Category: Local News

By Joni Lee
The Haysville Times

A plan for improving the city of Haysville has been set into motion following the city council members’ approval of the internal improvements petition on Monday night. Included in the petition are plans to improve the sanitary sewer system, water supply, water, streets, and storm water drainage for the Timber Creek Estates Addition. These renovations symbolize the community’s ongoing commitment to preserve and rejuvenate the city of Haysville.
An issue addressed at the meeting that many residents were concerned about was the proposal for trash hauling. The council members discussed whether to gather more data concerning the four trash companies that had made proposals or to go ahead with a vote. They decided to put the issue to a vote, with a unanimous decision not to accept the proposal to franchise with Lies Trash Service, Waste Connections of Kansas, Stutzman Refuse Disposal, or Waste Management. However, Mayor Armstrong encouraged citizens to call their waste removal provider on an individual basis to try and get the proposed lower fee for trash hauling. Board member Steven Crum also urged city residents to contact the company they have service with to get information about curbside recycling to increase community involvement in being environmentally friendly. Continue reading “City Votes on Trash Franchising”

By Kathy Barkley
The Haysville Times

Photo by Patricia Barkley

Congratulations to Mindy Walz for being nominated and chosen as Teacher of the Year for the 2005-2006 school year. It’s a great honor to receive such a reward, especially your very first year of teaching first grade. Walz says, “I want to thank Nelson for letting me work here. I’m so grateful to be part of the Nelson family. Everyone is awesome….teachers, adminstrators, custodians.” She enjoys working with people she likes and doing something she loves. (Don’t you just love that kind of enthusiasm? It’s contagious.)
Let me introduce you to Mindy Walz. She comes to us from a small western Kansas town called Oakley, where she was born in 1973. Walz is the third of nine children. She attended high school in Colby.
Walz has two beautiful daughters, Morgan (11 years) and Madison (7 years), who may just follow in their mom’s footsteps and pursue a teaching career. Before choosing teaching as a profession, she worked in the dentistry field for 4 years.
Walz graduated from Wichita State University, Magna Cum Laude. Since she was the third of nine children in her family, the younger ones looked up to her. That is what first peaked her interest in becoming a teacher. Walz worked in daycare and in preschool before Morgan and Madison started school. When she saw that yearning to learn with her own two daughters, she decided to pursue a teaching degree. Walz is glad she went to college and chose teaching.
When asked what she liked about Haysville schools, Walz said, “I love the small town atmosphere.” The family atmosphere reminds her of where she grew up.
A typical day for Walz is school-oriented. She says, “I get up, and I’m there when the doors open, and I’m there until the doors close. No day is the same.” She has a great deal of dedication.
When asked what her hobbies were, she replied, “I like to spend time with my family.” Walz and her daughters go to the lake or do other outdoor things/activities.
As for her plans for the future, “I’d love to stay in the Haysville area and continue teaching first grade.” Walz lives in Derby right now, but would like to move to Haysville.
Walz is definitely an asset to Nelson School. Again, congratulations! It’s been a job well done.

By Tricia Stithem
The Haysville Times

Forester Tim McDonnell plays two roles. He is community forester and forester for South East and Central Kansas. He has been doing state wide programming now for three months since the previous forester moved to Nebraska. He has been with Kansas forest service for four years, and, he states, “I have 25 years of experience with trees.”
The June 5 program was presented at the community building for the community and sponsored by the Tree Board with Patty Waters presiding over the meeting. The presentation was titled Tree Death Begins at Planting. This were a PowerPoint presentation. Included was The Top Ten Mistakes During Tree Planting which according to Forester McDonnell are:
(1) Poor selection – Choose a healthy plant and look up and around and look for obstacles to the plant’s growth.
(2) Inadequate root system – For every inch of tree diameter, it needs a 10 inch to 12 inch of root ball. Anything less than that, and the tree will suffer more transplant shock and will take a longer time to establish.
(3) Poor Planting Site: Dig a hole to determine what type of soil profile you are dealing with.
(4) Pot Bound/ Girdling Root. Always look for girdling roots that are wrapped around the trunk and cut this root off. This prevents choking off of nutrients to the plant.
(5) Planting Hole Is Too Small. Dig the hole twice as big as the root ball is wide.
(6) Plant Too Deep. The planting hole should be no deeper than the root ball itself.
(7) The Tree Is Improperly Or Not Mulched At All. Mulch buffers the environmental fluctuation of our climate.
(8) Tree Is Not Staked. This is not always required. Stake in a park where there are children at play or in high wind areas.
(9) Improper Watering – Forester McDonnell states, “I probably see more newly planted trees drowned from too much water than not enough. Trees should be watered initially, then again the next day, then in three days and again in another three days.”
(10) Failure to Monitor “Scouting is the primary function of integrated pest management and means checking the crop etc. daily.”
Recommendations for tree planting, preferred trees for South Central Kansas, why trees are stressed by transplanting and fertilizing trees in the landscape was also discussed. All of these are most interesting and very useful pieces of information for those with trees or thinking of buying trees and for those in the industry. Another very interesting topic was the Kansas Pride selection of trees: 2006 – Kentucky Coffee Tree; 2007 – English Oak, which is at the Kansas Horticulture Center; 2008 – Caddo Maple; 2009 – Chinkapin Oak; 2010 – Lace Bark Elm, a state champion in Garden City.
Further information on this subject is available through your Kansas State University Agricultural Experiment Station and Cooperative Extension Service.

By N.N. Wyant
The Haysville Times

The proposed smoking ban will come to the voters of Haysville this November, sort of. The Council has decided to put the issue to a vote as non-binding. By making this a non-binding issue, the council will be collecting the opinions of the citizens of Haysville, without taking any official stance.
If, for instance, 3,500 people vote for the ban and 500 vote against it, there will still be no decision on what to do. The council intends to use this vote as a way to get a pulse on what the citizens want. After the vote, the council will make a decision on what to do.
The cost? Since the council is making this part of the regular election in November, the cost of the election will be minimal, about $300.

By Tricia Stithem
The Haysville Times

The City of Haysville began their garden tours one year ago thanks to the thoughtfulness of Phil and Nancy Harris, Bill Youngers, Pat Maechtlen, Tim Norton, Linda Wilkerson, and Joyce Jackson. Bill Youngers is the chairman but states that Phil and Nancy Harris, had the idea and the spark for putting it together. Bill says, “I work in the industry, and Phil asked for my assistance in organizing a tour for the public, as he was aware of several nice gardens in Haysville. We wanted to establish something to be proud of in our community and to beautify our city. As a community, we did feel left out, as surrounding areas all have their gardening events and tours. These are all non-professionals and do it yourself-ers establishing something to be proud of.”
Since last year several other participants have been added to the tour, and they are: Dan and Luetta Yoder, Tom and Marilyn Mosteller, David Odorizza, Pearl Frazier and Ron and Cathy Hurley. The special events in this year’s 2006 garden tour include a koi pond, thanks to the Hurleys. Also, a twilight tour on June 16 will be held starting at 7 p.m. and lasting until 10 p.m.; it will be the first one Haysville has ever had. The Second Annual Daylight Tour will be from 9 a m. to 1 p.m. on June 17. There will be ten gardens in all on display. Donation containers will be placed at each participant’s garden site for the beautification of Haysville’s entrance.
“Last year, $228 was raised, and it has mostly been volunteers doing everything from making signs to working the events. This year, we had some signs professionally made and for a very reasonable cost, care of Derby High School Graphics Dept. We are grateful to them for their help,” states Phil Harris.
C.J. Cross printed the maps and brochures for the event. The Second Annual Garden Tour is sponsored by: the Haysville Times, Haysville Pride, Victorian Tea Celebrations, Dutch’s Greenhouse, Yoder’s Lawn Service, and DeRee Nursery. Haysville Pride and Haysville Times both have been instrumental in getting prizes and finding judges and coordinating with the wonderful people who wanted to share their gardens with the rest of the community, and “we are grateful for their help,” said Phil Harris.
Haysville’s Second Annual Garden Tour Committee will be meeting on June 13, 2006. The meeting will be held at The Senior Center. This will finalize details for

The Haysville Times

After the arrest of a number of illegal immigrants in Haysville on Wednesday, May 24, a Houston man was charged in federal court with transporting the group. Jaime Hernandez-Rojas, 39, who is a Mexican citizen and lawful permanent resident of the U.S., remains in federal custody.
“A criminal complaint was filed in federal court today charging him with one count of unlawfully transporting illegal aliens within the United States,” said U.S. Attorney Eric Melgren. He was scheduled to make an initial appearance in court on the charge that Friday afternoon.
Interviews with the passengers determined that among them were one Mexican citizen, four Guatemalan citizens and 11 El Salvadoran citizens. They were transported to the ICE office in Wichita for further processing, except for one passenger who remained in Sedgwick County custody after being arrested on possible state charges arising from his arrest. The passengers who were taken into ICE custody are still being processed.
If convicted, Hernandez-Rojas faces a maximum penalty of 5 years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000.

By Cathy Loffland
The Haysville Times

On Thursday morning, the Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office got a tip about a full-size white van, possibly carrying illegal immigrants. The van was stopped at the Haysville Mini Stop at the corner of 71st and Broadway.
They believe the van came up from Oklahoma.
When an officer approached the van, the people inside fled on foot. There were seventeen individuals caught, and they are now in custody. U.S. Immigration Services was called.

By N.N. Wyant
The Haysville Times

The problem is that you hire a director and don’t let her direct,” said Jerry Olsthoorn. This comment was made regarding the resignation of senior center director Cindy Taylor. Olsthoorn was among several center members who came to show their support for Taylor. The recurring theme of too much micro-management were among the reasons for Taylor’s resignation, that is according to her supporters. Continue reading “Citizens Speak on Behalf of Taylor”

By Joni Lee
The Haysville Times

On May 20th, the Historic District will host the first annual Village Spring Festival. The festival is a way to bring the Haysville community together while at the same time celebrating National Historic Preservation Month.
Many activities will be available for children, including games, snacks, and bicycle inspection and permit sales.
When asked why the Historic District decided to do a festival of this kind, Angie Millspaugh said they had considered doing it last year, but wanted to wait until the railroad construction was finished, and May seemed like a good choice due to the nice weather.
The festival will be Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

By Emily Davis
The Haysville Times

A Haysville man, identified as James Dutcher, died Friday, May 5th after being hit by a car while riding a motorcycle. The accident took place in Wichita near the intersection of 2nd and Hillside at approximately 11:12 P.M. on the night of Thursday, May 4th.
Mr. Dutcher was not wearing a helmet at the time of the accident and was immediately transported to Wesley Hospital for treatment. It was there that he died from his injuries the following afternoon. Wichita police say there was no suspicion of any impairment being involved as a cause for the accident.