Salina Journal (Newspaper) - May 24, 2003, Salina, Kansas Lucas art on wheels Page A3 the SATURDAY MAY 24, 2003 KANSAS Salina Journal Serving Kansas since 1871 50 cents New Trego Page A5 Photos by RYAN SODERLIN The Salina Journal Junior high school students at Delphos Attendance Center dance lUlay 9 on the school's stage during the last dance at the which closed Delphos residents hope to keep their school open by transferring to the Southern Cloud School Delphos Rocked School's closure hits hard in small town By TIM UNRUH The Salina Journal AREA DELPHOS - Workers were removing from the school leaving an embattled building to rest in Students said their goodbyes the final day of They will return this fall to facilities in neapolis where teachers were moving in Friday wasn't but there are worse things in said Sheila secretary at the school that housed through She'll be working at Minneapolis Grade School this Like it it or this is reality in a town of roughly 500 many who are worried the closing of the Delphos school is a symptom of rigor mortis for the tiny think it was just a said Jim owner of Klein a service station in Klein made regular trips to the school to fix a tire or change the oil on a vehicle owned by a school and he sold diesel fuel to the school to keep buses going to miss out on he His is a part-time worker and substitute teacher for the She's also a part-time Marlene a at Delphos carrier and a mother of dance rolis up a House poster Wednesday that adorned the halls of the Walker was saving the See Page A6 poster so it could be used at High School next T KANSAS NATIONAL GUARD Speaker criticizes Guard Mays says Army Guard has kept soldiers on books after Sebelius denies it By JOHN HANNA The Associated Press SEBELIUS in Maj. Gen. TOPEKA - Gov Kathleen Sebelius said Friday she believes the Kansas Army National Guard is accurately reporting its despite an allegation the guard has kept on its That accusation came from House Speaker Doug who said he had internal documents showing the Guard has inflated its strength since at least 1996. He declined to produce records or identify his saying to do so would some very good careers in Mays said that during the past seven 2,400 soldiers have remained on the payroll six months or longer after their Mays said he is not sure whether any of them have received pay after their Mays made his charges during a news conference he called the day after Sebelius said she remained confident Greg the state adjutant despite two recent personnel The House speaker said the situation with discharged Guard members my faith in the adjutant an outrage that we've had these ghost said Sebelius said the same allegations were brought to and she discussed them with Gardner She said she reviewed the numbers and federal am disappointed that Speaker Mays chose to go to the press with these allegations before contacting me or General Gardner to get accurate she said in a Mays called on Attorney General Phill Kline to investigate and determine whether funds were misappropriated or laws don't think the adjutant general has to talk to he Mays thinks he should take such questions directly to the commander in he Mays talked briefly to Sebelius and stood by his calling the governor's comments the Said she was not happy with me. the only way to get questions answered about allegations like this is to ask them See Page A2 library to sell its Sandzen painting will be taken until July 1 on painting donated 50 years ago IBy AMY SULLIVAN Salina Journal I ABILENE - A Birger signed painting the Public Library as a gift 50 years ago will go to the highest It's a decision the library board took 2V years to makes even dissenters pn the board comfortable with the deci- Board NEWS dent Judy Leyerzapf was one of two who voted against but now she's working the five who favored selling the painting to get it will be accepted at the library until 2 p.m. July 1. didn't make a rash deci- this we hate to put a value on it It's worth as much as anyone wants to pay for Judy Leyerzapf Abilene Public Library board president sion that we regret Taking the time to think about it makes everybody feel better in the Leyerzapf Even former mayor John who had said he wanted to keep the is on The was donated to the library In 1950 by Elsie Allen in honor of her late Henry See Page A8 -J T TRAFFIC FATALITY Family loses mom on Mother's Day Car crash leaves father to raise two daughters on his own By SHARON MONTAGUE The Salina Journal There were two reasons for the Geer family to celebrate that sunny Sunday - er's and I of the birth of their older A party was but duty Michael 23, was scheduled to work at TIANA ' Salina's Super 8 120 E. and his Tiana 19, had been called In to work at Best nearby at 429 W. No The V TOM DORSEY The Salina Journal Michael Geer is left to his two 15 and 3,;ailter his was killed in a car crash on Mother's tion could be after the couple But it wasn't tp Instead of Michael found himself racing to Wichita that night to be with who was critically injured in a car wreck he witnessed through his The next Tiana was pronounced and Michael was left with two young daughters and no insurance to cover the medical or burial learned that tomorrow never Michael you have to do what you can when you Heading to work It was a little before noon on May 11, Mother's when Michael jumped into his pickup truck with his younger 15 and headed down West Lockard Road from his rural Tiana was just a few minutes close enough that Michael could see the dust kicked up by her Oldsmobile Trofeo and could see the car itself when the hilly terrain ' He looked back once and she was on the crest of a He looked back again and Tiapa was coming over another losing the car was his heart was A quick He raced back and jumped out of his pickup See Page as WEATHER 67 52 rain this with light south I PAGE B1 In one of many mixed messages from the Homeland Security officials are saying to relax for Memorial but be on TOMORROW One hundred years the youthful city of nearly met its match in what came to be known as the Great the first big one to hit the INSIDE 0682346363638