By BECKY KISER Hays Post

Hays has one of the highest participation rates among Kansas's 40 or so municipal recycling programs.

About 80% of Hays residential customers are putting out their blue bags to be picked up at their homes by the recycling crew from the Solid Waste division of the Public Works Department.&nbsp;

There's no collection fee charged for the recycling program.

Blue bags are available for purchase at several locations in Hays, including Walmart, Dillons, and Westlake Ace Hardware.

Paper and cardboard go in one blue or clear plastic bag and a second co-mingled bag is filled with plastic containers No. 1-No. 7, glass jars, and aluminum and tin cans.

There's also the option of dropping recyclables off at the recycling center,&nbsp;1780 W. 55th St., in the metal collection bins just outside the building.

Any area resident is allowed to utilize the drop-off bins at the processing center north of Hays.&nbsp;

"We get a lot of people from Rooks County coming in. We also had a woman from Hill City call and say they were coming to Hays to shop and wanted to know if they could drop off their recyclables," said Steve Dreiling, foreman, "and they did. We allow that."&nbsp;

"The city of Hays has one of the finest recycling programs in the state of Kansas," said Marvin Honas,&nbsp;Solid Waste Division superintendent. 

The local program has been recognized several times by the Kansas Department of Health and Environment.

"That's all due to our citizens. They're the ones that make this program work," Honas said.&nbsp;&nbsp;

It started 24 years ago with an intensive public education program focusing on school children.

"They'd get the information and then take it home to educate their parents," Honas said. "Our hat goes off to our customers for their devotion to our program."

It's easy to utilize, and the city knows its residents want to feel good about keeping trash out of the waste stream.

Jesse Rohr, public works director, said although the city is paid for some of its recyclables, the popular program is not a money-maker.

Currently, <a href="https://www.internationalpaper.com/recycling/locations/wichita-recycling">International Paper of Wichita</a> pays $85 a ton for Hays'&nbsp; cardboard/paper bales, which weigh almost 1,500 pounds each. A semi-trailer is filled with 31 bales every 10 days and then is picked up by International Paper and taken to Wichita. An empty trailer is left in its place.

The plastics are driven in a roll-off to <a href="https://www.stutzmanrefuse.com/">Stutzman Refuse Disposal in Hutchinson</a> by Hays employees every four days.

The city pays Stutzman to accept the co-mingled loads.&nbsp;

"Right now, we pay to get rid of it, about $25,000 a year currently," said Rohr.

The recyclables market fluctuates widely.

It has plummeted at times to as low as $5 a ton for paper. Recycled plastics have often been less desirable than paper, although the industry is on the upswing, according to numerous financial market analyses.

Several years ago, city commissioners discussed whether is was financially feasible to continue the recycling program. They decided to keep it going.

"We get some revenue that helps us sustain the program," Rohr said.&nbsp;"We just try to recoup our costs."&nbsp;

Every weekday, the recycling crew hits the streets at 7 a.m. to pick up the recycling.

Workers tear open the blue bags and dump the contents into the paper/cardboard or the co-mingles compartment. The blue bags are kept separate and will wind up as trash.

The weekday route is completed by about noon. In the afternoon, employees process the loads at the recycling center.

The city just purchased a new paper baler for $124,000, replacing the original machine, which ran 24 years.

"This program is a well-oiled machine," Rohr said.

Dreiling said there are some things the city cannot recycle and won't accept.

"We do not accept bubble wrap, Styrofoam, any kind of plastic wrapping or plastic shopping bags. Some things may say they're recyclable but they're not recyclable in our program."

If you're unsure whether something is accepted in Hays, Dreiling advises calling the Public Works office at 785-628-7350 or checking the city's <a href="https://www.haysusa.com/DocumentCenter/View/376/Recycling-Pamphlet-PDF">website</a>.

The eight-man crew is used to working in less-than-perfect weather conditions.

"If it's windy, you can put a rock on the blue bags to keep them from blowing away. If it's raining, we'll still pick it up," Dreiling said. "The cardboard will dry out."

Even though the city offers a recycling program, Honas said the best way to make a difference in the amount of trash produced is to "reduce your consumption, reuse or repurposes what you can, and then recycle."

🎥 Hays recycling program among most popular in Kansas

Our 52nd Annual Christmas Past event commences at 7 p.m. on Dec. 6 and 7. 

Old fashioned and traditional, our longstanding start to the Christmas season invites all to enjoy carriage rides and live music. 

As ever enough for everyone, candied apples and hot cider will warm spirits for the upcoming season. 

Many volunteers and reenactors devote their time, once a year, to help orchestrate our popular event. 

We cordially invite all to attend and make it one more great season for everyone!

52nd annual Christmas Past scheduled

The Department of Applied Technology at Fort Hays State University is once again looking for “elves” to help make toys.

The annual Fred P. Ruda Teaming Up For Tots event will be from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 7, in the wood shop of the Center for Applied Technology. 

Community volunteers are invited to come and go as their schedules permit. No reservations are required.

This year’s toy is a wooden helicopter. Approximately 200 will be made for children in the area, ages 2 through 6.

According to the department’s website, “The program is designed to spread holiday cheer to local children who may not otherwise receive Christmas presents. All ages are welcome to volunteer for toy production, but children 12 and under must be accompanied by an adult.”

Jobs include sanding, running parts from station to station, putting on wheels, attaching parts, finishing and, for those who have experience, running some machine operations.

‘Elves’ needed to help make 200 toys at FHSU

LA CROSSE — The Rush County Historical Society and Kansas Barbed Wire Museum will be hosting the annual Old-Fashioned Christmas on Friday, Nov. 29, from 5:00-8:00 pm at the museum complex in La Crosse. Visitors can browse the five unique museums beautifully decorated for the holidays: the Historical Museum in the 19th Century Timken Depot; the Post Rock Museum, one of the seven wonders of Kansas Customs; the Nekoma Bank Museum, a restored 1916 rural bank; the Pleasant Point School Museum; and nationally recognized Kansas Barbed Wire Museum. There will be live music while visitors can enjoy hot cider, homemade cookies, roast marshmallows over an open fire, and enjoy Kansas-grown popcorn.

Santa Claus will arrive at 5:30 on the firetruck and hand out candy sacks to the kids in front of the bank museum. Kids of all ages will be treated to hot dogs, hot chocolate, chocolate milk and water “served right off the truck.”

There is a special display of antique toys in the Pleasant Point One-Room School Museum. The century-old school is a time capsule of early 20th century rural education with nearly all of its original furnishings and books. There will also be a special make and take craft project for the kids in the one-room school.

Events begin at 5:00 pm, Friday, November 29 at the museum campus on the south edge of La Crosse on West First Street. To ease congestion, visitors are asked to park north of the creek on Third Street across the bridge. Visitors can access the complex by the footbridge in the park. Persons with mobility issues are welcome to park in the museum parking lot.

All events are free and open to the public. For more information, visit the Rush County Historical Society on Facebook, on the web at www.rushcounty.org/RCHS or call 785-222-2808.

La Crosse hosts annual old-fashioned Christmas

The Ellis County Environmental Services office is announcing that the Construction &amp; Demolition pit, the tree pile, and the dirt pile at the landfill are closed for dumping Wednesday due to muddy conditions. 

We will be closed on Thursday and Friday, November 28 and 29 for the Thanksgiving holiday. 

Please call the Ellis County Landfill at (785) 628-9460 if you have any questions.  We appreciate your cooperation.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Rainy conditions close much of Ellis County landfill Wednesday

STOCKTON — The 12th annual Holiday Mall at City Hall will be held in Stockton, on Saturday, Dec. 7 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Check out the many vendors with a nice selection of holiday crafts, homemade candy, clothing and holiday gift idea.s

Finish up or start your Christmas shopping!

Holiday Mall at City Hall in Stockton is Dec. 7

Enter to win Eagle Radio's Reindeer Radio

&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

Due to the Thanksgiving holiday on Thursday, November 28 and Friday, November 29, there will be changes to the refuse and recycling pick up schedule.•

• Monday, November 25, pick up will not change. • Tuesday and Wednesday routes will both be picked up on Tuesday, November 26. • Thursday and Friday routes will both be picked up on Wednesday, November 27.

It is anticipated that heavy volumes of refuse/recyclable will be encountered around the holidays. Please be sure to set your bags out by 7:00 a.m. on the collection day and keep in mind that the trucks have no set time schedule.

City of Hays customers that may have any questions regarding this notice should contact the Solid Waste Division of the Public Works Department at 785-628-7350.

Schedule change in refuse/recycling pick up in Hays for Thanksgiving holiday

THE SUCCESSES OF TOMORROW BEGIN TODAY, CATHOLIC EDUCATION IS A LIFETIME ADVANTAGE.

CATHOLIC SCHOOLS….SCHOOLS YOU CAN BELIEVE IN!!!

Holy Family Elementary weekly update

City of Hays offices will be closed on Thursday, November 28, 2024, and Friday, November 29, 2024, in celebration of the Thanksgiving Day holiday.

Hays city offices to close for Thanksgiving holiday

Recently Hays Medical Center has been in the news and has been prominent in social media. 

While there have been many changes and some big losses from our team of physicians and other health-care providers, there has been, and will be, consistent General Surgical Care at Hays Medical Center from the surgeons and staff who remain at Southwind Surgical.

We enjoyed working with Dr. Grove and appreciated his efforts during his time with Southwind Surgical in helping us to care for our patients in Hays and the surrounding communities. That said, we intend to continue to provide the best General Surgical Care possible for Hays and the surrounding communities just as members of our group have been doing for nearly 35 years.

Dr. Charles Schultz worked at both Hadley Regional Medical Center and St. Anthony’s Hospital prior to the merger of the two hospitals. After the two hospitals merged to form Hays Medical Center, Dr. Schultz, who was committed to continuing to provide the best General Surgical care for Hays and the surrounding communities, created Southwind Surgical. 

Dr. Zurab Tsereteli joined Southwind Surgical 18 years ago, then Dr. Cunningham 15 years ago, and Dr. Teget 13 years ago after he had been in another private practice for three years. 

Our combined General Surgery experience is nearly 90 years.

Our nearly nine decades of combined experience has allowed us to care for tens of thousands of people in Hays and the surrounding communities including numerous outreach clinics in those communities. 

We provide a wide variety of surgical care and modalities including upper endoscopy and colonoscopies, umbilical and inguinal hernia repairs, complex abdominal wall hernia repair, open and minimally invasive colon and rectal surgery, laparoscopy including gallbladder and appendix surgery, breast cancer and skin cancer surgery, bariatric surgery, foregut surgery, and the utilization of advanced technologies like the da Vinci Robot. 

Additionally, we provide trauma coverage for Hays and the surrounding area.

It is our mission to continue to provide premier General Surgical services to Hays and the surrounding communities as well as our associated 20 outreach clinics where we routinely perform over a thousand procedures annually. It is, and has been, an honor to be able to care for you all. We are committed to continuing to provide this care as we have been doing as a group for nearly two decades.

Charles C. Schultz, MD Zurab Tsereteli, MD Brandon S. Cunningham, MD Paul C. Teget, DO

LETTER: General surgical care continues with Southwind Surgical at HaysMed

By&nbsp;<a href="https://thebeaconnews.org/stories/author/blaise-mesa/">BLAISE MESA</a> The Beacon

From 2021 to 2022, the number of Kansas children who didn’t know where their next meal would come from grew by 37,000.&nbsp;

The rise in food insecurity shows up at food banks across the state.&nbsp;

Aundrea Walker, the executive director of Just Food, said 30% of the people it serves are under 18 years old. Walker has worked at the Lawrence-based food bank for 10 years. She’s never seen demand so high.&nbsp;

“The amount of individuals and households we’re serving is absolutely insane,” she said.&nbsp;

Walker said Just Food spends about $40,000 a month on food. That isn’t enough.&nbsp;

“We’re constantly running out,” she said.&nbsp;

Walker said the pantry had to create new, paid staff positions to collect more food. At other food banks, some families line up two hours before the pantry opens.&nbsp;

The jump in food insecurity is mostly attributed to two things: rising inflation and pandemic-era benefit programs running out. Combined, they leave less money for families and force tough choices between paying bills or eating.&nbsp;

The number of children who didn’t know where their next meal would come from jumped from 13.4% in 2021 to 19.1% in 2022, according to Kansas Action for Children’s 2024 Kids Count Databook.&nbsp;

“(I’m) alarmed by it,” said John Wilson, president and CEO of Kansas Action for Children. “When we see every single Kansas county experience an increase in food insecurity among kids, that’s troubling.”&nbsp;

Certain pandemic-era programs ran out at the end of 2021 or start of 2022. Families getting Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or food stamps, could receive the maximum benefit. That ended. Congress temporarily expanded a child care tax credit giving families hundreds more per year. That didn’t make it past 2021. Cost-free student meals were an option. But that was gone by the summer of 2022.&nbsp;&nbsp;

To help kids in Kansas, “we have to help the people who care for them, too,” Wilson said.&nbsp;

Advocates for a stronger social safety want the Republican-controlled Statehouse to put more tax dollars toward things like food security.&nbsp;

Kansas Republicans not likely to address food insecurity

Republican leaders in the House and Senate didn’t say whether they’d debate bills to address the issue. Historically, the conservative state Legislature hasn’t seriously considered proposals in recent years that would expand SNAP or other social service programs.&nbsp;

Advocates for more public spending on social services say the Legislature has instead put up barriers.&nbsp;

The 2015 Hope Act bans state officials from using federal or state money to advertise SNAP programs on radio, billboards or television. The U.S. Department of Agriculture said only 70% of eligible people actually get SNAP benefits in Kansas. That’s below the national average of 82%.&nbsp;

Kansas is one of the last states in the country not using&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2023-10-02/why-kansas-makes-it-harder-to-qualify-for-food-assistance-than-most-other-states">broad-based categorical eligibility</a>. It’s a federal program that allows more flexibility in admitting Kansans to food benefit programs. It doesn’t guarantee more people get SNAP, but it can mean owning a car or having more assets doesn’t disqualify someone.&nbsp;

Kansas also permanently bans people with multiple drug felonies from getting food stamps, and just last year, the House Welfare Reform Committee supported a bill that would prevent families from buying candy or soda with EBT cards.&nbsp;

Republicans argue those policies protect against the misuse of tax money.

Rep. Francis Awerkamp, a St. Marys Republican, introduced a bill to prevent the Kansas Department for Children and Families from participating in the summer electronic benefits transfer for children program. That program gives Kansas families who are on free or reduced-price lunches a one-time, $120 payment for meals over the summer.&nbsp;

Awerkamp, chair of the Welfare Reform committee, didn’t respond to requests from The Beacon.&nbsp;

Walker, with Just Food, said the Legislature has done some things to help. It eliminated the sales tax on groceries, which helps when you spend $460,000 a year on food like her group does. She said efforts to cap inflation would also help, but food insecurity is a multifaceted problem that can’t be fixed with just one bill.&nbsp;

The pandemic-era benefits programs cost millions, which is one reason Republicans are apprehensive about expansion. Haley Kottler, an advocate for a strong social safety net at Kansas Appleseed, said cheaper alternatives could feed more Kansans.&nbsp;

The Legislature could end the food stamps ban for Kansans with multiple drug felonies. The state could also simplify the food assistance application program so it isn’t as complicated to apply. Kottler also wants to see universal meal programs expanded.&nbsp;

Harvesters helps food banks in 17 counties in northeast Kansas and 10 counties in northwest Missouri. Sarah Biles, a Harvesters spokesperson, said the demand for food assistance hasn’t been this strong since the 2008 recession. Demand at food pantries was dropping year after year until the pandemic hit, and the 2022 numbers ballooned back up to the 2008 level.&nbsp;

Biles said government intervention is important. For every meal provided by a food bank or charitable organization, SNAP can provide nine meals.&nbsp;

“We definitely all need to work together to solve this issue,” she said. “There’s plenty of food in the United States. It’s a matter of getting all that food to where it’s needed most.”&nbsp;

Child hunger rose 6%, and it isn’t clear what Kansas lawmakers will do

<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

Tax Planning is More Than Making Estimated Payments

There is a popular misconception that tax planning for small and medium-sized businesses is simply figuring out how much tax will be owed and making estimated payments. But those are just tax projections.

True tax planning is looking at the life span of a business and asking where it is today in terms of growth and profitability, where it has been in the recent past and where it is going based on current projections.

What goals do the owners have? In the long term, do they want to position the business to sell, to expand into new markets, or transition to family members who will drive the business into the next generation?

“Tax planning” may, in fact, be a misnomer because tax planning is very much like strategic planning, but with a unique goal.

Tax planning specifically looks at how tax laws can be used as a tool to help business owners pay the least amount of dollars in taxes over the lifetime of a business, not just quarter by quarter.

Unlike larger corporations that may have entire departments dedicated to tax strategies, small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) often operate with limited resources and personnel. Thus, it is important to understand and implement effective tax planning with the help of trusted advisors to ensure the long-term financial health of your business.

Tax planning involves analyzing a business’s financial situation with the aim of maximizing tax efficiency while ensuring compliance with current laws and regulations. It encompasses a range of activities, including choosing the right business structure, optimizing deductions and strategically timing income and expenditures to best optimize tax brackets over multiple years.

Strategies for tax planning depend heavily on where a business is in its lifecycle. 

· A young startup company may be pre-revenue with a promising new product that is just beginning to take off. While its taxes are low now, the prospect of a steep climb in sales over the next two years could mean a heavy tax bill at a time when the company is still vulnerable. With tax planning, the company can plan now to utilize deductions and credits they may have been unaware of, as well as net operating loss carryforwards that could tame future tax bills.

For young companies and mature companies alike, the choice of business structure — whether a sole proprietorship, partnership, limited liability company (LLC) or corporation — has profound tax implications. <a href="https://www.adamsbrowncpa.com/blog/entity-selection-impacts-tax-efficiency/">Each structure is taxed differently</a> and comes with its own set of regulations. Effective tax planning involves evaluating the potential benefits and drawbacks of each structure to determine which is most advantageous for the business’s situation. For instance, an LLC may provide liability protection while allowing profits to be passed through to owners without facing double taxation, unlike a C corporation.

One of the most significant benefits of tax planning is its role in enhancing financial stability. For SMBs, <a href="https://www.adamsbrowncpa.com/services/tax/business-tax/">cash flow is the lifeblood of operations</a>. By strategically planning taxes, businesses can improve cash flow management. For example, by timing income recognition and deductible expenses, businesses can minimize taxable income in a given year, thus reducing the immediate tax burden. This can free up cash for reinvestment in the business, pay down debts or handle unforeseen expenses.

It’s important to remember that tax planning is a long game.

The purpose is to ensure the financial health of the company well into the future. That may result in some decisions that business owners may be uncomfortable with in the short term; specifically realizing that minimizing tax this year does not always result in the lowest tax expense over time – it may be best to pay more this year in order to maximize a low tax bracket.

For many SMBs, growth is a primary objective. However, rapid expansion can lead to complex tax situations. Tax planning allows businesses to anticipate and prepare for these complexities. The lowest tax a CPA can get for you is not necessarily the best. There may be a reason to pay more taxes. You don’t want to leave money on the table by dropping into the 12% bracket when you know you will be in the 37% bracket next year. Evening out those bumps results in a smoother, more predictable financial picture for your company.

Challenges in Today’s Tax Planning Environment

Certain challenges are impacting <a href="https://www.adamsbrowncpa.com/services/tax/business-tax/">tax planning for SMB</a> owners these days due to the uncertainty around what will happen to the federal estate tax exclusion at the end of 2025. Some business owners will be significantly affected. Also, the current interest rate environment is unpredictable. High rates are slowly giving way to reductions, but whether those reductions will be continued is a guess right now.

Additionally, many business owners are vexed these days by delays in receiving K-1 forms that are necessary for filing taxes. It’s important to note that your tax planning advisor will ensure your taxes – including estimates for the current year – are paid on time so you can delay filing your returns until after the deadline, when you are more likely to have K-1 forms and other necessary documents.

Business owners must plan for what is known right now and be flexible enough to revisit their tax planning strategies on a regular basis to make adjustments as needed.

Adams Brown CPAs typically check in with business owners on a quarterly basis to discuss tax plans and to learn what is new in the company that may necessitate a change in the plan.

Adams Brown goes beyond just tax planning. We’re a holistic advisory firm, which means we’re here to help with the big picture – from managing your <a href="https://www.adamsbrownwc.com/services/">personal financial planning</a> to providing <a href="https://www.adamsbrowntech.com/">managed IT services</a>. Our team works together to make sure every aspect of your business life is covered.

If you would like to discuss tax planning or other business needs, contact an Adams Brown tax advisor at <a href="https://www.adamsbrowncpa.com/contact/">adamsbrowncpa.com/contact.</a>

Positioned to go above + beyond® for you and your business with teammates stationed throughout Kansas, working from a network of offices and remotely. <a href="https://www.adamsbrowncpa.com/about/locations/">Find an Adams Brown office near you.</a>

NWester: NAPA Gib's Auto Supply in Hays reflects, celebrates 60th anniversary

Fort Hays Tech | North Central is excited to announce a $750,000 grant from the Patterson Family Foundation to support the college’s new Construction Programs Building, an initiative aimed at expanding access to skilled trades education. This significant contribution will help equip the facility with essential machinery, advanced tools, equipment, classroom resources, and the latest technology to support programs in Construction Technology, Electrical Technology, Plumbing, Heating and Air Conditioning (PHAC), and Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) training.

The nearly 30,000-square-foot building will increase capacity for students entering the construction and technical trades, fields that are in high demand both locally and nationally. By supporting the addition of state-of-the-art tools and technologies, the grant will ensure that students graduate with job-ready skills necessary to excel in these critical industries.

“We are incredibly grateful to the Patterson Family Foundation for this remarkable investment in our college and community,” said Eric Burks, President of Fort Hays Tech | North Central. “This grant provides an invaluable resource for expanding our hands-on learning opportunities, allowing us to offer first-class technical education that meets the needs of today’s employers. With the addition of the new Construction Programs Building, we can support students on their path to rewarding, essential careers that bolster our economy and infrastructure.”

The Patterson Family Foundation, known for its commitment to educational access and community development, has a longstanding mission of working together to help rural communities thrive. Their partnership with Fort Hays Tech | NC underscores their dedication to fostering career-ready skills among students in rural and underserved areas.

“One of our goals at the Patterson Family Foundation is to empower rural communities and open pathways to impactful careers,” said Adam Erickson, Program Officer. “By collaborating with Fort Hays Tech | NC on this new facility, we are investing in a workforce that will sustain and grow the region’s economy, and we are honored to support the students who are shaping the future of these vital industries.”

The new facility, under construction will be completed in Fall 2025, will serve as a comprehensive training ground for students in construction and related fields, equipping them with the knowledge and experience needed to excel. The building’s classrooms and workshops will feature cutting-edge technology and industry-standard equipment, ensuring that Fort Hays Tech | NC graduates enter the workforce prepared to meet the demands of their chosen fields.

For more information on Fort Hays Tech | NC’s new Construction Programs Building, or to donate, please visit fhtechnc.edu or contact Director of Advancement, Mendi Anschutz at manschutz@fhtechnc.edu.

Patterson Family Foundation awards $750,000 grant to support Fort Hays Tech | NC

Leaves fall from branches this time of year, and so do nuts. Around here those include black walnuts, acorns, and pecans. This abundance fills winter larders of squirrels and makes messes that function as obstacle courses resulting in turned ankles. Based on a friend’s story, it also leads to squirrels playing Rambo and throwing nut bombs at humans cleaning up yards.

From past experience, I know squirrels have precise aim when they target dogs. When we lived in the country, resident tree rats filled their cheeks with our golden retriever’s kibble and sat on our back porch roof, lying in wait for him to come in for a drink or snack. As he’d refresh himself, they’d start a chirring verbal attack and then launch dog food missiles that beaned him until he ran yiping out of range. As much as we felt bad for the dog, we chuckled at these orchestrated assaults. Who knew squirrels studied artillery tactics and used them effectively? Forget robots overtaking the world. With enough nuts or dog kibble, squirrels will beat them to it.

A friend told recently shared a similar tale, only she was the squirrels’ target. A tidy housekeeper, she doesn’t like to leave whole walnuts or cracked hulls littering her porch and yard. During this time of year, she regularly cleans up the fallout from her trees, sometimes several times a day. She’s joked in the past about how her resident squirrels chirr and chatter when she works outside through spring and summer. Once fall comes, forget the verbal war--they arm themselves and move from defense to offense.

She explained how she went out to clear her porch, and deceptively cute rodents immediately threatened her. Ignoring their tirade, she proceeded to clean up both naturally fallen nuts as well as broken hulls left behind after those scolding squirrels scored tasty nut meats.

In no time, the attack involved more than scolding. As the squirrels in our yard did to our dog, sticks, leaves, and nuts pelted her. Imagine her surprise to look into now leafless branches to spy furry warriors orchestrating their assault. High ground provided an advantage, and I’d guess their aim was better than hers as well. That would be true if I were the target.

As our friend indignantly told her story, those of us sipping coffee nearly snorted it through our noses. Prior to her account, we’d discussed degrees of squirrel cuteness. I’d even planned to find a source where I could collect walnuts in order to lure a new couple into our yard to replace our lone resident squirrel that fried itself in a transformer incident last year.

At this point, our oak trees are too young to produce a winter’s supple of acorns so I rely on folks willing to part with some of theirs. After contemplating her story, I’m reconsidering. Maybe I need to content myself with local birds and bunny for my wildlife fix. I’m certain my chickens don’t want to become targets any more than I do.

MADORIN: A nutty assault

Friday, November 29
 KFIX: Kansas City
Chiefs vs. Las Vegas Raiders, 1:00pm
 KJLS: Fort Hays State WBKB at Regis, 5:35pm

Saturday, November 30
 KAYS: Kansas FB at
Baylor, 9:30am KKQY: Victoria FB vs. Axtell, 10:45am KJLS: Fort Hays State MBB vs. Manhattan Christian, 1:30pm KAYS: Kansas MBKB vs. Furman, 3:30pm
 KJLS: Fort Hays State WBB at Colorado School of Mines, approx. 3:45pm KFIX: Hays High FB vs. St. Thomas Aquinas, 6:00pm
 KKQY: Hoxie FB vs. Central Plains, 6:45pm

🎧 Eagle Radio, Hull sports broadcast schedule

Hays High, Hoxie and Victoria all play for football state champioships on Saturday.&nbsp;

The head coaches from each program joined The Bull Morning Show on 101.9 during this week. Hear what the coaches had to say about their season, team and the upcoming game.

Victoria can be heard on 101.9 Saturday morning. Game Day Live begins at 10:15. The pregame show goes at 10:45 and kickoff is 11:00. 

Hoxie will take the field at 7:00. The pregame show starts at 6:45 and the game will also be on 101.9.

96.9 KFIX is home to the Hays High Indians. The HERTZ pregame show will start at 6:00 and kickoff will be at 7:00.

🎙 Hays High, Hoxie, Victoria play for titles, hear from the coaches

Hays High will be playing in the 5A KSHSAA State Championship game on Saturday. The game is hosted by Emporia State University at Welch Stadium at 7:00. It is the Indians first ever football championship game.

Eagle Media will be streaming the game with Dustin Armbruster and Matt Dumler on the call. The game can be purchased on Saturday. Those who have purchased a year long pass will be able to watch through that prior purchase.&nbsp;

A link for the purchase and to watch the game will be available Saturday morning on Hays Post.

There will be a send-off for the team on Saturday morning. The bus departs at 11:30a.m. from the Hays High School student parking lot. It will head north on Canterbury to 22nd street, then east on 22nd to I-70.&nbsp;

🏈📺 Hays High game streamed; team send-off

The Fort Hays State men's basketball team tries for their second-straight win as they host Central Christian College on Youth Day at Gross Memorial Coliseum on Tuesday, November 26, 2024.

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