Photos by Cristina Janney/Hays Post

Despite a chilly night, Hays residents lined Main Street for the annual FrostFest parade Sunday night.&nbsp;

All of the entries in the parade have to lighted.

This year's theme was "Timeless Traditions."

Watch the Hays Post for the release of this year's parade winners when they become available.

See photo galleries of these other Ellis County events from this weekend.

<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/a182d563-b12b-483f-91e9-1921b0a592bc">Ellis Polar Express</a>

<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/aad92a0e-ce8b-4308-9858-f752cef2dfd0">Christmas Past Open House at Historic Fort Hays</a>

📷 Hays FrostFest parade lights up night

The Bricks in Downtown Hays is pleased to announce the winners of the 25th Annual FrostFest Illuminated Parade, celebrating “Timeless Traditions” and a milestone 25 years of holiday magic&nbsp; on Main Street.

With more than 50 glowing entries and hundreds in attendance, this year’s parade was led by Werth Wealth Management, the 2025 FrostFest Grand Marshal. The Bricks also extends special appreciation to&nbsp; the City of Hays Convention &amp; Visitors Bureau for generously providing the prize money awarded to this year’s winners.

• Business Category: Water Resources Dept. – City of Hays

• Family &amp; Friends Category: Wooden Train from Victoria

• Non-Profit Category &amp; Judges’ Overall Pick: Donna Fleischacker (Old Fashioned Illuminated Buggy)

• People’s Choice Award: Immaculate Heart of Mary

“We were honored to have a diverse panel of judges this year, bringing a wide range of perspectives to the parade scoring,” said Lee Ann June, Executive Director. “The creativity and community spirit shown this year is nothing short of inspiring. Our participants pour their hearts into these displays, and our volunteers, judges, and community partners help bring this event to life. We are incredibly grateful for every person who plays a part in making FrostFest a ‘Timeless Tradition’ the community looks forward to&nbsp; year after year&nbsp;

In addition to the parade, the Christmas Magic on Main Street season continues with several upcoming events:

Upcoming Christmas Magic on Main Events

Customer Appreciation Weekend | Dec. 11–13 Celebrate a weekend dedicated to our incredible shoppers! Participating Downtown Dollar businesses will offer DOUBLE TICKETS all weekend long, giving shoppers twice the chance to win big in the

Downtown Dollar Giveaway. It’s the perfect time to support local businesses while boosting your entries.

Friday, December 12 | 5–7 PM – Union Pacific Park Enjoy free Clydesdale Wagonette Rides, visits with Santa &amp; Mrs. Claus, and hot cocoa, thanks to our generous sponsors.

Sunday, December 14 | 3 PM – Fox Theatre Catch a Christmas Classic Movie at The Fox Theatre, free entry, thanks to our movie sponsor. A family-friendly way to celebrate the season.

Saturday, December 20 | 5:05 PM – Facebook LIVE Drawing

Join us on Facebook Live for the Downtown Dollar Giveaway, where $4,000 in Downtown Dollars will be awarded. Shoppers can earn entries now through Dec. 20 simply by shopping participating businesses on The Bricks.

For full event details and list of sponsors, visit <a href="http://downtownhays.com">downtownhays.com</a>.

Bricks announces winners of 25th FrostFest parade

By CRISTINA JANNEY and TONY GUERRERO Hays Post

The Kansas Highway Patrol is on the scene of a train versus semi-truck accident at Vincent Road and Old Highway 40 east of Victoria.

The driver of the truck has been taken to HaysMed for treatment, but the driver's condition and name were not released.

An accident report is pending with the highway patrol. More infromation on this incident will be posted on the Hays Post as it becomes available.

Driver hospitalized after train collides with semi east of Victoria

By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays Post

On Dec. 16, the Kansas Supreme Court will hear an appeal from a Hays man convicted of murdering his wife.

Colby Trickle was convicted in 2023 of murdering his wife, Kristen Trickle, and interfering with law enforcement. The district court sentenced Trickle to a hard 50-year sentence.

On the morning of Oct. 31, 2019, 26-year-old Kristen Trickle&nbsp;<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/dc229296-d187-4557-9cd4-e18e936e0994">was found dead&nbsp;</a>of a gunshot wound to the head at her home. The 911 caller reported the incident as a suicide.

But according to then Assistant Ellis County Attorney Aaron Cunningham, investigators worked through the evidence and determined that Kristen was murdered, and they identified her husband, Colby, as the main suspect.

Investigators determined that 10 days before Kristen was found dead, Colby Trickle searched the internet for information on how to collect on her life insurance policy.

Colby Trickle was also engaged in an online affair at the time, according to investigators.

Investigators also learned that Colby Trickle collected on Kristen’s life insurance policies, and he spent all of the money in just a few months after her death.

During his allocution, Colby Trickle apologized for being a bad husband and son but continued to claim that he did not shoot his wife and that he was being “wrongfully persecuted.”

<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/0379c4b5-8e93-4dcb-8d83-cfb4b8537b90">SEE RELATED STORY: Hays man gets life for killing wife</a>

Chief Judge of the 23rd Judicial District Court, Glenn Braun presided over the trial. Braun has since retired.

Issues on review by the Supreme Court are whether: 1) the district court erred in allowing into evidence unreliable expert opinion that invaded the province of the jury; 

2) the prosecutor erred in asking questions and eliciting answers invading the province of the jury, diluting its burden of proof, and denying Trickle his state and federal right to due process; 

3) the district court erred in excluding Trickle’s lay suicide witness, denying him his state and federal rights to present a defense; 

4) the district court erred in admitting irrelevant and highly prejudicial evidence of a purchase made several months after the victim’s death; 

5) the district court failed to conform to the best evidence rule; 

6) bias on the part of the district court denied Trickle his due process rights to a fair trial and a neutral judge; 

7) the prosecution reversibly erred in closing arguments; and 

8) cumulative error deprived Trickle of a fair trial.

The Trickle case was featured on "48 Hours" in 2024.

<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/4c33423c-1f63-4d7b-98ec-a4ded347e85e">SEE RELATED STORY: 48 Hours to feature Hays death: 'Kristen Trickle Autopsy of the Mind'</a>

KS Supreme Court to hear appeal of Hays man convicted of murdering wife

94.3 FM / 1400 AM KAYS invites you to listen to Reindeer Radio and win! Each day Monday through Thursday we will give out a code word. Enter that word right here for your chance to win. The code word changes daily.

This week's feature sponsor is POPT! Gourmet Popcorn.

You could win a $250 gift card to use in their store!

🦌 WIN WITH REINDEER RADIO!

Ellis County Jail bookings: Nov. 30-Dec. 6, 2025

Ellis County Sheriff's activity log: Nov. 30-Dec. 6, 2025

By JOHN P. TRETBAR Eagle Media

Adjusted numbers from Kansas regulators show intent-to-drill notices increased by 51 in the month of November for a year-to-date total of 697 intents, up 134 intents from November of last year. An online search at the Kansas Corporation Commission Web site shows one new intent notice last month in Ellis County, three in Stafford County, and two each in Finney, Gove, and Haskell counties.

Regulators in The Sunflower State okayed eight new drilling permits this week with five in Western Kansas, including one new drilling location in Stafford County. That's 617 new drilling permits this year, compared with 1,071 by this time last year.

Operators completed 15 new wells in Kansas this week, or 1,042 so far this year. That's about two hundred wells behind last year at this time. Independent Oil and Gas Service reports ten new well-completions in Western Kansas, including one in Barton County, one in Stafford County, and two wells in Haskell County.

The Kansas Rig Count is down 23 percent from a month ago and is 58 percent lower than a year ago, but it's unchanged from last week. At 13 rigs, the tally from Independent Oil and Gas Service is down three east of Wichita, and up three at ten active rigs in Western Kansas. On Friday, operators in Stafford County report drilling about to begin on one lease, continuing on another, and about to wrap up on a third. Drilling is also reported on leases in Finney and Gove counties.

The weekly Rotary Rig Count from Baker Hughes is up six oil rigs for a total of 549 rigs nationwide. The report from Louisiana is up four rigs. New Mexico is up one.

Domestic crude production reports from the government surpassed 13.8 million barrels a day for the fourth week in a row and only the fourth time in history. The Energy Information Administration reports nationwide crude-oil production averages 13,815,000 barrels per day, up a thousand barrels a day from a week ago. Four-week average output is over 13.8 million, up three percent or nearly half a million daily barrels from a year ago. Cumulative output so far this year is nearly 13.5 million barrels a day.

Crude imports drop a few barrels below six million a day. That's down nearly half a million daily barrels from a week ago, 1.2 million barrels a day from a year ago, and down 1.5 million daily barrels from two years ago. The Energy Information Administration reports crude exports are up slightly to just over 3.6 million barrels a day.&nbsp; The four-week average is just over 3.5 million, which is down 15 percent from a year ago.

Commercial crude-oil inventories rose by 600,000 barrels compared to a week ago. At 427.5 million barrels, US stockpiles are up four million barrels from a year ago, but remain about three percent below the five-year seasonal average.

The government reports another 300,000 barrels in refills at the Strategic Petroleum Reserve, which has increased nearly 20 million barrels in the last year, and now totals just over 411 million barrels.

Between exports and A.I., US natural gas production is about to spike. A study published by one of the nation's biggest oil and gas producers asserts that power demand for Artificial Intelligence will likely boost natural gas production by ten to 15 percent in next five years or so. The Hamm Institute for American Energy says the A.I. demand spike will coincide with increased demand for Liquefied Natural Gas exports. Over the last decade the data center industry has added about 500 megawatts of new capacity each year. The study asserts that rate tripled in 2022, and has doubled again since then. Current construction suggests it will double again this year. The capacity added so far this year will surpass ten gigawatts, enough to power peak demand New York City.

By this time next year, the government plans to replace the Biden Administration's offshore energy leasing plan, the smallest ever published, with the Trump Administration's much larger program. The American Oil and Gas Reporter published details of the National Outer Continental Shelf Oil and Gas Leasing Program, which proposes 34 potential offshore lease sales and over one billion acres. That would include 21 new areas off the coast of Alaska, seven in the U.S. Gulf, and six along the Pacific Coast.

News from the Oil Patch: Record-level production continues for fourth week

Click&nbsp;<a href="https://hayspost.com/category/obituaries">HERE</a>&nbsp;to view the most recent obituaries and service times from our funeral home partners.

<a href="https://hayspost.com/pages/corrections-about-us">Click HERE for the Hays Post obituary policy.&nbsp;</a>

How to submit an obituary to the Hays Post

Please email obituaries to haysobits@eaglemedia.com.

Please allow up to 24 hours from the submission of the obituary for it to be posted on the Hays Post.&nbsp;

If you have questions, please contact Scarlett Deutscher at 785-301-2211.&nbsp;

If you have an issue outside of business hours or your obit has not been published within 24 hours, please email <a href="mailto:hayspost@eaglemedia.com" target="_blank">hayspost@eaglemedia.com</a> or call Cristina Janney, Hays Post editor, at 785-301-2077.&nbsp;

Recent obituaries, how to submit an obituary

The Hays Police Department is pleased to announce its participation in the Ellis County CARE (Creating Awareness, Responding Effectively) Alert Program.

This is a county-wide voluntary initiative designed to equip local first responders, including HPD officers, with critical, pre-registered information regarding residents with special needs during emergency situations.

The CARE program is a regional collaboration involving the Ellis County Sheriff’s Office, the Hays Police Department, the Ellis Police Department, the Victoria Police Department, and the Fort Hays State University Police Department.

The goal is to ensure a more informed, effective, and compassionate emergency response throughout Ellis County.

Under the program, at-risk individuals, their families, or caregivers can voluntarily complete an online registration form, sharing essential details about the resident.

This information is securely flagged within the public safety software utilized by the Ellis County Communications Center dispatchers and responding agencies.

Eligible participants include individuals with developmental, intellectual, or physical disabilities; those on the autism spectrum; residents experiencing mental health challenges; and those with cognitive impairments such as Alzheimer’s or dementia.

Collected data includes physical descriptions, medical conditions, allergies, and crucial communication preferences.

“The Ellis County CARE Alert Program is a vital tool that enhances our ability to serve every member of the community compassionately,” said City of Hays Chief of Police Don Scheibler. “By having access to pertinent details regarding a resident’s special needs or communication challenges before arriving on scene, our officers and county partners are better prepared to de-escalate situations, build immediate trust, and provide assistance tailored to that individual’s needs.”

The collected information remains confidential and is strictly utilized by authorized emergency personnel when a relevant incident arises.

To maintain data accuracy, registrations are set to expire annually, with participants receiving an automated reminder to update their information.

“We strongly encourage all Hays residents who meet the criteria to enroll in this county resource,” Scheibler said. “When registering, Hays participants should select the Hays Police Department as their local agency. This program provides an essential layer of safety and supports our mission to provide the most effective public service possible.”

Residents interested in enrolling or seeking more information about the CARE Alert Program can complete the online registration form at www.ellisco.net/757/CARE or contact Ellis County Communications via phone at 785-625-1011 or email at CARE@ellisco.net.

Hays Police Department joins Ellis County CARE Alert Program

Kansas Department of Transportation

TOPEKA — The Kansas Department of Transportation announces approved bids for state highway construction and maintenance projects. The letting took place Nov. 19, 2025, in Topeka. Some of the bids may include multiple projects that have been bundled based on proximity and type of work.

NW Kansas counties awarded KDOT bids for state highway construction, maintenance

A decorated U.S. Army Colonel and combat veteran, Kansas State Representative Pat Proctor,&nbsp;representing the 41st House District,&nbsp; is running for Secretary of State.

Come hear his plan for Kansas on Tuesday, December 9, at 6:30 p.m. in the Trails Room of the Memorial Union at Fort Hays State University. 

He is hosted&nbsp;by FHSU College Republicans.

<a target="_blank" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/DR2znn-kreA/?igsh=dXFjanh2bjBodDB2">https://www.instagram.com/p/DR2znn-kreA/?igsh=dXFjanh2bjBodDB2</a>

Kansas Secretary of State candidate Pat Proctor to speak at Fort Hays State University

Join our new Hays Post Newsletter and receive the top news stories from your community every morning in your email inbox plus one-click access to the latest obituaries.&nbsp;

Sign up for free Hays Post Newsletter

The Ellis County Ministerial Alliance (ECMA) will have its monthly meeting at noon Wednesday, Dec. 10, at First Call for Help of Ellis County, 607 E. 13th&nbsp;St.

Anyone wishing to make a presentation to the group must make prior arrangements by contacting the ECMA president, Cheryl Glassman, at&nbsp;<a href="mailto:president@ourecma.com">president@ourecma.com</a>.

Ellis County Ministerial Alliance sets December meeting

Fort Hays State University will recognize approximately 981 graduates for the fall commencement on Friday (in person) and Saturday, Dec. 12-13, for the virtual ceremonies.

Graduates who have chosen to participate in person will be honored in two ceremonies on Friday at Gross Memorial Coliseum (GMC). All graduates will be recognized in two virtual ceremonies on Saturday.

The ceremonies will begin at 8:30 a.m. (central time) on Friday for undergraduate and master’s candidates in the Robbins College of Business and Entrepreneurship, the College of Health and Behavioral Sciences, and the Werth College of Science, Technology, and Mathematics.

The 11 a.m. ceremony will be held for the College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences and the College of Education, honoring undergraduate, master’s, and Ed.S. candidates.

Saturday’s virtual ceremonies will begin at 2 p.m. for the Ed.S. and master’s students. The undergraduate virtual ceremony will follow at 4 p.m.&nbsp;&nbsp;

All ceremonies – in-person and virtual – will be broadcast on the Tiger Media Network (<a target="_blank" href="https://link.mediaoutreach.meltwater.com/ls/click?upn=u001.EWtdXdo3nx3t8ZlvSfKX0aUTrZUkCBF5-2Bwz-2F2-2FlggJ2tC25tLyyU758yaYV0K7ynpi6-2FB-2F0T0nosQeX9aa5b8Q-3D-3DXoSu_1ix3pnygukYWZfKiCJpm8BsHsayWXlw0ucteiDEo46fRc0p9DVWJmv2prlqkbHR6S2dsrJiXPEopagJAn55fgrGOya21Ubchf288oY8AFP4iYaBJwhylwdd5l9F7UOfOTStA1TVXnUTL-2FN4IihJRlpFvH4-2FanCy6lV6Ruf9aJvbAi22Auv-2Bw8aFwIrRb-2BIle-2FGdCqLckaTvUimYc-2Bw8zprL8noPkpRRTbTSEUxp9EO9NiivC9QhHl0fRqbTXDXiSzWmaaBp41i-2B9Kn7DwFzAWRfunfVxUvPA83JAwzoiYogC0pCp3xZR3ZDDHMXR1eDWUDIeuKP-2F4leZ3SL0-2B8S2zazgMaQXYdo6sKBMphm8Lt5pVbPazYryZnUkuc8scRF6">https://www.youtube.com/@TigerMediaNetwork</a>)

The in-person commencement ceremonies will be broadcast live at&nbsp;&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://link.mediaoutreach.meltwater.com/ls/click?upn=u001.EWtdXdo3nx3t8ZlvSfKX0aUTrZUkCBF5-2Bwz-2F2-2FlggJ2tC25tLyyU758yaYV0K7ynpi6-2FB-2F0T0nosQeX9aa5b8Q-3D-3DEyr__1ix3pnygukYWZfKiCJpm8BsHsayWXlw0ucteiDEo46fRc0p9DVWJmv2prlqkbHR6S2dsrJiXPEopagJAn55fgrGOya21Ubchf288oY8AFP4iYaBJwhylwdd5l9F7UOfOTStA1TVXnUTL-2FN4IihJRlpFvH4-2FanCy6lV6Ruf9aJvbAi22Auv-2Bw8aFwIrRb-2BIle-2FGdCqLckaTvUimYc-2Bw8zpofLy5lZhI4-2BwvxqTszfaKOp-2BZHXJXtgT-2F99qvTHTuBTWr8zLoQSIrsup4IGOBGjUg44G-2FVwXiS0G4rAdGeWuY93bSfrHE4dMTGu4tHghfMpVt8guUkuhv7QOrywzIhtzuNgXVed4ov42qaPnynAx3AglouAQaIBUm4q8078No-2FJ">https://www.youtube.com/@TigerMediaNetwork</a>.

The commencement schedule, maps, directions, links to accommodations in Hays, and general information can be found at&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://link.mediaoutreach.meltwater.com/ls/click?upn=u001.EWtdXdo3nx3t8ZlvSfKX0cdeTry58ih-2F0ByFBW-2FXzaO2dfEgAhUEeT4iu401VQSaRs_3_1ix3pnygukYWZfKiCJpm8BsHsayWXlw0ucteiDEo46fRc0p9DVWJmv2prlqkbHR6S2dsrJiXPEopagJAn55fgrGOya21Ubchf288oY8AFP4iYaBJwhylwdd5l9F7UOfOTStA1TVXnUTL-2FN4IihJRlpFvH4-2FanCy6lV6Ruf9aJvbAi22Auv-2Bw8aFwIrRb-2BIle-2FGdCqLckaTvUimYc-2Bw8zpk5ylbdtLiMpk9hcF-2Bj3WNCEy2taTkiT4sNIpzIxh2yaYz1Gjwo93V-2BxMQZ-2F-2BS0IRNbiKvp1rmfBRgdcWN38sQQ1XoRd-2Bpe-2BMr7XlUldWJYIZi4yTv2rrcdojvcuQIAH-2B59hfubkecCWAO36jvA1OTj-2BEPLP70jFXNbr482HbEEk">www.fhsu.edu/commencement/</a>.

FHSU fall commencement set for Dec. 12, 13

The United Way of Ellis County announces the opening of the 2026 CARE Council application process.

The application deadline has been extended to Dec. 19.

Any&nbsp;501(c)(3) that provides services in Ellis County is eligible to apply. The services must meet one of the three&nbsp;criteria of education, health, and financial stability.

The CARE Council is made up of 12 community volunteers who review the applications to determine funding for&nbsp;the United Way of Ellis County, City of Hays social service funds and alcohol tax funds, and Ellis County&nbsp;alcohol tax funds.

The online application for funding can be found at&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://liveunited.us/apply2026">https://liveunited.us/apply2026</a>.

Deadline for submission is now Friday, December 19.

For questions, please contact Janelle VanKooten,&nbsp; executive director, at 785-628-8281 or info@liveunited.us.

Deadline extended to Dec. 19 for United Way CARE Council applications

High Plains Mental Health Center is launching a new event to help take some of the stress out of holiday shopping – and all proceeds will benefit an important community project.

An all-new “12 Days of Christmas” holiday auction will launch online Dec. 1, running through Dec. 12. All proceeds will help raise money to support development of a Crisis Intervention Center in Hays to serve Northwest Kansas adults experiencing mental health or substance use crisis.

Each day will feature a new round of holiday gift items and themed gift baskets, each available from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. for one day only. Items will be gift wrapped and can be delivered locally in northwest Kansas or shipped directly to the recipient's address. (Shipping charges may apply if costs exceed $10.) The online auction format will feature gifts and donations from throughout the 20 counties served by High Plains Mental Health Center.

“If you have holiday shopping to do, let us make it easier while supporting an important cause,” said James Gerstner, development officer. “We’ll take care of the prep, wrapping and delivery and you get to go into the holidays knowing you helped fellow Kansans struggling with mental health challenges.”

Register now at <a href="https://event.auctria.com/f156e88c-b3c2-4933-8e1e-b69c72f3f7e8/">https://auctria.events/12DaysOfChristmas</a> and keep watching for further updates and exciting new gift items to be added. There will be something for everybody! Donations are continuing to come in from northwest Kansas, and we appreciate the community’s generosity and support of our mission.

About the Crisis Intervention Center

Opening in early 2026, the Crisis Intervention Center will provide lifesaving and life-changing, no-cost psychiatric treatment for adults experiencing mental health or substance use crises. The facility will provide 24/7/365 stabilization services, starting with capacity for 16 patients with room to expand. Owned and operated by High Plains Mental Health Center, it will be the nearest point of access for families across a 30-county region of Kansas.

The CIC will reduce the waitlist for admissions at Larned State Hospital and improve patient outcomes by providing prompt medical attention when it’s needed most. The CIC will save lives and change lives, while also reducing the current burden on rural law enforcement and emergency rooms. Currently, many rural patients experiencing psychiatric or substance use crises are held in emergency rooms and jails due to lack of better alternatives.

“This facility will be a vital resource for individuals facing mental health and substance use crises. Too often, those in crisis find themselves in emergency rooms unequipped to provide the specialized care they need or, even worse, in jail due to a lack of appropriate alternatives,” said Craig Poe, executive director of High Plains Mental Health Center. “The CIC will change that by offering immediate stabilization, treatment, and support in a safe, therapeutic environment that upholds the dignity of every individual.”

To get involved or make a donation to support the CIC, visit <a href="https://donatehighplains.com/">donatehighplains.com</a>, email us at donate@hpmh.com or visit <a href="https://event.auctria.com/f156e88c-b3c2-4933-8e1e-b69c72f3f7e8/">https://auctria.events/12DaysOfChristmas</a> to participate in the holiday auction. Donors of more than $500 will be recognized with a plaque on our mobile donor recognition wall.

Online holiday gift auction will raise money for Crisis Intervention Center opening in Hays

&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

On Tuesday, December 16 from 6 p.m. - 7 p.m. , we will be having a Drive-Through Caroling Night combined with a food drive at Roosevelt Elementary School, 2000 MacArthur Street. 

 Our students and families will line the Roosevelt drive and will collect any food items or other donations anyone is able to provide.  We will be singing Christmas carols for them to enjoy while driving through. 

 Even if someone is not able to donate, we still want community members to drive through and enjoy the Christmas carols

Drive-through Caroling Night Dec. 16 at Roosevelt School includes food drive

Join the Kansas Wetlands Education Center staff in celebrating the Christmas season with a Holiday Open House from 9 a.m. to noon on Saturday, Dec. 13.

The KWEC gift store is stocked with perfect gift selections for any nature enthusiast. Visitors can take advantage of a 40 percent discount on one item, excluding consignment items. Find the hidden Christmas Goose and be entered into a drawing for a $50 gift certificate.

Visitors of all ages will have the opportunity to decorate bird-shaped sugar cookies that resemble birds that visit Cheyenne Bottoms. Information about some of the winter birds commonly found in the area will also be presented. In addition, participants can create a unique eagle ornament to take home.&nbsp;Bald eagles are a common sight at Cheyenne Bottoms in the winter.&nbsp;

This year, we're also adding a festive twist to the nature trail.&nbsp;Three beautiful stained-glass bird ornaments will be hidden along the path, waiting to be discovered.&nbsp;If you find one, it's yours to keep as a special holiday treasure.&nbsp;Take a stroll, enjoy the winter scenery, and see if you can spot these colorful surprises during your visit.

No registration is required for this free, family-friendly event.&nbsp;Kick start your holiday spirit with a visit to the Kansas Wetlands Education Center.&nbsp;For more information, visit wetlandscenter.fhsu.edu or call 1-877-243-9268.

The Kansas Wetlands Education Center, affiliated with FHSU's Werth College of Science, Technology and Mathematics, is located 10 miles northeast of K-156 Hwy. Great Bend, Kan. 67530.

Kansas Wetlands Education Center’s 2025 Holiday Open House

By LINN ANN HUNTINGTON Special to the Hays Post

Three Hays churches are collaborating to present the annual “Blue Christmas Service” at 6 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 10, at First Presbyterian Church, 2900 Hall St.

In addition to First Presbyterian, the other two churches are St. Michael’s Episcopal Church and Trinity Lutheran Church.

The Rev. Brenda Roger, pastor at Trinity, said, “While society pushes this to be 'the most wonderful time of the year,’ that isn't true for everyone. For many, it doesn't matter how festive and bright the surroundings are or how joy-filled and triumphantly we sing the familiar hymns; people can be weighed down by their own circumstances with loss, grief, and despair.&nbsp;&nbsp;

“The Blue Christmas Service offers a safe space to mourn the losses past and present and acknowledge those feelings that keep us from feeling jolly and bright during this season.”

The service will last an hour and will include music, scripture readings, and prayers. A combined choir from the three churches will be featured, under the direction of Ash McKinley, director of sacred music at St. Michael’s.

The Rev. Ben Houchen, pastor at First Presbyterian and St. Michael’s, said there will be an opportunity for attendees to light memorial candles from one central candle.

Houchen said, “The Advent season is one of anticipation. For some, that anticipation is joyous and bright. Others wait in more somber spaces. Pain, loss, and the weight of this life hang heavy on them. Oftentimes that weight can feel like a wedge between us and this time of Christmas cheer.

“The Blue Christmas service is an invitation into this season on more tender terms. It is a service where we encourage people to enter and exit quietly,” he added.

&nbsp;Roger stressed that the community is invited to attend. “This is a service for everyone, as we have all suffered a loss of some kind.”

'Blue Christmas Service' to be held Dec. 10 at Hays First Presbyterian Church; all invited 

WASHINGTON (AP) — President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;announced a $12 billion farm aid package on Monday — a boost to farmers who have struggled to sell their crops while getting hit by rising costs after the president raised&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/tariffs">tariffs</a>&nbsp;on China as part of a broader trade war.

He unveiled the plan Monday afternoon at a White House roundtable with Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins, lawmakers and farmers who raise cattle and grow corn, cotton, sorghum, soybeans, rice, wheat, and potatoes.

“$12 billion is a lot of money,” Trump said, adding that the additional aid will help provide certainty for farmers. The money is coming from tariff revenue, he said.

Rollins said that $11 billion is being announced on Monday, while another $1 billion is being held back for specialty crops as the administration works to better understand the circumstances for those farmers. The aid will move by the end of next February, Rollins said.

“We looked at how they were hurt, to what extent they were hurt,” Trump said in explaining how the administration came up with the size of the package. “We figured out a very exact number, and it was about $12 billion.”

Farmers have backed Trump politically, but his aggressive trade policies and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-tariffs-coffee-beef-fruit-4fe084c2724ec6d92096efa263fdcf76">frequently changing tariff rates</a>&nbsp;have come under increasing scrutiny because of the impact on the agricultural sector and because of broader consumer worries.

Upwards of $11 billion is set aside for the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Farmer Bridge Assistance program, which the White House says will offer one-time payments to farmers for row crops.

Soybeans and sorghum were hit the hardest by the trade dispute with China because more than half of those crops are exported each year with most of the harvest going to China.

The aid is meant to help farmers who have suffered from trade wars with other nations, inflation, and other market disruptions. The rest of the money will be for farmers who grow crops not covered under the bridge assistance program, according to a White House official who was granted anonymity ahead of the formal announcement to detail the new plan. The money is intended to offer certainty to farmers as they sell their current harvest, as well as plan for next year’s crop.

In October, after Trump met Chinese leader Xi Jinping in South Korea, the White House said Beijing had promised to buy at least 12 million metric tons of U.S. soybeans by the end of the calendar year, plus 25 million metric tons a year in each of the next three years. Soybean farmers have been hit especially hard by Trump’s trade war with China, which is the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/president-donald-trump-tariffs-agriculture-china-d5674c21e240acdc72cde76e474f172a">world’s largest buyer</a>&nbsp;of soybeans.

China has purchased more than 2.8 million metric tons of soybeans since Trump announced the agreement at the end of October. That’s only about one quarter of what administration officials said China had promised, but Bessent has said China is on track to meet its goal by the end of February.

“These prices haven’t come in, because the Chinese actually used our soybean farmers as pawns in the trade negotiations,” Bessent said on CBS’ “Face the Nation,” explaining why a “bridge payment” to farmers was needed.

The size of the $12 billion aid package is roughly the value of total U.S. soybean exports to China in 2024 and half of the total exports of U.S. farm goods to China in 2024.

Farmers appreciate the aid package, but they say it’s likely only a down payment on what’s needed and government aid doesn’t solve the fundamental problems farmers are facing of soaring costs and uncertain markets for their crops. During Trump’s first term, he gave farmers more than $22 billion in aid payments in 2019 at the start of his trade war with China and nearly $46 billion in 2020, although that year also included aid related to the COVID pandemic.

But farmers want to make a profit off of selling their crops -- not rely on government aid to survive.

“That’s a start, but I think we need to be looking for some avenues to find other funding opportunities and we need to get our markets going. That’s where we want to be able to make a living from,” said Caleb Ragland, the Kentucky farmer who serves as president of the American Soybean Association.

If farmers can’t make ends meet this year, there will likely be additional consolidation in the industry with giant industrial farms only getting bigger while the number of smaller family farmers continues to shrink. The farmers most at risk are younger farmers and those who rent -- instead of own -- most of the ground they farm because they don’t have much ability to borrow against the equity in their land.

Most established farmers will be able to borrow more to survive the trade war. But older farmers who spent their whole lives building up equity may decide to retire instead of risk everything they built up unless they are trying to help the next generation of farmers get established on their land.

Iowa farmer Robb Ewoldt is in a difficult position because he only owns 160 of the 2,000 acres he farms. So he’s selling some of his equipment that’s not essential and looking into whether he can pick up some overnight trucking jobs to help raise some cash.

“It is to the point where I don’t want to saddle my kid with the kind of stress that my wife and I are under right now,” Ewoldt said.

Trump has also been under pressure to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-beef-justice-department-c6c57effee6ef1a8c1088d4e5edcc60a">address soaring beef prices</a>, which have hit records for a number of reasons. Demand for beef has been strong at a time when drought has cut U.S. herds and imports from Mexico are down due to a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/screwworm-mexico-cattle-tariffs-parasite-nuevo-leon-649a82dedfa81dc215aebba16bb8cc67">resurgence in a parasite</a>. Trump has said he would allow for more imports of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/beef-argentina-us-consumers-prices-f7fadbe1b3fef4646f9c3623f901209a">Argentine beef</a>.

He also had asked the Department of Justice to investigate foreign-owned meat packers he accused of driving up&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/us-news/beef-prices-rising-us">the price of beef</a>, although he has not provided evidence to back his claims.

On Saturday, Trump signed an executive order directing the Justice Department and Federal Trade Commission to look at “anti-competitive behavior” in food supply chains — including seed, fertilizer and equipment — and consider taking enforcement actions or developing new regulations.

Funk reported from Omaha, Nebraska. Associated Press writers Michelle L. Price in Washington, Bill Barrow in Atlanta and Jack Dura in Bismarck, North Dakota contributed to this report.

🎥President Trump details the $12B aid package for farmers

ATCHISON COUNTY—Law enforcement are investigating a suspect on multiple allegations after a traffic stop.

Just after 1a.m.&nbsp;Monday, an officer on patrol conducted a traffic stop in the 500 block South 6th Street in Atchison, according to Police Chief Mike Wilson. The driver 34-year-old Megan McClain, was taken into custody on traffic charges and found to be in possession of controlled substances.

McClain was later booking into the county jail on requested charges of driving while suspended, no vehicle insurance, expired tag, possession of marijuana, and unlawful possession of a prescription drugs, according to Wilson.

Police: Kansas driver with an expired tag was transporting drugs

WASHINGTON (AP) — The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/us-supreme-court">Supreme Court</a>&nbsp;on Monday seemed likely to expand presidential&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-trump-executive-power-firing-0b2e5e38911f17059187a92eb533b273">control over independent federal agencies</a>, signaling support for President Donald Trump’s firing of board members.

<a href="https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/audio/2025/25-332">Click here for a replay</a> of the Supreme Court oral argument

The court’s conservative majority suggested it would overturn a unanimous&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/humphreys-executor-supreme-court-trump-independent-agencies-8facfe6107fa94b28f391734d1620fe4">90-year-old decision</a>&nbsp;that has limited when presidents can fire agencies’ board members — in part to try to ensure decision making free of political influence — or leave it with only its shell intact.

Justice Brett Kavanaugh said the crux of the issue is that the officials who direct the agencies “are exercising massive power over individual liberty and billion-dollar industries” without being accountable to anyone.

Liberal justices warned that a ruling sought by the administration to overturn the decision known as Humphrey's Executor would give the president, as Justice Elena Kagan said, “massive unchecked, uncontrolled power.”

Agencies that have been in place for a century or more also would be robbed of their expertise, Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson said.

“So having a President come in and fire all the scientists and the doctors and the economists and the PhDs and replacing them with loyalists and people who don’t know anything is actually not in the best interest of the citizens of the United States,” Jackson said.

No president before Trump has sought to wrest control of the agencies that regulate wide swaths of American life, including nuclear energy, product safety and labor relations. But the six conservatives, including three appointed by Trump, seemed more concerned about issuing a ruling that would endure than handing too much power to Trump.

Their rhetoric was reminiscent of the presidential immunity case in 2024 that allowed Trump to avoid prosecution for his efforts to undo the 2020 election results. The court is writing a decision “for the ages,” Justice Neil Gorsuch said then.

Solicitor General D. John Sauer, who argued the immunity case for Trump, defended&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">the president's</a>&nbsp;decision to fire Federal Trade Commission member&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-ftc-supreme-court-dbe174d342817e1ae84bce3e9c40bd48">Rebecca Slaughter</a>&nbsp;without cause and called on the court to jettison Humphrey's Executor.

Sauer said the decision “hasn't withstood the test of time” and had enabled a “headless fourth branch” of government, the administrative state that conservatives and business interests have been taking aim at for decades.

Chief Justice John Roberts referred to Humphrey’s Executor as “a dried husk.”

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