Carol Ann Cox, 76, died June 3, 2022, at Cox South Hospital, Springfield, MO. Carol was born on October 11, 1945, in Sterling, to Everett Lee and Opal Pearl (Lyon) Swenson.

Carol received her GED from Hutchinson Community College in 1968. On September 5, 1961, she married Robert Earl Cox in Lyons. He died on May 28, 1995. Carol was a member of the Fireman's Auxiliary while Robert was a fireman. Carol worked in the cafeteria at Allen Grade School and Sherman Jr. High; she worked at Caldwell Greenhouse and also worked at Walmart as a cashier and in the pharmacy. Carol loved animals and plants, worked as a volunteer for Grief Support Network, and in the 1980's she made homemade Care Bears.

Carol is survived by: son, Steve Cox (Kelley Munden); daughter, Kimberly Cox; grandchildren, Micheal Smith (Megan), Ryan Smith (Traci), Katherine Schott (Michael), Allison Fischer and Stefani Voorhees; great-grandchildren, Gabe Jackson, Brennan Schott, and Lyric Smith; sister, Connie Suhler; brothers, Paul and Cecil Swenson.

Carol was preceded in death by her husband and parents.

Funeral service will be Saturday June 11, 2022 at Elliott Mortuary Chapel, with Todd Ray presiding. Family will receive friends and family on Saturday from 9:00 am until service time. Burial will follow at Memorial Park Cemetery.

Carol Ann Cox, 76, died June 3, 2022, at Cox South Hospital, Springfield, MO. Carol was born on October 11, 1945, in Sterling, to Everett Lee and Opal Pearl (Lyon) Swenson.Carol received her GED from Hutchinson Community College in 1968. On September 5, 1961, she married Robert Earl Cox in Lyons. He died on May 28, 1995. Carol was a member of the Fireman's Auxiliary while Robert was a fireman. Carol worked in the cafeteria at Allen Grade School and Sherman Jr. High; she worked at Caldwell Greenhouse and also worked at Walmart as a cashier and in the pharmacy. Carol loved animals and plants, worked as a volunteer for Grief Support Network, and in the 1980's she made homemade Care Bears.Carol is survived by: son, Steve Cox (Kelley Munden); daughter, Kimberly Cox; grandchildren, Micheal Smith (Megan), Ryan Smith (Traci), Katherine Schott (Michael), Allison Fischer and Stefani Voorhees; great-grandchildren, Gabe Jackson, Brennan Schott, and Lyric Smith; sister, Connie Suhler; brothers, Paul and Cecil Swenson.Carol was preceded in death by her husband and parents.Funeral service will be Saturday June 11, 2022 at Elliott Mortuary Chapel, with Todd Ray presiding. Family will receive friends and family on Saturday from 9:00 am until service time. Burial will follow at Memorial Park Cemetery.

Carol Ann Cox  |1945-2022|  

STEVE CARPENTER HutchCC Sports Information

Leading the nation in saves this past season, Hutchinson Community College freshman pitcher Riley Wertz was named a third-team NJCAA Division I All-American on Tuesday.

Wertz played a major role in Hutchinson posting a 41-8 overall record and finishing 15th in the final NJCAA Rankings. The 41 victories were the second-most in program history. The Blue Dragons went 29-3 and finished second in the KJCCC this season and were third in the Region VI Tournament.

Wertz is the 10th Blue Dragon to earn NJCAA All-America honors, the fourth under head coach Jaime Rose.

Wertz, a freshman from Maize, posted a 13-1 record with a 1.35 earned-run average this season with a Blue Dragon single-season and career record and NJCAA-high nine saves. Wertz won her first 10 decisions of the season and her ERA is the first sub-2.00 mark since Holley Kelley in 2016.

The 1.35 ERA is the third-lowest in program history.

For just the second time in program history, Blue Dragon softball has All-America players in back-to-back seasons. Last season, Madison Grimes was a second-team All-American. The last time the Dragons had back-to-back NJCAA All-Americans was 1986 and 1987.

Wertz was already named the Jayhawk Conference 2022 Freshman of the Year. She was also a first-team all-Jayhawk and All-Region VI selection.

Wertz was the Blue Dragon ace coming out of the bullpen in all 36 appearances she made in 2022 – fourth most in single-season history.

The freshman right-handed pitcher struck out 152 batters in 82 2-3 innings. Wertz’s 152 strikeouts ranked sixth on the Blue Dragon single-season strikeout list. She had at least one strikeout in all 36 appearances.

Wertz set a Blue Dragon single-game record with 18 strikeouts against Garden City on March 19. She had an 11-strikeout performance over 4 2-3 innings against Murray State on Feb. 19.

Opponents hit a scant .144 off of Wertz this season. She allowed only 40 hits, 23 runs and 35 walks in 82 2-3 innings.

Wertz also had plenty to contribute at the plate as the Blue Dragon designated player for most of the season.

Wertz hit .339 (39 for 115) with a team-high eight home runs and 28 RBIs. She also drew a team-high 23 walks this season.

STEVE CARPENTER HutchCC Sports InformationLeading the nation in saves this past season, Hutchinson Community College freshman pitcher Riley Wertz was named a third-team NJCAA Division I All-American on Tuesday.Wertz played a major role in Hutchinson posting a 41-8 overall record and finishing 15th in the final NJCAA Rankings. The 41 victories were the second-most in program history. The Blue Dragons went 29-3 and finished second in the KJCCC this season and were third in the Region VI Tournament.Wertz is the 10th Blue Dragon to earn NJCAA All-America honors, the fourth under head coach Jaime Rose.Wertz, a freshman from Maize, posted a 13-1 record with a 1.35 earned-run average this season with a Blue Dragon single-season and career record and NJCAA-high nine saves. Wertz won her first 10 decisions of the season and her ERA is the first sub-2.00 mark since Holley Kelley in 2016.The 1.35 ERA is the third-lowest in program history.For just the second time in program history, Blue Dragon softball has All-America players in back-to-back seasons. Last season, Madison Grimes was a second-team All-American. The last time the Dragons had back-to-back NJCAA All-Americans was 1986 and 1987.Wertz was already named the Jayhawk Conference 2022 Freshman of the Year. She was also a first-team all-Jayhawk and All-Region VI selection.Wertz was the Blue Dragon ace coming out of the bullpen in all 36 appearances she made in 2022 – fourth most in single-season history.The freshman right-handed pitcher struck out 152 batters in 82 2-3 innings. Wertz’s 152 strikeouts ranked sixth on the Blue Dragon single-season strikeout list. She had at least one strikeout in all 36 appearances.Wertz set a Blue Dragon single-game record with 18 strikeouts against Garden City on March 19. She had an 11-strikeout performance over 4 2-3 innings against Murray State on Feb. 19.Opponents hit a scant .144 off of Wertz this season. She allowed only 40 hits, 23 runs and 35 walks in 82 2-3 innings.Wertz also had plenty to contribute at the plate as the Blue Dragon designated player for most of the season.Wertz hit .339 (39 for 115) with a team-high eight home runs and 28 RBIs. She also drew a team-high 23 walks this season.

Wertz named 3rd Team NJCAA All-American

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The HutchCC Board of Trustees will have its first reading of a draft of the Student Code of Conduct at its meeting Thursday.

According to meeting documents, the code will apply on College property, any College sponsored or sanctioned activities, and any off-campus behavior which reflects on the mission of the College. 

The changes include a clarification of an example of a passive, yet disruptive behavior. 

Also, there are several changes to remove his or her from policies regarding individuals and to replace those mentions with the pronoun their. 

There is also an inclusion of hoverboards in the policy regarding usage of devices like skateboards and scooters.

In addition, the language regarding campus disorder or student unrest is being clarified to allow for the President to designate a person to contact law enforcement, if that person sees a need for such contact, when the President is not on campus.

The board will also look at the document for disciplinary proceedings if the Code of Conduct is violated. That document has just a couple of minor changes, one to clarify that not representing the college is one potential course of action and another to clarify that appeals can be filed by mail.

The meeting Thursday starts at 7:00 p.m. in the Justice Theater in the Shears Technology Center at 1300 North Plum in Hutchinson.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/5/1588955468734.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The HutchCC Board of Trustees will have its first reading of a draft of the Student Code of Conduct at its meeting Thursday.According to meeting documents, the code will apply on College property, any College sponsored or sanctioned activities, and any off-campus behavior which reflects on the mission of the College. The changes include a clarification of an example of a passive, yet disruptive behavior. Also, there are several changes to remove his or her from policies regarding individuals and to replace those mentions with the pronoun their. There is also an inclusion of hoverboards in the policy regarding usage of devices like skateboards and scooters.In addition, the language regarding campus disorder or student unrest is being clarified to allow for the President to designate a person to contact law enforcement, if that person sees a need for such contact, when the President is not on campus.The board will also look at the document for disciplinary proceedings if the Code of Conduct is violated. That document has just a couple of minor changes, one to clarify that not representing the college is one potential course of action and another to clarify that appeals can be filed by mail.The meeting Thursday starts at 7:00 p.m. in the Justice Theater in the Shears Technology Center at 1300 North Plum in Hutchinson.

Student Code of Conduct on agenda for HutchCC Board Thursday


HUTCHINSON,
Kan. — 
The Hutchinson Garden Tour returns this Saturday.

"Our last tour was in 2019," said Dee Bisbee, garden tour chair. "That seems like it was about 10 years ago, really, but we're back and we're excited. We have a great group of gardens that will be on the tour this year. Four country gardens and one city garden, along with our garden at the Hutchinson Community College."

The first event connected with the garden tour is available to those who purchase advance tickets and it is a guided bird walk at one of the locations. Those advance tickets are available for $8 between now and June 9 at the following locations:

Bornholdt Plantland, 1508 West 4th Street

Prairie Hills Nursery, 2999 East 30th Avenue

Stutzman’s in Pleasantview and at 925 East 30th Street

Reno County Extension Office, 2 West 10th, South Hutchinson

Tickets will also be available at each garden for $10.00 the day of the tour, with children 12 and under free and there will be help for gardeners at the garden at HutchCC.

"From 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., Pam Paulsen, who is our Reno County horticulture agent, she will be there doing Garden Guru," Bisbee said. "If you have a problem in your garden, bring a sample in a Ziploc bag, take a picture, she will try and identify and figure out what the problem is for you."

Garden tour proceeds support the Master Gardeners educational programs at the demonstration gardens at HutchCC, along with the Reno County Extension Office, the Hutchinson YMCA and the Garden for Good at the Hutchinson Correctional Facility-East Unit.

"If you need us to do a lecture for you or an educational moment, contact the Reno County Extension Office," Bisbee said. "They will get back to you with some type of information. We've had such a call for things, for people to have us, that we almost don't have enough people to do it."

Gardening really took off as a hobby during the pandemic, and Bisbee's hope is to get some of those gardeners that started in earnest then to come out and get some tips to help them during Saturday's event.

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HUTCHINSON,
Kan. — 
The Hutchinson Garden Tour returns this Saturday."Our last tour was in 2019," said Dee Bisbee, garden tour chair. "That seems like it was about 10 years ago, really, but we're back and we're excited. We have a great group of gardens that will be on the tour this year. Four country gardens and one city garden, along with our garden at the Hutchinson Community College."The first event connected with the garden tour is available to those who purchase advance tickets and it is a guided bird walk at one of the locations. Those advance tickets are available for $8 between now and June 9 at the following locations:All Dillon’s locations in HutchinsonBornholdt Plantland, 1508 West 4th StreetPrairie Hills Nursery, 2999 East 30th AvenueStutzman’s in Pleasantview and at 925 East 30th StreetAbsolutely Flowers, 1328 N. Main StreetDillon Nature Center, 3002 East 30thSmith’s Market, 211 S. Main StreetReno County Extension Office, 2 West 10th, South HutchinsonTickets will also be available at each garden for $10.00 the day of the tour, with children 12 and under free and there will be help for gardeners at the garden at HutchCC."From 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., Pam Paulsen, who is our Reno County horticulture agent, she will be there doing Garden Guru," Bisbee said. "If you have a problem in your garden, bring a sample in a Ziploc bag, take a picture, she will try and identify and figure out what the problem is for you."Garden tour proceeds support the Master Gardeners educational programs at the demonstration gardens at HutchCC, along with the Reno County Extension Office, the Hutchinson YMCA and the Garden for Good at the Hutchinson Correctional Facility-East Unit."If you need us to do a lecture for you or an educational moment, contact the Reno County Extension Office," Bisbee said. "They will get back to you with some type of information. We've had such a call for things, for people to have us, that we almost don't have enough people to do it."Gardening really took off as a hobby during the pandemic, and Bisbee's hope is to get some of those gardeners that started in earnest then to come out and get some tips to help them during Saturday's event.

2022 Master Gardeners Summer Garden Tour is Saturday

Lester David Burns, Jr., 86, passed away June 2, 2022. He was born in Larned, on March 13, 1936, to Lester David and Elsie (Crawford) Burns, Sr.Lester married Bettie Jean Sinclair on September 4, 1955. They shared almost 67 years together.

Lester is survived by: his wife, Bettie Burns (Sinclair); daughters, Cheryl Sykes (Scott) and Carol Harvey; sons, Todd Burns (Kimberly) and Raymond Burns (Katrina); sister, Anita Smith; eight grandchildren; and nine great-grandchildren.

He was proceeded in death by: his father and mother; sisters, Pearl and Betty; and brothers, Archie and John.

Lester graduated from Larned High School and went directly into the United States Navy. He served four years in active duty on the U.S. Los Angeles and four years on active reserve. After serving in the Navy, Lester held various jobs until he became a Hutchinson firefighter, where he served 22 years on the department. He also ran his own construction business until he permanently retired. Lester was a member of Our Redeemer Lutheran Church. He enjoyed helping others and volunteered at the Reno County Museum, Hutchinson Cosmosphere, Salt Company, RSVP, and Meals on Wheels. In addition, he enjoyed traveling, boating, waterskiing, cars, car shows, and playing pool. Lester loved watching basketball and was an avid follower of the KU basketball team. Most of all, he loved spending time with his wife and family.

Lester’s life will be celebrated 11:00 a.m. Monday, June 6, 2022, at Our Redeemer Lutheran Church, 407 East 12th Ave., Hutchinson. Visitation, with the family present, will be from 10:00 a.m. until service time Monday at the church. Private inurnment will be in Larned Cemetery, with military honors conducted by the United States Navy Honor Guard.

In lieu of flowers, memorials are suggested to the Hutchinson Community College Endowment Association (for Fire Science Scholarship), in care of Elliott Mortuary, 1219 N. Main, Hutchinson, KS 67501.

Lester David Burns, Jr., 86, passed away June 2, 2022. He was born in Larned, on March 13, 1936, to Lester David and Elsie (Crawford) Burns, Sr.Lester married Bettie Jean Sinclair on September 4, 1955. They shared almost 67 years together.Lester is survived by: his wife, Bettie Burns (Sinclair); daughters, Cheryl Sykes (Scott) and Carol Harvey; sons, Todd Burns (Kimberly) and Raymond Burns (Katrina); sister, Anita Smith; eight grandchildren; and nine great-grandchildren.He was proceeded in death by: his father and mother; sisters, Pearl and Betty; and brothers, Archie and John.Lester graduated from Larned High School and went directly into the United States Navy. He served four years in active duty on the U.S. Los Angeles and four years on active reserve. After serving in the Navy, Lester held various jobs until he became a Hutchinson firefighter, where he served 22 years on the department. He also ran his own construction business until he permanently retired. Lester was a member of Our Redeemer Lutheran Church. He enjoyed helping others and volunteered at the Reno County Museum, Hutchinson Cosmosphere, Salt Company, RSVP, and Meals on Wheels. In addition, he enjoyed traveling, boating, waterskiing, cars, car shows, and playing pool. Lester loved watching basketball and was an avid follower of the KU basketball team. Most of all, he loved spending time with his wife and family.Lester’s life will be celebrated 11:00 a.m. Monday, June 6, 2022, at Our Redeemer Lutheran Church, 407 East 12th Ave., Hutchinson. Visitation, with the family present, will be from 10:00 a.m. until service time Monday at the church. Private inurnment will be in Larned Cemetery, with military honors conducted by the United States Navy Honor Guard.In lieu of flowers, memorials are suggested to the Hutchinson Community College Endowment Association (for Fire Science Scholarship), in care of Elliott Mortuary, 1219 N. Main, Hutchinson, KS 67501.

Lester David Burns, Jr. |1936-2022|

Donna Jean Callahan, 90, passed away June 2, 2022, at Thorne Care Center, Hutchinson, KS.&nbsp; She was born January 31, 1932, in Hutchinson, KS, to Robert Caples and Pearl Evah (Buckles) Childs.

Donna was a 1949 graduate of Hutchinson High School and attended Hutchinson Community College.&nbsp; She retired from banking in 1994.&nbsp; Donna worked for many years during the Kansas State Fair and was secretary at First Congregational Church, Hutchinson.&nbsp; She was a founding member of Temple Baptist Church, Hutchinson.

On October 11, 1954, Donna married Willis Franklin Callahan, Sr.&nbsp; He died January 19, 1966.

Donna is survived by:&nbsp; her children, Kathy Rusk and husband John, Bob Callahan and wife Diana, and Frank Callahan, all of Hutchinson, KS; grandchildren, Christy Gable and husband Keith of Hutchinson, KS, Steven Rusk and wife Jenni of Olathe, KS, Cassie Arias and husband Luis of Wichita, KS, and Ciara Corwin and husband Mitch of Wichita, KS; eight great-grandchildren; and numerous nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by:&nbsp; her parents; husband; great-grandson, Banks Corwin; and siblings, Lyle Childs, Robert Childs, and Velma Childs.

Graveside service will be 10 a.m. Wednesday, June 8, 2022, at Memorial Park Cemetery 5905 W. 4th Avenue, Hutchinson, KS, with Pastor Matt Stafford officiating.&nbsp; Friends may call from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday, June 7, 2022, with the family present from 6 to 8 p.m. Tuesday at Elliott Mortuary.

In lieu of flowers, memorials are suggested to Temple Baptist Church, First Congregational Church, or Hospice &amp; HomeCare of Reno County, in care of Elliott Mortuary and Crematory, 1219 N. Main, Hutchinson, KS 67501.

Donna Jean Callahan, 90, passed away June 2, 2022, at Thorne Care Center, Hutchinson, KS.&nbsp; She was born January 31, 1932, in Hutchinson, KS, to Robert Caples and Pearl Evah (Buckles) Childs.Donna was a 1949 graduate of Hutchinson High School and attended Hutchinson Community College.&nbsp; She retired from banking in 1994.&nbsp; Donna worked for many years during the Kansas State Fair and was secretary at First Congregational Church, Hutchinson.&nbsp; She was a founding member of Temple Baptist Church, Hutchinson.On October 11, 1954, Donna married Willis Franklin Callahan, Sr.&nbsp; He died January 19, 1966.Donna is survived by:&nbsp; her children, Kathy Rusk and husband John, Bob Callahan and wife Diana, and Frank Callahan, all of Hutchinson, KS; grandchildren, Christy Gable and husband Keith of Hutchinson, KS, Steven Rusk and wife Jenni of Olathe, KS, Cassie Arias and husband Luis of Wichita, KS, and Ciara Corwin and husband Mitch of Wichita, KS; eight great-grandchildren; and numerous nieces and nephews.She was preceded in death by:&nbsp; her parents; husband; great-grandson, Banks Corwin; and siblings, Lyle Childs, Robert Childs, and Velma Childs.Graveside service will be 10 a.m. Wednesday, June 8, 2022, at Memorial Park Cemetery 5905 W. 4th Avenue, Hutchinson, KS, with Pastor Matt Stafford officiating.&nbsp; Friends may call from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday, June 7, 2022, with the family present from 6 to 8 p.m. Tuesday at Elliott Mortuary.In lieu of flowers, memorials are suggested to Temple Baptist Church, First Congregational Church, or Hospice &amp; HomeCare of Reno County, in care of Elliott Mortuary and Crematory, 1219 N. Main, Hutchinson, KS 67501.

Donna Jean Callahan |1932-2022|

Mie Martin
Castaneda Jr., 32, passed away Friday, May 27, 2022, at Ascension Via Christi in
Wichita.

Mie was born November 22, 1989, in Hutchinson, the son of Martin Castaneda
Sr. and Deborah Sanchez. Mie graduated from Trinity Catholic High School in
2008 and attended Hutchinson Community College. He later attended Toni &amp;
Guy Hairdressing Academy in Dallas, TX. Mie had a huge passion for at and
fashion and was an avid magazine collector.&nbsp;
He was a member of the Catholic Youth Organization and Our Lady of
Guadalupe Catholic Church.

He was preceded in death by his
maternal grandmother, Carol Sanchez; paternal grandfather, Liborio Castaneda;
aunt, Michelle Sanchez-Woodson; uncle, Kenneth Woodson; and other numerous relatives.

Survivors include his parents, Martin and Deborah; two
brothers, Liborio M. and Marcelino T. Castaneda; and God children, Ana and
Adrian Rodriguez and Zae Thompson.

Parish Rosary service will be Monday, June 6, 2022,
at 12:00 p.m. at Our Lady of Guadalupe, 612 S. Maple, South Hutchinson, followed
by Mass of Christian Burial at 12:30 p.m. Burial will be at Memorial Park
Cemetery, Hutchinson. 

Mie Martin
Castaneda Jr., 32, passed away Friday, May 27, 2022, at Ascension Via Christi in
Wichita. 
Mie was born November 22, 1989, in Hutchinson, the son of Martin Castaneda
Sr. and Deborah Sanchez. Mie graduated from Trinity Catholic High School in
2008 and attended Hutchinson Community College. He later attended Toni &amp;
Guy Hairdressing Academy in Dallas, TX. Mie had a huge passion for at and
fashion and was an avid magazine collector.&nbsp;
He was a member of the Catholic Youth Organization and Our Lady of
Guadalupe Catholic Church.He was preceded in death by his
maternal grandmother, Carol Sanchez; paternal grandfather, Liborio Castaneda;
aunt, Michelle Sanchez-Woodson; uncle, Kenneth Woodson; and other numerous relatives.Survivors include his parents, Martin and Deborah; two
brothers, Liborio M. and Marcelino T. Castaneda; and God children, Ana and
Adrian Rodriguez and Zae Thompson.Parish Rosary service will be Monday, June 6, 2022,
at 12:00 p.m. at Our Lady of Guadalupe, 612 S. Maple, South Hutchinson, followed
by Mass of Christian Burial at 12:30 p.m. Burial will be at Memorial Park
Cemetery, Hutchinson.

Mie Martin Castaneda Jr.  |1989-2022|  

Rosella Ruth Wiens Regier, 88, passed away peacefully on May 31, 2022. She was born December 2, 1933, the 12th&nbsp;of 13 children of Henry W. and Anna Enns Wiens.

Her first years were spent on the family 80-acre farm southeast of Inman.&nbsp; The depression had taken its toll.&nbsp; But Rosella grew up in a family where the mantra seemed to go something like this:&nbsp; “Times are hard.&nbsp; Winter is coming.&nbsp; Economize.&nbsp; Scrimp.&nbsp; Save.&nbsp; Work hard.&nbsp; Help each other.&nbsp; And have fun doing it all!”

Rosella graduated from High School at Central Kansas Bible Academy in Hutchinson.&nbsp; From an early age she wanted to be a teacher.&nbsp; She took on her first teaching job at the rural Turkey Creek School near Inman in 1956.&nbsp; After graduating from Bethel College in North Newton, Kansas in 1958, her public school teaching took her to classrooms in Indiana and Mississippi as well as Newton and Walton in Kansas.

In 1957 Rosella married Harold Regier.&nbsp; Together, they spent the ‘60s in Gulfport, Mississippi, in a mission-service assignment working in an African-American setting.&nbsp; There she was involved with a variety of ministries, including the role of Summer Bible School superintendent supervising volunteers who taught as many as 1,000 students in summer sessions.&nbsp; Other involvements included teaching youth in winter Bible classes, helping create a community library, facilitating a “Fresh Air” program, teaching Head Start, and finally teaching public school the first year of school integration in Mississippi when racial tensions were running high.

While in Mississippi, Rosella became the mother of two children:&nbsp; Steven Douglas in 1965 and Sharon Janelle in 1967.&nbsp; Returning to Newton, Kansas in 1970, Rosella concentrated on family life, soon balancing this with returning to the classroom.&nbsp; In the Newton system, she taught at Northridge, Suncrest, and Walton.

Rosella’s love for teaching and of children led her from the public school classroom to the Christian nurture of children in the church setting.&nbsp; In 1984, she was invited to become the Director of Children’s Ministry for the General Conference Mennonite Church.&nbsp; In this role Rosella led teacher workshops and provided congregational resources for children’s Christian education across the United States and Canada.

In 1990 the Anabaptist Curriculum Publishing Council invited Rosella to be the Executive Director of a new children’s curriculum for six Anabaptist denominations.&nbsp; The project, developing and publishing the new curriculum, “Jubilee:&nbsp; God’s Good News,” was a two-year rotation of Biblical studies designed for four levels:&nbsp; early childhood, primary, middlers, and Junior youth.&nbsp; The curriculum was used from 1994 to 2006, a long life for Sunday School curricula.

Retiring in 1999, Rosella continued her Christian Education career as a Presenter and Workshop Leader for the national body of the Church of the Brethren, based in Elgin, Illinois.&nbsp; For three more years she traveled to congregations and districts across the United States with sermons, workshops, and seminars on the general theme of the care and Christian nurture of children.

In retirement, Rosella stayed very active in local church and community leadership.&nbsp; Church leadership included such roles as church moderator, chair of the 50th&nbsp;anniversary celebrations planning committee for Faith Mennonite Church, president of mission circle, member of church council.&nbsp; At the district level she served as member of the Western District Conference “Vision 2012” steering committee and prayer partner coordinator.&nbsp; For more than 10 years she served as facilitator of a sexual abuse women’s support group.&nbsp; In 2009 she was selected as one of three Newton woman honored as “Woman of the Year.”

A significant role during retirement years has also been that of a grandmother.&nbsp; Rosella nurtured a relationship with grandchildren that was reminiscent of her life’s career of nurturing children in both public school and church settings.&nbsp; Her grandchildren in her retirement years were her pride and joy!

In 2009 Rosella suffered a devastating stroke that left her with acute aphasia.&nbsp; Robbed of words to communicate her thoughts she painted some 250 pictures to tell her stories.&nbsp; Then with stories cast into an “aphasia-friendly reading” format she was able to articulate a few words to participate in a co-reader technique that enabled her to tell some of her own stories.&nbsp; This gave her much satisfaction, making it possible for a pre-stroke story-teller to be a post-stroke story-teller!

Rosella was preceded in death by her parents,&nbsp; H.W. and Anna Enns Wiens, and her siblings Nick, Leonard, Simon, Adolph, Eva (Ruben Wedel), Mary (Bill Goossen), Esther (Walt Juhnke),

Anna Grace Wiens, and four siblings who died in infancy. &nbsp;Survivors include her husband, Harold, son Steve (Marilyn), daughter Sharon, grandchildren Madeline Regier, Drake Regier, and Claire Schultz.

Memorial service will be 4:00 p.m., Saturday, June 4, 2022 at Faith Mennonite Church in Newton. Private family interment will take place at a later date.

Rosella Ruth Wiens Regier, 88, passed away peacefully on May 31, 2022. She was born December 2, 1933, the 12th&nbsp;of 13 children of Henry W. and Anna Enns Wiens.Her first years were spent on the family 80-acre farm southeast of Inman.&nbsp; The depression had taken its toll.&nbsp; But Rosella grew up in a family where the mantra seemed to go something like this:&nbsp; “Times are hard.&nbsp; Winter is coming.&nbsp; Economize.&nbsp; Scrimp.&nbsp; Save.&nbsp; Work hard.&nbsp; Help each other.&nbsp; And have fun doing it all!”Rosella graduated from High School at Central Kansas Bible Academy in Hutchinson.&nbsp; From an early age she wanted to be a teacher.&nbsp; She took on her first teaching job at the rural Turkey Creek School near Inman in 1956.&nbsp; After graduating from Bethel College in North Newton, Kansas in 1958, her public school teaching took her to classrooms in Indiana and Mississippi as well as Newton and Walton in Kansas.In 1957 Rosella married Harold Regier.&nbsp; Together, they spent the ‘60s in Gulfport, Mississippi, in a mission-service assignment working in an African-American setting.&nbsp; There she was involved with a variety of ministries, including the role of Summer Bible School superintendent supervising volunteers who taught as many as 1,000 students in summer sessions.&nbsp; Other involvements included teaching youth in winter Bible classes, helping create a community library, facilitating a “Fresh Air” program, teaching Head Start, and finally teaching public school the first year of school integration in Mississippi when racial tensions were running high.While in Mississippi, Rosella became the mother of two children:&nbsp; Steven Douglas in 1965 and Sharon Janelle in 1967.&nbsp; Returning to Newton, Kansas in 1970, Rosella concentrated on family life, soon balancing this with returning to the classroom.&nbsp; In the Newton system, she taught at Northridge, Suncrest, and Walton.Rosella’s love for teaching and of children led her from the public school classroom to the Christian nurture of children in the church setting.&nbsp; In 1984, she was invited to become the Director of Children’s Ministry for the General Conference Mennonite Church.&nbsp; In this role Rosella led teacher workshops and provided congregational resources for children’s Christian education across the United States and Canada.In 1990 the Anabaptist Curriculum Publishing Council invited Rosella to be the Executive Director of a new children’s curriculum for six Anabaptist denominations.&nbsp; The project, developing and publishing the new curriculum, “Jubilee:&nbsp; God’s Good News,” was a two-year rotation of Biblical studies designed for four levels:&nbsp; early childhood, primary, middlers, and Junior youth.&nbsp; The curriculum was used from 1994 to 2006, a long life for Sunday School curricula.Retiring in 1999, Rosella continued her Christian Education career as a Presenter and Workshop Leader for the national body of the Church of the Brethren, based in Elgin, Illinois.&nbsp; For three more years she traveled to congregations and districts across the United States with sermons, workshops, and seminars on the general theme of the care and Christian nurture of children.In retirement, Rosella stayed very active in local church and community leadership.&nbsp; Church leadership included such roles as church moderator, chair of the 50th&nbsp;anniversary celebrations planning committee for Faith Mennonite Church, president of mission circle, member of church council.&nbsp; At the district level she served as member of the Western District Conference “Vision 2012” steering committee and prayer partner coordinator.&nbsp; For more than 10 years she served as facilitator of a sexual abuse women’s support group.&nbsp; In 2009 she was selected as one of three Newton woman honored as “Woman of the Year.”A significant role during retirement years has also been that of a grandmother.&nbsp; Rosella nurtured a relationship with grandchildren that was reminiscent of her life’s career of nurturing children in both public school and church settings.&nbsp; Her grandchildren in her retirement years were her pride and joy!In 2009 Rosella suffered a devastating stroke that left her with acute aphasia.&nbsp; Robbed of words to communicate her thoughts she painted some 250 pictures to tell her stories.&nbsp; Then with stories cast into an “aphasia-friendly reading” format she was able to articulate a few words to participate in a co-reader technique that enabled her to tell some of her own stories.&nbsp; This gave her much satisfaction, making it possible for a pre-stroke story-teller to be a post-stroke story-teller!Rosella was preceded in death by her parents,&nbsp; H.W. and Anna Enns Wiens, and her siblings Nick, Leonard, Simon, Adolph, Eva (Ruben Wedel), Mary (Bill Goossen), Esther (Walt Juhnke),Anna Grace Wiens, and four siblings who died in infancy. &nbsp;Survivors include her husband, Harold, son Steve (Marilyn), daughter Sharon, grandchildren Madeline Regier, Drake Regier, and Claire Schultz.Memorial service will be 4:00 p.m., Saturday, June 4, 2022 at Faith Mennonite Church in Newton. Private family interment will take place at a later date.

Rosella Ruth Wiens Regier  |1933-2022|  

LEXINGTON, KY—Kentucky head basketball coach John Calipari has found his replacement for assistant coach Jai Lucas, who was hired away by Duke a month ago. Coincidentally, it’s the same man who replaced Lucas at Texas when Calipari hired Lucas away from the Longhorns two years ago. That man is 44-year-old KT Turner, sources told The Athletic.

Turner has served as associate head coach at Southern Methodist, Texas and Oklahoma, where he spent last season under Porter Moser. He was also on staff at Wichita State when the Shockers made their stunning run to the Final Four in 2013. Turner comes highly endorsed by his former boss at SMU, Larry Brown, a Naismith Hall of Famer and longtime Calipari friend.

When Shaka Smart hired Turner at Texas, he said Brown told him: “K.T.‘s the best assistant I’ve ever been around because of the impact that K.T. has on the people around him.” Smart later said of Turner: “He’s one of those guys, if you don’t like him, then something’s wrong with you.”

Turner took over as acting head coach of the Longhorns briefly in 2021 after Smart tested positive for COVID-19.

Turner is known as a strong recruiter and developer of talent. At SMU, he played a major role in the signing and emergence of <a href="https://theathletic.com/nba/">NBA</a> draft picks Semi Ojeleye, Sterling Brown and Shake Milton. In his first few weeks on the job at OU, Turner helped lock down top-100 recruit CJ Noland after he considered other options during the Sooners’ coaching change.

Turner played for Hutchinson Community College in Kansas, then NAIA hoops in Oklahoma and began his coaching career at JUCOs in Texas, Oklahoma and Kansas as well as back at HutchCC. Turner also coached at Cowley College in Arkansas City. His father, Ken, was an assistant to Dana Altman at <a href="https://theathletic.com/team/kansas-state-wildcats-college-basketball/">Kansas State</a> and then worked for Randy Ayers at <a href="https://theathletic.com/team/ohio-state-buckeyes-college-basketball/">Ohio State</a> before he died of a heart attack while jogging in 1994.

K.T. rounds out Calipari’s coaching staff, which he took extra steps to solidify by giving assistant Chin Coleman a significant raise, per sources.

LEXINGTON, KY—Kentucky head basketball coach John Calipari has found his replacement for assistant coach Jai Lucas, who was hired away by Duke a month ago. Coincidentally, it’s the same man who replaced Lucas at Texas when Calipari hired Lucas away from the Longhorns two years ago. That man is 44-year-old KT Turner, sources told The Athletic.Turner has served as associate head coach at Southern Methodist, Texas and Oklahoma, where he spent last season under Porter Moser. He was also on staff at Wichita State when the Shockers made their stunning run to the Final Four in 2013. Turner comes highly endorsed by his former boss at SMU, Larry Brown, a Naismith Hall of Famer and longtime Calipari friend.When Shaka Smart hired Turner at Texas, he said Brown told him: “K.T.‘s the best assistant I’ve ever been around because of the impact that K.T. has on the people around him.” Smart later said of Turner: “He’s one of those guys, if you don’t like him, then something’s wrong with you.”Turner took over as acting head coach of the Longhorns briefly in 2021 after Smart tested positive for COVID-19.Turner is known as a strong recruiter and developer of talent. At SMU, he played a major role in the signing and emergence of <a href="https://theathletic.com/nba/">NBA</a> draft picks Semi Ojeleye, Sterling Brown and Shake Milton. In his first few weeks on the job at OU, Turner helped lock down top-100 recruit CJ Noland after he considered other options during the Sooners’ coaching change.Turner played for Hutchinson Community College in Kansas, then NAIA hoops in Oklahoma and began his coaching career at JUCOs in Texas, Oklahoma and Kansas as well as back at HutchCC. Turner also coached at Cowley College in Arkansas City. His father, Ken, was an assistant to Dana Altman at <a href="https://theathletic.com/team/kansas-state-wildcats-college-basketball/">Kansas State</a> and then worked for Randy Ayers at <a href="https://theathletic.com/team/ohio-state-buckeyes-college-basketball/">Ohio State</a> before he died of a heart attack while jogging in 1994.K.T. rounds out Calipari’s coaching staff, which he took extra steps to solidify by giving assistant Chin Coleman a significant raise, per sources.

Former Blue Dragon player and assistant coach KT Turner named to Kentucky staff

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Heartland Credit Union is expanding once again. The Hutchinson based financial institution has acquired the Farmers Credit Union in Hays.

The merger comes after&nbsp; a successful vote of both the Farmers Credit Union and Heartland Credit Union members.&nbsp;

“Farmers Credit Union started looking into the opportunity for merger partners mid year of last year,” Heartland’s Vice President of Marketing Darren Werth said. “They had a situation where their CEO was going to be leaving. They looked at their situation with the products and services that they had to offer and determined at that point that through merger they could provide better services to their members.”

While the acquisition is some distance away from where Heartland Credit has done business in the past, Werth says the move will help its members in different ways:

“We already had a smaller base of members out there in the Hays area, but we’ve been growing our membership throughout central Kansas over the past few years,” Werth said. “One of the ways we’ve done that is through auto lending creating members out there in the western Kansas.”&nbsp;

Along with that Werth says that the expansion will help members locally as well.

“We do see a lot of travel of our Heartland Credit Union members going through that area,” Werth said. “ Plus, we have college students from all around the area that go to Fort Hays State as well. And so this gave us an opportunity to serve all of those folks.”

With the merger, Heartland Credit Union adds the Hays location to its eight other branches in Hutchinson, Haven, Newton, and Wichita. The new Hays branch will also see some needed upgrades including the addition of a 24-hour ATM along with expanded evening and weekend hours through the Heartland eBranch and Heartland Connections video banking.&nbsp;

“We are very excited to welcome Farmers members to the Heartland Credit Union family.&nbsp; We’re dedicated to continuing Farmers’ commitment to their members and look forward to providing them with enhanced products and services for many years to come,” Dan Springer, President and CEO of Heartland Credit Union said. “We are eager to bring the Heartland Way to the entire Hays community”

Following the merger Heartland is now over $525 million in assets, with 135 employees serving over 34,000 members across Kansas and beyond.&nbsp;&nbsp;

<a href="https://hutchpost.com/download" target="_blank">CLICK HERE</a>&nbsp;to download the HutchPost mobile app. <a href="https://hutchpost.com/posts/5e73b532afae0f4d5f5d90ea" target="_blank">CLICK HERE</a>&nbsp;to sign up for the daily HutchPost email news update.&nbsp;&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/6/1654094604922.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Heartland Credit Union is expanding once again. The Hutchinson based financial institution has acquired the Farmers Credit Union in Hays.The merger comes after&nbsp; a successful vote of both the Farmers Credit Union and Heartland Credit Union members.&nbsp;“Farmers Credit Union started looking into the opportunity for merger partners mid year of last year,” Heartland’s Vice President of Marketing Darren Werth said. “They had a situation where their CEO was going to be leaving. They looked at their situation with the products and services that they had to offer and determined at that point that through merger they could provide better services to their members.”While the acquisition is some distance away from where Heartland Credit has done business in the past, Werth says the move will help its members in different ways:“We already had a smaller base of members out there in the Hays area, but we’ve been growing our membership throughout central Kansas over the past few years,” Werth said. “One of the ways we’ve done that is through auto lending creating members out there in the western Kansas.”&nbsp;Along with that Werth says that the expansion will help members locally as well.“We do see a lot of travel of our Heartland Credit Union members going through that area,” Werth said. “ Plus, we have college students from all around the area that go to Fort Hays State as well. And so this gave us an opportunity to serve all of those folks.”With the merger, Heartland Credit Union adds the Hays location to its eight other branches in Hutchinson, Haven, Newton, and Wichita. The new Hays branch will also see some needed upgrades including the addition of a 24-hour ATM along with expanded evening and weekend hours through the Heartland eBranch and Heartland Connections video banking.&nbsp;“We are very excited to welcome Farmers members to the Heartland Credit Union family.&nbsp; We’re dedicated to continuing Farmers’ commitment to their members and look forward to providing them with enhanced products and services for many years to come,” Dan Springer, President and CEO of Heartland Credit Union said. “We are eager to bring the Heartland Way to the entire Hays community”Following the merger Heartland is now over $525 million in assets, with 135 employees serving over 34,000 members across Kansas and beyond.&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://hutchpost.com/download" target="_blank">CLICK HERE</a>&nbsp;to download the HutchPost mobile app. <a href="https://hutchpost.com/posts/5e73b532afae0f4d5f5d90ea" target="_blank">CLICK HERE</a>&nbsp;to sign up for the daily HutchPost email news update.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Heartland Credit Union expands into Hays

Ralph Joseph “Dido” Gomez, 86, of Hutchinson, passed away May 27, 2022, at Hospice House of Hutchinson. He was born October 24, 1935, in Newton, the son of Antonio and Irene Pedroza Gomez. 

Ralph has resided in Hutchinson for the past eighteen years, formerly of Lyons. He graduated from Newton High School with the class of 1953, and later graduated from Wichita Business College. He worked for North American Salt as a sewing machine operator from 1961 until his retirement in 2001. He served in the United States Air Force from 1955, until his honorable discharge in 1959. 

Ralph was a member of St. Paul Catholic Church, Lyons; attended St. Teresa’s Catholic Church, Hutchinson; member of Knights of Columbus Chapter # of Lyons; member of Latineers in Lyons; and was a member of B&amp;W Softball Team in Lyons. He coached softball, baseball, soccer, and basketball. Ralph enjoyed bowling, watching all sports, and especially spending time with his grandchildren. 

On July 11, 1959, Ralph was united in marriage with Mary Edith Sepulveda in El Dorado. She preceded him in death on December 9, 2003. He is also preceded in death by his parents; stepmother, Maria Soledad Martinez; and siblings, Nancy, Amelia, Margarito, Lou, Gregory, Julia, John, Tony Jr. and Ramon. Ralph is survived by is five children, Ralph Gomez Jr. of Kansas City, MO; Tony Gomez and wife Quitta of Hutchinson; Manuel Gomez and wife Kathi of Lyons; Montey Gomez and wife Tammy of Lyons; and Irene Faudoa and husband Mauricio of Hutchinson; twelve grandchildren; and nine great-grandchildren. 

Funeral mass will be at 10:30 A.M., Saturday, June 4, 2022 at St. Paul Catholic Church, Lyons, with Father Will Stuever and Father Michael Brungardt officiating. Burial will follow at Lyons Municipal Cemetery with military honors by the United States Air Force Honor Guard.

 Visitation will be from 2:00 until 7:00 P.M., Friday, June 3, 2022, at Birzer Funeral Home, Lyons with family present from 5:00 until 7:00. A Parish Rosary will be said at 7:00 P.M.&nbsp;

Ralph Joseph “Dido” Gomez, 86, of Hutchinson, passed away May 27, 2022, at Hospice House of Hutchinson. He was born October 24, 1935, in Newton, the son of Antonio and Irene Pedroza Gomez. Ralph has resided in Hutchinson for the past eighteen years, formerly of Lyons. He graduated from Newton High School with the class of 1953, and later graduated from Wichita Business College. He worked for North American Salt as a sewing machine operator from 1961 until his retirement in 2001. He served in the United States Air Force from 1955, until his honorable discharge in 1959. Ralph was a member of St. Paul Catholic Church, Lyons; attended St. Teresa’s Catholic Church, Hutchinson; member of Knights of Columbus Chapter # of Lyons; member of Latineers in Lyons; and was a member of B&amp;W Softball Team in Lyons. He coached softball, baseball, soccer, and basketball. Ralph enjoyed bowling, watching all sports, and especially spending time with his grandchildren. On July 11, 1959, Ralph was united in marriage with Mary Edith Sepulveda in El Dorado. She preceded him in death on December 9, 2003. He is also preceded in death by his parents; stepmother, Maria Soledad Martinez; and siblings, Nancy, Amelia, Margarito, Lou, Gregory, Julia, John, Tony Jr. and Ramon. Ralph is survived by is five children, Ralph Gomez Jr. of Kansas City, MO; Tony Gomez and wife Quitta of Hutchinson; Manuel Gomez and wife Kathi of Lyons; Montey Gomez and wife Tammy of Lyons; and Irene Faudoa and husband Mauricio of Hutchinson; twelve grandchildren; and nine great-grandchildren. Funeral mass will be at 10:30 A.M., Saturday, June 4, 2022 at St. Paul Catholic Church, Lyons, with Father Will Stuever and Father Michael Brungardt officiating. Burial will follow at Lyons Municipal Cemetery with military honors by the United States Air Force Honor Guard. Visitation will be from 2:00 until 7:00 P.M., Friday, June 3, 2022, at Birzer Funeral Home, Lyons with family present from 5:00 until 7:00. A Parish Rosary will be said at 7:00 P.M.&nbsp;

Ralph Joseph “Dido” Gomez  |1935-2022|  

ATHENS, Ga.—Georgia is in the running for the nation's No. 1 Junior College wide receiver. So, who is Malik Benson, and why are the nation's premier programs in hopes of landing him?

The University of Georgia has recruited at a top3 level for half a decade at this point under head coach Kirby Smart. And they have done as much through relatively conventional methods.&nbsp;

The national championship delivered in 2021 was not through copious transfers whether it be from junior colleges or other Power 5 schools. No, it as a roster comprised of mostly Georgia-developed talent.&nbsp;

However, throughout Smart's tenure, he's proven a willingness to seek the talents of a transfer player if they will impact his roster. He's done the Power5 transfer route with players like Eli Wolf and Lawrence Cager in 2019, Tre McKitty, and JT Daniels in 2020. He's even gone the junior college route with players like Devonte Wyatt and DJ Daniel.&nbsp;

Now, the class of 2023, Georgia could be in the running for the No. 1 junior college wide receiver in the country. Malik Benson is currently playing at Hutchinson Community College in Lansing, Kansas.&nbsp;

A native of Lansing, Benson wasn't recruited at all in high school. Well, 1,229 yards and 11 TDs later, Benson has set official visits this summer to Alabama, Georgia, Oregon, Tennessee, and LSU. From zero offers up to December of 2021, to visiting the nation's premier football programs. It's been quite a rush of interest for Benson.&nbsp;

It's easy to see why: He's got game-breaking ability with the ball in his hands after the catch and has shown as much through a tough community college slate in Kansas. This type of ability after the catch is what has programs fawning over Benson.&nbsp;

Benson will travel to Georgia for his official visit in Athens on June 17th.

CLICK HERE to download the Hutch Post mobile app. CLICK HERE to sign up for the daily Hutch Post email news update.

ATHENS, Ga.—Georgia is in the running for the nation's No. 1 Junior College wide receiver. So, who is Malik Benson, and why are the nation's premier programs in hopes of landing him?The University of Georgia has recruited at a top3 level for half a decade at this point under head coach Kirby Smart. And they have done as much through relatively conventional methods.&nbsp;The national championship delivered in 2021 was not through copious transfers whether it be from junior colleges or other Power 5 schools. No, it as a roster comprised of mostly Georgia-developed talent.&nbsp;However, throughout Smart's tenure, he's proven a willingness to seek the talents of a transfer player if they will impact his roster. He's done the Power5 transfer route with players like Eli Wolf and Lawrence Cager in 2019, Tre McKitty, and JT Daniels in 2020. He's even gone the junior college route with players like Devonte Wyatt and DJ Daniel.&nbsp;Now, the class of 2023, Georgia could be in the running for the No. 1 junior college wide receiver in the country. Malik Benson is currently playing at Hutchinson Community College in Lansing, Kansas.&nbsp;A native of Lansing, Benson wasn't recruited at all in high school. Well, 1,229 yards and 11 TDs later, Benson has set official visits this summer to Alabama, Georgia, Oregon, Tennessee, and LSU. From zero offers up to December of 2021, to visiting the nation's premier football programs. It's been quite a rush of interest for Benson.&nbsp;It's easy to see why: He's got game-breaking ability with the ball in his hands after the catch and has shown as much through a tough community college slate in Kansas. This type of ability after the catch is what has programs fawning over Benson.&nbsp;Benson will travel to Georgia for his official visit in Athens on June 17th.CLICK HERE to download the Hutch Post mobile app. CLICK HERE to sign up for the daily Hutch Post email news update.

Could Georgia Land No. 1 ranked HutchCC WR Malik Benson?

Kenneth B. Moore was born in Berkeley, California on January 11, 1941, to Lonzo B and Betty Lou Moore. His 9-year-old brother Don welcomed him home.&nbsp; Ken died on May 26, 2022, at the age of 81 years. He is preceded in death by his father, mother, brother, and first wife Nettie.

Ken’s father, Lonzo, died when he was 6 years old but was a guiding influence through his life.&nbsp; Lonzo was a teacher for a college in Berkeley when Pearl Harbor was attacked. Most of Lonzo's students were arrested because they were Japanese. This was the first experience that contributed to Ken’s later call to a ministry with disenfranchised members of society. His family returned to Oklahoma City where Lonzo resumed his former position as an attorney writing laws for the Oklahoma Legislature. Lonzo also co-authored newspaper articles advocating women’s rights, another experience which contributed to Ken’s call to ministry and exposed him to the plight of those in less powerful positions.

After his father’s death, Ken and his family moved to Memphis, Tennessee.&nbsp; He graduated from college in 1963 and felt called to minister to people in need. However, Ken was drafted into the Army in 1963 and spent 2 years as an aide in the Physical Therapy Clinic at Ft. Bragg, NC.&nbsp; Following his years of service, Ken married Nettie Bergman. They had twin sons-- Jonathan Mark and David Matthew. Ken then completed his first master's degree in Old Testament.&nbsp; Following completion of seminary, Ken was called into the ministry of law enforcement. As a law enforcement officer, Ken served 20 years as patrol officer, investigator, undersheriff, sheriff, and chief of police. Additionally, Ken served 17 years as a Special Agent in the Army Reserve Criminal Investigation Command (CID). As appointed Sheriff of Dickinson County, Ken hired the first female patrol deputy for that department. Ken also worked closely with the local domestic violence/sexual assault center and with drug/alcohol counselors to establish an emergency hotline for Dickinson County.

Ken later moved to Hutchinson and taught criminal justice for 15 years.&nbsp; Many of his former students work in the criminal justice system, especially law enforcement. Ken married Dr. Carol Schrock Miller at First Mennonite Church in Hutchinson, KS, and became a stepfather to her three children, Kristine, James, and Katharine.

Following retirement from teaching, Ken worked part-time doing in-home family therapy with families involved in juvenile court through-out southcentral Kansas.&nbsp; He then became Director of Reno County Community Corrections where he helped develop a drug court that continues to serve the community today. Ken continued his work with families as a mediator in Restorative Justice’s family group conferencing with juvenile offenders and their victims in Wichita and Reno County. He also served as a member of the Kansas Advisory Group to the Kansas Juvenile Justice Authority and represented the State of Kansas on the federal Juvenile Justice Committee for the U.S. Justice Department's Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention. Ken returned to law enforcement in 2013 as Cawker City's law enforcement and code enforcement officer. He retired from his service in 2018.

Ken is survived by his wife Dr. Carol Moore, his children Jonathan (wife Shelly of Abilene, and their daughters – Rachael, (husband Cody, Salina), Alyssa (husband Richie and daughter Nora, Salina), and Katie (Abilene), and David (wife Staci, Little Rock, AK), and stepchildren Kristine (husband Dr. Scott Sullivan, Augusta, and children Zoe and David), James (wife Regina Miller, Wichita, and their children Cameron and Camille), and Dr. Katharine Miller (Las Vegas, NV).

From Ken:&nbsp; I have had the most amazing life. I owe everything wonderful in my story to my God. I have seen God throughout my life. Thank you, my God, for your almost daily showing yourself alive in situations I had limited control over. I felt like Joseph in the Bible, “The Lord was with him and the Lord blessed everything he did.”&nbsp; Genesis 39:3.&nbsp; Shalom, Salaam, and Peace to all.

Memorial service will be 10 a.m. Tuesday, May 31, 2022, at First Mennonite Church, 52 Rambler Road, Hutchinson, with Pastors Tonya Wenger and Jim Unruh officiating.&nbsp; Burial will follow in the church columbarium.&nbsp; Military honors will be conducted by the Fort Riley Honor Guard.&nbsp; Friends may sign the book from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday at Elliott Mortuary.

Kenneth B. Moore was born in Berkeley, California on January 11, 1941, to Lonzo B and Betty Lou Moore. His 9-year-old brother Don welcomed him home.&nbsp; Ken died on May 26, 2022, at the age of 81 years. He is preceded in death by his father, mother, brother, and first wife Nettie.Ken’s father, Lonzo, died when he was 6 years old but was a guiding influence through his life.&nbsp; Lonzo was a teacher for a college in Berkeley when Pearl Harbor was attacked. Most of Lonzo's students were arrested because they were Japanese. This was the first experience that contributed to Ken’s later call to a ministry with disenfranchised members of society. His family returned to Oklahoma City where Lonzo resumed his former position as an attorney writing laws for the Oklahoma Legislature. Lonzo also co-authored newspaper articles advocating women’s rights, another experience which contributed to Ken’s call to ministry and exposed him to the plight of those in less powerful positions.After his father’s death, Ken and his family moved to Memphis, Tennessee.&nbsp; He graduated from college in 1963 and felt called to minister to people in need. However, Ken was drafted into the Army in 1963 and spent 2 years as an aide in the Physical Therapy Clinic at Ft. Bragg, NC.&nbsp; Following his years of service, Ken married Nettie Bergman. They had twin sons-- Jonathan Mark and David Matthew. Ken then completed his first master's degree in Old Testament.&nbsp; Following completion of seminary, Ken was called into the ministry of law enforcement. As a law enforcement officer, Ken served 20 years as patrol officer, investigator, undersheriff, sheriff, and chief of police. Additionally, Ken served 17 years as a Special Agent in the Army Reserve Criminal Investigation Command (CID). As appointed Sheriff of Dickinson County, Ken hired the first female patrol deputy for that department. Ken also worked closely with the local domestic violence/sexual assault center and with drug/alcohol counselors to establish an emergency hotline for Dickinson County.Ken later moved to Hutchinson and taught criminal justice for 15 years.&nbsp; Many of his former students work in the criminal justice system, especially law enforcement. Ken married Dr. Carol Schrock Miller at First Mennonite Church in Hutchinson, KS, and became a stepfather to her three children, Kristine, James, and Katharine.Following retirement from teaching, Ken worked part-time doing in-home family therapy with families involved in juvenile court through-out southcentral Kansas.&nbsp; He then became Director of Reno County Community Corrections where he helped develop a drug court that continues to serve the community today. Ken continued his work with families as a mediator in Restorative Justice’s family group conferencing with juvenile offenders and their victims in Wichita and Reno County. He also served as a member of the Kansas Advisory Group to the Kansas Juvenile Justice Authority and represented the State of Kansas on the federal Juvenile Justice Committee for the U.S. Justice Department's Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention. Ken returned to law enforcement in 2013 as Cawker City's law enforcement and code enforcement officer. He retired from his service in 2018.Ken is survived by his wife Dr. Carol Moore, his children Jonathan (wife Shelly of Abilene, and their daughters – Rachael, (husband Cody, Salina), Alyssa (husband Richie and daughter Nora, Salina), and Katie (Abilene), and David (wife Staci, Little Rock, AK), and stepchildren Kristine (husband Dr. Scott Sullivan, Augusta, and children Zoe and David), James (wife Regina Miller, Wichita, and their children Cameron and Camille), and Dr. Katharine Miller (Las Vegas, NV).From Ken:&nbsp; I have had the most amazing life. I owe everything wonderful in my story to my God. I have seen God throughout my life. Thank you, my God, for your almost daily showing yourself alive in situations I had limited control over. I felt like Joseph in the Bible, “The Lord was with him and the Lord blessed everything he did.”&nbsp; Genesis 39:3.&nbsp; Shalom, Salaam, and Peace to all.Memorial service will be 10 a.m. Tuesday, May 31, 2022, at First Mennonite Church, 52 Rambler Road, Hutchinson, with Pastors Tonya Wenger and Jim Unruh officiating.&nbsp; Burial will follow in the church columbarium.&nbsp; Military honors will be conducted by the Fort Riley Honor Guard.&nbsp; Friends may sign the book from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday at Elliott Mortuary.

Kenneth B. Moore  |1941-2022|  

Lois Mae Smith, 94, of Hutchinson, KS, passed away Wednesday, May 25, 2022, at Hutchinson Health and Rehab.

Known to family and friends as Mae, she and her twin brother, Ray, were born January 30, 1928, in Perkins, OK, to Tolbert W. and Cora E. (Downey) Allison.&nbsp; The family lived in Oklahoma, moving to Hutchinson when the twins were in high school.

Graduating from Hutchinson High School in 1946, Mae then graduated from Salt City Business College and began working as a secretary for the judges in the Reno County Probate Court.

On June 6, 1948, Mae was united in marriage to Wallace Reed Smith of Hutchinson, living together until his death in 2012.&nbsp; They had two daughters, Debra and Cindy. While the girls were small, Mae was a stay-at-home mom and set an example of giving back with a variety of community volunteer activities that included PTO work, League of Women Voters, and various volunteer positions with the Girl Scouts.

As a member of Northminster Presbyterian Church, and later New Covenant Presbyterian Church, Mae was involved in youth group activities and a member of Circle. She also served as an elder and deacon.

When the girls were older, Mae answered a friend’s request to substitute as a secretary for the President of Hutchinson Community College and began a fifteen-year career as secretary for Dr. Jim Stringer, Dean of Student Services.&nbsp; Following her time at HCC, Mae had a fifteen-year career as secretary to Richard Parker, President of Krause Plow Corporation.

Family and friends were the focus of Mae’s life.&nbsp; Everyone was welcome around her table that was filled with her delicious cooking, especially her pies.&nbsp; Holidays were time for her to host dinners for her large family, but parties could come together quickly for birthdays or any other reason.

Mae and Wally loved to travel and be outdoors.&nbsp; Summers were spent camping with extended family around the various lakes in Kansas or traveling to the mountains in Colorado.

Once grandchildren Sarah and Joe came along, Mae and Wally became an active presence in their lives – traveling to Indiana to attend school and sports events as enthusiastic cheerleaders.&nbsp; Always ready for an adventure, Mae was a willing participant in whatever activity was to be tried – kayaking, driveway basketball, and theme parks.

Mae is survived by:&nbsp; her daughters, &nbsp;Debra Kay Crawford (Bill) of Hilton Head Island, SC, and Cindy Kidd (Doug) of Hutchinson, KS; granddaughter, Sarah Kane (Joe) of Minneapolis, MN; grandson, Joseph Wallace Crawford of Minneapolis, MN; and great-grandson, Liam Kane of Minneapolis, MN.

She was preceded in death by:&nbsp; her brothers, Ray, Robert, Otes, and Lester Allison; and sisters, Vera Pritchett, LaVeta Garner, LaVina Bradford, Marie Hawkins, and Neil Bush.

Memorial service will be held at a future date.&nbsp; Friends may sign the book from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Elliott Mortuary.

In lieu of flowers, memorials are suggested to New Covenant Presbyterian Church or Girl Scouts of Kansas Heartland, in care of Elliott Mortuary and Crematory, 1219 N. Main, Hutchinson, KS.

Lois Mae Smith, 94, of Hutchinson, KS, passed away Wednesday, May 25, 2022, at Hutchinson Health and Rehab.Known to family and friends as Mae, she and her twin brother, Ray, were born January 30, 1928, in Perkins, OK, to Tolbert W. and Cora E. (Downey) Allison.&nbsp; The family lived in Oklahoma, moving to Hutchinson when the twins were in high school.Graduating from Hutchinson High School in 1946, Mae then graduated from Salt City Business College and began working as a secretary for the judges in the Reno County Probate Court.On June 6, 1948, Mae was united in marriage to Wallace Reed Smith of Hutchinson, living together until his death in 2012.&nbsp; They had two daughters, Debra and Cindy. While the girls were small, Mae was a stay-at-home mom and set an example of giving back with a variety of community volunteer activities that included PTO work, League of Women Voters, and various volunteer positions with the Girl Scouts.As a member of Northminster Presbyterian Church, and later New Covenant Presbyterian Church, Mae was involved in youth group activities and a member of Circle. She also served as an elder and deacon.When the girls were older, Mae answered a friend’s request to substitute as a secretary for the President of Hutchinson Community College and began a fifteen-year career as secretary for Dr. Jim Stringer, Dean of Student Services.&nbsp; Following her time at HCC, Mae had a fifteen-year career as secretary to Richard Parker, President of Krause Plow Corporation.Family and friends were the focus of Mae’s life.&nbsp; Everyone was welcome around her table that was filled with her delicious cooking, especially her pies.&nbsp; Holidays were time for her to host dinners for her large family, but parties could come together quickly for birthdays or any other reason.Mae and Wally loved to travel and be outdoors.&nbsp; Summers were spent camping with extended family around the various lakes in Kansas or traveling to the mountains in Colorado.Once grandchildren Sarah and Joe came along, Mae and Wally became an active presence in their lives – traveling to Indiana to attend school and sports events as enthusiastic cheerleaders.&nbsp; Always ready for an adventure, Mae was a willing participant in whatever activity was to be tried – kayaking, driveway basketball, and theme parks.Mae is survived by:&nbsp; her daughters, &nbsp;Debra Kay Crawford (Bill) of Hilton Head Island, SC, and Cindy Kidd (Doug) of Hutchinson, KS; granddaughter, Sarah Kane (Joe) of Minneapolis, MN; grandson, Joseph Wallace Crawford of Minneapolis, MN; and great-grandson, Liam Kane of Minneapolis, MN.She was preceded in death by:&nbsp; her brothers, Ray, Robert, Otes, and Lester Allison; and sisters, Vera Pritchett, LaVeta Garner, LaVina Bradford, Marie Hawkins, and Neil Bush.Memorial service will be held at a future date.&nbsp; Friends may sign the book from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Elliott Mortuary.In lieu of flowers, memorials are suggested to New Covenant Presbyterian Church or Girl Scouts of Kansas Heartland, in care of Elliott Mortuary and Crematory, 1219 N. Main, Hutchinson, KS.

Lois Mae Smith |1928-2022|

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Former Hutchinson Regional Medical Center COO Wes Hoyt has been named the new CEO of Saint John Hospital in Leavenworth, Kansas, effective June 1, according to a news release from the hospital.

“We are excited to welcome Wes to both Saint John Hospital and the Leavenworth community,” Mark Benz, Regional CEO, Prime Healthcare Services said. “His extensive background not only in healthcare, but in the military, give him broad experience and executive leadership to guide Saint John as we continue to serve our community.”

Hoyt earned a Master of Health Administration degree from Baylor University where he graduated summa cum laude. He earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in Secondary Education from Southeastern Louisiana University in Hammond, Louisiana. He also served many medical roles while serving in the military.

His experience and leadership roles in the U.S. Army include local, state, national and international positions, including serving as Executive Vice President of Healthcare Operations, U.S. Army with the Southern European Task Force and U.S. Army Africa; Senior Vice President, and Regional Operations Officer for the U.S. Army/Europe Regional Medical Command. It’s not the first time Hoyt has been in Leavenworth. Hoyt was also stationed at Fort Leavenworth during his time in the military.

Hoyt is a Fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives (FACHE). He is the recipient of 15 U.S. Army awards and commendations for superior performance and achievement.

<a href="https://hutchpost.com/download" target="_blank">CLICK HERE</a>&nbsp;to download the Hutch Post mobile app. <a href="https://hutchpost.com/posts/5e73b532afae0f4d5f5d90ea" target="_blank">CLICK HERE</a>&nbsp;to sign up for the daily Hutch Post email news update.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/5/1653425791956.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Former Hutchinson Regional Medical Center COO Wes Hoyt has been named the new CEO of Saint John Hospital in Leavenworth, Kansas, effective June 1, according to a news release from the hospital.“We are excited to welcome Wes to both Saint John Hospital and the Leavenworth community,” Mark Benz, Regional CEO, Prime Healthcare Services said. “His extensive background not only in healthcare, but in the military, give him broad experience and executive leadership to guide Saint John as we continue to serve our community.”Hoyt earned a Master of Health Administration degree from Baylor University where he graduated summa cum laude. He earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in Secondary Education from Southeastern Louisiana University in Hammond, Louisiana. He also served many medical roles while serving in the military.His experience and leadership roles in the U.S. Army include local, state, national and international positions, including serving as Executive Vice President of Healthcare Operations, U.S. Army with the Southern European Task Force and U.S. Army Africa; Senior Vice President, and Regional Operations Officer for the U.S. Army/Europe Regional Medical Command. It’s not the first time Hoyt has been in Leavenworth. Hoyt was also stationed at Fort Leavenworth during his time in the military.Hoyt is a Fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives (FACHE). He is the recipient of 15 U.S. Army awards and commendations for superior performance and achievement.<a href="https://hutchpost.com/download" target="_blank">CLICK HERE</a>&nbsp;to download the Hutch Post mobile app. <a href="https://hutchpost.com/posts/5e73b532afae0f4d5f5d90ea" target="_blank">CLICK HERE</a>&nbsp;to sign up for the daily Hutch Post email news update.

Hoyt named CEO for Leavenworth hospital

Hutchinson Community College sophomore third baseman Ben McLaughlin earned four postseason honors and led a group of eight Blue Dragon Baseball players to garner Jayhawk Conference and/or Region VI awards on the 2022 teams, which were announced on Tuesday.

McLaughlin earned first-team All-KJCCC and first-team All-Region VI honors as well as a Region VI Gold Glove award and being named the 2022 Region VI Defensive Player of the Year.

Sophomore outfielder Sterling Sutcliffe was named to the all-KJCCC first team and was voted second-team All-Region VI.

Sophomore pitcher Jack Whitlock was named second team all-conference. Sophomore second baseman Hunter Gotreaux, freshman first baseman Ryan Henderson, sophomore designated hitter Braedyn Sommer and sophomore outfielder Jack Torosian were named all-KJCCC honorable mention. Freshman center fielder Kael Babin earned a Region VI Gold Glove.

BEN McLAUGHLIN – Def. Player of the Year; Region VI Gold Glove; 1st-team All-KJCCC/All-Region VI

McLaughlin is the first Blue Dragon to be named Region VI Defensive Player of the Year, while he and Babin are the first regional Gold Glove winners since Shane Cooper in 2017.

The sophomore from Golden, Colorado, started the season at first base and then moved to third base on March 24. He committed no errors at third base over the final 32 games of the regular season and had just two errors at the hot corner all season long.

The University of Arkansas commit fielded .986 this season with only three errors in 222 fielding chances this season.

McLaughlin was the Blue Dragon undisputed offensive leader this season, hitting .411 (88 of 214) with 19 home runs and 83 RBIs. He also had 23 doubles and posted a .511 on-base percentage with team highs of 34 walks and 13 hit-by-pitches.

McLaughlin ranked third in RBIs, tied for fourth in home runs, fourth in hits, tied for second in doubles and is tied for ninth in runs score in Blue Dragon single-season history.

In conference games this season, McLaughlin hit .431 with 10 home runs, 13 doubles, 50 total hits and 39 RBIs with 23 walks. He fielded .991 in 32 KJCCC games this season.

McLaughlin had a 16-game and 13-game hitting streak this season. He had 29 multi-hit games (17 two-hit games and 12 three-hit games) and 23 multi-RBI games this season.

McLaughlin was named the NJCAA National Player of the Week on May 11, going 11 for 16 with three doubles, three home runs and 11 RBIs in a four-game series against Dodge City.

McLaughlin is a two-time first-team All-KJCCC selection.

STERLING SUTCLIFFE – 1st-team All-KJCCC; 2nd-team All-Region VI

A sophomore from Dallas, Texas, Sterling Sutcliffe turned around an extremely slow start to the 2022 season. Hitting just .069 on March 9, Sutcliffe hit .320 for the remainder of the season and had a power surge that led him to tie McLaughlin for the team home run lead.

Sutcliffe finished hitting .280 for the season. (51 for 182) with 19 home runs and 57 RBIs.

Sutcliffe had two stretches with home runs in four consecutive games. The Blue Dragon right-fielder tied a Hutchinson single-game record with three home runs and had eight RBIs – second most in Blue Dragon single-game history – against Colby on April 23. That game was part of a torrid six-game stretch where Sutcliffe was 12 for 20 (.600) with six home runs and 22 RBIs.

Sutcliffe’s longest hitting streak this season was 11 games.

JACK WHITLOCK – 2nd-team All-KJCCC

Jack Whitlock quickly assumed the No. 1 spot in the weekend rotation for the Blue Dragons. The right-hander from Cumming, Georgia, posted an 8-3 record with a 4.04 ERA this season.

Over a team-high 78 innings pitched, Whitlock allowed 82 hits, 41 runs and 22 walks with 44 strikeouts this season. Whitlock posted a record of 5-2 with a 3.33 ERA in eight Jayhawk West starts. He also earned one postseason victory, defeating Fort Scott in the opening game of the Region VI opening-round series on May 11.

Perhaps Whitlock’s best single game of the season came on April at Seward County. Whitlock allowed just one unearned run and only five hits over seven innings as the Blue Dragons rallied with two runs in the top of the seventh for a 2-1 victory on April 1.

Whitlock also had a complete-game victory over Pratt on April 28.

HUNTER GOTREAUX – Honorable Mention All-KJCCC

Hunter Gotreaux wound up with the second-most hits and fourth-highest batting average this season and was among the team leaders in stolen bases.

The sophomore from Moss Bluff, Louisiana, hit .335 this season (64 for 191) with 10 doubles, five home runs, 52 runs scored and 38 RBIs. He was also third with 14 stolen bases in 17 attempts this season.

Gotreaux had a season-high 12 game hitting streak this season with 18 multi-hit games, including two four-hit games.

Gotreaux hit .374 with 40 hits in conference play this season.

BRAEDYN SOMMER – Honorable Mention All-KJCCC

Taking over as the full-time designated hitter and leadoff batter for the Blue Dragons on March 15, Braedyn Sommer became a dependable batter at the top of the order.

Sommer was second on team with a .366 batting average (48 for 131) with five doubles, four triples and seven home runs. The Stillwater, Oklahoma, product scored a team-high 69 runs and had 33 RBIs. He was a perfect 10 for 10 in stolen bases. Sommer posted a .475 on-base percentage.

He hit .386 in conference play this season with a .472 on-base percentage.

Sommer put together a 13-game hitting streak.

RYAN HENDERSON – Honorable Mention All-KJCCC

Freshman Ryan Henderson hit .311 with 10 home runs and 45 RBIs in his first season with the Blue Dragons.

The Buhler High School product had a .583 slugging percentage and had 28 extra-base hits, including 17 doubles this season.

Henderson’s biggest single game this season was as 3 for 4 game with two home runs, seven RBIs and a walk-off single to help the Blue Dragons defeat eventual league champions Barton 12-11 on April 9 at Hobart-Detter Field.

JACK TOROSIAN – Honorable Mention All-KJCCC

The sophomore from Omaha, Nebraska, also got off to a slow start with a .100 batting average over his first 20 at-bats. From that point, Jack Torosian’s average steadily climbed and reached .300 for the first time this season on April 2.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/5/1653476054411.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>STEVE CARPENTER HutchCC Sports InformationHutchinson Community College sophomore third baseman Ben McLaughlin earned four postseason honors and led a group of eight Blue Dragon Baseball players to garner Jayhawk Conference and/or Region VI awards on the 2022 teams, which were announced on Tuesday.McLaughlin earned first-team All-KJCCC and first-team All-Region VI honors as well as a Region VI Gold Glove award and being named the 2022 Region VI Defensive Player of the Year.Sophomore outfielder Sterling Sutcliffe was named to the all-KJCCC first team and was voted second-team All-Region VI.Sophomore pitcher Jack Whitlock was named second team all-conference. Sophomore second baseman Hunter Gotreaux, freshman first baseman Ryan Henderson, sophomore designated hitter Braedyn Sommer and sophomore outfielder Jack Torosian were named all-KJCCC honorable mention. Freshman center fielder Kael Babin earned a Region VI Gold Glove.BEN McLAUGHLIN – Def. Player of the Year; Region VI Gold Glove; 1st-team All-KJCCC/All-Region VIMcLaughlin is the first Blue Dragon to be named Region VI Defensive Player of the Year, while he and Babin are the first regional Gold Glove winners since Shane Cooper in 2017.The sophomore from Golden, Colorado, started the season at first base and then moved to third base on March 24. He committed no errors at third base over the final 32 games of the regular season and had just two errors at the hot corner all season long.The University of Arkansas commit fielded .986 this season with only three errors in 222 fielding chances this season.McLaughlin was the Blue Dragon undisputed offensive leader this season, hitting .411 (88 of 214) with 19 home runs and 83 RBIs. He also had 23 doubles and posted a .511 on-base percentage with team highs of 34 walks and 13 hit-by-pitches.McLaughlin ranked third in RBIs, tied for fourth in home runs, fourth in hits, tied for second in doubles and is tied for ninth in runs score in Blue Dragon single-season history.In conference games this season, McLaughlin hit .431 with 10 home runs, 13 doubles, 50 total hits and 39 RBIs with 23 walks. He fielded .991 in 32 KJCCC games this season.McLaughlin had a 16-game and 13-game hitting streak this season. He had 29 multi-hit games (17 two-hit games and 12 three-hit games) and 23 multi-RBI games this season.McLaughlin was named the NJCAA National Player of the Week on May 11, going 11 for 16 with three doubles, three home runs and 11 RBIs in a four-game series against Dodge City.McLaughlin is a two-time first-team All-KJCCC selection.STERLING SUTCLIFFE – 1st-team All-KJCCC; 2nd-team All-Region VIA sophomore from Dallas, Texas, Sterling Sutcliffe turned around an extremely slow start to the 2022 season. Hitting just .069 on March 9, Sutcliffe hit .320 for the remainder of the season and had a power surge that led him to tie McLaughlin for the team home run lead.Sutcliffe finished hitting .280 for the season. (51 for 182) with 19 home runs and 57 RBIs.Sutcliffe had two stretches with home runs in four consecutive games. The Blue Dragon right-fielder tied a Hutchinson single-game record with three home runs and had eight RBIs – second most in Blue Dragon single-game history – against Colby on April 23. That game was part of a torrid six-game stretch where Sutcliffe was 12 for 20 (.600) with six home runs and 22 RBIs.Sutcliffe’s longest hitting streak this season was 11 games.JACK WHITLOCK – 2nd-team All-KJCCCJack Whitlock quickly assumed the No. 1 spot in the weekend rotation for the Blue Dragons. The right-hander from Cumming, Georgia, posted an 8-3 record with a 4.04 ERA this season.Over a team-high 78 innings pitched, Whitlock allowed 82 hits, 41 runs and 22 walks with 44 strikeouts this season. Whitlock posted a record of 5-2 with a 3.33 ERA in eight Jayhawk West starts. He also earned one postseason victory, defeating Fort Scott in the opening game of the Region VI opening-round series on May 11.Perhaps Whitlock’s best single game of the season came on April at Seward County. Whitlock allowed just one unearned run and only five hits over seven innings as the Blue Dragons rallied with two runs in the top of the seventh for a 2-1 victory on April 1.Whitlock also had a complete-game victory over Pratt on April 28.HUNTER GOTREAUX – Honorable Mention All-KJCCCHunter Gotreaux wound up with the second-most hits and fourth-highest batting average this season and was among the team leaders in stolen bases.The sophomore from Moss Bluff, Louisiana, hit .335 this season (64 for 191) with 10 doubles, five home runs, 52 runs scored and 38 RBIs. He was also third with 14 stolen bases in 17 attempts this season.Gotreaux had a season-high 12 game hitting streak this season with 18 multi-hit games, including two four-hit games.Gotreaux hit .374 with 40 hits in conference play this season.BRAEDYN SOMMER – Honorable Mention All-KJCCCTaking over as the full-time designated hitter and leadoff batter for the Blue Dragons on March 15, Braedyn Sommer became a dependable batter at the top of the order.Sommer was second on team with a .366 batting average (48 for 131) with five doubles, four triples and seven home runs. The Stillwater, Oklahoma, product scored a team-high 69 runs and had 33 RBIs. He was a perfect 10 for 10 in stolen bases. Sommer posted a .475 on-base percentage.He hit .386 in conference play this season with a .472 on-base percentage.Sommer put together a 13-game hitting streak.RYAN HENDERSON – Honorable Mention All-KJCCCFreshman Ryan Henderson hit .311 with 10 home runs and 45 RBIs in his first season with the Blue Dragons.The Buhler High School product had a .583 slugging percentage and had 28 extra-base hits, including 17 doubles this season.Henderson’s biggest single game this season was as 3 for 4 game with two home runs, seven RBIs and a walk-off single to help the Blue Dragons defeat eventual league champions Barton 12-11 on April 9 at Hobart-Detter Field.JACK TOROSIAN – Honorable Mention All-KJCCCThe sophomore from Omaha, Nebraska, also got off to a slow start with a .100 batting average over his first 20 at-bats. From that point, Jack Torosian’s average steadily climbed and reached .300 for the first time this season on April 2.Torosian hit .311 this season (66 for 212) with 18 doubles, four triples and seven home runs. Torosian finished scoring 62 runs and driving in 41. He also had a team-high 19 stolen bases in 27 attempts.Torosian hit .339 in KJCCC games this season (41 for 121).KAEL BABIN – Region VI Gold Glove: OutfieldA freshman from Gonzalez, Louisiana, Kael Babin made several dazzling catches with long runs to rob opposing batters from extra-base hits.Babin had just one error in 102 fielding chances this season. He had two outfield assists.At the plate, Babin hit a solid. 308 (41 for 133) from the No. 9 spot in the order. Babin was 17 of 19 in stolen bases. He scored 39 runs and drove in 30 runs.