News

HOLYROOD — After several weeks of debate, the Central Plains USD 112 board of education made a decision during a special board meeting Monday in Holyrood on the building configuration for the 2019-20 school year.

By a vote of six to one, approval was given to a motion by Tony Zink, board vice president, to change the role of Central Plains Middle School in Bushton to an intermediate school for Central Plains students in grades four, five and six, and transfer Central Plains students in the seventh and eighth grades to Central Plains High School in Claflin. In addition, if at all possible, junior high sports and activities will remain in Bushton for as long as possible.

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The Smoky Hills Charitable Foundation is accepting online applications for spring grants through Friday, March 15.

More than $117,000 is available through the following funds:

• Smoky Hills Community Fund — Supports projects that improve quality of life for Ellsworth County residents.

• Smoky Hills Healthy Living Fund/Kansas Health Foundation Fund — Granted to projects that promote healthy lifestyles, behaviors and environments.

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When Tami McGreevy and members of the Ellsworth Area Chamber of Commerce board started planning this year’s meeting, they knew they wanted something different, something outside of the box.

They wanted to shake things up beyond the same dinner/program format offered to chamber members year in and year out.

That’s when McGreevy, the chamber’s executive director, had an idea.

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Wilson Foods is open for business — and plans to stay that way.

That was the message Rick Weigel and his family, owners of this town’s only grocery store, delivered Monday night to a crowd of 70 plus people packed into the tight confines of Wilson City Hall.

“We’re going to do everything we can for you,” Weigel said during the public meeting.“Hopefully that will bring customers back.”

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As Sara Prochaska emerged from the grief of losing her 14-yearold daughter, D.J., in a tragic motor vehicle accident, she couldn’t help but think about a conversation they had in the weeks before her death.

At the time of the October 2002 accident, D.J. had recently won the Miss Congeniality title during the Miss Central Plains Rodeo Association competition. As part of her wardrobe, D.J. wore patriotic-themed western chaps designed and sewn by her mother.

“You know, you really should sew for other people,” D.J. said. “And you should call your business,‘Lazy P Creations.’”

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   Kansas Department of Health and Environment officials have temporarily rejected a permit request by a  local cattle operation to expand its facility. 

   Earlier this year, Ed Schneider with 4 S Feeders, of Kanopolis, asked state health officials to reissue a  modified permit, allowing the operation to expand its facility.

   According to the application, the permit  would be issued for a confined animal feeding operation for 3,999 head of cattle weighing more than  700 pounds - an increase in permitted number of cattle from the previous permit. Other modifications  included an additional 11.1 acres of pens, feed storage area, a settling basin and a second earthen  wastewater retention structure. 

   During a June 5 public hearing, several residents turned out to oppose the permit, and offered testimony.  Only one individual spoke in favor of Schneider’s request. 

The U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue today announced that many Farm Service Agency (FSA) offices will reopen temporarily in the coming days to perform certain limited services for farmers and ranchers. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has recalled about 2,500 FSA employees to open offices on Thursday, Jan. 17 and Friday, Jan. 18, in addition to Tuesday, Jan. 22, during normal business hours. The offices will be closed for the federal Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday on Monday, Jan. 21. 

In almost half of FSA locations, FSA staff will be available to assist agricultural producers with existing farm loans and to ensure the agency provides 1099 tax documents to borrowers by the Internal Revenue Service's deadline.

Additionally, as an intermittent incidental duty, staff may release proceeds from the sale of loan security by signing checks jointly payable to FSA that are brought to the county office by producers.

The 2019 session of the Kansas Legislature started Monday, but Ellsworth County’s two representatives — Sen. Richard Wilborn and Rep. Steven Johnson — had already heard plenty by then.

A week before the session, it was impossible to leave a message on Johnson’s voice mail because it was full. Newspaper reporters. Fellow lawmakers. Constituents. They all wanted a moment of his time.

As for Wilborn, part of his pre-session time was spent responding to written questions from Eric Coonrod’s government class at Ellsworth High School.

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WILSON — The Wilson School commons was filled to capacity Friday as young and old alike turned out for a community meeting to discuss possible cuts the Central Plains USD 112 board of education is considering for the 2019-20 school year.

Three school board members — Michelle Brokes of Wilson, Tony Zink of Claflin and Brad Schiermeyer of Wilson — attended. They tried to clarify a time frame for decisions.

At previous board meetings, members indicated they wanted to make a final decision on possible cuts no later than February. That, apparently, has changed.

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WILSON — Rick Weigel’s health was deteriorating. For months now, Weigel and his doctors couldn’t find the source of his illness, which was taking a toll on the local grocer, his family and his business, Wilson Foods.

But if his health issues weren’t enough, there were the stressors that go hand in hand with running a small business. Weigel couldn’t help but feel like he was being tugged back and forth between running a business he could be proud of, and conserving what little energy he had left.

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