taking the issue to a vote.

Two things about that are troubling.

First, the Legislature, and Brownback, have had a dickens of a time managing state finances since the ill-advised income tax cuts of 2012-13. Instead they signed on to the Kansas Chamber and Americans for Prosperity tax-cut philosophy wholeheartedly and decided to tell counties and cities how to govern.

The facts are simple. Local governing bodies know their constituencies are perfectly capable of deciding when, where and how much tax money should be spent for the public good.

Consequently, commissioners this year have before them a budget that cuts the overall levy by 1.5 mills, and increases some smaller funds, including road and bridge by 5.079, while reducing the general fund’s by 11.039 mills, to 32.739, or better than 6 mills less than in 2014.

The state law affecting local budgets was passed a year ago, with its implementation then delayed a year, so commissioners knew about it when this year’s budget was constructed.

Also, another burr the state slapped under the saddle of local governing bodies was that if they wanted to increase taxes a small amount, the cost of a referendum might well be more than the tax increase.

 

AN ADDENDUM: To help with understanding, a levy of 1 mill raises $1 for each $1,000 of assessed valuation.

A house with market valuation of $100,000 is assessed at 12.5 percent, or $12,500. That means a levy of 1 mill cost the owner $12.50.

 

— Bob Johnson

Letter to the editor — July 25, 2016

Dear Susan Lynn:

I read your recent editorial regarding Allen County Attorney Republican candidate Linus Thuston. My initial thought was why you didn’t feel it remiss to not make your thoughts known to the voting public in 2008 when Mr. Thuston was on the ballot for Allen County Attorney? Could it be that you, and other members of the bourgeoisie, are finally realizing the Allen County voters are fed up with the status quo, and are ready to have their voices for change heard?

“Can’t stay on the right side of the law?” “Bribery?” To use your language: “For Real?” As you obviously did a poor job of fact checking before inking your editorial attacking Mr. Thuston’s credibility some two weeks prior to the primary election, I would suggest (a little late now I realize) you conduct an online search of, or call, the Kansas Attorney Disciplinary Administrator’s Office, which will confirm that Mr. Thuston was not disciplined by said office as a result of the events you inaccurately describe. Nor was he ever charged with any crime.

Mr. Thuston did make some poor decisions early in his legal career, and has demonstrated his ability to learn from those mistakes and move past them. It’s a good thing that Jesus forgives, because you obviously don’t. Are you being equally diligent looking into the distant past of all candidates for political office, or are you just singling out Mr. Thuston?

I would like to point out a few things about Mr. Thuston that your article omitted. Mr. Thuston has served his country in the Kansas Army National Guard for over 27 years, including an active duty deployment during Operation Iraqi Freedom. While deployed, Mr. Thuston prepared in excess of 100 wills and power of attorneys for other deployed soldiers pro bono, and continues to this day to provide pro bono legal services for military service members, as well as domestic violence victims in domestic cases. Mr. Thuston served as the Commander of the Chanute VFW for two years, and serves on the Kansas National Guard Suicide Prevention Team performing suicide interventions, and is on the PTSD Response Team.

Mr. Thuston is also active in his church, serving as a Deacon for his local church. He further actively serves his community through past or present membership on the Neosho County Community College Alumni Board, the Safari Museum Board, the Chanute Housing Authority, and the Southeast Kansas Mental Health Center Board. Mr. Thuston and his wife have been foster care providers, and they continue to serve as surrogate parents and mentors for the NCCC track and field team.

Mr. Thuston has served as a prosecutor for the State of Kansas for over 10 years, and was the recipient this spring (2016) of the Kansas Prosecutor’s Foundation Community Service Award. I wonder why it is that when some local incumbent elected official has an ax to grind, you are so quick to accommodate them in the form of an editorial? Our current Allen County Attorney works on average less than three days per week, draws an annual salary of nearly $70,000, and doesn’t even live in the State of Kansas. Our current assistant county attorney works on average one and a half days per week, with an assistant’s annual salary of approximately $56,000, and lives in Coffey County.

You obviously have a penchant for sensationalism. I guess drama sells newspapers just like it draws viewers to reality television shows.

Mitch Sigg,

Iola, Kan.