After a recent increase in drug overdoses in Hays, including two deaths, law enforcement is concerned national trends of increased opioid and other drug use has made its way to the city.

"Heroin now has become common," Hays Police Chief Don Scheibler said. "It's not uncommon for us to find it in the street. It's not uncommon for us to have an overdose. Those things were just unheard of not that long ago."

"There have always been drugs in Hays, unfortunately," said J.B. Burkholder, HPD detective. "What we are seeing right now is that people — local people, people from this area — are driving to the bigger cities, mainly Wichita, Topeka, Kansas City, Denver, and obtaining their meth, heroin and marijuana and bringing it back into Hays."

Nationally, drug use, especially opioid abuse, has skyrocketed, and leaders at the National Institute of Health see additional stress brought on by the pandemic as a catalyst.

"We have seen an exacerbation of the opioid epidemic, as evidenced by the number of people who have died," said&nbsp;Nora Volkow, Director of NIH’s National Institute on Drug Abuse, in a recent conversation with NIH director Francis Collins. "Already, in the 12 months ending in July 2020, there was a 24 percent increase in mortality from overdoses. Within those numbers, there was close to a 50 percent increase in mortality associated with fentanyl. We’re also seeing an increase, not just in deaths from fentanyl and other synthetic opioids, but in deaths from stimulant drugs, like cocaine and methamphetamine. And the largest increases have been very much driven by drug combinations.

"So, we have the perfect storm. We have people stressed to their limits by decreases in the economy, the loss of jobs, the death of loved ones. On the other hand, we see dealers taking the opportunity to bring in drugs such as synthetic opioids and synthetic stimulants and distribute them to a much wider extent than previously seen."

Burkholder said there are various reasons drug use has been increasing in the area, including the COVID-19 pandemic. 

And heroin and other opioids working their way across the state from the east is particularly troubling.

"That's the progression of most anything," Burkholder said, "from clothing trends to drugs. It always progresses its way out here eventually, and it gets introduced to the community. Those individuals involved in that lifestyle pick it up, and it just becomes the new thing."

From that point, it becomes more available as demand increases and more supply is desired.

"Heroin has been a challenge for those communities on the East Coast and West Coast and metro areas for a long time, and it has just finally worked here," Scheibler said. "It's going to be a challenge for us."

He said it should be a priority for both law enforcement as well as the community.

"Failure for us to recognize that heroin is in our community ... will be a huge mistake," Scheibler said. "We have to continue to focus on it and continue to be proactive."

Stemming the tide of rising opioid use, he said, means tackling the lack of enforcement created during the pandemic when many of the typical consequences for felony drug activity were curtailed for precautionary measures.

"That has created problems, and as we have come out of the pandemic and get more proactive in this area, there has got to be consequences for engaging in that type of criminal activity," Scheibler said.

"We see the criminal become emboldened," Burkholder said.&nbsp;

He said offenders were often not immediately detained after being cited for drug-related crimes as part of efforts to keep jail populations low during the pandemic.

"They don't have that instant slap on the wrist," Burkholder said. "It will come, but it's not that immediate effect of disruption in their daily lives.

"We are fighting that and battling that."

Recently, that fight has become more noticeable, with an increase in overdoses in Hays, leading to two deaths in May.

"This is dangerous for our community," Scheibler said.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Adding to the concern is increased drug use in youth, he said, with marijuana use becoming more normalized and use among high schoolers and even middle schoolers are identified.

"It becomes their lifestyle," Burkholder said. "That's what they know. It's the same as any addiction you may have. Once it becomes ingrained in your head, it's harder to get out the longer it has been there.

"They don't know what this will do to their mentality later in life and drive their ability to make wise decisions. These are young people making decisions that will literally change the rest of their lives."

While the department is increasing focus on drug activity in Hays, he said stopping the rise in use and abuse will depend on the community stepping up as well.

"The only way that we can do our job is with the city and the citizens helping us out," Burkholder said. "If they are not willing to work with us, then there is so much information that we are inevitably going to miss."

He said reports to the department about suspected activity allow the department to find access points to the local drug scene and help stop other crimes often connected to drug abuse.

"We are all affected by the drug world," Burkholder said. "We see other crimes on the rise because of that stuff."

He said increases in burglaries and theft are directly tied to drug use as users turn to ever-increasing risky behavior to support their habit.&nbsp;&nbsp;

In an effort to stem the tide of increased methenamine and opioids coming into the area, Burkholder said the department is fully supportive of investigations into the avenues drugs arrive in Hays.

"We continue to work hard and pursue those to the best of our ability," he said. "It has become a priority for us."

Scheibler said an asset in the fight is the Ellis County Drug Enforcement Unit, made up of agents from the Kansas Bureau of Investigations, Ellis County Sheriff's Office deputies, the Ellis County Attorney's office and Hays Police Department officers.

But even with that resource, he said community reporting is vital.

"It's a priority for that group to target those involved in distributing drugs in our community," he said. "That's where the tips from our community, tips from the citizens, people calling in and giving us direction allows us to confirm some things and allows us to build cases. But we can't do it by ourselves. It has to be a community effort."

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/6/1623439025927.jpeg" alt="Image courtesy of Pixabay" />
 <figcaption>Image courtesy of Pixabay</figcaption>
 </figure>By JAMES BELL Hays PostAfter a recent increase in drug overdoses in Hays, including two deaths, law enforcement is concerned national trends of increased opioid and other drug use has made its way to the city."Heroin now has become common," Hays Police Chief Don Scheibler said. "It's not uncommon for us to find it in the street. It's not uncommon for us to have an overdose. Those things were just unheard of not that long ago.""There have always been drugs in Hays, unfortunately," said J.B. Burkholder, HPD detective. "What we are seeing right now is that people — local people, people from this area — are driving to the bigger cities, mainly Wichita, Topeka, Kansas City, Denver, and obtaining their meth, heroin and marijuana and bringing it back into Hays."Nationally, drug use, especially opioid abuse, has skyrocketed, and leaders at the National Institute of Health see additional stress brought on by the pandemic as a catalyst."We have seen an exacerbation of the opioid epidemic, as evidenced by the number of people who have died," said&nbsp;Nora Volkow, Director of NIH’s National Institute on Drug Abuse, in a recent conversation with NIH director Francis Collins. "Already, in the 12 months ending in July 2020, there was a 24 percent increase in mortality from overdoses. Within those numbers, there was close to a 50 percent increase in mortality associated with fentanyl. We’re also seeing an increase, not just in deaths from fentanyl and other synthetic opioids, but in deaths from stimulant drugs, like cocaine and methamphetamine. And the largest increases have been very much driven by drug combinations."So, we have the perfect storm. We have people stressed to their limits by decreases in the economy, the loss of jobs, the death of loved ones. On the other hand, we see dealers taking the opportunity to bring in drugs such as synthetic opioids and synthetic stimulants and distribute them to a much wider extent than previously seen."Burkholder said there are various reasons drug use has been increasing in the area, including the COVID-19 pandemic. And heroin and other opioids working their way across the state from the east is particularly troubling."That's the progression of most anything," Burkholder said, "from clothing trends to drugs. It always progresses its way out here eventually, and it gets introduced to the community. Those individuals involved in that lifestyle pick it up, and it just becomes the new thing."From that point, it becomes more available as demand increases and more supply is desired."Heroin has been a challenge for those communities on the East Coast and West Coast and metro areas for a long time, and it has just finally worked here," Scheibler said. "It's going to be a challenge for us."He said it should be a priority for both law enforcement as well as the community."Failure for us to recognize that heroin is in our community ... will be a huge mistake," Scheibler said. "We have to continue to focus on it and continue to be proactive."Stemming the tide of rising opioid use, he said, means tackling the lack of enforcement created during the pandemic when many of the typical consequences for felony drug activity were curtailed for precautionary measures."That has created problems, and as we have come out of the pandemic and get more proactive in this area, there has got to be consequences for engaging in that type of criminal activity," Scheibler said."We see the criminal become emboldened," Burkholder said.&nbsp;He said offenders were often not immediately detained after being cited for drug-related crimes as part of efforts to keep jail populations low during the pandemic."They don't have that instant slap on the wrist," Burkholder said. "It will come, but it's not that immediate effect of disruption in their daily lives."We are fighting that and battling that."Recently, that fight has become more noticeable, with an increase in overdoses in Hays, leading to two deaths in May."This is dangerous for our community," Scheibler said.&nbsp;&nbsp;Adding to the concern is increased drug use in youth, he said, with marijuana use becoming more normalized and use among high schoolers and even middle schoolers are identified."It becomes their lifestyle," Burkholder said. "That's what they know. It's the same as any addiction you may have. Once it becomes ingrained in your head, it's harder to get out the longer it has been there."They don't know what this will do to their mentality later in life and drive their ability to make wise decisions. These are young people making decisions that will literally change the rest of their lives."While the department is increasing focus on drug activity in Hays, he said stopping the rise in use and abuse will depend on the community stepping up as well."The only way that we can do our job is with the city and the citizens helping us out," Burkholder said. "If they are not willing to work with us, then there is so much information that we are inevitably going to miss."He said reports to the department about suspected activity allow the department to find access points to the local drug scene and help stop other crimes often connected to drug abuse."We are all affected by the drug world," Burkholder said. "We see other crimes on the rise because of that stuff."He said increases in burglaries and theft are directly tied to drug use as users turn to ever-increasing risky behavior to support their habit.&nbsp;&nbsp;In an effort to stem the tide of increased methenamine and opioids coming into the area, Burkholder said the department is fully supportive of investigations into the avenues drugs arrive in Hays."We continue to work hard and pursue those to the best of our ability," he said. "It has become a priority for us."Scheibler said an asset in the fight is the Ellis County Drug Enforcement Unit, made up of agents from the Kansas Bureau of Investigations, Ellis County Sheriff's Office deputies, the Ellis County Attorney's office and Hays Police Department officers.But even with that resource, he said community reporting is vital."It's a priority for that group to target those involved in distributing drugs in our community," he said. "That's where the tips from our community, tips from the citizens, people calling in and giving us direction allows us to confirm some things and allows us to build cases. But we can't do it by ourselves. It has to be a community effort."

Hays Police Department warns of increasing danger of drugs in the city

<a href="https://www.facebook.com/WKHRMA/">Western Kansas Human Resource Management Association</a>&nbsp;will hold a virtual chapter meeting at noon Wednesday, July 14.

Susan Lang, wage and hour investigator, will present up-to-date information and answer questions about the Fair Labor Standards Act and Family Medical Leave Act.&nbsp;

Registration is free. Sign up at this link:&nbsp;<a href="https://wkhrma.shrm.org/events/2021/07/flsa-and-fmla-update-online?fbclid=IwAR37fouH3eAGeTU3DDE3ZgmaANZuBx_Z4WOJlRqdcTlXZK673weyDCABxhQ" target="_blank">https://wkhrma.shrm.org/.../07/flsa-and-fmla-update-online</a>&nbsp;. A Zoom invitation will be emailed to you prior to the meeting.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/2/1581962080208.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure><a href="https://www.facebook.com/WKHRMA/">Western Kansas Human Resource Management Association</a>&nbsp;will hold a virtual chapter meeting at noon Wednesday, July 14.Susan Lang, wage and hour investigator, will present up-to-date information and answer questions about the Fair Labor Standards Act and Family Medical Leave Act.&nbsp;Registration is free. Sign up at this link:&nbsp;<a href="https://wkhrma.shrm.org/events/2021/07/flsa-and-fmla-update-online?fbclid=IwAR37fouH3eAGeTU3DDE3ZgmaANZuBx_Z4WOJlRqdcTlXZK673weyDCABxhQ" target="_blank">https://wkhrma.shrm.org/.../07/flsa-and-fmla-update-online</a>&nbsp;. A Zoom invitation will be emailed to you prior to the meeting.&nbsp;

Human resources group will host virtual meeting next month

COLBY — Colby Community College announced the names of students who earned a place on the spring 2021 honor rolls. Those listed completed 12 or more credit hours and had no failing grades.&nbsp;

The President's Honor Roll includes 83 students with a 4.0 grade point average. Thirty-seven students on the Vice President's Honor Roll had GPAs between 3.75 and 3.99.

Names are listed by home location or country. Some names are not published at the request of the student.&nbsp;

Axtell&nbsp;– William Enfield.&nbsp;Belleville&nbsp;– Tobi Wilber.&nbsp;Berea, Ohio&nbsp;–&nbsp;Tyler Hampu.&nbsp;Brewster&nbsp;– Weston Schmidt.&nbsp;Brighton, Colo.&nbsp;– Savanna Anderson.&nbsp;Broomfield, Colo.&nbsp;– Blake Labuda.&nbsp;Canada&nbsp;– Kyle Bloor, Matthew Dobberthien, Kyle Froehlich, Tyler McWillie, Zachary Olson,Cleary Simpson, Ataru Yamaguchi, and Tucker Zdunich.&nbsp;Cedar Rapids, Iowa&nbsp;– Erin Cervantes.&nbsp;Cheyenne Wells, Colo.&nbsp;– Kristy Ball.&nbsp;Cimarron&nbsp;– Morgan Clinesmith.&nbsp;Clayton&nbsp;– Addison Brooks.&nbsp;Codell&nbsp;– Grace Werner.&nbsp;Colby&nbsp;– Brianna Barnett, Brandon Brier,&nbsp;Wendy Chavez, Robert Cheruiyot, Samantha Coulter, Gloria Di Lauro, Lorae Hessler, Miah Jackson, Kelvin Kipchirchir, Adriana Mendez, Laurel Myers, Olivia Navarro-Alsina, Amanda Neitzel, Kaitlyn Nelson, Jillian Niblock, Aaron Platt, Landon Rinehart, Lacy Weigel, Peyton Wahlmeier, Abigail Wetter and Jacob Wetter.&nbsp;Council Grove&nbsp;– Shyanne Allen.&nbsp;Dresden&nbsp;– Candace Taylor.&nbsp;Fort Worth, Texas&nbsp;– Kiarra Henderson.&nbsp;Glade&nbsp;– Kagan Keeten.&nbsp;Goodland&nbsp;– Ellie Keen, Abigail Ordonez, Abigail Rascon-Hernandez, and Jourdan Williams.&nbsp;Grainfield&nbsp;– Jett Schmidtberger.&nbsp;Grinnell– Jordyn Vincent.&nbsp;Hoxie&nbsp;– Jennifer Hansen, Lauren Patmon, and Alayna Shepard.&nbsp;Italy&nbsp;–&nbsp;Ruxandra Flueras.&nbsp;Johnstown, Colo.&nbsp;– Sophie Supernor.&nbsp;Leoti&nbsp;– Dora Langdon-Seaton.&nbsp;Lithonia, Ga.&nbsp;– Kerrigan Johnson.&nbsp;Loveland, Colo.&nbsp;– Allison Westbrook.&nbsp;Lyman, Neb.&nbsp;– Regan Hodsden.&nbsp;Manhattan&nbsp;– Alyssa Troyer.&nbsp;Moscow&nbsp;– Howard Owens.&nbsp;Norcatur&nbsp;– Dru Kasson.&nbsp;Norton&nbsp;– Tessa Hauser.&nbsp;Nunn, Colo.&nbsp;– Jennasi Fall.&nbsp;Osborne&nbsp;– Sarah Seifert.&nbsp;Oskaloosa&nbsp;– Megan Miller.&nbsp;Peyton, Colo.&nbsp;– Jennifer Williams.&nbsp;Phillipsburg&nbsp;– Elyzabeth Gourdon, Ethan Leidig, Anahy Sandoval-Sanchez, Ty Sides, and Kristen Wells.&nbsp;Pierce, Colo.&nbsp;– Ryleigh Carr.&nbsp;Plainville&nbsp;–&nbsp;Justina Merritt.&nbsp;Poland&nbsp;– Marta Roicka.&nbsp;Pratt&nbsp;– Jarrett Bates.&nbsp;Scott City&nbsp;–&nbsp;Charity Weeks.&nbsp;Seldon&nbsp;–&nbsp;Danica Ritter.&nbsp;Severance, Colo.&nbsp;– Macy Gurnsey.&nbsp;Smithfield, Neb.&nbsp;– Cailey Grabenstein.&nbsp;Sterling, Alaska&nbsp;– Morgan Chace.&nbsp;Strasburg, Colo.&nbsp;– Darian Riggs.&nbsp;Syracuse&nbsp;– Mazie Cole.

Ashland&nbsp;– Mary Mills and Sarah Mills.&nbsp;Atwood&nbsp;–&nbsp;Libby Mosley.&nbsp;Beloit&nbsp;– Gracie Wessling.&nbsp;Chapman&nbsp;– McKenna Kirkpatrick.&nbsp;Colby&nbsp;– Danae Berkgren, Breanna Campbell, Meghann Elling, Kourtney Finley, Danielle Isham, and Thane Wildeman.&nbsp;Fort Morgan, Colo.&nbsp;– Madison Griffith.&nbsp;Goodland&nbsp;– Mychael Allen.&nbsp;Hays&nbsp;– Shante Korbe.&nbsp;Imperial, Neb.&nbsp;– Yeraldin Almanza.&nbsp;Indianapolis, Ind.&nbsp;– Nan Lou Brown.&nbsp;Jennings&nbsp;– Luke Wahlmeier.&nbsp;Lakewood, Colo.&nbsp;– Reece Noel.&nbsp;Liberal&nbsp;– Tyrik King.&nbsp;Marysville&nbsp;– Brandi Crownover.&nbsp;North Platte, Neb.&nbsp;– Kamryn Hughes.&nbsp;Oakley&nbsp;– Kylie Park and Carla Johnson.&nbsp;Oberlin&nbsp;– Sage Lohoefener.&nbsp;Palco&nbsp;– Natalie Bollig.&nbsp;Philadelphia, Pa.&nbsp;– Christine Connolly.Richmond, Texas&nbsp;– De'Jah Vigilante.&nbsp;Rigby, Idaho&nbsp;– Taylor Sheppard.&nbsp;Saint Francis&nbsp;– Coy De Waal.&nbsp;Sharon Springs&nbsp;– Zackary Box.&nbsp;South Jordan, Utah&nbsp;– Sydnee Hoffman.&nbsp;Sterling&nbsp;– Skylar Eidson.&nbsp;Towanda&nbsp;–Michelle Gerber.&nbsp;Victoria&nbsp;– Ashley Lang.&nbsp;WaKeeney&nbsp;– Dawson Arnold.&nbsp;Wauneta, Neb.&nbsp;– Katelyn Thompson.&nbsp;Worton, Md.&nbsp;– Teira Johnson.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/1/1611227923055.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>CCCCOLBY — Colby Community College announced the names of students who earned a place on the spring 2021 honor rolls. Those listed completed 12 or more credit hours and had no failing grades.&nbsp;The President's Honor Roll includes 83 students with a 4.0 grade point average. Thirty-seven students on the Vice President's Honor Roll had GPAs between 3.75 and 3.99.Names are listed by home location or country. Some names are not published at the request of the student.&nbsp;President's Honor Roll&nbsp;Axtell&nbsp;– William Enfield.&nbsp;Belleville&nbsp;– Tobi Wilber.&nbsp;Berea, Ohio&nbsp;–&nbsp;Tyler Hampu.&nbsp;Brewster&nbsp;– Weston Schmidt.&nbsp;Brighton, Colo.&nbsp;– Savanna Anderson.&nbsp;Broomfield, Colo.&nbsp;– Blake Labuda.&nbsp;Canada&nbsp;– Kyle Bloor, Matthew Dobberthien, Kyle Froehlich, Tyler McWillie, Zachary Olson,Cleary Simpson, Ataru Yamaguchi, and Tucker Zdunich.&nbsp;Cedar Rapids, Iowa&nbsp;– Erin Cervantes.&nbsp;Cheyenne Wells, Colo.&nbsp;– Kristy Ball.&nbsp;Cimarron&nbsp;– Morgan Clinesmith.&nbsp;Clayton&nbsp;– Addison Brooks.&nbsp;Codell&nbsp;– Grace Werner.&nbsp;Colby&nbsp;– Brianna Barnett, Brandon Brier,&nbsp;Wendy Chavez, Robert Cheruiyot, Samantha Coulter, Gloria Di Lauro, Lorae Hessler, Miah Jackson, Kelvin Kipchirchir, Adriana Mendez, Laurel Myers, Olivia Navarro-Alsina, Amanda Neitzel, Kaitlyn Nelson, Jillian Niblock, Aaron Platt, Landon Rinehart, Lacy Weigel, Peyton Wahlmeier, Abigail Wetter and Jacob Wetter.&nbsp;Council Grove&nbsp;– Shyanne Allen.&nbsp;Dresden&nbsp;– Candace Taylor.&nbsp;Fort Worth, Texas&nbsp;– Kiarra Henderson.&nbsp;Glade&nbsp;– Kagan Keeten.&nbsp;Goodland&nbsp;– Ellie Keen, Abigail Ordonez, Abigail Rascon-Hernandez, and Jourdan Williams.&nbsp;Grainfield&nbsp;– Jett Schmidtberger.&nbsp;Grinnell– Jordyn Vincent.&nbsp;Hoxie&nbsp;– Jennifer Hansen, Lauren Patmon, and Alayna Shepard.&nbsp;Italy&nbsp;–&nbsp;Ruxandra Flueras.&nbsp;Johnstown, Colo.&nbsp;– Sophie Supernor.&nbsp;Leoti&nbsp;– Dora Langdon-Seaton.&nbsp;Lithonia, Ga.&nbsp;– Kerrigan Johnson.&nbsp;Loveland, Colo.&nbsp;– Allison Westbrook.&nbsp;Lyman, Neb.&nbsp;– Regan Hodsden.&nbsp;Manhattan&nbsp;– Alyssa Troyer.&nbsp;Moscow&nbsp;– Howard Owens.&nbsp;Norcatur&nbsp;– Dru Kasson.&nbsp;Norton&nbsp;– Tessa Hauser.&nbsp;Nunn, Colo.&nbsp;– Jennasi Fall.&nbsp;Osborne&nbsp;– Sarah Seifert.&nbsp;Oskaloosa&nbsp;– Megan Miller.&nbsp;Peyton, Colo.&nbsp;– Jennifer Williams.&nbsp;Phillipsburg&nbsp;– Elyzabeth Gourdon, Ethan Leidig, Anahy Sandoval-Sanchez, Ty Sides, and Kristen Wells.&nbsp;Pierce, Colo.&nbsp;– Ryleigh Carr.&nbsp;Plainville&nbsp;–&nbsp;Justina Merritt.&nbsp;Poland&nbsp;– Marta Roicka.&nbsp;Pratt&nbsp;– Jarrett Bates.&nbsp;Scott City&nbsp;–&nbsp;Charity Weeks.&nbsp;Seldon&nbsp;–&nbsp;Danica Ritter.&nbsp;Severance, Colo.&nbsp;– Macy Gurnsey.&nbsp;Smithfield, Neb.&nbsp;– Cailey Grabenstein.&nbsp;Sterling, Alaska&nbsp;– Morgan Chace.&nbsp;Strasburg, Colo.&nbsp;– Darian Riggs.&nbsp;Syracuse&nbsp;– Mazie Cole.Vice President's Honor RollAshland&nbsp;– Mary Mills and Sarah Mills.&nbsp;Atwood&nbsp;–&nbsp;Libby Mosley.&nbsp;Beloit&nbsp;– Gracie Wessling.&nbsp;Chapman&nbsp;– McKenna Kirkpatrick.&nbsp;Colby&nbsp;– Danae Berkgren, Breanna Campbell, Meghann Elling, Kourtney Finley, Danielle Isham, and Thane Wildeman.&nbsp;Fort Morgan, Colo.&nbsp;– Madison Griffith.&nbsp;Goodland&nbsp;– Mychael Allen.&nbsp;Hays&nbsp;– Shante Korbe.&nbsp;Imperial, Neb.&nbsp;– Yeraldin Almanza.&nbsp;Indianapolis, Ind.&nbsp;– Nan Lou Brown.&nbsp;Jennings&nbsp;– Luke Wahlmeier.&nbsp;Lakewood, Colo.&nbsp;– Reece Noel.&nbsp;Liberal&nbsp;– Tyrik King.&nbsp;Marysville&nbsp;– Brandi Crownover.&nbsp;North Platte, Neb.&nbsp;– Kamryn Hughes.&nbsp;Oakley&nbsp;– Kylie Park and Carla Johnson.&nbsp;Oberlin&nbsp;– Sage Lohoefener.&nbsp;Palco&nbsp;– Natalie Bollig.&nbsp;Philadelphia, Pa.&nbsp;– Christine Connolly.Richmond, Texas&nbsp;– De'Jah Vigilante.&nbsp;Rigby, Idaho&nbsp;– Taylor Sheppard.&nbsp;Saint Francis&nbsp;– Coy De Waal.&nbsp;Sharon Springs&nbsp;– Zackary Box.&nbsp;South Jordan, Utah&nbsp;– Sydnee Hoffman.&nbsp;Sterling&nbsp;– Skylar Eidson.&nbsp;Towanda&nbsp;–Michelle Gerber.&nbsp;Victoria&nbsp;– Ashley Lang.&nbsp;WaKeeney&nbsp;– Dawson Arnold.&nbsp;Wauneta, Neb.&nbsp;– Katelyn Thompson.&nbsp;Worton, Md.&nbsp;– Teira Johnson.&nbsp;

Colby CC announces spring 2021 honor roll recipients

Click <a href="https://hayspost.com/category/obituaries?utm_source=direct&amp;utm_medium=direct&amp;utm_campaign=hayspost_obituary_category">HERE</a> for the most recent obituaries and service times from our funeral home partners.

Hays Post is honored to publish full obituaries at no cost to families. Funeral homes can send notices to <a href="http://admin@hayspost.com">admin@hayspost.com</a>.

<figure>
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 </figure>Click <a href="https://hayspost.com/category/obituaries?utm_source=direct&amp;utm_medium=direct&amp;utm_campaign=hayspost_obituary_category">HERE</a> for the most recent obituaries and service times from our funeral home partners.Hays Post is honored to publish full obituaries at no cost to families. Funeral homes can send notices to <a href="http://admin@hayspost.com">admin@hayspost.com</a>.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/3/1616431264408.png" alt="" />
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 </figure>

Recent obituaries

Hays Post and Eagle Radio of Hays are looking for people who would be interested in joining our sports crew in 2021-22 to cover the local high school football and basketball sports seasons. This is our ninth season we have live streamed the Hays High and Thomas More Prep-Marian football and basketball seasons. We also cover other high school sports throughout the year.

If you have experience running a camera or running production, we want to hear from you. Training is available, and crew members are responsible for the safe care of the equipment.

If you are interested in joining our team or for more information, email Eagle Production Director Jordan Schaeffer at&nbsp;<a href="mailto:jschaeffer@eagleradio.net">jschaeffer@eagleradio.net</a>&nbsp;or call (785) 301-2211.

Candidates must have a familiarity of the sports we cover, have an eye for good composition, and good problem-solving skills. There will be some heavy lifting involved. There is travel that comes with the position and you would be traveling with a small crew. 

During football season, work is typically once a week on Fridays. During basketball season, games are typically Tuesdays and Fridays, in addition to tournaments.

We are accepting applications immediately and would like to have crews set up and trained at least two weeks prior to season start in September. Please bring a resume and, if possible, a link to video of previous work.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1587155364471.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Hays Post and Eagle Radio of Hays are looking for people who would be interested in joining our sports crew in 2021-22 to cover the local high school football and basketball sports seasons. This is our ninth season we have live streamed the Hays High and Thomas More Prep-Marian football and basketball seasons. We also cover other high school sports throughout the year.If you have experience running a camera or running production, we want to hear from you. Training is available, and crew members are responsible for the safe care of the equipment.If you are interested in joining our team or for more information, email Eagle Production Director Jordan Schaeffer at&nbsp;<a href="mailto:jschaeffer@eagleradio.net">jschaeffer@eagleradio.net</a>&nbsp;or call (785) 301-2211.Candidates must have a familiarity of the sports we cover, have an eye for good composition, and good problem-solving skills. There will be some heavy lifting involved. There is travel that comes with the position and you would be traveling with a small crew. During football season, work is typically once a week on Fridays. During basketball season, games are typically Tuesdays and Fridays, in addition to tournaments.We are accepting applications immediately and would like to have crews set up and trained at least two weeks prior to season start in September. Please bring a resume and, if possible, a link to video of previous work.If you are interested in joining our team or for more information, email Eagle Production Director Jordan Schaeffer at&nbsp;<a href="mailto:jschaeffer@eagleradio.net">jschaeffer@eagleradio.net</a>&nbsp;or call (785) 301-2211.

Eagle seeking video crew members for high school sports season

Oilers Cheerleading is excited to announce they have opened registration for their third season.

At Oilers Cheerleading, they are all about fun and fairness. Their experienced coaches train the team to reach their highest potential and to always have a great time. They have been around since 2018 and are not planning on going anywhere.

Since 2018, Oilers Cheerleading has been a youth organization in the Hays area. They welcome all children ranging from first through sixth grade. Your child will get to experience the fun of authentic cheerleading at home football games while enjoying and understanding the true love of the sport. They cheer for the local Oilers Football teams. Smiles, sharpness, and sportsmanship - those are the hallmarks of Oilers Cheerleading.

In the Oilers Cheerleading Program, cheerleaders learn cheers, cheer counts, stunts, dances, jumps and performance material. Along with this, they will learn sharpness and motion techniques. The Oilers Cheerleaders are known for their unique pom performances and ripples, sharpness, loudness, and their fullness of high energy and spirit. Cheerleaders do public performances, cheer at games and participate in parades.

The cheer squad provides the tools to increase cheerleading skills. It also provides the squad to have the opportunity to build fundamental life skills and relationships that last a lifetime, while having fun.

Because our cheer squad is all about fun, they love to have cheer parties and camps.

What makes our squad unique? They are the only cheerleading organization located in Hays that allows your child to cheer at their own home football games. They cheer for all of the traveling Oilers Football Teams, but they only cheer at their home games in Hays.&nbsp;

This will be their third season. This would have been their fourth season, but due to the COVID outbreak last year, their season was canceled. With this being said, they are very excited to start up again this year and get back on track.

They&nbsp;provide special halftime performances at our Oilers Football Championship games, which are at the Fort Hays State University Football Stadium.

Cheerleaders Safety is the top priority. They pride themselves in being fair coaches. Coach Jenny Linenberger and Holly Linenberger could not be more proud of each squad every year. Each child has a unique and important aspect that they bring to the squad. Cheerleaders are focused, hardworking, determined and their smiles are contagious and bring joy to the community and Oilers Fans. They are grateful to all of the parents who let us coach their children. They are blessed to cross paths with these children. Persistence equals excellence, and they could not be more proud of our cheerleaders and it brings them joy and excitement to see them shine and watch their faces glow as they perform and cheer while having fun.

Jenny and Holly are a mother and daughter coaching team, which makes this even better, due to the fact that they are very compatible. Their top priority is safety, fairness, and providing a fun-loving experience. You will not find any other coaches that work together so well that have such compassion and dedication towards cheerleading.

As a part of this experience, they annually participate in homecoming and holiday parades. In fact, a few of our upcoming events include the Bazaar On The Bricks Sidewalk Sale, the Fourth of July Parade, the Hays High Homecoming Parade, the FHSU Homecoming Parade, and a Hays Tree Lighting Performance.

Along with this, instead of having one cheerleading camp this year, they will have two cheerleading camps with the Hays High School Cheerleaders coached by MacKenzie James and the Ellis High School Cheerleaders coached by Kristi Bittel. They are so happy to have two awesome camps, with outstanding cheerleaders and excellent coaches.&nbsp;

Feel free to visit our new website <a href="https://hllinenberger.wixsite.com/oilerscheerleading" target="_blank">https://hllinenberger.wixsite.com/oilerscheerleading</a>

For more information visit our Facebook Page @OilersCheerleadingHays and our Instagram Page @oilers_cheerleading

Here is our 2021 Registration Link <a href="https://forms.gle/XA5uub6wxHXrdrr49" target="_blank">https://forms.gle/XA5uub6wxHXrdrr49</a> This can also be found on our Facebook and Instagram Pages!,

We encourage you to call us with any questions at 785-259-5293.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/6/1623426431744.jpeg" alt="Courtesy photos" />
 <figcaption>Courtesy photos</figcaption>
 </figure>SubmittedOilers Cheerleading is excited to announce they have opened registration for their third season.At Oilers Cheerleading, they are all about fun and fairness. Their experienced coaches train the team to reach their highest potential and to always have a great time. They have been around since 2018 and are not planning on going anywhere.Since 2018, Oilers Cheerleading has been a youth organization in the Hays area. They welcome all children ranging from first through sixth grade. Your child will get to experience the fun of authentic cheerleading at home football games while enjoying and understanding the true love of the sport. They cheer for the local Oilers Football teams. Smiles, sharpness, and sportsmanship - those are the hallmarks of Oilers Cheerleading.In the Oilers Cheerleading Program, cheerleaders learn cheers, cheer counts, stunts, dances, jumps and performance material. Along with this, they will learn sharpness and motion techniques. The Oilers Cheerleaders are known for their unique pom performances and ripples, sharpness, loudness, and their fullness of high energy and spirit. Cheerleaders do public performances, cheer at games and participate in parades.The cheer squad provides the tools to increase cheerleading skills. It also provides the squad to have the opportunity to build fundamental life skills and relationships that last a lifetime, while having fun.Because our cheer squad is all about fun, they love to have cheer parties and camps.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/6/1623426474766.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>What makes our squad unique? They are the only cheerleading organization located in Hays that allows your child to cheer at their own home football games. They cheer for all of the traveling Oilers Football Teams, but they only cheer at their home games in Hays.&nbsp;This will be their third season. This would have been their fourth season, but due to the COVID outbreak last year, their season was canceled. With this being said, they are very excited to start up again this year and get back on track.They&nbsp;provide special halftime performances at our Oilers Football Championship games, which are at the Fort Hays State University Football Stadium.Cheerleaders Safety is the top priority. They pride themselves in being fair coaches. Coach Jenny Linenberger and Holly Linenberger could not be more proud of each squad every year. Each child has a unique and important aspect that they bring to the squad. Cheerleaders are focused, hardworking, determined and their smiles are contagious and bring joy to the community and Oilers Fans. They are grateful to all of the parents who let us coach their children. They are blessed to cross paths with these children. Persistence equals excellence, and they could not be more proud of our cheerleaders and it brings them joy and excitement to see them shine and watch their faces glow as they perform and cheer while having fun.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/6/1623426527500.jpeg" alt="Oiler Cheerleaders&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>Oiler Cheerleaders&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>Jenny and Holly are a mother and daughter coaching team, which makes this even better, due to the fact that they are very compatible. Their top priority is safety, fairness, and providing a fun-loving experience. You will not find any other coaches that work together so well that have such compassion and dedication towards cheerleading.As a part of this experience, they annually participate in homecoming and holiday parades. In fact, a few of our upcoming events include the Bazaar On The Bricks Sidewalk Sale, the Fourth of July Parade, the Hays High Homecoming Parade, the FHSU Homecoming Parade, and a Hays Tree Lighting Performance.Along with this, instead of having one cheerleading camp this year, they will have two cheerleading camps with the Hays High School Cheerleaders coached by MacKenzie James and the Ellis High School Cheerleaders coached by Kristi Bittel. They are so happy to have two awesome camps, with outstanding cheerleaders and excellent coaches.&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/6/1623426590730.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Feel free to visit our new website <a href="https://hllinenberger.wixsite.com/oilerscheerleading" target="_blank">https://hllinenberger.wixsite.com/oilerscheerleading</a>For more information visit our Facebook Page @OilersCheerleadingHays and our Instagram Page @oilers_cheerleadingHere is our 2021 Registration Link <a href="https://forms.gle/XA5uub6wxHXrdrr49" target="_blank">https://forms.gle/XA5uub6wxHXrdrr49</a> This can also be found on our Facebook and Instagram Pages!,We encourage you to call us with any questions at 785-259-5293.

Oiler Cheerleaders open registration

TOPEKA — The Kansas Department of Health and Environment has rescinded a boil water advisory for Country View Mobile Home Park water supply system, located in Ellis County. The advisory was issued because of a failure in the disinfection equipment, which may lead to bacterial contamination.

Public water suppliers in Kansas take all measures necessary to notify customers quickly after a system failure or shutdown. Regardless of whether it’s the supplier or KDHE that announces a boil water advisory, KDHE will issue the rescind order following testing at a certified laboratory.

Laboratory testing samples collected from Country View Mobile Home Park indicate no evidence of bacteriological contamination and all other conditions that placed the system at risk of contamination are deemed by KDHE officials to be resolved. &nbsp;

For consumer questions, contact the water system or you may call KDHE at 785-296-5514. For consumer information, visit KDHE’s PWS Consumer Information webpage:&nbsp;<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDAsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyMTA2MTEuNDE3OTg1MjEiLCJ1cmwiOiJodHRwOi8vd3d3LmtkaGVrcy5nb3YvcHdzL2VtZXJnZW5jeXJlc3BvbnNlL3dhdGVyX2Rpc3J1cHRpb24uaHRtP3V0bV9tZWRpdW09ZW1haWwmdXRtX3NvdXJjZT1nb3ZkZWxpdmVyeSJ9.TUGvMx9tKHHuwL69vvw6-JSR_Bv99NDSstE0TppDo5U/s/1305913623/br/107785362970-l">http://www.kdheks.gov/pws/emergencyresponse/water_disruption.htm</a>

KDHETOPEKA — The Kansas Department of Health and Environment has rescinded a boil water advisory for Country View Mobile Home Park water supply system, located in Ellis County. The advisory was issued because of a failure in the disinfection equipment, which may lead to bacterial contamination.Public water suppliers in Kansas take all measures necessary to notify customers quickly after a system failure or shutdown. Regardless of whether it’s the supplier or KDHE that announces a boil water advisory, KDHE will issue the rescind order following testing at a certified laboratory.Laboratory testing samples collected from Country View Mobile Home Park indicate no evidence of bacteriological contamination and all other conditions that placed the system at risk of contamination are deemed by KDHE officials to be resolved. &nbsp;For consumer questions, contact the water system or you may call KDHE at 785-296-5514. For consumer information, visit KDHE’s PWS Consumer Information webpage:&nbsp;<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDAsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyMTA2MTEuNDE3OTg1MjEiLCJ1cmwiOiJodHRwOi8vd3d3LmtkaGVrcy5nb3YvcHdzL2VtZXJnZW5jeXJlc3BvbnNlL3dhdGVyX2Rpc3J1cHRpb24uaHRtP3V0bV9tZWRpdW09ZW1haWwmdXRtX3NvdXJjZT1nb3ZkZWxpdmVyeSJ9.TUGvMx9tKHHuwL69vvw6-JSR_Bv99NDSstE0TppDo5U/s/1305913623/br/107785362970-l">http://www.kdheks.gov/pws/emergencyresponse/water_disruption.htm</a>

Boil order rescinded for Ellis County mobile home park

TOPEKA – The Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE), in conjunction with the Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism (KDWPT), has issued several public health advisories for Kansas lakes due to blue-green algae.

Keith Sebelius Reservoir, Norton County (upgraded from watch 6/10)

When a warning is issued, KDHE recommends the following precautions be taken:

A watch means that blue-green algae have been detected and a harmful algal bloom is present or likely to develop. People are encouraged to avoid areas of algae accumulation and keep pets and livestock away from the water. During the watch status, KDHE recommends the following precautions be taken:

direct contact with water, and wash with clean water after any contact.

KDHE investigates publicly-accessible bodies of water for blue-green algae when the agency receives reports of potential algae blooms in Kansas lakes. Based on credible field observation and sampling results, KDHE reports on potentially harmful conditions.

If you observe scum, a paint-like surface on the water, small floating blue-green clumps or filaments, or the water is an opaque green,&nbsp;avoid contact and keep pets away. These are indications that a harmful bloom may be present. Pet owners should be aware that animals that swim in or drink water affected by a harmful algal bloom or eat dried algae along the shore may become seriously ill or die.

For information on blue-green algae and reporting potential harmful algal blooms, please visit&nbsp;<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDAsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyMTA2MTAuNDE3NzIzNjEiLCJ1cmwiOiJodHRwOi8vd3d3LmtkaGVrcy5nb3YvYWxnYWUtaWxsbmVzcy9pbmRleC5odG0_dXRtX21lZGl1bT1lbWFpbCZ1dG1fc291cmNlPWdvdmRlbGl2ZXJ5In0.sCHENHooFUGaISP-1z_N0LMpcGwI6DbYIZBvuazefUY/s/1305914033/br/107762119308-l" target="_blank">www.kdheks.gov/algae-illness/index.htm</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/7/1593727789226.jpeg" alt="Blue-green algae&nbsp; (Photo by Pixabay)" />
 <figcaption>Blue-green algae&nbsp; (Photo by Pixabay)</figcaption>
 </figure>KDWPTTOPEKA – The Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE), in conjunction with the Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism (KDWPT), has issued several public health advisories for Kansas lakes due to blue-green algae.Active AdvisoriesWarningMarion Reservoir, Marion CountyKeith Sebelius Reservoir, Norton County (upgraded from watch 6/10)Webster Reservoir, Rooks CountyJerry Ivey Lake, Saline CountyWatchSouth Lake, Johnson County (new)Milford Lake Zone C, Geary County (new)Marion County Lake, Marion CountyWhen a warning is issued, KDHE recommends the following precautions be taken:<ul>
 <li>Lake water is not safe to drink for pets or livestock.</li><li>Lake water, regardless of blue-green algae status, should never be consumed by humans.</li><li>Water contact should be avoided.</li><li>Fish may be eaten if they are rinsed with clean water and only the fillet portion is consumed, while all other parts are discarded.</li><li>Do not allow pets to eat dried algae.</li><li>If lake water contacts skin, wash with clean water as soon as possible.</li><li>Avoid areas of visible algae accumulation.</li>
 </ul>A watch means that blue-green algae have been detected and a harmful algal bloom is present or likely to develop. People are encouraged to avoid areas of algae accumulation and keep pets and livestock away from the water. During the watch status, KDHE recommends the following precautions be taken:<ul>
 <li>Signage will be posted at all public access locations.</li><li>Water may be unsafe for humans/animals.</li><li>Avoid areas of algae accumulation and do not let people/pets eat dried algae or drink contaminated water.</li><li>Swimming, wading, skiing and jet skiing are discouraged near visible blooms.</li><li>Boating and fishing are safe. However, inhalation of the spray may affect some individuals. Avoid</li>
 </ul>direct contact with water, and wash with clean water after any contact.<ul>
 <li>Clean fish well with potable water and eat fillet portion only.</li>
 </ul>KDHE investigates publicly-accessible bodies of water for blue-green algae when the agency receives reports of potential algae blooms in Kansas lakes. Based on credible field observation and sampling results, KDHE reports on potentially harmful conditions.If you observe scum, a paint-like surface on the water, small floating blue-green clumps or filaments, or the water is an opaque green,&nbsp;avoid contact and keep pets away. These are indications that a harmful bloom may be present. Pet owners should be aware that animals that swim in or drink water affected by a harmful algal bloom or eat dried algae along the shore may become seriously ill or die.For information on blue-green algae and reporting potential harmful algal blooms, please visit&nbsp;<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDAsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyMTA2MTAuNDE3NzIzNjEiLCJ1cmwiOiJodHRwOi8vd3d3LmtkaGVrcy5nb3YvYWxnYWUtaWxsbmVzcy9pbmRleC5odG0_dXRtX21lZGl1bT1lbWFpbCZ1dG1fc291cmNlPWdvdmRlbGl2ZXJ5In0.sCHENHooFUGaISP-1z_N0LMpcGwI6DbYIZBvuazefUY/s/1305914033/br/107762119308-l" target="_blank">www.kdheks.gov/algae-illness/index.htm</a>.

Sebelius, Webster reservoirs under blue-green algae warning

Ellis County Knights of Columbus Councils participated in the seventh annual First Responders Appreciation Barbecue held Saturday, June 5, at the Frontier Park in Hays.&nbsp; This was the largest participation since the event started in 2015.&nbsp; Lunch was served to First Responders and their families as well as the Knights of Columbus and their families.&nbsp; This barbecue is a very small token of the heart felt appreciation for the Ellis County First Responders.&nbsp; All Ellis County Knights of Columbus and their families join together to say "thank you" for all you do. An extra special event took place at the barbecue.&nbsp; That was the presentation of the Distinguished Police Service Award presented to Ed Harbin by Brian Dawson.&nbsp; Harbin retired from the Hays Police Department in January 2021 after serving as sheriff for 25 years and serving in law enforcement for 43 plus years.&nbsp; It was an honor for the Knights of Columbus to be a part of this great celebration.&nbsp; Thank you to Ed Harbin for your many years of service as a First Responder.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/6/1623171299295.jpeg" alt="Pictured left to right, back row: Rocky Feltis, Ken Staab, Norbert Kuhn, Ed Harbin, Roger Rife, Dennis Hanes, Brad Stramel, Randy VonFeldt, Ed Prewo, Bill Zimmerman, Nick Leis, Jacob Meis, Karl Meis. Front Row, left to right: Mark Windholz, Bill Ring, Greg Augustine, Irvin Leiker, Paul Meis, Tim Dickman, Dan Leis." />
 <figcaption>Pictured left to right, back row: Rocky Feltis, Ken Staab, Norbert Kuhn, Ed Harbin, Roger Rife, Dennis Hanes, Brad Stramel, Randy VonFeldt, Ed Prewo, Bill Zimmerman, Nick Leis, Jacob Meis, Karl Meis. Front Row, left to right: Mark Windholz, Bill Ring, Greg Augustine, Irvin Leiker, Paul Meis, Tim Dickman, Dan Leis.</figcaption>
 </figure>SubmittedEllis County Knights of Columbus Councils participated in the seventh annual First Responders Appreciation Barbecue held Saturday, June 5, at the Frontier Park in Hays.&nbsp; This was the largest participation since the event started in 2015.&nbsp; Lunch was served to First Responders and their families as well as the Knights of Columbus and their families.&nbsp; This barbecue is a very small token of the heart felt appreciation for the Ellis County First Responders.&nbsp; All Ellis County Knights of Columbus and their families join together to say "thank you" for all you do. An extra special event took place at the barbecue.&nbsp; That was the presentation of the Distinguished Police Service Award presented to Ed Harbin by Brian Dawson.&nbsp; Harbin retired from the Hays Police Department in January 2021 after serving as sheriff for 25 years and serving in law enforcement for 43 plus years.&nbsp; It was an honor for the Knights of Columbus to be a part of this great celebration.&nbsp; Thank you to Ed Harbin for your many years of service as a First Responder.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/6/1623171364343.jpeg" alt="Brian Dawson and Ed Harbin" />
 <figcaption>Brian Dawson and Ed Harbin</figcaption>
 </figure>

First responders, Harbin honored at Knights' appreciation barbecue

The city of Hays Water Resources Department has contracted with Midlands Contracting of Kearney, NE to perform Cure In Place Pipe sewer lining at the locations shown on the above map and <a href="https://www.haysusa.com/DocumentCenter/View/3996/2021-CIPP-Lining-Map">online</a>. Lining of the sanitary sewer lines notated in red, began June 3.

 Midlands Contracting estimates the work will be completed in four weeks, weather permitting. 

Door hanger notices will be placed on homes and businesses affected prior to lining. Traffic control devices will be placed daily in the work areas. 

Should you have any questions, please contact Josh Sasse with Midlands Contracting at 1-308-627-9795 or the Water Resources Department at 785-628-7380.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/6/1623166979235.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>City of HaysThe city of Hays Water Resources Department has contracted with Midlands Contracting of Kearney, NE to perform Cure In Place Pipe sewer lining at the locations shown on the above map and <a href="https://www.haysusa.com/DocumentCenter/View/3996/2021-CIPP-Lining-Map">online</a>. Lining of the sanitary sewer lines notated in red, began June 3. Midlands Contracting estimates the work will be completed in four weeks, weather permitting. Door hanger notices will be placed on homes and businesses affected prior to lining. Traffic control devices will be placed daily in the work areas. Should you have any questions, please contact Josh Sasse with Midlands Contracting at 1-308-627-9795 or the Water Resources Department at 785-628-7380.

Cure-in-place-pipe sewer lining underway in portions of Hays

We know Dad loves to grill, so why not click below, answer a few short questions and your Father could be entered for a chance to win a Pork Butt from Warren's Meat Market! It's easy! One lucky Dad will be drawn on Thursday June 17th just in time for Father's Day!

<div> <script src="https://embed-804009.secondstreetapp.com/Scripts/dist/embed.js" data-ss-embed="promotion" data-opguid="766e750c-a660-4b92-bfab-acb59ff81986" data-routing="hash">/**/</script></div>We know Dad loves to grill, so why not click below, answer a few short questions and your Father could be entered for a chance to win a Pork Butt from Warren's Meat Market! It's easy! One lucky Dad will be drawn on Thursday June 17th just in time for Father's Day!

Warren's Meat Market Father's Day sweepstakes

On this episode of the Post Podcast, Fort Hays State University Alumni Association interim executive director Tammy Wellbrock and communications coordinator Noelle Husmann share information about FHSU tags.

<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/5dd2f46c897d147ad4bb104b">To find out more about The Post Podcast, or subscribe to mobile&nbsp;</a><a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/5dd2f46c897d147ad4bb104b">notifications click here.</a>

<div><iframe title="Official state FHSU car tags more than just decorative" allowtransparency="true" height="300" width="100%" style="border: none; min-width: min(100%, 430px);" scrolling="no" data-name="pb-iframe-player" src="https://www.podbean.com/player-v2/?i=5mu9w-1062033-pb&from=pb6admin&square=1&share=1&download=1&rtl=0&fonts=Arial&skin=3&btn-skin=3&size=300" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div>On this episode of the Post Podcast, Fort Hays State University Alumni Association interim executive director Tammy Wellbrock and communications coordinator Noelle Husmann share information about FHSU tags.<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/5dd2f46c897d147ad4bb104b">To find out more about The Post Podcast, or subscribe to mobile&nbsp;</a><a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/5dd2f46c897d147ad4bb104b">notifications click here.</a>

🎙Post Podcast: Official state FHSU car tags more than just decorative

&nbsp;Tiger Thrive, a virtual mental health platform was launched this spring by Fort Hays State University’s counseling and support services center, the Kelly Center.

Tiger Thrive offers all current FHSU students, faculty, and staff therapeutic content on various mental health issues via Blackboard, a Web-based course-management system. Tiger Thrive is designed to provide FHSU students&nbsp;access to a range of self-paced online courses that teach strategies to help improve their mental health and&nbsp;deal with the stresses of college.

The content for the virtual platform was developed by Sadie Spurlock, a counselor at the Kelly Center, and Will Stutterheim, the center’s assistant director. It includes&nbsp;resources that walk viewers through concerns such as anxiety, depression, stress management, sleep habits, eating disorders, and more.

Spurlock received her master’s in Advanced Education Programs with an emphasis in clinical mental health counseling and was hired as coordinator of the SAMHSA grant, which the Kelly Center received in January 2020. The three-year grant from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) help provide the Kelly Center funding for suicide prevention programming on campus and in the community.

Spurlock was working part-time at the Kelly Center at the time and said the grant funding gave her the perfect opportunity to work on the virtual program. She explained that the purpose of the program is threefold:

1) To give virtual students the opportunity to view pre-recorded videos since licensure restrictions allow the center to provide therapy sessions for Kansas residents only,

2) To offer a more comfortable setting for people who might be uncomfortable with the thought of traditional therapy sessions, and

3) To give current clients something to reinforce what they are hearing in sessions at the Kelly Center.

“We want to give people something similar to the Kelly Center experience,” she said, “and make it more personal to Fort Hays State.”

More than 6,500 of FHSU’s total enrollment of 15,033 are online students, and those students can access Tiger Thrive from anywhere at any time. Spurlock said that while the Kelly Center cannot conduct therapy sessions with out-of-state students, counselors are available to help callers search for services in their area.

“They can still call us, and we will help them find someone in their vicinity where they can go for therapy,” she said. “We want our virtual students to feel a part of Fort Hays State, and that includes the counseling experience.”

Spurlock said that this type of service is especially important in recent years. The need for counseling has grown consistently over the past six years and was up 200 sessions at the Kelly Center from a record-breaking year in 2020 – to 4,361 sessions by the end of May 2021.

Spurlock pointed out that Tiger Thrive is not intended to replace traditional therapy.

“We hope this can be a first step for our virtual students who might be thinking about seeking therapy,” she said. “If you are experiencing anxiety or depression, here is a first step. These resources on Blackboard are just one click away.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/6/1623102856174.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>FHSU University Relations&nbsp;Tiger Thrive, a virtual mental health platform was launched this spring by Fort Hays State University’s counseling and support services center, the Kelly Center.Tiger Thrive offers all current FHSU students, faculty, and staff therapeutic content on various mental health issues via Blackboard, a Web-based course-management system. Tiger Thrive is designed to provide FHSU students&nbsp;access to a range of self-paced online courses that teach strategies to help improve their mental health and&nbsp;deal with the stresses of college.The content for the virtual platform was developed by Sadie Spurlock, a counselor at the Kelly Center, and Will Stutterheim, the center’s assistant director. It includes&nbsp;resources that walk viewers through concerns such as anxiety, depression, stress management, sleep habits, eating disorders, and more.Spurlock received her master’s in Advanced Education Programs with an emphasis in clinical mental health counseling and was hired as coordinator of the SAMHSA grant, which the Kelly Center received in January 2020. The three-year grant from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) help provide the Kelly Center funding for suicide prevention programming on campus and in the community.Spurlock was working part-time at the Kelly Center at the time and said the grant funding gave her the perfect opportunity to work on the virtual program. She explained that the purpose of the program is threefold:1) To give virtual students the opportunity to view pre-recorded videos since licensure restrictions allow the center to provide therapy sessions for Kansas residents only,2) To offer a more comfortable setting for people who might be uncomfortable with the thought of traditional therapy sessions, and3) To give current clients something to reinforce what they are hearing in sessions at the Kelly Center.“We want to give people something similar to the Kelly Center experience,” she said, “and make it more personal to Fort Hays State.”More than 6,500 of FHSU’s total enrollment of 15,033 are online students, and those students can access Tiger Thrive from anywhere at any time. Spurlock said that while the Kelly Center cannot conduct therapy sessions with out-of-state students, counselors are available to help callers search for services in their area.“They can still call us, and we will help them find someone in their vicinity where they can go for therapy,” she said. “We want our virtual students to feel a part of Fort Hays State, and that includes the counseling experience.”Spurlock said that this type of service is especially important in recent years. The need for counseling has grown consistently over the past six years and was up 200 sessions at the Kelly Center from a record-breaking year in 2020 – to 4,361 sessions by the end of May 2021.Spurlock pointed out that Tiger Thrive is not intended to replace traditional therapy.“We hope this can be a first step for our virtual students who might be thinking about seeking therapy,” she said. “If you are experiencing anxiety or depression, here is a first step. These resources on Blackboard are just one click away.”

Fort Hays State launches virtual mental health platform

Kansans have learned that culture wars don’t stop at the state line. They invade most every aspect of our daily life.&nbsp; Lately the teaching of American history has come under fire.&nbsp; Whether the battle is political (Republican vs Democrat) or ideological (critical race theory vs traditional explanations of history), this media-fed assault is taking aim at public schools.

Our schools should be a place where students learn about our democratic system and their place in it, not a battleground for opposing viewpoints.

The culture war now raging reaches far beyond arguments over what view of America history should be taught.&nbsp; It’s a struggle that encompasses the core of democracy, because American democracy transcends the organization and functioning of government to embrace wider responsibilities of citizenship—respect, decency, civic obligation and love of liberty.&nbsp;

To fulfill the fore founders’ original purpose of public education to create an informed electorate, what should we teach our K-12 students today about history and our way of life?&nbsp;

For the current year, Kansas teachers are required to teach civics embedded in the curriculum of students in grades K-four.&nbsp; Social studies classes or embedded instruction in the intermediate grades are determined by individual school districts. For high school students, study of&nbsp;world history, American history and government including concepts of Kansas history and government and the U.S. constitution are required for graduation.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Virtually all of us can agree that this is a strong curricula.&nbsp; The furor, however, is not about “what” is required in our schools. It’s about “how” it’s taught.

Chairman of the Kansas House Education Committee Steve Huebert wants to require high school students to pass a citizenship test to graduate.&nbsp; The test would be similar to that given to immigrants applying for U. S. citizenship.&nbsp; Introduced in the last legislative session, the bill did not pass.&nbsp;

According to the Kansas law what is required in Kansas public schools is the purview of local school boards based on state policy and federal law.&nbsp; Currently state standards present a centrist approach.&nbsp; Both the unfair, unjust events in American history as well as the nation’s rise to become a beacon for liberty and the strongest economic and military force in the world are taught by presenting comprehensive, accurate accounts of the past.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Critical race theory—the current center of contention—illuminates institutional and personal racism that continues to this day.&nbsp; Other accounts describe American history as a march of slow progress.&nbsp; Neither is fully accurate.&nbsp; From the thinking of early Greeks to the present, humankind has been unable to produce any one theory that connects the full sweep of history to explain why the past happened the way it did.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Kansans must not allow piecemeal legislation or full-blown curriculum coming from any political or ideological group to overtake school curricula.&nbsp;&nbsp;Historical theories are the work of university-level studies.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

Directionless yet significant public contention over the teaching of American history should be met with local school-district examination of social studies and history curriculum by teachers and administrators, involve community input and culminate in elected school board review.&nbsp; Democracy put into practice will either identify areas of needed improvement or reassure parents and students that their school is on the right track.&nbsp;

Respect for diversity and patriotism are not mutually exclusive concepts, except in culture wars.&nbsp;

Sharon Hartin Iorio is Dean Emerita Wichita State University College of Education.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/7/1593719779701.jpeg" alt="Sharon Hartin Iorio is Dean Emerita Wichita State University College of Education." />
 <figcaption>Sharon Hartin Iorio is Dean Emerita Wichita State University College of Education.</figcaption>
 </figure>Kansans have learned that culture wars don’t stop at the state line. They invade most every aspect of our daily life.&nbsp; Lately the teaching of American history has come under fire.&nbsp; Whether the battle is political (Republican vs Democrat) or ideological (critical race theory vs traditional explanations of history), this media-fed assault is taking aim at public schools.Our schools should be a place where students learn about our democratic system and their place in it, not a battleground for opposing viewpoints.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/12/1575913663048.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>The culture war now raging reaches far beyond arguments over what view of America history should be taught.&nbsp; It’s a struggle that encompasses the core of democracy, because American democracy transcends the organization and functioning of government to embrace wider responsibilities of citizenship—respect, decency, civic obligation and love of liberty.&nbsp;To fulfill the fore founders’ original purpose of public education to create an informed electorate, what should we teach our K-12 students today about history and our way of life?&nbsp;For the current year, Kansas teachers are required to teach civics embedded in the curriculum of students in grades K-four.&nbsp; Social studies classes or embedded instruction in the intermediate grades are determined by individual school districts. For high school students, study of&nbsp;world history, American history and government including concepts of Kansas history and government and the U.S. constitution are required for graduation.&nbsp;&nbsp;Virtually all of us can agree that this is a strong curricula.&nbsp; The furor, however, is not about “what” is required in our schools. It’s about “how” it’s taught.Chairman of the Kansas House Education Committee Steve Huebert wants to require high school students to pass a citizenship test to graduate.&nbsp; The test would be similar to that given to immigrants applying for U. S. citizenship.&nbsp; Introduced in the last legislative session, the bill did not pass.&nbsp;According to the Kansas law what is required in Kansas public schools is the purview of local school boards based on state policy and federal law.&nbsp; Currently state standards present a centrist approach.&nbsp; Both the unfair, unjust events in American history as well as the nation’s rise to become a beacon for liberty and the strongest economic and military force in the world are taught by presenting comprehensive, accurate accounts of the past.&nbsp;&nbsp;Critical race theory—the current center of contention—illuminates institutional and personal racism that continues to this day.&nbsp; Other accounts describe American history as a march of slow progress.&nbsp; Neither is fully accurate.&nbsp; From the thinking of early Greeks to the present, humankind has been unable to produce any one theory that connects the full sweep of history to explain why the past happened the way it did.&nbsp;&nbsp;Kansans must not allow piecemeal legislation or full-blown curriculum coming from any political or ideological group to overtake school curricula.&nbsp;&nbsp;Historical theories are the work of university-level studies.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Directionless yet significant public contention over the teaching of American history should be met with local school-district examination of social studies and history curriculum by teachers and administrators, involve community input and culminate in elected school board review.&nbsp; Democracy put into practice will either identify areas of needed improvement or reassure parents and students that their school is on the right track.&nbsp;Respect for diversity and patriotism are not mutually exclusive concepts, except in culture wars.&nbsp;Sharon Hartin Iorio is Dean Emerita Wichita State University College of Education.

INSIGHT KANSAS: Despite culture wars, U.S. history can be taught

Three-day weather outlook

	When is the last time the man in your household had a medical check-up? Men visit their physicians less often than women, and tend to wait longer before having problems treated. What these facts suggest is that men don't pay attention to, or take care of, their health as well as women.&nbsp;

	We will be celebrating Father’s Day soon and someone conveniently decided June is also Men’s Health month! Even though Father’s Day is a week away let’s take a look at some of the facts behind men's health:&nbsp;

*cardiovascular disease is a leading cause of death;&nbsp;

*high blood pressure and high cholesterol levels affect cardiovascular health;&nbsp;

*diabetes incidence is on the rise-- many don't realize they have the condition;&nbsp;

*an enlarged prostate will affect more than 50% of all men after 60 years of age;&nbsp;

*early prostate cancer has no symptoms and often goes undetected;

	The biggest concern is that too many men are conditioned to ignore their health and to avoid going to the doctor. Men are 25% less likely to visit a doctor than are women.&nbsp; &nbsp;

	While the statistics on men and their health seem to be staggering, the good news is that the primary conditions affecting men’s health are treatable if detected early and may be preventable with simple lifestyle changes.&nbsp; Here are some tips for the men among us:

	*Have regular check-ups.&nbsp; Men see their doctors around 20% less often than women and tend to wait longer before having health problems treated.&nbsp; As a result, men’s quality of life is often lower than that of women as they age.

	*Keep an eye on blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood sugar levels.&nbsp; Have these health indicators checked regularly.

	*Make the necessary lifestyle changes-- such as increased exercise, improved nutrition, reduced smoking and alcohol consumption-- to prevent many unnecessary and disabling illnesses.

	Many of the most common male illnesses are preventable and treatable.&nbsp; Encourage the men you care about to take care of themselves now in order to live a long and healthy life.

A good publication to help understand those health numbers is: <a href="https://bookstore.ksre.ksu.edu/pubs/MF3263.pdf">https://bookstore.ksre.ksu.edu/pubs/MF3263.pdf</a>

Berny Unruh is the Family and Community Wellness Agent for the Cottonwood Extension District.&nbsp; She can be reached at 785-628-9430 or at <a href="mailto:bunruh@ksu.edu">bunruh@ksu.edu</a>

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1588274071306.jpeg" alt="Berny Unruh is Family and Community Wellness agent for the Cottonwood Extension District." />
 <figcaption>Berny Unruh is Family and Community Wellness agent for the Cottonwood Extension District.</figcaption>
 </figure>	When is the last time the man in your household had a medical check-up? Men visit their physicians less often than women, and tend to wait longer before having problems treated. What these facts suggest is that men don't pay attention to, or take care of, their health as well as women.&nbsp;	We will be celebrating Father’s Day soon and someone conveniently decided June is also Men’s Health month! Even though Father’s Day is a week away let’s take a look at some of the facts behind men's health:&nbsp;	*cardiovascular disease is a leading cause of death;&nbsp;	*high blood pressure and high cholesterol levels affect cardiovascular health;&nbsp;	*diabetes incidence is on the rise-- many don't realize they have the condition;&nbsp;*an enlarged prostate will affect more than 50% of all men after 60 years of age;&nbsp;	*early prostate cancer has no symptoms and often goes undetected;	The biggest concern is that too many men are conditioned to ignore their health and to avoid going to the doctor. Men are 25% less likely to visit a doctor than are women.&nbsp; &nbsp;	While the statistics on men and their health seem to be staggering, the good news is that the primary conditions affecting men’s health are treatable if detected early and may be preventable with simple lifestyle changes.&nbsp; Here are some tips for the men among us:	*Have regular check-ups.&nbsp; Men see their doctors around 20% less often than women and tend to wait longer before having health problems treated.&nbsp; As a result, men’s quality of life is often lower than that of women as they age.	*Keep an eye on blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood sugar levels.&nbsp; Have these health indicators checked regularly.	*Make the necessary lifestyle changes-- such as increased exercise, improved nutrition, reduced smoking and alcohol consumption-- to prevent many unnecessary and disabling illnesses.	Many of the most common male illnesses are preventable and treatable.&nbsp; Encourage the men you care about to take care of themselves now in order to live a long and healthy life.	A good publication to help understand those health numbers is: <a href="https://bookstore.ksre.ksu.edu/pubs/MF3263.pdf">https://bookstore.ksre.ksu.edu/pubs/MF3263.pdf</a>	Berny Unruh is the Family and Community Wellness Agent for the Cottonwood Extension District.&nbsp; She can be reached at 785-628-9430 or at <a href="mailto:bunruh@ksu.edu">bunruh@ksu.edu</a>

UNRUH: Concerns with men’s health

By BRETT MARSHALL <a href="https://www.wacathletics.com/hays-dreiling-is-best-in-wac-baseball/">Western Athletic Conference</a>

Sometimes good things happen when one least expects it.

Sometimes, good things turn into great things. And in the case of 
high school sports, great things turn into great seasons that will 
remain memorable for a lifetime.

That might be one way to describe the 2021 spring baseball season for
 Hays High’s Dylan Dreiling and his Indians’ diamond teammates.

“I think coming into this year, we didn’t expect to be as good as we 
eventually were,” said Dreiling, a junior pitcher/outfielder who was 
voted the Western Athletic Conference Baseball Player of the Year by the
 league’s coaches. “Not having last season I don’t think affected us, 
and I think in some cases made us play better.”

Two seasons earlier, Dreiling was making his high school debut with 
the Indians. The team missed the postseason run to a state tournament 
berth in Class 5A, but Dreiling had his summer baseball team to fall 
back on when he left for the east coast to play with the elite Tri-State
 Arsenal team.

“The big thing about this season is that after missing one year, you 
only have four years of high school so losing one whole year makes you 
appreciate it just a little more,” said Dreiling.

And the 5-11, 195-pound junior did make the most of his return to playing with his hometown friends.

In a season in which the Indians finished 19-4 overall and placed 
third in Class 5A at the state tournament, Dreiling was nearly perfect 
on the mound.

Dreiling fashioned an unbeaten 9-0 record while posting a scintillating 
0.52 earned-run-average. Those two marks established new school records 
for a single season.

“I think I’m mainly just very competitive,” Dreiling said when 
talking about his strengths. “First, I’ll try to throw the fastball, but
 I also have my change-up, which is usually pretty good. Every once in a
 while, I’ll throw in a curve.”

The numbers tell the story of a dominant season for Dreiling, both 
from his left-handed pitching gems, to his range of hitting exploits.

He went to the plate for 86 official at-bats, collecting 37 hits. He 
had seven doubles, three triples and three home runs to add to his 24 
singles. In the 23 games played, he recorded 26 RBIs and scored 29 runs.
 He struck out only 2 times and also added 11 stolen bases to his 
resume.

In recent years, the change-up has been his go-to pitch, estimating 
that it comes in at about 72 mph while he has been clocked at about 88 
mph for his fastball.

In his pitching performances, Dreiling threw 54 innings, giving up 
just 21 hits, six runs of which only four were earned. He walked 23 and 
struck out 94, a high-end 1.74 strikeouts per inning.

“My curve? I have no clue on that one,” Dreiling said. “Still working on getting that to be a better pitch.”

From the end of the fall football season, Dreiling had spent many 
days in the weight room, working on getting stronger while also adding 
weight to his frame. The hard work paid off, as he went from 175 pounds 
to about the 195-200 pound range.

“I’ve always been pretty fast, but I thought if I could add the 
weight, I’d be that much stronger and could throw harder,” Dreiling 
said. “At the same time, I worked hard to keep up my speed.”

That transitions into his playing centerfield when not on the mound. 
This season, Dreiling hit a rock-solid .427 that helped the Indians’ 
high-scoring offense produce many double-digit run outings.

But he thrives on the defensive aspect of playing centerfield.

“I just like playing there because I have control of the outfield and
 the infield on fly balls,” he said. “The game has kind of gone away 
from defense, so for me, I just try to make the plays and have a good 
glove.”

Most centerfielders exhibit the skills of running to both their left 
and right, going back deep on fly balls or scampering in to grab line 
drives or hard ground balls into the outfield.

“I’m probably best at coming in on line drives,” Dreiling said. “It allows me to use my arm to keep runners from advancing.”

This summer, now that the spring season is over, will once again see 
Dreiling head east to play with the updated version of Tri-State 
Arsenal, now called G-Form Artillery.

“It’s a really good team with players from all over and we play a lot
 of tournaments up and down the East Coast,” Dreiling said. “I’ve been 
doing this since the fall of my eighth grade year when I played on a KC 
team and pitched six and two-thirds inning of no-hits. One of the kids 
from the other team played on an older team and he asked me if I was 
interested. I’ve been playing with them ever since.”

When he home for a short break in the summer, you will find Dreiling 
suited up to play for the local semi-pro team, the Hays Larks. But it 
doesn’t replace the bond he has with his high school teammates, and 
sometimes he longs to have more time to be in the dugout, or on the 
field with them.

“Those are the guys I grew up with, and there is just an 
extra-something special about playing high school baseball,” Dreiling 
said. “I have created new friendships with the team back east, but it 
doesn’t have the same feel as when I’m playing here at home.”

When he was notified about the WAC Player of the Year award, Dreiling said he was both excited and surprised.

“You know, we didn’t win league (6-2 while Dodge City was 7-1), so I 
thought that somebody from Dodge City might win it,” Dreiling said. “We 
struggled a little in the early part of the season and lost a game or 
two that perhaps we could have won. But overall it was a really good 
season and we played our best ball at the end.”

When the Indians punched their ticket to the state tournament at Eck 
Stadium on the campus of Wichita State University, Dreiling was excited 
for the opportunity.

“It’s a great stadium to play in and I am so happy we played there,” 
he said. “It was a big goal for me to play there with my friends. I 
don’t get to play with them in the summer, so it was very special.”

Dodge City head coach Zach Shipley was recognized as the WAC Coach of the Year for guiding the Red Demons to the league title.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/6/1623436267801.png" alt="Hays High juniors Jack Fields, Dylan Dreiling, Garrett Wellbrock, Noah Weimer and Dalton Dale after the regional championship game. Dreiling was the Western Athletic Conference Player of the Year, and Wellbrock and Dale were also named to the first-team squad, along with senior Dominic Bainter. Seniors Dawson VonFeldt and Ben Krannawitter were named to the second team." />
 <figcaption>Hays High juniors Jack Fields, Dylan Dreiling, Garrett Wellbrock, Noah Weimer and Dalton Dale after the regional championship game. Dreiling was the Western Athletic Conference Player of the Year, and Wellbrock and Dale were also named to the first-team squad, along with senior Dominic Bainter. Seniors Dawson VonFeldt and Ben Krannawitter were named to the second team.</figcaption>
 </figure>By BRETT MARSHALL <a href="https://www.wacathletics.com/hays-dreiling-is-best-in-wac-baseball/">Western Athletic Conference</a>Sometimes good things happen when one least expects it.Sometimes, good things turn into great things. And in the case of 
high school sports, great things turn into great seasons that will 
remain memorable for a lifetime.That might be one way to describe the 2021 spring baseball season for
 Hays High’s Dylan Dreiling and his Indians’ diamond teammates.“I think coming into this year, we didn’t expect to be as good as we 
eventually were,” said Dreiling, a junior pitcher/outfielder who was 
voted the Western Athletic Conference Baseball Player of the Year by the
 league’s coaches. “Not having last season I don’t think affected us, 
and I think in some cases made us play better.”Two seasons earlier, Dreiling was making his high school debut with 
the Indians. The team missed the postseason run to a state tournament 
berth in Class 5A, but Dreiling had his summer baseball team to fall 
back on when he left for the east coast to play with the elite Tri-State
 Arsenal team.“The big thing about this season is that after missing one year, you 
only have four years of high school so losing one whole year makes you 
appreciate it just a little more,” said Dreiling.And the 5-11, 195-pound junior did make the most of his return to playing with his hometown friends.In a season in which the Indians finished 19-4 overall and placed 
third in Class 5A at the state tournament, Dreiling was nearly perfect 
on the mound.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/6/1623436887300.png" alt="The 2021 Hays High Indians brought home the third-place trophy from the Class 5A state tournament in Wichita." />
 <figcaption>The 2021 Hays High Indians brought home the third-place trophy from the Class 5A state tournament in Wichita.</figcaption>
 </figure>Dreiling fashioned an unbeaten 9-0 record while posting a scintillating 
0.52 earned-run-average. Those two marks established new school records 
for a single season.“I think I’m mainly just very competitive,” Dreiling said when 
talking about his strengths. “First, I’ll try to throw the fastball, but
 I also have my change-up, which is usually pretty good. Every once in a
 while, I’ll throw in a curve.”The numbers tell the story of a dominant season for Dreiling, both 
from his left-handed pitching gems, to his range of hitting exploits.He went to the plate for 86 official at-bats, collecting 37 hits. He 
had seven doubles, three triples and three home runs to add to his 24 
singles. In the 23 games played, he recorded 26 RBIs and scored 29 runs.
 He struck out only 2 times and also added 11 stolen bases to his 
resume.In recent years, the change-up has been his go-to pitch, estimating 
that it comes in at about 72 mph while he has been clocked at about 88 
mph for his fastball.In his pitching performances, Dreiling threw 54 innings, giving up 
just 21 hits, six runs of which only four were earned. He walked 23 and 
struck out 94, a high-end 1.74 strikeouts per inning.“My curve? I have no clue on that one,” Dreiling said. “Still working on getting that to be a better pitch.”From the end of the fall football season, Dreiling had spent many 
days in the weight room, working on getting stronger while also adding 
weight to his frame. The hard work paid off, as he went from 175 pounds 
to about the 195-200 pound range.“I’ve always been pretty fast, but I thought if I could add the 
weight, I’d be that much stronger and could throw harder,” Dreiling 
said. “At the same time, I worked hard to keep up my speed.”That transitions into his playing centerfield when not on the mound. 
This season, Dreiling hit a rock-solid .427 that helped the Indians’ 
high-scoring offense produce many double-digit run outings.But he thrives on the defensive aspect of playing centerfield.“I just like playing there because I have control of the outfield and
 the infield on fly balls,” he said. “The game has kind of gone away 
from defense, so for me, I just try to make the plays and have a good 
glove.”Most centerfielders exhibit the skills of running to both their left 
and right, going back deep on fly balls or scampering in to grab line 
drives or hard ground balls into the outfield.“I’m probably best at coming in on line drives,” Dreiling said. “It allows me to use my arm to keep runners from advancing.”This summer, now that the spring season is over, will once again see 
Dreiling head east to play with the updated version of Tri-State 
Arsenal, now called G-Form Artillery.“It’s a really good team with players from all over and we play a lot
 of tournaments up and down the East Coast,” Dreiling said. “I’ve been 
doing this since the fall of my eighth grade year when I played on a KC 
team and pitched six and two-thirds inning of no-hits. One of the kids 
from the other team played on an older team and he asked me if I was 
interested. I’ve been playing with them ever since.”When he home for a short break in the summer, you will find Dreiling 
suited up to play for the local semi-pro team, the Hays Larks. But it 
doesn’t replace the bond he has with his high school teammates, and 
sometimes he longs to have more time to be in the dugout, or on the 
field with them.“Those are the guys I grew up with, and there is just an 
extra-something special about playing high school baseball,” Dreiling 
said. “I have created new friendships with the team back east, but it 
doesn’t have the same feel as when I’m playing here at home.”When he was notified about the WAC Player of the Year award, Dreiling said he was both excited and surprised.“You know, we didn’t win league (6-2 while Dodge City was 7-1), so I 
thought that somebody from Dodge City might win it,” Dreiling said. “We 
struggled a little in the early part of the season and lost a game or 
two that perhaps we could have won. But overall it was a really good 
season and we played our best ball at the end.”When the Indians punched their ticket to the state tournament at Eck 
Stadium on the campus of Wichita State University, Dreiling was excited 
for the opportunity.“It’s a great stadium to play in and I am so happy we played there,” 
he said. “It was a big goal for me to play there with my friends. I 
don’t get to play with them in the summer, so it was very special.”Dodge City head coach Zach Shipley was recognized as the WAC Coach of the Year for guiding the Red Demons to the league title.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/6/1623436414268.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/6/1623436433111.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>

Hays High's Dreiling is best in WAC baseball

The Kansas Department of Health and Environment on Friday reported no new COVID-19 cases in Ellis County had been identified since Wednesday.

<a href="https://www.ellisco.net/97/Health">CLICK HERE</a>&nbsp;for information on how to receive a COVID-19 vaccination.

As of Friday, the University of Kansas Health System reported there were zero COVID-19 inpatients at HaysMed for three consecutive days.

Since reporting began, there have been 3,759 cases of COVID-19 identified in Ellis County, including 73 coronavirus-related deaths.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/6/1623431729289.png" alt="KDHE" />
 <figcaption>KDHE</figcaption>
 </figure>The Kansas Department of Health and Environment on Friday reported no new COVID-19 cases in Ellis County had been identified since Wednesday.<a href="https://www.ellisco.net/97/Health">CLICK HERE</a>&nbsp;for information on how to receive a COVID-19 vaccination.As of Friday, the University of Kansas Health System reported there were zero COVID-19 inpatients at HaysMed for three consecutive days.Since reporting began, there have been 3,759 cases of COVID-19 identified in Ellis County, including 73 coronavirus-related deaths.

KDHE: No new virus cases in Ellis Co. since Wednesday

DENVER – The Colorado Sox rallied for five runs in the eighth
inning to tie then scored another in the ninth for a 9-8 walk-off win over the Hays
Larks Saturday at De’Evelyn High School.&nbsp;
The Larks outhit the Sox 19-12 but stranded 12 baserunners in their first
loss of the season.

DENVER – The Colorado Sox rallied for five runs in the eighth
inning to tie then scored another in the ninth for a 9-8 walk-off win over the Hays
Larks Saturday at De’Evelyn High School.&nbsp;
The Larks outhit the Sox 19-12 but stranded 12 baserunners in their first
loss of the season.Hays (4-1, 1-1 RMBL) scored six in the fourth and had an 8-3
lead after six innings before the Sox started their comebackThe Sox (1-2, 1-2 RMBL) used a leadoff walk followed by a
single to start the ninth. A sac bunt advanced the runners to second and third.
Following a groundout, Maxim Fullerton singles to right scoring Nolan Ackerman
with the winning run.Trey Riggs (0-1) allowed one run on three hits with a
strikeout and walk over the final 1 1/3 innings and suffered the loss. Starter
Luuk ter Beek gave up three runs (two earned) on seven this with five
strikeouts and no walks over 5 2/3 innings. Max Casellucci surrendered five
runs on wo this with four walks and a strikeout over 1 2/3 innings.Grant Schmidt hit a solo homer and Core Jackson added a
two-run shot in the Larks six-run fourth. Wyatt Divis added a two-run homer in the
sixth to give the Larks a five-run lead.Divis went 4-for-4 with three RBIs. Palmer Hutchison added
three hits while Grant Lung, Cam Pehrson, Grant Schmidt and Sam Crowell add had
two.The two teams play again Sunday afternoon at 2:00 p.m. CDT.

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