75¢ COLBY Wednesday December 3, 2014 Volume 125, Number 188 Serving Thomas County since 1888 10 pages FFREEREE PPRESSRESS Second ambulance necessary Thomas County will be getting with Berens’ comments just a few a second replacement ambulance minutes before the meeting. for $67,019 plus the cost of the Bank representative J.L. Evins chassis, commissioners decided at had already resolved some of the their meeting last Wednesday, but attorney’s concerns by the time they postponed signing a lease to he came to the meeting, but Com- finance both replacement ambu- missioner Mike Baughn said he lances. wanted more time to digest Be- The ambulance called Thomas rens’ comments before voting to 3 needs to be replaced, Emergen- approve the lease. cy Medical Services Director Joe “I am not comfortable approv- Hickert said. Its engine is likely to ing this at this time without mak- have serious problems, he said. ing a full study of what is in here The commissioners approved and addressing some of these oth- a similarly priced replacement er issues…,” Baughn said. “I’m for Thomas 1, which had failing not going to vote for this today.” brakes and rare parts, at meetings Baughn said he would not ob- earlier this fall. ject if the other two commission- Hickert brought two unsealed ers chose to approve it. The com- bids to the commissioners for this missioners tabled the matter for second replacement from Arrow their next meeting on Monday. JUDY ROGERS and Professional Ambulance. Al- In other business, the commis- Brielle Eatherly explained to Santa what she wants for Christmas during the Selden Winterfest Friday. though the bid from Professional sioners: Ambulance was $6,500 less than • Refused to hire a paramedic that from Arrow, the cheaper com- leaving the Rawlins County am- pany did not have a loaner ambu- bulance service without first open- lance available. ing up the position to the public. Great Winterfest weather After lengthy discussions and Hickert had already tentatively much hesitation, the commission- offered a job to the woman, even ers ultimately voted for the more though the commissioners had not expensive but better option. yet approved the extra position. The four-year lease itself had “I’m certainly in favor of up- draws shoppers in Selden a few areas of concern, noted by grading our service with another County Attorney Kevin Berens. paramedic if we can fit it into our By Judy Rogers wandering the streets in Selden, fest. She also thanked the city for Mayor Boultinghouse, conduct- The board had accepted a funding budget…,” Baughn said. “I have visiting businesses that stayed setting up decorations reminding ed the drawing for Selden Green- proposal from Western State Bank a concern about creating a new Everyone was a winner Friday open late for the evening. Most residents of the Christmas Deco- bucks sponsored by the city and at an earlier meeting. position without opening it up to night at the Selden Winterfest. had snacks and treats for their rating Contest, with prizes to be foundation. These certificates can The commissioners received a With beautiful weather for the visitors, who were able to register given away at the Christmas car- be used at any Selden area busi- copy of the bank’s proposed lease See “AMBULANCE,” Page 2 annual event, participants enjoyed for prizes given away later in the oling celebration Sunday, Dec. 14. ness. Jennifer Eatherly won $100; evening. She encouraged everyone to Walter Brantley, Brooke Stoll, Businesses participating includ- support the Selden business com- Robert Ritter, Mariane Garza, ed The Bank, Karls Cash Store, munity as they are making their Will Bruggeman and Mrs. Cheney the Selden Public Library and post holiday lists and reminded them $50; and Kash Schiltz, Kristi Sat- Studio to ‘zentangle’ office, Lisa Stoll’s Avon, Pauls that they could buy Selden Green- ter, Bryce Ter Haar, Melissa Wes- Colby native Jaton Denneler will be the featured Furniture, Steve’s Body Shop, bucks as gifts for friends and fam- sel, Wyatt McDonald, Paxton artist for Studio Friday at Colby Community Col- Selden Lumber and the Midway ily to encourage support of their Shaw, Kristi Satter and Kaylie lege this week, demonstrating zentangle, an abstract Motel and Cafe. home town. Wessel all $25. drawing created using repetitive patterns. Members of the Selden Girl Registration tickets were gath- Following the drawing, fire- The event will be held from 9 a.m. to noon and 1 to Scout troop helped visitors cook ered and, after a drawing or two, works were set off in front of the 3 p.m. in Rooms 502-503 of Ferguson Hall. up s’mores at the Sacred Heart winners were announced. Lisa Community Building to let Santa Denneler, a graduate of Colby High School and Parish Hall, and a children’s mov- Stoll gave Avon prizes to two win- know where to come. He arrived Colby College, decorates and stages homes. She ie was available with supervision ners who registered at her booth, on the fire truck courtesy of the works at Inlow Interiors, where she stages the store from Noel Ritter and Amanda including a tube of hand crème Selden Fire Department. Chil- and decorates the display window. Cheney. won by Peg Smith and Skin So dren of all ages lined up to let him “I didn’t really know that I was doing Zentangle The Selden Community Foun- Soft hand cream and nail polish know their Christmas wishes and until Alice Wolf saw my art and said it looked like dation served hot dogs, chili dogs, won by Amie Cheney. The library he gave them each a bag of treats Zen,” she said. “My inspiration comes from my and cocoa in the Selden Commu- held a drawing for a notebook and provided by the Selden Senior mood. I truly just close my eyes and ‘scribble’ what nity Building, with help from the pen set, which went to Wilma Rit- Citizens. I see in my mind.” Selden City Council and commu- ter and Ava Brantley, and T-shirts “We really appreciate everyone Denneler says she sees designs in everything and nity volunteers. to Amanda Cheney and Noel Rit- who came out to enjoy this year’s takes photos of things to draw. Mayor Jacque Boultinghouse ter. The fire department gave away Winterfest,” said Mayor Boult- “I get ideas, but never copy it exactly,” she added. thanked all the businesses and three smoke alarms to Kellee Sny- inghouse, “with special thanks to “Everything around us is full of design so it is never- community groups who partici- der, Bernard Ritter and Falynn the businesses and volunteers who ending. I love color.” pated and helped sponsor Winter- Wasinger. make this event possible.” Denneler said she has sold two of her works, but mostly it just fascinates her. “It’s very addictive to me,” she said. “Hours go by before I know it. My kids love what I do. They are Christmas serenade both married with kids and live in eastern Kansas.” Participants do not need to bring supplies for the free session, she said, unless they have a favorite sketch pad or pens and markers. The art of Jaton Denneler will be featured at For more information, call art instructor Rebel Jay Studio Friday this week at Colby Community at 269-7065. College Science suit dismissed By John Hanna last year adopted standards devel- Wichita-area town of Peck. It had Associated Press oped by Kansas, 25 other states criticized the standards as an at- and the National Research Coun- tempt to indoctrinate students into TOPEKA (AP) – A federal cil. The guidelines treat both evo- a “non-theistic” world view and judge Tuesday dismissed a lawsuit lution and climate change as key said their adoption was a “mes- alleging that science standards for scientific concepts to be taught sage of endorsement” telling some Kansas public schools promote from kindergarten through 12th parents and students that they are atheism and violate the religious grade. outsiders. The group was joined freedoms of students and parents. The guidelines replaced evolu- by parents and taxpayers in chal- U.S. District Judge Daniel Crab- tion-friendly standards that had lenging the standards. tree ruled that a nonprofit group, been in place since 2007, and But Crabtree said the aggrieved parents and taxpayers challenging most board members believed group and individuals didn’t say the standards did not claim specif- they will improve science educa- how they were directly harmed by ic enough injuries from adoption tion by shifting the emphasis in the standards, other than asserting of the guidelines to allow the case classes to hands-on projects and an “abstract stigmatic injury” that to go forward. experiments. The board sought the isn’t enough to sustain a lawsuit. The State Board of Education lawsuit’s dismissal. He also noted that even under the SAM DIETER/Colby Free Press The lawsuit was filed by Citi- guidelines, local school districts Colby Community College’s Sunflower Singers serenaded Dr. Greg Nichols, vice president of zens for Objective Public Educa- still directly control what’s taught academic affairs at the college, with their rendition of “Santa Baby” at the Cultural Arts Center. tion, a group based in the small, in classrooms. The singers performed alongside other choirs and bands at the college’s winter music concert Monday. Page 2 Colby Free Press Wednesday, December 3, 2014 Area/State Weather Second ambulance necessary Briefly From “AMBULANCE,” Page 1 Appeals; Billy Turner for $24 for a car owned by The deadline for Briefly is noon the day before. The deadline for Mon- his father; Ron Evans for $12 for a vehicle pre- day’s paper is noon Friday.