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Month: September 2018

State record pumpkin on display in Manhattan

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MANHATTAN — The largest pumpkin on record grown in Kansas is on display at the Flint Hills Discovery Center for a short time this fall.

Photo courtesy Jacob Marintzer

The pumpkin officially weighed in on September 8, 2018 in Dewey, OK at 1,176 lbs., a record for any Kansas grown pumpkin, according to grower, owner Jacob Marintzer of Westmoreland, Kansas.

This pumpkin beat Marintzer own official record set in 2016 of 940lbs.

The pumpkin is on display at the Discovery Center Atrium until October 5, so there is no fee to see it.

The seeds, and not the pumpkin are where the real excitement is, according to Marintzer. While the giant pumpkin is a great spectacle to behold, it’s the price that a giant pumpkin seed fetches that really makes all the work worthwhile.

The price for a pumpkin seed that comes from a pumpkin this large can run between $15 to $600 per seed. More info can be found here: www.bigpumpkins.com

The family also has a Youtube channel where they have documented the progress of their pumpkin growing process.

Marintzer described the growing process, “There is a main organization called the GPC Giant Pumpkin Commonwealth. This is the main group which makes all of the rules and regulations. Under them are all of the clubs, some states have 1 club some states have many clubs. These clubs must pay their fees to be part of the GPC and they also must have a certified scale to weigh these pumpkins. I took my pumpkin to a weigh-off in Oklahoma. I took it there and not the State fair because the state fair isn’t part of the GPC and they don’t have a certified scale so any pumpkins weighed there don’t count as an official state record.

The largest ever weighed in Kansas unofficially was 1040 pounds. I had the official state record 2 years ago at 938 pounds that pumpkin was weight in Pawnee City, NE. The pumpkin I grew this year set the record at 1176 pounds. So right now it is the largest pumpkin ever grown in Kansas. Somebody could weigh one here in the upcoming weeks and beat it but I’m not aware of any bigger at the moment.”

 

 

Kansas man jailed for criminal use of explosives

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SEDGWICK COUNTY — Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect in connection with use of explosives at his home.

Redd -photo Sedgwick County

Just after 4:30p.m. Sunday, police responded to a check for explosion call in the 3300 Block of South Glenn in Wichita, according to office Charley Davidson.

Just after the initial call, officers were also sent to report of an injury associated with an explosion at a home in the 3300 Block of South Vine. At the residence, officers contacted 43-year-old Travis Redd of Wichita.  According to investigators, Redd used a large firework in a manner in which it was not designed to explode an item on the ground behind his residence, according to Davidson.

When the firework detonated, fragments hit Redd in the chest.  He was transported to an area hospital for treatment of non-life-threatening injuries and released. Officers then booked him into the Sedgwick County Jail for criminal use explosives, according to Davidson.

There were no other injuries.

The Wichita Police Department Bomb Squad and Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms agents assisted with the investigation.

Law enforcement on lookout for pickup involved in Kan. chase

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SHERMAN COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are on the lookout for a vehicle involved in a chase Monday.

According to a release from the Sherman County Sheriff’s Office, police are looking for a new, dark red quad-cab Dodge pickup that was involved in a short chase in Rawlins County.

“If spotted call 9 1 1 and do not approach,” the department advised. “This warning is being broadcast in the Sherman County area because the vehicle was spotted in Cheyenne County on Highway 36. The vehicle may be looking for fuel. Please make sure your vehicles and fuel sources are secure. Again this will be a newer Dodge quad cab pickup truck. Dark red in color with Colorado temporary tag. Call 911 if you see this vehicle.”

Traffic stop on Heizer in Great Bend ends in drug arrests of two teenagers

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On Monday, September 24 at about 3 a.m. while on active patrol, a Barton County Sheriff’s deputy conducted a traffic stop in the 1000 block of Heizer Street in the City of Great Bend. The officer stopped a white Mitsubishi bearing Kansas tags.

During the course of the traffic stop, a Great Police Department K-9 unit arrived at the scene. Further investigation uncovered almost five grams of methamphetamine, marijuana and drug paraphernalia in the vehicle. Both the driver and the passenger were taken into custody.

Arrested at the scene was the driver, Esteban Foster age 18 of Great Bend. Foster was booked on charges of possession of a controlled substance, possession of marijuana, possession of drug paraphernalia as well as driving without a license. Foster is being held in lieu of a $10,000 bond.

The passenger identified as Damaris Meeks, also age 18 of Great Bend was placed under arrest and booked on charges of possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia. Meeks is being held in lieu of a $2,500 bond. Both subjects are still in jail as of this press release.

Ben & Jerry creating special flavor to support Kan. congressional candidate

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MONTPELIER, Vt. (AP) — The founders of Ben & Jerry’s ice cream in Bernie Sanders’ home state are putting their ice cream expertise to work to support seven congressional candidates in the midterm elections who they call progressive.

Vermont’s Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield, known for their clever marketing and quirky flavors, are working with political action committee MoveOn to create ice cream flavors that reflect the values of each of the candidates. They are seeking the public’s help in naming the flavors. After picking winners, Cohen says he will make about 40 pints of each flavor by hand in his kitchen to be raffled off to support the candidates.

“We need a Democratic majority to check President Trump’s unrestrained power. And we also need to send progressive champions to Congress who will fix our healthcare system with Medicare for All, protect clean air and water, and get big money out of politics,” the duo said in a press release on MoveOn.org.

Wichita civil rights lawyer James Thompson is the Democratic candidate for the 4th Congressional District seat.
CREDIT COURTESY OF THE THOMPSON CAMPAIGN

The candidates are James Thompson in Kansas, Jess King in Pennsylvania, Lauren Underwood in Illinois, Aftab Pureval in Ohio, J.D. Scholten in Iowa, Ammar Campa Najjar in California and Stephany Rose Spaulding in Colorado.

The flavors will be announced on a rolling basis starting on Oct. 7 at Iowa State University in Ames, Iowa, according to a consultant working with Cohen and Greenfield. People can sign up starting Oct. 1 to enter the raffle to win the limited edition pints. Winners will be announced Nov. 1 and the ice cream will be shipped by mid-November.

Scholten’s campaign in Iowa wasn’t notified of the ice cream challenge. “It’s fantastic,” said Irene Lin, his campaign manager. “We’re very, very grateful,” she said, adding that supporters are having fun trying to come up with flavor names and ingredients.

It’s not the first time the ice cream makers have tried to sweeten a candidate’s campaign. Cohen created “Bernie’s Yearning” in 2016, during Sen. Sanders’ run for the Democratic nomination for president in 2016.

The ice creams are not associated with the company, Ben & Jerry’s Homemade, Inc.

USD 112 proposed school bond issue to be voted on in November

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This past January, the USD 112 Board of Education began looking at the district’s facilities in Claflin, Wilson, Bushton, and Holyrood. Three of the four buildings are over 20 years old, and the heating and air conditioning units are starting to cost the district a lot to repair.

A bond committee was formed and after facility tours, the committee presented about $20 million in upgrades and repairs. USD 112 Superintendent Greg Clark says the school board narrowed that down to $8.1 million in improvements so all schools could have good HVAC systems and be secure.

Greg Clark Audio

The board-approved bond issue will be decided on by USD 112 voters in the November 6th election.

Along with HVAC improvements, the main entrance at the high school in Claflin would be redone to include controlled-access entry, upgrades to the restrooms near the high school gym, and a 1,400-foot addition at the grade school in Holyrood for restrooms and district document storage.

Clark anticipated work to start soon if the bond issue passes in November.

Greg Clark Audio

The 20-year bond would bring a 6.3 mill levy addition. That mill increase would add more than $50 a year in taxes on a $75,000 home. The current mill levy for USD 112 is 42 mills. Community meetings are scheduled in all the towns represented. The next meeting is tonight at Wilson School at 7 p.m. followed by October 1 at 7 p.m. at the middle school in Bushton.

More details on the bond can be viewed at usd112.org.

John O’Connor

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September 24, 2018

Got an answer for our trivia quiz or a comment? Great! Just email us at john.oconnor@eagleradio.net. We will reply next week.

And now, another edition of Word Stew, cooked up for your mental dining pleasure on our old wood-fired computer. We believe in the natural approach. Let’s see, this will be the 368th week we’ve tried to get this right. And so we commence…

We have a mushroom invasion. And it’s serious. They are everywhere, sprouting near-instantaneously from lawns that yesterday were a verdant unblemished field of green. Overnight, they become ‘decorated’ here and there by vegetative uprisings in shades of gray, beige or purest white in shapes resembling UFOs, frisbees, toy microphones and even things you might not ordinarily expect to see on a lawn.

Every summer we have a few pop up here and there, usually where tree roots have been, at least according to the experts, mushologists, I believe they’re called. Not mushologist? Well, I can Google that later. Anyway, this year we have had a bumper crop.

We have had a wet summer, in spots, especially the last several weeks, but a lot of these interesting rascals were sprouting before then, due maybe to the ongoing high humidity. I walk every morning and I cannot remember more than one or two mornings this summer when we did not have heavy dew on the grass. Even in the afternoon the humidity seldom dropped below 40 percent, unusual in Kansas where mid-afternoon humidities in summer routinely drop to 25 or lower. We have had a Louisiana-like summer. Which mushrooms love.

The mushrooms that look like small UFOs are my favorites. And who’s to say that they are NOT extraterrestrial craft? Or alien creatures that just pop up here and there to gauge our readiness for the Main Invasion Force. I’ll bet they can communicate with each other. I can imagine the conversation…

“What’ya think, this place got any possibilities?” says Mushy One.

“I dunno, you pays your money, you takes your chances,” replies Mushy Two. “These people got a big dog. I don’t want that beast snarfing me up with one bite.”

“Ah, don’t worry about him. He came over yesterday, sniffed me up and down and took off whining. He’s a big chicken. I gave him the stinko smell and he fled the scene.” Mushy One smiled in satisfaction. (Mushologist Note: Yes, mushrooms can smile. But you have to look very carefully.)

“Well, all I know,” said Mushy Two, “is that I’d like to mate before I leave. I want a family.”

“Hey, you got yourself, buddy. What else do you need in life?” (Some mushroom can mate with themselves. It’s true. Look it up. Mushrooms have a secret wild side.)

“Well, that’s fine,” replied One. “But I need something more. I thought I might have met a potential life partner yesterday.”

“Details,” said Two, “I need details.”

“Well, this new one just kind of appeared next to me. Almost like it flew in. Firm, nice size, good smile. Thought we might have a future together.”

“What happened?” asked Two excitedly.

“This kid comes over and picks it up. Turned out to be a Frisbee.”

There you are, the latest on the fabulous freaky fungi invasion. We’ll be following this story and bring you updates as needed.

Let’s check the trivia wars…

Terry got the ‘QB who took his team to three Superbowls and lost them all’ question: Fran Tarkenton of the Vikings in the ‘70s. Tarkenton, who was called ‘scramblin’ Fran’ because he just wouldn’t stay in the pocket, is generally acknowledged as the first ‘mobile’ QB. Back in the day some ‘experts’ called him chicken because he wouldn’t stay in the pocket and let people run over him. No, he was just smart.

Congrats to Paul, who answered the Pontiac hood décor question: yes, it was the Firebird, which (in varying sizes and versions) decorated the hoods of Pontiac Trans-Ams for 30 years. Mary Jo guessed the ‘arrow head’ design, which was also on many Pontiacs, right up until they stopped making ‘em.

Martin came up with what we were needing re: the Basenji dog. Martin has been around a few of that breed and said they don’t really bark, they almost sound like a chicken. Paul pretty much agreed, saying the Basenji sorts of ‘yelps.’ Other sources I’ve seen say this unique canine can even yodel (sort of).

We still have a few unclaimed questions: the folks who co-wrote John Denver’s first big hit had a HUGE hit of their own five years later. Name the group or their song.

What place in the 1100 block of Main was sort of a ‘teen center’ in the ‘60s?

What downtown building has three intertwined rings engraved near its top?

Where in GB could you buy a Coronado fridge back in the day?

And last, but certainly not least:

What oblong pastry has two different names, depending on whether it has cream filling? (I’m getting hungry.)

Email your answers, comments, etc to john.oconnor@eagleradio.net. I’ll mention them all next week.

Have a fantastic week. We’ll visit again about seven days from today.

John

9-year-old Kan. boy accidentally shoots, wounds sister

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MERRIAM, Kan. (AP) — Authorities say a 9-year-old boy has accidentally shot his 10-year-old sister in the leg in suburban Kansas City.

Police on the scene of Saturday’s shooting investigation-photo courtesy KCTV

Police in Merriam, Kansas, said in a news release that the shooting happened around 8:30 p.m. Saturday after the gun was left unattended. Police say the girl’s wound wasn’t life threatening. She was taken to a hospital.

No one has been arrested. The shooting remains under investigation.

Police urged gun owners to properly secure their firearms in the news release.

County takes advantage of buyback options to replace expensive equipment

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Barton County will again use a municipal buyback option to replace a Bobcat T770 compact track loader for the landfill. The track loader is used to spread rock, mow ditches, recycle mattresses, remove snow and various other tasks. Barton County Administrator Phil Hathcock, who also serves at Solid Waste Director, says buyback option allows the landfill to trade in the 2016 model for a new 2018 model at a cost of $8,000 dollars.

Phil Hathcock Audio

The county also uses the buyback option for two track loaders that are used by the Road and Bridge Department.

Commissioners voted 5-0 to proceed with the purchase contract for $8,000.

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