WILSON — At the graduation ceremony for the Wilson High School Class of 2022 Saturday, keynote speaker Stephanie Laack gave the four graduates — Zachary C. Corpus, Ethan D. McCarter, Blake D. Mermis and Dewayne L. Woodmansee — as well as Lakeside Learning Center graduate Benjamin T. Bartlett — advice to help them be successful in life.
CLAFLIN — As he has done with every graduating class at Central Plains High School in Claflin, Toby Holmes, principal, gave several last pieces of sage advice Sunday to the Central Plains High School Class of 2022.
Sixth grade students from Central Plains Elementary School look at pictures recently during a tour of the newly renovated Santa Fe Railroad Train Depot in Holyrood. I-R photo by Alan Rusch
Ellsworth Recreation Director Ron Tenbrink cleans the kid pool at the Ellsworth Swimming Pool on May 11. City workers are cleaning and preparing the facility for opening day, which is May 30. I-R photo by Karen Bonar
David Alexander of Molalla, Ore., with the 6’ x 12’ mural he painted recently on the north side of the Millwood Realty office at 114 N. Douglas Ave. in downtown Ellsworth. Alexander is the son-in-law of Mike Johnson of Lorraine. Anita Hoffhines, Millwood realtor, said she had the vision portrayed in the mural in her mind for 15 years. Now, that vision, which features charging Longhorn bulls, has become reality. At first glance, the lead bull almost appears to be leaping out of the mural. ALAN RUSCH/Ellsworth County Independent-Reporter
The old saying “you can’t go home again” doesn’t apply to Alan Whitley. After 37 years in education, with 30 at Ellsworth Elementary School, Whitley is ending his career where his education began.
When Rep. Steven Johnson (R-Assaria) decided to run for Kansas State Treasurer, his seat for the Kansas House district opened up.
WILSON — About 10 residents from Wilson and Dorrance gathered May 10 at Wilson School for coffee and conversation with superintendent Greg Clark.
Ellsworth Elementary School’s new principal is ready to go.
The Ellsworth High School Bearcats Baseball Team has a title to add to their accomplishments this season — league cochampions with Southeast of Saline.
After 15 years of service, Ellsworth-Kanopolis-Geneseo School District board member Darin Holecek resigned Monday night at the board’s monthly meeting.
Mark Inman Seitz, 63, passed away Thursday, May 12, 2022, in Ellsworth, Kan. He was born Nov. 6, 1958, in Ellsworth to William and Margaret (Payton) Seitz.
Larry Dean Homolka, of Belleville, Kan., formerly of Ellsworth, Kan., the son of Lud Homolka and Helen (Nesvarba) Homolka, was born Aug. 23, 1945 in Belleville, Kan. and passed away May 13, 2022 in Belleville, at the age of 76 years, 6 months, and 20 days.
Larry grew up in Belleville, graduating from Belleville High School in 1967.
Lawrence Louis Kottas, 85, of Harper, Kan., passed away Sunday, May 8, 2022.
Lawrence was born Oct. 31, 1936, in Wilson, Kan. to Anton and Lucille Kottas, the youngest of four siblings.
He graduated from Ellsworth High School and completed some college.
Robert W. Stefek Jr. 74, Jacksonville Fla., passed away Feb. 27, 2022.
Bob was born in Ellsworth, Kan. and graduated from Ellsworth High School in 1965. He enlisted in the Marine Corp in 1967 and served his country in Viet Nam. Bob was married to Karen Stefek and she survives.
Above, Central Plains High School Oilers Track and Field Team members Hunter Klima and Kerrick Benavidez run the high hurdles together May 12 during a meet at Ellinwood. Klima took sixth in the 100 meter high hurdles with a time of 20.79. Below, Oiler Dawson McNeal participates in the high jump. He took fourth with a leap of 5’6”. LORI FARMER/Ellsworth County Independent-Reporter
KANOPOLIS — Ellsworth’s Kaden Davis, who accepted an offer to play for the Denver Broncos on April 30, visited Kanopolis Middle School on May 5. He spent more than an hour talking to fifth and sixth grade students.
Editor’s note: Mark Inman Seitz worked for the Ellsworth County Independent-Reporter for many years. He was a journalist, sports writer and all round funny guy. He passed away May 12, 2022. In memory, the I-R is republishing excerpts of the popular HindSeitz columns, originally published in the I-R in 2007.
In the fall of 1862 the U.S. fleet operated relatively unopposed in the Confederate-held territory on the Mississippi River, and the river’s larger tributaries. In response, Confederate Major General Theophiles H. Holmes, commander of the Department of the Trans-Mississippi, ordered the construction of fortifications at Arkansas Post near the confluence of the Arkansas and White Rivers. Arkansas Post had been a seat of commerce since being established for frontier trade by the French in 1686. Designated Fort Hindman, the installation suffered humiliating defeat when under heavy bombardment. Nearly a third of Confederate troops serving in Arkansas were captured when the post was surrendered on Jan. 11, 1863.
The Kansas Legislature shields itself from public scrutiny through secrecy, confusing shell games and silenced opposition.
The analysis elsewhere on this page from Sherman Smith and the Kansas Reflector is a much longer story than we had space to print. However, the long version can be found on the Ellsworth County Independent-Reporter website at www.indyrepnews.com or on the Reflector site at kansasreflector. com/2022/05/08/analysis-how-the-kansas-legislatureavoids-public-scrutiny-by-hiding-in-darkness/?fbclid=Iw AR3yDyQ8QHYS2BFavg5TcFWvW6vUXJHpFP6Ec-3LW7g-KFmtsNo8Pp_IM0o
