The "Manhattan Optimist Club Bulletin" Vol. 2025 #38 7-16-25
VOLUME 2025 JULY 16 NUMBER 38
President Greg McCune welcomed the membership and guests. Craig Cox presented the following reflection and the flag salute followed.
"I am the prairie, mother of men, waiting.
They are mine, the threshing crews eating beefsteak, the farmboys driving steers to the railroad cattle pens.
They are mine, the crowds of people at a Fourth of July basket picnic, listening to a lawyer read the Declaration of Independence, watching the pinwheels and Roman candles at night, the young men and women two by two hunting the bypaths and kissing-bridges.
They are mine, the horses looking over a fence in the frost of late October saying good morning to the horses hauling wagons of rutabaga to market.
They are mine, the old zigzag rail fences, the new barbwire."
Carl Sandburg, Excerpt from his poem “Prairie.”
Judge McNish thanked the Optimist for having him speak and said he wanted to focus on the difference between the District Judge and the District Magistrate Judge. Judge McNish indicated he had been a member of the Downtown Topeka Optimist Club. He is a KSU graduate, a KU graduate, and a UMKC Master of Law graduate. He said, “I distinctly remember attending a 1968 KSU football game with my dad; it was a game with Oklahoma which KSU won and was a big deal at the time and KSU did not win another football game against Oklahoma for a very long time." He grew up in Clay Center and has been in private practice in Marysville and later opened an office in Clay Center.
The 21st Judicial District covers both Riley and Clay Counties. The judges are all called district judges, but the District Judge and the District Magistrate Judge have different duties that overlap some. He included two handouts below; the first outlines those differences. There are five judges in the district, three District Judges and two Magistrate Judges.
The second handout illustrated the case loads of the judges in Riley County and Clay County.
It is easy to see the differences between the more rural Clay County and the more populated Riley County, though both counties are considered rural counties. He pointed out that probably over half of the Domestic Relations cases are actually protection order cases for both women and men. The civil cases are more for the District Judges, as they are usually more complex litigation. Small claims are cases under $10,000 and no one is represented by counsel. Some traffic cases are handled by city judges, thus this number is lower than the total number of cases. There were 36 jury trials which fills up the schedule and available court rooms capable of hosting a jury trial.
Thanks to those who volunteered to umpire and supervise for the 2025 T-Ball Program.
Sign-up sheets were out for Just Try It volunteers. Just Try It is a running group for girls and they will have a race on August 9th. Volunteers are needed to set up food, tables, banners etc. and then keep is it stocked for the runners when they finish. Shifts are 7:00-9:00 and 9:00-11:00. Heather Peterson is coordinating the Optimist's participation.
The Optimist will again park cars at Central National Bank for the 6:00 pm KSU football game on August 30th. Sign up sheets will be out soon.
President Greg McCune reminded everyone of the social on July 22. We will tour the volleyball facility at KSU at 3:30 for 60-90 minutes, followed by a happy hour at the Rockin K's.
The Fall social will be September 21st at Optimist Park.
GUESTS: Our speaker, Judge John McNish, Magistrate Judge, 21st Judicial District.
Meeting adjourned with the Optimist Creed.
SAVE THE DATE: Tour of KSU Volleyball and Olympic Facilities July 22nd
JULY 23 – NOON MEETING: Program: Megan Lewis, Director, Riley County Community Corrections: Topic: “Riley County Community Corrections”
JULY 30 – MORNING MEETING: Program: Jacob Galyon, Will Habiger, Sherie Taylor, Riley Co. Geographic System: Topic: “What’s Happening with the GIS”
