Rossville-Wabaunsee Game On-Line

    This was a rather exciting game at the end during overtime with the lead going back and forth,  but the RHS girls scored a basket just before time ran out to get a 60-59 wiin,
    The Dawgs were down 31-9 at the half but had strong third and fourth quarters to tie the game at 50-50 during regulation.  
    The game can be viewed in its entirety at:
http://www.team1sports.com/index.php/videoPlayer/view?broadcast=99592&referrer=ihigh

Rossville          5     4     21   20   10   =   60
Wabaunsee    11   20    10     9     9   =   59

Rossville scoring:
Steckel          5 (3)      2-3     15
Hill                 3           5-6     11
Kirk                2           6-7     10
Nitsch            3 (3)      1-2     10
Conley           3           2-3       8
Shinn             1           2-2       4
Day                1           0-0       2

Totals          18 (6)    18-23   60

Taylor Kirk Scholar Athlete Of Week

http://ksnt.com/2015/02/12/scholar-athlete-of-the-week-taylor-kirk/

Derik Kesler To Appear In Court

According to KMAN, Derik Kesler, 32, of Rossville, Kansas, is set for a court appearance in connection with a vehicular homicide that occurred last June.

Kesler, who will appear in court on Wednesday, Feb 17, at 1 p.m., is charged with the death of Mark Jilka, 49, of Manhattan resulting from a fatal truck and bicycle accident.

The incident, which happened June 26, 2014, occurred in the 3200 block of Kansas Highway 177 shortly after 7 p.m. Both vehicles were southbound, and Kesler – in his Dodge pickup truck – struck Jilka while he was biking on the right shoulder.

According to KMAN, a voluntary witness statement from Kesler said he was looking at an address on his phone’s GPS and did not see the bicyclist as he struck him. A law enforcement official who investigated the accident said the physical evidence at the scene was consistent with Kesler’s statement, with no indication of braking prior to the collision, and no visibility restrictions.

3A Wrestling Rankings

    There were a few small changes in the Top 10 3A schools rankings this week,    Mid-East rivals St. Marys and Silver Lake, are also in the top 10 but Wabausee dropped out.
    A new addition to the list is Isaiah Luellen at #6 in the 138 lb. class.

1.  Rossville

2.  Norton

3.  Hoisington

4.  Oberlin

5.  Silver Lake

6.  Marysville

8   St Marys

113 lb.   Bryce Gfeller          #1
126 lb.   Alex Cavanaugh   #2
138 lb    Isaiah Luellen       #6
160 lb.   Nick Reesor           #2
182 lb.   Isaac Luellen         #1

Click on below to see complete rankings.

RHS Boys Lose At Wabaunsee (updated)

    Despite a half-time lead of 17-15,  The Dawgs  gave up too many poins in the third period and lost to Wabaunsee 43-39 on Feb. 17.

Rossville             5     12    7    15   =   39
Wabaunsee        13       2  13    15   =   43

Rossville scoring:

Schultz-Pruner        2        5-7      9
Horak                     4        1-2      9
Horak                     3 (2)   0-0      8
Horak                     2        1-5      5
Roduner                 1 (1)    2-2     5
Sowers                   0        2-2     2
Woodcock               0        1-2     1
Totals                   12 (3)  12-20  39.

This game can be viewed On-Line at:
http://www.team1sports.com/index.php/videoPlayer/view?broadcast=99593&referrer=ihigh

Dawgs Second In Mid-East Wrestling

    Rossville High came in second in the Mid-East League wrestling tournament on Feb. 13.
    The team standings for the tournament were:
1.    St Marys
2.    Rossville
3.    Silver Lake
4.    Rock Creek
5.    Riley County
6.    Onaga
7.    Wabaunsee
8.    Burlingame

    Rossville had four class champions:
138#    Isaiah Luellen
160#    Nick Reesor
182#    Issac Luellen          
220#    Kole Davoren

    Rossville had two second place finishers.
120#  Holden Hurla
126#  Alex Cavanaugh

    Rossville had one third place finisher.
152#    Derek  Gentry

The top 3 finishers in each weight class can be seen at:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0Bz8SP1SiT5WfSEJMSzVKMmNQMVE/view

Don Jones Found Peace

From The Columbus Dispatch:

It didn’t take death for Don Jones to find peace.

It followed him for 91 years.

For Jones, peace often came through art, and through art Jones found his calling, touching thousands of lives as one of the pioneers of art therapy.

Jones, of Worthington, died at Kobacker House on Jan. 28. A memorial service is scheduled for 11 a.m. today at the first Unitarian Universalist Church in Clintonville.

The bullet points of his life would by themselves tell the tale of a life well-lived: an artist, a therapist, a minister, a professor. He worked alongside noted psychiatrist Karl Menninger at the Menninger Foundation in Topeka, Kan., for 16 years. While there, he became an ordained Methodist minister and pastor of a church in Rossville, Kan. There, he also joined forces with the NAACP during in the Brown v. Board of Education trials of the early 1950s. His illustration, “The Equality Kids,” became a poster used by supporters of desegregation.

“He was a radical liberal at a time when it wasn’t so easy to be that,” said longtime co-worker Bruce Moon.

Jones moved to Worthington in 1967 and started the adjunctive therapy program at Harding Hospital, where he worked for 20 years. He founded the Worthington Area Arts League in his basement. He taught art therapy at Capital University and the Columbus College of Art & Design, and ministered two central Ohio Unitarian congregations.

“He called himself a secular mystic,” said his widow, Karen Rush Jones.

It’s a life’s work, however, that happened almost by accident, ignited by the flame of peace.

Jones was drafted when the United States entered World War II. A pacifist, he became a conscientious objector and served four years in the Civilian Public Service with a group of Mennonites assigned to be aides at Marlboro State Hospital in New Jersey.

Because most able men were drafted into the military, there was a severe staffing shortage.

“He went to Marlboro as a 19-year-old,” Mrs. Jones said. “When he got there, the aides handed him the keys and said, ‘See you.’ He oversaw three wards of 150 people each, working 12 hours a day serving the severely mentally ill with no psychotropic drugs.”

He turned to art as a way of coping with the misery that surrounded him, and noticed that not only did patients respond to it, but some who hadn’t communicated verbally in years were creating their own art, with whatever materials they could find — usually blood or feces.

“He called it soul language,” said Mrs. Jones.

“His art and their art were based in the same desire, to express,” Moon said. “It was a dramatic acknowledgement that talking isn’t enough. Art was therapy.

“There’s no way to estimate the countless number of people he helped and influenced, from the thousands of patients to the hundreds of students and colleagues, and that doesn’t even begin to count friends and family,” Moon said.

“Boy, the world was a better place because he was in it, and will continue to be for years to come.”

RHS Girls Lose to Eagles

     The RHS girls lost to the  Eagles at Silver Lake on Feb. 13.
Rossville      13 12   11   12   =   48
Silver Lake   13   9   17   18   =   57

Rossville scoring:
Nitsch                 5  (1)    0-0      11
Conley                4          2-4      10
Hill                      4          1-1        9
Kirk                     3          3-4        9
Steckel                2 (2)     0-0        6
Shinn                   0          2-2        2
Shinn                   0          1-2        1. 
Totals                18  (3)    9-13      48.

RHS Boys Lose to Silver Lake

    The RHS boys lost at Silver Lake on Feb. 13.

Rossville         7   8   7   11   =    33
Silver Lake     7  15 12   14   =    48

Rossville scoring:
Horak                   6 (1)      1-2      14
Sowers                 3           3-6        9
Schultz-Pruner      1           1-3        3
Horak                   1           0-0        2
Roduner                0           2-7        2
Woodcock             0           2-2        2
Horak                   0           1-2        1 

Totals                 11 (1)    10-22      33.

Joe Campbell Stadium On List

    Below is a link to all historical baseball stadiums in Kansas.   Joe Campbell Stadium is listed as one of the few historical wooden baseball stadiums in the USA,  and the only one in Kansas.
http://www.fhsu.edu/biology/Eberle/Historical-Baseball-Sites-in-Kansas/

Keara Lenard At KWU

    Keara Lenard of Rossville is a sophomore at Kansas Wesleyan University.  She is majoring in chemistry and secondary education and is on the women's cross country team, indoor track team and outdoor track team.
    Her bio can be read at:  http://www.kwucoyotes.com/roster/12/16/4279.php

Eagles Get Two Wins (updated)

    The Silver Lake girls beat the RHS girls 57-48 on Friday,  Feb. 13.  Later the SL boys also triumphed by a score of 58-33.
    WIBW has a  longer than usual video of both games at:  http://www.wibw.com/sports/ksprepzone/headlines/February-Rossville-At-Silver-Lake-291885201.html

Dawgs Get Love At Statehouse

     Here is an article and WIBW-TV video of the Dawgs visit to the State House.
http://www.wibw.com/home/headlines/Bulldawgs-Get-Love-At-Kansas-Statehouse-291763431.html

Winter Royalty At RHS

Rossville High Winter Royalty

2015

For additional photos of the crowing and beforehand activities,  go to:  http://rossvilleksphotos.blogspot.com/2015/02/rossville-high-winter-royalty-2015.html

 Queen Breanna Hill and King Corbin Horak

2014 King Jacob Gentry and Queen Samantha Thompson getting ready to present the crown

Candidates Brooke Fairbanks and Corbin Horak

 Candidates Breanna Hill and Luke Hurtig

 Candidates Michaela Little and Lake Schultz-Pruner

Winter Royalty

   Winter Royalty was crowned Tue. night during the half-time of the Boys basketball game.  The candidates were ( L. to R above) Corbin Horak, Brooke Fairbanks, Luke Hurtig, Breanna Hill, Lake Schultzx-Pruner and Michaela Little.
    If anyone has pictures of the festivities,  please e-mail them to frank.ruff@juno.com.

Dawgfeed 14

    Latest version of Dawgfeed is  on-line at:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NXfJlohwQ50&feature=em-subs_digest

Dawgs Lose To Osage City In BB

    The boys basketball team was greatly outmatched in their Feb. 10 game against Osage City,  losing by a 73-25 score.  The Dawgs are now 8-8 for the saeson.

Osage City     21   20    22   10    =   73
Rossville          6     5     4    10    =   25


Rossville scoring:

Roduner           2          5-6      9
Schultz-Pruner  2          0-0      4
Woodcock        2          0-0      4
Horak               1          1-3      3
Hammes           1          1-2      3
Anderson          1          0-0      2

Totals                9 (0)    7-11   25.

RHS Girls Trample Osage City

   The RHS girls had an impressive win against Osage City on Feb. 10.  Nine girls put points on the board.  The RHS girls are now 8-8 in basketball

Osage City        4     8    5    1   =   18
Rossville          17   18 12     7   =   54

Rossville  scoring:
Nitsch               6 (1)     0-0        13
Hill                    4          2-2        10
Kirk                   2          3-4          7
Day                   1          4-6          6
Zemek               2 (1)     0-0          5
Shinn                 2          0-0          4
Shinn                 2          0-0          4
Little                  1           1-2          3
Porter                1           0-0          2

Totals              21 (2)    10-14      54

Dawgs Ranked Number One

There were a few small changes in the Top 10 3A schools rankings this week,  with Norton and Rossville switching places at the top of the chart.. Nick Reesor moved up one notch to #2.    Mid-East rivals St. Marys, Silver Lake, and Wabaunse are also in the top 10.   

1.  Rossville

2.  Norton

3.  Hoisington

4.  Oberlin

5.  Silver Lake

6.  Marysville

7.  St Marys

10. Wabaunsee

113 lb.   Bryce Gfeller       #1
126 lb.  Alex Cavanaugh   #2
160 lb.  Nick Reesor         #2
182 lb.  Isaac Luellen        #1

For details of each class,  click on below image:

Wendy Madere Is Horizon Award Winner

    Wendy Madere,  a teacher at Rossville Grade School, is a 2015 Kansas Horizon Award Winner.
http://www.ksde.org/Home/QuickLinks/NewsRoom/tabid/586/aid/85/Default.aspx

Taylor Brecheisen (15) To Play At Ft. Scott CC

    Rossville High senior Taylor Brecheisen has signed a Letter of Intent to play softball next year at Ft. Scott Community College.

Cole Brecheisen (13) At Pittsburgh State

    Cole Brecheisen,  son of Curt and Candy Brecheisen,  is a red-shirt freshman on the Pittsburgh State U. baseball team.
    His bio can be read at:
http://www.pittstategorillas.com/roster.aspx?rp_id=2236&path=baseball

#1 Tubbs Vs. #2 Cavanaugh

From the Capital Journal

Fresh off his second loss of the season, Wabaunsee’s Riley Tubbs got back on track with a 4-1 win over Rossville’s Alex Cavanaugh in the 126 finals, a showdown of No. 1 vs. No. 2 in 3-2-1 with each owning a win over the other. Tubbs moved up a weight earlier in the week to face unbeaten Colby Johnson of Burlington and dropped a 5-4 decision, but came away knowing the match helped him in the long run.

“I thought I did pretty good against him,” Tubbs said. “It really shows me what I need to work on. It’s nice to find someone who can beat me because it makes me push even harder.”

Tubbs didn’t need extra motivation against Cavanaugh, who beat him earlier this season. After avenging that loss at Holton, Tubbs controlled their third clash, getting the only takedown in the first period. Cavanaugh didn’t score until a late escape.

“It was pretty nerve-wracking at some points, but I had some tough matches just to get there and I know he did too,” Tubbs said. “Once we got into it, I was pretty confident I could do some work and get the win.”

RHS Girls Lose To Wabaunsee

Wabaunsee   10  11   6   15   =   42
Rossville        11    3   3     7   =   24

Rossville scoring:
Kirk              1          7-10     9
Nitsch          2 (1)     1-1       6
Hill               2           0-0      4
Conley         1           0-0      2
Shinn           1           0-0      2
Steckel        0           1-2      1

Totals          7 (1)     9-13   24.

RHS Boys Win Over Wabaunsee

    The Dawgs turned a half-time tie into an 11 point win on Friday, Feb. 6.
Wabaunsee  12  13  10   9   =   44
Rossville      11  14  16 14   =   55

Rossville scoring
Horak                7 (2)       5-6       21
Sowers             4             0-0         8
Horak               2             3-4         7
Horak               2             2-2         6
Roduner           2             1-3         5
Schultz-Pruner  1 (1)        1-2         4
Hammes          1             0-0         2
Mason              0             2-2         2. 

Totals             19 (3)      14-19      55.

Rossville Wrestlers Second At SL (Updated)

The  RHS wrestlers finished as shown below, picking up two First Places, two Second Places, one Third, one Fourth, and one Fifth, only losing to the tournament champions Baldwin by 1.5 points. Considering the competition and the fact that Bryce Gfeller was not competing,  this was an excellent showing by the Dawgs.

The ranked teams competing were:

3A Teams

Rossville     - #2

St. Marys    - #6

Silver Lake  - #7

Wabaunsee - #9

4A

Baldwin       - #1

Prairie View - #6

5A

St. James    - #2

Rosville wrestlers match by match results. 

120    Holden Hurla (16-5)        Bye first round,  lost 2nd, won 3rd, lost 4th, won 5th round for Fifth Place.

126    Alex Cavanaugh(30-4)     Won first 3 rounds and lost to  Riley Tubb of Wabaunsee for Second Place.

138    Issiah Luellen (17-6)        Won first two matches. Lost 3rd, won 4th, and final match for Third Place

145    Alex Bird (8-14)               Lost first round but won second match, and lost 3rd match.

152    Derek Gentry(17-11)        Bye first round, lost 2nd, won 3rd and 4th, but lost the 5th ending in Fourth Place.

160    Nick Reesor (28-4)           Won first three matches but lost in the championship match to finish 2nd Place.

182    Issac Luellen(6-0)             Bye first round.  Won next three matches for First Place.

220    Kole Deveron (15-7)         Won first three matches which put him in First Place.

Wrestlers At Silver Lake Tournament

About mid afternoon,  RHS wrestlers status as follows:

120    Holden Hurka (16-5)        Bye first round,  lost 2nd, won 3rd, lost 4th, won 5th round for Fifth Place.

126    Alex Cavanaugh(30-4)     Won first 3 rounds and lost to  Riley Tubb of Wabaunsee for Second Place.

138    Issiah Luellen (17-6)        Won first two matches. Lost 3rd, won 4th, and next match for Third Place

145    Alex Bird (8-14)               Lost first round but won second match, and lost 3rd.

152    Derek Gentry(17-11)        Bye first round, lost 2nd, won 3rd and 4th  and nest wrestling for 3rd Place

160    Nick Reesor (28-4)           Won first three matches and will next wrestle for First Place..

182    Issac Luellen(6-0)             Bye first round.  Won next two rounds and will wrestle for First Place.

220    Kole Deveron (15-7)         Won first and second rounds.  Next will wrestle for First Place.

RHS Wrestlers at Silver Lake Tournament

As of noon,  RHS wrestlers status as follows:

120    Holden Hurka (16-5)        Bye first round,  lost 2nd, won 3rd, awaiting next match.

126    Alex Cavanaugh(30-4)     Won first 3 rounds and facing Riley Tubb of Wabaunsee for First Place.

138    Issiah Luellen (17-6)        Won first two matches.  Awaiting next match.

145    Alex Bird (8-14)               Lost first round but won second match.  Awaiting next match.

152    Derek Gentry(17-11)        Bye first round.  Awaiting next match.

160    Nick Reesor (28-4)           Won first two matches and awaiting third round.

182    Issac Luellen(6-0)             Bye first round.  Won 2nd round.  Awaiting third round.

220    Kole Deveron (15-7)         Won first round. 

Rossville Takes Early Lead at Silver Lake

    In the early stages of the Silver Lake Wrestling Tournament,  Rossville jumped out to an early lead tied with Wichita East for first place.  However,  there a lot of big schools competing,  so the final results are likely to change greatly.
    The top 4 places in the early stages of the tournament are:
1.  Rossville            55
2.  Wichita W.          55
3.  St James Acad.  50.5
4.  Lawrence Free   46

    At 12:45,  the top four places were:
1.  Baldwin             74.5
2.  Rossville            67
3.  Wamego            66
4.  St. Marys           58.5

Donald Jones Passes Away

    Donald L. Jones, age, 91, died at Kobacker House January 28, 2015.
    He was born in Towanda PA, graduated H.S. in Ithaca NY, attended Marietta College, SMU Perkins school of theology, and St. Paul's Seminary. As a pacifist and conscientious objector he served 4 years with Civilian Public Service during WWII, in labor camps, army Guinea pig medical tests, and with psychiatric patients at Marlboro State Hosp. in NJ. Ordained as a Methodist Minister he pastored a church in Rossville KS 16 years, while working full-time at the Menninger Clinic in Topeka. He retired from Harding Hospital Worthington, Ohio after 20 years as Director of Adjunctive Therapy. There he set up dynamically oriented milieu therapy treatment, and an art therapy clinical internship. He was a pioneer in the field of Art Therapy, a founder and past president of the American Art Therapy Assoc. and Ohio organization (BATA) and taught classes at CCAD and at Capital University. In retirement (retreaded he called it) he ministered two Unitarian congregations, did expressive art with people in neurological rehabilitation, hospice, prisons, with addiction counselors, teen group homes, wrote articles, contributed writing to journals and books and delivered presentations around the country. He helped establish WAAL and exhibited his paintings locally and nationally. In his art studio he painted, taught art, saw clients and students, many of whom he mentored over his lifetime. He was calm and compassionate, had a wonderful sense of humor, liked making puns and imaginative stories. His manner was healing and inspirational and he made a positive difference in countless lives.
     Preceded in death by parents Earl William and Ethel Peet Jones, brothers Lyman M. Jones and Earl W. Jones, Jr. He is survived by wife of 35 years, Karen Rush Jones; son, Morgan Rush Jones; first wife, Eleanor Illston Jones; children, David (Joyce), Amy, Evan, Anne Bennett (Adrian), Matthew (Kelly) and Peter; seven grandchildren; six great grandchildren; nephews, and nieces.
    There will be a memorial service at First Unitarian Universalist Church of Columbus on February 14th at 11 a.m. where Minister, Dr. Mark Belletini will celebrate Don's rich and meaningful life as artist, sculptor, minister, therapist, teacher and father. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to First Unitarian Universalist Church, Kobacker House or 

.   Arrangements by RUTHERFORD-CORBIN FUNERAL HOME, 515 High Street, Worthington, OH 43085. To send condolences to the family, please visit www.rutherfordfuneralhomes.com

Blanche Hartzell Passes Away

    Blanche M. Hartzell, age 95, of Topeka passed away Friday, February 6, 2015 at Aldersgate Care home in Topeka.
    She was born April 25, 1919 in Denison, KS the daughter of Earl and Ruth Massey Smith. She married Philip Hartzell August 17, 1940 in Topeka. He preceded her in death October 10, 2000.             Graveside services will be Wednesday, February 11, 2015 at 11:00 a.m. at the Rossville Cemetery. She will lie in state Tuesday afternoon from noon-5:00 p.m. at the Davidson Funeral Home. Online condolences may be made a davidsonfuneral.com.

RHS Wrestlers At Silver Lake

   The RHS wrestling team is competing at the Silver Lake Tournament on Feb. 7.  Schools attending this tournament are:  Anderson County, Baldwin, Caney, Clay Center, Doniphan West, Erie, Iola, Lawrence Free State,Leavenworth, Maur Hill Prep, Prairie View, Rossville, Salina South, Silver Lake, St. James Academy, St. Marys, Wamego,
    Results will be posted as soon as available.

RHS Splits With Wabaunsee

   The RHS boys basketball team defeated Wabaunsee team 55-44 on Friday night.  However,  the girls were not as successful as they only managed to score 24  against the Wabaunsee five who had 42.

Betty Badura Passes Away

Betty and husband Henry pictured

    Betty Badura, 70, passed away Thursday, February 5, 2015.
    She was born May 20, 1944 in Hutchinson, Kansas, the daughter of Bill and Jean Jeffries. Betty grew up and lived in Silver Lake before moving to Rossville in 1987. She married Henry Badura Jr. on July 8, 1961 and this union lasted 50 years. They were farmers in Rossville. Betty was an extremely outgoing person who never met a stranger. She made friends everywhere she went and people remembered her smiling face and ready laugh. She was a pianist for the Rossville Presbyterian Church for many years. She was an incredible baker and loved to share with happy recipients. She also maintained a big garden that she eagerly shared.
    She was preceded in death by her husband and father. She is survived by her mother, Jean Viergever, son, Bill (Carolyn), daughter, Suzette (Mack), grandchildren, Liane (Josh), Brad (Kristen), Jeff, Willie (Abby) and Kendall, three great-granddaughters, her sisters-in-law, Leona Faulk (Delbert) and Sue Badura. Funeral services for Betty will be at 11 am Saturday, February 7 at Penwell-Gabel Parker-Price Chapel, 245 NW Independence Avenue.
    Private burial will be at the Czech-Moravian Cemetery north of Rossville. Memorial contributions may be made to the Rossville Presbyterian Church, PO Box 177, Rossville, KS 66533. The family will greet friends at 10 am Saturday at the funeral home.
    Condolences can be left at:  http://www.penwellgabeltopeka.com/obituary/98437/Betty-J-Badura/Topeka-Kansas

Farm Profit Conference In Rossville

Farmers who are trying to determine potential market returns, interest rates and the best farm program in which to enroll can find some answers at the Farm Profit Conference Feb. 10 at the Citizen Pottawatomie Community Center, 806 Nishnabe Trail in Rossville.

The doors open at 5:30 p.m., and attendees can view displays before the dinner begins at 6 p.m. The event is the first of four spring farm informational programs being planned by 580 WIBW and the Shawnee County Extension Service.

Featured speaker is Tom Leffler, of Leffler Commodities in Augusta, who will present “The Markets: Which Way Will They Go?” In addition, Lance Thompson, of Shawnee County Farm Service Agency, will talk about new farm bill programs and how to determine which one is best for one’s farming operation, and Jim Aylward, of Frontier Farm Credit, will present “Financing in Changing Times.”

There is no cost for the program and meal, but reservations are required by noon Feb. 9. To make reservations, call the Shawnee County Extension office at (785) 232-0062 or e-mailkelly.lenz@morris.com.

Additional conferences are scheduled Feb. 19 in Council Grove, March 4 in Ottawa and March 18 in Westmoreland.

School Buses Drive More Miles Now

From the Capital-Journal

When Shawnee County last Thursday enforced new weight limits on the aged Willard Bridge, barring full-sized school buses from crossing, Kaw Valley Unified School District 321 switched to smaller buses. The northwest Shawnee County district, which includes Rossville and St. Marys, thought the buses were light enough to cross that it could save kids from an extra 20 minutes spent on the bus. Unfortunately, it didn’t work out.

“The buses are fine empty, but there were concerns we were going over the weight limits once kids came on,” said superintendent Kerry Lacock. “We’re just not willing to take a chance. We can’t take any students across on the bridge.”

Starting Friday, USD 321 students went back to riding the regular sized buses, forcing at least two bus routes out to Interstate 70 and around to Maple Hill to get to the small towns of Willard and Valencia — an 18.4 mile trip, compared with the 3 miles it takes to cross the bridge, he said. That adds about 20 minutes to the ride for about 119 students who rely on those bus routes to get home, he said. About 78 live south of the bridge.

“It’s a major inconvenience for those students,” Lacock said.

The detour also will be a strain on district resources. Six trips a day now have to go around the bridge, amounting to an additional 15,750 miles each school year.

Thankfully, with gas prices as low as they are, the district should make it through the end of the school year, Lacock said.

“We’re still calculating that, but the feeling is that we are very lucky that fuel prices are where they are,” he said. “If the prices were at the higher end, we would be in serious trouble.”

However, the district will have to come up with a more permanent solution: As of now, funding to replace the bridge is at least two years off.

“This is how we’re going to manage through end of the year, but we’re going to explore every option,” Lacock said.

The new weight limits prohibiting most heavy traffic from crossing the bridge, formally called the N.W. Carlson Road Bridge over the Kansas River, came after a recent inspection downgraded its safety rating from 50.7 in 2013 to 23.7, out of a scale to 100. The county has known for several years the bridge needed to be replaced — weight limits were reduced in 2007 as well — but the rapid deterioration, caused primarily by people not abiding those weight limits, increased that urgency.

The reduced weight limits are an effort to extend the life of the 60-year-old bridge just a bit longer, until the county can find the $24.6 million needed to replace it. As a result, USD 321 buses had to find an alternate route to reach south of the bridge.

Other students will be affected by the detour as well, Lacock said. Some who live in town will have to use different buses, and some high school students will be picked up several minutes later, while the buses drop off elementary students on the way to the high school, he said.

Parents are upset, he said, but not so much upset with the district as they are with the situation.

“There’s not a lot they can do,” Lacock said. “If that bridge doesn’t get fixed, it will be a major inconvenience” to people who come into the community.

The Shawnee County Commission for the past few weeks has been focused on finding solutions to the bridge’s deterioration. Two weeks ago, it spent an hour discussing the bridge’s safety and heard from nine people in the community, many of whom asked the county to replace the bridge as soon as possible.

Then, on Thursday, the commission took two decisive steps toward securing funding, both locally and federally.

Commissioners Bob Archer, Shelly Buhler and Kevin Cook unanimously approved dedicating to the bridge the county’s share of excess money from the current half-cent sales tax, which expires Dec. 31, 2016. That amount currently is estimated at $6 million, which, Buhler said, would be right about the 20 percent local match generally required for federal funds.

In meeting with state and federal representatives, Buhler said, that financial commitment from the county is a show of good faith that will help leverage more funding.

The commission also unanimously approved sending a letter to the city of Topeka, urging the council to quickly approve the proposed interlocal agreement. The county’s proposed price list, approved in November, includes $2.17 million per year to county bridges. That would come to $32.5 million during the life of the tax. The city previously considered putting $21.6 million toward county bridges.

“We are very happy that the commission has decided to dedicate and set aside the funds that they can,” Lacock said.

Meanwhile, people in the Willard and Rossville communities have been more watchful of the vehicles crossing the bridge, he said. And the Kansas Highway Patrol has been spotted more frequently as well.

“I think that’s the appropriate way of helping to make sure it is enforced,” he said.

1895 Shawnee Co. Map

    Below is a link to an 1895 map of Shawnee Co.  Note that the UP had stations at Menoken, Silver Lake, Kingsville, Rossville, St. Marys, etc.  According to my mother,  there was still a depot at Kingsville in the 1920.  I have no idea when it disappeared.  The Menoken depot must have disappeared sometime around then also.
    I note on the map that there was a stop called Sugar Works on the Rock Island east of Valencia.  I had never heard of that before.
http://www.livgenmi.com/1895/KS/County/shawnee.htm

Shannon Parr (13) at KSU

    Shannon Parr is a sophomore at KSU and on their track team,  competing in the high jump and pentathlon.  You can read her bio at:
http://www.kstatesports.com/sports/c-track/mtt/shannon_parr_825329.html

Horak, Reesor, Sowers, Steckel Sign LOIs

   Corbin Horak, Nick Reesor, Terrance Sowers, & Jack Steckel signed Letters of Intent on Feb. 4 to play football at Highland Community College this coming year.

RHS Girls Roll Over Bears

    The RHS girls dominated the St. Mary's girls in their basketball game on Feb. 3 at St. Marys.   

Rossville     11 13  26   8   =   58
St. Marys      9   4  12   7   =   32

Rossville scoring:

Hill                         6 (3)      2-4     17 
Kirk                        5           1-1     11
Nitsch                    4 (1)      0-0       9 
Steckel                  4           1-1        9
Shinn                     3           0-0        6
Day                       2           0-1        4
Conley                   1           0-1        2
Totals                   25 (4)     4-9       58.

For video of both the girls and boys games,  go to:
http://www.wibw.com/sports/ksprepzone/headlines/February-St-Marys-at-Rossville-290697531.html

Bryan Kidney--Lawrence Finance Director

The city of Lawrence announced its new finance director on Monday.

Bryan Kidney replaces Ed Mullins, who retired in the fall after 23 years in the position.

Kidney has worked in the private sector as vice president/client representative for Springsted Inc., and prior to that in the public sector as finance director for the city of Shawnee. He also has held financial positions for the cities of Gardner and Manhattan and for Pottawatomie County.

Kidney has specialized proficiency in debt management, public budgeting, auditing, internal controls, computer operations, accounting and investments, according to the city of Lawrence. He graduated from Emporia State University and has been involved with nonprofit board and community initiatives.

Kidney, who started on Friday, said his past experiences prepare him for the job.

“I am very excited to be a part of the Lawrence team,” he said in a statement. “I am joining an incredibly capable group of public servants that care for their community.”

Kidney’s municipal finance expertise will benefit Lawrence, City Manager David Corliss said in the city’s announcement. As finance director he will oversee the city’s utility billing, purchasing and bids, accounting, payment processing, debt issuance and financial reporting.

Dawgs Defeat Bears

    The RHS boys basketball team turned a 3 point half-time lead into a nice 19 point victory over St. Marys on Feb. 3.

Rossville      12   14   18   22   =   66

St. Marys     13   12     6   16   =   47

Rossville scoring:

Roduner            1           1-2      3 

Th. Horak          4 (2)      5-6    15
Sowers              5           2-2    12
C. Horak            4           4-8    12
Schultz-Pruner   1           3-5      5
Tu. Horak          3 (1)      1-2      8
Hammes           1 (1)       2-2     5
Woodcock         2            2-4     6

Totals               21(4)    20-31  66 

For video of both the boys and girls games,  go to:

http://www.wibw.com/sports/ksprepzone/headlines/February-St-Marys-at-Rossville-290697531.html