Meriden & Topeka
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THE HOLTON Inside SALUTE Holton, RV HOLTON, KANSAS wrestlers Hometown of Gary Stous shine at Holton Recorder subscriber league meet. for 41 years. RECServin the Oacson ountyRDER ommunity or years See pages 6 & 7. Volume 151, Issue 14 HOLTON, KANSAS • Wednesday, Feb. 14, 2018 14 Pages $1.00 Tracking software purchased for Holton buses By David Powls The Holton school board Monday evening approved the purchase of 10 computer tab- lets and the necessary related software to track the 10 routes of school buses and the students onboard traveling to and from school at a cost of $31,308 for a three-year contract. The Verizon-based tracking system idea has been discussed in the district for a couple of years following a bus accident that occurred in the Hiawatha school district. In that Brown County ac- cident, there apprarently was some confusion regarding About 40 people attend- which students were on board ed the Legislative forum the bus at the time of the acci- held Saturday at the Jack- dent. son County Courthouse Superintendent Bob Davies said the district’s transportation featuring area lawmakers. department does a great job but In the photo above, Sen. keeping track of all the kids rid- Dennis Pyle of Hiawatha ing the buses is a real challenge. is shown at left at the “We lose one or two (kids) ev- podium outlining some ery once in a while, but not for of the bills he has intro- very long,’’ Davies said at the duced this session. In the meeting. “This tracking system photo at left, Rep. Fran- will help.’’ cis Awerkamp (left) of St. At its meeting, the school Marys is shown address- board also approved handbook ing several state issues material for an at-risk commu- as Pyle (center) and Rep. nity pre-school program pre- Randy Garber of Sabetha sented by Beth Smith, elemen- (right) look on. The event tary school principal. was hosted by the Holton/ The board agreed to move Jackson County Cham- forward with the district’s ap- ber of Commerce. plication for such a pre-school Photos by Ali Holcomb Continued to Page 10 RV considers community pre-school By Ali Holcomb For the past several years, * They are referred by the McDonald recounts lifelong The Royal Valley Board the state’s four-year-old at-risk Department of Children and of Education is considering program has not accepted any Families. the possibility of adding a new district applications, Davis * Neither parent has a high friendship with Merle Haggard community pre-school to the said. As part of Senate Bill 19, school diploma or GED. By Ali Holcomb moved to California in 1959. the guy just singing on elementary school next year. however, the program has been * Child qualifies for migrant Kansas native and recent McDonald first saw Merle television,” McDonald said. During the board’s opened up for new applications status. Holton transplant Ray Haggard on “Cousin Herb’s “She said, ‘No it’s not.’ Then meeting Monday evening, for the next three years. * The child has limited McDonald experienced Trading Post” TV show she leaned over my shoulder Superintendent Aaric Davis If a student qualifies as at- English proficiency. firsthand the rise of when his family was living and said, ‘Well, it is, and I reported that applications are risk, the district would receive * The child has lower than legendary country musician in Oildale, Calif. know his mother.’” now being accepted by the state .5 FTE per student to use for the expected developmental Merle Haggard, developing “It was on every day from During this time, for districts to receive funding pre-school program, Davis said. progress. a deep and lasting friendship 5 p.m. to 5:30 p.m., and it McDonald also became for pre-school programs serving “This year that would equal “I think it’s a great idea, and with the man that so many was just country music,” friends with Buddy and Mike four-year-old at-risk students. $2,003 per student,” Davis said. would be a great addition to the admired. McDonald said. “Everybody Owens, sons of Buck and This new district program Students are considered at- school system,” Davis said. “I just want people to watched it, and it featured Bonnie Owens. would be in addition to the risk if they meet one of the To operate the pre-school, know what a great guy he good musicians like Buck After Buck and Bonnie district’s current early childhood following criteria: Davis said it would require at was,” McDonald said of Owens and Glen Campbell. divorced, Haggard and special education and Head * They qualify for the least one certified teacher and a Haggard. “He was like my When I heard Merle when I Bonnie cut a duet album Start programs on the Prairie district’s free lunch program. few aides. second father.” was 14 years old, I had never together and eventually Band Potawatomi Reservation. * They live in a single-parent “It just depends on the Throughout his career, heard anybody sing like him married, which is how Ray “The community pre-school household. numbers,” he said. McDonald served in a before. I knew he was going met Haggard when he was would be for others to attend in * Their parent was a teenager variety of roles for Haggard, to be a superstar.” 14. a half-day setting,” Davis said. when the child was born. Continued to Page 14 including office manager, One day he saw Haggard A few years later, assistant and bus driver. get out of a car at the house McDonald’s family moved Born in Parsons, across the street from his to Los Angeles in June 1965. McDonald grew up in house. JH board weighs cost of FACS program Topeka before his family “I told my mom that was Continued to Page 10 By Brian Sanders priorities for a few years. wellness course eligible for Reinstating the Family and The district currently offers vocational weighting based on Con sumer Sciences (FACS) five pathways — conceptual the number of students in the program at Jackson Heights combinations of classes and class. High School could be somewhat work-based ex periences that “This pathway seems to make costly to the district, but the encourage students to ward some good sense for some of Jackson Heights USD 335 careers in a particular field our stu dent needs,” she added, Board of Education learned this — that include agricultural, noting that in conducting senior week that there is some interest business and marketing career “exit interviews” over the past in bringing the program back. fields at intro ductory, technical two years, graduating students During the board’s regular and application levels. have recommended that the month ly meeting on Monday, Initiating a human services school offer some “classes with District Su perintendent and path way, Walsh said, would not some real-life application.” Elementary Princi pal Adrianne only al low for return of a FACS Bringing back the FACS Walsh asked the board to program — which disappeared course, however, could cost the consider the addition of a at JHHS in the past decade district any where from $70,000 “human services” learning after a FACS teacher left the to $100,000 ini tially, based on pathway that would involve district and interest in the pro- cost estimates that Walsh said the reinstatement of the FACS gram waned to the point that it were “high.” That includes the program, an action that has been was eventually dropped — but on the board’s list of goals and it would also make a required Continued to Page 10 Presidents Day to be observed Monday Presidents Day, a nation- with its regular deadlines and Commission and the Holton al holiday, will be observed printing schedule. City Commission will meet on Monday, Feb. 19. Local banks, Home delivery of the news- Tuesday, instead of Monday, post offices and government paper, however, may be de- due to the holiday. buildings will be closed. layed due to the post office be- The Jackson County The Holton Recorder will be ing closed Monday. Commission will meet at 9 open Monday and will proceed Both the Jackson County a.m. Tuesday in the commis- sion chambers at the Jackson Merle Haggard and Ray McDonald (right) are shown posing for a photo in 2006. While living in California at a young age, McDonald met Haggard and THURSDAY’S FORECAST County Courthouse. Also, the Holton City Commission will formed a lasting friendship. McDonald worked alongside Haggard for several STY C HH F meet at 7 p.m. Tuesday at City years, including many as his personal bus driver. Photo courtesy of Ray McDonald Look for the complete forecast on page 2. Hall. 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