The Ocial Newspaper for Cherokee County, cities of Columbus, Baxter Springs, West Mineral, Roseland, Scammon, Columbus USD 493 and Southeast USD 247 VOLUME 10 NUMBER 63 COLUMBUS, KS. 66725 620-429-4684 SINGLE COPY $1.50 © Copyright 2020 God Bless America EMS rejects one WEDNESDAY MARCH 11, 2020 county service An attempt to com- reason,” answered Rob- bine the Cherokee County erts. “We feel we can give CALENDAR Ambulance services into better service than as com- Wednesday, March 11 a single operation was re- bined. You have three dif- •Columbus Cham- jected Monday by the Bax- ferent commissioners be- ber of Commerce Board ter Springs service. cause you can give better of Directors Luncheon With the upcoming service.” at noon in the Commu- ballot issue of convert- “It makes sense to me nity Building. Lunch ing the EMS funding from that one service would be will be from Methodist the property tax roles to a more efficient than sepa- Potato Day. All members sales tax, the County Com- rate,” said Moates. are welcome to attend. mission also suggested the “I believe the state re- Pleas contact Chamber ambulances combine their quires you to provide am- of Commerce office 429- boards and management bulance service and you into a single County Am- have contracted with us to 1492 if attending. bulance Service. provide that service,” said •Columbus Method- Currently the county Roberts. “No matter what ist Church Baked Potato funds the services in the you call it, we are contract- bake to benefit the food amount of $620,000 as a ed to provide the service pantry. 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. line item in the general because you don’t want to •Southeast Kansas fund budget. The voters do it.” Interlocal meets at SEK will decide if the current Moates said the Coun- Interlocal 637 offices 400 jail bond sales tax should ty owned the ambulances North Pine, Pittsburg. In 2011 Gene Cassell donated his wife, Jean’s, Barbie Doll collection to the be converted to fund the so the transition should be 6:30 p.m. Columbus Museum. The late benefactor, who died in 2018, was present at the ambulance service and easy. •VFW Auxiliary opening of the Barbie display with Museum Board member Ella Buzzard. make repairs to the court- “Do you own the am- meets at 7 p.m. in the house and other county bulances?” questioned Post Home. Museum celebrates Barbie’s birthday buildings. Roberts. “I know your •Scammon City Those county funds name is on the title but we Council at 7 p.m. in the Barbie has been a sur- collected many things but of the Barbie brand, the are divided with Baxter paid for them.” Scammon City Hall. geon, an astronaut, a news her Barbie collection is doll has remained popu- Springs receiving slightly “Who pays the insur- •Pinochle single anchor and a president. something to behold. Her lar because “she’s contin- over $200,000 and a com- ance?” asked Commission- deck played at Autumn She’s been the Duchess of husband Gene donated the ued to reflect culture and bination and the combined er Myra Carlisle Frazier. Place Blue Room, Co- Cambridge, several char- Barbie collection to the the world girls see around Galena – Columbus op- “I presume we do,” lumbus 12:30 p.m. ev- acters in “Mad Men” and museum in 2011. It has them.” eration receiving just over Roberts replied. eryone welcome. every member of Destiny’s been a popular visitors stop But if Barbie’s evolu- $400,000. District One and three Several years ago the director Doug Mogle add- Thursday, March 12 Child. in the museum tion has been crucial to her But on her debut at In 2019, Mattel’s Bar- success, the journey has Galena and Columbus ed a bit of history noting •County Emergency units combined into a sin- that the commissioners had Response Team (CERT) the New York Toy Fair on bie brand generated gross never been simple. gle operation. March 9, 1959, she was sales amounting to about Barbie was created by first become part of the fi- meets at 7 p.m. in the Though nothing had nancial backing in the early Cherokee County Court- just a doll in a swimsuit 1.16 billion U.S. dollars, Ruth Handler, who owned been formalized the Com- and ponytail, with white up from about 1.09 billion the toy company Mattel 2000’s as the commission house Break Room. missioners had discussed bought the ambulances to •The Columbus sunglasses in her hand. U.S. dollars the year be- with her husband Elliot. combining all three into one Her 101st birthday is fore. She was inspired by her avoid the non-profit ambu- American Legion will management and board. lance service from paying hold their annual election being celebrated at the Co- Every passing minute daughter Barbara’s paper The board members were lumbus Museum. sees more than 100 dolls dolls. sales taxes on the $100,000 of officers, Thursday, invited to the discussion on plus cost of an ambulance. The Museum has one sold, with 58 million sold Most of the collection Monday. March 12 at 7 p.m. at the is on permanent display at Mogle said when the Legion Home. All mem- of the largest collections of every year. Both of the boards the most popular doll ever To Lisa McKnight, the museum, open from presidents and directors at- full 24-hour service with bers are encouraged to 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday paid ambulance crews attend the stated meeting. distributed. Columbus na- senior vice president and tended the meeting. Casey tive, the late Jean Cassell, global general manager through Saturday, except Roberts represented Bax- started in 2007 the county •Black Diamond holidays. helped with some funding. Masonic Lodge 274, ter Springs board (Ambu- lance District 2) and Ralph Since then they have had Weir stated meeting at budgeting from the county. 7:30 p.m. in Lodge Hall. White represented the Columbus-Galena board “We are not trying •Cherokee County (Ambulance districts one to push this,” said Com- Democrat Committee and three). missioner Carlisle. “What meets at Columbus Com- Commissioner Cory we are concerned with is munity Center 6:30 p.m. Moates asked both the converting the one-half •Columbus Museum EMS board presidents if cent sales tax from the jail Board meets in Museum combining the service is bonds to the ambulance office 2 p.m. something they would en- funding. Can we count on •Riverton School tertain. your support for that?” Board meets at 6:30 p.m. Roberts opened the Both of the directors in the board office discussion by stating that indicated they were not the Baxter District opposed concerned how the fund- Friday, March 13 the combining of the two ing is obtained which they •Cherokee County business operations. receive. Arts Association presents “Our board’s feeling The Commissioners Disney’s Beauty and the is they are opposed to the are expected to approve a Beast at the Galena High combining,” said Roberts. ballot measure that would School Performing Arts “Do you have a reason change the ambulance Center 7:30 p.m. to oppose the combining?” funding from property tax- Saturday, March 14 asked Moates. es to sales taxes. •Columbus Saddle “There is always a Club Chili Cook-off and Live Auction noon at Central Principal Cherokee County Fair Barns for info contact Jason Wells at 417-291- James Bolden retires 7815 Columbus Central Jr. “I have accepted a po- •CUHS Musical, High Principal Jim Bold- sition with Pittsburg State Beauty and the Beast, Jr., en’s retirement was accept- University as the direc- in the High School Audi- ed Monday night by the tor of their on line school torium 7 p.m. USD 493 Board of Educa- programs in Wichita,” said •Cherokee County tion. Bolden after the board ac- Arts Association presents His contract ends in cepted his retirement. Disney’s Beauty and the June of 2020. Serving as Central Beast at the Galena High Bolden said he would Principal for nine years School Performing Arts Clearing the brush for the new Columbus Trail is hard work. Jeff Yost is using be moving to a home he joining the staff in August Center 7:30 p.m. the brush hog from the Trail-in-a-Box unit provided by the Kansas Trails Com- and his wife Patty already of 2011. mission. own a home in Wichita. Completing his thirty- Patty is the Columbus third year in education an High School secretary and twentieth as an administra- DEATHS the couple have children in tor and ninth as the at Cen- Wichita. tral. Michael King, 71 Opolis Local ag operators Rev. Clifford Smith, 91 Chetopa meet with scientists Polymer scientists nym for Farmers Acceler- Musing Under from Pittsburg State Uni- ating Research in Materials versity and Virginia Tech Science. the Clock Tower met with local farmers, On Wednesday night, How come we ranchers, and ag industry conference attendees were never heard leaders to identify prob- treated to a reception at the about 16,000 lems in agriculture. Kansas Polymer Research people dying ev- After the problems are Center where they heard ery year from the identified scientists will re- from Dr. Steve Scott, Presi- flu until 250 died search possible solutions, dent of Pittsburg State Uni- from the current and build the solutions to versity, Dr. Timothy Long virus. these problems in the area Director of the Macromol- strengthening the local ecules Innovation Institute economy. from Virginia Tech, and The F.A.R.M.S.