By TONY GUERRERO Hays Post

From a small town to international flights and her own business, Ashli Dryden's journey shows how far passion and willingness to take risks can take you.

Dryden was born and raised in Hays, where she graduated from Fort Hays State University in 2015, earning a bachelor’s degree in general studies.

She worked for more than a decade in the wholesale beauty industry, beginning with <a href="https://stores.saloncentric.com/ks/hays/4612">SalonCentric in Hays</a>, 715 Main St., in 2013. She then transferred to a San Diego-based store in 2016.

Dryden would go on to gain experience working with L’Oréal Professionnel and alongside some of the world’s most prestigious hair and makeup artists.

"If it weren't for Hays and it weren't for that career, I definitely would not be doing what I'm doing today," Dryden said.

She spent about seven years living in California, where she also worked in runway and hair modeling. Dryden said she expected the move would be easy, but it took several years to adjust, especially when driving.

"I remember being terrified and holding the steering wheel with two hands. It was just so different," she said. "You go from a two-lane highway to a freeway that has six different lanes."

She later became a flight attendant and moved to Miami in June 2024, following airline training, saying she was ready for something different.

"I finally got accommodated to a new city and a new career. I'm absolutely loving it, and I think I'll definitely stay as a flight attendant forever," she said.

Today, Dryden balances her work as a flight attendant with running her own beauty consulting and glam coordination business, <a href="https://mycosmeticconcierge.com/">Cosmetic Concierge</a>, based in Florida, while continuing to travel internationally.

She said flight attending gives her flexibility and free time, allowing her to stay connected to the beauty industry rather than stepping away from it entirely.

"I'm the type of person who thrives off continuously being busy. I love the chaos, and I love doing what I do," Dryden said.

As a flight attendant, Dryden travels domestically and internationally, which includes destinations such as the Caribbean, Brazil, Paris and Tokyo.

Depending on the trip and length of her layovers, this gives her the chance to experience different cities and cultures.

Dryden operates Cosmetic Concierge independently, offering beauty consulting and glam coordination services for special events, such as weddings.

"My job is to take that stress off of them. I provide them with a curated portfolio of artists so they don't have to search, and from there, they pick who they want. I handle all the logistics when it comes to booking and the day of," she said.

If that wasn't enough, Dryden maintains business-focused social media accounts where she shares beauty tips, product recommendations and promotes her services.

She is active on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61574914872005#">Facebook</a>, <a href="https://www.instagram.com/_cosmeticconcierge/">Instagram</a>&nbsp;and <a href="https://www.youtube.com/@CosmeticConcierge">YouTube</a>. She said it initially felt overwhelming, but has since become one of her favorite parts of her work.

"I have not missed a day since I started last January. The key is really just to post consistently every day," Dryden said.

Dryden said growing up in a small town sparked her desire to explore the world, but she still returns to Hays every other month to reconnect with those who have supported her along the way.

Dryden gives thanks to her family, SalonCentric and FHSU for her success. She graduated from Hays High School in 2010.

"I love going back to visit. It always keeps me grounded with my roots," she said.

Dryden encourages others to pursue their dreams and never give up, especially when it comes to following their passions.

From Hays to the world: Ashli Dryden builds life of travel, beauty, business

Reporter Cristina Janney speaks with Doug Williams of Grow Hays about the potential economic impacts of the proposed Tallgrass solar development in Ellis County.

By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays Post

In an interview on the Hays Morning Blend on Friday, Doug Williams of Grow Hays said he thought the proposed Tallgrass solar facility could have a positive economic impact on Ellis County.

Developer ibV has requested a conditional-use permit from the county to locate the $275 million solar facility on pasture land in the southwest portion of the county.

"It would have a very positive impact on the community here in Ellis County, economically," Williams said, "from a number of aspects."

The county commission is negotiating with ibV for a payment-in-lieu-of-taxes (PILOT) agreement for the first 10 years the project is operational.

IbV expects the facility's lifespan to be about 35 years.

Those negotiations are ongoing, but the agreement could be in the hundreds of thousands of dollars based on a similar agreement made with the Buckeye Wind Farm.

After 10 years, the facility would return to the tax rolls. Property taxes on the facility would be collected locally by the county, the Hays school district and the rural fire district.

Strategic Economic Research developed an economic impact study for ibV, estimating that 148 new jobs would be created locally during construction and 17 in the long term, which Williams said would benefit the local economy.

"All those things have a good impact on our local economy and are really things that we are looking at bringing into our community," Williams said.&nbsp;

"I know there has been some pushback and concern about different aspects," he said.

However, he noted the wind farms in this area were also controversial when they were built.

Williams acknowledged residents have expressed concerns about the facility's ecological impacts.

He said the facility will have weather monitoring and the ability to tilt the solar panels to minimize hail damage.

"I think the ecological imapct are rather minor," he said.

"For 100 years, we have been pumping oil in this community. We are the No. 1 oil-producing community in the state of Kansas. Think about the economic impact that oil has had on this community over the last 100 years."

Landowners receive royalties, and operators and service companies earn profits.

"It's massive," Williams said. "Certainly, there are some ecological issues of oil production. That is one of the things that comes with it.

"I certainly hope the county gets behind it, and this occurs because it could be another project among many we have going on in the county right now."

If the county approves the ibV permit, the developer estimates construction on the project will begin in 2027, with about 18 months until completion in 2028.

"This is obviously not a new technology, but we have a great appetite for energy in this country," Williams said. "What we have out in this neck of the woods is sunshine and wind, and under the ground, we have oil.&nbsp;

"Being an exporter of energy and employing people locally to produce that service and that product, I think, is a definite win for Ellis County."

IbV is negotiating with the county to establish an escrow account to pay for road repairs or improvements required by the construction of the facility. A bond will also be required to cover the cost of decommissioning the site.

"From what I have watched and their copious answering of questions, they really addressed all of the questions, and it really gets down to there are certain people who would prefer it not to be here," Williams said.

"It's their right to prefer that, but I think, in the long run, from an economic standpoint, we would be well-served by projects like this."

<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/3f26edb4-f272-41dc-998b-51e7e232db76">IbV has&nbsp;</a><a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/3f26edb4-f272-41dc-998b-51e7e232db76" target="_blank">scheduled two open houses for the proposed solar facility on Thursday, Jan. 22</a>, from noon to 2 p.m. and from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.,&nbsp;at Gella’s venue room.

This will be in a station-type setting where community members can engage directly with the Tallgrass Development team on specific areas of interest, such as engineering, environmental, community benefits and solar technology.

<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/43b108f6-bc5c-46de-969e-92813c1887e5">SEE RELATED STORY: Ellis Planning Commission sends solar project to Ellis County Commission</a>

<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/2f5f583f-6095-43e9-a234-d29443c480cb">SEE RELATED STORY: Neighbor expresses frustration at solar project's approval&nbsp;</a>

<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/192f7103-1ca0-4e59-9e45-901190d51f50">SEE RELATED STORY: Solar developer answers Ellis County Commission questions</a>

🎙 Williams: Solar facility could have positive economic impact on Ellis County

During the 1960s there was an oil boom in Morrow County, Ohio where we grew up, and either there were no regulations on anything or no one followed them, because oil rigs appeared on tiny patches of ground barely big enough to contain the equipment, and the drilling rigs were so thick and close together, that at night the countryside looked like the Emerald City. 

A company drilled a well on our place and told Dad they hit oil, but one morning we awoke to find everything gone, oil tank and oil included, without him ever seeing a cent.

 The area was left a mess, with lengths of oil well pipe, huge wooden timbers and chunks of steel cable laying everywhere in the weeds. The oil company never came back to clean up their mess, but Dad had decided to get something for our trouble in case they did, so he hooked onto several long well-casing pipes and drug them to a fencerow behind the barn.

One of our favorite winter pastimes was rabbit hunting. We didn’t have a dog so we’d just wonder through the woods and along fencerows looking for tracks and rootin’ through weed and briar patches to kick out rabbits hiding therein. 

One snowy Saturday afternoon we departed on a rabbit hunting excursion that followed our usual route, starting behind the barn and turning right at the end of a short pasture, then following a drainage ditch that was overgrown on both sides with all manner of briars, blackberries and other stellar rabbit hiding places. 

Several inches of soft snow made for slow going, but the snow made rabbit tracks show up like chocolate chips in pancakes.&nbsp;The drainage ditch ran for a couple hundred yards and where it ended against the next fencerow was where the highjacked oil well pipes resided.

&nbsp;Rabbit tracks littered the ground all around the pipes; one pipe in particular had a highway of tracks going into one end but none going out the other. A quick glance inside showed complete darkness, telling us Brer Rabbit was certainly holed up inside. Eureka!

But it seemed terribly unsportsman-like, even to us, just to shoot him in the pipe, not to mention a complete waste of tasty rabbit meat, so how would we get him out? 

Surely pounding on the outside of the pipe would get him moving. With Ralph standing near one end, his old 12-gauge cannon at the ready, I proceeded to jump around on the pipe. I tapdanced, kicked, beat and pounded all up anddown one end of the pipe, but nothing. 

Since we couldn’t actually see him in there, maybe he was facing the other direction, we thought, so we traded ends and tried again; still nothing. Somewhere we found a long stick of some sort that reached part way through the pipe. While Ralph stood on guard, I poked and prodded from both ends, but still nothing! Curses! We were getting nowhere! 

Then suddenly I had a two-word epiphany that would solve our problem -John Deere!

We hiked back to the barn, started the old JD 3010 with a loader on front and headed through the snow back to the pipe. As we chugged along, we could almost taste the freshly fried rabbit, as surely no cottontail alive could keep its footing inside an oil well pipe with one end hoisted toward the sky. 

I swung the tractor around in front of the offending pipe, slid the loader bucket beneath it and lifted it a few feet in the air, all the while awaiting the thunder of Ralph’s old 12-gauge as Brer came sliding out the other end. 

Nothing. So I hoisted the pipe even higher, and still nothing. What? Had we found a bionic bunny with 4-wheel drive? 

I dropped the pipe back into the snow, pulled it away from the fence and slid the bucket under the other end. This would surely do it, we figured. 

Once again, I raised the pipe, awaiting the roar of the 12-gauge, and once again, nothing. I tried it all. Jerking the pipe up and down, dropping it onto the ground with a thud, even sticking one loader tine into the end and whipping it up and down like a symphony conductor’s baton, all with the same results…nothing!

&nbsp;If ol’ Brer was in there, I suppose by then he was either dead or passed out from fright. It was about then the realization hit us that whatever was blocking the pipe might not be a rabbit, but a clod of dirt dad scooped up when he dragged the pipe to its new home, a nest of some sort or maybe a dead possum. 

Lucky for us it was not a skunk! I have a friend that was bit by a skunk that came sliding out of an irrigation pipe. Anyway, whatever was in there was either inanimate or dead and was not going to taste real good fried, so we accepted defeat and moved on.

Guys stake down old barrels in lakes as lairs for catfish, often noodling big flatheads out of them during the summer. Maybe we should have looked into renting out our oil well pipes to neighbors as “cottontail condos,” accepting a bunny or two each year as payment. 

With all the forgotten, left-behind oil well pipes there must have been in that county, we could have had dozens, perhaps hundreds of cottontail condo rentals. We could have become real estate moguls while we were still in high school! Yup, I can see it all now: Cottontail Condos, the full taste of the wild for only half the work! 

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

Explore Kansas Outdoors: Farm kid rabbit hunting

National Agricultural Aviation Association

ALEXANDRIA, VA — The National Agricultural Aviation Association (NAAA) is pleased to announce that Tim Tyree, Kinsley, will serve as the 2026 NAAA Secretary. Tyree brings decades of industry experience and a collaborative mindset to the officer role. 

He is the founder of <a href="https://www.tyreeag.com/">Tyree Ag</a>, an independent, family-owned agricultural input business serving producers across Kansas and Oklahoma, with locations in Kinsley, Kansas, and Laverne, Oklahoma. Tyree Ag offers a full suite of services, including aerial and ground application, agronomy, seed, fertilizer and parts sales.

Tyree began his career as a crop consultant and agronomist in central Kansas. His path soon expanded into aviation when he worked for a local agricultural pilot, during which time he learned to fly. By 2000, Tyree launched Tyree Ag, initially conducting all aerial application services himself before hiring additional pilots and shifting his focus to sales and agronomy as the business grew.

Today, Tyree Ag employs approximately 25 people across its two locations and he emphasized that the company’s success is directly tied to the success of its customers, noting that strong, long-term relationships are built through consistent performance and trust over time.

Tyree has long been active in industry leadership through the Kansas Agricultural Aviation Association (KAAA), the Oklahoma Agricultural Aviation Association (OAAA) and NAAA. He served on the OAAA Board, held multiple leadership roles within KAAA, and remains deeply engaged at the national level. Tyree values NAAA for the insight it provides on regulatory, labeling and technology issues and believes increased membership and engagement are essential to the industry’s future.

Grounded by his family and guided by the belief that “agriculture is a relationship business,” Tyree credits NAAA with connecting him to an industry that unites his passions for agriculture and aviation. As NAAA Secretary, he is committed to strengthening collaboration, supporting innovation and fostering meaningful relationships across the industry to ensure a strong future for agricultural aviation and the customers it serves.

Kinsley pilot serving as National Agricultural Aviation Association secretary

The Main Street Arts Council is pleased to present the&nbsp;Northwest Kansas Regional Choir Premiere Concert, a special musical event celebrating choral music in Northwest Kansas. The concert will take place on Sunday, January 25, at 3:00 p.m. CST at Bottle KAP Studios, located at 721 Main Street in Hoxie.

This premiere performance will feature the newly formed Northwest Kansas Regional Choir under the direction of Kathryn Tremblay, with Sally Cameron serving as accompanist. The concert marks an important debut for the ensemble and offers audiences an opportunity to experience high-quality choral music in an intimate, local setting.

Admission to the concert is offered as a free will donation, making the event accessible to the entire community. Community members, families, and music supporters are encouraged to attend and support the arts in northwest Kansas.

For additional information, visit<a target="_blank" href="http://www.mainstreetartscouncil.com/">&nbsp;www.mainstreetartscouncil.com</a>&nbsp;or contact the Main Street Arts Council at&nbsp;<a href="mailto:mainstreetartscouncil@gmail.com">mainstreetartscouncil@gmail.com</a>.

About the Main Street Arts Council

The Main Street Arts Council is an organization dedicated to promoting the arts, encouraging creativity, serving the arts community, and acting as an advocate for the arts. We strive to be a model organization for the Northwest Kansas region by ensuring access to the arts for all ages, encouraging a community passion for the arts and successfully supporting, partnering, and collaborating with others committed to the arts. Learn more at&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="http://www.mainstreetartscouncil.com/">www.mainstreetartscouncil.com</a>.

Main Street Arts Council presents the Northwest Kansas Regional Choir Premiere Concert

TOPEKA — The Kansas Bankers Association (KBA) today issued a statement expressing strong opposition to a proposed 10% cap on credit card interest rates. The KBA also reaffirmed its opposition to a credit card payment routing mandate that would weaken the safety, security and control consumers count on when utilizing their credit cards.

“A government-imposed interest rate price cap of 10% would eliminate credit card access for millions of Americans and thousands of Kansans,” states Doug Wareham, KBA’s President &amp; CEO. While mandating an interest rate ceiling on credit cards might sound appealing to some, the fact is implementing this type of price control will not benefit most consumers but will in turn devastate families and small businesses that rely upon and value having access to the benefits of a credit card. Simply put, the implementation of government price controls will force banks to tighten their credit card lending standards and severely limit consumer access to the safe and reliable credit cards we all rely upon in our everyday lives.

“KBA also encourages Congress to once again reject the so-called Credit Card Competition Act (CCCA), which was recently reintroduced by Senator Richard Durbin (D-Illinois) and Senator Roger Marshall, (R-Kansas). The CCCA is more big-government interference with our free market system in the form of a credit card routing mandate being championed by large corporate retailers and merchants that want to control who processes your credit card. This mandate, commonly known as the Durbin-Marshall Amendment, is another misguided proposal that will leave consumers and small business owners with fewer options and few financial benefits from their credit cards. The Durbin-Marshall Amendment would weaken credit card security, devastate credit card reward programs and remove the consumer’s choice regarding what credit card network processes their credit card payments. KBA strongly encourages Congress to oppose government interference in the credit card marketplace.”

The Kansas Bankers Association is a statewide organization dedicated to advancing the interests of Kansas banks and the communities they serve. We advocate for sound public policy, strong consumer protections, and a vibrant banking system that fosters economic growth.

OPINION: Kansas bankers oppose government interference in credit card marketplace

<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

Kansas man dies after pickups collide in Rooks County

Reporter Cristina Janney speaks with Becky Hickert, assistant principal at Hays High School, about the Career Technical Education program on this episode of the Hays Post Podcast.

🎙 Post Podcast: Career Technical Education at Hays High

It is time for the 12th annual KSU Watersheds and City of Hays water poster contest. The 2026 theme is “Water…It’s Important!”

 Daycares, pre-schools, USD 489, Holy Family Elementary, TMP Marian and home-school students, ages pre-school through 12th grade, FHSU students, faculty, and staff, Fort Hays Tech/North Central students, faculty and staff and adults in the City of Hays are eligible to participate. There is also an Intellectual/Development Disabilities (IDD) division (youth through adults).

The “Water…It’s Important!” posters can focus on water conservation or stormwater/water quality messages.

Posters could show how to reduce water usage indoors, outdoors, and/or at home and work. Also, posters might share how to reduce sediment, nutrients, and E. Coli bacteria, household chemicals, etc. that are harmful to water sources. Both water conservation and stormwater/water quality can be highlighted on the same poster.

Posters must be horizontal, designed on 12 x 18-inch white poster paper with “Water…It’s Important!” included. Posters can be designed with pencil, paints, pens, crayons, or markers. In addition, the posters can be 3-dimensional, or computer-generated (but originality is expected).

Name, age, grade, and teacher (if applicable) need to be included on the back of the poster. Adults should list name, address, and phone number. Poster paper is available for pick-up at the Public Works Department, 1002 Vine Street, during regular business hours. 

Prize money will be awarded to 1st through 3rd place winners in each age division. Winning posters will be displayed at Tri- Central Office supply during the month of May and at the Ellis County Fair.

Posters are due by Wednesday, March 12, at school offices, city hall, or the&nbsp; Public Works Department. 

The Awards Celebration will be held at Sternberg Museum on March 31, at 6 p.m.

To learn more about water conservation and stormwater/water quality for poster ideas, visit <a href="https://www.haysusa.com/776/Water-Poster-Contest">www.watersmarthays.com</a> or <a href="https://www.kcare.k-state.edu/">www.MyKansasWatershed.com</a> (special events tab).

For questions, call Stacie Minson, KSU watershed specialist, 785-769-3297 or Holly Dickman, City of Hays water conservation specialist, 785-628-7350.

Entries open for KSU Watersheds/City of Hays annual water poster contest

By STACY CAMPBELL Cottonwood Extension District

Getting the most out of your fertilizer dollar in these tough economic times with commodity prices as low as they are will be the focus of K-State Extension agents in the region hosting several programs to address this issue, says Stacy Campbell, crop production agent with the Cottonwood Extension District.

A soil fertility with tight crop budgets program will be held at the Barton County 4-H Building, U.S. N. Highway 281 at the intersection of NW 60th Road, Great Bend, on Thursday, January 29, 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., with registration beginning at 9:00 a.m.&nbsp;

This program has been designed to help producers understand how to get the most out of their fertilizer dollar, while making zero to minimal impact on yields.

January 28 – Colby – 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. – Thomas Co. 4-H Building

January 29 – Kensington – 3:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. – First St. John Lutheran Church

January 29 – Great Bend – 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. – Barton Co. 4-H Building

The schools will be presented by Dr. Lucas Haag, agronomist-in-charge at Tribune and Dr. Peter Tomlinson, KSU fertility specialist along with local district extension agents. 

Topics will include KSU research updates, soil sampling, fertilizing with tight budgets, premixes and standard forms, targeted nutrients and a question and answer session. So be sure and bring all your questions with you! 2.5 CCA credits have been applied for.

Lunch will be provided following the program thanks to sponsors. 

There is no cost for the schools, however, pre-registration is requested by Friday, January 23 for all schools either online <a href="https://kstate.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_0kzGICRCmh0rfwi">https://bit.ly/4jEiELo</a> or by calling the host county extension office.

If you have further questions, contact Stacy Campbell, crop production agent, at 785-628-9430. A minimum of 10 pre-registered producers are needed to hold each of the schools. Hope to see you there!

Stacy Campbell is a crop production extension agent in the Cottonwood District (which includes Barton and Ellis counties) for K-State Research and Extension. You can contact him by e-mail at scampbel@ksu.edu or by calling 785-628-9430.

CAMPBELL: Getting the most out of your fertilizer dollar

&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 Hays High FFA Alumni &amp; Supporters would like to invite you to their fourth annual benefit dinner, auction, and concert featuring Elvis Tribute Artist Frank Werth &amp; The Vibrations. 

Born and raised in Ellis County, Frank Werth is an award-winning tribute artist who delivers authentic Elvis shows and is praised for his strong vocals and stage presence. 

This benefit event will take place on Saturday, February 7 at the Ellis County Fair Grounds, Schenk Building. Doors open at 5:00 p.m., dinner will be served at 6:00 p.m. with the auction and concert to follow. Cash bar will be available.

The goal of the Hays High FFA Alumni and Supporters organization is to support the Hays High FFA Chapter by providing students with scholarships, FFA jackets, meal stipends for travel, or other needs that may arise. Anyone that supports agriculture, and the development of future leaders is encouraged to come out and join us.

Tickets for this evening of food and fun are only $25 per person with children 5 and under free. Tickets can be purchased at Vanderbilt’s of Hays, or from any FFA Alumni board member. Limited tickets may be available at the door if the event is not sold out – but don’t wait, get your tickets today!

For more information about this event or the Hays High FFA Alumni &amp; Supporters, follow us on Facebook at <a href="https://www.facebook.com/HaysHighFFAAlumniandSupporters">HaysHighFFAAlumniandSupporters</a> or email HaysFFAAlumni@gmail.com with questions.

We hope to see you on February 7 at the fairgrounds!

Hays High FFA Alumni, Supporters benefit event Feb. 7

GriefShare is a support group offering hope and healing to those who have lost a loved&nbsp;one to death. North Oak Community Church is hosting this 13-week grief recovery program&nbsp;beginning February 12, 2026 – May 7, 2026, on Thursdays from 6:00 – 8:00PM at the North&nbsp;Oak Community Church Center, 3002 Northridge Court in Hays, Kansas, 67601.

Each week you will view a 30-minute video filled with helpful guidance, discuss grief-related issues, and gain personal recovery tips through your workbook in a safe, comforting environment.

For more information call North Oak Community Church Office at (785)628-8887 (Mon.-Thurs. 9:00 - 4:30).

GriefShare support group to offer 13-week program at North Oak Community Church

TIMKEN —  Holy Trinity Catholic Church, 103 S. Main, in Timken is having a Chicken Noodle, Chili &amp; Potato Soup Supper on Sunday, February 1,&nbsp; from 5 - 7 p.m.&nbsp; for a free will offering. 

There will be a silent auction, three drawings for a $300 beef bundle, and two drawings for $500 cash. 

All proceeds go towards the maintenance&nbsp; of the church.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Soup supper to benefit Holy Trinity Catholic Church in Timken

ELLIS — Some moments come around once in 125 years.

 This spring, the Ellis Alumni Association will observe this momentous anniversary on May 22-23 to celebrate&nbsp; their past, present, and future. 

The Ellis Alumni Association&nbsp; is one of the oldest active alumnis in the state of Kansas. For over a century Ellis High School&nbsp; has shaped minds, built leaders and created a legacy&nbsp; that has stood the test of time. 

"We encourage&nbsp; and are thrilled to welcome alumni back to relive the hallways that shaped their future and catch up with friends who helped make their time at Ellis High School so memorable," said alumni president Sylvia Deutscher. "Again, honor classes are graduating classes ending in 1 and 6, but we encourage the other alumni community to join in as well."

Tentative plans the Ellis Alumni Board have announced&nbsp; are:

Friday, May 22 Alumni golf tournament, 9 a.m. Fishing contest, 8-11 a.m., Ellis Lakeside campgrounds&nbsp; Gather and Gab, 7 p.m., Ellis K of C Hall Paramount, Ellis Country Club Geocaching fun, Golden Lantern Hunt

Saturday, May 23 Parade and Chrysler Car Show, 10 a.m. Open houses at EHS, WGS, Ellis Alumni Museum, Weight room and old Ellis High School, 11 a.m. - 1 p.m. Railer Roll, Fairground activities&nbsp; Banquet&nbsp; and dance, 5 p.m., Dolce Vita, Wes Cossman Band.

As our dedicated historian volunteers worked to establish the EHS Alumni Museum, their research uncovered fascinating stories about the many paths EHS alumni have taken. 

While every career holds value and purpose&nbsp; a few stories stood out as especially&nbsp; memorable. Now through May 2026, the alumni will share weekly notable Alumni stories on their Facebook page <a href="https://www.facebook.com/ellisalumni">Ellis High School Alumni (KS)</a>&nbsp;spotlighting EHS legacy and their journeys.

For more information about the Ellis Alumni weekend, call 785-520-5030 or 785-656-1955 or email&nbsp;<a href="mailto:ellishighschoolalumni@gmail.com">ellishighschoolalumni@gmail.com</a>.

Ellis Alumni Association announces plans for 125th anniversary

Dinner Show $25 January 31 at 6 p.m. Dessert Show $15 February 1 at 1 p.m. Link to buy tickets&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://tmpstage.ludus.com/index.php">https://tmpstage.ludus.com/index.php</a>

TMP-Marian Pop Singers present dinner, dessert shows

CORRECTION: Ellis Fire Department pancake fundraiser set for Jan. 21

Russell County Road and Bridge Department

The Russell County Road and Bridge Department will reduce a portion of Highway 40 to one lane, at the Pioneer/Old 40 transition curve, starting today through Wednesday, Jan. 14, for a culvert installation. Portable signal lights will be in place to direct traffic. Please reduce speeds within the construction area.

Also, the Russell County Road and Bridge Department will close a portion of 15th St., from 181st to 182nd St., starting at 8 a.m. Tuesday, Jan. 13, for bridge repairs. Repairs are expected to be completed by 4 p.m. Friday, Jan. 16. Motorists are advised to use an alternate route and be mindful of construction in the area. For your safety and the safety of the workers, please obey signage and do not drive around barricades.

If you have questions or concerns, please contact Justin Mermis, Russell County Public Works Director, at 785-483-4032.

Portion of Highway 40 in Russell County to go to one lane for drainage work

By:<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/shauneen-miranda/">Shauneen Miranda</a>

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Education, for now, is backtracking on plans to garnish wages and seize tax refunds of student loan borrowers in default, the department announced Friday.

<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/trump-administration-garnish-wages-defaulted-student-loans" target="_blank">Less than a month</a>&nbsp;after the agency said it would begin garnishing wages by sending notices to roughly 1,000 borrowers in default the first full week of January, the department&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ed.gov/about/news/press-release/us-department-of-education-delays-involuntary-collections-amid-ongoing-student-loan-repayment-improvements" target="_blank">said</a>&nbsp;that the temporary delay would allow it to implement “major student loan repayment reforms” under Republicans’ tax and spending cut bill that President Donald Trump signed into law in 2025.

The delay would “give borrowers more options to repay their loans,” the department said.&nbsp;

It was not immediately clear from the announcement how long the pause would last.&nbsp;

Education Secretary Linda McMahon signaled&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/live/AsuO9zf7WxY?t=685s" target="_blank">earlier this week</a>&nbsp;during the&nbsp;<a href="https://rhodeislandcurrent.com/2026/01/12/us-education-secretary-promotes-returning-school-autonomy-to-states/" target="_blank">Rhode Island</a>&nbsp;portion of her Returning Education to the States Tour that wage garnishment has been “put on pause for a bit.”&nbsp;&nbsp;

The agency resumed collections for&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/us-education-department-restart-defaulted-student-loan-collections" target="_blank">defaulted federal student loans</a>&nbsp;in May after a pause that began during the early weeks of the COVID-19 pandemic.

A borrower can have their wages garnished as a consequence of defaulting on their loans, and a loanholder can order an employer to withhold up to 15% of their disposable pay to collect defaulted debt without being taken to court, according to&nbsp;<a href="https://studentaid.gov/help-center/answers/article/what-is-wage-garnishment" target="_blank">Federal Student Aid</a>, an office of the Education Department.

The delay also applies to the Treasury Offset Program, which “allows the federal government to collect income tax refunds and certain government benefits (for example, Social Security benefits) from individuals who owe debts to the federal government,” per&nbsp;<a href="https://studentaid.gov/help-center/answers/article/offset" target="_blank">FSA</a>.&nbsp;

Aissa Canchola Bañez, policy director for the advocacy group Protect Borrowers, said in a Friday statement that “after months of pressure and countless horror stories from borrowers, the Trump Administration says it has abandoned plans to snatch working people’s hard-earned money directly from their paychecks and tax refunds simply for falling behind on their student loans.”&nbsp;

“Amidst the growing affordability crisis, the Administration’s plans would have been economically reckless and would have risked pushing nearly 9 million defaulted borrowers even further into debt,” she added, while pointing to a&nbsp;<a href="https://protectborrowers.org/new-analysis-finds-that-a-student-loan-borrower-defaulted-every-nine-seconds-in-2025-as-trump-restarts-wage-garnishment/" target="_blank">Jan. 7 letter</a>&nbsp;from Protect Borrowers and other organizations calling on McMahon to “immediately halt its plan to resume garnishment of millions of struggling borrowers’ wages.”

US Education Dept. delays plan to garnish wages of student borrowers in default

KANSAS CITY—One person was injured in a house fire in Kansas City, Missouri.

Just before 4:30p.m. Saturday, Kansas City Fire Department&nbsp;companies were dispatched to a reported fire in the 7800 block of 48th Terrace, according to Battalion Chief Riley Nolan.

On arrival, crews reported the 1-story home was fully involved in fire. All residents were reported to be out of the house, and after performing searches, crews confirmed it was all clear

One occupant was transported by ambulance to a local hospital for burns sustained in the fire.&nbsp;

The cause of the fire is under investigation by KCFD and Bomb and Arson. &nbsp;City Planning and Dangerous Buildings have been requested to the scene.&nbsp;

One hospitalized after fire at home in Kansas City

WASHINGTON (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">President Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;on Thursday announced the outlines of a health care plan he wants Congress to take up as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/health-care-subsidies-obamacare-affordable-care-act-616758c58942125f34552913e24832ef">Republicans have faced increasing pressure to address rising health costs</a>&nbsp;after lawmakers let&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/affordable-care-act-health-subsidies-expire-35060610e82ca3257821c53f2a34ecf6">subsidies expire</a>.

<a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/The-Great-Healthcare-Plan.pdf">Click here to read </a>additional details on the plan

The cornerstone is his proposal to send money directly to Americans for health savings accounts so they can handle insurance and health costs as they see fit. Democrats have rejected the idea as a paltry substitute for the tax credits that had helped lower monthly premiums for many people.

“The government is going to pay the money directly to you,” Trump said in a taped video the White House released to announce the plan. “It goes to you and then you take the money and buy your own health care.”

Trump’s plan also focuses on lowering drug prices and requiring insurers to be more upfront with the public about costs, revenues, rejected claims and wait times for care.

Trump&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-affordable-care-act-health-subsidies-expire-2d9fad3c8132ae49a2b9bc27a7ac8531">has long been dogged by his lack of a comprehensive health care plan</a>&nbsp;as he and Republicans have sought to unwind former President Barack Obama’s signature legislation, the Affordable Care Act. Trump was thwarted during his first term in trying to repeal and replace the law.

When he ran for president in 2024, Trump said he had only “concepts of a plan” to address health care. His new proposal, short on many specifics, appeared to be the concepts of a plan.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/oz-hhs-cms-kennedy-health-medicare-medicaid-ef02cafd3100a4794d8e882fdf2ad7b0">Dr. Mehmet Oz</a>, administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, described it to reporters on a telephone briefing as a “framework that we believe will help Congress create legislation.”

A White House official who was not authorized to speak publicly and described some details on condition of anonymity said the administration had been discussing the proposal with allies in Congress, but was unable to name any lawmakers who were working to address the plan.

Sen. Bill Cassidy of Louisiana, the Republican chair of the Senate health committee, said in a social media post praising Trump’s plan that his committee “has and will take action on the President’s affordability agenda.”

The White House did not offer any details about how much money it envisioned being sent to consumers to shop for insurance, or whether the money would be available to all “Obamacare” enrollees or just those with lower-tier bronze and catastrophic plans.

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