By TONY GUERRERO Hays Post

Plainville USD 270 voters will decide on Tuesday, March 3, on a bond proposal totaling about $12.5 million.

If approved, the bond would fund improvements at Plainville Elementary School and Plainville Junior-Senior High School. The proposal will appear as a two-question ballot, with each question addressing a separate group of projects.

Question one focuses on facility upgrades and major replacements of building systems. The projects include renovations at both schools, such as HVAC, electrical updates, LED lighting installation, restrooms and replacing the more than 30-year-old roof.

Question two covers additional upgrades, including further renovations to classrooms and entrances at both schools. It also proposes improvements to the Rock Gym and Cardinal Gym.

Proposition one totals $5.49 million and proposition two totals $7.05 million. Both would be repaid over 30 years.

District voters may approve or reject both proposals. However, USD 270 Superintendent Chris Rinehart said proposition two can only take effect if proposition one is approved. If proposal one passes, voters may then choose whether to approve proposal two.

"From my seat as superintendent, I definitely see both questions as addressing high priorities in my mind," he said.&nbsp;

According to a <a href="https://www.plainville270bond.net/">USD 270 website explaining the proposal</a>, Kansas law restricts bond funds to capital improvements, while capital outlay funding is for smaller projects.

Issuing bonds allows the district to spread the cost of the projects over time. Each ballot question carries a different estimated impact on the mill levy.

If only question one is approved, the estimated increase is one mill. If both question one and question two pass, the combined estimated increase would be 10 mills.

On a $100,000 home, a one mill increase would be $11.50 per year and a 10 mill increase would be $115 per year. The median home value in Rooks County is $88,200.

Rinehart emphasized the importance of approving both questions on the ballot.

"Question one: We definitely need to address our restrooms because we are not meeting ADA compliance with that. Not only for students who may have those needs, but for any of our community members," he said.

"Question two would allow us to address safe and secure entrances for both our schools. The safety and security of being able to simply reconfigure our entrances is something I definitely see as a high priority as well."

Under question two, voters would also decide whether the Rock Gym and Cardinal Gym receive renovations. The Rock Gym would be converted from a weight room into a multi-purpose space for the elementary school, with added space for community use.

"It is probably the oldest section of our facility. It was built in the early 1930s," Rinehart said. "What I would really like is to allow that to be used for elementary PE because right now, our elementary PE classes are going into our main Cardinal Gym. We have a lot of everyday foot traffic that's going in and out of that gym, and I would like to reduce some of the wear and tear on that building."

For the Cardinal Gym, the plan includes adding a new room designed as a storm shelter with a capacity of 550 people, enough for all students and staff.

"For me, it's not a weight room. It's a storm shelter that could be double-purposed and provide us with that opportunity for a weight room," Rinehart said.

The shelter would be available to the public outside school hours. The Cardinal Gym would also include restrooms, locker rooms and storage space.

Rinehart said 2026 was the year to pursue the proposal because the district’s 20-year bond, approved in 2005 and funded construction of the Cardinal Gym, is set to expire in September. A facilities assessment conducted in October identified several additional needs that are now included in the bond plan.

"The first real action was the board wanted to carry over and continue with the current 5.7 mills that we were already budgeting," he said. "Knowing our old bond was sunsetting... we could move forward and continue meeting the needs of our facilities."

If approved, Rinehart said the next step is to continue working with Gravity Works Architecture, develop final designs and drawings and begin the contractor interview process.

Polls are open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday at Plainville Township Hall, 108 S. Jefferson St.

In-person advance voting is open until noon on Monday at the Rooks County Clerk's Office, 115 N. Walnut St., in Stockton.

"I understand there are people in the community who have questions and don't feel like this is the time. I'm hopeful that as we move forward, it'll be my best effort to lead the district and be a good steward of the funding that we have," Rinehart said.

You can learn more about the bond proposal <a href="https://www.plainville270bond.net/">here</a>.

Plainville USD 270 voters to decide $12.5 million bond for school upgrades

Reporter Cristina Janney speaks with Doug Williams of Grow Hays about two local contractors who won awards for recent Hays projects.

🎙 Post Podcast: Grow Hays: Local contractors earn awards

By STEVE GILLILAND Explore Kansas Outdoors

Back when my wife and I hunted together more, we’d often pass the hours spent in a hunting blind by making up animal conversations for various situations. 

On a fall turkey hunt years ago, we had our hunting blind set up near an old feedlot. The owner had round bales stored there and a tractor path wound around through the bales. The turkeys followed the tractor path through the bales and into the pasture surrounding the old feedlot. We put a couple hen turkey decoys just across the fence into the pasture and settled into our blind amongst the bales. 

The resident cattle soon came to see what was up, and became enamored with the decoys. You could almost sense their thoughts, so we named the cows Clara, Elsie, Audrey and Bessie, and imagined their conversation going something like this: “They look like turkeys, but they sure don’t move much,” Clara thought, staring at the decoys. Elsie added “Turkeys stink but these things smell like tractor tires or something. Let’s all run at them and see if they scatter and make those same funny noises turkeys make when we almost step on them.” Audrey weighed in, “No, I’m pretty sure they aren’t real turkeys – if they were, they’d be eatin’ corn out of our poo right now.” Bessie said “Girls, I’ve got an idea – let’s all back up and try to pee on them and see if they run like they usually do.”

Perhaps the funniest animal conversation we ever conjured up came about at an old farmstead where we used to hunt deer. The abandoned farmyard sits back a long lane and we’d park our pickup there and walk to the nearby deer blind. We know deer routinely wonder through the farmyard and around the old buildings, so we tried to imagine how they would react to our truck sitting there if they wandered through as we sat in the blind. 

Here was the scene: One morning as we sit there in our deer blind, two deer, Bucky and Chloe wander through and come upon our pickup in the drive. 

“See, Bucky,” Chloe states. “I told you I smelled them again.” Bucky rests his chin on the hood of the pickup and replies “Yup, sure enough. Hood's still warm; they’re here somewhere.” “What doofuses,” Chloe retorts with disgust as she turns and begins to walk away. 

Meanwhile, Bucky jumps up and sprawls out across the hood of the pickup with his front legs sticking out in front of him and his back legs out behind him, rolls his eyes back into his head and hangs his tongue out the side of his mouth. Chloe hears the&nbsp;commotion and just as she turns around, Bucky calls out “Ohhhhh, Chloe, they got me!” “You get off there this instant,” Chloe scolds. “That’s not funny at all anymore, especially after you got shot in the butt last season!”

The nursing/retirement home where I used to work has two dementia units and I often marveled at the strange things the residents there with dementia would say and think. Making up animal conversations may see pretty weird and even goofy, but I can only hope that filling my mind with silliness like that now, will help me ramble on about silly stuff like that when I get dementia rather than being mean and nasty and cussin’ all the time! 

Steve can be contacted by email at stevenrgilliland@gmail.com.

Explore Kansas Outdoors: Animal conversations: You don't say!

STILLWATER, Okla. —&nbsp;<a href="https://experts.okstate.edu/christopher.dinkel">Dr. Christopher Dinkel</a>, a graduate of Thomas More Prep-Marian High School in Hays, and an assistant professor of legal studies in Oklahoma State University’s&nbsp;<a href="https://business.okstate.edu/">Spears School of Business</a>&nbsp;Department of Management, has received honors for his legal ethics research with findings relevant to both attorneys and business scholars.

Dinkel, who serves as an affiliated faculty member with the Spears Business&nbsp;<a href="https://business.okstate.edu/clsbe/">Center for Legal Studies &amp; Business Ethics</a>, won the Excellence in Research Award on Feb. 14 at the regional 2026 Pacific Southwest Academy of Legal Studies in Business Annual Conference.&nbsp;

His paper, “Understanding the Role of Legal Compliance and Value-Based Reasoning in Scenarios Involving Employees: Empirical Evidence from a Conjoint Experiment,” is co-authored with Jeff Lingwall and Justin B. Ames of Boise State University.&nbsp;

The winning paper is a follow-up to “Legality and the Ethical Frameworks of U.S. Workers: Empirical Evidence from a Conjoint Experiment,” also co-authored with Lingwall. This prior research earned the Holmes-Cardozo Award in July at the prestigious international 2025 Academy of Legal Studies in Business Annual Conference.&nbsp;

“It is truly an honor to have received the top paper award at the annual conference of the leading international professional association in my discipline, the Academy of Legal Studies in Business,” Dinkel said. “I am very grateful to the Office of the Dean, the Department of Management and the Center for Legal Studies &amp; Business Ethics for providing the financial support that made this research possible. The Spears School of Business equips faculty with the tools to conduct cutting-edge research.”

Dinkel’s research examines Model Rule of Professional Conduct 2.1, which allows lawyers to counsel clients about moral aspects of their legal decisions. In their latest award-winning paper, Dinkel and his co-authors present novel empirical evidence on value-based ethical reasoning in situations with legal repercussions, filling a research gap to explore how lawyers’ potential clients weigh ethical values paired with legal concerns.&nbsp;

Using a nationally representative study of nearly 1,000 workplace participants in the United States, the researchers examine how workers approach value-based ethical dilemmas when legal compliance is at issue. Their experiment assesses preferences for nine values often raised in business contexts in conjunction with the legality or illegality of potential responses to a dilemma. Dinkel’s findings have significant implications for attorneys counseling their clients under Rule 2.1.

In their previous paper, Dinkel and Lingwall present experimental evidence on ethical reasoning in situations with legal repercussions, examining preferences for four ethical frameworks often used in management training: utilitarianism, deontological universalizability, virtue/value-based ethics and ethical egoism.&nbsp;

“One of the most rewarding aspects of conducting this research is to talk about it with my students in class,” Dinkel said. “It makes our discussion of the intersection of ethics and law come alive. Students are excited to learn that the ethical frameworks that our textbook presents are not simply a theoretical matter — my research shows that U.S. workers actually do utilize them in their decision making.”&nbsp;

Dinkel obtained his Juris Doctor degree from Cornell Law School and his Ph.D. in political science from Northwestern University. Before joining Spears Business in 2022, he served as a legal fellow for the U.S. Senate and gained industry experience as an attorney.

TMP-Marian alum wins research awards for legal ethics papers

LAWRENCE — Undergraduate research at the University of Kansas School of Pharmacy is increasingly serving as a training ground for cross-disciplinary collaboration, preparing students for the team-based realities of modern health care.

Nationally,&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7873741/">health care education has shifted toward interprofessional models</a>, recognizing that patient outcomes depend not on isolated expertise but coordinated systems of care. For some undergraduate students at KU, early research experiences are becoming an entry point into that collaborative framework.

For students like George Crawford IV, a chemistry and microbiology major from Ellis, research is more than a graduation requirement. His decision to work in&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://farrellglycolab.wordpress.com/">Mark Farrell’s lab</a>&nbsp;reflects deliberate steps toward bridging scientific discovery.

Drawn to KU’s pre-med pathway, Crawford arrived from a town of 1,700 people with deeply personal motivation. After losing his father to cancer at 14, he knew he wanted to pursue medicine. His experience with undergraduate research in medicinal chemistry has reshaped how he sees the path to get there.

“I didn’t know very much about the School of Pharmacy within chemistry,” he said, reflecting that it was only after hearing Farrell guest lecture that he realized there were opportunities for his capstone research outside of the lab. This lecture affirmed that the overlap between chemistry and human health is tangible and impactful.

Rather than completing his capstone research in a traditional chemistry lab, Crawford elected to complete his with Farrell in the Department of Medicinal Chemistry of the KU School of Pharmacy, an environment where focus extends beyond molecules to patient impact. &nbsp;

Traditional chemistry emphasizes theory, physical chemistry and mathematical modeling, which makes drug discovery possible. Medicinal chemistry builds upon that groundwork, sitting at the intersection of chemistry, biology and patient care, and asking the question of how this discovery can change someone’s life.

For Crawford, that shift expanded his understanding of what a career in science could look like.&nbsp;

“There are more opportunities out there than just chemistry, or just biology, or just medical school,” he said.&nbsp;

Crawford said the opportunity to explore medicinal chemistry has exposed him to research physicians, pharmaceutical pathways and interdisciplinary collaboration that he had not previously considered.

Ben Mosier, from Manhattan, another undergraduate studying chemistry and microbiology, found a similar bridge in Farrell’s lab. Interested in medicine and equally drawn to science, he sought out research that blended both worlds.

“It (medicinal chemistry) kind of blended my interests,” he said.

Mosier is currently working on cancer immunotherapy research, designing molecules to enhance immune targeting of cancer cells. In this environment, theoretical knowledge becomes therapeutic possibility.

“The more those departments collaborate together, I think that will improve the research and improve students’ education and understanding of research as a whole,” he said.

More than a résumé builder, this experience becomes training for team-based health care.

Modern health care increasingly depends on coordinated expertise. Physicians, pharmacists, researchers, nurses and public health professionals operate within interconnected systems. Early exposure to interdisciplinary research allows students to begin navigating those dynamics before entering professional programs.

For Crawford, collaboration also resonates from a rural perspective. Growing up in a small Kansas community, he observed how pharmacists often serve as some of the most accessible health care providers.&nbsp;

“You see your local pharmacists more than you see physicians,” he said.&nbsp;

In communities like his, effective care often relies on professionals understanding one another’s roles.

Undergraduate research requires initiative, mentorship and access to laboratory environments that support guided independence. For students who pursue it, the experience can extend beyond technical skill development and offers practice in navigating ambiguity, contributing to collaborative teams and thinking across disciplinary boundaries.

Research helps students move beyond memorization and into application.&nbsp;

"In classes, you memorize a lot of knowledge, but applying it is a different thing entirely,” Mosier said.&nbsp;

Learning to solve real problems, navigate ambiguity and collaborate builds the critical thinking required in any health care profession.

It also builds mentorship. Working alongside faculty and postdoctoral researchers, students gain confidence through guided independence and learn how collaborative research environments operate.

By encouraging undergraduate students to participate in research, they leave KU understanding that discovery is hardly in isolation. The medications patients take, the therapies that save lives and the innovations that define standards of care are almost always the result of interdisciplinary partnership.

Mosier summarized the long-term impact: Research builds “critical thinking and complex thinking skills… which will make them overall better at their job and make the world a better place."

Ellis native pursues undergrad KU research as gateway to collaborative health care

By RUSSELL ARBEN FOX Insight Kansas

As&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2026/02/17/kansas-cell-phone-ban-applying-to-both-public-and-private-schools-clears-house/">a proposed state-wide ban on cell phones in Kansas classrooms</a>&nbsp;winds its way through our state legislature—a ban that&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.kcur.org/politics-elections-and-government/2026-02-09/banning-phones-in-kansas-schools-has-bipartisan-support-so-why-is-a-proposed-law-stalling">at least initially had strong support from both parties</a>, a ban that would be similar to actions that have been taken&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://news.ballotpedia.org/2025/08/08/twenty-two-states-enacted-k-12-cellphone-bans-so-far-in-2025/">in multiple other states</a>—an interesting question has arisen.

What is more important to the Kansas legislators: the well-being of students, or freedom from regulation for alternatives to public education?

In answering that question, Kansas Senate President Ty Masterson&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://x.com/tymastersonks/status/2024210039158997404?s=43">drew a fairly explicit line</a>: “The epidemic of cell phones disrupting classrooms and damaging our kids’ mental health is a top priority. But a fix must not trample on the independence of private schools. The radical left would exploit any opening to impose their agenda on faith-based and independent education. Rather than creating bad precedent, we will use this opportunity to review all state mandates on private schools and create a bright line that government will not cross.”

The epidemic he refers to is well-documented, by both&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0927537116300136">numerous</a>&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9651103/">scholars</a>&nbsp;and by&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.ksde.gov/Portals/0/Commissioner/Blue-Ribbon-Task-Force-on-Student-Screen-Time-Report.pdf">a separate study</a>&nbsp;commissioned by the Kansas Department of Education.

Screen and smartphone addiction clearly creates distractions, interferes with learning, and invites bullying and other psychological pathologies.

The data doesn’t necessarily mandate a complete bell-to-bell ban on cell phones in schools (the National Association of State Boards of Education encourages local school board involvement,&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.nasbe.org/curbing-cell-phone-use-in-classrooms/">concluding that</a>&nbsp;“bans of devices during the school day alone will not address the complicated, potential harms arising from students’ online behaviors”), but everyone agrees that whatever compromise is reached, it should be implemented consistently, covering all students equally.

Unless, perhaps, you attend a private—or shall we say a “faith-based and independent”—school?

It’s not that Masterson is opposed to students whose parents opt to home school or to make use of private schools being able to enjoy the educational environments and resources that are generated through Kansas’s free public school system. 

After all, he has been a major force behind both&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/briefs/kansas-private-school-students-and-home-schoolers-joining-in-public-school-sports-under-new-law/">making certain that Kansas students being educated privately or at home be allowed to participate in all public school activities, both athletic and academic</a>&nbsp;and promoting school choice plans that could provide up to $200 million in tax relief every year&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/01/29/senate-republican-promotes-education-freedom-with-125m-voucher-program-for-private-schools/">to support Kansas parents who want to send their children to a private school or teach them at home</a>.&nbsp;

Rather, the idea appears to be that, though public schools will be expected to follow the best research in working out how to deal with a problem facing young people throughout Kansas,&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://education.jhu.edu/edpolicy/policy-research-initiatives/homeschool-hub/states/kansas/">about 9% of Kansas students</a>&nbsp;(those that attend private or home schools) perhaps ought to be left to their own devices (literally!), all for the sake being free from state mandates, however educationally justified.

Of course, the problem isn’t that straightforward. For one thing, regulating how parents impose—or don’t impose—cell phone restrictions while teaching in their children in their own homes would an impossible, and terribly invasive, act. For another, many private schools are very small, and requiring them to comply with state-wide regulations could be terribly burdensome.

But still, taking seriously public education is a value deeply rooted in Kansas history and law. 

Which makes the belief that educational alternatives to publicly funded schools should be given both additional financial support and access to educational resources, but should also be exempt from any concerted action to introduce best practices on those schools and resources, is a difficult one to balance, to say the least.

Dr. Russell Arben Fox teaches politics at Friends University in Wichita.

Insight Kansas: On cell phones, public schools, and state exemptions

<a href="https://hayspost.com/pages/state-farm-weather-window">For a full look at the weather forecast, click here.</a>

Three-day weather outlook

Join us in honoring the Hill City FFA chapter.

The chapter celebrated with a&nbsp;scavenger hunt at the high school with Ag facts, High 5's at the grade school, and an Ag Olympics (stick horse barrel racing, pole bending, egg race and sack race.

Hays resident on University of Wyoming fall semester president’s honor roll

Kansas Department of Transportation

TOPEKA — The Kansas Department of Transportation announces approved bids for state highway construction and maintenance projects. The letting took place Feb.18, 2026, in Topeka. Some of the bids may include multiple projects that have been bundled based on proximity and type of work.

Lane County —&nbsp;23-51 KA-6478-01, K-23, bridge #001 over the South Fork Walnut Creek located 0.57 mile south of K-96, bridge replacement, L &amp; M Contractors Inc., Great Bend, Kansas, $2,969,985.27.

KDOT announces approved February bids

By ALICIA BOOR Cottonwood Extension District

Dr. Cassandra Olds, professor of entomology at Kansas State University, is presenting a program on insect control for livestock in March. 

The program will be held at the Barton County Extension office at 3007 10th Street, Great Bend, on Thursday, March 12. The program will start at 9 a.m. with doughnuts and run about an hour.

Dr. Olds is an expert in control of common livestock pests including flies, and ticks among others.

Topics covered during the program include:

1. Determining which flies your livestock have a problem with

2.       Why flies develop resistance to insecticides

3.       What can you do to slow the spread of resistance within fly populations

4.       Developing an integrated pest management program

An RSVP is appreciated, but not necessary for the refreshments. Please email or call Alicia Boor at&nbsp;<a href="mailto:aboor@ksu.edu">aboor@ksu.edu</a>&nbsp;or 785-628-9430 to RSVP.

Alicia Boor is an Agriculture and Natural Resources agent in the Cottonwood District (which includes Barton and Ellis counties) for K-State Research and Extension. You can contact her by e-mail at aboor@ksu.edu or calling 620-793-1910.

BOOR: Program on insect control for livestock coming up in March

Starting Tuesday, March 3, until further notice, Fort Street from 27th to 22nd in Hays will be undergoing roadwork improvements. 

South bound single lane traffic will continue with periods of temporary closure during the rehabilitation process. 

Please be cautious when traveling Fort Street between 27th &amp; 22nd as there will be construction traffic and activities in this area. 

The City of Hays regrets any inconvenience this may cause to the public. If there are any questions, please call the Public Works Department at 785-628-7350.

Portion of Fort Street in Hays narrowed to one lane for reconstruction 

&nbsp;Submit events to&nbsp;<a href="mailto:admin@hayspost.com">admin@hayspost.com</a>. Cover photo courtesy Pixabay

Special thanks to <a href="https://www.visithays.com/183/Events">The Hays Convention and Visitors Bureau</a> and<a href="https://www.fhsu.edu/"> Fort Hays State University</a> for their contributions to the community calendar.

Community Calendar

The Fort Hays State University Criminal Justice Program will host its 8th annual Criminal Justice Career Fair on Monday, March 2, from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. in the Fort Hays Ballroom, Memorial Union.

The event brings together a wide range of agencies and organizations representing law enforcement, court administration and court services, corrections, community corrections, mental health services, advocacy organizations, family services, and related professional fields.

The Career Fair is designed to connect students and community members with employers seeking qualified candidates for internships, part-time employment, and full-time career opportunities. 

While rooted in criminal justice, the event highlights the interdisciplinary nature of today’s workforce. 

Agencies will be recruiting individuals pursuing degrees not only in criminal justice, but also in psychology, social work, leadership, political science, sociology, business and accounting, nursing, natural sciences, human resources, and other career fields.

“This event reflects the broad scope of careers that intersect with the justice system,” said Tamara Lynn, chair and professor of criminal justice. “It is an opportunity for students to explore meaningful career pathways while engaging directly with professionals serving our communities.”

The Criminal Justice Career Fair is free and open to FHSU students and alumni. Professional dress and copies of résumés are encouraged.

Fort Hays State University to host Criminal Justice Career Fair on Monday

The last two K-State Extension Crop Talk webinars will be held each Tuesday at 12 noon to 1 p.m. on March 3 and 10.

You register for them only once, and then you will receive an email with the zoom and YouTube link. If you happen to miss it, you can go back and listen to the recording and view the presenters' slides as well.

These Crop Talk webinars are for growers in northcentral and northwest areas and counties of Kansas and are brought to you by the Extension agents of those areas.

On March 3, Rodrigo Onofre, Extension row crop pathologist, will discuss "Fungicide Applications in Corn and Sorghum." The last crop talk webinar will be March 10 with Anthony Zukoff, Extension entomologist, highlighting "Insects to Watch for in the Field this Growing Season."

To register do an internet search for KSU Crop Talk webinar and the <a href="https://www.wkrec.org/events/croptalk/">link</a> should pull up. Once you have registered, you will receive an email with the zoom and YouTube link to join us each Tuesday at 12 noon to 1 pm. on March 3 and 10.

If you have questions contact Stacy Campbell, at the Cottonwood Extension Office in Hays at 785-628-9430.

Fungicide applications, insects are topics of March 'Crop Talk' Extension webinars

DODGE CITY — United Wireless Arena, managed by&nbsp;VenuWorks, is excited to announce&nbsp;Flatland Cavalry as the official&nbsp;2026 Dodge City Days Concert on&nbsp;Saturday, July 25. Doors will open at&nbsp;6:30 p.m. on July 25 and the show will start at 7:30 p.m.

The pre-sale for FLATLAND CAVALRY begins Thursday, March 5 at 10:00 a.m.,&nbsp;ending at 10:00 p.m., while the public on sale starts Friday, March 6 at 10:00 a.m.

For the past decade, Flatland Cavalry has built a reputation as “one of the most dynamic&nbsp;presences in country music” (Rolling Stone) with their signature “easy on the ears, heavy on&nbsp;the heart” sound. In 2024, the sextet celebrated 10 years together with Flatland Forever, an&nbsp;acclaimed album that pays tribute to their journey, revisiting fan favorites while introducing&nbsp;new songs that showcase how far they’ve come. 

The past year has been full of milestones for&nbsp;the Nashville and Texas-based band. 

They earned their first ACM Award nomination for Group&nbsp;of the Year, achieved their first RIAA Gold certification for their breakout single “A Life&nbsp;Where We Work Out,” and made their mark in film and television with contributions to the&nbsp;Twisters and The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds &amp; Snakes soundtracks, as well as&nbsp;featured placements on Yellowstone and Landman. 

Their relentless touring schedule reached&nbsp;new heights, including sold-out headline performances at Fort Worth’s Dickies Arena and the&nbsp;legendary Red Rocks Amphitheatre. 

Since first emerging in 2014, Flatland Cavalry has racked&nbsp;up seven #1 singles on Texas Country Radio and amassed more than 500 million streams.&nbsp;Along the way, they’ve shared the stage with Willie Nelson, Luke Combs, Lainey Wilson,&nbsp;Jordan Davis, Midland, and more — proving that their brand of storytelling and musicianship&nbsp;resonates far beyond their roots. 

Flatland Cavalry is Cleto Cordero (vocals, acoustic guitar),&nbsp;Jason Albers (drums, percussion), Jonathan Saenz (bass), Reid Dillon (electric guitar), Wesley&nbsp;Hall (fiddle), and Adam Gallegos (piano, organ, keys, mandolin, banjo).

Tickets for Flatland Cavalry will go on sale Friday, March 6 at 10:00 a.m. CST. Tickets can&nbsp;be purchased at the United Wireless Arena box office or online through Ticketmaster.com.

Ticket prices are $84 or $64 for reserved seating depending on location, plus applicable fees&nbsp;and taxes. The floor will be general admission, standing only. 

United Wireless Arena is an&nbsp;exclusive Ticketmaster facility and cannot guarantee tickets purchased as resale or through a&nbsp;third-party vendor. 

Doors will open one hour before showtime. 

Handicapped accessible seating&nbsp;must be arranged directly through the United Wireless Arena Ticket Office. 

United Wireless&nbsp;Arena has a clear bag policy in place. Please check our <a href="https://www.unitedwirelessarena.com/">website</a> for more details.

'Flatland Cavalary' brings signature sound as official Dodge City Days concert

By JORDAN EDWARDS Fort Hays Tech | Northwest

GOODLAND — Fort Hays Tech | Northwest will host a ribbon cutting and dedication ceremony on Friday, February 27, at 1 p.m. (MT) to celebrate the official opening of the Schears Family Center for Innovation and Design and the Tiny Tigers Child Care Facility.

The event will take place at 1407 Eustis Avenue in Goodland and is open to the public. Community members, donors, partners, and supporters are invited to attend and help mark this important milestone for the college.

The ceremony will honor the Schears Family for their generosity and lasting impact on Fort Hays Tech | Northwest. 

The Schears Family Center for Innovation and Design represents a significant investment in hands-on learning, creativity, and workforce preparation, providing students with modern spaces designed to support collaboration, innovation, and technical excellence.

Ben Schears, FHSU Vice President for Economic and Workforce Development and former president of Fort Hays Tech | Northwest, said the college has played a foundational role in his family.

“With all five of our kids having graduated from Fort Hays Tech | Northwest, Rachel teaching math, and as a former employee myself, the college has had a fundamental impact on each of our lives,” Schears said. “Our entire family is humbled by the honor. We love the Tech and are thrilled to see the new childcare center making a difference.”

The opening of the Tiny Tigers Child Care Facility further strengthens the college’s commitment to student success and community support. The facility will serve as a learning environment for students in the Child Care Specialist program while also providing high-quality childcare services for families in the region.

“This project reflects our commitment to remove barriers, expand opportunity, and create spaces that support both education and community needs,” said President Dr. Corey Isbell. “We are grateful to the Schears family and all who helped make this vision a reality.”

The ribbon cutting and dedication ceremony will include remarks, a formal ribbon cutting, and opportunities for attendees to tour the new facilities.

For more information about the event or Fort Hays Tech | Northwest, visit <a target="_blank" href="https://link.mediaoutreach.meltwater.com/ls/click?upn=u001.7LNxDHQVpzCjONIZ4OYIqugsOgS21wCFwNLUBKgCqkA-3DGhUA_1ix3pnygukYWZfKiCJpm8BsHsayWXlw0ucteiDEo46fRc0p9DVWJmv2prlqkbHR6S2dsrJiXPEopagJAn55fgrGOya21Ubchf288oY8AFP4iYaBJwhylwdd5l9F7UOfOqvt2CQH4kxOaFChik5xVfsLl5bIW1g-2FXg8-2FYNmd4Wyn1VzaGMb03kI0kRxQYzQQKHS6Kp77y4YvC-2BuPEg4VtkJJarJ9kPDCs5R5sTTnDYWgl7NUq2K-2F3tLU3aV-2Bb32CtCazaaFMFcGSLrfZHfR0XRKHTYBOE2QlMaWj1tbneYF-2FbwMyEfE98y8s1LYmswtUTyM-2F1Lde3K2yaFafhrUr59KYFieUoosDySFQXlkPAxj82yC1EHP-2BXu2rzhbyC3Y1A">www.fhnw.edu</a>

Fort Hays Tech|NW to host ribbon cutting, ceremony honoring Schears family

Kansas Scholastic Chess Association tourney in Hays on Feb. 28

Informational meeting set for Tuesday for 100 Who Care

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DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Iran vowed revenge Sunday after the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iran-supreme-leader-ayatollah-ali-khamenei-dead-5b13b69b708c4ed38e8f95f5fb41a597">killing of its supreme leader</a>&nbsp;and traded strikes with Israel as part of a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/live/us-israel-strikes-iran-khamenei-03-01-2026">widening war</a>&nbsp;prompted by a surprise U.S. and Israeli bombardment. The U.S. military said three service members have been killed, the first known American casualties from the conflict.

Blasts in Tehran sent a huge plume of smoke into the sky in an area of government buildings. Iranian authorities say more than 200 people have been killed since the start of the U.S. and Israeli strikes that killed&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iran-supreme-leader-ayatollah-ali-khamenei-dead-5b13b69b708c4ed38e8f95f5fb41a597">Ayatollah Ali Khamenei</a>&nbsp;and other senior leaders.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/iran">Iran</a>&nbsp;fired missiles at targets in Israel and Gulf Arab states in retaliation while Israel pledged "non-stop" strikes against Iran's leaders and military.

In Israel,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-iran-war-shelters-missiles-245b1675544434848160845a2e991b9d">loud explosions</a>&nbsp;caused by missile impacts or interceptions could be heard in Tel Aviv. Israel’s rescue services said nine people were killed and 28 wounded in a strike that hit a synagogue in the central town of Beit Shemesh, bringing the overall death toll in the country to 11. Eleven people were still missing after the strike, police said, as rescue crews combed the rubble.

The U.S. military, meanwhile, said B-2 stealth bombers have struck Iran’s ballistic missile facilities with 2,000-pound bombs. Ballistic missiles have been one of the concerns Trump had raised in the lead up to the attacks. U.S. President Donald Trump said the military had also sunk nine Iranian warships.

The strikes and counterattacks underscored how the killing of Khamenei, and Trump's calls for the overthrow of the decades-old Islamic Republic, carried the potential for a prolonged conflict that could envelop the Middle East. It also represents a startling show of military might for an American president who swept into office on an “America First” platform and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-iran-strike-conflict-us-war-opposition-8fa7a441a4a696a8562de583395ab0bf">vowed to keep out of “forever wars.”</a>

In Tehran, there was little sign that Iranians had heeded Trump's call for an uprising against the government.

The streets were largely deserted as people sheltered during heavy airstrikes, witnesses told The Associated Press, speaking anonymously for fear of retribution.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iran-middle-east-577c596775fb9a78d78107004d29d0f9">The paramilitary Basij</a>, which has played a central role in crushing protests, has set up checkpoints across the city, they said.

In southern Iran, at least 165 people were killed when a girls’ school was struck, and dozens more were wounded, the state-run IRNA news agency reported. The Israeli military said it was not aware of strikes in the area. The U.S. military said it was looking into the reports.

The U.S. military said three service members were killed and five others seriously wounded, without providing further details. It said several others suffered minor injuries and concussions.

In the 12-day war last June, Israeli and American strikes&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iran-fordo-us-strike-trump-israel-nuclear-sites-320a85327f94ed7496f09564261f3148">greatly weakened</a>&nbsp;Iran’s air defenses, military leadership and nuclear program. But the killing of Khamenei, who had ruled Iran for more than three decades, creates a leadership vacuum, increasing the risk of regional instability.

The CIA had been tracking the movements of senior Iranian leaders, including Khamenei, for months, according to a person familiar with the operation who was not authorized to comment publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity. The intelligence was shared with Israeli officials, and the timing of the strikes was adjusted in part because of that information, the person said.

The New York Times earlier reported about the CIA’s efforts ahead of the Israeli-U.S. strikes.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said in a prerecorded message that a new leadership council had begun its work. The country's foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi, said a new supreme leader would be chosen in “one or two days.”

A senior White House official said Sunday that “new potential leadership” in Iran has suggested they are open for talks with the United States. The official spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss internal administration deliberations.

As word spread of Khamenei’s death, some in Tehran could be seen cheering from rooftops, witnesses said. Others mourned as a black flag was raised over the Imam Reza shrine in Mashhad.

“You have crossed our red line and must pay the price,” Iran’s parliamentary speaker, Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf, said in a televised address. “We will deliver such devastating blows that you yourselves will be driven to beg.”

“THEY BETTER NOT DO THAT,” he said in a social media post. “IF THEY DO, WE WILL HIT THEM WITH A FORCE THAT HAS NEVER BEEN SEEN BEFORE!”

In a sign of how the attack could stoke regional unrest, hundreds of people&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pakistan-protesters-attacked-us-consulate-karachi-iran-a3cc0c3c6f126cc54a657f61d312a203">stormed the U.S. Consulate</a>&nbsp;in Pakistan’s port city of Karachi. Police and paramilitary forces used batons and fired tear gas to disperse the crowd, and at least nine people were killed in the clashes, authorities said.

Iran retaliates with missiles and drone attacks

As U.S. and Israeli strikes have pounded Iran, the Islamic Republic has retaliated with missiles and drone attacks on Israel and nearby Arab Gulf countries hosting U.S. forces.

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