Boys Take Silver at District Wrestling Meet

The Kearney High School Boys Wrestling team traveled to Belton High School on Friday and Saturday, Feb. 21-22, and took home the second-place trophy in the Class 3 District 4 tournament.

All 13 Bulldogs made it to at least the “blood round,” contributing to the team’s outstanding finish overall, according to Head Coach Jake Hill. Ryder Shelton, Blaine Turpin and Carter Temple all earned individual championships in their weight classes.

“Our boys wrestled great both days and I’m so proud of their effort,” Coach Hill said. “These guys really exemplify the Bulldog spirit with their grit and skills. We’re looking forward to state.”

State Qualifiers:

106 Brayden Robinson 2nd

113 Oliver Lee 4th

120 Phoenix Shelton 4th

126 Landon Westfall 2nd

132 Ryder Shelton Champion

144 Blaine Turpin Champion

157 Kale Davis 4th

175 Eli Helberg 3rd

190 Carter Temple Champion

The KHS boys wrap up their season by traveling to Columbia this Friday and Saturday, Feb. 28-March 1, to compete in the Class 3 State Tournament at Mizzou Arena.

KPGZ News – Ray Weikal contributed to this story.

Bulldogs Win in Athletics and Academics

Kearney student athletes earn top places in academics and athletics this weekend, according to announcements on individual social media pages.

Bulldog Wrestling

The boys wrestling squad earned the Runner Up position in Class 3 District 4 this weekend. Nine athletes were named State Qualifiers:

106 Brayden Robinson - 2nd

113 Oliver Lee - 4th

120 Phoenix Shelton - 4th

126 Landon Westfall - 2nd

132 Ryder Shelton - Champion

144 Blaine Turpin - Champion

157 Kale Davis - 4th

175 Eli Helberg - 3rd

190 Carter Temple - Champion

All 13 wrestlers made the blood round and contributed to the team score.

Golden Girls

The Kearney High School Golden Girls earned their fourth-straight state title on Saturday, Feb. 23. The team also earned second in Jazz and third in Pom. Ainsley Daniels took 3rd place in the Sophomore Solo competition; Arie Watkins claimed 8th in Senior Solo; and Jacee Hensley took 10th in Sophomore Solo!

Swim and Dive

Kearney High School Girls Swim & Dive team member Anna Williams earned 3rd place at the state meet on Feb. 22. Anna finished seventh last year and broke her own school record at this year's event.

Softball

The Kearney High School varsity Softball team received Academic All-State honors as a team. They had an impressive 3.768 GPA. This places them in the top 10 for Class 4.

KPGZ News – Brian Watts contributed to this story.

Riding Center Holds Murder Mystery Fundraiser

The Northland Therapeutic Riding Center (NTRC) is putting a mysterious twist on its next fundraising event. The riding center is hosting Gallop to the Grave Murder Mystery Fundraiser on Saturday, March 15, from 5:30 – 10 pm at the Weston Red Barn Farm.

“This exciting Wild West-themed mystery event will bring together community leaders, supporters, and businesses for a night of fun, food, and fundraising—all to support life-changing equine-assisted therapy programs for individuals with special needs across Platte, Clay, and Clinton counties,” reads a press release from the riding center.

Northland Therapeutic Riding Center invites supporters to attend and experience firsthand how they change lives. Tickets are $75 per person or $450 for a table of six.

Sponsorship opportunities are available for local businesses and are a great opportunity to showcase a company’s brand to NTRC supporters, donors, and event attendees while helping provide life-affirming therapies to those who need it most. Sponsorships start at just $250 and include visibility before, during, and after the event.

Those interested in sponsoring or attending, can call Lyndsey Gruber at 816-507-2510, email fundntrc@gmail.com, or CLICK HERE to go to their website.

KPGZ News – Brian Watts contributed to this story.

School District Fills Two Key Leadership Positions

The Kearney School District is preparing to welcome two new members for important administrative roles.

Doug Schwinn will become Kearney School District's new Director of Business Services. His hiring was approved by the Board of Education during a special meeting on Feb. 4.

Dr. Valerie Utecht is slated to step in as the district's new Assistant Superintendent of Academic Services. The school board signed off on her hiring during its Feb. 19 executive board meeting.

Mr. Schwinn and Dr. Utecht will officially begin their contracts on July 1. Both will also be participating in a wide range of training and onboarding this spring so that they can hit the ground running by the time classes start again in August.

Doug Schwinn

Schwinn will be replacing current Director of Business Services Ginger Elsea, who has been with the district since 2012 and is retiring. Assistant Superintendent for Academic Services Jennifer Kopp has been with the district for 23 years and is also retiring.

"I'm looking forward to having Doug Schwinn and Dr. Valerie Utecht on our leadership team at Kearney School District," Superintendent Emily Miller said. "They both have big shoes to fill and I'm confident that they have the expertise and mindset to help us achieve our strategic goals. I also know that the Bulldog community will welcome them with open arms and help support their success."

Schwinn will take charge of Kearney School District’s Department of Business Services, which includes oversight of Payroll Services, Accounts Payable and Bookkeeping. His big-picture focus will be on building financial and operational strategies and metrics, ongoing development and monitoring of control systems designed to preserve district assets, and reporting accurate financial results. In this critical role, Schwinn will work closely with Dr. Miller and school and district administrators to plan and manage the district's roughly $60 million annual budget.

"I am very excited about what the future holds for KSD and look forward to making Kearney my new home," Schwinn said. "I was so impressed by both the level of achievement in this school system and the culture of teamwork. I know from experience that these are the signs of a great district."

Dr. Valerie Utecht

As skipper of the school system's pivotal Academic Services Department, Utecht will be responsible for charting and navigating teaching and learning across the district. This job demands collaboration and strategic planning in order to help ensure that schools are meeting the needs of students, staff receive the right training and tools, and the system is achieving the community's desired outcomes.

"I am honored to begin serving as the Assistant Superintendent of Academic Services for the upcoming school year," Utecht said. "It is truly a privilege to join this outstanding district, and I look forward to collaborating with our dedicated educators, students, families, and community members to support continued academic excellence and student success."

Schwinn comes to Kearney School District after serving for 22 years as the Director of Business at Unified School District 230 in Spring Hill, Kan., about a half-hour southwest of Overland Park. That position involves oversight of all business/financial activities for a school district with a $120 million annual budget.

Dr. Utecht has been the Assistant Superintendent at Cameron R-1 School District since July 2023. In that position, she oversees curriculum and professional development, evaluation and assessment, federal programs, safety and security, district compliance and Title IX coordination.

KPGZ News – Ray Weikal contributed to this story.

Former Election Judge Accused of Fraud Arrested

Patricia “Patty” A. Lamb, former Republican Election Director for Clay County, was arrested in Montana on felony charges of fraud and misuse of a county credit card. She is currently awaiting extradition back to Clay County.

A forensic audit uncovered over $15,000 in unauthorized expenses, including non-business charges, undocumented reimbursements, and extra payroll payments. Clay County Commissioner Jason Withington posted about the incident on his Facebook page:

“According to the probable cause statement, from fiscal year 2021 to fiscal year 2024, Lamb's County-issued credit card had a total of $8,126.51 in non-business-related charges, $1,336.00 in non-business-related mileage, a $200 petty cash payment with no supporting documentation, and, in 2022, she received a total of 28 paychecks, which was two more than she was entitled to. The additional paychecks totaled $6,278.40.”

Lamb was placed on administrative leave in 2023 and terminated in January 2024 after the audit results were reviewed. She had moved out of state before investigators could interview her.

The Clay County Election Board replaced Lamb with Interim Directors Heather Hall and Denise Hart. County officials, including Commissioner Jason Withington, expressed concerns over the loss of public trust and called for new appointments to the Election Board, whose terms have expired.

Clay County Auditor Victor Hurlbert sought reimbursement for the fraudulent charges and discovered the board had overestimated its census, resulting in overcharging the county by over $200,000. Hurlbert proposed that the county assume oversight of the Election Board’s finances to prevent further issues.

KPGZ News – Brian Watts contributed to this story.