RHS FBLA News

Rossville High School FBLA put on a 5th quarter after the basketball game on January 11th
vs. St Marys. This event was put on to encourage safe driving throughout the community.
All high school students were invited to a movie in the commons area, parking lot type games
in the new gym and lots of great food! Both Rossville and St Marys high school kids were invited.
We had a good attendance and students had a good time!

Leah Hudson, Dylan Rietcheck and Allison Perry started a conversation with Officer Desiree
Wright, the school resource officer. That conversation turned into a safe driving campaign
that consisted of three breakfasts at the Rossville junior/senior High School and the 5th quarter
event after the Rossville/St Marys basketball game on Friday at RHS.
The event highlighted safe driving. The students used tricycles and asked the youth to text,
use the impaired goggles provided by the Shawnee County Sheriff’s Department and compared
that to the tricycle driver that was just driving.
The photo booth was also popular, they opened it up before the end of the boys basketball
game so the younger kids could get a photo strip with the “Alert today – Alive tomorrow”
message on it.
Since we all share the roads with youthful drivers, it benefits the entire community if we can
focus on safe driving tips. Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death for US Teens.
Ages 16 to 19 are nearly three times more likely than drivers aged 20 and older to be in a fatal crash.
The local SCCA Tire Rack Street Survival School also donated an entry for their driving school
in Topeka for November 2019. The youth were asked to enter the drawing for that one separately.
Their school prepares the drivers age 14 to 21 for real road experiences in a closed course.
We want to thank our sponsors, without their cash donations and prizes, this event would
not have been possible! Shawnee County Sheriff SAFE was our first sponsor that supported
the event with a $300 donation. That gave us the confidence to pursue the other donations.
We would also like to thank Mr. Anderson, Miss Miller, all other staff and volunteers that helped
us make this a successful event!
By: Leah Hudson, Dylan Rietcheck, Allison Perry
(Pictures below)

Pictured left to right: Officer Desiree Wright, Casey Conley, Taegan Miller, Dylan Rietcheck,
Leah Hudson, Allison Perry

Pictured left to right: Casey Conley, Taegan Miller, and Dylan Rietcheck

Pictured left to right:
Back row - Mattie Horgan, Dylan Rietcheck, Leah Hudson, Erika Hatina,
Vanesa Quinones, Kaiden Brown, Joao Lovisi, Camille Hoffelt, Mia Sellenmerten, Calil Andaloc,
Alexis Zabala, Mary Shults, Allison Perry, Jordan Quinones, Elizabeth Schaefer

Front row - Parker Kenney, Andrei Kim, Destiny Bergstresser, Peyton Price, Taylor Morelli

Dawgs Lose To Perry

    The Bulldawgs lost the Wed. night game against Perry-Lecompton in the Oskaloosa Invitational tournament by a score of 65-34.

Rossville                    2   8  17   7  —  34
Perry-Lecompton; 19  18  21  7  —  65

Rossville scoring:
Sumner          2        3-5    7
Morelli          1 (1)   0-0    3
Reeves           2        0-0    4
Badura           2 (2)   2-4   8
Brown            0        1-2   1
Sowers           5        1-2  11

Rossville Union Rye Whiskey

Surely no connection to Rossville, KS,  but thought some might be interested.

About Rossville Union Straight Rye WhiskeyFor nearly 200 years, Lawrenceburg's master distillers have been perfecting the original handcrafted rye blends in one of America's last Prohibition-era distilleries. Exclusively from the masters of rye at MGP Ingredients, Rossville Union is a return to the golden age of rye with an authentic taste perfected in "Whiskey City." Rossville Union Master Crafted Straight Rye Whiskey offers a balance of sweet oak with rye spice aged a minimum of four years (SRP: $39.99/750-ml bottle). Boldly bottled at 112.6 proof for indulgent sipping, Rossville Union Barrel Proof Straight Rye Whiskey (SRP: $69.99/750-ml bottle) is blended from the finest barrel reserves to deliver a full, but balanced cask-strength rye whiskey with a spicy, caramel-forward taste and a smoky finish.  Rossville Distillery, Lawrenceburg, IN, 47% ALC/VOL. & 56.3% 

Fri BB Game Now On Wed

      The Bulldawg Boys Basketball Tournament against Perry-Lecompton in the Oskaloosa Invitational will be played 6:00 P.M. on Wed., Jan 16.  Perry won their game Tue night  over Jeff North 66-35
      The games scheduled for Friday are being played on Wednesday, 6:00 and 7:30.  Saturday's games will  be played on Friday, 5:00 and 6:30.

      The bracket for this tournament can be viewed at:    https://drive.google.com/file/d/1sheG0X_wPsoXoxLH4D0w0xcvrKSRqXK2/view

Students Of The Week

Students of the week: Casey Conley, Lizzy Foster, and Teagan Miller volunteered their time to help FBLA members bring tailgate games, help set up the gym, serve food, and then helped make sure that everything was picked up after the 5th quarter Friday night. 

Rossville Boys Win At Osky

The Rossville boys basketball team won their opening game of the Oskaloosa Invitational Tournament on Feb. 5 by a score of 65-58.

RHS     16     17    12    20    ==  65
Osk       17     12    13    16    ==  58

Rossville scoring:
Sumner           11 (5) 0-1   27 
Reeves             6       2-2  14 
Horak               1        0-0   2 
Badura             1        2-3   4 
Brown               2       1-2   5 
Garcia              1        0-0   2 
Sowers             4        3-7 11

XIT Farms For Sale

    The XIT Farms are 301 acres of productive, pivot irrigated cropland, conveniently located between Topeka and Manhattan Kansas. Being offered in two tracts, each include Kansas River frontage, paved road access and an irrigation pivot. Over one mile of Kansas River frontage provides fishing access and great cover for deer, waterfowl and upland game.
    For more info, and 25 photos of the property,  go to:    https://www.landandfarm.com/property/XIT_Farm-8924958/

Ronnie Hase Passes Away

      Ronnie Dean Hase has joined the saints in heaven to forever worship our Lord and King on January 12, 2019. 

      He was born April 9, 1943 to Carrie Marie Thomsen and Chester Leslie Hase in Burlington, Kansas. He graduated from Carbondale High School in 1961.   He served our country in Vietnam in the United States Army.   He worked for Fleming Foods for over 25 years and later worked for Custom Wood Products beginning in 1994.   He was a member of the Delia Presbyterian Church. He had lived at Delia the last 45 years.   He loved to fish. He loved to tinker, always working on something. He will be remembered for his constant smile. He and Becky also have a little Yorkie that he enjoyed.

      On February 17, 1968 he married Sarah Rebecca (Becky) Niccum at Mayetta.   Becky survives at their Delia Home. Other survivors include his daughter Sheri Hase of Delia; son, Shawn Hase of Mobile, Alabama; brother, Kenny Hase and wife Glenda of Rossville; and many nieces and nephews.

      A celebration of his life will be held later at the Delia Presbyterian Church.   Inurnment and military honors will be held the same day at West Lawn Memorial Gardens in Topeka.   Memorial contributions may be made to Delia Presbyterian Church, Post 400 of the American Legion, American Lung Association or the American Heart Association.

      To leave condolences,  go to:  http://www.davidsonfuneral.com/obituary/ronnie-hase

Betty (Bixby) (58) Cummings Passes Away

    Betty M. Cummings, 78, passed away Sunday, January 13, 2019 at the St. Marys Manor.
    She was born July 18, 1940 in Topeka the daughter of Oscar H. and Charlotte A. Hurla Bixby. She graduated from Rossville High School and lived in the Rossville community many years before moving to St. Marys.
    She had worked at the Rossville Valley Manor several years. Betty was a member of Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in St. Marys, and St. Stanislaus Catholic Church while living in Rossville. She was an amateur radio operator (NNVW). Betty made many wonderful friends while living at St. Marys Manor.
    On November 26, 1960 she was united in marriage to Eric H. Hinterweger at Rossville. He died December 15, 1998. She later married Leonard L. Cummings on October 21, 2000 in St. Marys. He died March 6, 2018. She was also preceded in death by her parents and a son, Danny Hinterweger on August 16, 2016.
    Survivors include two sons, Jim (Jan) Hinterweger, Lebo and Mike (Lisa) Hinterweger, Overbrook; step sons, Bob (Kathy) Cummings, Belvue, Tim Cummings, Wamego and Mike (Melissa) Cummings in Florida; her daughter, Cindy (Kasey) Priddy, Silver Lake; step daughters, Lorye (Charlie) Armstrong, Wamego and Lisa (Aaron) Lyman, Topeka; sisters, Teresa Miller, Genevieve Jenssen and Patricia Bixby all of Rossville, 21 grandchildren and several great-grandchildren
    Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 10:00 A.M. Thursday, January 17, 2019 at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in St. Marys. Interment will be in the Rossville Cemetery. Betty will lie in state and the family will receive friends from 6:00 until the rosary at 7:00 P.M. Wednesday, January 16, 2019 at Piper Funeral Home. Memorial contributions may be made to the St. Marys Manor Bus Fund or Immaculate Conception Catholic Church and sent in care of Piper Funeral Home, 714 Maple Street, St. Marys, Kansas 66536. Online condolence may be sent to www.piperfuneral home.com.

Buhler Reflects On Last Twelve Years

From the Topeka Capital-Journal:

Every four years, Shelly Buhler went door-to-door.

The outgoing Shawnee County commissioner recalled Friday that because she wasn’t affiliated with a political party, she had to earn a place on the general election ballot by acquiring a sufficient number of signatures — which was always at least 1,571 — on petitions supporting her candidacy in 2006, 2010 and 2014.

So Buhler went to hundreds of homes in the Shawnee County Commission’s 1st District, which she represents, in west Topeka and western Shawnee County. And she is glad she did. She said the petition process enabled her to get to know a lot of people.

Buhler spoke proudly this past week of the county’s accomplishments during her time in office, including replacing the Willard Bridge, offering curbside recycling and getting involved with the Momentum 2022 campaign aimed at putting Topeka and Shawnee County on a path to success.

But the most rewarding part of being a commissioner, she said, has been the lifelong friendships she gained.

Buhler’s 12 years on the commission will end Monday, when Republican Bill Riphahn is sworn in to take the 1st District seat. Buhler, who is Roman Catholic, chose not to seek re-election so she could focus on the job she began July 1 as president of Topeka’s Hayden High School.

A graduate of Atchison’s Benedictine College, Buhler served six years as mayor of Rossville before joining the county commission.

“I’ve never thought of myself as a politician,” she said. “My degree in college was in community service, and I’ve always tried to serve and encourage others to serve.”

Buhler voiced pride about the working relationships she built with former Topeka mayors Larry Wolgast and Bill Bunten.

She said relations between the governments of Topeka and Shawnee County — which haven’t always been friendly — have improved in recent years.

Buhler said she would advise her successor, Riphahn, to get to know and trust the county’s elected officials and department leaders — whom she described as being “some very dedicated people” — and to get to know the county’s employees.

“Bill has a little bit of an edge there, because he’s been a county employee for awhile,” she said.

Riphahn worked for the county parks and recreation department from January 2012 until he retired late last year.

Buhler said she also would encourage Riphahn to be involved in the community.

Buhler has been active here with organizations that included the Topeka Community Foundation, the Safe Streets Coalition’s Recognition Council, Heartland Healthy Neighborhoods, Rossville PRIDE, the Rossville Community Foundation and Momentum 2022.

She said she plans to continue to be active in the Topeka and Shawnee County community.

The 54-year-old Buhler stopped short of saying her political career is over — “never say never,” she said — but she described herself as being “very blessed” to be president at Hayden.

“This is a calling for me, and a way for me to not only continue to serve my community but to serve my faith, so I am very pleased to be where I am right now at Hayden,” she said.

Boys BB Tourney At Osky

Boys Basketball @ Oskaloosa Tournament v. Oskaloosa

WhenTue, January 15, 6:00pm – 7:30pm        Vs OskaloosaFri., January 18   TBA                             Vs Perry or Jeff No. Sat. January 19   TBA                                  Finals 

WhereOskaloosa High School, 404 Park St, Oskaloosa, KS 66066

Rossville Places Four At Bobcat Classic

The Rossville High wrestlers competed in the prestigious Bobcat Classic tournament of Jan 11-12 against a number of large Kansas schools.  Four finished in the top 8 of their class.  More complete details can be read at:
https://www.trackwrestling.com/predefinedtournaments/MainFrame.jsp?newSession=false&TIM=1547340198477&pageName=

106 lb       Zach Archer       8th
126 lb       Layne Hurla       6th
160 lb       Garrett Carver    8th
195 lb       Kody Davoren    7th

Rossville finished 20th of the 30 teams entered.  See next article for team standings.

Rossville At Bobcat Classic Wrestling

Team Scores
1	Bonner Springs
2	St. Thomas Aquinas
3	Mill Valley
4	Abilene
5	Junction City
6	Andale
6	Lawrence Free State
8	Glenwood
9	Lansing
10	Tonganoxie
11	Anderson County
12	Prairie View
12	Schlagle
14	Santa Fe Trail
15	Gardner-Edgerton
16	Turner
17	Eudora
18	Fort Scott
19	Piper
20	Rossville
21	Basehor-Linwood
22	Lawrence High School
23	Paola
24	St. James Academy
25	JC Harmon
26	Pittsburg
27	Perry-Lecompton
28	Chapman
29	Columbus
30	Shawnee Mission East

Ralph Pitts Passes Away

Ralph was raised on a farm near Delia and went to Rossville High.  However he graduated from Maple Hill High. 

Ralph Lowell Pitts, III, 72 of Golden, Missouri and formerly of White City, passed away suddenly Saturday, January 5, 2019 in Abilene, Kansas. Ralph was born on May 11, 1946 in Rochester, Indiana, the only son of Ralph Lowell, Jr. and Geraldine (Friesen) Pitts.

Ralph grew up on a farm near Delia Kansas and was a 1964 graduate of Maple Hill High School.

Ralph joined the Marines upon high school graduation and served his country honorably including a tour of duty in Vietnam during the Vietnam war.

Returning to Kansas following his discharge, Ralph began his civilian career as a lineman with Kansas Power and Light in Topeka.

On April 13, 1968, he was united in marriage to Mary Jane Reppart. They began their married life in Topeka until Ralph was promoted to outside agent assigned to the White City office, covering the Woodbine, Latimer, White City, Parkerville, Dwight and Alta Vista areas. The family, which then included four children, moved to rural Dwight while building their home in White City in 1978.

Moving to White City in 1979, the Pitts family was very involved in numerous activities in the community.

Ralph was a member of the White City American Legion and was instrumental in getting a new building moved to the Legion site in the early 1980’s. He was also instrumental in the American Legion’s many haunted houses they transformed at numerous sites. Ralph served several years as the Legion commander for the White City post. He also was very involved with the summer ball association.

Ralph was an avid sports fan and rarely missed a sporting activity or other activities and programs involving his kids. He loved to hunt and fish and loved nothing better than he and Mary Jane entertaining with a big fish fry each summer.

Mary Jane passed away on June 30, 2003.

Ralph never met a stranger, was always willing to help out anyone in need, never too busy to assist with a project in the community or school and amassed a huge crowd of friends over the years.

After retirement from Westar Energy in 2007, he continued to enjoy his past times of fishing and boating, including fishing trips with family and friends.

On November 26, 2010, Ralph was united in marriage to Christine Paul. They made their home near Golden, Missouri where they had just recently built a new home on a lake.

Ralph loved to spend time with his family, especially entertaining his grandchildren. He also enjoyed the many friendships he and Christine had made where they lived. He loved being near the lake to fish and go boating.

Ralph was preceded in death by his parents, his wife Mary Jane and his daughter Kim in 2006.

He is survived by his wife, Christine, of the home; two sons, Shawn and wife Elissa of Fort Collins, Colorado and J. J. and wife Libby of Nortonville, Kansas; a daughter, Jayme Urban and fiancée Chase Fairchild of Abilene, Kansas; twelve grandchildren, Jarett, Macy and Ryder Pitts, Baylee, Meagan and Jenna Pitts and Kate and Chloe Urban, Bailey and Casey Ireland and Daylan and Trytan Fairchild; a step-daughter, Donna Prickett and husband, Kevin and their children, Emilia, Elisha and Christina of Carlton, Kansas; three sisters, Shirley Henderson of Carbondale, Linda Downie of Topeka and Nancy Mercer of Delia, several nieces and nephews and a host of friends.

Ralph was an organ donor and later his remains were cremated.

A memorial service will be held Thursday, January 10, at 10:30 a.m. at the White City United Methodist Church.

In lieu of flowers, memorials honoring Ralph’s life may be given to the Marine Corps Scholarship Foundation and sent in care of Ralph’s daughter, Jayme Urban, at 618 NW 8th St., Abilene, KS 67410.