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06/17/2003 Archived Entry: "RAY ROBERTS IS LEAVING"

RAY ROBERTS IS LEAVING

Ray Roberts is going to El Dorado, which means Chuck Simmons is returning to Topeka. Louis Bruce will become the temporary "in charge" person here until the first of August when it is the intention of the Kansas Department of Corrections to have a Roberts replacement here and functioning.

Everyone will be sorry to see Ray leave. He has been a part of and contributed to the community as no other warden since Mike Nelson. The inception, fund-raising and construction of the Spiritual Life Center can be attributed to Ray. He's a remarkable fund-raiser. He's been cooperative with community leaders and always accessible to the press. The motorcycle poker run, so far as I know, was another idea of his. Certainly, he has been the momentum behind it every year. We know he'll still be active in fund-raising for the Center and will rev up his cycle for future poker runs.

Most important is the respect the staff at ECF has for Ray and the work he does keeping peace within the wire. Ray is just a likeable guy. That has been a good thing for us and our community.

Ray not only has done an excellent job here, but he has been successful in every correctional facility where he has worked previously from Mississippi to Alaska, if I remember the locations correctly. We know he will be very successful in El Dorado and we wish him the best there. We hope he doesn't forget to return to Ellsworth once in awhile.