The Scott County Record

Members of the Scott City Elementary School Kids Choir perform at the Christmas matinee on Thursday

Home of El Cuartelejo

32 Pages • Four Sections Look Inside

Sports Lady Beavers ready for Friday’s season opener at Leoti Page 17

Volume 24 • Number 17

Thursday, December 1, 2016

Published in Scott City, Ks.

Black Friday for taxpayers Black Friday is usually thought of as the official start to the holiday shopping season.

It could take on another meaning for Scott County taxpayers.

That was also the day that property tax statements arrived in local mail boxes.

The good news for residential property owners is that the increase is generally smaller than in past years and could reflect a trend that county appraiser Randy Sangster anticipates will

last for several years.

Of course, as with all property, it’s about location.

Home values in high-end neighborhoods increased an average of seven percent while values in other areas increased as little as two percent. The average for most homeowners was 3-4 percent, according to Sangster.

Two and three years ago, home values were increasing at about a 10-12 percent clip.

“The increase in new home

Scott County Mill Rates 2015 2016

State

1.500 1.500

County

64.984 69.188

Scott City

72.847

72.479

USD 466

58.548

57.950

Rec Commission 2.250

2.250

Total

200.129 203.367

construction is an indication that the cost of purchasing an existing home is catching up with the cost of building a new home,” notes

Index Opinions...................4-7 Calendar...................... 7 Youth/Education.......... 9 Public notices.......10-11 LEC report................. 11 Church services....12-13

high stakes bet

Deaths....................... 13 Health care...........14-15 Holiday home tour..... 16 Sports...................17-24 Farm section.........26-27 Classified ads.......29-31 Santa Saturday.......... 32

Deaths Roy Fairleigh Laura ‘Jean’ Rowton

cutback will climb to 50 percent by 2038.

A Local Because E n h a n c e d the water Management A r e a resources ( L E M A ) , belong to which is a everyone, n o n -v o l u n- everyone tary reduchas a shared tion program, was responsibility n a r r o w l y in the success d e f e a t e d or the failure two years of conservaago in the tion efforts. five-county Gov. Sam Groundwater Brownback Management District No. 1. However, that plan was supported by 62 percent of those who cast votes in Wichita County.

The GWMD hasn’t come back with another proposal to reduce pumping from the Ogallala Aquifer since that vote, which has prompted Wichita

406 Main, St. Scott City • 620-872-2090 www.scottcountyrecord.com

Wichita County landowners and farm producers are hoping to defy the odds with a voluntary plan to reduce irrigation.

“Many people are betting against you. They believe the aquifer will run out,” said Gov. Sam Brownback, urging area water rights holders to take up the challenge.

Brownback briefly addressed an audience of just over 100 people who attended a Water Conservation Area (WCA) informational meeting on Wednesday afternoon in Leoti.

The WCA plan has been approved by David Barfield, chief engineer with the Kansas Division of Water Resources.

Sign-up for the program will begin next week.

The WCA is a voluntary means by which participants can reduce irrigation. For the first seven years of the plan, all participants will reduce water usage by 29 percent and that

County water rights holders to pursue action on their own.

“You have the means of approaching this differently.

The projections are there. It’s doable and it’s workable,” said Brownback. “But, it’s not without risk and it’s not without difficulty.”

Brownback defended his position to allow these decisions to be made at the local level.

“I remember attending a meeting in Tribune where I was asked when we were going to drop the hammer (on irrigators).

I said it wasn’t going to happen,” Brownback noted. “The state won’t hammer you. It’s your choice to make.

“Show the world you can do it. A lot of people are paying attention.”

406 Main, St. Scott City • 620-872-2090 www.scottcountyrecord.com

406 Main, St. Scott City • 620-872-2090 www.scottcountyrecord.com

Health Health industry tries to adapt to ACA’s uncertain future Page 14

406 Main, St. Scott City • 620-872-2090 www.scottcountyrecord.com

Agriculture Drought continues taking a toll on area’s wheat crop Page 26

Governor urges producers to participate in county WCA

406 Main, St. Scott City • 620-872-2090 www.scottcountyrecord.com

406 Main, St. Scott City • 620-872-2090 www.scottcountyrecord.com

Gov. Sam Brownback addresses water rights holders and producers on Wednesday in Leoti.

(Record Photo)

Community City crews give a holiday look to the downtown area Page 25

Sangster. “Those who can afford it will probably build rather than buy.

“For awhile you could buy cheaper than you could build, but not anymore. It’s a toss-up.”

Sangster anticipates that home values ranging between $100,000 and $200,000 will see annual valuation increases in the 2-4 percent range for the foreseeable future.

(See TAXES on page two)

Santa in Scott City Saturday

State A preview of major issues facing the Kansas legislature Page 2

Sports Early growing pains likely for defending state champions Page 17

$1 single copy

Interest is Growing Farrin Watt, a member of the committee which initiated the (See STAKES on page eight)

For youngsters in the community, the Christmas season will officially get underway on Sat., Dec. 3, when Santa will be in downtown Scott City from 3:00-5:30 p.m. at The Scott County Record.

The seventh annual Christmas light parade will begin at 6:00 p.m.

Participants are to gather on First Street, north of the Broiler Restaurant, at 5:30 p.m.

Starting at 6:00 p.m., the parade will travel south on US83 Highway to Patton Park and turn east on Park Lane so it can pass by Park Lane Nursing Home.

Everyone is invited to decorate vehicles in the spirit of Christmas or watch the parade. All types of floats and vehicles are encouraged.

The only requirement is that they be decorated for nighttime viewing.

Individuals, organizations or businesses interested in being in the parade should contact Chamber Director Lindsay Singley at the Chamber office (872-3525).

First place is $50 in Chamber Bucks and second place will receive $25.

In addition, a number of Scott City businesses will be participating in Santa Saturday discounts. Participants include Giftologists, Tate’s Restaurant, Revcom/Radio Shack, Bling, Scott County Lumber, Suzy B’s, Gifts, Etc., The Rec, Spud’s, Scott County Hardware, Heartland Foods and The Record.

Holiday home tour is Sunday

The Scott Community High School junior class will be sponsoring its annual Christmas home tour on Sun., Dec. 4, 2:00-5:00 p.m.

Tickets are $25 each and can be purchased from the SCHS office.

Homes include Jon/ Jena Brunswig, Josh/ Janeen Gooden, Aaron/ Nancy Goodman, Darren/ Jennifer Hork, Jonathon/ Carrie LeBeau and Josh/ Stephanie Bailey.

The Scott County Record • Page 2 • Thursday, December 1, 2016

Brownback remains vague on closing budget gap Gov. Sam Brownback said on Tuesday that he hasn’t ruled anything out as part of his budget fix, but statements from his office seem to contradict that.

Brownback would not say whether his office is weighing a controversial proposal to sell off the state’s future proceeds from a tobacco settlement.

“We haven’t ruled anything in or out,” he said when pressed about his plans to close the state’s $349 million budget gap.

But last week, his office said the governor had ruled out lay-

ing off state workers and that his budget proposal would make significant cuts unnecessary.

A few hours after Brownback made his comment on Tuesday, his office released a statement reasserting that the governor does not plan to make any major cuts as part of his budget fix.

“While he is still in the decision making process, the budget will not include layoffs, furloughs, or major cuts,” said Melika Willoughby, the governor’s spokeswoman.

It will be difficult to close the

state’s $349 million budget gap for the current fiscal year without major cuts. The state faces an even bigger budget gap of $583 million the next year.

Senate President Susan Wagle, R-Wichita, warned GOP lawmakers last week that the governor could be pursuing a plan to sell off the right to future proceeds of the state’s legal settlement with tobacco companies as a way to get cash in the short term. That idea was considered by the governor’s office last session.

The money from the tobacco settlement is used to fund children’s programs. If the state does sell off part of its proceeds, a process known as securitization, it would forego at least a portion of the annual payment over the next several decades.

Brownback plans to wait until January to unveil his plans to fix the budget gap, a move that has upset lawmakers who want him to move forward with cuts as soon as possible to lessen the impact.

This will be the first time a

Kansas governor hasn’t addressed a projected shortfall ahead of the legislative session since 1987, when outgoing Gov. John Carlin did not make cuts during his final months in office. Gov. Mike Hayden signed cuts into law during his first month in office.

“This is just a genuine lack of leadership on his part,” Senate Minority Leader Anthony Hensley, D-Topeka, said about Brownback’s decision to wait for the legislative session.

5 major debates ahead for next legislative session Kansas lawmakers will return to Topeka in a little more than a month and many of them are already crafting bills to introduce in the upcoming session.

Fixing the state’s budget hole and writing a new school finance formula promise to dominate the Kansas Legislature’s workload in 2017, but there’s a host of other issues that the Legislature could tackle when it convenes in January.

Here’s a preview of some of the issues that could be debated in the coming session.

Medicinal Hemp The Kansas House passed legislation in 2015 with bipartisan support that would have enabled medicinal hemp to be used to treat seizure disorders, but the bill hit a dead stop in the Senate,

Taxes

where several key members objected to the legislation, which they saw as the first step toward marijuana legalization.

Several of the bill’s most outspoken opponents in the Senate did not seek re-election or lost their races this year, and it’s possible that the new members could be more open to approving the legislation.

Wilson said that one thing that could complicate the effort is the election of Republican Donald Trump as president.

The Obama administration did not interfere with the legalization of medical and recreational marijuana at the state level, but Trump’s nominee for Attorney General, Alabama Sen. Jeff Sessions, is known for his hard-line stance against marijuana and could try to

(continued from page one)

That forecast, however, could be altered significantly based on property taxes and bank interest rates.

Because local units of government have been able to hold down mill levies for the last few years that’s had a positive impact on home sales.

The total levy for Scott City residents in their latest tax bill is 203.367 mills - an increase of 1.6 percent from a year ago.

Likewise, Sangster says low interest rates have also made home ownership possible for more people.

“If you see mill levies going up, people become a little concerned. But, if interest rates increase things will come to a screeching halt,” Sangster says. “If interest rates go up, people have to pay less for a home because they only have so many dollars available.”

GOP makes appointments

Because several races were uncontested in the general election, the Scott County Republican Party met recently to appoint the following to precinct committeemen and women: Ruben Brokofsky, Alice Brokofsky, Larry Hoeme, Kathleen Hoeme, Lynn Freese and John Beckman.

block states from allowing the sale of cannabis products, including hemp oil.

However, Wilson also said that the fact that seven states passed ballot measures this year to legalize either recreational or medical marijuana, including more conservative states like North Dakota and Arkansas, shows that there may be support to do something even more expansive than his bill, which is narrowly tailored to only allow the treatment for seizure disorders through non-intoxicating hemp oil.

Transparency The Legislature passed multiple measures last session intended to increase transparency, including approval of live-streaming of legislative committee hearings and the

closure of a private e-mail loophole in the state’s open records act. Elected officials had been able to shield e-mails from disclosure by using their personal, rather than work, e-mails.

Rep. Stephanie Clayton, R-Overland Park, is crafting another piece of legislation, which she says will bring greater transparency to the legislative process.

Clayton wants to require that all bills be available to the public on the Legislature’s website for 24 hours before they can be voted on and in the case of budget bills, 48 hours.

It’s possible that the policy could be adopted as a rule when the House and Senate approve joint rules at the start of the session, but Clayton said it’s important to have the

requirement in statute so it can’t be suspended. A rule that the House cannot begin debates after midnight, another transparency measure, was repeatedly suspended during the past two sessions.

Guns on Campus Public universities in Kansas will have to open their campuses to concealed firearms in July unless the Legislature changes the law currently on the books.

Faculty and students at several of the state’s universities have raised concerns about the policy, which was passed as part of a 2013 bill that opened up public buildings to firearms.

Universities must open their campuses to guns starting in July 2017 under the law. Opposition to this (See DEBATES on page 16)

(See BUDGET on page 8)

Community Living

The Scott County Record

Page 3 - Thursday, December 1, 2016

Helping others deal with grief during the holidays According to the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization (NHPCO), for Carol Ann many people, Crouch the holiday sea- Family and son is a special Consumer Sciences time of year Agent for marked by celScott County ebrations and gatherings with family and friends.

For those struggling with the death of a loved one, the

holidays may be a difficult time full of painful reminders that emphasize their sense of loss.

Often, friends and family members of those affected by a loss are unsure how to act or what to say to support their grieving loved one during the holidays.

Hospice professionals, who are experienced at helping people deal with grief and loss, offer these nine tips that may help you help someone else during the holidays.

1) Be supportive of the way the person chooses to handle the holidays. Some may wish to follow traditions; others may choose to avoid customs of the past and do something new. It’s okay to do things differently.

2) Offer to help the person with decorating or holiday baking. Both tasks can be overwhelming for someone who is grieving.

3) Offer to help with holiday shopping. Share catalogs or online shopping sites that

may be helpful.

4) Invite the person to join you or your family during the holidays. You might invite them to join you for a religious service or at a holiday meal where they are a guest.

5) Ask the person if he or she is interested in volunteering with you during the holidays. Doing something for someone else, such as helping at a soup kitchen or working with children, may help your loved one feel better about the holidays.

90 attend Wiechman reunion

The 12th bi-annual Wiechman reunion for the descendants of John and Hilda Wiechman was held on Thanksgiving Day at the Boy Scout building in Scott City with around 90 attending.

Out-of-town guests were: Steve and Pat Wiechman and Stan and Terry Wiechman, Topeka; Mark and Peg Janssen, Manhattan; Brody Wiechman, Olathe; Janice O’Brien, Sheree Laird, Colleen Baird, Kayden Laird, Dale and Karen Stoppel, Jory and Kelli Falcon and John Jensen, Casper, Wyo.; Matt and Shawna Lyon, Jordyn Dake and Jarrett Lyon, Hays.

Lyman and Zoe Bowling and Rueben, Winfield;

Tips for the kitchen

•Will milk curdle if it is allowed to boil? It turns out that this age-old piece of wisdom isn’t true, after all. Milk that has been boiled is perfectly safe to consume.

•To clean an electric kettle with calcium buildup on the heating element, boil a mixture of half white vinegar and half water, then empty.

•When storing empty airtight containers, throw in a pinch of salt to keep them from getting stinky.

•To keep potatoes from budding in the bag, put an apple in with them.

•If you manage to have some leftover wine at the end of the evening, freeze it in ice cube trays for easy addition to soups and sauces in the future.

•If you are making gravy and accidentally burn it, just pour it into a clean pan and continue cooking. Add sugar a little at a time, tasting as you go to avoid over-sugaring it.

The sugar will cancel out the burned taste.

Jacob Bowling, St. Louis, Mo.; Zach and Hanna Bowling and son, Elan, Conway, Ariz.; Troy and Tina Wiechman and sons, Tyus and Riley, Sterling Heights, Mich.; Dan and Araceli Stewart and daughters, Mynique and Yaya, Holcomb; TJ and Audri Westbrook, Ava and Travis, Ft. Worth, Tex.; and Kayla Dearden, Garden City.

Those attending from Scott City were: Darrell and Pam Faurot; Brent and Angie Faurot and children, Kristi and Justin; Terry and Judy Faurot; Jamie and Amanda Martinez and children, Gabrielle and Kenzi; Larry Faurot; Patsy Lisenby; Jeromy and Lindsey Lisenby;

Shelby and Levi, Jerry and Joyce Wiechman; Jay Wiechman; Norman Wiechman; Rick and Sandy Kahl; Lonny and Colleen Dearden and Krissa; Mindy Allen, Cole and Haley; LaVera King; Forrest and Gloria Gough; Shellie and Kalacia Carter and Jonathan Denney; Randy and Kay King and Harrison; Carol Latham; Shanna Wells and Tatum; Danea Wasinger and girls, Audie and Tinley; Don and Marlo Wiechman; Milt and Velda Riddiough; and Marsha Holloway.

The afternoon was spent visiting, playing games and having a good time.

The next reunion will be held again in two years.

6) Donate a gift or money in memory of the person’s loved one. Remind the person that his or her loved one is not forgotten.

7) Never tell someone that he or she should be “over it.”

Instead, give the person hope that, eventually, he or she will enjoy the holidays again.

8) Be willing to listen.

Active listening from friends and family is an important step to helping some cope with grief and heal.

(See GRIEF on page eight)

Monday-Friday December 5-9

in Scott City Majestic Theatre 420 Main • 872-3840

Lunch Tuesday-Friday • 11:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m.

Evenings Thursday-Saturday • 5:30-10:00 p.m.

Tuesday Open-faced prime rib sandwich with french fries $11.95 Wednesday Spaghetti dinner with side salad

$7.95

Thursday Chicken fried steak with mashed potatoes and gravy $7.95 Friday Pork burrito

$6.95

No Membership Required

1211 Main • 872-3215

5Buck Lunch

• Chili Cheese Dog • Deluxe Cheeseburger • 3 Piece Chicken Strips Includes Fries, 21 oz. Drink and Small Sundae

VIP Center 302 Church St. • 872-3501

$

1304 S. Main • 872-5301

6

$

49

Full Buffet

5

($3 - 60 yrs. and up)

Monday • Parmesan chicken, Broccoli rice casserole, Tossed salad, Garlic bread, Rosey applesauce Tuesday • Meat loaf, Mashed potatoes with brown gravy, Green beans, WW roll, Pineapple titbits Wednesday • Chicken pot pie, Asparagus, Vegetables in entree, WW roll, Mandarin oranges Thursday • Baked ham, Sweet potatoes, Corn, WW roll, Cranberry crunch Friday • Baked cod, Baked potato, Broccoli and cauliflower, WW roll, Tropical fruit salad

The Broiler 102 Main Street • 872-5055

Monday - Steak and Velveeta on a hoagie bun $6.00 Tuesday - Tacos Funny Tacos

99¢ $1.50

Wednesday - 2 pc. chicken dinner, includes potato and vegetables $6.25

1502 S. Main • 872-7288

Thursday - 4 oz. chicken fry dinner, includes potato and vegetables $6.25 Friday - Fish and chips

$6.25

Saturday - Ham and two eggs

$7.95

Sunday Buffet 10:30 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.

CHOOSE -TWOENTREES

Classic Chicken Sandwich Footlong Quarter Pound Coney SONIC Cheeseburger

+TWO Medium Soft Drinks* +TWO Medium Tots, Medium Fries or one of each

*Fruit, candy or multiple flavor add-ins are additional costs

1720 S. Main Scott City 872-5767

The Scott County Record

Editorial/Opinion

Page 4 - Thursday, December 1, 2016

editorially speaking

A miracle:

Kansans await leadership, solutions to our fiscal mess

Cleaning up a mess is much more difficult than making one.

Gov. Sam Brownback and his fellow ultraconservatives in the state legislature created one heck of a mess that began with their well-documented massive tax cuts that have drained hundreds of millions of dollars from the state coffers. Midway into the current fiscal year (which ends June 30) the state has already fallen $350 million short of revenue projects. A $600 million shortfall is projected for the next fiscal year.

According to legislative researchers, the state can expect a $1.1 billion shortfall through June 2019, based on current legal requirements for spending.

There are some who feel the legislature should meet in a special session before the end of the year to address the looming budget crisis. The governor and Senate President Susan Wagle (R-Wichita) seem more interested in passing the buck for fixing the self-inflicted problem.

Brownback says he has a plan, but refuses to offer any specifics until January. His staff says the budget that Brownback is working on will make it unnecessary to demand significant cuts.

Exactly what that means is anyone’s guess. It’s possible that “significant” would be open to interpretation depending on who’s affected and to what degree.

Wagle, on the other hand, has expressed skepticism about a solution and worries that the governor will seek a number of short-term budget fixes which won’t address the problem. She’s says that rather than patchwork fixes, the voters want a structural fix.

Four years after supporting the tax cut package and watching the devastating impact it has had on the state, Wagle has finally acknowledged what’s been evident to many of us for years. Then again, it took a resounding setback by voters and the loss of Wagle’s conservative majority for her to come to grips with the state’s economic reality.

Brownback says it’s the legislature’s responsibility to maintain the budget. Wagle says it’s the governor’s responsibility to provide leadership.

Each has proven incapable of doing either.

Meanwhile, the state is mired into a fiscal meltdown that we won’t easily escape. Economists readily acknowledge that eliminating the LLC tax break won’t be enough to erase our current shortfall and put the state back on better financial ground.

It’s going to take something far more significant, and drastic, to restore lost funding to the Kansas Department of Transportation, replenish the state’s obligation to KPERS and begin to address the longterm impact of funding cuts to Medicaid, early-childhood programs, our universities, etc.

And the legislature still awaits a Supreme Court decision on school funding that could cost hundreds of millions of dollars.

So, we apparently await Brownback’s January miracle.

Perhaps the real miracle would be if Brownback, Wagle and ultraconservatives actually showed something that resembled backbone and leadership in order to fix the mess they created.

Birds of a feather:

Trump, Kobach have one characteristic in common

Nothing is official, but should Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach be picked to fill some post within the Trump Administration he will feel right at home.

Kobach has built a political career with his voter fraud allegations. His ability to create a non-existent problem into the foundation for his campaign has enabled him to enact voter suppression legislation in Kansas and in other states. So, it should come as no surprise that when president-elect Donald Trump claimed - without evidence - that more than three million illegal immigrants voted for Hillary Clinton in the general election, Kobach would support that claim without evidence.

Kobach has just as much evidence to support his epidemic of voter fraud in Kansas (six cases filed in two years) as he does to support Trump’s claim that without voter fraud he would have won the popular vote over Clinton.

The so-called “evidence” is a study that was done of the 2008 and 2010 elections which has been largely discredited by experts who actually know how to compile, assess and report on such data. Kobach claims that it is “reasonable” to assume that 11 percent of the estimated 28 million non-citizens living in the U.S. voted. The two individuals conducting the study at Old Dominion University said the number was 6.4 percent in 2008 and 2.2 percent in 2010.

They cannot support Kobach’s assertion that the number would have climbed to 11 percent in 2016.

Kobach calls it an extrapolation. That’s his way of saying he has no idea what he’s talking about. It would appear that birds of a feather are flocking to the White House.

When the truth no longer matters If you were (or still are) a fan of the X Files, you were reminded that “the truth is out there.”

That may be. The bigger question: Who’s cares?

In the months leading up to the general election, Facebook proved to be a ripe breeding ground for fake news stories. We’re not talking about news that has a “liberal” or a “conservative” lean, but news that is 100 percent without fact.

Contrary to what you may have read, the Pope didn’t endorse Donald Trump.

Bill Clinton didn’t rape a 13-year-old.

And Hillary Clinton didn’t sell weapons to ISIS. We’re sure that hearing that won’t matter to millions of people who choose to believe differently. Believing that thousands of Muslims celebrated in New Jersey on 9/11 is apparently how some people cope with their day to day existence.

It used to be a Nigerian (or African country of your choice) government

official who is trying to smuggle millions of dollars out of the country and needs your help. All you have to do is provide him with a few thousand dollars, or your bank account number, and you will be richly rewarded.

Who could pass up such easy money? Besides, what could be more legitimate than an unknown Nigerian official who took the time to get your personal mailing address (e-mail today) and contact you for assistance?

Similar scams have continued to evolve over the years because, as we all know, there’s one born every minute.

These ripoffs are the most obvious. But, what about the scams that cost you nothing?

It’s been well publicized since the election that individuals were sitting at their computers and generating false stories

because it was profitable.

It’s not that some of these individuals were trying to influence the election, or even cared about the outcome, but they found a way to make a buck without having to convince anyone they were a Nigerian prince who was overthrown by a coup.

Jestin Coler, who operates a fake news website, said he made between $10,000 and $30,000 a month from the Facebook and Google advertising that was linked with stories as they were viewed by millions of readers.

A story about Hillary Clinton killing a non-existent FBI agent for leaking her e-mails had 1.6 million views in the first 10 days. Each individual who views that story is contributing to the government official from Nigeria.

Coler, who calls his company Disinfomedia, feels no moral obligation to tell the truth when people are paying for lies.

He’s simply giving the people what they want.

Or, maybe it would be more accurate to say some of the people.

As the stories mentioned earlier would indicate, there’s a certain audience that seems to feed on disinformation.

It’s not that Coler and similar news fabricators haven’t tried to expand their market, but like any good businessman, he’s learned that you don’t keep dropping your line where the fish ain’t biting.

“We’ve tried to do similar things to liberals. It just has never worked,” he admits. “You’ll get debunked within the first two comments and then the whole thing just kind of fizzles out.”

That’s Coler essentially saying that one audience does their homework; another doesn’t.

As one well-known media outlet likes to declare: you decide.

Coler’s media outlet offered an eye-opening revelation to those who want their eyes opened.

And his observation doesn’t just apply to Disinfomedia and similar websites who are pedaling a certain agenda.

(See TRUTH on page six)

In today’s world, the truth is losing Richard Stengel, the State Department’s undersecretary for public diplomacy, bluntly states the problem that has been worrying him and should worry us all: “In a global information war, how does the truth win?”

The very idea that the truth won’t be triumphant would, until recently, have been heresy to Stengel, a former managing editor of “Time” magazine. But, in the nearly three years since he joined the State Department, Stengel has seen the rise of what he calls a “post-truth” world, where the facts are sometimes overwhelmed by propaganda from Russia and the Islamic State.

“We like to think that truth has to battle itself out in the marketplace of ideas. Well, it may be losing in that marketplace today,” Stengel warned in an interview. “Simply having fact-based mes-

Where to Write

another view by David Ignatius

saging is not sufficient to win the information war.”

Stengel poses an urgent question for journalists, technologists and, more broadly, everyone living in free societies or aspiring to do so. How do we protect the essential resource of democracy the truth - from the toxin of lies that surrounds it?

It’s like a virus or food poisoning. It needs to be controlled. But how?

Stengel argues that the U.S. government should sometimes protect citizens by exposing “weaponized information, false information” that is polluting the ecosystem. But, ultimately, the defense of truth must be independent of a government that many people mistrust.

“There are inherent dan-

Gov. Sam Brownback 2nd Floor - State Capitol Topeka, Ks. 66612-1501 (785) 296-3232

gers in having the government be the verifier of last resort,” he argues.

Our conversation took place in Stengel’s office, the same room that was used by Secretary of State George C. Marshall, a paradigmatic figure in the American age of reason.

As Stengel observed, the problems of today’s information-saturated society would have been unimaginable for Marshall, who lived at a time when information was scarce and precious and when openness brought change.

Now, says Stengel, social media gives everyone the opportunity to construct their own narrative of reality. He recalls the early days of the Islamic State in 2014, when extremists used brutal imagery to terrorize people and recruit followers. The State Department’s early counter-radicalization

Sen. Pat Roberts 109 Hart Senate Office Bldg.

Washington, D.C. 20510 (202) 224-4774 roberts.senate.gov/email.htm

efforts mistakenly were “tit for tat,” arguing with jihadists’ interpretation of Islam. A better strategy, U.S. officials learned, was to empower others who could make the case more effectively.

“The central insight was that we’re not the best messenger for our message,” Stengel explains, “because in the post-truth world, the people we’re trying to reach automatically question anything from the U.S. government.” As the Islamic State has weakened, so, too, has its media campaign. Messages have dwindled; recruits have disappeared; the “brand” has been devalued.

Russia’s propaganda campaigns since the 2014 invasion of Crimea have been much subtler and harder to combat. That’s partly because Moscow’s goal isn’t to confront (See LOSING on page six)

Sen. Jerry Moran 141 Hart Senate Office Bldg.

Washington, D.C. 20510 (202) 224-6521 www.moran.senate.gov/public/

The Scott County Record • Page 5 • Thursday, December 1, 2016

Prepare for Tax ‘loopholes’ a potential America’s target in Kansas next year scary, new media world

Sticking a silver fork in populism

by Davis Merritt

by Dana Milbank

by Dave Helling

The television news anchors (not journalists, thank you) and network broadcast executives who trooped obediently upstairs at the Trump Tower last week deserved every bit of the scorn heaped upon them by host and building owner Donald Trump.

They earned it not for the trumped up reasons the president-elect voiced to them, but because it was their greedy and cynical coverage providing Trump with billions of dollars in free publicity that put him in office over the expressed wishes of a majority of American voters.

Set aside the considerable irony of the broadcasters agreeing to an off-the-record meeting to discuss the terms of the public’s access to the new administration. (Think about that for a moment more: Secret talks about public access?)

Of course, the news quickly leaked out that Trump gave those TV scoundrels not a discussion but a tongue-lashing.

The leak was baked into the secrecy agreement. The only question was whether Trump’s people or the television glitterati would violate the agreement first.

TV people acquiescing to an off-the-record session was naïve and irresponsible. They should have figured out by Nov. 21 that with Trump there are no rules, no traditions, no conventions, no inviolate boundaries of intellectual honesty. But, they were snookered once more by a prime-time con man at the top of his game.

The publisher and editors of The New York Times understood that, so the next day, when Trump went to their offices for a post-election discussion, it was on the record.

No tongue-lashing there, of course, but Trump nevertheless conned the Times. The reports of the meeting were packed with tidbits about Trump seeming to change his position on a number of issues: prosecuting Hillary Clinton, using torture, dealing with climate change among them.

Naively, the reports took him seriously (“Hmmm, that’s a nuance of change in policy toward Israel, isn’t it?”).

Not necessarily.

The next president is a man who believes fixed positions and convictions are for losers; everything is open for negotiation at all times and only a fool takes any possibility off the table. To practice that, one must believe that truth is irrelevant, so it doesn’t matter to him whether he tells the truth.

If it sometimes seems that he doesn’t know when he is lying, it’s because he doesn’t care if he does lie. Only the bottom line matters.

So, if reporters choose to sniff out possible changes in policy and print them, it’s not Trump’s problem. And when he come down the other way, he will have another cudgel to use against them. To a narcissist, there’s no such thing as bad publicity.

Since Trump lives in his own world and it’s totally centered on him, Americans can anticipate four years of such recklessness, dishonesty and gamesmanship instead of a presidency.

But, don’t worry; he’ll Tweet you the real news.

Davis Merritt is a Wichita journalist and author. He can be reached at dmerritt9@cox.net

One of the least-noticed stories in politics was the passage of Amendment 4 in Missouri in November. The amendment, now embedded in the state’s constitution, prohibits Missouri and its local governments from applying sales taxes to services that aren’t currently taxed.

That means, at least for the foreseeable future, your root canal will still be sales-tax free in Missouri.

Amendment 4 was seen as a way to block rich-guy Rex Sinquefield. He wants to end the state’s income tax, and he’s said taxing some services would be a way to replace some of the lost revenue.

Opponents call Sinquefield’s approach an “everything tax.” The vote on Amendment 4 suggests Missourians don’t want to tax everything, which isn’t a surprise.

But the debate over the amendment was important.

Governments are running out of room to raise taxes, and they’re looking at ways of taxing more things in order to raise revenue.

At the federal level, this

is called “closing tax loopholes.” The tax deduction for mortgage interest, for example, may be on the table as Congress and the Trump administration ponder tax reform. The money your company pays for your health insurance isn’t counted as income, a loophole that “costs” Washington more than $200 billion a year. And so on.

At the state level, tax loopholes are equally interesting.

Tax breaks for development projects are a concern, and will likely be on the table in Jefferson City and Topeka next year. Taxing online sales remains an issue for state and local governments, too.

But, expanding the sales tax to services like haircuts and lawn mowing are a tempting alternative in some states. California cities are thinking about taxing some internet services. This year North Carolina started collecting sales taxes on some kinds of labor - now, when you get your car fixed there, you pay sales taxes on the parts and the labor needed for the repair.

That approach is now precluded in Missouri. Kansas is another matter.

By common agreement, Kansas faces a massive budget deficit. Also by common agreement, its sales tax rate 6.5 percent - is uncommonly high.

Few lawmakers appear to have the stomach for a general income tax increase. Property tax boosts seem equally unpopular.

But, expanding the sales tax base could bring in enormous amounts of money.

When Democratic Gov. Joan Finney proposed taxing services in Kansas in 1991, she estimated it would bring in $664 million in its first full year. Today, because of higher sales tax rates and inflation, a similar effort might generate more than $1 billion in revenue, far more than the state needs.

Kansas already taxes car repair labor, dry cleaning, pet grooming and some services. But accountants, lawyers, architects and engineers are exempt from collecting sales taxes on the services they provide. Child care and lawn mowing are also sales tax free.

We don’t know if Gov. Sam Brownback or conserva(See LOOPHOLES on page six)

The newest Founding Father

by Jim Hightower

When you think of America’s great Constitutional originators, names like Jefferson, Washington, and Franklin come to mind. And, of course, Abbott.

Last January, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott revealed that he has penned nine new amendments to the U.S. Constitution.

Abbott is proposing a Bill of Sale, effectively transferring our national government from The People to The Plutocrats. His “tweaks” would outlaw government actions that restrain corporate abuse of workers and consumers, while also preventing future Congresses from meeting crucial public needs such as health care, voter rights, and

restoration of our national infrastructure.

However, Abbott is not the force behind this tampering with our Constitution.

The American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) at the direction of the Koch brothers and their corporate cohorts wrote Abbott’s Bill of Sale. Back in 2010, ALEC’s board of directors approved a resolution calling for a Constitutional Convention to enact Abbott’s corporate humbuggery Abbott is now pushing.

Convening a convention, permitted under Article V of the Constitution, is a dream of those seeking an American Kochistan, and ALEC is spearheading a hodgepodge of right-wing groups that are close to succeeding.

At the convention, they

would attempt to rewrite our nation’s fundamental governing document. The changes would enthrone the “moneyed corporations” that Jefferson and other founders abhorred as destroyers of America’s democratic possibilities.

It takes 34 states to convene a Constitutional convention, 28 states have already passed resolutions to do exactly that. The ALEC/ Koch consortium is now targeting 11 others.

Absurd? Of course. Even the former-head of the rightwing Eagle Forum, Phyllis Schlafly, said before her death this push “a prescription for political chaos.”

Jim Hightower is a national radio commentator, writer, public speaker and author

Let them eat cake.

Specifically, let them eat Jean-Georges warm chocolate cake.

But let them start with young garlic soup with thyme and sauteed frog legs.

Let them follow that with diver scallops, caramelized cauliflower and caper-raisin emulsion.

And let them proceed to Niman Ranch lamb chops with mushroom bolognese and pecorino, as well as dry aged prime sirloin with citrus glazed and roasted carrots, miso butter and dill.

That’s what President-elect Donald Trump and Mitt Romney ate when the billionaire met Tuesday night with Mr. FortySeven Percent to discuss a job in the incoming administration.

Compared with the billionaire Trump, Romney is a relative piker, with a net worth of a mere quarter billion.

Romney’s wealth would be dwarfed by at least three billionaires in Trump’s Cabinet and sub-cabinet, in addition to Trump himself: would-be education secretary Betsy DeVos, whose family worth is $5.1 billion, commerce secretary pick Wilbur Ross ($2.9 billion), and deputy commerce choice Todd Ricketts, whose family fortune is also in the billions. Harold Hamm, a possible energy secretary, is worth $15 billion.

Remember Trump’s talk about taking on the elites and the well-connected? Well, you can stick a sterling-silver fork in it.

The Trump campaign, a revolution of sans-culottes, has yielded to a Trump transition that feels more like Mel Brooks’s “History of the World, Part I.” Count de Monet: It is said that the people are revolting.

King Louis XVI: You said it.

They stink on ice!

If you feared that Trump would destabilize markets and impose reckless protectionism, his early appointments are reassuring. If you wanted him to shake up the system and depose the coastal elites - well, early signs are you’ve been had.

Goldman Sachs was a bête noire of the Trump campaign, figuring prominently in his closing ad, widely seen as antiSemitic, denouncing a “global power structure” controlling the country. Trump blasted Hillary Clinton’s speeches to the investment bank and highlighted it as a pillar of the corrupt establishment, saying it had “total control” over his opponents.

But, Trump just named former Goldman Sachs partner (and Hollywood executive) Steven Mnuchin to be his treasury secretary. And he’s reportedly in talks to hire Goldman’s No. 2 executive, Gary Cohn, to be his budget director. Both men are Jewish - a welcome sign that Trump is dropping the sinister themes of his campaign, but no doubt a disappointment to the bigoted alt-right, who cheered Trump’s rise. (Alt-right ally Stephen K. Bannon, to be Trump’s White House strategist, also used to work at Goldman.)

Mnuchin, worth about $40 million, and Cohn, who according to Bloomberg News owns at least $175 million in Goldman stock, are lightweights on Trump’s Team of Oligarchs.

But, they are ahead of Trump’s pick for transportation secretary (Elaine Chao and her (See SILVER on page six)

The Scott County Record • Page 6 • December 1, 2016

Refusing to get lost in the political twilight

by Susan Estrich

It used to be, back when I first started in politics, I subscribed to every newspaper I could, and I had read them all before anyone was even at the office. I didn’t even consider it optional.

When I moved back to Boston and Cambridge, Mass., I wondered how I would possibly keep up without the Washington Post, but life went on. In Boston, everyone read the paper because the two

sports were sports and hating politicians. Which paper you read was another thing: “Fancy” people read the Boston Globe; people who read on the subway favored the Boston Herald.

Perversely, I favored the Herald because my mother’s old friend was the gossip columnist and always promised me a favorable mention if I could find someone. No luck.

But, I could as much imagine going a day with-

out reading the paper as I could imagine going a day without brushing my teeth. It was ingrained.

Who I am.

When I was sick last year, overeager interns at the hospital decided to ignore the senior physicians, who were aware of the phenomenon called “ICU delirium.”

Instead, they burst into my room, turned on the lights, and started hurling questions at me that I could not answer. All I could think of was the

advice I regularly give to my students in criminal law: What professional criminals do when they’re in detention is not to try to talk themselves out which might introduce minor inconsistencies that will be shoved down their throats later. No, they shut up. That’s what I did.

Finally, the interns made the critical mistake and asked the one question I would know even at the edge of life (back then, anyway): “Who is the president of the United

Trump to focus on bankrupting the country

by Andy Borowitz

WASHINGTON (The Borowitz Report) - Presidentelect Donald J. Trump will no longer have day-to-day responsibility for driving his businesses into bankruptcy and will instead focus on bankrupting the country, one of his leading surrogates said on Wednesday.

Appearing on Fox News, Kellyanne Conway said that while Trump no doubt could “plunge both his businesses and

Truth Right-wing radio hosts Rush Limbaugh and Alex Jones, for example, make a living from fabricating stories out of whole cloth, challenging President Obama’s birth certificate, declaring that water fluoridation is mass mind control and that childhood immunizations cause autism.

Those are themes that played well in Republican politics and on the campaign trail.

Or how about the claim that Ted Cruz’s father was involved in the John F. Kennedy assassination?

Maybe this recent tweet rings a bell: “I won the popular vote if you deduct

Losing the West head-on, but to spread doubt and mistrust within. Stengel quotes Peter Pomerantsev, the author of “Nothing Is True and Everything Is Possible: The Surreal Heart of the New Russia.”

For a Russian leadership schooled on KGB tactics, Pomerantsev argues, “It’s not an information war.

It’s a war on information.”

Stengel dissects the pastiche of fact and fantasy on Russian media outlets such as Russia Today and Sputnik this way: “They’re not trying to say that their version of events is the true one. They’re

the country into bankruptcy at the same time,” he feels that he “owes it to the American people to put them first.”

Acknowledging that Trump has no government experience, Conway said that his years of bankrupting a variety of companies would prove “invaluable” as he does the same to the United States.

“It’s going to surprise a lot of people when they see how great he is at this,” she said.

On a related matter, Conway said that Trump would allow pro-

fessional managers to oversee his fraudulent enterprises, like the now defunct Trump University, so that he can concentrate on defrauding the entire country.

“There is a big difference between conning a few thousand students at a phony university and swindling a nation of more than 300 million people,” she said. “Mr. Trump is well aware that this is going to be a full-time job.”

Andy Borowitz is a comedian and author

(continued from page four)

the millions of people who voted illegally.”

Of course, that came from the small fingers of president-elect Donald Trump. He got that information straight from Jones who, two weeks earlier, revealed that “three million votes in the presidential election were cast by illegal aliens.”

There is no evidence to support that allegation. Not that it matters to Jones who makes a living from an audience who can’t decipher the truth without his help.

What’s more troubling is that while Trump is berating the New York Times and chastising the

major media outlets in Trump Tower, he refers to Jones as having an “amazing reputation.” This is the same “news source” which has declared the Sandy Hook massacre as a hoax.

His reputation is so impeccable that Trump retweets falsehoods that he picks up from Jones and distributes them as fact.

Trump, however, is no different than the millions of Disinfomedia suckers who search out whatever supports their beliefs without regard to the facts. That doesn’t bode well for this nation’s efforts to deal with climate change, immigration

policy, public education or the future of vital programs such as Medicare and Social Security.

How can you expect to make sound decisions if you don’t know what the truth is, or simply don’t care? Or because of intellectual laziness rely on Alex Jones and the Drudge Report as factchecking sources?

The truth should matter.

You might want to think about that before you hit the reply key with your bank account number and mother’s maiden name.

Rod Haxton can be reached at editor@screcord.com

(continued from page four)

saying: ‘Everybody’s lying! Nobody’s telling you the truth!’”

Russia’s hacking during the U.S. presidential election had this aim of polluting the public information stream. “They don’t have a candidate, per se. But, they want to undermine faith in democracy, faith in the West.” In the cyber-propagandists’ atomized, construct-yourown-narrative world, agreement on a common framework of factual evidence can become almost impossible.

How should citizens who want a fact-

based world combat this assault on truth? Stengel has approved State Department programs that teach investigative reporting and empower truthtellers, but he’s right that this isn’t really a job for Uncle Sam. The best hope may be the global companies that have created the socialmedia platforms. “They see this information war as an existential threat,” says Stengel. The tech companies have made a start: He says Twitter has removed more than 400,000 accounts, and YouTube daily deletes extremist videos.

The real challenge for global tech giants is to restore the currency of truth. Perhaps “machine learning” can identify falsehoods and expose every argument that uses them. Perhaps someday, a human-machine process will create what Stengel describes as a “global ombudsman for information.”

But right now, the truth is losing. And we wonder: Which side will America’s next president take in the war on information?

David Ignatius is an associate editor and columnist for The Washington Post

States?”

I had them. My own name I didn’t know.

Where I was I didn’t know. Why I was there I didn’t know.

“Barack Obama,” I knew. I spit it in their faces and threw them out.

God help me if I have a similar incident in the future. I might get it wrong.

For the first time in my life, I am disciplining myself to not get lost in the political gloom and doom, not get caught in

the fog of misery, and most of all, to keep as far away as humanly possible from the excitement and frivolity and speculation and fun of the upcoming Inauguration Day. I’m not doing protests. I believe in the Constitution. What I said when the smart money was on Hillary Clinton has to apply with equal force now, or the rule of law becomes an utterly meaningless concept, and that, my friends, would be (See TWILIGHT on page 7)

Loopholes tives in the Legislature would consider such an approach. We do know Republican lawmakers are generally fond of sales and excise taxes, having raised them several times to cover the budget shortfall.

Expanding the state sales tax base would be highly controversial. It would further shift the tax burden to the poor and middle class, and would touch off a furious argument over which services

Silver husband, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, are worth a paltry $22 million) and Health and Human Services (Tom Price is a pauper at $14 million).

Possible Labor pick Andrew Puzder, who earns only $4 million a year as a restaurant-chain executive, might need food stamps to afford Cabinet lunches.

These must be who Trump had in mind when he promised to help the “forgotten men and women.” They will profit hugely from his plan to reduce the top income tax rate to 33 percent from 39.6 percent.

Remember Trump’s vow to “drain the swamp,” and his boast that he’s too rich to be bought by donors?

Those who funded Trump are getting a good return on their investments: As The Washington Post’s Matea Gold reported, Mnuchin, Ross, Ricketts and their families gave hundreds of thousands to help Trump win.

Lobbyists have found an easy workaround for Trump’s ban on their participation in his transition and administration; they simply deregister.

And foreign diplomats are flocking to the new Trump International Ho-

(continued from page five)

would be taxed.

Finney’s plan collapsed, even after she promised to use most of the money to reduce property taxes.

She left office after a single term.

Brownback won’t suffer a similar fate. We’ll know next year, though, if he likes her approach to fattening the state’s bank accounts.

Dave Helling is an opinion writer with the Kansas City Star

(continued from page five)

tel in Washington to curry favor.

Trump made a core issue of Clinton’s conflicts of interest because of the Clinton Foundation. But, his transition has been full of such entanglements, as he and his children mix affairs of state and business interests with Indian, Japanese and Turkish counterparts. Trump remains vague about whether and how he will separate his presidency from the business ties he has to two dozen countries.

Trump’s inaugural extravaganza is shaping up to be a new standard for the pay-to-play politics he campaigned against.

Those giving $1 million or more toward the $75 million party weekend will get perks including an “intimate dinner” with Vice President-elect Mike Pence and his wife, a candlelight dinner with an appearance by Trump, Pence and their wives. Those who can only afford $250,000 get an “intimate policy discussion and dinner with select Cabinet officials.”

No word yet on the menu for when these high rollers meet Trump’s billionaire appointees. But you can bet it will be rich.

Dana Milbank is a Washington Post staff writer and author

Have questions about the Scott Community Foundation?

Call 872-3790 or e-mail: julie@scottcf.org

Twilight far more dangerous than anything a Trump presidency presents.

So he will have his days in the sunlight. I just can stay inside. He is entitled to his parade; I just want to be ready when it ends. The one rule that the new media has only expedited is that what goes up will come down - and maybe go back up and down again.

Trump will be smarter than my friends think; he will move fast to get American companies a tax break to move their money home, keep the economy revving, Janet Yellin notwithstanding.

The Democrats, who were supposed to be united, are divided in so many groups I can’t count, from

The Scott County Record • Page 7 • Thursday, December 1, 2016

(continued from page six)

the Bernie Sanders liberals to the old Clinton conservatives. Anyone who consoles herself by saying that we also didn’t see Obama or Bill Clinton coming is wrong; we did.

But, for now, it’s Trump’s time. I’m not in denial, far from it. As one cabinet appointment after another is announced, it becomes clearer and clearer that this time the issue is both ideology and competence.

A president with a majority in both the House and the Senate ultimately wins most of these fights, at least until he starts losing. That, too, shall come.

It always does.

Business climate improves in Midwest A monthly survey of business supply managers shows improvement but still reflects relatively weak economic conditions in nine Midwest and Plains states.

The Mid-America Business Conditions Index report released Thursday says the overall economic index for the region rose to 46.5 in November from 43.8 in October.

Creighton University economist Ernie Goss oversees the survey, and he says he expects the overall regional economy

will continue to underperform the national economy because of the region’s dependence on agriculture and energy.

The survey results are compiled into a collection of indexes ranging from zero to 100. Survey organizers say any score above 50 suggests growth in that factor. A score below that suggests decline.

The survey covers Arkansas, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Oklahoma and South Dakota.

Susan Estrich is a columnist and law and political science professor at USC

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Stakes WCA and developed the final plan, feels that more water rights holders are becoming interested in participating.

“I’m optimistic about the sign-up, especially after the turnout at today’s meeting,” he said. “People are getting a better understanding as to how this will work. They’re hearing testimony from others who are having success with a reduction in their irrigation usage.”

Some of that success was shared by panel members who told of their farming operations and how they’ve adapted to less irrigation.

Tom Willis, who operates T&O Farms in Finney County which has been designated a WCA, also operates ethanol plants in Garden City and Liberal.

Those plants use 65-70 million bushels of grain annually.

“We’d prefer that it be Kansas grain,” he said.

When T&O became the third designated WCA in Kansas, its water use reduction was set at 33 percent. The long-range target is 50 percent.

He’s seen a savings in water, fertilizer and equipment maintenance costs.

Jeff Tourleumke, a banker who also owns farm ground in the Sheridan 6 LEMA, says that participation in the LEMA has “made us more conscious of our water use - and of our neighbors.”

He also sounded a warning to water users in Western Kansas if they don’t take a more significant approach to better conservation of the Ogallala.

“If people perceive that

Budget “Previous governors have stepped up and done what they needed to do to balance the budget before we’d go into a legislative session, and I think this is a clear indication that he’s looking to move on and do other things and leave our state in one hell of a mess.”

Brownback said Tuesday that he will roll his budget plan out in “due time and due course” and would not offer any details of his plan for fixing

Grief 9) Remind the person you are thinking of him or her and the loved one who died. Cards, phone calls and visits are great ways to stay in touch.

In general, the best way to help those who are grieving during the holidays is to let them know you care and that their loved one is not forgotten.

The Scott County Record • Page 8 • Thursday, December 1, 2016

(continued from page one)

Do we all take ownership of the commons or do we say ‘I can’t afford to take ownership because my neighbor isn’t’? If that happens, then we all back away and we all hit the wall at the same time.

Terry Woodbury Wichita County landowner we’re doing something to conserve, then it lessons the risk of people in the cities telling us what to do with our water,” he says.

Working Together Not doing something would be what Brownback described as a “tragedy of the commons.”

“Because the water resources belong to everyone, everyone has a shared responsibility in the success or the failure of conservation efforts,” he noted.

Whether everyone buys into that shared responsibility is the big question, says committee member Terry Woodbury, who farms in northern Wichita County, but shut off his well seven years ago.

“What happens when someone wants to buy in and the neighbor doesn’t?

That forces the participating landowner to ask himself, can he afford to do this or is there long-term benefit if he and most of his neighbors join in,” he says. “Do we all take ownership of the commons or do we say ‘I can’t afford to take ownership because my neighbor isn’t’? If that

Explaining the data on a chart that appears on a video screen is Shawn Beach of the USDA’s Rick Management Agency. Panel members to his left are Mike Meyer, water commissioner with the Division of Water Resources, and Tracy Streeter, director of the Kansas Water Office. (Record Photo)

WCA Appointments Monday and Wednesday Dec. 5 and 7 • 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

C.A.R.E. Business Center in Leoti DWR staff available to sign-up and analyze individual water rights.

For more information contact Lonnie Busch (874-2137) or Simone Elder (785) 626-0666

happens, then we all back away and we all hit the wall at the same time.”

Regardless of the level of participation, the WCA board says they are fully committed to this program.

“We’re talking about giving this two years and see what kind of participation we have. If it’s not where we feel it needs to be in order to be successful, we may feel compelled to look at establishing some form of a LEMA rather than remain with a voluntary program.”

Watt feels the voluntary WCA will prove successful.

He says that some landowners may not commit all of their wells to the program, but will enroll some. Evidence has shown that people who adopt more stringent conservation practices for some wells become much more conscientious about how they are using other wells.

We believe that if someone doesn’t commit all of their wells to the WCA they will eventually begin applying similar conservation practices to those wells which aren’t enrolled.

“Just getting started may be enough to change

and Brownback does not want to be perceived as influencing leadership elections.

Some lawmakers have speculated that Brownback’s decision to delay addressing the budget shortfall could be tied to his possible consideration for a role in Presidentelect Trump’s administration. Brownback refused to answer Tuesday whether he was under consideration for a Cabinet post or an ambassadorship.

(continued from page three)

Many people are not aware that their community hospice is a valuable resource that can help people who are struggling with grief and loss.

Grief Support Groups Dodge City: Nancy Renner; 200 Fourth Circle; meet second and fourth Thursdays from

6:30-8:00 p.m. at Hospice of the Prairie office. Call 620-227-7209.

Garden City: Garden City Grief Support Group; second Tuesday of each month from noon to 1:00 p.m.; High Plains Public Radio Station, 210 N. 7th Street. Call 1-620-2722519.

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at The Scott County Record from 3:00-5:30 p.m. • Photos can be purchased

us what to do and how it will be done,” says Watt.

“I don’t think any of us want to see that happen.”

Likewise, Woodbury feels the action being taken by Western Kansas irrigators is being watched by lawmakers and others from eastern Kansas who worry that the state’s resources aren’t being used responsibly.

“There will come a time when our lack of action threatens the economy of Kansas. When the highest producing ag region in the world starts to see diminishing production, it doesn’t just affect ag producers. It will affect every hub community throughout the region, from Garden City to Hays and Hutchinson and beyond,” emphasized Woodbury.

“There’s a psychological hammer that’s just hanging there waiting to be used if we don’t do something.”

Buy of the Week

(continued from page two)

the shortfall. He did say his office has not met with any lawmakers on the issue and is discussing matters internally instead.

Sen. Jim Denning, ROverland Park, the vice chairman of the Senate budget committee, told The Eagle last week that he had offered to meet with the governor about a budget fix. Denning said the offer was refused because he is running for Senate majority leader

an individual’s thinking and their irrigation practices,” Watt says.

Woodbury says that as farmers change their practices and learn for themselves the benefits of using soil probes and, for example, reductions in their end-of-season watering, those successes will be shared with others.

“Eventually, we reach a tipping point. Tipping points never happen in the first year. It takes time,” Woodbury says. “People have to believe. They have to see that it’s working for other farmers.”

To further delay action, both committee members emphasized, is not an option. While Brownback expressed reluctance to use a “hammer” on water rights holders, most are in agreement that the threat of that hammer still exists.

“The incentive is to do this voluntarily. If we don’t, then someone else will come in here and tell

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Youth/Education

Section B Page 9 Thursday, December 1, 2016

Partnership will expand broadband to schools A new initiative has been announced whose goal is to bring affordable high-speed internet access to every school in the state over the next three years.

The Kansas Connect and Learn Initiative will use as much as $100 million in federal and state utility funds, along with resources from a private philanthropic organization, to bring fiber-optic cable and broadband connectivity to an estimated 10-20 percent of Kansas schools that currently don’t have it.

Fringe benefit costs jump for Ks. schools The Kansas Association of School Boards has released a report on teacher contracts and salary negotiations.

Much of the data looks at salaries and negotiated agreements over the past decade. Some of the key findings include: Between 1995-96 and 2015-16: The average teacher base salary increased 47% from $23,427 to $34,386, while the average fringe benefits increased 236% from $1,767 to $5,935.

The average base salaries for teachers have increased at a higher rate for larger districts.

The increases in boardpaid fringe benefits for districts of different sizes have been fairly consistent, with teachers at larger districts receiving more fringe benefits than those from smaller districts.

The largest increase in the average package increases were seen between 2004-05 and 2005-06, and the largest decreases in the average package increases were seen between 2008-09 and 2009-10.

Average annual leave allocations by type have remained fairly consistent with the following average number of days per year: Sabbatical 179, Emergency 53, Family 67, All Purpose 10, Medical 10, Personal 3, Bereavement 4, Maternity 26, Legal 3, Association 8, Professional 3, and Other 5.

Average daily substitute pay increased from $61.56 to $89.87.

Districts paying for unused leave increased from 70% to 95%.

Districts paying for unused leave at retirement increased from 50% to 75%.

Districts paying for unused leave at maximum accumulation increased from 30% to 60%.

Districts paying for unused leave at death or resignation remained around 30%.

The maximum accumulation of leave to be paid for small and medium districts remained between 40 and 60 days.

The maximum accumulation of leave to be paid for large districts (See FRINGE on page 16)

“Unfortunately, 21st century learning is only available in schools where they have highspeed connectivity, and too many of Kansas’ students and schools don’t have the broadband they need and are being left on the wrong side of the K-12 digital divide,” said Evan Marwell, founder and CEO of the San Francisco-based EducationSuperHighway, which is spearheading the project.

The initiative calls for using an estimated $10

million from the Kansas Universal Service Fund, which is managed by the Kansas Corporation Commission and comes from fees charged on customer telephone bills.

That money will be used as matching funds to draw down as much as $90 million from a similar federal pool of money commonly known as the E-Rate Program that helps fund internet connections for schools and libraries nationwide.

Marwell said his organization will provide

technical support, at no cost, to identify schools and districts most in need of upgrades, and then to work with cable and phone companies and other internet service providers to develop specific plans for each district and building in the program.

Marwell founded EducationSuperHighway in 2012 as a charitable, nonprofit organization with the mission of upgrading internet access in every public school classroom in America.

The organization is fund-

ed with private donations, and in 2014 reported a net asset value of about $6.4 million.

Kansas Education Commissioner Randy Watson said about 90 percent of the school districts in Kansas already provide students with computer tablets, laptops or other devices to use in the classroom.

“What hampers that in some cases is the connectivity speed with which they’re able to access internet resources,” Watson said. “That’s what

we’re trying to scale up here.”

Brownback said about 25 percent of the state’s school districts have reported that they do not believe they have adequate broadband capacity to support a full range of internet-based instruction. He said about 300 schools in Kansas, mainly in smaller towns and rural communities, still lack connection to fiber-optic networks.

Marwell said the state and federal money will (See BROADBAND on page 16)

he’s a mean one

Scott City Elementary School fourth grader Amelia Ramsey leads chorus members in singing “You’re a Mean One, Mr. Grinch,” during the Christmas musical “Jingle Bell Jukebox.” The matinee performance was Thursday afternoon with another performance in the evening.

(Record Photo)

506 S. Main Street • Scott City (620) 872-7224

117 N. 4th Street • Leoti (620) 375-4800

*Qualification Information: Qualifications vary by account. Account transactions and activities may take one or more days to post and settle to the account and all must do so during the Monthly Qualification Cycle in order to qualify for the account’s rewards. “Monthly Qualification Cycle” means a period between one (1) business day prior to the first day of the current statement cycle through one (1) business day prior to the close of the current statement cycle.

Reward Information: Rewards vary by account. When account qualifications are met you will receive reimbursements up to $25.00 ($4.99 per single transaction) for nationwide ATM fees incurred during the Monthly Qualification Cycle in which you qualified. An ATM receipt must be presented within sixty (60) calendar days of transaction for reimbursements of individual ATM fees of $5.00 or higher. In addition, depending on what Kasasa checking or savings account you have, you will also receive one of the following cash rewards: Interest on your checking balances (Kasasa Cash) or cash back on debit card purchases (Kasasa Cash Back). When your Kasasa account qualifications are not met, only non-qualifying interest is earned in the interest bearing account (Kasasa Cash) and all other reward distributions are not made. Rewards will be credited to your Kasasa account on the last day of the current statement cycle.

Additional Information: Account approval, conditions, qualifications, limits, timeframes, enrollments, log-ons and other requirements apply. Monthly enrollment and log-on to online banking, receipt of electronic statements, and 12 debit card purchases post and settle to account are qualifications of these accounts. Limit one (1) account per individual taxpayer identification number. There are no recurring monthly service charges or fees to open, maintain, or close this account. Contact one of our bank representatives for additional information, details, restrictions, processing limitations and enrollment instructions. Member FDIC. Kasasa, Kasasa Cash, Kasasa Cash Back, and Kasasa Saver are trademarks of Kasasa, Ltd. Registered in the U.S.A.

For the Record

The Scott County Record

The Scott County Record Page 10 • Thursday, December 1, 2016

Lawmakers won’t call Medicare change ‘privatize’ Kansas members of Congress agree that Medicare should probably be changed. But they are reluctant to refer to a potential Medicare overhaul as “privatization” just yet.

House Speaker Paul Ryan has indicated plans for privatization when discussing Medicare changes. According to Ryan’s

model, which he has dubbed a “premium support” program, Medicare would change from a single-payer system to one in which Medicare recipients use government benefits to buy insurance from private providers.

But “privatization” isn’t proving to be a buzzword.

“Medicare is an

Scott County Commission Agenda Tuesday, December 6 County Courthouse 3:00 p.m. County Business 1) Discuss weather modification program 2) Consider extension on land purchase/ development by Robert Mangold 3) 2016 real estate tax for GWMD No. 1 4) November payroll 5) November accounts payble 6) Approve Nov. 14 commission minutes 3:30 p.m. Suzanne Griffith request for county

liquor license 4:00 p.m. Request from district court to

redecorate the courtroom 4:30 p.m. Public Works Director Richard Cramer Agenda may change before the meeting. Contact County Clerk Alice Brokofsky for an updated agenda (872-2420) or visit www.scott.kansasgov.com

Scott City Council Agenda Monday, December 5 • 7:30 p.m.

City Hall • 221 W. 5th •Call to Order •Approve minutes of Nov. 21 regular meeting

important program for many Kansans,” said Michael Byerly, a spokesman for Rep. Lynn Jenkins of Kansas’ 2nd Congressional District.

“Congresswoman Jenkins is working to ensure this vital program is protected and strengthened for our seniors.”

Rep. Kevin Yoder of Kansas’ 3rd Congressional

District didn’t use the word either.

“Congressman Yoder supports efforts to reform Medicare to ensure it remains viable and solvent for generations to come,” said spokesman C.J. Grover.

Meanwhile, Rep.elect Roger Marshall, the obstetrician-gynecologist who will succeed

Helping others is as much a part of the holiday season as decorating our homes, eating great food and singing Christmas carols. Many wonderful organizations conduct special fund-raising drives during the holidays to provide support for those in need.

Unfortunately, scam artists too often take advantage of the giving spirit of the holidays to find ways to get your generous donations into their pockets instead of a worthy cause.

Make sure your donations go to support authentic charitable organizations by making a plan before you give. Here are some tips to help you

consumer corner office of the Kansas Attorney General

make those plans: Control your donations. Instead of waiting for a solicitation to come by phone, mail or email, decide ahead of time what organizations you want to support and contact them directly.

Support local, established charities. While there are many large, international organizations that do great work, your donations can often have a greater impact when they support a cause close to your community, where you can see the results of your donations.

Public Notice

•Electric line right-of-way easement (landfill)

(First published in The Scott County Record on Thurs., Nov. 17, 2016; last published Thurs., Dec. 1, 2016)3t Scott County Mill Levy Rates I, Lark Speer, Scott County Treasurer, certify that the tax levies per $1,000 as valuation for the 2016 tax year are as follows:

•Appointment to Airport Commission •Open bids for airport concrete taxiway •Scott County Development Committee 1) Update by director Katie Eisenhour •Building Inspector Paul Kasselman 1) Discuss permit fee schedule •Mayor’s appointments 1) Planning/Zoning Commission 2) Scott Recreation Commission board

State . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

1.500

County . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

69.188

City . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

72.479

USD No. 466 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

57.950

USD No. 466 - Scott Recreation Commission . . .

2.250

USD No. 468 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

51.366

USD No. 468 - Recreation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

1.000

Fire District . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

1.312

Wet Walnut Watershed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

3.052

Isbel Township . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

0.229

Lake Township . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

0.480

Valley Township . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0.500

•Department heads report on employee assistance program •Open agenda: audience is invited to voice ideas or concerns. A time limit may be requested Police Department 1) Misc. business Parks Department 1) Misc. business Public Works Department 1) Misc. business Clerk’s Department 1) Misc. business •Mayor’s comments

healthcare.

“As I understand it, they aren’t pushing for privatization. Their model would give seniors more freedom to choose the best plan for them and would force providers to compete against each other on price and quality,” Marshall said.

(See MEDICARE on page 11)

The season for giving is also the season for scams

•Ordinance No. 1178 (mayor’s appointments)

•Mayor’s proclamation honor Keith Burgess for service on Airport Commission

Rep. Tim Huelskamp in Kansas’ 1st Congressional District, says he discussed changes to Medicare last week with Rep. Tim Price, whom Donald Trump says he’ll nominate to become Health and Human Services secretary.

In a statement, Marshall said he was “impressed” with Price’s approach toward senior citizen

Lark Speer Scott County Treasurer

Do your homework.

Research the organizations you are considering supporting. Find out how much of your donation goes to support the charitable work of the organization and how much goes to fundraising and overhead expenses.

Make sure the charity is properly registered to solicit donations in Kansas. Most charities soliciting in Kansas are required to register with the Secretary of State’s office.

You can check to see if the charity is registered by visiting www.kscharitycheck.org. Please note, many religious organizations are not required to register.

Ask if your donation is tax deductible. Not all donations to charities are tax deductible. You can check a charity’s status with the IRS at www.irs. gov. When in doubt, double-check with your tax preparer before assuming a donation will be tax deductible.

Document your donation. Make the donation by credit card or check - not cash. If you pay by check, make the check payable directly to the organization, not to the fundraiser soliciting the donation. Ask for a receipt to show the amount of the donation and if you specified your donation toward a specific project.

The Scott County Record • Page 11 • Thursday, December 1, 2016

Public Notice (First published in The Scott County Record Thurs., Dec. 1, 2016; last published Thurs., Dec. 15, 2016)3t IN THE DISTRICT COURT OF SCOTT COUNTY, KANSAS In the Matter of the Estate of JOAN MACDONNELL, deceased Case No. 2016-PR-09 NOTICE OF HEARING THE STATE OF KANSAS TO ALL PERSONS CONCERNED: You are hereby notified that a Petition has been filed in this Court by Connie MacDonnell, duly appointed, qualified and acting executor of the Estate of Joan MacDonnell, deceased, praying that her acts be approved; that the Will be construed and the Estate be assigned to the persons entitled thereto; that fees and expenses be allowed; that the costs be determined and ordered paid; that the administration of the Estate be closed; that the Executor be discharged and that she be released from further liability.

You are required to file your written defenses thereto on or before the 23rd day of December, 2016, at 10:00 o’clock a.m., of said day, in said Court, in the City of Scott City, in Scott County, Kansas, at which time and place said cause will be heard. Should you fail therein, judgment and decree will be entered in due course upon the Petition.

Connie MacDonnell WALLACE, BRANTLEY & SHIRLEY 325 Main - P. O. Box 605 Scott City, Kansas 67871 (620) 872-2161 Attorneys for Petitioner

Public Notice (First published in The Scott County Record, Thurs., Nov. 24, 2016; last published Thurs., Dec. 8, 2016)3t IN THE DISTRICT COURT OF SCOTT COUNTY, KANSAS IN THE MATTER OF THE ESTATE OF ROBERT A. McDANIEL, deceased Case No. 2016-PR-15 NOTICE OF HEARING THE STATE OF KANSAS TO ALL PERSONS CONCERNED: You are hereby notified that a Petition has been filed in this Court by Thomas K. McDaniel, duly appointed, qualified and acting executor of the Estate of Robert A. McDaniel, deceased, praying that his acts be approved; that the Will be construed and the Estate be assigned to the persons entitled thereto; that fees and expenses be allowed; that the costs

be determined and ordered paid; that the administration of the Estate be closed; that the Executor be discharged and that he be released from further liability.

You are required to file your written defenses thereto on or before the 15th day of December, 2016, at 2:00 o’clock p.m., of said day, in said Court, in the City of Scott City, in Scott County, Kansas, at which time and place said cause will be heard. Should you fail therein, judgment and decree will be entered in due course upon the Petition.

Thomas K. McDaniel WALLACE, BRANTLEY & SHIRLEY 325 Main - P. O. Box 605 Scott City, Kansas 67871 (620) 872-2161 Attorneys for Petitioner

Public Notice

(First published in The Scott 2016, at 10:00 AM, the folCounty Record, Thurs., Nov. lowing real estate: LOT TWO (2) OF BLOCK 17, 2016; last published THREE (3) IN EAST Thurs., Dec. 1, 2016)3t ACRES ADDITION TO IN THE DISTRICT COURT OF SCOTT CITY, KANSAS, SCOTT COUNTY, KANSAS commonly known as 202 CIVIL DEPARTMENT Antelope Street, Scott Nationstar Mortgage LLC City, KS 67871 (the d/b/a Champion Mortgage “Property”) Company to satisfy the judgment in the Plaintiff, above-entitled case.

The vs. sale is to be made without Lynda F. Burnett, et al. appraisement and subject Defendants to the redemption period as Case No. 16CV1 provided by law, and further Pursuant to K.S.A. Chapter 60 subject to the approval of the NOTICE OF SALE Court. For more information, Under and by virtue of an Or- visit www.Southlaw.com der of Sale issued to me by Glenn Anderson, Sheriff the Clerk of the District Court Scott County, Kansas of Scott County, Kansas, the Prepared By: undersigned Sheriff of Scott SouthLaw, P.C. Public Notice County, Kansas, will offer for Mark Mellor (KS #10255) sale at public auction and 245 N. Waco, Suite 410 (First published in The Scott sell to the highest bidder for Wichita, KS 67202 County Record Thurs., Dec. cash in hand, at the Front (316) 684-7733 1, 2016; last published Door of the Courthouse at (316) 684-7766 (Fax) Thurs., Dec. 15, 2016)3t Scott City, Scott County, Attorneys for Plaintiff IN THE DISTRICT COURT OF (187209) SCOTT COUNTY, KANSAS Kansas, on December 13, Pursuant to K.S.A. Chapter 59 In the Matter of the Estate Public Notice of MARY ALBERTA ISEMINGER, Deceased Case No. 16-PR-10 (First published in The Scott Executor named in the Last County Record, Thurs., Nov. Will and Testament of Ronald NOTICE OF HEARING THE STATE OF KANSAS TO 24, 2016; last published D. Studley, deceased.

All creditors of the above ALL PERSONS CONCERNED: Thurs., Dec. 8, 2016)3t named decedent are notiYou are notified a Petition IN THE DISTRICT COURT OF fied to exhibit their demands SCOTT COUNTY, KANSAS has been filed in this Court against the Estate within four

by Marcia Iseminger, duly IN THE MATTER OF THE months from the date of the appointed, qualified and ESTATE OF RONALD D. first publication of this noacting Administrator of the STUDLEY, deceased Estate of Mary Alberta IsemCase No. 2016-PR-27 tice, as provided by law, and if their demands are not thus inger, deceased, requesting NOTICE TO CREDITORS exhibited, they shall be forthat Administrator’s acts be TO ALL PERSONS ever barred. approved; account be set- CONCERNED: Deborah K. Studley tled and allowed; the heirs You are hereby notified be determined; the Estate that on November 17, 2016, WALLACE, BRANTLEY be assigned to the persons a Petition for Probate of Will & SHIRLEY entitled to it pursuant to the and Issuance of Letters Tes- 325 Main - P. O. Box 605 laws of instate succesion; tamentary was filed in this Scott City, Kansas 67871 fees and expenses be al- court by Deborah K. Studley, (620) 872-2161 lowed; costs be determined an heir, devisee, legatee, and Attorneys for Petitioner and ordered paid; the administration of the Estate be closed; the Administrator be discharged and Petitioner and the surety on adminScott City Police Department istrator’s bond be released Nov. 23: Criminal damage to property was reported from further liability.

You are required to file at 705 Ora. your written defense to the Nov. 25: Joseph Hall, 31, was arrested on a warrant Petition on or before Decemfor failure to appear and transported to the LEC. ber 23, 2016, at 11:00 a.m.

Scott County Sheriff’s Department in the District Court, Scott Nov. 17: Crystal Martin was arrested on a Thomas City, Scott County, Kansas, at which time and place the County warrant and transported to the LEC. cause will be heard, Should Nov. 17: Donald Graham was served a warrant from you fail to file your written defenses, judgment and de- Garden City for failure to appear. cree will be entered in due course upon the Petition.

Marcia Iseminger Friendship ‘Meals to Go’ Administrator Good for special diets • only $3.25/meal • Call 872-3501 Dean K. Ryan 10923 117 Grant Ave. Garden City, KS 67846 (620) 275-9614 Attorney for Petitioners

Scott Co. LEC Report

Medicare (continued from page 10)

“The plan would still be federally regulated with federally mandated benefits and the option to continue in governmentrun Medicare if beneficiaries so choose,” Marshall continued.

The office of Michael Pompeo, representative for Kansas’ 4th Congressional District and President-elect Donald Trump’s pick for CIA director, declined to comment.

Ryan has discussed his intent to package Medicare changes with a repeal of the Affordable Care Act, commonly known as Obamacare.

In an interview with Fox News a day after the election, Ryan attributed the program’s alleged insolvency to the healthcare reform.

“Well, you have to remember, when Obamacare became Obamacare, Obamacare rewrote Medicare, rewrote Medicaid. If you are going to repeal and replace Obamacare, you have to address those issues as well,” Ryan said.

Pastime at Park Lane We offer our sympathy to the family of Dottie Fouquet who passed away on Nov. 22.

The Community Christian Church led Sunday afternoon services.

Residents played pitch and dominoes on Monday afternoon. Game helpers were Madeline Murphy, Joy Barnett and Bert Lucas.

Residents played Wii bowling on Monday evening.

Pastor Bob Artz led Bible study on Tuesday morning. Doris Riner and Elsie Nagel led the hymns.

Residents enjoyed chocolate ice cream cones on Tuesday afternoon.

Russel Webster led Bible study on Tuesday.

Christmas party is Dec. 10

Park Lane will host its Christmas party for residents and their friends and families on Sat., Dec. 10, 2:00-4:00 p.m.

Residents play bingo

Residents played bingo on Wednesday afternoon. Madeline Murphy and Mary Lou Oeser were the helpers.

Rev. Warren Prochnow led Lutheran Bible study on Wednesday morning.

Rev. Warren Prochnow led Lutheran services on Friday afternoon.

Mike Leach was visited by Rev. Don Martin and Linda Dunagan.

Delores Brooks was visited by Glenda Graham, Florence Daubert, Charles Brooks, Fritzi Rauch, and David and Cheryl Perry.

Sr. Citizen Lunch Menu Week of December 12-16 Monday: Mexican chicken, refried beans, tossed salad, tortilla chips, peaches.

Tuesday: Baked tilapia or chicken fingers, potato wedges, marinated tomatoes, whole wheat roll, creamy fruit salad.

Wednesday: Chicken griller breast with gravy, squash casserole, savory carrots, whole wheat roll, blueberry crisp.

Thursday: Roast beef, mashed potatoes and gravy, herbed green beans, whole wheat roll, ambrosia.

Friday: Roast pork, gravy, mashed potatoes, mixed vegetables, whole wheat roll, strawberries and bananas. meals are $3.25 • call 872-3501

Lawana Rothers was visited by Cecil and Kathryn Rothers and Janet Offutt.

Clifford Dearden was visited by Kirk and Janet Ottaway from Hays.

Yvonne Spangler was visited by Mona Spangler, Les and Mary Ann Spangler, Yvette Mills, Jillian VanCampen, Jerica VanCampen and Bryer VanCampen.

The Scott County Record • Page 12 • Thursday, December 1, 2016

Louise Crist was visited by Don and Tara Williams, Mark and Gretchen Graber, and Jean Burgess.

Cloide Boyd was visited by Dylan and Aurora Glunz, Colter and Emily Shore, Junior and Sharon Strecker; Kevin, Karen, Michaela and Will Strecker; and Ike Unruh.

Doris Riner had Thanksgiving dinner at Ron and Sue Riner’s home. She enjoyed Sunday lunch with Karen, Jane and Mary Lou. Doris was visited by Bill, Finley and Kaitley Edwards.

Lorena Turley was visited by Neta Sheeler, Rex Turley, Mary Lou Oeser and Karen Harms. Lorena enjoyed Thanksgiving dinner with some of her family.

by Jason Storm

Boots Haxton, Rod and Kathy Haxton, and Melissa Jasnoch were Thanksgiving guests of Janet Collins and her family of Oakley.

Vivian Kreiser was visited by Sharon Lock and Sara, Ian, Ethan, Janie and Easten Reimer.

Arlene Beaton was visited by Albert and Linda Savolt and JoNell Beaton.

Elsie Coleman was visited by Janice Lockman and Jennifer, Robby, Channing and Chesney Adams.

Cecile Billings was visited by Ann Beaton and Justin Singley.

LaVera King was visited by Carol Latham, Gloria Gough, Forrest Gough, Velda Riddiough, Shellie Carter, Hunter Wells and Milt Riddiough.

Corrine Dean was visited by Carol Ellis, Dianna Howard, Ron Hess, Warren Kropp and Wyatt Kropp.

Jim Jeffery was visited

by Nathella, Brei and Jett Humburg, and Jimalene Haddon.

Dona Dee Carpenter was visited by Gloria O’Bleness and Bill Huseman.

Loretta Gorman was visited by Velda Riddiough, Orville and Marcine Gorman, Chuck and Barb Brobst, Tava See and Charlene Becht.

Lowell Rudolph was visited by Tom and Kathleen Moore, LuAnn Buehler; Jeff, Brenda and Elizabeth Buehler; Chris, Jennifer, Madeline, DJ and Gabriel, and Rev. Don Martin.

The Scott County Record • Page 13 • Thursday, December 1, 2016

Deaths Roy L. Fairleigh Roy L. Fairleigh, 91, died Nov. 30, 2016, at the Scott County Hospital in Scott City.

He was born on Feb. 18, 1925, in Scott County, the son of Harry L. and Jennie (Graham) Fairleigh. A lifetime resident of Scott City, he was a a farmer and the owner and operator of Farm and Feedlot Supply for many years.

He was a founding member of the Community Christian Church in Scott City and was a past church elder.

On Sept. 4, 1946, he married Marian L. Ewert in Liberal. She died on July 6, 1999, in Scott City.

Survivors include a son, Mike, Pratt; a daughter. Dr. Sheila Collicott,

Charlotte Hall, Md., three grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by his parents and one brother, Floyd Fairleigh.

There will be no calling times.

A memorial service will be held Sat., Dec. 3, 10:30 a.m., at the Community Christian Church with Pastor Brian Thompson presiding.

Inurnment will be in the Scott County Cemetery.

Memorials, in lieu of flowers, may be given to the Roy L. Fairleigh Memorial Fund in care of Price and Sons Funeral Home, 401 South Washington St., Scott City, Ks. 67871.

Laura ‘Jean’ Rowton Laura “Jean” Rowton, 87, died Nov. 30, 2016, at St. Catherine Hospital, Garden City.

S h e was born Dec. 2, 1 9 2 8 , in Horace, the daughter of C h a r l e s Laura Rowton Richardson and Nellie Rebecca (Davis) Farmer.

She lived in Scott City since 1950, having moved from Tribune.

Laura was the Preceptor of the Beta Tau Chapter of Beta Sigma Phi Sorority, a member of American Legion Auxilary No. 183, and the United Methodist Women.

On March 25, 1950, she married Clyde Howard “Bud” Rowton in Syracuse. He died July 13, 2009.

Survivors include: four children, Betty Wilken, and husband, Fred, Derby, Charles “Chuck” Rowton, Scott City, Susan Escareno, and husband, Phil,

Garden City, and Becky Rowton, Scott City; 10 grandchildren and 19 great-grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her parents; husband; and two brothers, Charles Robert Farmer, Jr., and Don Farmer.

Visitation will be Fri., Dec. 2, 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m., and Sat., Dec. 3, 10:00-11:00 a.m., at Price and Sons Funeral Home, Scott City.

Funeral service will be Saturday at 2:00 p.m. at the First United Methodist Church, Scott City, with Jeri Farmer-Smith officiating.

Interment will be at the Scott County Cemetery.

Memorials are suggested to Scott County Shriners Club or Friends of Lake Scott State Park in care of Price and Sons Funeral Home, 401 S. Washington, Scott City, Ks. 67871.

Condolences may be sent to the family through the funeral home website at www.priceandsons. com.

Have questions about the Scott Community Foundation? call 872-3790 or e-mail: julie@scottcf.org

Attend the Church of Your Choice

Sense of Anticipation A voice of one calling in the desert: “Prepare the way for the Lord; make straight in the wilderness a highway for our God.” Isaiah 40:3 * * * The Israelite people took very seriously the prophecies concerning the coming of the Messiah. The scripture from Isaiah speaks to the forerunner of Jesus, John the Baptist. In the first chapter of Luke, the story of Zechariah and Elizabeth is recorded.

Zechariah, a priest in the Temple, was performing his regular duties when an angel appeared to him promising a son would be born to his wife, who not only was beyond normal child bearing years, had also been barren.

The angel’s words were: “Your prayers have been heard.” for they had been praying all their lives for the

gift of a child. Zechariah doubted it was possible and had his ability to speak taken from him for his doubt.

His wife Elizabeth did become with child and delivered a baby boy. When Zechariah named him John as directed by the angel, he regained his voice and began praising the Lord.

The words of Isaiah had come true 700 years from the time he spoke them. Over 400 years had passed since any prophet had been heard from in Israel until John the Baptist began proclaiming repentance and paving the way for Jesus.

As we relive the anticipation Israel had for the coming of the Messiah in this season of Advent, may we have that same anticipation for the return of Jesus, not as a lowly child in a manger, but as the King of Kings in all His glory! Praise be to God!

Pastor Jon Tuttle Prairie View Church of the Brethren, Friend

Scott City Assembly of God

Prairie View Church of the Brethren

1615 South Main - Scott City - 872-2200 Ed Sanderson, Senior Pastor 9:00 a.m. - Pre-Service Prayer 10:00 a.m. - Sunday Worship Service and Children’s Church Wednesday: 7:00 p.m. - Bible Study and Prayer

4855 Finney-Scott Rd. - Scott City - 276-6481 Pastor Jon Tuttle Sunday School: 10:00 a.m.

Morning Worship: 11:00 a.m.

Men’s Fellowship • Tuesday breakfast at 6:30 a.m. will be held at the church Wednesday Bible Study, 7:00 p.m., at the church

St. Joseph Catholic Church

Holy Cross Lutheran Church

A Catholic Christian Community 1002 S. Main Street - Scott City Fr. Bernard Felix, pastor • 872-7388 Secretary • 872-3644 Masses: 1st Sunday of month - 8:30 and 11:00 a.m.

Other weekends: Sat., 6:00 p.m.; Sun., 11:00 a.m.

Spanish Mass - 2nd and 4th Sundays, 1:30 p.m.

1102 Court • Box 283 • Scott City 620-872-2294 • 620-872-3796 Pastor Warren Prochnow holycross-scott@sbcglobal.net Sunday School/Bible Class, 9:00 a.m.

Worship every Sunday, 10:15 a.m.

Wed.: Mid-Week School, 6:00-7:30 p.m.

Pence Community Church

Community Christian Church

8911 W. Road 270 10 miles north on US83; 2 miles north on K95; 9 miles west on Rd. 270 Don Williams, pastor • 874-2031 Wednesdays: supper (6:30 p.m.) • Kid’s Group and Adult Bible Study (7:00 p.m.) • Youth Group (8:00 p.m.)

Sunday School: 9:30 • Morning Worship: 10:30 a.m.

12th & Jackson • Scott City • 872-3219 Brian Thompson, pastor Sunday School, 9:30 a.m.

Sunday Morning Worship, 10:45 a.m.

Wednesday Night Bible Study, 7:00 p.m.

Wednesday: God’s High School Cru, 7:30 p.m.

First Baptist Church

Immanuel Southern Baptist Church

803 College - Scott City - 872-2339

1398 S. US83 - Scott City - 872-2264

Kyle Evans, Senior Pastor Bob Artz, Associate Pastor

Robert Nuckolls, pastor - 872-5041

Sunday School, 9:30 a.m.

Sunday School: 9:45 a.m. • Worship: 11:00 a.m.

Sunday morning worship: 8:30 a.m. and 10:45 a.m.

Wednesday Bible Study, 7:00 p.m.

Gospel Fellowship Church

1st United Methodist Church

Morning Worship: 10:30 a.m.

5th Street and College - Scott City - 872-2401 John Lewis, pastor 1st Sunday: Communion and Fellowship Sunday Services, 9:00 a.m. • Fellowship, 10:15 a.m. • Sun. School, 11:00 a.m.

All Other Sundays • Worship: 8:30 and 10:45 a.m.

Sunday School: 9:30 a.m. • MYF (youth groups) on Wednesdays Jr. High: 6:30 p.m. • Sr. High: 7:00 p.m.

120 S. Lovers Lane - Shallow Water Larry Taylor, pastor Sunday School: 9:30 a.m.

First Christian Church

St. Luke’s Episcopal Church

701 Main - Scott City - 872-2937 Scotty Wagner, pastor Sunday School, 9:30 a.m.; Worship, 10:45 a.m.

Wednesday is Family Night Meal: 5:45 p.m. • Study: 6:15 p.m.

Website: www.fccscottcity.org

Elizabeth/Epperson Drives • Scott City • 872-3666

Scott Mennonite Church

Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints

12021 N. Eagle Rd. • Scott City

9th and Crescent - Scott City - 872-2334 James Yager • 620-214-3040 Sacrament, 9:30 a.m.

Sunday School, 10:50 a.m.

Relief Society and Priesthood, 11:20 a.m.

YMYW Wednesday, 8:00 p.m.

Franklin Koehn: 872-2048 Charles Nightengale: 872-3056 Sunday School Worship Service: 10:00 a.m.

Sunday Evening Service: 7:00 p.m.

Holy Eucharist - 11:45 a.m.

St. Luke’s - 872-3666 (recorded message) Senior Warden Cody Brittan • (913) 232-6127 or Father Don Martin • (785) 462-3041

The Scott County Record • Page 14 • Thursday, December 1, 2016

Kansas marketplace enrollment hits 25,000 The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Service reported Wednesday that 24,778 people in Kansas had signed up for insurance since open enrollment for 2017 started Nov. 1.

The number of people seeking insurance was up less than 2 percent compared to the same period during open enrollment last year.

President-elect Donald Trump and Republicans in Congress have pledged to repeal the Affordable Care Act, which is the health reform law that created the marketplace and subsidies for low- and middle-income people to buy health insurance. Plans for replacing the law vary, although some proposals include maintaining a similar marketplace.

Nationwide, about 2.1 million people signed up for insurance in the first month, up nearly 5 percent from the same period in 2015. Slightly less than one-quarter of customers nationwide were new to the marketplace, according to CMS. Data on customer characteristics wasn’t available at the state level.

About 69 percent of Kansans purchasing insurance had an option that would cost less than $75 per month, according to CMS. About 80 percent of marketplace shoppers nationwide qualify for subsidies, according to CMS. The lower-premium insurance plans might not be attractive to everyone, because they often include narrow hospital and physician networks and have high out-of-pocket costs. For some plans in Kansas, deductibles run as high as $12,000.

Despite the rise in out-of-pocket costs in recent years, fewer Americans reported struggling with medical bills in the first half of 2016 than five years earlier, according to a new report from the National Center for Health Statistics.

In 2011, about 21 percent of Americans reported they lived in a household that struggled to pay medical bills. In 2016, that dropped to about 16 percent, indicating about 12 million fewer people were in families that considered medical bills a strain.

Still, about 46 percent of adults in 2015 said they worried whether they could pay their medical bills if they became ill or had an accident and 9 percent reported they had delayed care due to its cost, according to the Kaiser Family Foundation. Both rates were lower than in 2011, however, a trend studies attributed partially to a lower uninsured rate.

Open enrollment for 2017 ends Jan. 31, although people who want their insurance to start Jan. 1 have to sign up by Dec. 15. Assistance is available for those who want to compare plans and sign up.

ACA’s uncertain fate create heartburn for health industry Julie Rovner Kaiser Health News

Six years into building its business around the Affordable Care Act, the nation’s $3 trillion health care industry may be losing that political playbook.

Industry leaders, like many voters, were stunned by the election of Donald Trump and unprepared for Republicans’ plans to “repeal and replace” Obamacare.

In addition, Trump’s vague and sometimes conflicting statements on health policy have left industry officials guessing as to the details of any substitute for

the federal health law.

“It will be repealed and replaced,” Trump said in an interview on “60 Minutes.”

At the same time, he vowed to preserve popular provisions of the law like ensuring that people with preexisting conditions can get insurance and allowing young adults to stay on their parents’ health plans.

Charles (Chip) Kahn, chief executive of the Federation of American Hospitals, said that before the election, health groups had not been meeting with Republicans about a rewrite of the law “because the working assumption was we had a program that

wasn’t going anywhere.”

Upending the health law plays havoc with a health industry that had invested heavily in strategies geared to the ACA’s financial

incentives. The flipped script initially left some industry groups speechless.

Others issued bland statements pledging cooperation (See ACA on page 15)

High-risk patients could see return of state insurance pools States may once again be responsible if ACA dismantled Bryan Thompson Kansas Health Institute

It wasn’t so long ago that health insurance horror stories fueled discussions around the family dinner table and the national debate over health care reform.

“One company said I was too heavy,” said Scott Svonkin, of Los Angeles, of the time he was denied an individual health policy

in 2005. Svonkin, 50, said two other insurers seemed OK with his weight but also turned him down, citing his asthma and his wife’s pregnancy, which could put the insurers on the hook for a dependent whose health was uncertain.

“I was horrified that insurance companies would turn me down,” said Svonkin, who now works for the L.A. county assessor and is chairman of the County Commission on Insurance.

Svonkin did get coverage, however, thanks to a state-run “high-risk” health insurance program, created

We were a stopgap, we were a holding place, a waiting area. We were always hoping (the program) would go away with the advent of national insurance reform.

- Richard Figueroa, an original staff member with the California program

for people who couldn’t get insurance because of pre-existing conditions such as a past illness or a chronic disease. Thirty-four other states created similar programs, which have since dwindled or dissolved because the Affordable Care Act required health insurers not to exclude people based on their health status. The pools used state money, such as tax revenue

or private insurer fees, to pay for their care.

Now President-elect Donald Trump and Republican Congressional leaders say they want to revive high-risk insurance pools for the sick or uninsurable.

But some California health officials and policy experts say that would be a big step backward - to a (See POOLS on page 15)

One family’s worry about cancer care without ACA Alex Smith Heartland Health Monitor

The recent election results stunned a lot of people who get health insurance coverage through the Affordable Care Act. President-elect Donald Trump and the Republican-controlled Congress say they want to scrap the law, but what might replace it remains unknown.

That has left some Missouri and Kansas families in limbo, unsure what will become of their medical care.

Among them are Keely Edgington, Beau Williams and their daughter Lula Williams. If you stop by Julep, Edgington and Williams’ Kansas City cocktail bar and restaurant, you might catch a glimpse of Lula just as it opens in the midafternoon.

She’s a blonde, blue-eyed 16-month-old who likes to check out the customers before the place gets too busy.

“She likes to go out there and essentially just stare everybody down and smile at them,” Edgington said.

You wouldn’t guess it from Lula’s shy but happy disposition, but she’s been through a lot in her short life.

When she was 9 months old, doctors discovered a neuroblastoma - a type of cancer that starts in the nerve cells of an embryo or fetus - in her adrenal gland.

Cancers in infants sometimes go away on their own, but Dr. Jaszianne Tolbert, a pediatric hematologist/ oncologist at Children’s Mercy Hospital, said Lula needed urgent surgery because the size and location of her tumor threatened her organs.

“Lula’s, actually, was sort of wrapped around some of her arteries, and so if that tumor were to get bigger and compress some of those structures, then you could have more problems than just the tumor itself,” Tolbert said.

To minimize unintended damage (See CANCER on page 15)

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The Scott County Record • Page 15 • Thursday, December 1, 2016

Some GOP voters skittish about full repeal of ACA With their party gaining control of both the White House and Congress, some Republican voters are growing hesitant about outright abolition of the Affordable Care Act and instead favoring a more cautious approach of scaling it back, according to a poll released Thursday.

Republican opposition to the ACA remains strong among voters for President-elect Donald Trump, with 81 percent of his supporters viewing it unfavorably, according

ACA with the next administration as they awaited greater clarity from the next president.

Said Donald Crane, who heads CAPG, a national trade group for physician organizations: “Nobody was ready for this. We didn’t have a Plan B.”

to the survey from the Kaiser Family Foundation that was conducted after the election.

Trump voters, however, also support many of the individual consumer protections in that law.

Trump and the Republican Congress have vowed to repeal the 2010 health care law and replace it with a notyet-specified alternative.

Lawmakers are mulling a variety of approaches, from immediate repeal to keeping the law operat-

Reason to Worry The results appear to have rattled the fragile industry coalition that the Obama administration carefully crafted to support the law. Looking ahead, some health sectors might have even more reason to worry.

The hospital industry may be the most vulnerable to proposed changes, which could result in millions of Americans losing health coverage, both through the insurance exchanges and expansion in the Medicaid program for those with lower incomes.

Hospitals cut a deal

Pools

Cancer

state program that offered long waits for coverage, high prices, limited benefits and few health plan choices.

“People would literally pass away while they were on the waiting list,” said Richard Figueroa, who was one of the original staff members of California’s program, the Major Risk Medical Insurance Program, when it started in the early 1990s. Later, he served on the governing agency’s board before it was dissolved under the Affordable Care Act. The program never had enough money to cover the need among the uninsured, Figueroa said. It had a $30 million to $40 million budget in a given year, mostly from tobacco tax revenue. Figueroa said the limit on how many people could enroll declined over the years, in part because costs kept rising. In 2011, fewer than 7,000 people were enrolled.

In the 1990s, thousands of people languished on waiting lists, Figueroa said. When their turn came for coverage, some people found they couldn’t afford the monthly premium.

“We never advertised.

Because why would you advertise something that wasn’t available?” said Figueroa, now the director of health and human services for the California Endowment.

The public overall remains essentially split on the Affordable Care Act, the poll found, with 43 percent wanting it repealed or scaled back and 49 percent wanting to keep or expand it.

Among supporters of Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton, 79 percent hold favorable views of the law.

With diminishment of the health reform law now a political likelihood, the portion of Republicans who want to repeal the

(continued from page 14)

with Congress and the Obama administration in 2009, when the Affordable Care Act was being drafted. They agreed to substantial cuts in Medicare and Medicaid reimbursement, anticipating that those cuts would be offset by increases in paying customers who were newly insured.

“If you’re a hospital, you’ve sort of made this deal that you’re going to get more coverage (so you) accepted Medicare cuts,” said Dean Rosen, a longtime Republican congressional staffer who now represents hospital, insurance and other health interests in Washington.

“What’s going to happen now?”

If expanded coverage under Obamacare goes away, Kahn said, then those cuts should be restored, “because those were done with the notion that uninsured people were going to have coverage.”

(continued from page 14)

ing until a substitute is designed, even if that takes several years.

A smooth transition is important for the 20 million people who gained health insurance through the law, and Republicans do not want to be blamed for lapses in coverage. The poll found that of those who want the law replaced with a Republican alternative, there is twice as much support for devising a replacement plan before repealing the law as there is for getting rid of it first.

to Lula’s organs, Children’s Mercy doctors installed a portal in her chest to deliver rounds of chemotherapy drugs into her heart.

The cost of the treatment was staggering. Edgington says she stopped looking at bills after they topped $350,000 - and that was before the surgery.

Most of the cost was paid for through the insurance the family obtained on the Affordable Care Act’s online marketplace.

As small-business owners, Lula’s parents said the exchange and subsidies they received were the only way they could afford coverage.

“We looked into insurance through other avenues, and it was just not possible,” Edgington said.

Still, the couple had to pay a deductible of $10,000 and take steps they never imagined to

Other sectors of the industry appear either at somewhat less risk or could even come out ahead under Trump and a Republican Congress.

While the pharmaceutical industry would stand to lose paying customers if the law was changed in a way that people lose insurance coverage, it could actually be a winner under a Republican president and Congress.

That’s because the industry will be less at risk of the price controls that Democrats were vowing to try to impose.

Insurers express mixed feelings about a potential repeal. The governmentrun online marketplaces where consumers can purchase federally subsidized coverage are a key pillar of Obamacare.

But many insurers have complained about losing money in those marketplaces because too many sick people are signing up and healthier consumers

are sitting out.

Some industry executives predict that the marketplaces will be curtailed and Republicans will try to shift some of that coverage to state Medicaid programs. One of the biggest growth opportunities for insurers under Obamacare has been the expansion of Medicaid managed-care contracts under which private firms take responsibility for a large group of low-income enrollees for a fixed amount of money.

That privatization of Medicaid could accelerate under the Trump administration, some experts predict.

“Whether it’s Medicaid managed care or the private insurance model, these companies get their money either way,” said Paul Ginsburg, a health economist and professor at the University of Southern California. “I don’t see much of a threat to insurers.”

(continued from page 14)

make ends meet.

“I had a friend that set up a gift fund for us and helped with everything (that) covered that $10,000,” Edgington said.

The good news is that Lula responded well to the treatment. She’s been in remission for a few months, and Tolbert said her outlook is good.

“Her age is one of the reasons for the great prognosis, plus the fact that she had really favorable characteristics,” Tolbert said.

“And so those patients have survival rates as high as 85 percent.”

But the family isn’t out of the woods by any means.

At a minimum, Lula will need intensive, expensive screenings and scans for a few years.

Then she’ll have to be monitored for health conditions that might result from her chemotherapy.

And there’s always the chance she might take a

turn for the worse.

Since the election, the couple say they’ve been walking on eggshells, waiting to see what happens with their coverage - and not just because they fear losing their subsidies.

Before the Affordable Care Act, insurance companies could deny coverage to individuals with pre-existing medical conditions and set lifetime limits on the amount they’d pay for someone’s care.

In the last week, Lula’s parents have been wondering how they’ll cope if the ACA, or its key provisions, are scrapped.

They’ve pondered a second mortgage, selling their business - and even more desperate measures.

“Do we have to move to Canada and hope we get coverage there?”

Edgington said. “That’s really extreme, but what wouldn’t you do for your child’s life?”

law has decreased to 52 percent from 69 percent in October. The poll identified a “slight uptick” in the share of people who want the law scaled back but not eliminated.

That view is now twice as popular among Republicans: 24 percent want to scale it back, up from 11 percent in October.

The poll found strong Trump voter support for some of the consumer protections that were part of the law, including allow-

ing young adults to stay on their parents’ insurance until age 26, reducing the amount Medicare beneficiaries have to pay for prescription drugs and providing financial assistance to lower-income Americans to buy insurance.

With diminishment of the health reform law now a political likelihood, the portion of Republicans who want to repeal the law has decreased to 52 percent from 69 percent in October.

The Scott County Record • Page 16 • Thursday, December 1, 2016

Broadband be used to pay for the up-front cost of bringing fiber-optic connection to schools and for upgrading bandwidth in schools that are already connected.

He said districts are usually responsible for paying the ongoing cost of internet connections, although in some cases federal money can be used to subsidize that.

He estimated that between 10 and 20 percent of Kansas school districts need to be upgraded “either to get fiber to

Debate policy increased when the Legislature eliminated the requirement that people must go through training to conceal and carry in 2015.

Sen. Jeff Longbine, R-Emporia, who plans to run for vice president of the Senate, brought an amendment last year that would have exempted the universities for an additional four years. It was voted down 26-11, but Longbine said that the issue could come up again this session.

Longbine, who cited the concerns of faculty and student senates, said that legislation to delay implementation would be more likely to pass if it was introduced as a bill so that both sides could present evidence at a hearing.

He said it’s difficult to predict how the new Legislature would act on the measure, noting that between the House and the Senate 58 of the 165 members will be new.

Medicaid The state’s Medicaid system will be a major focus this session, according Rep. Dan Hawkins, R-Wichita, who chairs a House Health and Human Services Committee.

The state is set to approve new contracts for

Fringe increased from 80 to 110 days.

The daily reimbursement rate for unused leave increased from $30 to $57.

Districts with a paid leave bank increased from 50% to 84%.

Districts with voluntary paid leave banks increased from 35% to 70%.

The maximum number of days allowed in paid leave banks increased from 150 to 200.

•Between 1996-97 and 2015-16: Districts with negotiation settlements tied to enrollment decreased from 15.1% to 2.2%.

Districts with tuition reimbursement plans decreased from 18.8% to 22.5%.

Districts with limits on salary schedule

(continued from page nine)

schools that don’t have it or to get more bandwidth so they can meet the needs of their students.”

Many school districts already provide students with computer devices and have broadband internet in their buildings.

However, that does not address internet connections after school, at home or in other public places so students can do their homework.

Marwell said the Kansas Connect and Learn Initiative does not address that issue, but he

said many districts and internet service providers have found creative ways to expand affordable access in rural areas and low-income neighborhoods.

“Some are putting (WiFi) access on their school buses and then parking them in neighborhoods so that kids can have it,” he said. “But really what we are seeing is a lot of service providers stepping up to provide access at discounted rates in some cases for students.”

(continued from page two)

KanCare, its privatized Medicaid system, which provides health care to disabled and low-income residents. Those contracts, which are set to be approved next year, will be scrutinized by lawmakers.

Hawkins wants to roll back a 4 percent cut Gov. Sam Brownback made to Medicaid provider reimbursement rates in May. Brownback made the cut as a short-term budget fix, but Hawkins said that it threatens to cut off medical access because many doctors and dentists can’t afford to continue to provide treatment to Medicaid recipients under the lowered reimbursement rates. Hawkins said the state could make up for the cost by increasing a tax on health maintenance organizations.

There’s also a question mark over whether there’s another run at expanding Medicaid under the federal Affordable Care Act. The gains made by moderate Republicans and Democrats in the election increases the likelihood that an expansion bill could pass the Legislature, but the long-term future of the Affordable Care Act is uncertain after Trump’s election.

Hawkins said he sent

(continued from page nine)

placements for new hires decreased from 22.7% to 14.6%.

Districts including disciplinary procedures in their negotiated agreements increased from 19.4% to 25.5%.

Districts requiring positive evaluations for step movement increased from none to 4.1% •Between 1997-98 and 2015-16: Teachers on average used between 6 and 7 days per year.

Teachers in larger districts were likely to use more days than those from smaller districts.

•Between 2001-02 and 2015-16: Districts including Family Medical Leave Act provisions in their agreements decreased from 62.5% to 47.2%.

a letter to the state’s congressional delegation seeking clarity about the future of Medicaid at the federal level, noting that Trump supports changing Medicaid to a block grant system.

Sex Education Two pieces of legislation could resurface in the new session dealing with sex education in schools.

House leaders canceled a debate last session on a bill, which would have required schools to get permission from students’ parents before providing them with sex-ed. The bill has been pushed by social conservatives for multiple sessions, but it has failed to advance to the governor’s desk.

One reason that House leaders canceled the debate last session, according to moderate Republicans, is that moderates had planned to bring an amendment to establish “Erin’s Law.” The law, which has already been adopted by 26 states, requires public schools to teach students about sexual abuse with the goal of preventing students from falling victim to it and informing parents and students how to respond if they suspect it is happening.

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Sports The Scott County Record

family ties New DHS coaching staff has long ties to Hornets basketball • Page 18

www.scottcountyrecord.com

Thursday, December 1, 2016

Section C • Page 17

Attacking the basket is emphasis for SC guards, post players If the upcoming season goes the way Sarah McCormick hopes, the Scott City girls will be spending a lot more time at the free throw line.

A point of emphasis as the Lady Beavers prepare for Friday’s season opener is being aggressive on the offensive end of the floor.

A lot of that responsibility will fall upon junior guard Bailey Latta who’s quickness and ability to drive to the basket created problems for opposing defenses last season.

“I need Bailey to penetrate much more this year because that’s her strength. When she can do that, she will get to the free throw line a lot more,” says McCormick, who expects to see a big improvement in Latta’s five points per game scoring average.

Likewise, more of that responsibility will also fall upon junior guard Kaitlyn Roberts (8.5 ppg) who was the team’s leading three-point shooter last year.

“She’s still more of a spotup shooter, but I’ve also talked (See SC GIRLS on page 22)

SCHS senior Paige Winderlin receives a pass while she works on post moves to the basket against defensive pressure from Kylee Logan.

(Record Photo)

It’s hoops tournament time for area high schools High school basketball teams Clarion Inn Southwest Classic throughout the area will be preThurs., Dec. 8 • in Scott City paring for a full slate of early SCHS vs Palmer Ridge (Colo.) season tournaments that get Girls, 6:30 p.m. • Boys, 8:00 p.m. underway next week.

Fri., Dec. 9 • in Scott City Scott Community High SCHS vs Wichita Trinity School will once again be par- Girls, 6:30 p.m. • Boys, 8:00 p.m. ticipating in the Southwest Sat., Dec. 10 • in Garden City Classic with first round action SCHS vs Purcell (Okla.) on Thurs., Dec. 8.

Girls, 2:30 p.m. • Boys, 4:00 p.m.

The round-robin format will have Scott City boys and and Wichita Trinity on Friday. girls hosting Palmer Ridge On Saturday, Scott City (Monument, Colo.) on Thursday will face Purcell (Okla.) High

School in the Garden City High School gym.

The Palmer Ridge girls are coming off a 13-10 season and return seven players with varsity experience.

They are led by senior point guard Sam Rippley who averaged 15 points and 3.2 steals per game. Also expected to contribute offensively are senior Jasmine Sanders (5-8, F/G) who averaged 9.8 points and 6.8 rebounds per game, along

with junior Mackenzie Suskind, a 5-foot-5 guard who averaged 7.7 ppg and 3.1 assists.

Giving the Lady Bears added depth are senior Regan Mukpik (5-7, G) who averaged 4.8 ppg and Marie Koogle (5-8, senior, F) who averaged 4.1 ppg.

SCHS girls’ head coach Sarah McCormick is anxious to see how her team will do against tough competition coming out of the gate.

“We’re going to be competi-

SCHS boys looking for guards to expand their offensive roles Tenacious defense was a trademark of the Scott Community High School boys during the highly successful tenure of former head coach Glenn O’Neil.

That defense was the foundation for Scott City’s six state title games and four state championships.

That won’t change under new head coach Brian Gentry for two big reasons.

It works and it’s what sets the table for the offense.

“Our offense begins with our defense,” says Gentry. “If we can play defense the way I feel we’re capable of, without getting into foul trouble, that should give us the opportunity for easy baskets from turnovers.”

But, Gentry is equally confident in the ability of his team to score in the half-court.

That success will begin with point guards Justin Faurot (sr., 5-10) and (See GUARDS on page 22)

tive in this tournament. But, I also think teams are getting the word that we’re not the doormat team in the league anymore, so they’ll be better prepared for us,” McCormick says.

“I felt that last year we were competitive in a lot of games, but too often we were playing catch-up. I don’t want that to happen this year. I expect us to be in games from beginning to end.”

(See HOOPS on page 20)

Injuries will limit WCHS offense The Wichita County High School boys will likely have a huge offensive void to fill when they open their season on Friday against Scott City.

Juan Alvarado, a senior who led the team with 17.1 points and 5.8 rebounds per game last season, isn’t likely to play due to a broken bone in his non-shooting hand.

Head coach Haydon Parks doesn’t know much longer Alvarado will be sidelined.

(See INJURIES on page 21)

Scott City junior Joe Evans goes through drills while assistant coach Alex Hutchins looks on during a recent practice.

(Record Photo)

Growing pains likely for defending champs As Dighton High School head coach Amy Felker looks across the floor during a recent basketball practice, she doesn’t just see two of the top players in Class 1A in Jordan Speer and Sara Cramer.

She sees a lot of young, inexperienced players surrounding them.

As a result, the defending Class 1A-Division II state champions may go through some early-season growing pains.

“We know that we’re not a state caliber team right now,” concedes Felker. “We will get to that point, but it will take awhile to figure out our weaknesses and what we need to do

to improve.”

While that’s happening, the Lady Hornets still figure to be one of the area’s top teams with the return of their two All-State players and leading scorers who have also been three-year starters.

Cramer, a senior guard, is the team’s offensive and defensive leader with 15.9 points, 4.4 assists and four steals per game a year ago. Speer, a 5-10 pivot, dominates inside with 13.1 points and 8.2 rebounds per game.

“Jordan and Sara know there’s a lot of burden on them in how far this team can go,” Felker says.

(See GROWING on page 19)

Dighton High School head coach Amy Felker gives rebounding pointers to her team during Monday’s practice. The Lady Hornets open defense of their state title on Friday against WaKeeney.

(Record Photo)

The Scott County Record • Page 18 • Thursday, December 1, 2016

Want instant coyote? Just add a little skunk Sometimes it’s a blessing, sometimes a curse, but I’ve always been a sucker for trying new ways of trapping coyotes.

You have to understand I’m usually the “skeptic’s skeptic.” I’m never sucked in by the endless banter of state fair hucksters as they try to sell me “the last mop I’ll ever own” or the glue that will hold an elephant from the ceiling by one leg, or the ladder that I should never be without.

The bizarre TV adds by

Outdoors in Kansas by Steve Gilliland

Super Car Guy telling me that (and I quote) “buying a car doesn’t have to suck” that evidently draw customers like honey on an ant hill just make me mad. In short, I’m not easily swayed or convinced by something new.

But when it comes to trapping, I often lose every shred of common

sense I ever had as I try some new way of fooling a coyote that I read about on the all-seeing and all-knowing internet or maybe in an old tattered trapping book I found at a garage sale.

There’s absolutely nothing wrong with trying new ways of doing things now-and-then. If no one ever tried anything new we’d still be talking on phones meant only for conversation and we’d always be stuck with cars we actually had to drive

ourselves (how ghastly.)

The problem with my trapping experiments is that they almost never work, and I never seem to learn that.

Prior to Thanksgiving, I had several coyote traps set on properties west of town. One property sat a half-mile off the road and was sandwiched between a creek and two other landowners.

To get there required driving across a long, narrow pasture, then out onto a soybean stubble field.

That particular corner of the field is low and stays wetter than the rest of the field after it rains.

Because of that, the soybeans had drowned out last spring leaving a large weedy patch the farmer had left standing when he cut the beans.

I reasoned coyotes would visit that weed patch often because it stood out in that corner of the field like white socks with black pants and was probably full of field mice for them to catch.

Family ties resume at DHS New head coach is familiar with Hornet hoops The coach is new, but a lot of what the Dighton High School boys do on the basketball floor will look very familiar to Hornets fans.

That’s not a big surprise given the Wilkens family history with Dighton basketball.

New head coach Ben Wilkens, who actually graduated from Hanston High School, is joined on the coaching staff by his older brother, K.J., a 2002 DHS graduate.

An assistant and advisor to the two coaches is their father Gene, a 23 year coaching veteran who spent 17 of those seasons as the Dighton boys’ coach.

Ben had been the junior high boy’s head coach the last four seasons, assisted by his father the last two years, prior to accepting the high school position.

Despite the strong influence from his father over the years, Wilkens says his coaching philosophy blends what he has learned from Gene, his high school head coach Oliver Salmans, and Fort Hays State University coach Rick Keltner.

“You learn something from everyone and you gradually shape that into your own coaching philosophy,” says Wilkens.

In many respects, however, he feels that

Dighton junior Isaac Torson finishes off a move to the basket while Tyler Lingg brings pressure from behind during Monday’s practice.

(Record Photo)

DHS fans won’t notice a dramatic difference in what the Hornets do on the floor. He believes in establishing the offense through the post and “in being very solid defensively, which I thought we were last year.”

Generating offense in the post will be much easier with returning lettermen Tyler Lingg and Isaac Torson.

Lingg, a 6-foot-5 senior averaged nearly a double-double last season with 13.5 points and 9.1

rebounds to go along with 4.1 assists. He was the team leader in all three categories. While Lingg gives the Hornets a strong presence in the paint, he also offers the flexibility of stepping beyond the three-point line where he also led the team with 39 percent accuracy (22-of56).

“We’ll put Tyler in positions to score - inside or outside,” notes Wilkens.

Another year of experience is expected to make Isaac Torson (3.9 ppg, 1.9

rpg) a much bigger factor at both ends of the floor.

“You can see that he’s playing with much more confidence. We look for him to have a good season,” says the head coach.

With the transfer of Jordan Horn to Scott City, the Hornets lost a point guard and 10.1 points per game. Initial plans are for that position to be filled by committee.

“I don’t know if we have a point guard in place. I’m not afraid to have Dylan (Foos), David

(Cramer) or Lake (Lewis) fill that spot. Tyler (Lingg) also has the ability to handle the ball,” Wilkens says.

Senior guards Foos (6.1 ppg, 2.5 apg) and Lewis (7.1 ppg, 2.1 rpg) will be expected to create scoring opportunities with their ability to drive into the paint. Cramer, a sophomore, will also assume a similar role.

Lewis also provides another three-point threat, hitting 28-of-75 last sea(See FAMILY on page 23)

As a way to set a trap near the weed patch, experiment No. 1 was to try making a “trash set” for the first time. That simply entails making a mound of trash or stubble from the field, putting some lure or scent on one side of it and setting a trap that will catch the coyote when it inspects the mound in what appears a likely spot to find a field mouse or two for lunch.

I raked together a bushel-basket sized mound of (See SKUNK on page 23)

Trout to be stocked at Lake Scott in December A second stocking of trout at Lake Scott State Park will be held during the first two weeks of December.

The initial stocking included 890 trout.

The next stocking will include 1,054.

Again this year, the stocking will be at Barrel Springs Pond only. The pond is located near the south entrace to the state park.

Everyone fishing for trout is required to purchase a permit ($14.50).

In addition, all residents 16 through 74-years-old and nonresidents 16 and older must also have a valid fishing license.

A trout permit is only good for a calendar year and will need to be renewed January 1.

For youth 15-years and under, who do not have a trout permit, the daily creel limit is two trout. If they do have a trout permit the daily creel limit is five trout.

For adults, the daily creel limit is five trout.

The possession limit is 15.

The trout season continues through April 15.

Additional stockings at Barrel Springs Pond will be held in January and February.

The Scott County Record • Page 19 • Thursday, December 1, 2016

Young matmen to Hoxie on Saturday Except for possibly the two lightweight divisions, Scott City wrestling coach Jon Lippelmann doesn’t like putting freshmen into his starting lineup.

He has few options this year if he wants to fill most of his weight classes.

With the loss of two varsity grapplers in the week prior to the season opener at Hoxie, along with a couple of injuries, the Beavers expect to put five freshmen and three sophomores on the mat this weekend.

The loss of several wrestlers means the Beavers won’t be sending anyone to a junior varsity tournament on Saturday at Hays-TMP. Instead, everyone on the roster will be making the trip to varsity action at Hoxie.

“It’s probably a tournament where some of our young kids can compete and do okay, but it’s not what I prefer to do,” says Lippelmann. “You don’t

Growing During a successful volleyball season in which DHS qualified for state, the two seniors also had to rely on some young players.

“They were very close as a team and I see that carrying over to basketball. They trust that their teammates will get the job done,” Felker says.

“Jordan and Sara know that for this team to be the best it can be, their teammates have to be involved.”

Summer MAYB tournaments and weekly alumni scrimmages also helped build team unity.

“Every time these young girls have a chance to play with Jordan and Sara it gets better,” notes Felker. “What I like seeing is that the younger girls aren’t playing timid and the two

Freshman Justus McDaniel gets ready to lock up a Peterson cradle after getting a reversal against Kaden Wren during Wednesday’s practice.

(Record Photo)

the foot has healed as hoped.

If another surgery is required, he will miss the entire season.

Some freshmen were already slated for varsity action, including Brandon Roberts (106), Justus McDaniel (120), Kaden Wren (126), Cale Goodman (170) and heavyweight Luke Wright.

The Beavers will have several state qualifiers and medalists on the mat this weekend, including Theron Tucker (soph., 113), Jarret Jurgens (jr., 152) and Wyatt Hayes (soph., 160).

Others expected to compete at the varsity level this weekend include Alex Depperschmidt

(jr., 132), Justin Hundertmark (soph., 138) and Kyle Sherwood (soph., 195).

Rounding out the SCHS roster are: Caleb VanDegrift (fr., 152), Alan Yeager (fr., 154), Izaac Miller (fr., 170) and Tre Stewart (sr., 220).

Saturday’s tournament action will begin at 9:00 a.m.

seniors have been wonderful be 5-foot-10 freshman Ella Roberts. leaders.”

“I’ve told her that a lot of Knowing Their Roles teams will double-team Jordan However, Felker says the and sag defensively in the lane, younger players still have to go along with double-teaming through the process of under- Sara. She has to be ready for standing their roles. her opportunities,” Felker says.

This will be new territory “Sara’s going to see teams overfor many of the Lady Hornets. playing her and Jordan and that The only two juniors saw no should set up some passes from varsity court time last year and Sara for easy points under the the sophomores saw very little basket.” action.

Offense isn’t Felker’s big Sophomores Emily Sheppard (1.1 ppg), Gentry Shapland (0.5 concern.

“When you have Jordan and ppg) and Kenadee O’Brien (0.4 ppg) will be counted on to con- Sara on the floor you’re going tribute offensively and “assume to have a lot of scoring oppora more important role on the tunities because those two will be drawing so much attention,” team.”

A newcomer who could help Felker says.

The bigger shoes to fill due to fill the offensive void left by the graduation of Dakota Hoffman graduation will be on defense.

(11.3 ppg) in the low post will “Last year, having Kiara

(Budd) and Sara at the top of the defense was such a powerful combination. We have to find someone who will step into Kiara’s defensive role,” Felker says. “And we need someone who will get Dakota’s rebounds from last year.”

The Lady Hornets will be smaller on the perimeter which will force them into playing more zone defense.

“It may take the first four or five games for us to figure our roles and what we need to improve on. It could be rocky,” Felker points out. “I think we have girls who can fill those roles eventually, but they are so young and so inexperienced.

“One thing I emphasize to the younger girls is that we don’t need any of them to be heroes. They just need to do

their jobs. It’s the little things they do, and do well, that will make us a good team.”

want to see young kids get too discouraged when they lose, even if it is to older, more experienced kids.”

The status of heavyweight Garrett Osborn is uncertain. He missed most of the football season due to a foot injury and surgery. Now that the cast has been removed it doesn’t appear

(continued from page 19)

Open With WaKeeney Dighton will open its season on the home floor with a WaKeeney team that should be improved from a year ago.

The following week they jump into the Castle Rock Classic at Quinter.

“No one is going to feel sorry for us because we’re playing so many young girls. We’re still the defending state champions and we’ve been the number two team in our league for a lot of years,” notes Felker. “The target is in our back and we know it.

“Everyone wants to beat the state champion, so we have to be ready to bring our ‘A’ game every night.”

Holiday Events Friday, December 16 LIVE MUSIC featuring 9ine Foot Squirrel

9:00 p.m. to Midnight - No Cover Charge

Friday, December 23 Karaoke/Ugly Sweater Contest Starting at 8:00 p.m.

1st Place gets CA$H

Saturday, December 31 New Year’s Eve Party featuring The Valentones Starting at 9:00 p.m. $ 5 Cover Charge

The Rec (Pool Hall) 318 Main Street • Scott City

For events and specials “Scott City Pool Hall”

The Scott County Record • Page 20 • Thursday, December 1, 2016

Castle Rock Classic

Sagebrush Shootout

Boy’s Division • Dec, 5, 6, 9, 10 • at Quinter

Pool A Wheatland-Grinnell

Hoxie

Mon., Dec. 5 • 7:30 p.m.

Varsity Gym

Mon., Dec. 5 • 7:30 p.m.

JV Gym

Quinter

Atwood

Dighton

Ellis

Tues., Dec. 6 • 7:30 p.m.

Varsity Gym

Tues., Dec. 6 • 7:30 p.m.

JV Gym

Quinter

Atwood

Dighton

Ellis

Fri., Dec. 9 • 7:30 p.m.

JV Gym

Wheatland-Grinnell

Girl’s Division • Dec. 5, 9 and 10 • at Brewster

Pool B

Fri., Dec. 9 • 7:30 p.m.

Varsity Gym

Hoxie

1) Golden Plains

5th Place Sat., Dec. 10 1:15 p.m.

Varsity Gym

Mon., Dec. 5 • 6:00 p.m.

South Gym

Friday, Dec. 9 4:30 p.m.

South Gym

3rd Place Sat., Dec. 10 4:45 p.m.

Varsity Gym

1st Place Sat., Dec. 10 8:15 p.m.

Varsity Gym

5th Place

Mon., Dec. 5 • 6:00 p.m.

Varsity Gym

Sat., Dec. 10 3:30 p.m.

South Gym

Mon., Dec. 5 • 6:00 p.m.

JV Gym

Dighton

Hoxie

Tues., Dec. 6 • 6:00 p.m.

JV Gym

Tues., Dec. 6 • 6:00 p.m.

Varsity Gym

Atwood

Ellis

Dighton

Hoxie

Fri., Dec. 9 • 6:00 p.m.

Varsity Gym

Quinter

Hoops The Palmer Ridge boys have six returning players with varsity experience. The only senior in that group is Tyler Trego (6-foot-4) who averaged 10 points and two rebounds per game last season.

Zach Hester (jr., 6-3, 205) gives the Bears some additional size in the paint. He averaged 5.4 ppg and 4.5 rpg in 22 games last season.

Palmer Ridge will also be looking for offensive production from junior Cory McLellan (6-2, 170) who averaged 6.4 ppg and 2.3 rpg, along with junior Nick Boldvich (6-2) who contributed 4.3 points per game.

Castle Rock Classic Dighton High School will be traveling to Quinter for the Castle Rock Classic.

This year’s tournament will include just six teams.

Sat., Dec. 10 5:30 p.m.

South Gym

2) Logan

Champion

Friday, Dec. 9 4:30 p.m.

North Gym

7) Wichita County

Friday, Dec. 9 6:00 p.m.

North Gym

3) Weskan Mon., Dec. 5 • 3:00 p.m.

South Gym

6) Triplains-Brewster

Wheatland-Grinnell

Ellis

5) Cheylin

North Gym

Pool B

Atwood

4) St. Francis

Mon., Dec. 5 • 6:00 p.m.

Castle Rock Classic

Quinter

Friday, Dec. 9 6:00 p.m.

South Gym

Mon., Dec. 5 • 3:00 p.m.

North Gym

Girl’s Division • Dec, 5, 6, 9, 10 • at Quinter

Pool A

8) Heartland Christian

Fri., Dec. 9 • 6:00 p.m.

JV Gym

Wheatland-Grinnell

5th Place Sat., Dec. 10 11:45 a.m.

Varsity Gym

3rd Place Sat., Dec. 10 3:00 p.m.

Varsity Gym

7th Place

Sat., Dec. 10 • 3:30 North Gym

Sat., Dec. 10 • 5:30 p.m.

North Gym

3rd Place

Sagebrush Shootout Boy’s Division • Dec. 5, 9 and 10 • at Brewster 1) St. Francis Mon., Dec. 5 • 7:30 p.m.

South Gym

1st Place Sat., Dec. 10 6:30 p.m.

Varsity Gym

Friday, Dec. 9 3:00 p.m.

South Gym

8) Heartland Christian 4) Golden Plains

Friday, Dec. 9 7:30 p.m.

South Gym

Mon., Dec. 5 • 4:30 p.m.

North Gym

(continued from page 17)

They have been split into two pools with the winners of each pool playing in the championship game, the next two teams playing for third place and the final two teams playing for fifth.

The DHS boys will open pool play on Tues., Dec. 6, 7:30 p.m., against Quinter. That will be followed by WheatlandGrinnell on Fri., Dec. 9, 7:30 p.m.

Teams in the other pool are Hoxie, Atwood and Ellis.

The Lady Hornets will play Atwood in the opening round on Tuesday with tipoff at 6:00 p.m., followed by Quinter on Friday.

Competing in the other pool are Hoxie, Ellis and Wheatland-Grinnell.

Sagebrush Shootout Wichita County has dropped out of the Bluejay Invitational and will be competing for the

first time in the Sagebrush Shootout at Brewster which will be held on Dec. 5, 9 and 10.

The Lady Indians will face No. 2 seeded Logan on Monday at 6:00 p.m.

Golden Plains is the top seed.

The WCHS boys will also open against Logan, seeded No. 2, on Monday with a 7:30 p.m. tipoff.

Getting the No. 1 seed is St. Francis.

Parks feels the Sagebrush Shootout will be a good fit for the Indians.

“From top to bottom, I feel we can be competitive with everyone,” he said. “There will always be an outstanding team or two. St. Francis and Logan may be those teams this year. But, in the long run, I think everyone’s going to feel like they have a chance to compete and play well against everyone in the tournament.”

5th Place

Sat., Dec. 10 2:00 p.m.

South Gym

5) Cheylin 2) Logan

Sat., Dec. 10 7:30 p.m.

South Gym

Champion

Mon., Dec. 5 • 7:30 p.m.

North Gym

Friday, Dec. 9 3:00 p.m.

North Gym

7) Wichita County 3) Triplains-Brewster

Friday, Dec. 9 7:30 p.m.

North Gym

Mon., Dec. 5 • 4:30 p.m.

South Gym

6) Weskan

7th Place

Sat., Dec. 10 • 2:00 North Gym

Sat., Dec. 10 • 7:30 p.m.

North Gym

3rd Place

The Scott County Record • Page 21 • Thursday, December 1, 2016

200th is ugly, but helps KSU bowl status Last Saturday Bill Snyder racked up his 200th win as head coach at K-State and his eighth straight against traditional rival Kansas (3419). by Rather Mac than feeling Stevenson celebratory, Snyder said, “You know, I probably don’t sound in a pretty good mood, but I’m responsive to how we played and we played rather ugly today. I don’t feel good about that, I assure you.”

Regardless, the Wildcats are all alone in fourth place in the Big 12 at 5-3. K-State finishes the regular season at TCU this Saturday (Dec. 3).

It’s a perfect time to remind fans that all the experts predicted K-State would finish toward the bottom of the Big 12. Wrong again!

Kansas State is all set for another bowl game and Snyder returns the nucleus of another fine ball club for 2017. Time marches on, but Coach Snyder and his Wildcats have managed to maintain excellence over many seasons.

Questions With KU The question isn’t how formidable the Kansas basketball team is now, but what they will be come by tournament time in three months. It’s a hard call.

Coach Bill Self has a terrific group of perimeter players, which includes guards and small forwards.

Perusing the perimeter players as a group, the Jayhawks have four highly skilled ball handlers and passers: Frank Mason, Devontʹe Graham, Svi Mykhailiuk, and Josh Jackson. All four are exceptional passers and will only get better.

These same four players - with the exception of Jackson - are stellar outside shooters and Lagerald Vick can be added to the mix.

Vick will become a fine passer and ball handler, but he isn’t there yet.

Mason, Jackson, and Graham are unique drivers of the ball to the basket to either shoot or pass off.

Vick is coming on in this area and Mykhailiuk can become a proficient driver.

As for rebounding, Mason and Jackson are big(See UGLY on page 23)

Big 2nd half lifts SCMS over GB The game wasn’t pretty, but the Scott City Middle School seventh graders were able to overcome some sloppy play in a convincing 43-14 win against Great Bend on the home floor Tuesday.

The Lady Bluejays jumped out to a 9-0 first quarter lead, but numerous fouls and turnovers prevented them from getting into the flow of their offense. They stretched their lead to 28-12 after three quarters before closing out the game on a 15-2 scoring blitz.

Amber Latta and Brynn McCormick led the team with 15 and 14 points, respectively. Ella Rumford added five points.

‘B’ Team Cruises Like the “A” team, Scott City’s “B” team also jumped out to an early 9-0 lead and had no trouble rolling to a 27-13 win.

Ashleigh Hickert led the Lady Bluejays with 12 points and Sadie Hermosillo added nine.

‘A’ Drops First Game The “A” team girls dropped their first game of the season, 35-27, at Liberal West on Nov. 22.

Liberal took advantage of a 12-3 scoring run in the second quarter and they were 18-of-23 at the charity stripe.

McCormick scored eight points and Kennedy Holstein added seven.

Injuries “He’s been practicing with a hard splint. He wants to play, but he hasn’t been cleared to play,” says Parks. “We don’t want to risk having something happen until he’s 100 percent.

We’d hate to lose him for an entire season.”

The WCHS bench will also be a little light during the early part of the season with the added loss of Kolton Sheppard who won’t return to the lineup until after Christmas because of a broken bone in his foot.

Until the Indians are back to full strength, Parks admits that offensive production will be a concern.

A lot of the burden will fall upon senior point guard Jorge Gallegos (7.5 ppg, 2 apg) to run the show and create scoring opportunities for his teammates.

SCMS seventh grader Ella Rumford reaches for a pass in the paint during Tuesday’s win over Great Bend.

(Record Photo)

(continued from page 17)

To start the season, he will be joined on the floor by guards Brad Huber (jr., 1 ppg) and Ron Michel (so., 0.9 ppg).

The starting forward will be 6-foot-3 junior John Bierman (0.3 ppg, 1 rpg) and in the post will be senior Michael Tucke (6-0, 1.3 ppg, 2.7 rpg).

“Even though Michael’s our smallest post player, he’s physical and our most athletic post player,” says Parks.

Despite the lack of depth to start the season, Parks still wants to be aggressive with their press.

“It’s important for us, offensively, to create turnovers and score in transition,” Parks says.

Giving the Indians some help off the bench early in the season will be senior Matthew Schumacher (6-3, forward, 0.5

ppg) and 6-foot-2 freshman forward Sonnie Altman.

“For a younger player, Sonnie is pretty skilled, but he lacks the physical maturity of upperclassmen he’ll be playing against,” Parks says. “But, he’s played a lot of basketball and we look for some good minutes from him.”

Alvarado’s Return When Alvarado (5-foot-11) does return to the lineup, which Parks hopes may happen during the Sagebrush Shootout, it will definitely give the Indians a big offensive jolt.

“There’s no doubt that he’s a focal point of our offense and we want to get him touches,” says Parks. “While he has to be aggressive, he also has to be smart about taking what the defense gives him without

forcing too much.

“When he didn’t try to force things last year he got better shot selection and that’s when he had his best games.”

A year ago, Alvarado had six games in which he scored 20 or more points with a season high of 27.

Alvarado was the team’s leading three-point shooter last season (29-of-94, 31%) while Gallegos was 10-of-44. From two-point range, Alvarado was 107-of-184.

“Last year, he got a lot of his points from the three or driving to the rim,” Parks notes.

“We’ve moved him to the guard where he can take advantage of his size. He was pretty effective on the wing last year.

He’s got the skill to play there, but he needs to work on staying under control.”

The Scott County Record • Page 22 • Thursday, December 1, 2016

Guards

(continued from page 17)

newcomer Jordan Horn (jr., 5-10) to create scoring opportunities for their teammates with good ball movement on the perimeter and their ability to drive the gaps on defense and make passes to players in the paint for easier baskets.

Looking to Score Perhaps the biggest thing that has to change this year will be guards who are a greater offensive threat - on the perimeter and taking the ball inside.

“We were great at passing the ball on the perimeter,” notes Gentry. “But, far too often they weren’t looking inside and they weren’t giving guys in the post enough time to come off their screens and be available for a pass.

“We want to slow the boys down enough to read the defense instead of passing the ball a lot without a purpose.”

The Beavers have a wealth of talent and offensive capability with their guards.

That group is led by senior Bo Hess (14.7 ppg, 8 rpg) who can play any position on the floor. It was his ability to drive inside against man pressure that was often the key to Scott City’s success a year ago.

At the same time, teams also found that if they played zone and packed their defense in the paint it limited Hess’s effectiveness.

SC Girls to her about getting to the free throw line more.

She’s one of our top free throw shooters, but she can’t get to the line because she hasn’t been willing to penetrate,” says the head coach.

A newcomer to Scott City’s trio of guards is junior Macie Price who will run the offense at the point.

“She’s willing to play anywhere, but she’s played the point before and that’s where she’s most comfortable,” McCormick says. “I like what I’ve seen from Macie in practice, but I’ve never seen her as a game player.”

The head coach has a much better idea what to expect from her veteran players under the basket.

Senior forward Kiana Yager (10 ppg, 4 rpg) is joined by post players Paige Winderlin (sr., 5-10, 5.5 ppg, 6 rpg) and Emily Smith (jr., 5-11, 4 ppg, 7 rpg).

“I always put Paige on the most dominant offensive player. She’s not afraid to bang around on people and fight for rebound position,” McCormick says.

Smith, who didn’t begin seeing regular varsity minutes until the middle of last season, has emerged as the most improved player on the SCHS roster.

“She has such dominant post moves and her length is so valuable,” McCormick says. “What she can do defensively and offensively will surprise a lot of people. She’s coming into this season

Player

Scott City Boy’s Roster Pos. Year Ht. Pts. Reb.

Justin Faurot Bo Hess Kyle Cure Drew Duff Jess Drohman Reid Brunswig Jordan Horn Zach Carson Marshall Faurot Joe Evans

G G/P P G G P G F/P G F/P

Sr. Sr. Sr. Sr. Sr. Jr. Jr. Jr. So. So.

“Bo’s ability to get to the basket will continue to be important, however he also has to mix in the 10- to 15-foot pull-up jump shot. Teams in our league know what Bo’s capable of doing, so I imagine they’ll continue to pack it in a little bit and make him shoot from the outside,” Gentry says.

“If we can get other guys to step up what they bring offensively that will do more for Bo’s game than his ability to hit the 10-foot jumper. That will limit the ability of other defenders to slide off their man and provide help to whoever is guarding Bo.” Senior guard Drew Duff (8.1 ppg) is the second leading scorer who returns from a year ago.

He was also the team’s most accurate shooter from threepoint range (47-of-122, 39%).

“We’re seeing Drew put the ball on the floor more which needs to be part of his game,” Gentry says. “If defenders are flying out to guard his three,

5-10 6-4 6-2 6-2 5-10 5-9 5-10 6-2 6-1 6-3

4.3 14.7 3.5 8.1 0.9

2.5 8.0 3.3 2.3 1.0

0.6 1.5

0.5

he’s got the length to drive past them and shoot the 10-footer. That’s something he has to learn to do more than he probably feels comfortable doing right now.”

Faurot has responsibility for running the offensive show.

“He probably gets yelled at more than anyone because there’s so much responsibility that comes with the job. But, he puts the team first and you can’t ask for more than that,” Gentry says.

Horn, who transferred from Dighton where he averaged 10.1 ppg, gives the Beavers added depth.

“Jordan sees the floor well and he’s a great passer, but he needs to learn to execute his passes better,” notes Gentry.

Senior guard Jess Drohman saw very limited varsity action last year, but is a three-point shooter who needs to also become a threat to drive to the basket, Gentry says.

Sophomore guard/forward

Marshall Faurot is also expected to see a lot of varsity minutes.

“One of the things we’ve emphasized with our guards is feeding the post and being a threat beyond shooting threes.

We can’t just rely on that. We need a balance between the perimeter and post game,” he points out. “When we throw into the post it doesn’t mean they’re going to shoot it every time. Those are great scoring opportunities for Drew, Justin, Marshall or any of the guards.

Those are great passes to catch, step into and shoot from the outside.”

Cure is Post Leader Senior Kyle Cure (6-2, 3.5 ppg, 3.3 rpg) will be Scott City’s anchor in the paint.

While undersized, especially against some of the players he’ll see this year from Holcomb and Hugoton, Cure has improved his ability to make good post moves that, Gentry says, will create scoring opportunities for himself and Hess.

“Kyle has been told that he needs to be more aggressive because he’s got the ability. We didn’t rely much on him last year offensively, but he can take a big step forward this year as an offensive threat,” says the head coach.

A huge part of that will be Cure’s ability to step away from the basket and hit the 10- to 15-foot jumper.

(continued from page 17)

the season.”

Scott City Returning Letterwomen The head coach says Player Pos. Year Ht. Pts. Reb. her varsity roster is about Kiana Yager Forward Bailey Latta Guard Paige Winderlin Post Kaitlyn Roberts Guard Emily Smith Post Nancy Wiebe Guard Kaylene McGonagle Guard

much more confident.

She’s coaching the other girls and giving them pointers. It’s great to see her taking on more of a leadership role.”

However, there may be even greater expectations on Yager who is expected to improve on her scoring numbers from last season.

“Kiana is willing to take on that added responsibility,” notes McCormick. “If you want to be a scoring leader you have to have the mindset that you’re going to take on that role every single game. You welcome the challenge and say, ‘Tonight, climb on my back and let’s win.’

I see Kiana being that kind of leader.”

Scoring in Half-court McCormick expects the team to be more offensive minded and for most of that to occur in the half-court.

“We can run and I’ve kind of had to put the reins on the girls in practice because I know we won’t always be able to get the transition points against better competition,” she says.

The head coach is anxious to see what the team can do offensively when Yager, Winderlin and Smith are on the floor at

Sr. Jr. Sr. Jr. Jr. Jr. Sr.

5-10 5-4 5-10 5-6 5-11 5-7 5-5

10 4 5 3 5.5 6 8.5 3 4 7 3 5 1.5 2

the same time. She anticipates creating mismatches which should lead to scoring opportunities.

“Having all three on the floor will allow us to do things we haven’t been able to do before,” she notes. “Of course, it depends on who we’re playing and the type of ball the other team is playing. If it’s an up-tempo offense, we probably don’t want to go with the bigger lineup.”

Developing Depth Depth could be somewhat of an issue early in the season. McCormick plans to suit up only nine players for the varsity squad which includes senior guard Nancy Wiebe, who has been battling some early injuries, and freshman guard Madison Shapland.

“It’s rare that I will suit up a freshman for varsity. When that does happen, I’ll tell them, ‘Don’t think. Just be an athlete,’” says McCormick of her back-up point guard.

“Madison’s a little different because she’ll be one of the people handling the ball. When you do that you have to think. She can do so many things for us, but we’ll have to see how her role expands during

eight deep with a number of younger girls still trying to learn where they fit on the team.

“Right now, we’re a veteran team, so a lot of things have been set,” she points out. “If girls want to get more playing time or get a position they want, they’ll have to work that much harder to get it.”

After nearly three weeks of practice, one thing that has stood out with McCormick is the increased level of basketball intelligence from a year ago.

“It’s so nice that they know what I want, so we can get through things quicker. That allows us to work on things I wanted to last year, but we couldn’t because we didn’t have the time,” she says.

“Their basketball intelligence is improving.

They’re asking intelligent questions about the rotation of the defense or who should they be covering in a zone. Now they’re asking the questions that need to be asked because they’re understanding the game better.”

Now it’s a matter of applying that knowledge in a game situation.

“We’re ready to play someone. Sure, we’re dominating in practice, but things that we need to work on, our weaknesses, won’t stand out until we can play a game,” adds McCormick. “Right now, there are a lot of question marks.”

Other players who can make contributions in the paint include Zach Carson (jr., 6-2), Reid Brunswig (jr., 5-9) and Joe Evans (so., 6-3).

If Carson can avoid foul trouble he’s shown an ability to hit the mid-range jumper and can provide another big body inside.

“Reid is undersized in the post, but he does a great job of using his body to carve out space,” Gentry says. “He’s not afraid to get physical and draw fouls.”

Perhaps the biggest unknown is Evans who has grown quite a bit during the off-season and gives the Beavers the potential for added athleticism in the post, plus the ability to run the floor well with a smaller lineup.

“If he can adapt to the speed and be productive then he can spell Bo and Kyle in the paint,” Gentry says.

Depending on how some of the younger and more inexperienced players adapt to the varsity level, the Beavers could benefit from a deep bench.

“I’d like to think we can get to a point where I feel comfortable with going eight, nine or maybe 10 deep if the situation arises,” adds Gentry. “We’ve got depth in the post and at guard. There are a number of guys I’d feel comfortable with getting into the game for a couple of minutes at a time.”

Skunk

Pigskin Payoff Final Individual Standings

Total Clint Shapland 152 Tim McGonagle 150 Rick Wright 150 Barry Switzer 148 Keith Shapland 146 Jan Tucker 146 Lance Tucker 146 Jon Berning 145 Ryan Roberts 145 Walter Johnson 145 Gary Tucker 144 Larry White 143 Rondo Switzer 143 Sue Rogers 142 Courtney Berning 142 Adam Kadavy 141 First State Bank, Healy 141

Week 13

Correct Tie Breaker Clint Shapland 13 53 Courtney Berning 13 48 Rick Wright 13 47 Gary Shapland 13 43 Lance Tucker 13 61

Week 12

Correct Tie Breaker Shayla Tucker 12 63 Rick Wright 12 53 Landon Tucker 12 49 L. McGonagle 12 49 David Perry 12 48 Tom Shirley 12 48

Week 11

Correct Tie Breaker Annie Emberton 12 54 L. McGonagle 11 31 Gary Shapland 11 35 Gary Tucker 11 41 Amy Norris 11 41 Jacob Rios 11 45 Sue Rogers 11 46 Mandy Kropp 11 52 Courtney Berning 11 56 Craig Richards 11 60

Week 10

Correct Tie Breaker Rondo Sweitzer 13 72 Morgan Vogel 13 70 Lyn. McGonagle 12 49 Julia Cheney 12 48 Lance Tucker 12 45 M. Lippelmann 12 42

Week 9

Correct Tie Breaker Tim McGonagle 14 42 Larry White 14 49 Adam Kadavy 14 49 Gary Tucker 13 Jan Tucker 13 David Perry 13 Gary Shapland 13 Anissa Wilkinson 13 Chris Cupp 13 Barry Switzer 13

Week 8

Correct Tie Breaker Clint Shapland 15 54 Ryan Roberts 15 48 Amy Norris 14 54 Lance Tucker 13 36 Chris Rodriguez 13 54 Morgan Vogel 13 35 Jon Berning 13 49 Chad Griffith 13 52 Barry Switzer 13 42 Keith Shapland 13 45 Jan Tucker 13 45 Tim McGonagle 13 47

Week 7

Correct Tie Breaker First State Bank 14 40 Barry Switzer 14 38 Rick Wright 13 48 Rondo Switzer 13 45 Lance Tucker 13 45 Keith Shapland 13 42 Jan Tucker 13 41 Preston Wright 13 38 Morgan Vogel 13 35

Week 6

Correct Tie Breaker Jacob Rios 15 40 Larry White 15 56 Preston Wright 14 35 Rondo Switzer 14 43 Adam Kadavy 14 52

Week 5

Correct Tie Breaker Barry Switzer 14 49 Clint Shapland 14 41 Jon Berning 14 40 Walter Johnson 14 39

computer service

402 S. Main • Scott City • 872-1300

soybean chaff near the weed patch, put some scent on a stick and stuck it into one end of the mound then shaped the whole mess so the coyote had to cross the trap to inspect the smells. Three days later I was disgusted to find a skunk caught in that trap.

Not really wanting to tote the skunk home, I googled my mental archives for a way to use it to catch a coyote. In

Family son, while Foos may be expected to shoot more from beyond the threepoint arc where he was just 6-of-18 a year ago.

“The biggest thing I’m looking for from the offense right now is discipline. I want us to be patient and look for the high percentage shot,” Wilkens emphasizes.

Injuries Limit Depth Lingering football injuries will have an impact on the Hornets.

Logan Lingg (jr., forward) has a broken bone

Ugly time rebounders and Vick is progressing in this vital area. Mykhailiuk can become a much better rebounder, but he has to get tougher and more aggressive.

Defensively, all five of these perimeter players are tenacious and can be highly effective as the season moves forward. And all five could either start or play significant minutes for any team in the nation.

The weakness has been play in the pivot. So far, that has been an issue with inside players Landen Lucas (6-10, 250), Carlton Bragg (6-10, 240) and freshman Udoka Azubuike (7-0, 262).

Lucas has been the biggest disappointment. He’s proven in the past that he can be an effective center, but his play has been substandard. Sophomore Bragg hasn’t improved since last season, even though big things are expected of him.

If Kansas is to become a national title contender, Azubuike will have to make significant improvement. Azubuike showed

The Scott County Record • Page 23 • Thursday, December 1, 2016

(continued from page 18)

one of the many old trapping books I’ve perused over the years I remembered reading some old trapper’s advise to bury a skunk in the ground with just the tip of its tail sticking out then set a trap near it.

Just like that, experiment No. 2 was born.

Coyotes enjoy the smell of skunk. Many lures used to help trap them have pure skunk scent as a base.

Skunks have rather colorful tails that are surprisingly soft and ripple in the wind with very little breeze. I rebuilt the mound of trash, stuffed the dead skunk up in the pile with just a couple inches of its tail sticking out and reset the trap in front of it.

Hopefully the “sweet smell” of skunk and the critters tail softly swaying in the breeze would attract a marauding coyote and

(continued from page 18)

in his shooting hand and isn’t expected to see action until possibly midJanuary.

Lewis, who has torn ligaments in his foot, was able to wrap his ankle and finish the football season.

“I hope I’ll be able to do the same thing in basketball,” he said.

Surgery would likely end his basketball season.

The loss of both players, who are expected to make major contributions, will limit Dighton’s ability to play man-to-man defense or bring full-court

pressure.

“We’ll play zone and man in the half-court.

Full-court pressure isn’t going to happen early in the season,” Wilkens says.

However, Wilkens also sees this as an opportunity for young players to get more court time.

“I prefer going seven, eight or even nine deep.

I feel like we can develop a bench that’s able to contribute,” Wilkens says.

“This is a great opportunity for some of those boys to show what they can do.”

(continued from page 21)

some progress in the recent UNC Asheville game. But, don’t think Azubuike is going to have a dunk fest against competitive teams. He’s taken just the first big step in a 1,000-mile journey.

Self said, “Getting lobs and stuff, you’re not gonna get that against some teams, but he’s about as good as I’ve seen catching the ball above the rim and finishing.”

The most encouraging sign of development is his understanding that he doesn’t have to shoot every time he gets the ball; Azubuike has started passing the ball back to the perimeter players. The huge freshman has to increase his stamina and positioning around the basket. He pulled down just three rebounds in 23 minutes against UNC Asheville and that isn’t sufficient.

Azubuike has lost 42 pounds since the start of last summer, but he still lacks stamina.

It’s way too early to give up on Lucas and Bragg. They can become major factors on this KU team. And there’s another

youngster who could become a significant part of the Jayhawks’ rotation freshman Mitch Lightfoot (6-8, 212). Lightfoot’s aggressive and there’s a chance he will take minutes from Bragg at power forward.

Cats Starting Strong Kansas State’s basketball team had a 6-1 record following a heartbreaking loss (69-68) to Maryland in the championship game of the Barclay’s Center Classic. Even though KState hasn’t played a challenging schedule, they battled Maryland on even terms in a game that could have gone either way.

Regardless of the schedule, Coach Bruce Weber’s team is showing promise and progress. The Wildcats have the same issue as KU, inconsistent play in the pivot.

However, D.J. Johnson scored 26 points against Maryland in a valiant effort to carry the Wildcats.

Sophomore Dean Wade has not played up to expectations after an exemplary freshman season.

convince it a tasty snack could be had by merely dragging the stinker from the pile. Sure enough, two days later a big mature coyote awaited me there at my improvised trash set.

Now before you stand up and cheer for the success of my two experiments, let me say that I’ve already tried them both again and, as usual, neither one worked. Some “wise guy” once said “If

at first you don’t succeed, lower your standards.”

While that’s bad advice for life. It proved good advice for catching that coyote.

I doubt those experiments of mine will be lauded in the annals of history, but I’ll still try them again.

Continue to Explore Kansas Outdoors!

Steve can be contacted by email at stevenrgilliland@ gmail.com

Have questions about the Scott Community Foundation? call 872-3790 or e-mail: julie@scottcf.org

6 Beavers are 1st Team All-League

The Scott County Record • Page 24 • Thursday, December 1, 2016

Justin Faurot earns GWAC honors for offense, defense Kyle Cure and Justin Faurot may not have been household names on the Scott Community High School defensive unit, but head coach Jim Turner wouldn’t have wanted to take the field without them this season.

“They aren’t necessarily the kind of guys who get a lot of recognition because of what you see statistically, but they are just very good at what they do,” says Turner.

Other coaches in the Great West Activities Conference agreed by naming them to the First Team defensive unit.

Faurot (5-10, 150), a senior defensive back, finished the season with 48 tackles and two interceptions.

He was also the anchor on a secondary that evolved into the league’s best over the final eight games.

After opening the season with back-to-back losses, in which the secondary gave up five touchdowns and had just one interception, the Beavers improved significantly over the next eight games.

Only three of their next opponents had over 100 yards passing - Cimarron (108), Hugoton (157) and Colby (148) - due largely because of a defense that allowed those three teams a total of just 105 yards rushing.

That put more pressure on the secondary which responded by giving up an average of just 82 yards per game.

“Justin established himself as the leader of our secondary,” Turner says.

He was joined by his cousin, Marshall Faurot (6-0, 155) who was named to the Second Team as a defensive back. The sophomore finished with two interceptions and six deflections while also contributing 35 tackles.

to defensive tackle because of season-ending injuries to two other potential All-League selections - Garret Osborn and Daniel Nolasco.

Loftis was No. 5 on the team in tackles with 60 (21 solo) and two fumble recoveries.

Hayes made the move from outside linebacker to defensive end in the third game of the season and at the same time Nowak (5-11, 175) made the switch from safety to inside linebacker.

Hayes’ quickness off the edge saw him leading the team with 9.5 sacks and he was No. 2 in total tackles with 79 (47 solo).

Nowak was the team leader with 98 tackles (59 solo), in addition to three interceptions and a fumble recovery.

The other three SCHS picks were all first-year starters - defensive end Kyle Sherwood, outside linebacker Jess Drohman and cornerback M. Faurot.

Sherwood (5-10, 210), a sophomore, had 57 tackles (24 solo) and half a sack.

Drohman (5-10, 150, sr.) competed in cross-country last season and split time between football and cross-country this year. His quickness saw him finishing No. 3 with 75 tackles (39 solo) along with an interception and five pass deflections.

Three Offensive Picks Earning First Team honors on offense were sophomore fullback Wyatt Hayes, wideout J. Faurot and sophomore offensive guard Chase Cupp.

Hayes (5-11, 175) emerged as a workhorse in the SCHS running attack with 157 carries for a team high 1,023 yards - an average of 6.5 yards per carry.

He added another 152 receiving yards on just eight catches.

“He has great feet, good speed, he’s hard to bring down and he catches the ball well,” says Turner.

“We rely on the fullback a lot in our offense and Wyatt responded. Sometimes we have to remind ourselves he’s only a sophomore.”

J. Faurot was the team leader on the receiving corps with 421 yards on 27 catches - an average of 15.6 yards per reception.

“He’s not flashy, but he gets open a lot and he catches a lot that’s thrown in his direction,” Turner says. “He was a unanimous pick by the coaches, so that shows the respect they had for him.”

It’s rare that a sophomore will earn First Team honors as a lineman, but Cupp definitely turned a few heads this season on and off the field.

“He’s our best offensive lineman,” said the head coach.

“Run blocking was his strength.

We ran a lot of (our base plays)

behind him.”

Five additional Beavers were honorable mention selections.

Quarterback Bo Hess (6-4, 165) shared honorable mention with Holcomb’s Trey Gilbert and Colby’s Zach Hart.

Hess passed for 1,330 yards and 12 touchdowns.

Junior runningback Jarret Jurgens (5-11, 165) was an elusive threat out of the backfield, finishing with 479 rushing yards plus another 250 yards as a receiver.

Senior Kevin Aguilera (5-8, 160) was recognized as an allpurpose selection, contributing 452 yards rushing and 214 yards as a receiver.

Linemen earning honorable mention were senior center Eddie Tilton (6-1, 175) and junior left tackle Baron Strine (6-0, 175).

Special Teams Jurgens and Gustavo Gonzales each earned First Team honors for their special teams play.

Jurgens was selected as the top kick return specialist in the league and Gonzales was the top kicker.

Gonzales may have been one of the biggest surprises on the SCHS squad considering the coaching staff wasn’t sure it would have anything resembling a kicking game before the season started.

“When the season began we were debating whether to squib kick or pooch it (in the air),” said Turner. “We were pretty worried about what we’d be able to do in the kicking game.”

By the third game, however, it became evident that Gonzales would be more than capable of filling those duties.

“He showed a lot of improvement during the season. He was kicking it deeper and getting pretty good hang time,” Turner notes. “We did a pretty effective job of forcing teams to start drives inside the 25.”

Gonzales averaged 36 yards per kick. He was 47-of-53 on his PAT kicks in addition to 1-of-2 on field goal attempts.

Jurgens averaged 27 yards per kick return and scored a touchdown.

“When you play defense as well as we typically do, there aren’t too many opportunities for kick returns, so it’s pretty hard to put up big numbers that will catch the attention of other coaches,” Turner says.

“With the few opportunities that Jarret had, I think he did a good job of showing how dangerous he can be in the return game.”

J. Faurot earned honorable mention as a punt returner with an average of 12.4 yards per carry.

M. Faurot was an honorable mention punter with an average of 31 yards per attempt.

Stats Don’t Tell the Story If there’s one player who epitomizes what hard-nosed SCHS defense is about it would be Cure. As an outside linebacker, his numbers don’t jump off the stat sheet (39 tackles, 23 solo, one sack, one interception), but it was his ability to fulfill his role that most impressed Turner.

“Kyle is very physical - more physical than I think he gets credit for,” says the head coach.

“He did an incredible job of taking on the lead blockers and wiping them out. Because of his role, he doesn’t get credit for a lot of tackles and people may not have noticed him as much, but what he did was very important to the success of this defense.

“It was his ability to do his job, and do it very well, that allowed other guys to put up some big defensive stats.”

Even more impressive, says Turner, was his intelligence on the field. He rarely, if ever, made the same mistake twice.

“If he got a bad angle on a play, he made the necessary 2016 Opponents’ Offensive Stats adjustments and was ready for Opponent Rushing Passing Total Passing the next play,” Turner adds.

Yards Yards Yards Att. Comp Int. 6 Are Honorable Mention Given Scott City’s tradition for defense, it’s no surprise that six more Beavers were named to the honorable mention roster.

The bigger surprise is that three players - Trey Loftis, Nick Nowak and Hayes - were All-League at positions different from where they started the season.

Loftis (5-5, 170) started the season as an inside linebacker, but had to make the transition

Hays

77 169 246 10 10 0

Holcomb 230 158 388 11 20 1 Cimarron

24 108 132 10 17 3

Hugoton

0 157 157 11 21 2

Ulysses

144

50 194 3 14 2

Wellington 57

0 57 0 10 0

Colby

81 148 229 13 25 1

Goodland 80

69 149 4 10 2

Concordia 62

39 101 5 14 0

Holcomb 343

86 429 3 9 2

Total Average

1,098 110

984

2,082

70

150

13

98 208 7 15 1.3

SCHS senior Justin Faurot earned First Team All-League honors as a wide receiver and defensive back in addition to being honorable mention as a punt returner.

(Record Photo)

Pos QB RB RB RB RB TE WR WR OL OL OL OL OL AP

Great West Activities Conference All-League Offense • First Team Player Valentino Degollado Dillon Williams Wyatt Hayes Jordan Schippers Abraham Romero Conner VanCleave Justin Faurot Michael Roth Harrison Creed Chase Cupp Ethan Jay Kyol Blackburn Asaf Ruiz Brandon Stegman

School Hugoton Holcomb Scott City Colby Ulysses Holcomb Scott City Holcomb Ulysses Scott City Colby Holcomb Hugoton Holcomb

Yr 12 12 10 10 12 12 12 12 12 10 12 12 12 12

Ht 6-1 6-0 5-11 6-1 6-0 6-7 5-10 6-0 6-6 6-0 5-11 6-4 5-10 6-0

Wgt 190 222 175 180 185 212 150 145 305 220 290 230 210 170

Ht 6-4 6-1 6-0 5-11 6-3 6-5 5-8 5-9 6-4

Wgt 165 160 170 165 190 210 150 150 170

6-3 6-2 6-0 6-1 6-0 5-8 5-9 6-1

290 220 240 175 210 160 155 180

11 10 12 12

5-11 5-9 5-6 6-7

165 150 135 212

Yr 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 11

Ht 5-11 6-1 5-6 6-7 5-10

Wgt 290 235 230 212 225

6-0 5-9 6-2 5-8 5-10 6-0 5-10

222 155 180 170 150 145 160

Ht 5-5 5-10 5-11 5-10 6-0 6-3 6-1 5-10 5-11

Wgt 170 210 175 185 190 190 180 150 175

6-0 5-9 6-0

155 175 170

Offense • Honorable Mention

Pos QB QB QB RB RB TE WR WR WR OL OL OL OL OL OL AP AP AP

Player Bo Hess Trey Gilbert Zach Hart Jarret Jurgens Donte Whitfield Zach Leininger Daniel Bustillos Braden Slemp Colby Korf Sean Rall Blaine Sederstrom Garrett McGee Dayton Quint Eddie Tilton Baron Strine Kevin Aguilera Pedro Ordonez Jordan Schippers

KR PR Kicker Punter

Jarret Jurgens Dawson Kerbow Gustavo Gonzales Conner VanCleave

Pos DL DL DL DE DE DE LB LB LB LB DB DB DB

Player Ethan Jay Alfredo Luna Austin Ocha Conner VanCleave Noel Sanchez Brooks Curry Dillon Williams Pedro Ordonez Kyle Cure Johnny Prieto Justin Faurot Alex Ortega Mitchell Hamlin

Pos DL DE DE DE DE LB LB LB LB LB DB DB DB DB

Player Trey Loftis Kyle Sherwood Wyatt Hayes Kaden Tichenor Romano Burger Donte Whitfield Jordan Schippers Jess Drohman Nick Nowak Tucker Branum Tate Carney Marshall Faurot Nolan Deeds Zach Hart

School Scott City Holcomb Colby Scott City Colby Hugoton Hugoton Hugoton Hugoton Colby Goodland Holcomb Holcomb Scott City Scott City Scott City Hugoton Colby

Yr 12 11 11 11 12 12 12 11 12 11 11 12 12 12 11 12 12 10

Special Teams • First Team Scott City Hugoton Scott City Holcomb

Defense • First Team School Colby Hugoton Ulysses Holcomb Ulysses Colby Holcomb Hugoton Scott City Holcomb Scott City Holcomb Hugoton

Defense • Honorable Mention School Scott City Scott City Scott City Holcomb Hugoton Colby Colby Scott City Scott City Colby Colby Scott City Goodland Colby

Yr 12 10 10 11 12 12 10 12 11 10 12 10 12 11

Special Teams • Honorable Mention

KR Tate Carney Colby KR Mitchell Hamlin Hugoton PR Justin Faurot Scott City Punter Marshall Faurot Scott City Kicker Juan Diego Mediavilla-Saiz Colby Kicker Chance Rodriguez Holcomb Kicker Colby Korf Hugoton

12 11 12 10

5-10 5-10 6-0

160 150 155

11 12

6-2 6-4

185 170

Christmas

The Scott County Record Page 25 • Thursday, December 1, 2016

Selecting, maintaining the perfect poinsettia Much like strings of lights dotting neighborhoods at night, poinsettias color the daylight hours of the holiday season.

Keeping poinsettias looking their best through the season, however, offers some unique challenges.

Knowing a little more about this symbol of the season can ensure its beauty lasts well after the gifts have been opened.

Poinsettias are native to Mexico. These vibrant plants are typically grown in greenhouses, usually from cuttings received from growers who specialize in poinsettias.

People in the United States traditionally begin looking for these

plants in stores between Thanksgiving and Christmas. Some stores may stock the plant before the Thanksgiving holiday, but after Christmas they are hard to find. Knowing what to look for is key to finding a plant that will survive the season.

“When selecting a poinsettia what you look for is the actual flower,” said Kansas State University extension associate Ward Upham.

“The red parts that people call flowers are actually modified leaves called bracts. In the very center of the plant you will notice little, yellow, almost-round things. If

they look fresh, then you will know the poinsettia is fresh.”

Two things to be careful of are temperature and soil moisture, said Upham, who is the Master Gardener program coordinator with K-State Research and Extension.

Temperature generally can be managed well by keeping the plant indoors.

“The temperature that they like is nothing under 60 degrees,” Upham said.

“Keeping the temperature around 65 to 70 degrees during the day and 60 to 65 degrees at night will help prolong their growth.”

As for moisture, an easy way to detect dry

holiday welcome

soil is by lifting the plant: If it seems like it does not weigh much, it is too dry.

Buyers should also avoid over-watered plants.

Poinsettias are sensitive to dry and overly wet soil.

“Poinsettias are one of those plants where you have to do a good job of watering,” Upham said.

“When they are watered, they should be watered well. They should be watered so that enough water goes all the way through and comes out the bottom.

“If there is foil around the plant, holes should be made in the bottom of that foil so the water has a place to escape. The soil should be kept moist.”

During the day, poinsettias should be placed somewhere with ample sunlight, Upham said.

The plant can be moved away from sunlight and placed as needed for short periods of time - if guests are present for a holiday celebration, for example.

After the holiday season poinsettias should be discarded. The plants have the ability to keep their color for months after the season, but Upham noted it is difficult to bring poinsettias back into bloom.

Upham noted that poinsettias can only be outside during the summer. Like other tropical plants, they are not hardy in Kansas

and will die once the weather gets cold.

As nice as they are to look at, poinsettias have a bad reputation - one that is unfounded, according to Upham: “Poinsettias are not poisonous to children.

That has been tested.”

Ohio State University dispelled the myth by documenting when a person ate poinsettia leaves to show that they were not poisonous.

“They taste awful, but they are not poisonous,” Upham said, adding that the leaves are also not very toxic to pets. The milky sap the plants produce can cause mouth irritation, but it is mild.

We may not say it enough but it is heart-felt…

We Appreciate You Customer Appreciation Day

Saturday, December 3 • 7:30 a.m.-Noon

Everything In The Store

15

%

Discount

(excluding already discounted items)

Shop L oc a l!

Refreshments and Door Prizes!

Be sure to check out our Christmas circular too!

Scott County Lumber “Helping You Get it Done with Excellence” 1510 S. Main, Scott City • 872-5334

City of Scott City employees add the finishing touches to light poles in the downtown area with Merry Christmas signs that are in addition to holiday lighting.

(Bo Harkness Photo)

Holiday Events Dec. 2

Hope’s Closet toy sale

Dec. 2

Angel Tree sign-up deadline at Compass

Behavioral Health Dec. 3

Santa in downtown Scott City, 3:00-5:30 p.m.

Lighted Christmas parade, 6:00 p.m.

Scott City businesses open until 7:00 p.m.

Dec. 4

Scott City Holiday Home Tour, 2:00-5:00 p.m.

Dec. 6

SCMS 7th/8th grade winter concert, 7:30 p.m.

Dec. 11

Sugar Plum Sale at El Quartelejo Museum

Dec. 15

SCHS Christmas Concert, 7:00 p.m.

Dec. 15

Deadline for Angel Tree donations

Dec. 16

Deadline for Santa letters to The Record

Dec. 16

SCES Kindergarten ‘Spirit of Christmas’

Dec. 19

Christmas food baskets distributed

Dec. 21

SCES Christmas Sing-a-Long, 10:00 a.m.

Dec. 22

SCHS Christmas Prom

Record will print Santa letters

The Scott County Record has made special arrangements again this year to print letters to Santa from area youngsters. They will appear in the issue of Thurs., Dec. 22.

Letters should be sent no later than Fri., Dec. 16, to: The Scott County Record Box 377 Scott City, Ks. 67871 or drop off at 406 South Main Street Santa will also have a mailbox in front of The Record office during December.

www.scottcountylumber.com Like us on Facebook! facebook.com/scottcountylumberinc Wishing you and your family a very Merry Christmas and a prosperous New Year!

The Scott County Record

Farm

Page 26 - Thursday, December 1, 2016

Wheat crop deteriorates with drought

by Jordan Hildenbrand Ks. Wheat Commission

Much needed moisture makes the top of many Kansas wheat farmers’ 2016 Christmas wish lists. According to the U.S. Drought Monitor, much of Western Kansas is currently in moderate to severe drought just a few weeks after the entirety of the state was declared drought free for the first

ag briefs

Late season county ag survey is sent Many Kansas producers recently received a survey to collect data that will be used to determine row crop and hay county level acreage, yield, and production estimates for 2016.

The USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) mailed these surveys this week to producers.

“County-level yields have a direct impact on farmers around the State.

USDA’s Farm Service Agency uses the data in administering producer programs such as the Agricultural Risk Coverage (ARC) included in the 2014 Farm Bill, and in determining disaster assistance program calculations,” said Dean Groskurth, director of NASS’s Northern Plains Region.

County-level data for corn, sorghum, soybeans and sunflowers will be published in February and hay and cotton in April and May, respectively.

However, NASS cannot publish a county yield unless it receives enough reports from producers in that county to make a statistically defensible estimate.

“In 2015, we were unable to publish several large producing counties because we lacked a sufficient number of responses,” says Groskurth. “We safeguard the privacy of all respondents, ensuring that no individual operation or producer can be identified.”

For more information call the NASS Kansas Field Office at 800-582-6443.

time in six years.

According to Romulo Lollato, wheat and forages extension specialist for Kansas State University’s Department of Agronomy, Kansas crop conditions vary greatly.

“We have very contrasting conditions statewide,” said Lollato. “In south central and southeast Kansas, planting was delayed in many cases due to excess moisture in the

It looks decent, but we had wind gusts up to 50 miles per hour on Sunday, and that wind just kicked up wheat plants as it went. It’s a decent stand, but we haven’t had a measurable rain in my part of the county since August 6th or 7th. We just really need that moisture for the roots to develop down deeply.

Gary Millershaski, Lakin

region. Western Kansas wheat has gotten a rough start since there hasn’t been much moisture since many fields were planted.

Producers who planted earlier generally have a pretty good start, but

producers who waited for that optimal plant time in western Kansas haven’t seen much rain.”

In central and eastern portions of the state, Lollato reports that even though planting was late,

temperatures were warm, so the crop has had a good chance to catch up in development.

“In some cases we’re seeing some pretty lush growth to the crop, particularly in the central corridor,” said Lollato.

Southwest Kansas has been dry over the last few weeks, but subsoil moisture for the area remains adequate from a moist summer. Northwest

Kansas has seen some recent moisture in the form of snowfall, but that small amount of snow is the only moisture the crop has received in the last two months.

“The western region has had a pretty rough start, and just about everyone is needing some precipitation,” said Lollato.

“When traveling, particularly in the Southwest (See WHEAT on page 27)

At last: a real cure for obesity?

Dan Murphy Drovers CattleNetwork

If you’ve been awake, breathing air and maintaining a pulse, you’re well aware that a growing segment of the American population now believes that meat and dairy foods are problematic.

By that I mean the belief that eating meat and drinking milk makes such a consumer a contributor to a host of serious societal and ecological problems: global warming, animal abuse and a litany of health problems that include obesity, heart disease and cancer.

It’s bad enough that farmers, ranchers and producers are demonized as - at best - vic-

tims of Big Ag, and at worse, immoral profiteers who are killing people and destroying the Earth.

I’m exaggerating, but not by much, and if you doubt me, spend some time chatting up ordinary people and ask them what they think about our current food system and about the benefits of raising livestock and consuming animal foods.

Even people who routinely put those foods on their shopping lists and on their dinner tables will express doubts about the validity of animal agriculture’s production and processing systems, as well as the dubious impact - nutritionally and ecologically - of what

used to be known as the traditional American diet.

But, for all the doubt and negativity (little of it justified, of course), there is one positive thing that animal foods appear to have accomplished, and it affects one of the most pernicious and troubling health problems facing our country: the alarming rate of childhood obesity.

Yes, thanks (mostly) to dairy foods, a new study from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and USDA showed that obese children ages 2-4 who were enrolled in the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children - com-

monly known as WIC - registered a significant decrease in obesity rates during the period from 2010 to 2014.

For those unfamiliar, WIC, to quote USDA (which oversees the programs run by the states), is “a federal program that promotes healthy eating and nutrition education for infants and children up to age 5, and for low-income women who are pregnant, postpartum, or breastfeeding.”

Meaningful Reductions So why did these young children experience a decrease in obesity? Because the children and the families on the (See OBESITY on page 27)

Breakthrough in controlling bean nemotode A microscopic worm that has been a giant pain for U.S. soybean farmers may soon find farm fields unpleasant places to be.

Kansas State University researchers recently announced a significant breakthrough in controlling the spread of the soybean cyst nematode, a parasitic roundworm that

Prices are looking up for cattle For the first time in months, average feedyard margins were positive last week. Closeouts showed $52 profit per head for the week ending Nov. 25, $83 better than the previous week, according to the Sterling Beef Profit Tracker.

The gains were the result of a near $3 rally in the five-area fed cattle price to $111.

The total cost of finishing a steer last week was $1,492, compared to $1,597 the previous week and $2,250 last year. The Beef and Pork Profit Trackers are calculated by Sterling Marketing, Vale, Ore. Beef packer margins decreased $26 per head to $107. Packers earned an average of $20 per head during the same period a year ago.

A month ago cattle feeders were losing $52 per head, while a year ago losses were calculated at $486 per head. Feeder cattle represent 73% of the cost of finishing a steer, compared to 79% last year.

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the USDA estimates has reduced yearly returns in soybeans by $500 million and yields by as much as 75 percent.

Plant geneticist Harold Trick said the university has received a patent for the technology that essentially “silences” specific genes in the nematode, causing it to die or, at the

least, lose the ability to reproduce.

“We have created genetically engineered vectors [or DNA molecules], and put those into soybeans so that when the nematodes feed on the roots of the soybeans, they ingest these small molecules,” said Trick, who has worked closely

Market Report

Weather

Closing prices on November 29, 2016 Bartlett Grain Red Wheat............ $ 2.65 White Wheat ....... $ 2.65 Milo .................... $ 2.27 Corn ................... $ 2.82 Soybeans (new crop) $ 9.32 Scott City Cooperative Wheat.................. $ 2.64 White Wheat ....... $ 2.64 Milo (bu.)............. $ 2.27 Corn.................... $ 2.84 Soybeans ........... $ 9.33 Sunflowers.......... $ ADM Grain Wheat..................

Milo (bu.).............

Corn....................

Soybeans............

Sunflowers..........

$ 2.69 $ 2.32 $ 2.87 $ 9.28 $ 12.80

H

L

Nov. 22

50 42

Nov. 23

59 38

Nov. 24

59 26

Nov. 25

57 20

Nov. 26

62 18

Nov. 27

66 33

Nov. 28

59 28

(See BEAN on page 27)

P

Moisture Totals 0.00

2016 Total

19.10

Food Facts Pumpkins were once recommended for removing freckles and curing snake bites!

County Plat Maps

By Western Cartographers Scott • Lane • Wichita • Ness • Logan Gove • Greeley • Finney • Wallace • Kearny

406 Main • Scott City • 620 872-2090

or its ability to produce will be greatly reduced,” Trick said.

So far, the scientists have found the technology has reduced the nematode population in greenhouse studies by as much as 85 percent.

“The next question for us is, with our technol-

JONES CLUB LAMBS

November

Pick them up today at:

with plant pathologist Tim Todd on this project.

Previously, the scientists studied the nematode to learn which genes are crucial to the parasite’s survival. The new vectors target those genes and shut them off, a process called gene silencing.

“The nematode will either lose fitness to live,

Raising excellent quality show lambs. Winning genetics!

Jeremy • 620-397-1638 Stefanie • 620-397-8075 113 W. Hwy 4, Healy, Ks bustn2kick@st-tel.net

The Scott County Record • Page 27 • Thursday, December 1, 2016

$1M to KSU to protect food from pests, disease Kansas State University has received more than $1 million from the National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) to continue work that protects food from a variety of pests and diseases.

NIFA’s vote of confidence comes in the form of $539,983 to support the Great Plains Diagnostic Network (GPDN), and $499,999 for research being conducted in

Wheat

est, particularly those that may represent a biosecurity risk. The network of laboratories ensures that land-grant universities across the country are alerted quickly of possible plant-disease outbreaks and are equipped to respond rapidly.

University researchers are also important contributors in the effort to eliminate the use of methyl bromide, which is safe in food but in 1989

(continued from page 26)

Kansas area, you’ll see some fields that are pretty thin.”

Gary Millershaski, a farmer from Lakin, reported that his thicker stands are a “wolf in sheep’s clothing.”

“It looks decent, but we had wind gusts up to 50 miles per hour on Sunday, and that wind just kicked up wheat plants as it went,” said Millershaski.

Lack of moisture isn’t the only challenge facing the Kansas wheat crop. Lollato has reported several diseases already rearing their heads statewide. Wheat Streak Mosaic Virus has already been spotted throughout Kansas.

WSM can cause severe economic damage, and in most cases infection can be traced to a nearby field

Bean

Manhattan to eventually eliminate the use of methyl bromide in fumigants that control insects in wheat and rice.

The university has been the lead institution for GPDN since it was formed in 2002. It is one of five regional laboratories in the National Plant Diagnostic Network, which detects and reports pathogens that cause plant diseases of national inter-

of volunteer wheat. The diseases are carried from volunteer wheat to newly planted wheat, and can cause stunting and yellow streaking on the leaves of the plant.

“There’s really nothing we can do about Wheat Streak Mosaic Virus at this point for the current crop, but controlling the green bridge for next year’s crop will be vital,” said Lollato.

Lollato has also seen many reports of leaf rust from Salina to the northwest corner of the state.

While the visible rust and potential for yellowing leaves may be startling, Lollato reassured that the disease most likely won’t survive through the winter, but advised keeping a close eye on disease pressure while scouting in the

(continued from page 26)

ogy, can we enhance the germplasm that is already available for soybean breeding,” Trick said. “We also have several other genes we’ve looked at.

Is it possible to combine all of these traits into one soybean variety and have an even greater reduction than 85 percent.”

The soybean cyst nematode is known to be present in at least 29 states, as well as South America and Asia. Previous work indicates that once it is present in soil, it can never be fully eliminated.

The parasite is so small that if 32 of the largest worms were laid end-toend, they would measure only one inch.

Once they feed on a soybean plant, it takes just about 48 hours for them to

penetrate the roots. After about a week, they can rupture through the plant tissue.

“We’ve been focusing on the soybean cyst nematode, but we also think that there are a lot of similarities in the genes we selected to other nematodes, such as the root knot nematode (which affects grasses, fruits, vegetables and weeds),” Trick said.

The technology will take many years to reach producers’ fields, Trick said.

“This is a genetically engineered product,” he said, noting that it will undergo intense regulatory scrutiny before it can be made commercially available.

Obesity

(continued from page 26)

program are provided with “nutritious foods,” which include milk, cheese and eggs. Yes, participants are encouraged to purchase infant formula, iron-fortified baby cereals and “whole-grain bread” (I add quotes because the phrase “whole-grain” is the biggest scam in the food industry), but the basis of the healthier diets, and thus the improvements in obesity rates, is due at least in large measure to the participants’ access to animal foods.

And the results of the study were significant.

The decline in obesity prevalence ranged from about 8% in Utah to as much as 20% in Virginia.

Those are not insignifi-

cant reductions, as childhood obesity is not only a stubborn and persistent public health problem, it’s also a portent of lifelong health problems that are equally difficult to mitigate.

Now, the official line from USDA and CDC focuses on the impact of the “programming” WIC provides: nutrition education and a focus on exercise and regular medical check-ups. Those components are important and necessary, but all the nutritional information on Earth doesn’t do a bit of good if the audience isn’t able to obtain the components of the “balanced diet” that USDA loves to promote.

spring.

Other issues that some farmers may see include yellow leaves, a potential sign of nitrogen deficiency.

“We had a lot of rainfall during the summer which, in addition to a high yielding wheat crop, may have depleted a lot of nitrogen from the soil profile,” said Lollato. “For producers who applied their nitrogen, yellowing may be attributed to drought stress since plant roots may not be able to draw up that applied nitrogen.”

While management practices can greatly affect yields, what wheat needs now is some help from Mother Nature.

“What this crop really needs is for temperatures to cool down and rain or snow to fall,” said Lollato.

was listed in the Montreal Protocol as one of several substances that should be phased out over time because of its potential to damage the ozone layer.

Methyl bromide has been used for decades to control soil-borne and post-harvest pests and diseases.

Kun Yan Zhu, professor in the Department of Entomology at K-State, said the NIFA grant marks

the fourth time since 2006 that the university has received a grant to work on alternatives to using methyl bromide. The awards total more than $2 million.

“The long-term goal of this project is to develop and implement systemsbased, integrated pestmanagement programs that replace methyl bromide as a structural treatment for food facilities, such as mills, processing

plants and warehouses,” Zhu said.

Insects that feed on grain can infest flour and rice mills, food processing plants, food storage warehouses, distribution centers for consumer products, and even retail stores. While much progress has already been made to find alternatives, Zhu said there is more work to be done to meet the numerous needs.

$

7

The Scott County Record • Page 28 • Thursday, December 1, 2016

Call 872-2090 today!

Per Week

The Scott County Record Professional Directory

There’s no better way to reach your potential customers in Scott County and the surrounding areas.

Pro Ex II

Agriculture

Preconditioning and Growing

Over 20 Years Experience

• 45 Years Experience • Managed and owned by full-time DVM • 2,000 Head capacity Office - 872-5150 • Scott City

Professional Extermination Commercial & Residential

• Termites • Rodents • Soil Sterilization • Pre Treats • Lawn Care • Fly Parasites

John Kropp, Owner • Scott City 874-2023 (cell) • 872-3400 (office) • prox2@live.com

Stuart Doornbos Home - 872-2775 Cell - 874-0951

Walker Plumbing, Inc.

Sager’s Pump Service

Backhoe & Trenching services • Irrigation & gas leak repairs • Full-line irrigation parts T-L center pivot dealer Floor heat systems Pump & install septic systems Boring equipment

• Irrigation • Domestic • Windmills • Submersibles

Cell: 874-4486 • Office 872-2101

423 S. Mesquite Rd. • Scott City • 872-2130

Construction/Home Repair

RT Plumbing Rex Turley, Master Plumber

Residental and Commercial Plumbing Water Systems, water lines, sewer cleaning faucets and fixtures, garbage diposals and more

Marienthal, Ks.

620-909-5014 (H) • 620-874-4128 (C)

ELLIS AG SERVICES • Custom Manure Conditioning • Hauling and Spreading • Custom Swathing and Baling • Rounds-Net or Twine • Gyp and Sand Sales • Custom Harvesting Call Brittan Ellis • 620-874-5160

CHAMBLESS ROOFING Residential

SPENCER PEST CONTROL All Types of Roofing

Commercial

Cedar Shake and Shingle Specialists Return to Craftsmanship Attention to Detail and Quality Guaranteed

RESIDENTIAL – COMMERCIAL Termite Baiting Systems • Rodents Weed Control • Structural Insects Termite Control Box 258, Scott City • (620) 872-2870

620-872-2679 • 1-800-401-2683

Automotive

Faurot Electric, Inc. Office • 620-872-5344 Jeromy Lisenby • 620-214-3247

P.O. Box 14 • Scott City

Landscaping • Lawn/Trees

Red

Specializing in

all coatings t Paint i or any other color

Paint inside and out residential, commercial, and industrial.

Free estimates and 16 plus years of experience.

PC Painting, Inc. Paul Cramer 620-290-2410 620-872-8910 www.pcpaintinginc.com

ES N JO UB S CL B Driving M LA

for the PURPLE!

Jeremy • 620-397-1638 Stefanie • 620-397-8075

Medical

Charles Purma II D.D.S. P.A. General Dentistry, Cosmetics, and Insurance Accepted

We welcome new patients.

324 N. Main • Scott City • 872-2389 Residence 872-5933

$

7

The Scott County Record • Page 29 • Thursday, December 1, 2016

Call 872-2090 today!

Per Week

Professional Directory Continued

Medical

Horizon Health For your home medical supply and equipment needs!

We service and repair all that we sell.

Brent Rogers

Sales Consultant b.rogers@officesolutionsinc.biz

Office (620) 276-3131 Toll Free 1-800-794-9052 Cell (620) 874-0014 Fax (620) 276-8876 1007 N. 8th, Garden City, KS 67846 www.officesolutionsinc.biz

1602 S. Main • Scott City • 872-2232 Toll Free : 1-866-672-2232

Pro Health Chiropractic Wellness Center (Scott City Chiropractic) “TLC”...

Technology Lead Chiropractic

Dr. James Yager 110 W. 4th St. • Scott City • 872-2310 Toll Free: 800-203-9606

All Under One Roof

Optometrist 20/20 Optometry

Treatment of Ocular Disease • Glaucoma Detection Children’s Vision • Glasses • Contact Lenses

Complete family eye center!

106 W. 4th • Scott City • 872-2020 • Emergencies: 214-1462

SCOTT CITY CLINIC 201 Albert Avenue (620) 872-2187 • www.scotthospital.net

Christian Cupp, MD

Thea Beckman, APRN

Elizabeth Hineman, MD

Megan Dirks, APRN

Matthew Lightner, MD

Joie Tedder, APRN

William Slater, MD FACS

Ryan Michels, PA-C

Melissa Batterton, APRN

Caley Roberts, PA-C

Sports/Outdoors

For Sale

WESTERN KANSAS hunters and trappers.

Petska Fur is running weekly routes. Currently seeking: cats, coyotes, fox, deer hides and antlers.

Coyote market exceptionally strong. 308-750-0700. www.petskafur.net.

––––––––––––––––––––– OUR HUNTERS will pay top $$$ to hunt your land.

Call for a free base camp leasing info packet and quote. 1-866-309-1507. www.BaseCampLeasing. com.

PIANO SALE. Huge savings on over 100 pianos

by Steinway, Yamaha, Knabe, Baldwin and more. From $49/mo. 12 months, same as cash.

Credit cards welcome.

Free delivery. Friendly service.

Mid-America Piano, Manhattan, 800950-3774. piano4u.com.

––––––––––––––––––––– DISH TV. Best deal ever. Only $39.99/mo.

Plus $14.99/mo. internet (where available). Free streaming. Free install (up to 6 rooms). Free HD/ DVR. 1-800-676-6809.

––––––––––––––––––––– SAWMILLS from only $4397. Make and save money with your own bandmill. Cut lumber any dimension. In stock ready to ship. Free info/DVD: www.NorwoodSawmills. com.

1-800-578-1363 Ext.300N.

Help Wanted

SURGERY MANAGER for Critical Access Hospital, offering inYour RadioShack Dealer patient and out-patient Two-way Radio Sales & Service services. Full-time, rotating call. Qualifications: Nebraska RN license, Locally owned and operated since 1990 BLS certification, 5 years surgery experience, sur1104 Main • Scott City • 872-2625 gery management experience and certification preHomes Services ferred. Competitive salary/ benefits. Apply online at LENDERS OFFERING $0 down for landowners. www.jchc.us.

Roll your new home and land improvements into Misc. one package. Discount national pricing on Breeze SELL YOUR structured II doublewide and our settlement or annuity pay60th anniversary singlements for cash now. You wide. Trade-ins welcome. don’t have to wait for your 866-858-6862. future payments any longer. Call 1-800-896-8136.

––––––––––––––––––––– Health A PLACE FOR MOM. The nation’s largest senior CHRONIC PAIN? Back “Don’t Trust Your Auction to Just Anyone” living referral service. or joint pain, arthritis?

Contact our trusted, local Recent Medicare/health experts today. Our service coverage changes may For all your auction needs call: is free. No obligation. Call benefit you. Products are little to no cost, if (620) 375-4130 1-800-735-9914. qualified. Free shipping.

Russell Berning Box Q • Leoti Accredited pain specialists. Call 1- 800-917-3080.

Revcom Electronics

Dr. Jeffrey A. Heyd

Kansas Classifieds Ad Network

The classified ads below are appearing in 147 Kansas newspapers with a total circulation of 500,000 the classified display ads appear in 142 Kansas newspapers with a total circulation of 457,000. KCAN line ad is $300 for up to 25 words and $12 each additional word. A 2x2 display ad is $800 per insertion and a 2x4 display ad is $1,650 per insertion. To find out more, contact The Scott County Record at 872-2090.

Berning Auction

Have questions about the Scott Commnity Foundation?

Call 872-3790

Retail

Gene’s Appliance Over 200 appliances in stock!

COMPARE OUR PRICES!

We have Reverse Osmosis units in stock.

Remember us for parts in stock for all brands of all appliances.

Sales and Service Days • Mon. - Sat. Deliveries • Mon.-Sat.

Largest Frigidaire appliance dealer in Western Ks. 508 Madison • Scott City • 872-3686

Networktronic, Inc.

Computer Sales, Service and Repair Custom computers!

Networking solutions!

Mon. - Fri. 9:00 a.m. - 5:30 p.m.

402 S. Main, Scott City • 872-1300

Northend Disposal A garbologist company.

Scott City • 872-1223 • 1-800-303-3371

Dining

Tuesday-Saturday 10:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m.

www.reganjewelers.com

412 N. Main • Garden City • 620-275-5142

Classifieds

The Scott County Record • Page 30 • Thursday, December 1, 2016

Buy, sell, trade, one call does it all 872-2090 ot fax 872-0009

Berry Realty • 872-5700

Classified Ad Deadline: Monday at 5:00 p.m.

Classified Ad Rate: 20¢ per word. Minimum charge, $5.

Blind ad: $2.50 per week extra. Card of thanks: 10¢ per word. Minimum charge, $3. Classified Display Ad rate: $6.00 per column inch.

1102 S. Main, Scott City, Ks 67871 www.berryrealtyonline.com

Charles Berry, Broker • 874-0738 Brett Berry, Sales Assoc. • 316-258-3387 Tracy Chambless, Sales Assoc. • 874-2124

Classified advertising must be paid in advance unless business account is established.

If not paid in advance, there will be a $1 billing charge.

Tear sheet for classified ad will be $1 extra.

Services

COMPUTER SERVICES for PC and Mac computers. Computer repair and virus removal. Call or email Josh at OsComp to schedule an appointment. 24-hour help line 620-376-8660 or email josh_4974@hotmail.com.

––––––––––––––––––– WANTED: Yards to mow and clean up, etc.

Trim smaller trees and bushes too. Call Dean Riedl, (620) 872-5112 or 874-4135.

34tfc –––––––––––––––––––– FURNITURE REPAIR and refinishing. Lawn mower tune-up and blade sharpening. Call Vern Soodsma, 872-2277 or 874-1412.

4015tfc –––––––––––––––––––– MOWER REPAIR, tune-up and blade sharpening. Call Rob Vsetecka at 620-214-1730.

4515tfc

Livestock

REGISTERED ANGUS BULLS. Crooked Creek Angus, St. Francis, Ks. Call 785-332-6206. www. crookedcreekangus.com.

0916t13

For Sale

FRIGIDAIRE STAINLESS STEEL REFRIGERATOR for sale. Tradition top freezer, bottom fridge. Purchansed Fall of 2013. Has been in storage for two years. Works perfectly. $500. Call 316259-4150.

1716tfc ____________________ LG TROMM BLANK FRONT LOAD WASHER AND ELECTRIC DRYER for sale. Comes with pedestals and stacking kit. Purchased in 2006. Main water pump in washer replaced this year. Sold as set for $600.

Call 316-259-4150. 1716tfc

Rentals

HIDE AND SEEK STORAGE SYSTEMS. Various sizes available.

Virgil and LeAnn Kuntz, 620-874-2120.

41tfc

________________________________

PLAINJAN’S RENTAL houses and duplexes. Stop by the office or call 620872-5777.

05tfc

Agriculture WANT TO BUY. Stored corn. Call for basis and contract information.

1-800-579-3645.

Lane County Feeders, Inc. 32tfc ____________________ WANT TO BUY. Wheat straw delivered. Call for contracting information.

Lane County Feeders, 397-5341.

44tfc

Help Wanted FULL-TIME DISPATCHER WANTED at JM Transport. Must have some knowledge in the trucking industry. Also looking for full time truck drivers. We offer competitive wages. For more info please call 620-872-1118 or email jmtransportks@ gmail.com.

1716t2

ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS If you want to drink, that’s your business.

If you want to stop, that’s ours.

Alcoholics Anonymous meetings.

Tuesday nights at 8:00 p.m. at the United Methodist Church basement (use west door).

412 College, Scott City.

Al-Anon at same time and location.

Contact: 874-0472 or 872-3137. 25tfc

District 11 AA Meetings

Scott City

Unity and Hope Mon., Wed. and Fri. 8:00 p.m.

807 Kingsley Last Saturday of the month Birthday Night • 6:30 p.m.

All open meetings 214-4188 • 214-2877

Dighton Thursday • 8:30 p.m.

535 Wichita St. All open meetings 620-397-2647

We have room for you!

The Scott County Record • Page 31 • Thursday, December 1, 2016

Employment Opportunities

The Scott County Record • Page 32 • Thursday, December 1, 2016

Christmas is Coming!

Join local merchants for Scott City’s annual holiday shopping event

See Santa!

Christmas Light Parade on Main Street

3:00-5:30 p.m.

The Scott County Record 406 S. Main

6:00 p.m.

call the Chamber of Commerce at 872-3525 for details or to enter

Many businesses will have deep discounts!

8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.

401 S. Main • 872-7100 Deep Discount Hour - 2:00-3:00 p.m.

20% off

Christmas Decor

All Day Select items Deals marked 50-75% off

TATE’S Restaurant 405 S. Main

Cheeseburger and fries All day on Santa’s Saturday

Deep Discount Hour - 2:00-3:00 p.m.

5

$ 99

Skull Candy and Auvio ear buds

40% off

Open Sundays 1:00-4:00 p.m.

Scott County Lumber

1510 S. Main • 872-5334

517 S. Main • 872-7214

Deep Discount Hour - 8:00-9:00 a.m.

15% off Storewide!

40w or 60w general purpose

LED light bulbs Reg. price 40 watt - $15.99 Reg. price 60 watt - $16.99

10:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.

4

$ 99 ea.

(until they are gone)

Deep Discount Hour - 11:00 a.m. to Noon

40

%

Anything off Christmas!

(excluding plants and flowers)

20% off the rest of the day

The Rec Pool Hall 318 Main St.

406 S. Main • 872-2090 Deep Discount Hour 2:00 - 3:00 p.m.

$

Discount Subscription Rates!

30 local • $40 other • $15 online

Stop in for JELLO shots

(must be 21 years or over) Open 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.

1314 Main 872-5854

1

Christmas Candy $ in bulk

99 lb.

323 S. Main • 872-5667 Deep Discount Hour - 1:00-2:00 p.m.

20off %

Fishing lures, plastic bait, hard bait and jigheads

424 S. Main • 872-2222

Buy a Trapp

Candle

get a free Home Fragrance Mist from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

Scott County Hardware

1320 S. Main • 872-7305

Assorted Candles $

10

Crossroads Jams, Jellies and Relish

2

$ 50

Assorted Melting Scented Cubes

1

$ 50

42” Plush Stocking

5

$ 99

Specials all day, see store for details.

Letters to Santa

To be printed in the Scott County Record Drop off letters in the special Santa Mailbox at 406 S. Main Street Scott City

OR

Mail letters to: The Scott County Record Box 377 Scott City, KS 67871

Letters should be sent no later than Friday, December 16.

Letters will be published in the December 22 edition of the Scott County Record.

Brought to you by The Scott City Area Chamber of Commerce and its members