The Ledger Online

INMAN - A 67-year-old Inman woman and a 21-year-old Hutchinson woman died from injuries they received in a three-vehicle accident Wednesday, Sept. 21 near K-61 and Arapaho.

The accident occurred just before 5 p.m., on K-61 at mile marker 65.1, according to a Kansas Highway Patrol report.

Kathleen J. Lafferty, of Inman, was driving a 2009 Toyota RAV4 northbound on K-61. The KHP report indicated that Lafferty’s vehicle crossed the center line and struck the side of a 2005 Mack truck driven by John P. Noftsker, of LaSalle, Ill. It then struck a 2007 Dodge Nitro driven by Amanda D. Brown, of Hutchinson, head-on, troopers reported.

Lafferty was taken by ambulance to McPherson Hospital, where she died a short time later. Brown was transported by Eagle Med to Wesley Medical Center in Wichita. She died a few hours later.

Noftsker was not injured in the accident, troopers reported.

KHP noted that all three drivers were wearing seat belts at the time of accident.

The Inman police and fire departments also responded to the accident, as well as the McPherson Emergency Medical Service.

HARVEY COUNTY - Men and boys of all ages are invited to an evening of food, fun, and fellowship on Saturday, Aug. 27, at the Garden Community Church located 5.5 miles south of Moundridge south of Moundridge on North Halstead Road.
The event will begin at 6 p.m. with a grilled hamburger/brat supper. Tickets are $5. Reservations are required. Call them in to the church office at 620-327-4413 or to Gene McBride at 620-327-9919, both in Hesston, by Monday, Aug. 22. Reservations will be paid for at the door on Saturday, Aug. 27.
The program to follow will feature wildlife photographer Matt Miles from Rogerville, Mo., who will share his experiences in capturing wildlife on film. Miles grew up in the Hutchinson/Buhler area and graduated from Buhler High School.
Organizers said that men and boys who enjoy the out-of-doors would find this an enjoyable and inspiring evening.

Organizers have announced a change in location for the community worship service for this year’s Vacation Bible School.

The service will begin at 10 a.m., Sunday, July 31 at the Pine Village Wellness Center. With Central Kansas battling extremely hot weather conditions, it was decided to have the service in the air-conditioned wellness center. The original location - Greer Auditorium - does not have air conditioning.

There will be a community meal following the worship service.

PandaMania is the theme for this year’s VBS program. The Associated Churches of Moundridge
is sponsoring VBS.

To read more about VBS in Moundridge, and to see photographs from VBS activities, pick up a copy of the Aug. 4 edition of The Ledger.

Caleb Vanatta’s RBI single in the bottom of the seventh allowed Humboldt to defeat Ottawa 3-2 in the championship game of the 13-15 (-year-old) Kansas Babe Ruth Tournament Tuesday, July 26 in Moundridge.

The game had been tied at 2-all heading into the final inning.

Humboldt’s Alex Murrow won the AH2P (attitude, hustle, hustle, pride) award. The state commissioner selected the winner of the award, which takes sportsmanship, character, and how the person plays the game into consideration.

Ottawa had forced a second championship game when it gave Humboldt its first loss in the tournament, 5-4, on Monday, July 25. Ottawa scored the game-winning run in the top of the seventh, and then held Humboldt scoreless in the bottom portion of the inning.

Ottawa had won another close game earlier Monday to advance to the title game. Ottawa defeated Wellington 11-9 in eight innings.

For a wrap-up on the state tournament, pick up a copy of the Aug. 4 edition of The Ledger.

Two or three tornadoes were spotted near Moundridge Saturday, July 2, Police Chief Jay Kessler said.

“They were all small, rope-shaped tornadoes,” Kessler added.

The storms passed through McPherson County in the early evening hours.

“It was a very scary situation for a time,” Kessler said. “No major damage was reported and no one was injured.”

Kessler said that a Moundridge office saw one of the tornadoes about two miles west of town. He added that the tornadoes took a path south and west of Moundridge.

Listening to the police scanner during the storm, Kessler said he heard a farm south of Moundridge might have had some minor damage.

For a brief amount of time, the storm dropped some small hail and rain on Moundridge.

Hesston Police Officer Jeff Wilson arrested Vicki Arce of Moundridge in the evening hours of June 10 for her alleged connection to an armed bank robbery in Newton.

In a release from the Newton Police Department, the robbery occurred at 4:25 p.m.

According to the release, “The female approached the teller and demanded money.  The female said she had a gun and told the teller not to do anything stupid. The female showed the teller a note and a gun.”

Hesston Police Department Chief Doug Schroeder said the suspect’s behavior, as well as her vehicle alerted Wilson.

“The victim in Newton gave out a vehicle and suspect description and their behavior made the officer suspicious,” said Schroeder.

Arce is alleged to be connected to the robbery of White Eagle Credit Union in Newton and an attempted robbery in McPherson according to Sergeant Scott Powell of the Newton Police Department.

“The charges are pending on multiple counts of bank robbery.  We suspect she may have been involved in multiple robberies over the last two years.  Several unsolved bank robberies may be solved,” said Powell.

According to Schroeder, the case will be moved away from the local courts.

“It is going to be reviewed by a Federal Grand Jury possibly this next week and we may have more information by then,” he said.

Please continue checking our web page for more information as it becomes available.

The Moundridge Recreation Commission is sponsoring a youth basketball clinic and youth baseball/softball teams.

The basketball clinic will be May 31 to June 2. It will be held from 9-11:30 a.m., at the Moundridge Middle School/High School gymnasium. The registration fee is $25, and a T-shirt is included in the fee. It is open to boys and girls who will be going into grades fourth to eighth next school year. The clinician is Moundridge High School boys basketball coach Vance Unrau.

Eight Moundridge youth baseball/softball teams are competing in the MKL with area teams. One Babe Ruth team will be competing with area towns. Local games played most week nights. The schedule will be posted at the ball diamonds. Games will be played from June through mid-July.