75¢ COLBY Wednesday November 3, 2010 Volume 121, Number 171 Serving Thomas County since 1888 8 pages FFREEREE PPRESSRESS Republicans make clean sweep By Kevin Bottrell other way around.” 1,833 votes to 563. Colby Free Press Republican Jerry Moran, who has represent- Attorney General Steve Six lost the closest [email protected] ed the Big 1st District of western Kansas in of the three races to challenger Derek Schmidt, Congress for more than a decade, won a seat in 453,558 votes to 341,973. In Thomas County, The polls are closed, the results are in, and the U.S. Senate with 70 percent of the vote. In Six lost 1,799 to 646. the Kansas Republican Party had exactly the Thomas County, he got 2,261 votes to Demo- Challenger Ron Estes beat state Treasurer big a night everyone had predicted. crat Lisa Johnston’s 218. Dennis McKinney, 58 percent to 42. Here he Republican Sen. Sam Brownback and run- Republican state Sen. Tim Huelskamp was got 1,696 votes to McKinney’s 753 here. ning mate Jeff Colyer handily won the gover- elected to the U.S. House of Representatives Unopposed incumbent Sandy Praeger, a vet- norship with 522,061 votes to Democrat state with 74 percent of the vote over Democrat eran Republican, got 2,228 votes for insurance Sen. Tom Holland’s 264,067, roughly 66 per- Alan Jilka, former mayor of Salina. In Thomas commissioner in Thomas County and Sally cent to 34 percent. In Thomas County, Brown- County, he got 2,016 votes to Jilka’s 444. Cauble got 2,095 votes for Kansas Board of back did even better, polling 1,969 votes to Republican incumbent Lynn Jenkins won Education in District 5. Holland’s 461, roughly 81 percent to 19 per- the 2nd District congressional seat and Re- Republican Jim Morrison of Colby won re- cent. publican candidates Kevin Yoder and Mike election to the Kansas House of Representa- “Now, it’s a diffi cult time for many Kansas Pompeo won the 3rd and 4th Districts. tives unopposed with 5,675, votes. In his home families. Jobs are scarce and the future is un- Republicans also took the three state govern- county he got 2,207 votes. Register of Deeds certain,” Brownback said, speaking from the ment positions held by appointed Democrats: Lora Volk was re-elected with 2,376 votes and Maner Conference Center in Topeka. “Jeff and Kris Kobach will be the new Kansas sec- County Commissioner Byron Sowers with I promise you an energetic administration fo- retary of state, winning with 59 percent of 777 votes in District 1, both running without ANDY HEINTZ/Colby Free Press cused on what’s best for the people of Kansas, the vote. Secretary of State Chris Biggs got Colby resident Arlen Leiker prepared to cast his vote in Tues- with a government serving the people, not the 37 percent. In Thomas County, Kobach won See “SWEEP,” Page 3 day’s general election. Grade schoolers cast their vote Wind farm road pact to go before townships By Vera Sloan company is still optimistic about fi nding a buyer or Colby Free Press buyers for the power to be generated by the farm, [email protected] although none has signed on the dotted line yet. Sunfl ower Electric Power Corp., a regional co- The Thomas County commissioners fi nished work operative based in Hays, is one of the potential buy- on a road-condition agreement with Solomon Forks ers. Peter Keenon of Acciona Energy, the Spanish Wind Farm covering possible damage to county fi rm behind the farm, said the price is low, so this is roads that will be affected by wind-tower construc- the time to buy. He said he believes there is a place tion crews during their meeting Monday. for renewable energy in the Sunfl ower portfolio. He The four townships involved, Lacey, Morgan, noted that Midwest Energy gets a lot of its power Summers and North Randall, can either sign on their from Sunfl ower Electric, but the big power users are own authority or give all authority to the county. As in eastern Kansas. So far, no start date has been set of Monday morning, those decisions had not been for construction. made by the township boards. The commissioners approved sending letter of “The signing isn’t ultimate approval to begin support for the project to Sunfl ower. building,” said Tiff Thompson, project manager for Road Supervisor Clair Schrock told the commis- Solomon Forks. sioners the fi ve-year road and bridge maintenance She said the fi rm’s development plan must fi rst be made available for public comment. She said the See “ROAD,” Page 3 Colby College graduate to donate kidney to sister By Tara Fields Celeste and Breon, the children on my family.” The Rawlins County Square Deal of Roger Bliss of Atwood and the Celeste lives in Ellis with her late Catherine Bliss, will undergo two daughters, Ashton, 11, and Celeste Bliss Johnson, 1990- kidney transplant surgery Tuesday Aiden, 10. She is a grant writer, 1991 class president at Colby in Wichita. trained in community and founda- Community College, and her Lupus is like fi ghting on both tion development. While at Colby brother, also a Colby College sides of a battlefi eld: Celeste’s Community College she majored graduate, will soon share more body is its own enemy. in music education and ran track than the bonds of sibling love. Lupus, an autoimmune disease, and fi eld. She is a 1988 graduate Celeste, diagnosed with lupus in is the opposite of AIDS, she ex- of Atwood High School. 1997, has had fl are-ups and now, a plained. Her body produces rag- In order to better manage her failed kidney. She has been on di- ing antibodies and these randomly disease, she stopped doing two of alysis since April 2009. attack different areas of her body. her favorite things. She was teach- After testing of all three of Ce- “I have lived a lot differently ing music in school, she said, but leste’s siblings, Maureen, Alec, than a lot of people with lupus,” being exposed to constant illness then Breon, doctors deemed that Celeste said. “I never accepted I proved dangerous to her immune the only match to donate a kidney had the disease, and I was going was Breon. to be normal and not be a burden See “DONATE,” Page 3 Judge tosses out supreme court lawsuit WICHITA (AP) – A federal judge has tossed out the debate over whether judicial nominees should be a constitutional challenge to the way Kansas nomi- popularly elected. He says there is no evidence that KEVIN BOTTRELL/Colby Free Press nates its appellate justices. the Kansas system has led to unqualifi ed people be- Substitute teacher Ashley Cox helped kindergartner Ali Bartlett into a polling booth at Colby U.S. District Judge Monti Belot on Wednesday ing appointed to the Kansas Supreme Court and the Grade School on Tuesday. The grade schoolers voted for governor and accurately predicted dismissed a lawsuit claiming the state’s judicial Kansas Court of Appeals. Sam Brownback’s victory almost down to the exact percent. Brownback won Colby Grade nominating process gives lawyers too much power His ruling comes just two days after the governor School with 62 percent of the vote and won the state with 63 percent. and violates voting rights. fi lled a vacancy on the Supreme Court, and a day af- Belot says it is not the court’s job to weigh in on ter voters retained the four justices up for election. Briefl y Red Cross to collect blood twice Heartland banquet will be Friday key, ham, dressing and mashed potatoes. Donations 7 p.m. Tuesday at the Thomas County Offi ce Com- The American Red Cross will have blood drives Heartland Christian School will hold the “Partners will be accepted. For information, call the rectory at plex on Range Ave. All township residents are invit- from 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Thursday at the student for the Future” endowment banquet at 6:30 p.m. 462-2179. ed to come discuss equipment upgrades and a right- union at Colby Community College, and from 8:30 Friday at the school. Tickets are $15 each from the of-way agreement with the county. For information, a.m. to 3 p.m. Friday at Golden Plains High School school offi ce. Sandra Aldrich will speak. For infor- Diplomats’ fall luncheon Nov. 17 call Bert Stramel at 443-0052. in Rexford. Schedule an appointment online at red- mation, call the offi ce at 460-6419. The Colby Diplomats would like to invite the crossblood.org or call Trudy Wildeman in the col- women of Thomas County to their annual Fall Lun- Food sign-up open open lege Health Science Building at (785) 460-4797 or Singles dance Saturday cheon from noon to 1 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 17, at Prairie Land Food sign-up is open until Monday the Golden Plains offi ce at 687-3265. Walk-ins are There will be a singles and couples dance from the United Methodist Church. The theme this year at the State Farm Insurance offi ce, 905 E. Fourth St. welcome. 6:30 to 10:30 p.m. Saturday at the Meadow Lake is “Say Yes to the Dress.” Admission is $12 per per- Delivery will be Saturday, Nov. 20, at the Sacred Golf Course clubhouse. Granny Z will provide mu- son; reservations should be mailed to Peg Tole, 610 Heart School gym, 1050 W.