BY ANDY TAYLOR
Montgomery County Chronicle

Montgomery County has a distinction that David Corp wants to erase.

As a law enforcement liaison for the Kansas Department of Transportation, Corp travels the state to alert law enforcement officers and the media about major issues involving Kansas highways and laws.

What’s on Corp’s radar screen that concerns Montgomery County?

Seat belts — those safety harness devices that have been proven to save lives.

Just where does Montgomery County rank among the 20 biggest counties in Kansas?

“Dead last,” he said bluntly during a visit with area law enforcement officers last week in Coffeyville.

According to seat belt usage surveys — conducted each year for the past five years — for the 20 top Kansas counties, Montgomery County ranks 19th out of 20 among adults who use seat belts. The survey shows a mean of 60.26, trailing only Crawford County, which has a mean of 56.37.

And, when it comes to the use of child safety belts, Montgomery County falls to the bottom of the 20 biggest counties as only 49 percent of survey respondents say they use child safety belts.

The only ray of positive news concerning Montgomery Countians’ usage of seat belts is that the number of people who “click it” is growing. For example, in 2005, the child safety belt usage in Montgomery County was 41 percent while the mean score for adults who used seat belts that same year was 49.41.

Regardless of the growing numbers of county residents who use seat belts, the overall response is still poor, Corp said.

That’s why he told law enforcement officers on Thursday of the importance of seat belt law enforcement.

“The key to improving the numbers of people who use seat belts is stronger law enforcement,” he said.

Has seat belt usage been shown to save lives? Corp said the evidence is overwhelming . . . and indisputible. There were 464 vehicle fatalities in Kansas in 2006 — a year in which seat belt usage was about 73 percent statewide. By 2008, the number of fatalities dropped to 383 while seat belt usage rose to 77 percent.

Corp talked about several programs, including one in Crawford County, where teenagers are told about proper seat belt usage. The students are rewarded when they sign pledges to use seat belts.

“It’s imperative that we get drivers to know about seat belts while they are young,” said Corp. “It’ll make it a part of their driving habit.”

However, Corp said “basic, old-fashioned law enforcement” could be the greatest deterrent to seat belt violators, he said.

In Kansas, a seat belt violation for adult drivers and passengers is regarded as a secondary violation after a driver has been cited for a primary offense, such as speeding or avoiding stop signs.

In other words, a law enforcement officer cannot stop an adult motorist or passenger solely because of a seat belt violation.

The fine for an adult violation is $30.

However, not using seat belts or a booster seat for children is considered a primary violation, and a $50 fine will be assessed.

Attempts have been made in the Kansas Legislature to make all seat belt violations considered a primary violation. However, those attempts have been stalled by lawmakers who feel that seat belts are a personal choice.

Corp disagrees.

“It’s not just a safety issue, it’s a quality of life issue,” said Corp, emphasizing that seat belt usage is required for drivers and passengers of all ages.

Representatives from the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Department, Coffeyville Police Department, City of Coffeyville, Caney Police Department, City of Caney, Kansas Highway Patrol and various media outlets were in attendance.

Corp noted that the Cherryvale Police Department, Independence Police Department and Montgomery County Attorney’s Office were invited — both by personal appearance and written invitation — to attend Thursday’s event. He noted that those three agencies have not responded to seat-belt seminars for the past two years.

BY RUDY TAYLOR
Montgomery County Chronicle

CANEY — The community spirit of a Caney couple has started to turn heads in recent weeks as the former Blackledge Sales Co. building undergoes considerable remodeling.

Darrel Roe gave a report on the project at last Wednesday night’s Caney Chamber of Commerce membership meeting. He and his wife, Nancy, own the landmark building which is being remade to resemble the way it looked many years ago.

Until the early 1990s, most of the building was occupied by a furniture store owned by Gwynne and Maxine Blackledge. The well-known store drew customers from a wide area, carrying many quality name brands not available in many stores.

While the large showroom at 219 W. Fourth Avenue was home to the Blackledge Sales Co., for many decades, the furniture business was expanded in the 1940s to include several buildings and storefronts on the east end of the main building. Most noteworthy was a popular jewelry store, Leach Jewelry, which occupied the shop next to the alley at 213 W. Fourth Avenue. The Blackledge Sales Co. then sprawled to include 213, 215, 217 and 219 W. Fourth Avenue, and furniture showrooms also were included on the second and third floors.

After the store was closed in the early 1990s, Darrel and Nancy Roe reopened the store as Blackledge Antique Mall and operated it for several years before closing it and utilizing portions of the store property as rental storage. Now the Roes have decided to rent smaller retail spaces along the front of the building, hoping to draw new stores to downtown Caney and keep the Blackledge building looking attractive. The Blackledge and Roe families have been known for keeping the property in immaculate condition, even after they closed the store.

“There are very few businesses that would want to buy or rent our entire building,” Roe told the Chamber gathering. “There is 25,000 sq. ft. downstairs, another 20,000 sq. ft. on the second floor, plus the basement and third floor.

He said an acquaintance contacted him several months ago asking if he and Nancy would consider renting smaller spaces along the front of the building.

“We thought that was a good idea,” Roe said. “So, we now are remodeling two spaces, putting them back to what they looked like before Mr. Blackledge bought them in the 1940s.”

Bathrooms and heat/air facilities are being added for each of the shops.

The space located on the alley has not been rented, but the Roes are hoping someone will soon find it an attractive place to establish a business.

The space at 215 W. Fourth has been rented by John and Angela Keith who own “Off the Beadin’ Path” at 611 N. Foreman. They plan to move the shop to the downtown location, giving them much better visibility to shoppers and traffic.

The shop offers gifts, cards, gift baskets, jewelry, candy, CVHS Bullpup items, fashion t-shirts, purses, gourmet food items, balloons and other items. They most recently began offering a line of fresh flowers and plants.
They offer free in-town delivery with a minimum order.

The large showroom on the west end of the building, 219 W. Fourth, will be occupied by “Uptown Girls,” featuring “Purses, Bling and Other Girly Things.”

Owners Joe and Lacy Owensby are already decorating the interior of the building in bright colors (lots of pink and black) and they hope to be open soon.

Lacy said Uptown Girls will include a salon and boutique. She hopes to have two hair stylists, a manicurist and a tanning bed, plus lots of purses, shoes and “blingy” merchandise for girls and women. There also will be organic airbrush tanning, complete body waxing and massages.

The shop space at 217 W. Fourth, between Uptown Girls and Off the Beadin’ Path, has yet to be remodeled. Roe said he and Nancy remain open to discussion about that space. Anyone interested should contact them personally.

The Roes are trying to utilize local craftsmen and contractors as much as possible, and the activity has created much local interest in the project. Chamber president Jackie Freisberg expressed appreciation to Darrel and Nancy Roe for their continued support for the Caney community, and the downtown business district in particular.

CHERRYVALE — An Australian film crew will be in Cherryvale beginning April 15 to document the area for a cable television series that studies the psyche and dissposition of serial murderers.

Beyond Productions is the firm hired by the Discovery Channel to produce the series “Deadly Women,” which will use one of its segments to focus on the life of Kate Bender. Bender was the lead character in a series of murders that took place in a rural Cherryvale inn in the 1870s.  Those murders, combined the eventual disappearance of the Bender family, have become part of Western lore.

Colette Sandstedt, producer, said she became familiar with the saga of the Bender murderess after reading a story about her online. Further exploration of the story revealed tales that fit the “Deadly Women” documentary series, she said.

“Deadly Women” episodes from the 2005 season appear regularly on the Investigation Discovery channel.

Sandstedt said she hoped the segment featuring the story of Kate Bender will appear on the Discovery Channel in the fall.

It happens every five years, and this is the year for the Cherryvale All-School Reunion.

Cherryvale High School graduates and former faculty will gather for two days of reminiscing on Friday and Saturday, July 17-18.

“It is a time when individuals who graduated or attended Cherryvale High School and USD 447 are invited to gather in Cherryvale to renew old friendships and swap old and new stories,” said Bill Ott, among the organizers of the event and a member of the Cherryvale Alumni Association. “This is a time when past students can meet for a specific class reunion and also visit and communicate with individuals who graduated at a different time and are attending the All-School Reunion in Cherryvale.”

The two-day event will be held at Cherryvale Middle-High School. The facility will open each day at 10 a.m., and remain open until the conclusion of the evening activities. Participants would be able to pick up their meal tickets in the front entrance of the middle/high school from 10 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. on Friday, July 17, and Saturday, July 18.

Activities will include tours of school facilities, individual class reunions, evening meals, visiting with many graduates and friends, presentation of awards and the recognition of past scholarship recipients, Outstanding Alumni recipients, recognition of established Endowed Scholarship and Lifetime Members.

Participants will also be able to enjoy their morning coffee and a roll and then at noon have a light lunch without leaving the school building. During the evening on Saturday, there will be recognition of individuals who are the oldest graduates present, traveled the longest distance to get to the reunion, has the greatest number of family members present who have graduated from Cherryvale High School in addition to other special recognitions.

A person may make a reservation for either of the evening dinners on Friday or Saturday, July 17-18, or they may make reservations for both evening dinners Registration for the All-School Reunion is due before June 20, 2009.

If you have not received a registration form or wish to receive additional information about the reunion, contact a member of the Alumni Foundation Board of Directors, request a registration form by sending a note to P.O. Box 65, Cherryvale, KS 67335 or by calling Bill Ott at 620-336-3198.

Jennifer Clark, a Cherryvale High School junior, was elected to a district officer position for the Future Business Leaders of America.
Clark was elected to the position of District 1 Vice President. It is the only district officer position for FBLA, and she is among eight other district vice presidents across Kansas.
The primary duty of the vice president is the organization and planning for a district conference. Because district conferences are held at the home school of the vice president, Cherryvale High School will have the distinction of hosting the District 1 FBLA Conference during the 2009-10 school year.
“I’ll also be in charge of talking to other FBLA chapters about chapter growth and activities,” she said.

BY ANDY TAYLOR
Montgomery County Chronicle

Montgomery County voters will go to the polls next Tuesday, April 7, to decide representatives to city councils, school boards and community college trustee positions. The general election polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Listed below are the races that will be decided in next Tuesday’s election:

• USD 447 Board of Education: In USD 447-Cherryvale, residents will go to the general election poll on April 7 to elect the top three vote recipients for expired terms and one candidate for an unexpired term.

The candidates for the expired terms include two incumbent board members: Bruce L. Thornton of 24889 600 Road, Thayer, and Gina Booe of 4877 CR 5100, Cherryvale. Other candidates include Michael S. Blake, 5591 CR 5800, Cherryvale; Richard R. Basham, 5552 CR 4400, Cherryvale; Jeff Menzer, 912 E. Third, Cherryvale; Jasmin Forman, 815 W. Fourth, Cherryvale; Kenny Baker, 3500 60th Road, Thayer; and Randell L. Studebaker, 6425 Brown Road, Thayer.The top three vote recipients in the April 7 general election will serve four-year terms beginning in July.

One available position on the school board will be for a two-year term. Incumbent board member Tina M. Cunningham, 725 E. Third, Cherryvale, was the only person to file for that two-year term and will, therefore, be elected to that position barring a write-in campaign from another person. That two-year term was caused by the resignation of board member Marilyn Flanders in 2007 shortly after Flanders was elected to the board. State law requires a position to be made available for a two-year term at the next election cycle and then revert to a four-year term at the completion of that two-year term.

• Cherryvale City Council: City voters will have one contested council race in the April 7 general election. It will be in ward 2, where councilor Jerry Wallace has chosen not to seek re-election. Three candidates are vying for that council post. They are Kenneth Corle, 324 W. Main; Jimmy Holt, 726 W. Main; and Lew R. Forman Jr., 815 W. Fourth. Councilor Chad Wickham, ward 1, is seeking re-election and is uncontested in his quest for another four-year term.

• Caney City Council: Only one council race will be contested in the April 7 general election. It will take place in ward 4, where Roger Hawthorne, 100 S. Vine, and Larry Vanderhider, 411 E. Third, will square off for a position being vacated by councilor Carol McClure.

All other council races are uncontested. Mayor Dale McBride is seeking re-election as are councilors Joe Taylor in ward 2 and councilor Kelly McIntosh in ward 3. In Ward 1, Daniel G. Johnston, 1017 N. High is the lone candidate to seek election for a council seat left vacant with the recent resignation of Ron Wade. Johnston was appointed to fill Wade’s unexpired term in February.

• USD 436 Board of Education: There will be two contested races in the April 7 general election. In the race for District B, Position 3, incumbent Tim Rigdon of rural Caney will face Darlene Sanders of rural Tyro.Two candidates are interested in attaining the post of District A, Position 2. They include the incumbent, Mark Artherton of Caney, and Rick Pell, 215 E. Sixth, Caney.The post of District A, Position 1, which was left vacant with the recent resignation of board member David Young, drew one candidate. Robert Hawthorne, 201 S. Fawn, was the only candidate to file for that position and will be elected to that position barring a write-in campaign from another candidate.

• Independence Community College: Ten candidates are seeking the three positions to the trustee board. In the April 7 election, the top three recipients will serve on the college trustee board for four-year terms beginning in July.

Candidates include four incumbents: Tom Tyler, 401 S. 5th, Independence; Dan Dollison, 500 S. Fifth, Independence; Norman Chambers, 2313 N. 10th, Independence; and Lisa S. Drumeller, 1934 S. Penn. Other candidates include Jim Dittmer, 2165 W. Oak, Independence; Gordon McDaniel, 401 S. Fifth, Independence; Jim George, 3824 CR 3100, Independence; and Tim Emert, 501 N. 12th, Independence.

Much like the USD 447 situation, ICC will be confronted with a position for a two-year term only. Two candidates have filed for that office: Mickey Lewis, 300 S. 24th, Independence, and Bill Rollison, 3007 Regency Drive, Independence.

The two-year term was created in 2008 with the resignation of board member Kevin Kaff, who was elected in 2007. The two-year term will revert to a full, four-year cycle in 2011.

• Independence City Commission: Three candidates are seeking the two positions on the Independence City Commission. They include incumbent Rick Mott, 1301 Birdie Drive; Charley Hixon, 616 E. Edison, Independence; and Timothy D. White, 3001 Lakeview Lane.

• USD 446 Board of Education: Five candidates are seeking the three available positions. The candidates include Sandra Frisco, 202 W. Locust; Kevin Sears, 3964 Truitt Lane; Jim Kelly, 309 S. Fifth; Jeffery A. Chubb, 1043 N. Park Blvd., and Dan Bryant, 2513 Rolling Green, all of Independence.

• Coffeyville City Commission: A total of nine candidates are seeking the three available positions to the Coffeyville City Commission. A March 3 primary election narrowed the original field of candidates from 11 to nine. The top three vote recipients of the nine candidates in the general election will then serve on the commission.

The candidates include Don Edwards, 1107 W. Fifth; Mark Frank, 503 Centennial; Richard Gonzales, 1502 Columbus; Virgil Horn, 302 E. John; Rex W. Jerrim, 2408 Parkway Ave.; Pam Jones, 702 Highland Road; Jim C. Taylor, Sr., 704 Spruce; Joseph Thomas, 604 W. Sixth; and Michael D. Wilson, 2306 Northfield.

• Coffeyville Community College: Six candidates have filed for the three positions on the Coffeyville Community College trustees. No primary election will be needed, and the top three vote recipients in the April 7 general election will serve on the trustee board beginning in July. The candidates include two incumbents: Blake Allen of rural Tyro and Becky L. Medley of 408 Warwick, Coffeyville.
Other candidates include Ronnie L. Allison, 402 Tyler Blvd., Coffeyville; Bill Lay, 3948 CR 1250, Coffeyville; Betty J. Nellis, 408 Wilshire, Coffeyville; and Max Williams, 3408 W. First, Coffeyville.

• USD 445 Board of Education: Only three candidates are seeking the three available seats to the Coffeyville school board. The three candidates will be elected to the board barring a write-in campaign from other candidates. The candidates include Bob Elznic, 402 Michele Lane, Coffeyville: Helen Ellerman, 307 Centennial, Coffeyville; and Jerry Hamm, 1010 W. Fifth, Coffeyville.

• Dearing City Council: Candidates for the post of mayor and five councilors are Kenneth W. Campbell, Philip K. Helt, Terri Bishop, Brian Loomis and Michael D. Clark.

• Elk City Council: Seeking the office of mayor is Johnny D. Goul. He is the only candidate for that position. Council candidates include Michele Anglin, Melinda Bennett, Everett F. Bower, Willard Brashier, Hilda Clem, Kimberly High, Joshua Mills, Johnny McElwain, Jr., and James L. Wilburn. There are five positions open on the city council.

• Liberty City Council: Only two candidates have filed for the Liberty City Council: Bruce Main for mayor and Robert Hobbs for council.

• Havana City Council: There are two candidates for Havana city mayor: Dennis R. Hodges and Alan Lance Phillips. Council candidates are Irvaleen Gartrell, Carol Powell and Melissa Watson.

• Tyro City Council: Mayor candidate is Wayne E. Blakemore. Council candidates include Kelly D. Grayum, John Knox, Lucille Ellen McConnell and James R. Orcutt.

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The Montgomery County Chronicle website (www.taylornews.org/mcc) will carry results of the election Tuesday night.

About the April 2nd edition of the Montgomery County Chronicle . . .

• “Dead last.” That’s how a Kansas Department of Transportation official described Montgomery County’s use of seat belts when compared to peer Kansas counties. KDOT is urging local law enforcement officials to enforce seat belt laws, which, according to KDOT, have been shown to save lives. And, because Montgomery County ranks last in seat belt usage among the 20 biggest Kansas counties, the issue involves the quality of lives of Montgomery Countians. Read this story on page 1.

• Next Tuesday is election day in Montgomery County with many races for city councils, school boards and community college trustees on the ballot. There is a complete rundown of the general election ballot on page 1. And, results of next Tuesday’s election will be posted on the Montgomery County Chronicle website at www.taylornews.org/mcc.

• The saga of the infamous Bender family — known for the brutal murders committed at their rural Cherryvale inn in the early 1870s — will be retold on a cable television series. An Australian film crew will be in Cherryvale on April 15 to document the area for the “Deadly Women” series, which will appear on the Discovery Channel in the fall. One segment of the documentary series will focus on Kate Bender, the murderess who is believed to have led her family into killing guests at their rural Cherryvale inn. As many as 11 bodies were found on the Bender property once the murders were discovered. However, the family had fled the region, never to be heard from again. A story on page 1 talks about the film crew’s visit to Cherryvale.

• When talking about homegrown economic stimulus, look no further than downtown Caney. Darrel and Nancy Roe, owners of the Blackledge Sales Company building, have started a remodeling project that will divide the former furniture store into three separate storefronts. Those three stores have been reserved for new businesses in the Caney area. Read about it on page 1.

• You’ll also read a story about Jennifer Clark, a Cherryvale High School junior who was elected to a district officer position for the Future Business Leaders of America; the season-opening golf tournament at Caney, where the Caney Valley High School team finished in second place out of nine schools; honor rolls from area schools; and special services by area churches during Holy Week. You’ll also announcement of weekend events, including two special breakfast events on Saturday, citywide yard sales in Caney, and more. See pictures of area wrestlers when they competed in the Kansas Kids State Wrestling Championship last weekend.

• You’ll also find other information — useful and entertaining — in the April 2nd edition of the Montgomery County Chronicle. Be sure to read Kathy Taylor’s “Life’s Little Lifesavers” as well as Rudy Taylor’s “Off the Cuff” column on page 3. Andy Taylor’s “This Is My Montgomery County” column appears on page 3, too.
And, if you need any great food suggestions, read Doris Coats’ recipe column, “Now We’re Cookin’” on page 13.

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If you do not presently subscribe to the Montgomery County Chronicle, give me a call (620) 879-2156 or (620) 336-2100 to place your subscription order. The local subscription rate (with sales tax) is $32.40 per year. Sounds like a a great deal . . . one that is easy on your wallet during tough times.

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As always, I’m interested to know about your news tips and story ideas. Drop me a line by e-mail (check for my address below) or call me on my cell phone at (620) 331-9178. Let’s chat! And, if you wish, pass this e-mail along to your e-mail lists (school secretaries: pass this along to your faculty e-mail lists). Let me know of others who might be interested in receiving a weekly preview of the Montgomery County Chronicle.

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The April 2nd edition has more stories of interest to all Montgomery County residents. Be sure to pick up a copy today at the following locations:

• Caney: Floyds Town and Country, Gunny Sack Phillips 66, Gunny Sack Shell, Casey’s General Store and the Montgomery County Chronicle.

• Cherryvale: Jump Start, Casey’s General Store, Friendly’s Food and Fuel, G&W Foods, Cherryvale Pharmacy, Cherry Hill Express, and the Montgomery County Chronicle

• Tyro: J’s Corner Store

• Independence: Daylight Doughnuts

• Coffeyville: Kabredlo’s Convenience Store

A 12-year-old boy sustained an accidental gunshot wound to the abdomen while crawling under a fence west of Elk City at about 6 p.m., Wednesday, April 1.

Montgomery County Sheriff Robert Dierks said the 12-year-old boy and his brother were crawling under a fence on a hunting trip when a gun discharged, striking the 12-year-old in the abdomen. The boy was lifeflighted to a Wichita hospital, where he was taken into surgery Monday night. The family reported that the boy was out of surgery in critical but stable condition.