Shelly Buhler Talking About Bridge

    Below is a video of Shawnee County Commissioner Shelly Buhler talking about the need  of a replacement for the Willard Bridge.
http://bcove.me/ya00btci

Support Growing For Willard Bridge

From CJonline.com:

Shawnee County Commissioner Shelly Buhler, right, is joined Friday 

by four other advocates of the Willard Bridge on N.W. Carlson Road 

- Judy Ross, Larry Ross, Gean Schott and Derek Slack

    “It’s bigger than an inconvenience,” said Derek Slack, lead pastor at Rossville Christian Church, on Friday morning. “It’s dangerous. It’s everything.”
    As the group stood, a large truck, easily several tons over the weight limit, rumbled by overhead.

Waiting game
    The county on Jan. 29 reduced the weight limits on Willard Bridge, and the Shawnee County Commission will consider lowering them again Thursday — more in a series of attempts to prolong the life of the 60-year-old bridge as its reconstruction continues to be kicked down the road.
    The last time the county reduced the weight limits was in 2007. That same year, the county identified replacing Willard Bridge as its top legislative priority, with county counselor Rich Eckert and public works director Tom Vlach testifying for funding.
    Commissioner Kevin Cook brought this up Thursday to illustrate how long replacing the bridge has been an issue for the county. His voice was slightly raised — he seemed passionate, even angry.
But in the next breath, he told Buhler he couldn’t support her motions to add the bridge to the county’s debt just yet: He wants to give state and federal partners more time to respond to their pleas, now eight years old.
    Buhler responded, a couple of times, “I respectfully disagree.”
    The affected residents don’t express their thoughts so kindly.
    “How would they feel if their son, daughter or grandchild had to risk their life to go to school?”           Willard city clerk Laura Lord asked the commissioners. “Waiting could cost a life.”
    To them, the phrase “monitoring the situation” has become a curse word.
    Buhler’s motions — one to add $7 million to the debt and one to fund the bridge instead of a $7 million pool in southwest Topeka — failed without a second.
    That silence spoke volumes to the people in northwest Shawnee County.
    “If we don’t get other people from other communities in the area, we’re not going to get a bridge,” bridge advocate Lynette Hudson said.
    So advocates have taken to social media. They started a Facebook community, already with 784 likes. They are encouraging people to use #WillardBridge on Twitter. At Friday’s Rossville High School basketball games against Riley County, they set up a photobooth, where people could write their thoughts on chalk and get a printout on Willard Bridge photopaper.
    “Used to shop on Wanamaker,” one read, referencing people who now do their shopping in Manhattan to avoid the bridge.
    “#WillardBridge use to get to school” was another.
    Throughout the school that night, from fans in the crowd to the woman taking tickets, everyone was talking about Willard Bridge.
Bridge v. pool
    The conversation about the bridge has evolved, even in just the past few weeks.
After the county reduced the weight limits, the focus was on concern for the children — a bus full of students clearly couldn’t cross. How long had it been that way? What about a minivan?
    When the commission considered dedicating sales tax money to replace the bridge, conversation manifested into a petition and emailing campaign to show those with votes how important the bridge was to them.
    But in the last few days, the conversation has become laced with rage and incredulity.
To many, the issue has become “the bridge against the pool” — an idea likely egged on by Buhler’s motion Thursday, but also corroborated by Commissioner Bob Archer’s statement earlier this month that a pool in southwest Topeka is his Willard Bridge. Archer’s only comment on the issue Thursday was a motion to approve taking on the debt.
    If Willard Bridge advocates were frustrated before, now they are irate, indignant.
Many residents who talk about the bridge inject a dose or two of sarcasm into the conversation, trying to find a place for their anger and disbelief.
    “A lot of us are going to be slipping, but not in a pool, if this bridge goes down,” said Dean Page, an 87-year-old Rossville resident.
“A pool sounds nice,” Slack said with a wry smile, “but I don’t know if I’ll be able to take the bridge to get there.”
    Many will tell you about the metal bars they have purchased for their cars — so they can break out their windows if the bridge goes down while they are driving on it.
    “We try to come up with a new joke every day,” Slack said.
    Friday’s quip?
    “For every $1 million you donate to Willard Bridge, you get a free cup of coffee,” he said with deadpan humor. “It’s more than fair.”
    Jokes, yes, but the undercurrent is completely serious: No one gets us. And until they do, we are on our own.

Rallying support
    To get that support, Hudson said, they need to make people understand replacing the bridge, estimated at $24.6 million, is about more than tacking on 20 minutes to a drive — people have been doing that for years for fear of the bridge. And that it doesn’t just connect the small township of about 85 people, or even the few cities to the north of it — Rossville, St. Marys, Silver Lake — to Topeka.
It is about farmers who need the bridge to transport their equipment and harvest. Dozens of acres of farmland lay just north of the bridge.
    It is about the Rossville and Silver Lake school children who use crosswalks on US-24 highway to and from school. Traffic on the two-lane, nearly shoulderless highway steadily has increased as word of the bridge’s condition spread.
    It is about the more than 2,000 people who cross the bridge each day, some to work in Topeka’s hospitals and fire departments, some to shop at the local vendors. Many more use it to connect US-24 and Interstate 70, or vice versa.
    “This not just a northwest Shawnee County issue. This is a Shawnee County issue,” Buhler said. “I represent District 1, but when I was elected I promised to make decisions for what is best for the whole of Shawnee County. This bridge is a vital link for Shawnee County residents and commerce in and around northeast Kansas.”
    The community only has one representative on the county commission, and they understand why people who don’t live out there might not want their property taxes going to it. Though, when you bring that up, they also question whether more people place the bridge below building a pool in one of the more affluent parts of the county.
    Most residents, Buhler included, would rather the cost come from the county-wide sales tax, not from their local property taxes.
    But, as the new mantra goes in the northwest corner of the county, “The time is now

Regional Team Standings At Regional

The standing of the 23 teams competing at the St Marys 321A Wrestling Regional on Feb. 21 were:

1.   Rossville 172.0
2.   Silver Lake 136.5
3.   Marysville 123.5
4.   St. Mary`s 112.5
5.   ACCHS 96.0
6.   Sabetha 87.0
7.   Wellsville 82.5
8.   Onaga 82.0
9.   Wabaunsee 81.5
10. Riley County 66.5
11. Council Grove 65.0
12. Pleasant Ridge 59.0
13. Doniphan West 49.0
14. McLouth 32.0
15. Oskaloosa 29.5
16. Troy 26.0
17. Riverside 24.0
18. Burlingame 13.0
19. Hiawatha 12.0
20. Mission Valley 9.0
20. Immaculata 9.0
22. Maur Hill 0.0
22. Osage City 0.0

Wendy Madere Wins Horizon Award

From CJOnline:

    The first year of teaching is usually filled with excitement, anxiety, challenges and victories. And that is no exception for the four Shawnee County winners of the Kansas State Department of Education Horizon award that recognizes exemplary first-year teachers.
    “It was such an honor to even be nominated by my district, so winning was a shock,” said Wendy Madere, a Washburn Rural High School graduate, second-grade teacher at Rossville Grade School and the first Horizon winner for Kaw Valley Unified School District 321, which includes portions of Shawnee and Pottawatomie counties. “I understand how many amazing first-year teachers there are in Kansas and to be recognized in this way is very humbling.”
    Madere was one of 32 first-year teachers who were honored at the recent Kansas Exemplary Educators Network, or KEEN, education conference held in Topeka. The 2015 winners, nominated by their districts, were first-year elementary and secondary teachers during the 2013-14 school year and chosen from four regions.

Althea (Immenschuh) Keller Passes Away

     Althea Marie Keller, 93, Topeka, died Thursday, February 19, 2015, at Autumn Home. 
     She was born July 15, 1921, at Silver Lake, the daughter of Harold Ralph and Martha (Meyer) Immenschuh. She attended Silver Lake Schools. Althea had lived at Rossville before moving to Topeka in 1941.
     She was a member of Women of the Moose #555 and Good Sam Campers.
    Althea was married to Gail Vernon Keller on November 28, 1940, at Topeka. He preceded her in death on February 27, 1998. Surviving are a son: Phil Keller of Topeka; a daughter: Jean Graham (Larry) of Clarinda, Iowa; a sister: Viola Clark of Overland Park; a brother: Charles Immenschuh (Mary Ann) of Topeka; two grandsons: Corey and Nick Keller both of Topeka; a step-grandson: Robert Graham of Penn Valley, CA; a step-granddaughter: Wendy Graham of Penn Valley, CA; and four step-great-grandchildren. The family will receive friends from 6:30 to 8:00 PM, Tuesday, at Penwell-Gabel Parker-Price Chapel, 245 NW Independence, Topeka. Private interment of cremains will be in Rochester Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the 

, 3816 Paysphere Circle, Chicago, IL 60674. To leave a special message for the family online, visit www.PenwellGabelTopeka.com. Althea Marie Keller

Progress of Wrestling Regional

   I will post updates of the Regional wrestling tournament at St. Marys as they happen.

   Kole Davoran won his last match which was for third place in the 220# class and is headed to the State Meet.  He pinned his opponent, Lara of Onaga, in the third period after they were tied 2-2 at the end of the second period.
    Holden Hurla  took third place at 120#  with a 6-0 decision over Cotton Steele of Council Grove.
    Derek Genry lost his match for third place against Jacob Mintzmyer in the 152# class to finish in fourth place..

    Now awaiting the championship matches at 3:20 PM CST. 

Bryce Gfeller pinned Michael Marsh of Silver Lake in the third period to win the regional 113 # crown.   Bryce was leading 10-4 prior to the pin.
Bryce's win is enough to clinch the regional title for Rossville with several matches still on tap.  

Alex Cavanaugh, ranked #2 in the state,  and Riley Tubbs of Wabaunsee,  ranked #1 in the state had a very close match through two periods,  but Riley scored points in the third period to win 7-4 in the 136# class.

Freshman Isiaih Luellen dominated in the 138# class to get a 9-2 victory over Colt Evans of Easton Pleasant Ridge.

Nick Reesor won the 160# class over Garrett Dunlap of Highland Doniphan West with a 13-4 decision..

Isaac Luellen pinned Cody Collins in the first period to win the 182# class.

    Final matches finished up about 6 PM.

RHS Girls Defeat Riley Co.

Riley County          13  10   9  13   =   45
Rossville                12    7 14  16   =   49


Rossville scoring:
Steckel          5 (4)     2-2      16
Conley           4          0-1        8
Shinn             4          0-0        8 
Kirk                2          3-6        7
Nitsch            0          3-4        3
Shinn             1          1-2        3
Day                1          0-2        2
Little               1          0-0        2

Totals           18 (4)    9-17     49.

Wrestling Regional On-Line

    You can watch the last matches of the St. Mary's 321-A wrestling regional at
http://www.ihigh.com/rossville/  beginning around 12:30 or 1:00 today (Saturday).

Matches Remaining At Regional

Most of Rossville's wrestlers are still standing after completion of Friday's matches.
Their status is as follows.

113#  Bryce Gfeller will wrestle Marsh of Silver Lake for first place
120#  Holden Hurla is still in the running for third place.
126#  Alex Cavanaugh will wrestle Tubbs of Wabaunsee for first place.
138#  Isaiah Luellen will wrestle Evans of Easton Pleasant Ridge for first place.
152#  Derek Gentry is still in the running for third place.
160#  Nick Reesor will wrestle Dunlap from Highland Doniphan W. for first place.
182#  Isaac Luellen will wrestle Kody Collins of Highland Doniphan W.,\ for first place.
220#  Kole Davoran is still in the running for third place.

Rossville Leads Regional

    Most of the St. Marys regional matches were completed on Friday with just finals and consolation matches remaining.  At this time,  Rossville is leading the regional.  The current standings after Fridays matches are as follows:

Rossville
Silver Lake
Marysville
Effingham
St. Marys
Wabaunsee

Wrestling Team Members

    The Dawgs have the following wrestlers competing at the St. Marys regional Feb. 20-21.  There are 21 schools competing.

Weight Class	Name	Grade	Record	Scoring
113	Gfeller, Bryce	10	20-2	Yes
120	Hurla, Holden	9	19-7	Yes
126	Cavanaugh, Alex	11	33-6	Yes
138	Luellen, Isaiah	9	23-6	Yes
145	Bird, Alex	12	8-19	Yes
152	Gentry, Derek	11	22-13	Yes
160	Reesor, Nick	12	31-6	Yes
182	Luellen, Isaac	11	13-0	Yes
220	Davoren, Kole	11	20-7	Yes
285	Hurla, Kody	9	9-17	Yes

RHS Boys Lose To Riley Co.in OT

    The RHS boys basketball team lost to Riley County in a very high scoring contest which went into overtime.  The Riley County quintet won 77-71 after the game was tied at 65 on Friday evening.

Riley County      19  13  19  14   12   =   77
Rossville             12  18  23  12    6    =   71

Rossville scoring:
Schultz-Pruner      6           7-11     19
Horak                    4 (3)      3-4      14
Horak                    4 (1)      0-1      11
Horak                    4 (1)      0-1        9
Sowers                  3            2-2        8
Roduner                2 (2)       2-2       8
Woodcock             1             0-0       2
Totals                   24 (7)     14-21    71.

RHS Winter Royalty Photos

  I forgot to post on this blog that in addition to the photos posted here on Feb. 12,  there are additional photos of the RHS Winter Royalty at:

http://rossvilleksphotos.blogspot.com/2015/02/rossville-high-winter-royalty-2015.html

Wrestling Regional On-Line Live

    The 3-2-1 A Regional wrestling tournament on Saturday will broadcast live on-line at:

http://www.ihigh.com/rossville/

    Matches to be broadcast are:
Consolation Semi-Finals
Consolation Finals
Championship Finals