Avian Flu Keeps Chickens Home

      For the past four years, Rossville Rustlers 4-H Club member Leah Hudson has inspected her small flock of chickens to pick the best three to enter in the poultry division at the Shawnee County Fair.
     She makes her selection based on which chickens have the most feathers, look the prettiest and are in the best condition. Her judgment has proven pretty good — one year she brought home a purple ribbon.
      This year, however, Leah’s birds will stay in their pens when the county fair rolls around in late July.
      The Kansas Department of Agriculture, Division of Animal Health, issued a stop movement order on June 9 that targets poultry and other live birds in an effort to prevent the spread of the highly pathogenic H5N2 avian influenza.
      The order resulted in the cancellation of all poultry-related shows and events through Dec. 31 in Kansas, including county and state fairs, swap meets, exotic sales, live bird auctions and other poultry activities where birds of different flock commingle. More than 2,000 4-Hers will be affected statewide.
      “It wasn’t really that much of a shock,” Leah, 12, an eighth-grader at Rossville Junior High, said, noting a positive case of avian flu had been found earlier this year in Leavenworth County.
      While live birds will be restricted from county fairs, egg exhibits will still be allowed.
      Lynette Hudson, Leah’s mother and a leader for the Rossville Rustlers 4-H Club, said she appreciates the KDA’s efforts to try to protect the state’s poultry industry and its decision to pull live birds from the fairs.
      As a parent, it takes that hard decision off us,” she said, adding she also understands the disappointment of senior 4-Hers for whom this year was the final opportunity to show their poultry projects. “But, I’d rather not take (the birds) and get them exposed.”
      K-State Research and Extension staff, county and state fair officials and poultry industry representatives are trying to find ways 4-Hers enrolled in poultry projects can still showcase their work without having their birds present.
      Brooke Gray, 4-H youth development program assistant at the Shawnee County Extension Office, said Extension staff and others are working on options to the regular way 4-Hers participate in the poultry division at the Shawnee County Fair, which will run July 30-Aug. 2 at the Kansas Expocentre.
      “It’s still a work in progress,” she said, adding 4-Hers might create a poster with photographs of their birds, give a talk or complete a project notebook as substitutes for exhibiting their birds.
      Although Gray said she didn’t know how many poultry exhibits were entered in last year’s Shawnee County Fair, Cara Robinson, 4-H project manager for the Meadowlark District of K-State Research and Extension in Holton, said about 30 4-Hers typically exhibit poultry at the Jackson County Fair.
      Robinson said those youngsters are being encouraged to enter posters, notebooks with photos and information, record books or videos explaining their poultry projects at this year’s fair, from July 27 to 31 at the fairgrounds in Holton.
      “The majority of them also have other projects, like food or livestock,” she said, estimating last year’s fair brought in about 2,700 4-H entries.
      Denny Stoecklein, general manger of the Kansas State Fair in Hutchinson, said about 1,200 pigeons, chickens, ducks and other types of poultry were on display at the 2014 state fair.
      Stoecklein said the ban on poultry gives the state fair — scheduled Sept. 11 through 20 — the opportunity to educate visitors about the avian flu while offering alternative ways 4-Hers can enter their projects in the poultry division. As an example, he said a youngster could use a stuffed toy bird instead of a live bird during the poultry showmanship competition.
      “People won’t walk through the poultry barn and see an empty building,” Stoecklein said.
      Details on how to handle the poultry ban at the state fair, he said, will be discussed this week during a conference call that will include the state fair poultry superintendent and officials from K-State Extension and Research and the Kansas Department of Agriculture, Division of Animal Health.

All-Star Game July 5th

    The 2015 Mid Plains League  All-Star Game will be  in Junction City, Kansas this year on Sunday July 5th at 7:00 pm as the MPL All-Stars take on the Puerto Rican Summer Collegiate Baseball Club.

Archer Calls For Willard Bridge Closure

From the Capital-Journal: 

      Shawnee County Commissioner Bob Archer on Thursday called for the closure of the structurally deficient Willard Bridge in northwest Shawnee County.
      Reading from a report commissioned by the county, Archer described the dangerous deterioration and gaping holes in the bridge, comparing it repeatedly to a Minnesota bridge that collapsed in 2007.     
      “I want to go on the record saying I think we should close the Willard Bridge to all traffic beginning October 1st,” Archer said.     
      Archer’s comments came near the end of a two-hour meeting and immediately after Public Works Director Tom Vlach gave a presentation showing no further deterioration of the bridge had occurred since an update one month ago.     
      “The bridge is still safe,” Commissioner Kevin Cook said before Archer’s remarks. “It has not had further deterioration.”    “That is correct,” Vlach responded.     
      “I must respectfully disagree with Commissioner Cook,” Archer said as began reading from the county’s June 5 application for a federal Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery, or TIGER, grant.      In making the case for why Shawnee County deserves millions of dollars in federal funding to replace the Willard Bridge, the application bleakly details its deterioration.     
      “The bridge has the same fracture critical design as the I-35W Mississippi River Bridge that collapsed in Minneapolis, Minnesota to devastating consequences in August of 2007,” the report states.   
      “Compounding the issues related to the fracture critical design, there is substantial rusting in the superstructure of the bridge,” the report continues. “In many areas, there are series of holes that span over a foot long. Cracks in the copes appear near every floor beam in the substructure. Piles of rust debris show that the bridge is disintegrating.”   
       As the county’s chief engineer, Vlach has the sole responsibility of closing the bridge whenever he deems it unsafe, a duty he said “wears on my mind a lot.”   
      “You don’t know how much I wish the decision to close or not close the bridge didn’t fall on me. But it does, by state statute,” Vlach told the commission.   
      Commissioner Shelly Buhler, a Rossville resident who represents those most directly affected by the bridge, admonished Cook and Archer for not taking an interest in the bridge’s deterioration last year.   
      “I wish this would have been a priority of this commission last summer. I really wish we would have given it priority then,” Buhler said.     
      Vlach said his department is driving over the bridge “almost daily” and monitoring the worst portions of the bridge.   
       “We will get some indication that something is going on in advance,” Vlach said.   
       “This commission does not want a catastrophic event under its watch,” Archer responded.     
       “Neither do I,” Vlach said. “We all have the same opinion.”   
       Cook recalled a text message he received May 19 informing him a bridge had collapsed. While the text was referring to a pedestrian bridge at Heartland Park Topeka racetrack, Cook said his mind went first to the Willard Bridge.   
       “My heart sunk,” Cook said.      Cook said he has spoken to residents near the Willard Bridge who continue to drive combines and farm equipment across it, despite a weight limit barring all but passenger vehicles and emergency vehicles. The commissioner advised warning residents of the dangers they face in disobeying the weight limit.   
      “We don’t have the ability to monitor the traffic on the bridge 24/7. We just don’t,” Archer responded.      Buhler asked Vlach to rely on facts and the opinions of engineers in making his decision.   
      “The impact that will have on communities is huge,” Buhler said. “So there are other things that have to be thought of and are being thought of.”     
      Before the debate over closing Willard Bridge began, Vlach said he anticipated the county will know by the end of September whether it will be awarded a TIGER grant. He thanked U.S. Rep. Lynn Jenkins and U.S. Sens. Jerry Moran and Pat Roberts for issuing a letter of support for the TIGER application.   
      “That’s a really big deal, for them to come together,” Vlach said.     
      Vlach also told commissioners that the Kansas Department of Transportation had agreed Thursday to advance Shawnee County between $7 million and $10 million in interest-free loans for replacing the Willard Bridge.      “That is tremendous news,” Vlach said, adding that he was “shocked” by KDOT’s decision. “That alone puts us in an extremely good position.”     
      Projections given to the commission Thursday show design for the new Willard Bridge will be completed by the end of the summer and construction will begin in February 2016. The new bridge is expected to open by the start of 2018, according to Vlach’s projections.

Rattlers Rack Up WIN In JC

    The Rattlers played another outstanding game to beat the Junction City Brigade 6-1 on Saturday night  to take the series 2-1.    Rossville outscored Junction City 19-6 in the three game series.
    Fans attending the ballgame Saturday night at the ballpark were also treated to a fireworks display.     

Rattlers    0   0   1   3   1   0   0   0   1      6   9   3
Brigade     0   0   0   0   0   1   0   0   0      1   5   3

    The offense was led by RF Collin Scribner with two hits and one run.  SS Cade Bunnell also had two hits and drove in one run.
    Jacob Head pitched the first four innings allowing just two hits no runs, three walks and two strike-outs.  Derrick McGreevy pitched the next three innings allowing two hits, one run, two walks and two strike-outs.  Taylor Mah finished the game allowing one hit, no runs, and getting two strike-outs in his two innings on the mound.

Rattlers Get 10-0 Win Over Brigade

    It wasn’t pretty at Rathert Field Friday night for the Junction City Brigade as the Rattlers bounced back from their Thur night 5-3 loss..

    Four errors helped lead to a 10-0  Rossville victory  in a game called after seven innings due to a 10-run rule.
    Brigade coach Seth Wheeler said it was the second night in a row Junction City didn’t play good defense.”When you have that many bad defensive plays in a game it’s going to be tough to win.”
    Wheeler noted the Brigade are a young team and commented, “If you keep doing something that’s not right and you keep getting away with it you’re not going to change it. ” Wheeler added his team got away with it in a 5-3 win over Rossville Thursday night so they didn’t do the necessary adjustments to change it.

Rattlers Lose To Brigade 5-3

Rossville put two men on base in the top of the ninth, but a fly ball to deep right field by Cade Bunnell was caught by Junction City’s Noah Arni, allowing the Brigade to hold on for a 5-3 baseball win over the Rattlers Thursday night at Rathert Field.

Noah Draper turned in a strong performance on the mound for Junction City.

Brigade Coach Seth Wheeler said the reason Junction City won the game is because of Draper. He noted Draper went six innings on the mound. He gave up only one run despite four errors by the Brigade in the field.

Rossville    1   1   0   0   0   0   1   0   0      3   5   2
Brigade      0   1   1   0   2   0   1   0   -       5 11  2

Leading the Rattler offense was Jeremy Thomas with two hits and one RBI.
The starting pitcher for the Rattlers was Jake Hozey who worked five innings allowing five hits and four earned runs along with three walks and two strike-outs.  Taylor Mah was on the mound for the last three innings giving up three hits, no walks, one earned run and three strike-outs.

Booster Club 24 hour Softball

Click on image below to enlarge for reading or printing

History of Olive Branch Cemetery

The following article is from Recollections:  Kansas
    Olive Branch Cemetery, one of three public cemeteries in Rossville township, is located in the NW ¼ of Sec. 9 T10S R13E, at the corner of N.W. 86th and Bailey Rd. It was started in connection with the Olive Branch Chapel (United Brethren), which was about a mile east on the Rossville to Delia Road.
    The land on which the cemetery is located was part of the railroad grant received by the A. T. & S, F. railroad from the U.S. Government (Certificate dated 17 Oct 1669 Patent dated 16 Sep 1873 filed with Shawnee Co. Register of Deeds,Bk. 16 p 426 and Bk. 37 p 91).
    In June 1881, the entire quarter-section was sold to A. S. Stanley, who then sold the west half of the quarter-section to Fred Franklin later in the same year.
    A Quit-Claim deed from Fred K. Franklin and wife Maria J. to the trustees of the U. B. "Christ" Church, dated 6 Aug 1885 and filed 28 Dec  1886, is found in Bk. 124 p 177 of the Shawnee Co. Reg. of Deeds' records.
    Trustees named in this deed were Benjamin Franklin, Isaac McCullough, Silas Joy, Wm. Hook and S. P. Zickafoose. For a consideration of $30.00, Mr. and Mrs. Franklin relinquished all claims to "a strip or parcel of land 40 rods long and 12 rods wide running north and south off the NW ¼ of Section 9.10.13 to be used as a cemetery by said church,"
The Olive Branch Chapel was disbanded about 1923 and the cemetery was turned over to Rossville township by the U, B. Church trustees. A Quit-Claim deed signed by J. M. Franklin, Mrs. L, A, Lasswell, Silas Joy and R. D, James as trustees for the U. B. Church of Rossville twp, dated 9 Mar 1921, was filed 23 Nov 1923 with the Shawnee county Reg. of Deeds and recorded in Bk. 492 p 319. The church was sold about that time for a Czech church, and the building was torn down about 1955•
    An article appearing in the Topeka State Journal for Saturday,
19 Sep 1959, tells of the fifth annual picnic for members of the former church which was to be held that Sunday afternoon in the Rossville City Park. The picnics were begun in 1955 by Miss Miriam Franklin, a former teacher at Washburn and a granddaughter of one of the original members.
    The first two picnics had been held on the old Franklin farm. In 1959 Emil Kovar was president of the picnic group and Glenn A. Page was sec-retary.
    A list of  inscriptions were submitted to the committee at different times by Mrs. Katy Matthews, Mrs. Livonia Jacobe and Mrs. Ruby Rezac. The cemetery was visited  in 1977 by Mrs. Helen King and Mrs. Shirley O'Toole and seemed to be well cared for.
    If anyone would like digital photos of tombstones in the cemetery,  contact frank.ruff@juno.com who photographed most of the cemetery in 2009..

Rattlers Lose Close One

      The Midwest Athletics pulled a dramatic comeback in the bottom of the seventh inning to get a 3-2 victory over the Rattlers Tuesday evening.

Rattlers    0   0   0   0   0   2   0      2    6    0
Athletics  0   0   1   0   0   0   2      3    6    0

      Leading the offense for the Rattlers was short stop Cade Bunnell and DH Michael Higgins with two hits each.    The only RBI was driven in by 1B Grant Weber.
      Jake Michelski piched the first three innings allowing only two hits, one earned run, five walks and one strike-out.  Triston Johnson pitched the last 3 1/3 innings allowing four hits,  two earned runs, three walks and two strike-outs.
      The Rattlers are now 8-8 for the season.

Laurel Jackson Honored At Retirement

     Rossville High School honored Ms. Laurel Jackson for 39 years of teaching.
     On the last day of school she arrived in style in a Limousine provided by Russ Miller. The students surprised her by picking her up at her house and riding with her to school. Student Council made pancakes for the all the students in the morning for breakfast. Teacher Feud was played with survey questions the students answered. It was men versus the women teachers. At the end of the game, the women teachers won.
     Another surprise was in store for Ms. Jackson, because she has read out loud to many students, the seniors returned to read Pete the Cat, one of her favorites to her. Mrs. Cathy Copeland invited former students and their parents to write a note or letter to Ms. Jackson. It was kept a secret, and the book contained over 200 letters. Luke Foster and Terry Horak, former students, read their notes to her. Ms. Pam Sumner shared a video of favorite memories from Delia Grade School and Rossville High. The students gave Ms. Jackson Candy Bar Awards, like a Snickers bar for helping us to laugh at our mistakes and keep trying. Ms. Jackson has Bulldog pride and always encouraged all students to sing and stand up for the school fight song. To honor her the students stood up and loudly and proudly sang our fight song. Student Council then grilled hot dogs for the students and staff and then played activities like dodge ball and charades. It was a great last day of school.

     To honor Ms. Jackson and celebrate the unique way that she touched each student and inspired a love of reading and learning, a scholarship has been established at the Rossville Community Foundation. To make a donation, send your contribution to Rossville Community Foundation, PO Box 74, Rossville, KS 66533

Midwest A's Get Win

    The Midwest Athletics defeated the Rattlers 8-3 on Monday night.

Rossville    2   0   0   0   0   0   0   0   0     3   11   1
Athletics    3   1   0   3   0   0   0   1   -      8   13   1
 
    The offense was led by 2B Cade Bunnell who went four of five and drove in all three of the Rattler's RBIs.
    The starting pitcher was Jacob Head who lasted 3 2/3 innings while giving up nine hits, seven earned runs, one walk and one strike-out.
    Zach Holmes pitched 1/3 inning giving up no hits, runs, walks, or strike-outs.  Derrick McGreevy pitched the last four innings giving up four hits, one earned run, two walks and three strike-outs.

Semi Accident West of Rossville

From the Capital-Journal

ROSSVILLE -- A semi-trailer driver was hospitalized after he lost control of his rig and crashed early Tuesday in northwest Shawnee County.

The accident was reported at 6:22 a.m. in the 16800 block of N.W. US-24 highway, about a quarter-mile east of Oldham Road and around three miles west of Rossville.
The semi appeared to have been traveling east on N.W. US-24 highway when for an unknown reason the driver lost control of the rig.

Side-winding skid marks could be seen for about 150 feet before the rig left the roadway on the south side.

The rig dug into the ground, spewing rocks, dirt and gravel onto the roadway, and slid on its passenger side into a cornfield adjacent to the highway. The front portion of the semi remained partially in the eastbound lane of N.W. US-24 highway.

Sheriff’s officials at the scene said the semi’s driver was taken by American Medical Response ambulance to a Topeka hospital with injuries not believed to be life-threatening.

As crews worked the accident scene, traffic was restricted to one lane.

In addition to the Shawnee County Sheriff’s Office, the Rossville Fire Department, Kansas Highway Patrol and AMR ambulance responded to the scene.

KSNT video is at:  http://ksnt.com/2015/06/23/accident-slows-traffic-in-nw-shawnee-county/

RHS Scholarships

ROSSVILLE HIGH SCHOLARSHIPS AWARDED

Rossville High School held its annual Spring Awards Night on Wednesday, May 6, 2015 to bestow awards and scholarships to deserving students. The counselor, administration, and faculty would like to thank all of the scholarship contributors and presenters for their donations and interest in the students of Rossville. Your dedication to our students is greatly appreciated.

The following scholarships were presented:

Rossville United Methodist Church: ($2000 renewable scholarship)Presented by Mr. Joe Conley to Michaela Little and Ethan Woodcock.  Michaela plans to attend Highland Community College and has also received the Highland Cheer Scholarship. Ethan will attend McPherson College to study Biology and has also received McPherson Band, Presidential/Legacy, and Academic scholarships.

Custom Wood Products Scholarship: ($1000 renewable)
Presented to Ethan Woodcock. The scholarship was established by Donald and Pamela Lake to further Custom Wood’s commitment to the communities of Rossville and St. Marys.

Rossville Booster Club Scholarship: ($200)
Presented by Shari Gentry to Lauryn Catron. The award began in 2012 and the recipient must have participated in a KSHSAA activity throughout high school. Lauryn will attend Cloud County Community College to study Business and has also received a Cloud Softball Scholarship.

Bryan Lindstrom Inspirational Scholarship: ($500)
Presented by Craig Stromgren to Lauryn Catron. This scholarship is a tribute to Bryan, who lost his life to cancer in 2013 and was an inspiration to others.

H & R Block Scholarship: ($300)

Presented to Taylor Kirk. She will attend Johnson County Community College to study Chemistry and Pre-Dental and has also received a softball scholarship.

Rossville High School Alumni Association: ($1000)

Presented to Lake Schultz-Pruner and Dalton Kelley. The Association was founded in 1998 and has awarded over $13,000 to deserving students in this 17-year period. The award’s recipient must meet high standards set out by the association and be a good representative of RHS as they move on through college and begin their career.

Kaw Valley Education Association: ($250)

Presented by Laurel Jackson to Breanna Ebert. KVEA annually raises money and presents scholarships to an RHS and SMHS student planning to pursue a career in education. Breanna will attend Highland Community College to study Elementary Education.

Duane Parr Memorial Scholarship: ($500)

Presented to Rachel Lord. This scholarship was established by J.D. Parr and his family and friends as an endowment to honor Mr. Parr, who passed away in January of 2006. Since the Parr family has a strong interest in music, the recipient must have participated in high school band. Rachel has participated in band all 4 years and plans to minor in Music at Kansas State and be part of the KSU Band and Saxophone Studio.

Kansas Masonic Grand Lodge Essay Contest:

Presented by Jim Dodge. 1st place--Chelsie Groves-$100

2nd place--Sarah Immenschuh and Caleb Lovejoy-$50

Each year, Rossville High School juniors and seniors participate in an essay contest conducted by the Masonic Grand Lodge of Kansas. The local Masonic Lodge from Delia organizes, selects, and provides awards to the school winners. This year, students were asked to write an essay on how Masonic values shaped the formation of our nation’s republic.

Chelsie will attend Kansas State to study Biology and Pre-Med and has received the KSU Dennison and Massachusetts American Legion Scholarships. Sarah will attend Manhattan Christian College to study Wildlife Biology and Bible History and has received the MCC Academic Scholarship. Caleb plans to attend Allen County Community College to study Physical Therapy.

Doug Perine Memorial Scholarship: ($500)

Presented to Kennedy Anderson. The scholarship was established in 2012 to honor Doug, a longtime community figure, and is given to an RHS student planning to continue their education in an area related to medicine. Kennedy will attend Washburn University to study Pre-Dental and has also received the Washburn Presidential Scholarship.

Les Hallmark Memorial Scholarship: ($200)

Presented to Rachel Lord. The scholarship was established by Dorothy Hallmark and is awarded annually in memory of Les who was an Art teacher at Rossville High School for many years. Rachel will be majoring in Fine Arts at KSU and has received multiple awards for her art work while at Rossville High School. She has also received the KSU Band and Activity Scholarships, as well as the Delta Theta Chi Electra Province and the Marissa Faith Miao Burghart Memorial Art Scholarships.

Cecile Zlatnik Memorial Scholarship: ($250)

Presented to Andrea Rietcheck. The scholarship is presented annually to recognize individuals who demonstrate outstanding character, service, and leadership. Andrea will attend Emporia State University in the fall to study Biology. She has previously received the ESU Academic, Elks National Foundation, and YWCA Future Leaders Scholarships.

Cole Arnold Memorial Scholarship: ($500)

Presented by Toby and Ann McCullough to Haley Brown. The award is presented annually in memory of their son Cole who died in a car accident the summer before his Senior year. Haley plans to attend Kansas State to study Athletic Training. She has previously received the KSU Activity and United States Achievement Academy Scholarships.

Rossville Community Development Committee (RCDC) Scholarship: ($300)

Presented by Shari Gentry to Lake Schultz-Pruner. The scholarship is based on achievements, community involvement, and contributions to the community of Rossville. Lake plans to attend Kansas State to study Pre-Health and has received the KSU Foundation and Alumni Scholarships.

Rossville Rustlers 4-H Scholarship:

Presented by Laurie Glotzbach to Danielle Glotzbach, Josh Schaefer, and Dalton Kelley. Danielle will attend Washburn to study Nursing and has received the Washburn Bryden and Academic Scholarships. Josh will attend Pittsburg State University to study Diesel Automotive Technology. Dalton will attend North Central Kansas Technical College for Welding and has received the NCKTC Welding Scholarship.

P.E.O. Scholarship: ($300)

Presented by Adrienne Olejnik to Makayla Crow. This scholarship is awarded annually to young ladies from each of the area high schools. Makayla will be attending Kansas State to study Accounting and has also received a KSU Activity Scholarship.

Pete Darting Memorial Scholarship: ($150)

Presented by Dennis Darting to Makayla Crow. The award was established in 2008 by the Darting family to honor Mr. Darting, an avid supporter of the Rossville Dawgs.

RHS Opportunity Scholarship:

This is the 3rd year for the award, which is provided by anonymous donors. Recipients are chosen based on GPA, ACT, resume, strength of schedule, and an essay over an experience that made an impact in their life.

Andrea Rietcheck received the $500 scholarship and Taylor Brecheisen, Lauryn Catron, Danielle Glotzbach, and Chelsie Groves each received $125 scholarships.

Taylor will attend Fort Scott Community College to study Dental Hygiene and has also received the FSCC Softball Scholarship.

Ron Monhollon Memorial Scholarship:

Presented by Ronda Channel to Riley Miller and Tegan Hammer. The award was established by the Monhollon and Channel families and is awarded to a student planning to continue their education in a vocational program. Riley will attend North Central Kansas Technical College for Automotive Technology and has received the NCKTC Academic Scholarship. Tegan will attend Highland Technical College to study Electrical Technology.

CNA Certification:

Rossville High School would like to recognize 5 students for completing their Certified Nurse Aide (CNA) course. Kennedy Anderson, Matthew Betty, Haley Brown, Danielle Glotzbach, and Brooke Hase all passed their certification exams during the 2014-2015 school year. Congratulations on your accomplishments!

RHS Awards

ROSSVILLE HIGH AWARDS

During the annual Spring Awards Night at Rossville Jr./Sr. High School held on May 6, 2015, the following awards were presented:

KSU OUTSTANDING MATH & SCIENCE AWARD
Each year, in conjunction with Kansas State University’s College of Engineering, Rossville High School’s math and science teachers are asked to nominate one individual they believe is the best
student in each of these two subjects. This year, teachers selected Nick Reesor to receive this honor.

AMERICAN LEGION AWARDS
The American Legion Jimmy Lillard Post 31 awards two students each year from Rossville High School with a certificate and medal. The students are chosen by the faculty based on the criteria of courage, honor, leadership, patriotism, scholarship, and service. This year, the American Legion, represented by Ken Wichman, awarded Andrea Rietcheck and Ethan Woodcock with the honor.

TOPEKA CAPITAL-JOURNAL ALL STATE ACADEMIC AWARD

This award is sponsored by the Topeka Capital-Journal. Every Kansas high school selects one individual to represent their school based on academic and extracurricular performances. Andrea Reitcheck was named to the Topeka Capital-Journal Honorable Mention All-State Academic Team.

KSHSAA CITIZENSHIP AWARDS

The Kansas State High School Activities Association each year awards one male and one female student from each high school with a citizenship award. Individuals receiving this award must demonstrate respect for fellow students, the citizens of the community, adults, and their country. They must also show respect and tolerance for others, good sportsmanship, and good citizenship. Nick Reesor and Rachel Lord were given this award.

DALE DENNIS AWARD

The Dale Dennis Excellence in Education Award was established in 1996 by Kansas administrators to honor the long and valuable service that Dale Dennis gave to Kansas education. It is based on Citizenship, Service, Scholarship, and Common Sense. The award was presented to Breanna Ebert.

BENNY STACH AWARDBenny Stach was a Rossville student who lost his life in an auto accident during his Senior year. His
classmates and family began the award in Benny’s memory.  It is awarded to an RHS student whodisplays many of the qualities Benny possessed. Nominations and the final selection are made by the faculty based on several qualities, including friendliness, helpfulness, understanding, and warmth for others. Danielle Glotzbach was presented the award.

U.S. ARMY SCHOLAR-ATHLETE AWARDS

The U.S. Army presented the Scholar-Athlete Awards to Nick Reesor and Taylor Kirk. Recipients of this award are determined by faculty nominations and must demonstrate commitment to both academics and athletics.

U.S. MARINES OUTSTANDING STUDENT AWARDS

The U.S. Marine Corps presents awards in three different categories. The Scholastic Excellence Awards were presented to Breanna Hill and Lake Schultz-Pruner for their academic achievements. The Semper Fidelis Award was given to Rachel Lord for excellence and commitment to the band program. The Distinguished Athlete Awards were presented to Thatcher Horak and Taylor Brecheisen for their accomplishments in sports throughout the school year.

JOHN JOHNSON LEADERSHIP AWARD

The John Johnson Leadership Award was created to honor Mr. Johnson for his years of dedication to the students of Rossville High School. The award began in 2007 and is presented annually to the student who demonstrates quiet leadership and service. Dustin Cooper was chosen as the ninth recipient of this award.

SENIOR INSPIRATION AWARD

The Senior Inspiration Award was presented to Terrence Sowers and Makayla Crow.

Terrence meets challenges with humor, spunk, and integrity. He is kind to everyone and has inspired others to open their minds to new ideas and attempt new things. His inner strength, sense of respect and honor, and his capacity for caring truly set him apart from his peers.

Makayla has maintained a positive outlook on life and her future, even though she has faced many challenges this year. She has impressed many of her friends and teachers, with her strength, integrity, and maturity in the face of these adversities, all without offering excuses or being late on her commitments. She is the voice of reason to many of her peers and is always asking what she can do to help, rather than what reward will she receive if she does.

MICHAEL KELLER AWARD

The Michael Keller Award is presented to honor the long and dedicated service provided to RHS by Mr. Michael Keller. Mr. Keller began his teaching career in 1978 and dispensed his wisdom, sense of humor, and discipline to countless students over this 35-year period. The recipient of this award must display strong citizenship, respect for others, attention to details, and have excellent attendance and punctuality. The 3^rd recipient of the Michael Keller Award was Jack Steckel.

RONALD REAGAN STUDENT LEADER AWARDS

This year, Rossville High School was asked to nominate students that exemplify the meaning of student leadership to honor Pres. Reagan’s legacy of leadership and service. Students were chosen for their participation in extracurricular activities and pursuit of leadership roles that make a positive difference in their school and community. Recipients must value education, have an affinity for discovery and lifelong learning, and display drive, integrity, and good citizenship. RHS presented Makayla Crow, Andrea Rietcheck, Ethan Woodcock, and Nick Reesor with a certificate and silver coin to recognize them as Ronald Reagan Student leaders.

Leadership Challenge Event

RHS STUDENTS ATTEND WASHBURN LEADERSHIP CHALLENGE

The Leadership Challenge Event™ (LCE™) is hosted annually by the Washburn University Leadership Institute and was held on April 9-10. It is a unique inter-scholastic and inter-collegiate leadership competition which enables high school and college students an opportunity to participate in an organized competition that simulates real-life experiences. Students address a variety of problems and situations where the outcome of the simulation is dependent on the leadership decisions made throughout the course of the competition. Student teams must fulfill the challenges and overcome the obstacles placed before them in a manner that demonstrates exemplary leadership knowledge and execution. This year’s scenario required students to confront the issues of poverty, crime, and unemployment in the fictitious town of Metropolis.

Pictured are this year’s LCE™ participants shown with their project: Fred Schuler, Eric Ebert, Emily Woodcock, Ashley Broxterman, and Taylor Brecheisen.

RHS Curriculum Completers

ROSSVILLE HIGH SCHOOL ANNOUNCES CURRICULUM COMPLETERS

Rossville Jr./Sr. High School had six seniors this year who completed the required curriculum as set forth by the Kansas Board of Regents and earned the designation of State of Kansas Curriculum Completer. In order to earn this distinction, students must have completed 4 years of English, 4 years of Math, 3 years of Science, 3 years of Social Studies, and 2 years of Foreign Language. The students who met these criteria are Haley Brown, Lukas Hurtig, Andrea Rietcheck, Lake Schultz-Pruner, Jack Steckel, and Ethan Woodcock.

            All Curriculum Completers are then eligible to be considered for an additional award. The Kansas Board of Regents on behalf of the Kansas Legislature ranks these Curriculum Completers based on their GPA and ACT scores. Andrea Rietcheck was designated as a 2015 Kansas State Scholar.

National Honor Society Members

RHS ANNOUNCES NATIONAL HONOR SOCIETY MEMBERS

Rossville Jr./Sr. High School inducted 12 new members into the National Honor Society at the Spring Awards Night on May 6, 2015. Senior Clayton Rubio; Rachel Day and Zach Jensen; and sophomores Taylor Bittner, Morgan Foster, Laura Gillum, Amanda Hill, Ashley Rietcheck, Lora Shinn, Sara Shinn, Sierra Streit, and Emily Woodcock lit the candle of honor and recited the pledge as new members.

RHS existing members are Seniors Kennedy Anderson, Taylor Brecheisen, Haley Brown, Lauryn Catron, Makayla Crow, Breanna Ebert, Danielle Glotzbach, Chelsie Groves, Brooke Hase, Breanna Hill, Corbin Horak, Taylor Kirk, Rachel Lord, Riley Miller, Nick Reesor, Andrea Rietchcek, Lake Schultz-Pruner, Staci VanDruff, and Ethan Woodcock and Juniors Katie Conley, Kole Davoren, Eric Ebert, Riley Falk, Chris Johnston, Justin Logan, Kyle Parr, LaurenSteckel, Willow Stipp, and Britnee Zemek.

NHS officers for the 2015-2016 school year were recently elected and are as follows: President Eric Ebert, Vice-President Kyle Parr, Secretary Kole Davoren and Treasurer Britnee Zemek.

Membership in the National Honor Society is based on a student’s performance in the areas of scholarship, service, leadership, and character. In order to be eligible, students must first have a grade point average of at least 3.2 and have made significant contributions to their school and community, as well as maintain strong moral character.

Mid_East All Academic Team

RHS MID-EAST LEAGUE ALL ACADEMIC TEAM  2014-15

The Mid-East League each year awards a medal to all students who have participated in at least 3 activities sponsored by the Kansas State High School Activities Association and maintained a 3.5 Grade Point Average in the first 3 quarters of the school year. Rossville High School had 36 students that met the requirements for the 2014-2015 school year:

Freshmen                Sophomores                Juniors              Seniors

Kylee Badura           Taylor Bittner              Kole Davoren        Lauryn Catron

Breaira Bergstresser Paul Borcherding        Rachel Day           Breanna Hill

Rylee Brecheisen      Ryan Ehrlich              Kyle Parr              Corbin Horak 

Nick Brummer          Bryce Gfeller                                          Lukas Hurtig

Perry Foster              Laura Gillum                                          Taylor Kirk

Abigail McCrory         Amanda Hill                                           Nick Reesor

Reed Miller               Mitchell Porter                                         Andrea Rietcheck

Jalyn Porter              Ashley Rietcheck                                    Clayton Rubio

Kathleen Schuler       Fred Schuler                                           Lake Schultz-Pruner

Ariel Sherer               Lora Shinn                                              Ethan Woodcock

Ashley Zemek           Sara Shinn

                                Emily Woodcock

Rain Make-Up Games Canceled--Rain

The Rattlers were to play two make up games in Liberty on Sun, June 21,  but they were canceled because of rain.

Senators Prevent Sweep

From The Capital-Journal

ROSSVILLE — After two nights of witnessing the Rossville Rattlers hit home run after home run, the Topeka Senators broke out their power bats in a 16-1 victory Saturday night to salvage the final game of a three-game Mid-Plains League set.
      Topeka (7-13) hit five home runs in the first two innings on its way to the blowout win. After missing two games, designated hitter Chase Knott returned to the lineup and hit a two-run home run in the first inning. First baseman Corey Wright, who plays for Kansas State, followed that up with a solo shot to go back-to-back.
      Brian O’Bannon, also a member of Brad Hill’s K-State squad, and Kasey Clark hit three-run home runs in the second inning as the Senators sent 13 men to the plate in the eight-run inning.
      After two outs had been recorded, nine batters in a row reached base, with seven of them scoring.
“Honestly, the biggest change was having Chase back,” Senators coach Chris Graves said. “He makes everybody better. Our demeanor changes when he is here. Chase is a quiet kid, but he’s got a loud bat. He is batting officially over .500 after tonight, so he can swing it.”
      Seaman graduate Chris McPherson benefited from the offensive production, as the former Viking threw three-hit ball over five innings to earn the victory.
      “Chris did a great job, and you always want a kid like that pitching when the wind is blowing out,” Graves said. “He does a good job of mixing things up with different arm angles.”
      All but one Senator in the lineup scored or drove in at least one run. Six Senators had multi-hit games — led by Knott’s three-hit effort.
      Josh Srna, who plays for Washburn, hit two home runs, including a three-run shot in the fifth inning accounting for the final runs.
      The Senators continue to play shorthanded and currently have the smallest roster of players in the league.
      “It feels really good when everybody in the lineup is squaring the ball up,” Knott said. “I like being the smallest team in the league. We may have the smallest roster but we are probably the scrappiest team in the league.”
      Michael Higgins had two hits for the Rattlers, who fell to 8-5 with the loss. They will play the Midwest A’s in a doubleheader Sunday in Raytown, Mo. The Senators return to action Monday as they host the Junction City Brigade at Jerry Robertson Field.
Senators (7-13)    381  13 — 16 16 2
Rattlers (8-5)        010 00 —   1   3 2
McPherson and Hay. Kutzke, Head (2), Johnson (3), Holmes (5) and Nerz. W — McPherson. L — Kutzke. 2B — Senators: Wright. Rattlers: Scribner. HR — Senators: Srna 2, Knott, Wright, O’Bannon, Clark.

Melissa Doucet Caton Has A Girl

Melissa Doucet Caton gave birth to Ashlyn Grace Caton at 1:42 pm on June 15, 2015.  Ashlyn was . 6 lbs 15 oz and 19 inches long.

Lisa and Joseph Metzen Have A Girl

Lisa (Olberding) Metzen and husband Joseph Metzen now have three children.  They welcomed Kate Grace at 12:42 pm on June 20.  She weighed 8 lbs, 8 oz, and was 19.5 inches long.

Rattlers Win Fifth Straight

ROSSVILLE — The Rattlers memorialized former coach Brett Cowdin with a 9-3 victory over the Topeka Senators on Friday night.

Tyler Davis, a sophomore at the University of Kansas struck out 10 Senators over five innings of one-hit ball. All told, Rossville pitchers would combine to strike out 17 batters in a combined five-hitter

Rossville (8-4) collected five home runs to provide the offensive punch. Third baseman Derrick McGreevy, a Hayden product, started the home run parade with a solo shot on the first pitch of his at bat in the second inning.

Jonathan Valenzuela-Reece hit his second home run in as many nights in the third inning. Oklahoma State catcher Michael Higgins hit a 2-1 pitch out of the ballpark to produce back-to-back long balls for Rossville.

The Rattlers second baseman and catcher combination would hit back-to-back home runs for a second time in the game in the sixth inning.

Valenzuela-Reece also drove in two runs with a single in the fourth.

“He (Valenzuela-Reece) was just crushing the ball tonight,” Rossville coach Tobi Cowdin said. “He was really feeling it and everybody got involved in the offense. You just really couldn’t ask for more.”

The Rattlers memorialized Brett Cowdin, Tobi’s father, with their second annual ceremony before the game.

Brett Cowdin started the summer program in Rossville, and also coached baseball at Highland Park, Hayden, Topeka West, and Rossville high schools. He passed away in November 2013.

Blake Heston broke up Rossville’s shutout bid with a solo home run in the eighth inning.

With the loss the Senators fall to 6-13 on the season. The two teams will complete the three-game set with a seven-inning game at 7 p.m. on Saturday.

“It was a real special night — almost surreal,” Cowdin said. “We’ve won five in a row and have it rolling now. We’re going to try to keep it going and look for the sweep tomorrow.”

RATTLERS 9, SENATORS 3

Senators (6-13)  000 000 030 — 3  5  1

Rattlers (8-4)      012  213   00x — 9 11 1

Woodcock, Correll (6) and Srna. Davis, Hosey (6), Johnson (8),Mah (9), and Higgins. W — Davis. L — Woodcock. 2B — Senators: Clark. Rattlers: Valenzuela-Reece, HR — Senators: Heston. Rattlers: Valenzuela-Reece (2), Higgins (2), McGreevy.

You can see video from the game at:  http://www.wibw.com/sports/headlines/Rattlers-Win-Big-In-Cowdin-Memorial-Game--308587651.html

Rattlers Move Into Second Place

2015 MPL Regular Season Standings

League	GP	W	L	T	W %	RF	RA
Midwest Athletics	13	9	4	0	.692	85	41
Rossville Rattlers	11	7	4	0	.636	65	56
Liberty Monarchs	13	8	5	0	.615	74	62
Junction City Brigade	15	9	6	0	.600	80	45
Topeka Golden Giants	12	5	7	0	.416	75	74
Topeka Senators	17	6	11	0	.353	69	104
Baldwin City Blues	14	4	10	0	.285	63	107

Rattlers Drop Senators 6-2

    The Rossville Rattlers defeated the Topeka Senators 6-2 on June 18 at Joe Campbell Stadium.  The offense was let by catcher Jonathon Valenzuela-Reece with two hits driving in one RBI and scoring once.  Drew Scrimsher pitched four innings allowing six hits and two runs while getting one stirke-out.  Derrrick McGreevy pitched two innings  getting four strike-outs,  but allowing two walks and no hits.    Taylor Mah pitched one inning getting two strike-outs while allowing no hits.

Senators      1   0   0   1   0   0   0      2   6   2
Rossville     1   3   0   0   2   0   -      6   7   2

Mid-Plains League Standings

2015 MPL Regular Season Standings

League	GP	W	L	T	W %	RF	RA
Midwest Athletics	13	9	4	0	.692	85	41
Junction City Brigade	15	9	6	0	.600	80	45
Rossville Rattlers	10	6	4	0	.600	59	54
Liberty Monarchs	12	7	5	0	.583	65	59
Topeka Golden Giants	12	5	7	0	.416	75	74
Topeka Senators	16	6	10	0	.375	67	98
Baldwin City Blues	14	4	10	0	.285	63	107

 

Special Series This Weekend

      The Rossville Rattlers start a 3 game home stand against the Topeka Senators Thursday night at 7 PM at Joe Campbell Stadium. Join us again Friday for game 2 of the series and pick up our $5 Friday meal deal! The series will conclude Saturday with the second annual Brett Cowdin Memorial night.

James Corpening Passes Away

James H. Corpening, 83, passed away peacefully on June 11, 2015 at the Rossville Healthcare and Rehab Center. He was born January 17, 1932 in Allen, KS, the son of Jess and Bertha Thomas Corpening.

He was married to Opal Tyson. She preceded him in death October 23, 1954. He married Norma Edmiston on February 25, 1955 and later divorced. He married Jessie Claypole-Webb December 7, 1963 and they were together 50 plus years until her passing February 19, 2014.

James is survived by his and Jessie’s children, John (Phyllis) Webb, Topeka; Don (Sandy) Webb, Berryton; Ron (Theresa) Webb, Topeka; Debbie (Greg) Stadler, Topeka; Debbie Pitts Osage City; Jim A. (Cheri) Corpening, Lawrence; Rita (Larry) Berry, Tecumseh; Pam (Wade) Handley, Burlington; Jim W. (Wendy) Corpening, Rossville, along with 33 grandkids, 64 great-grandkids and 9 great-great grandkids. He is also survived by his siblings, Freda Venning, Allen, KS, Lester Corpening, Kinsley, KS, Donald Corpening, Wichita, KS, Gerald Corpening, Liberty, MO, Victor Corpening Emporia, KS, along with many nieces and nephews and friends. He was preceded in death by his parents, twin sons, Kenneth and Keith; siblings, Edna Bush, William ‘Bill’ Corpening, Laura Dains Fenton, Marvin Corpening, Bernice Pickens; one grandchild and four great-great grandchildren.

James served in the Army during the Korean War and was stationed in Frankfort, Germany, receiving an honorable discharge from the United States Army Reserve in November, 1959.

He enjoyed bingo, bowling, fishing/hunting, cards, gardening, camping and family gatherings. They traveled all over and set up at fairs and ran several flea markets.

James worked for Meadow Gold and the Flour Mill in Topeka before becoming the owner of a Clark Oil Station, and he also managed other stations within Topeka.

James made many new friends at his final home in Rossville and will be deeply missed by his large family and many friends.

Memorial services will be held Monday, June 22, 2015 at Burlington United Methodist Church, 207 S. 6th Street, Burlington, Kansas at 10:00 a.m. Inurnment will follow the service. 

Memorial contributions may be made to Rossville Healthcare & Rehab Center, 600 Perry St. Rossville, KS 66533.