News

Testimony continues in double homicide trial

ROBERT PIERCE

• Leader & Times

Thursday’s portion of testimony in the case against Pablo Roman Ramirez was primarily focused on a man convicted in connection with the alleged murders of Timothy Martin and Erick Salas April 2, 2019.

After being much of the focus of previous testimony, Ralph Salas Jr. took the stand Thursday. He was arrested in 2022 for two counts each of first degree murder, aggravated kidnapping, conspiracy to commit murder, aggravated robbery and aggravated burglary, as well as other charges.

Officials with the Kansas Bureau of Investigation said Martin’s and Erick’s bodies were found in separate locations in April 2019, with Martin’s body discovered by a farmer on his property near U.S. Highway 54 and the Kansas/Oklahoma state line in Texas County, Okla.

Panhandle Career Expo coming Nov. 12 to Tyrone

ROBERT PIERCE

• Leader & Times

Students in some of the area’s smaller school districts will be able to meet with some area employers to help make choices about choosing a career this Wednesday.

Tyrone, Okla., Public Schools is hosting its third annual Panhandle Career Expo, and organizer Tressie Sims said the event was originally created to give small schools an opportunity to expand their knowledge of what careers are available.

“We started inviting local employers in to talk to the students about careers and opportunities and what they would need to have in order to be successful in that career,” she said.

Conestoga leadership willing to spread refund out to help Seward County

EARL WATT

• Leader & Times

Seward County property owners received notices in August stating Seward County needed to issue a 25.868 mill increase in order to apply 21 of those mills to a “worst case scenario” refund to Conestoga in the amount of $5.9 million.

Several members of the public questioned the need or even the legality of collecting a potential refund amount in advance of any ruling.

Eventually, Seward County issued a 14.8 mill increase and claimed that slightly more than five of those mills would be allocated to the potential refund even though others have calculated the refund contribution to the budget to only refer to 2 mills of the increase. But representatives of Conestoga said there is no need to plan on making a lump sum payment because they would be willing to spread to refund over time.

Newcomer Riggs takes top spot in USD 480 election

ELLY GRIMM

• Leader & Times

The USD 480 school board will have veterans of both the board and the district come the new term next year.

Luz Riggs received the most votes with 978, followed by Sarah Thompson with 686 and Nick Hatcher with 647. All three were excited to hear they had been elected to the board.

“I was very happy and very grateful. I had the support from my family and some financial support from people in the community who supported my campaign,” Riggs said. “I'm thankful I'm part of a community that's so supportive and caring. When I decided to officially run, my goal was just to get one of the spots, that's what I really wanted, and I didn't expect to end up being the top vote-getter. I was very humbled and grateful to be the top vote-getter, it was a great feeling and I can't give enough thanks to everyone who voted for me.”

Parsons tops city commission election

ELLY GRIMM

• Leader & Times

Voters have officially decided to retain their current leadership on the Liberal City Commission.

Jeff Parsons ended up the top vote-getter with 969 votes, followed by Janeth Vazquez with 725, and they will serve four-year terms. Matt Landry, who is currently serving as vice mayor, came in third place with 704 votes and will serve a two-year term. Landry was unavailable for comment as of press time.

Parsons and Vazquez said they found out the results of the election rather quickly and said they were both excited about the results.