NASHVILLE (AP) —Country music star&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/jason-aldean">Jason Aldean</a>&nbsp;'s latest <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b1_RKu-ESCY&amp;t=10s">music video</a> for “Try That In A Small Town," lasted just one weekend on Country Music Television before the network pulled it in response to an outcry over its setting and lyrics.

In the <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b1_RKu-ESCY&amp;t=10s">video</a>, Aldean — who has been awarded country music&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/d941899353c345d99116f3088e4c29af">artist of the decade</a>&nbsp;by the Academy of Country Music — performs in front of the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UFl4tmi8cbE">Maury County Courthouse</a>&nbsp;in Columbia, Tennessee. This is the site of the 1946 Columbia race riot and the 1927 mob lynching of an 18-year-old Black teenager named Henry Choate.

<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b1_RKu-ESCY&amp;t=10s">Aldean's video,</a> which was released last Friday, has received fervent criticism online, with some claiming the visual is a&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/laurkatrad/status/1680777937686077443">“dog whistle”</a>&nbsp;and others labeling it&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2023/07/19/arts/music/jason-aldean-try-that-in-a-small-town-cmt.html">“pro-lynching.”</a>

Interspersed between performance footage of Aldean are news clips of violent riots and flag burnings. A Fox News chyron reads: “State of emergency declared in Georgia."

“Cuss out a cop, spit in his face / Stomp on the flag and light it up / Yeah, ya think you’re tough,” Aldean, who is from Macon, Georgia, sings. "Got a gun that my granddad gave me / They say one day they’re gonna round up / Well, that shit might fly in the city, good luck / Try that in a small town."

“There is not a single lyric in the song that references race or points to it- and there isn’t a single <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b1_RKu-ESCY&amp;t=10s">video clip</a> that isn’t real news footage -and while I can try and respect others to have their own interpretation of a song with music- this one goes too far,” Aldean wrote in a tweet posted Tuesday.

The production company behind <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b1_RKu-ESCY&amp;t=10s">the video</a>, Tacklebox, said in a statement Wednesday that it picked a ”popular filming location outside of Nashville” that had been used on numerous productions, including holiday films starring Tanya Tucker and one starring Mario Lopez and Jana Kramer.

“Any alternative narrative suggesting the music video's location decision is false," the company said, adding that Aldean did not choose the location.

Aldean has long identified as conservative, and has been&nbsp;<a href="https://countrynow.com/jason-aldean-and-brittany-aldean-ring-in-new-year-with-donald-trump-at-mar-a-lago-party-dream-night/">a vocal supporter</a>&nbsp;of former President Donald Trump. “My political views have never been something I’ve hidden from,” he tweeted Tuesday.

<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b1_RKu-ESCY&amp;t=10s">The video</a> and its subsequent removal from CMT quickly blew up into one of the periodic culture war clashes, with several conservative figures speaking out in favor of Aldean — including Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders, South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem and Colorado Republican Rep. Lauren Boebert.

This isn't the first time Aldean has been at the center of controversy. In 2015, he made headlines for dressing as rapper Lil Wayne as a Halloween costume,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/613b0120a905418684fd0ab09cc83fce">wearing blackface makeup</a>&nbsp;and a wig with dreadlocks.

In 2017, the country singer was on stage at&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/entertainment-jason-aldean-las-vegas-mass-shooting-30c3bca1b28e616b8560818ee89a5917">the Route 91 Festival</a>&nbsp;in Las Vegas during the worst mass shooting in modern U.S. history. Over the years, Aldean has given conflicting statements about his stance on U.S. gun laws, though his music celebrates gun ownership.

“It’s too easy to get guns, first and foremost,” he told The Associated Press after the Las Vegas shooting. “When you can walk in somewhere and you can get one in 5 minutes, do a background check that takes 5 minutes, like how in-depth is that background check? Those are the issues I have. It’s not necessarily the guns themselves or that I don’t think people should have guns. I have a lot of them.”

“In the past 24 hours I have been accused of releasing a pro-lynching song (a song that has been out since May) and was subject to the comparison that I (direct quote) was not too pleased with the nationwide BLM protests," Aldean said on Twitter Tuesday. "These references are not only meritless, but dangerous."

A CMT spokesperson did not immediately respond to AP's request for comment.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/7/1689875863323.png" alt="Image from the video" />
 <figcaption>Image from the video</figcaption>
 </figure>NASHVILLE (AP) —Country music star&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/jason-aldean">Jason Aldean</a>&nbsp;'s latest <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b1_RKu-ESCY&amp;t=10s">music video</a> for “Try That In A Small Town," lasted just one weekend on Country Music Television before the network pulled it in response to an outcry over its setting and lyrics.In the <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b1_RKu-ESCY&amp;t=10s">video</a>, Aldean — who has been awarded country music&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/d941899353c345d99116f3088e4c29af">artist of the decade</a>&nbsp;by the Academy of Country Music — performs in front of the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UFl4tmi8cbE">Maury County Courthouse</a>&nbsp;in Columbia, Tennessee. This is the site of the 1946 Columbia race riot and the 1927 mob lynching of an 18-year-old Black teenager named Henry Choate.<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b1_RKu-ESCY&amp;t=10s">Aldean's video,</a> which was released last Friday, has received fervent criticism online, with some claiming the visual is a&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/laurkatrad/status/1680777937686077443">“dog whistle”</a>&nbsp;and others labeling it&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2023/07/19/arts/music/jason-aldean-try-that-in-a-small-town-cmt.html">“pro-lynching.”</a>Interspersed between performance footage of Aldean are news clips of violent riots and flag burnings. A Fox News chyron reads: “State of emergency declared in Georgia."“Cuss out a cop, spit in his face / Stomp on the flag and light it up / Yeah, ya think you’re tough,” Aldean, who is from Macon, Georgia, sings. "Got a gun that my granddad gave me / They say one day they’re gonna round up / Well, that shit might fly in the city, good luck / Try that in a small town."“There is not a single lyric in the song that references race or points to it- and there isn’t a single <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b1_RKu-ESCY&amp;t=10s">video clip</a> that isn’t real news footage -and while I can try and respect others to have their own interpretation of a song with music- this one goes too far,” Aldean wrote in a tweet posted Tuesday.The production company behind <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b1_RKu-ESCY&amp;t=10s">the video</a>, Tacklebox, said in a statement Wednesday that it picked a ”popular filming location outside of Nashville” that had been used on numerous productions, including holiday films starring Tanya Tucker and one starring Mario Lopez and Jana Kramer.“Any alternative narrative suggesting the music video's location decision is false," the company said, adding that Aldean did not choose the location.Aldean has long identified as conservative, and has been&nbsp;<a href="https://countrynow.com/jason-aldean-and-brittany-aldean-ring-in-new-year-with-donald-trump-at-mar-a-lago-party-dream-night/">a vocal supporter</a>&nbsp;of former President Donald Trump. “My political views have never been something I’ve hidden from,” he tweeted Tuesday.<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b1_RKu-ESCY&amp;t=10s">The video</a> and its subsequent removal from CMT quickly blew up into one of the periodic culture war clashes, with several conservative figures speaking out in favor of Aldean — including Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders, South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem and Colorado Republican Rep. Lauren Boebert.This isn't the first time Aldean has been at the center of controversy. In 2015, he made headlines for dressing as rapper Lil Wayne as a Halloween costume,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/613b0120a905418684fd0ab09cc83fce">wearing blackface makeup</a>&nbsp;and a wig with dreadlocks.In 2017, the country singer was on stage at&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/entertainment-jason-aldean-las-vegas-mass-shooting-30c3bca1b28e616b8560818ee89a5917">the Route 91 Festival</a>&nbsp;in Las Vegas during the worst mass shooting in modern U.S. history. Over the years, Aldean has given conflicting statements about his stance on U.S. gun laws, though his music celebrates gun ownership.“It’s too easy to get guns, first and foremost,” he told The Associated Press after the Las Vegas shooting. “When you can walk in somewhere and you can get one in 5 minutes, do a background check that takes 5 minutes, like how in-depth is that background check? Those are the issues I have. It’s not necessarily the guns themselves or that I don’t think people should have guns. I have a lot of them.”“In the past 24 hours I have been accused of releasing a pro-lynching song (a song that has been out since May) and was subject to the comparison that I (direct quote) was not too pleased with the nationwide BLM protests," Aldean said on Twitter Tuesday. "These references are not only meritless, but dangerous."A CMT spokesperson did not immediately respond to AP's request for comment.

Jason Aldean music video lasted 1 week on country music network

On this episode of Forward Ever: Leading in Challenging Times, host Gary Shorman speaks with Melinda Merrill on&nbsp;Wilson's Czech Festival.

For more information about the 2023 Czech Fest, including a full calendar of events, visit&nbsp;<a href="https://wilsonczechfest.com/">wilsonczechfest.com.</a>

-The original version of this identified Melinda Merrill as Director of the Czech Festival.&nbsp; The festival has wonderful volunteer committee that is co-chaired by Susan Kriley and Kate Schiermeyer. 

<div><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/1JfYJm30qLA" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>On this episode of Forward Ever: Leading in Challenging Times, host Gary Shorman speaks with Melinda Merrill on&nbsp;Wilson's Czech Festival.For more information about the 2023 Czech Fest, including a full calendar of events, visit&nbsp;<a href="https://wilsonczechfest.com/">wilsonczechfest.com.</a>-The original version of this identified Melinda Merrill as Director of the Czech Festival.&nbsp; The festival has wonderful volunteer committee that is co-chaired by Susan Kriley and Kate Schiermeyer.

Correction: Forward Ever: Melinda Merrill on Wilson's Czech Fest 

On Friday, July 14, the Ad Astra Music Festival kicks off its 10th season with a recital by Elisa Sunshine and Matthew Piatt at St. John Lutheran Church in Russell.

The first weekend is rounded out by two performances of the Pulitzer-Prize-winning musical, "Next to Normal," in concert at the Elks Lodge in Russell on July 15 at 16.

The opening recital, Sunshine + Piatt features Victoria-native and Ad Astra regular, Matthew Piatt at the piano.&nbsp;Piatt is an assistant conductor and coach primarily at San Francisco Opera, and has assisted at The Metropolitan Opera for the last two years and at Chicago Lyric Opera for many years before that. To open the season, Matthew invited his friend, Elisa Sunshine, a New York-based soprano and former Adler Fellow at San Francisco Opera to join him for a fantastic evening of art songs and arias from the past and present. It is part of the festival’s chamber music series, where tickets are $10.

To finish out the weekend, the festival is producing two performances of "Next to Normal," in concert. The show opened on Broadway in 2009 and won the Pulitzer Prize for Drama the year prior. The deeply moving story focuses on a family processing grief and mental illness. It’s rated PG-13 for language and drug use, and might be heavy for those who struggle with mental health.

The festival has assembled a cast that includes knock-out Broadway veterans Julie Foldesi and Trey Ellett, two Kansas college students Noah Svaty and Mary Little, 2023 Hays High School graduate and Chicago-bound Seth Tripp, and Russell-native and NYC-based actor, Nathan Hilger. The show is directed by Hays-based playwright Catherine Trieschmann with technical direction by Terrance Volden, costumes by Dalee Werth, and music direction by New York pianist, Connor Doran. "Next to Normal," in concert, is part of the festival’s mainstage series and tickets are $20.

Season tickets and individual tickets, performance information, performer bios, and ways to get involved are all on the festival’s website: www.adastramusicfestival.org.

SubmittedOn Friday, July 14, the Ad Astra Music Festival kicks off its 10th season with a recital by Elisa Sunshine and Matthew Piatt at St. John Lutheran Church in Russell.The first weekend is rounded out by two performances of the Pulitzer-Prize-winning musical, "Next to Normal," in concert at the Elks Lodge in Russell on July 15 at 16.The opening recital, Sunshine + Piatt features Victoria-native and Ad Astra regular, Matthew Piatt at the piano.&nbsp;Piatt is an assistant conductor and coach primarily at San Francisco Opera, and has assisted at The Metropolitan Opera for the last two years and at Chicago Lyric Opera for many years before that. To open the season, Matthew invited his friend, Elisa Sunshine, a New York-based soprano and former Adler Fellow at San Francisco Opera to join him for a fantastic evening of art songs and arias from the past and present. It is part of the festival’s chamber music series, where tickets are $10.To finish out the weekend, the festival is producing two performances of "Next to Normal," in concert. The show opened on Broadway in 2009 and won the Pulitzer Prize for Drama the year prior. The deeply moving story focuses on a family processing grief and mental illness. It’s rated PG-13 for language and drug use, and might be heavy for those who struggle with mental health.The festival has assembled a cast that includes knock-out Broadway veterans Julie Foldesi and Trey Ellett, two Kansas college students Noah Svaty and Mary Little, 2023 Hays High School graduate and Chicago-bound Seth Tripp, and Russell-native and NYC-based actor, Nathan Hilger. The show is directed by Hays-based playwright Catherine Trieschmann with technical direction by Terrance Volden, costumes by Dalee Werth, and music direction by New York pianist, Connor Doran. "Next to Normal," in concert, is part of the festival’s mainstage series and tickets are $20.Season tickets and individual tickets, performance information, performer bios, and ways to get involved are all on the festival’s website: www.adastramusicfestival.org.

Ad Astra Music Festival announces week 1 performances

Community fair 8 a.m. to  3 p.m. July&nbsp;22 at Big Creek Crossing

Hosted by the Ellis County Health Department. There will be drawings for prizes, food trucks, NW KS Area Agency on Aging Options Dept. for Families and Children, Ellis County Clerk- to answer all of your voting questions, High Plains Mental Health, Ellis County Health Dept.-check your blood pressure, Hays Public Library and St. Francis Community Services Hays Senior Center Brookdale Hays.

Summer Healing Kids' Hearts 4 to 7:30 p.m. July&nbsp;22 at theHays Aquatic Park

Registration DEADLINE is JULY 14. Now accepting applications for participating children (ages 6-11) and adult volunteers.

<div><iframe width="100%" height="166" scrolling="no" frameborder="no" allow="autoplay" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/1558479871&color=%23ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&show_teaser=true"></iframe><div style="font-size: 10px; color: #cccccc;line-break: anywhere;word-break: normal;overflow: hidden;white-space: nowrap;text-overflow: ellipsis; font-family: Interstate,Lucida Grande,Lucida Sans Unicode,Lucida Sans,Garuda,Verdana,Tahoma,sans-serif;font-weight: 100;"><a href="https://soundcloud.com/user-814667509" title="Eagle Radio" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">Eagle Radio</a> · <a href="https://soundcloud.com/user-814667509/melissa-dixon-july-hays-events" title="Melissa Dixon July Hays Events" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">Melissa Dixon July Hays Events</a></div></div><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/7/1688751342721.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Community fair 8 a.m. to  3 p.m. July&nbsp;22 at Big Creek CrossingHosted by the Ellis County Health Department. There will be drawings for prizes, food trucks, NW KS Area Agency on Aging Options Dept. for Families and Children, Ellis County Clerk- to answer all of your voting questions, High Plains Mental Health, Ellis County Health Dept.-check your blood pressure, Hays Public Library and St. Francis Community Services Hays Senior Center Brookdale Hays.Summer Healing Kids' Hearts 4 to 7:30 p.m. July&nbsp;22 at theHays Aquatic ParkRegistration DEADLINE is JULY 14. Now accepting applications for participating children (ages 6-11) and adult volunteers.

Hays July community events

We are giving away the Chicken Soup for the Soul book, "Well THAT Was Funny."

Listen to 99.5 FM, KHAZ, during A KZ Country Morning with Theresa Trapp Monday, June 26- Friday, June 30, 2023 for chances to win a copy. No age restrictions.

Laugh your way through these stories that are sure to bring some sunshine into your days! If laughter is the best medicine, this book is your prescription. We’ve gathered some great storytellers to document the mishaps and misadventures of everyday life and celebrate humanity’s ability to laugh at itself. There’s no holding back in these pages, so prepare for lots of good clean (and not so clean) fun. No one is safe in these true stories—from spouses to parents to children to colleagues to friends. And the funniest stories are the ones about the writers’ own mishaps and most embarrassing moments. So, turn off the news and turn on the smiles with these fun-filled chapters: • That Was Embarrassing • I Can’t Believe I Did That! • Mistaken Identity • Domestic Disasters • Marital Mishaps • Wild Kingdom • I Kid You Not • Family Fun? • Adventures in Living • Pawsitive Thinking

Congrats Sherrie, Barb, Marcia, Don &amp; Joe!

Join fans of KZ Country on Facebook:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.facebook.com/99KZCountry" target="_blank">http://www.facebook.com/99KZCountry</a>

We are giving away the Chicken Soup for the Soul book, "Well THAT Was Funny." Listen to 99.5 FM, KHAZ, during A KZ Country Morning with Theresa Trapp Monday, June 26- Friday, June 30, 2023 for chances to win a copy. No age restrictions.

Laugh your way through these stories that are sure to bring some sunshine into your days! If laughter is the best medicine, this book is your prescription. We’ve gathered some great storytellers to document the mishaps and misadventures of everyday life and celebrate humanity’s ability to laugh at itself. There’s no holding back in these pages, so prepare for lots of good clean (and not so clean) fun. No one is safe in these true stories—from spouses to parents to children to colleagues to friends. And the funniest stories are the ones about the writers’ own mishaps and most embarrassing moments. So, turn off the news and turn on the smiles with these fun-filled chapters: • That Was Embarrassing • I Can’t Believe I Did That! • Mistaken Identity • Domestic Disasters • Marital Mishaps • Wild Kingdom • I Kid You Not • Family Fun? • Adventures in Living • Pawsitive ThinkingCongrats Sherrie, Barb, Marcia, Don &amp; Joe! Join fans of KZ Country on Facebook:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.facebook.com/99KZCountry" target="_blank">http://www.facebook.com/99KZCountry</a>

Winners: Chicken Soup for the Soul book "Well THAT Was Funny" with 99.5 KZ Country

LOS ANGELES (AP) — The category? “Proper Name.” The answer? Ryan Seacrest, who will become the new “Wheel of Fortune” host after Pat Sajak's retirement next year.

Seacrest and Sony Pictures Television announced Tuesday that Seacrest has signed a multiyear deal to host the long-running game show starting with Season 42. Sajak&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pat-sajak-retirement-wheel-of-fortune-d64841758855e579b3d6254b5314fc17">recently announced</a>&nbsp;the upcoming 41st season would be his last on the show.

It's the latest hosting gig for Seacrest, the popular “American Idol” host who also now rings in the new year for many on “Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve.”

“I’m truly humbled to be stepping into the footsteps of the legendary Pat Sajak," Seacrest said in a statement. “I can say, along with the rest of America, that it’s been a privilege and pure joy to watch Pat and Vanna on our television screens for an unprecedented 40 years, making us smile every night and feel right at home with them.”

Seacrest in his statement also praised Vanna White, another mainstay of “Wheel of Fortune,” and signaled she would remain on the show after Sajak's retirement. Both White and Sajak have been on the show since the early 1980s.

"I can’t wait to continue the tradition of spinning the wheel and working alongside the great Vanna White,” Seacrest's statement said. He also said he was looking to learn as much as possible from Sajak during the transition period.

The show tapes in Southern California, where Seacrest also hosts a popular nationally syndicated morning drivetime radio show. In February, Seacrest announced he would&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/television-tv-kelly-ripa-ryan-seacrest-dick-clark-fe381d4752a8ad18272a4707151deef0">leave the New York-based televised morning show</a>&nbsp;“Live with Kelly and Ryan” after six years. Kelly Ripa now hosts that show with her husband Mark Consuelos.

Sajak, 76, has presided over the game show, in which contestants guess letters to try to fill out words and phrases in pursuit of money and prizes, since 1981. He took over duties from Chuck Woolery, who was the show’s host when it debuted in 1975. The show started out as a daytime game show but became a syndicated nightly telecast in 1983, making Sajak and White the main faces of “Wheel of Fortune” for viewers for four decades.

LOS ANGELES (AP) — The category? “Proper Name.” The answer? Ryan Seacrest, who will become the new “Wheel of Fortune” host after Pat Sajak's retirement next year.<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fwheeloffortune%2Fposts%2Fpfbid02AqUDV3TiwrBr8YgUCT26tWhipAi1KPjQKu9cDQ7iFjDvtVkPxSRpqcHS1pWPteT1l&show_text=true&width=500" width="500" height="609" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; web-share"></iframe></div>Seacrest and Sony Pictures Television announced Tuesday that Seacrest has signed a multiyear deal to host the long-running game show starting with Season 42. Sajak&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pat-sajak-retirement-wheel-of-fortune-d64841758855e579b3d6254b5314fc17">recently announced</a>&nbsp;the upcoming 41st season would be his last on the show.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Wheel of Fortune <a href="https://t.co/pQeTpWsPx7">pic.twitter.com/pQeTpWsPx7</a>&mdash; Ryan Seacrest (@RyanSeacrest) <a href="https://twitter.com/RyanSeacrest/status/1673734940465283077?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 27, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>It's the latest hosting gig for Seacrest, the popular “American Idol” host who also now rings in the new year for many on “Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve.”“I’m truly humbled to be stepping into the footsteps of the legendary Pat Sajak," Seacrest said in a statement. “I can say, along with the rest of America, that it’s been a privilege and pure joy to watch Pat and Vanna on our television screens for an unprecedented 40 years, making us smile every night and feel right at home with them.”Seacrest in his statement also praised Vanna White, another mainstay of “Wheel of Fortune,” and signaled she would remain on the show after Sajak's retirement. Both White and Sajak have been on the show since the early 1980s."I can’t wait to continue the tradition of spinning the wheel and working alongside the great Vanna White,” Seacrest's statement said. He also said he was looking to learn as much as possible from Sajak during the transition period.The show tapes in Southern California, where Seacrest also hosts a popular nationally syndicated morning drivetime radio show. In February, Seacrest announced he would&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/television-tv-kelly-ripa-ryan-seacrest-dick-clark-fe381d4752a8ad18272a4707151deef0">leave the New York-based televised morning show</a>&nbsp;“Live with Kelly and Ryan” after six years. Kelly Ripa now hosts that show with her husband Mark Consuelos.Sajak, 76, has presided over the game show, in which contestants guess letters to try to fill out words and phrases in pursuit of money and prizes, since 1981. He took over duties from Chuck Woolery, who was the show’s host when it debuted in 1975. The show started out as a daytime game show but became a syndicated nightly telecast in 1983, making Sajak and White the main faces of “Wheel of Fortune” for viewers for four decades.

Wheel of Fortune: Ryan Seacrest will host after Pat Sajak retires

Visitors to Sternberg Museum in Hays may have noticed several large, bright yellow structures at the entrance of the nature trail located just west of the main facility, 3000 Sternberg Drive.

“The Bee Project” is currently on exhibit and it features bees made from found and recycled objects. Presented by artist Elena Smyrniotis, “The Bee Project” focuses on the importance of pollinators and challenges visitors to participate in the exhibit by making their own bees from found and recycled objects.

The number of bees on the structures will soon multiply as the museum plans a July 1 workshop at which participants will create their own bee sculptures from recycled and found materials, mostly plastic and metals. The structures will remain in place until August.

The free workshop, which is designed to be a family activity for both parents and kids, is scheduled from 10 a.m.-noon. The program will be led by Sternberg education and outreach director Ian Trevethan.

Visitors are encouraged to bring their own recycled and found materials, and the museum will have some materials on hand as well. Materials can include aluminum cans, plastic containers, discarded toys, flyswatters, etc.

“Basically anything that can be used for a bee’s body and wings,” Trevethan said.

At the conclusion of the activity, participants will write their names on their bees and return to the exhibit to attach them to the structures.

“It’s a very thoughtful exhibit in which people take discarded and found objects and create something from those objects,” Trevethan said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/6/1687447895051.jpeg" alt="'The Bee Project' at the Sternberg Museum of Natural History's nature trail. Courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>'The Bee Project' at the Sternberg Museum of Natural History's nature trail. Courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>SubmittedVisitors to Sternberg Museum in Hays may have noticed several large, bright yellow structures at the entrance of the nature trail located just west of the main facility, 3000 Sternberg Drive.“The Bee Project” is currently on exhibit and it features bees made from found and recycled objects. Presented by artist Elena Smyrniotis, “The Bee Project” focuses on the importance of pollinators and challenges visitors to participate in the exhibit by making their own bees from found and recycled objects.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/6/1687447872461.jpeg" alt="Artist Elena Smyrniotis installs more bees for her project. Courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Artist Elena Smyrniotis installs more bees for her project. Courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>The number of bees on the structures will soon multiply as the museum plans a July 1 workshop at which participants will create their own bee sculptures from recycled and found materials, mostly plastic and metals. The structures will remain in place until August.The free workshop, which is designed to be a family activity for both parents and kids, is scheduled from 10 a.m.-noon. The program will be led by Sternberg education and outreach director Ian Trevethan.Visitors are encouraged to bring their own recycled and found materials, and the museum will have some materials on hand as well. Materials can include aluminum cans, plastic containers, discarded toys, flyswatters, etc.“Basically anything that can be used for a bee’s body and wings,” Trevethan said.At the conclusion of the activity, participants will write their names on their bees and return to the exhibit to attach them to the structures.“It’s a very thoughtful exhibit in which people take discarded and found objects and create something from those objects,” Trevethan said.

Sternberg Museum plans bee-making workshop for July 1

By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays Post

A Fort Hays State University master's of art student has an exhibition showing now at the Moss-Thorns Gallery of Art that explores death and resurrection.

The title of Bethany Panhorst's MFA exhibit is "Of Dust" and is on display at the gallery through July 7.

"Death periodically intrigues us," Panhorst said in her artist statement, "but more so when we feel that we are standing at a safe distance. I grapple with the ugliness and mystery of death but also hope for an end of loss and sorrow. From a position of belief in death's passing, I create ceramic sculptures of the human body."

Panhorst said she drew deeply from her Christain faith in creating the works for this show.

"I wanted to seek something that would connect my art with my Christain faith," she said at the exhibit's opening. "I have always liked the human figure. Using clay fell into place and fit.

"In the Bible in Genesis, it talks about man being formed from the dust and clay. I was also thinking about the body returning to dust and dirt."

She said in the Bible, there are many passages that talk about the body being raised to resurrection or sent to hell.&nbsp;

Her art includes ceramic sculpture with some mixed media elements in addition to photography and a video.

Her images were produced through darkroom work with some manipulation and printed on aluminum.

"It's a very hands-on process and you have a lot of control," she said of the darkroom-processed photography. "There's also something about the quality of the film and the printing in the darkroom that you just don't get anywhere else. Black and white is so beautiful."

The colors in her ceramic work also are muted in whites, blacks and grays. She said she thought the color palette met the serious tone of the exhibit.&nbsp;

Panhorst tried new techniques for several pieces in the exhibit. This included the use of lithopane for pieces, including "Shining Eyes." A very thin layer of porcelain is poured using slip casting, which makes the piece translucent.&nbsp;

Panhorst mounted these pieces in wood in front of light plates. In the areas where there is more porcelain, there are shadows and depth, which results in a piece of artwork that looks more like a print or a drawing, she said.

The ghostly appearance of the sculptures fit her theme.

"It's really like magic," she said. "I wasn't sure it was going to work out. It took a couple of years to really learn the process."

She also used a slip-dip process. She took organic material, in the case of "Breath" she used baby's breath flowers and cotton balls, dipped them in clay and fired them.&nbsp;

The organic material burns away leaving the fired clay.

"It leaves this really beautiful shell of the texture and captures a lot of the impression of what was there," she said.

Panhorst was from a military family and moved often growing up. She spent most of her youth in Savannah, Ga., and moved to Hays for graduate school in 2019.

She has finished her degree and will be teaching high school art in the fall in Colorado Springs, Colo.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/6/1687452847984.jpeg" alt="Bethany Panhorst standing next to "Glimpses of Glory" at her master's of fine arts exhibit "Of Dust." Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>Bethany Panhorst standing next to "Glimpses of Glory" at her master's of fine arts exhibit "Of Dust." Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure>By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays PostA Fort Hays State University master's of art student has an exhibition showing now at the Moss-Thorns Gallery of Art that explores death and resurrection.The title of Bethany Panhorst's MFA exhibit is "Of Dust" and is on display at the gallery through July 7."Death periodically intrigues us," Panhorst said in her artist statement, "but more so when we feel that we are standing at a safe distance. I grapple with the ugliness and mystery of death but also hope for an end of loss and sorrow. From a position of belief in death's passing, I create ceramic sculptures of the human body."Panhorst said she drew deeply from her Christain faith in creating the works for this show."I wanted to seek something that would connect my art with my Christain faith," she said at the exhibit's opening. "I have always liked the human figure. Using clay fell into place and fit."In the Bible in Genesis, it talks about man being formed from the dust and clay. I was also thinking about the body returning to dust and dirt."<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/6/1687536928710.jpeg" alt="Bethany Panhorst's "Can These Live?"&nbsp; in her MFA exhibit "Of Dust"" />
 <figcaption>Bethany Panhorst's "Can These Live?"&nbsp; in her MFA exhibit "Of Dust"</figcaption>
 </figure>She said in the Bible, there are many passages that talk about the body being raised to resurrection or sent to hell.&nbsp;Her art includes ceramic sculpture with some mixed media elements in addition to photography and a video.Her images were produced through darkroom work with some manipulation and printed on aluminum."It's a very hands-on process and you have a lot of control," she said of the darkroom-processed photography. "There's also something about the quality of the film and the printing in the darkroom that you just don't get anywhere else. Black and white is so beautiful."The colors in her ceramic work also are muted in whites, blacks and grays. She said she thought the color palette met the serious tone of the exhibit.&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/6/1687537234390.jpeg" alt="Bethany Panhorst's&nbsp;"Shining Eyes"" />
 <figcaption>Bethany Panhorst's&nbsp;"Shining Eyes"</figcaption>
 </figure>Panhorst tried new techniques for several pieces in the exhibit. This included the use of lithopane for pieces, including "Shining Eyes." A very thin layer of porcelain is poured using slip casting, which makes the piece translucent.&nbsp;Panhorst mounted these pieces in wood in front of light plates. In the areas where there is more porcelain, there are shadows and depth, which results in a piece of artwork that looks more like a print or a drawing, she said.The ghostly appearance of the sculptures fit her theme."It's really like magic," she said. "I wasn't sure it was going to work out. It took a couple of years to really learn the process."She also used a slip-dip process. She took organic material, in the case of "Breath" she used baby's breath flowers and cotton balls, dipped them in clay and fired them.&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/6/1687537614517.jpeg" alt="Bethany Panhorst's "Breath"" />
 <figcaption>Bethany Panhorst's "Breath"</figcaption>
 </figure>The organic material burns away leaving the fired clay."It leaves this really beautiful shell of the texture and captures a lot of the impression of what was there," she said.Panhorst was from a military family and moved often growing up. She spent most of her youth in Savannah, Ga., and moved to Hays for graduate school in 2019.She has finished her degree and will be teaching high school art in the fall in Colorado Springs, Colo.

Moss-Thorns art exhibit inspired by Christian themes of death, resurrection

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Fifty days into a strike with no end in sight, about 1,000&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hollywood-writers-strike-contract-expired-9a6882128a38e75041974f00f9344f53">Hollywood writers and their supporters</a>&nbsp;marched and rallied in Los Angeles for a new contract with studios that includes payment guarantees and job security.

Speakers at the Writers Guild of America's WGA Strong March and Rally for a Fair Contract on Wednesday emphasized the broad support for their cause shown by other Hollywood unions — including actors in their own contract negotiations — and labor at large.

“We’re all in it together, we’re all fighting the same fight, for a sustainable job in the face of corporate greed,” Adam Conover, a writer and a member of the guild’s board and its negotiating committee, told a crowd at the end of the march at the La Brea Tar Pits. “We are going to win because they need us. Writers are the ones who stare at a blank page. We are the ones who invent the characters, tell the stories and write the jokes that their audiences love. They’d have nothing without us.”

Talks with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers, the group representing studios in negotiations, have not resumed since breaking off hours before the writers' contract expired on May 1.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/writers-strike-film-tv-streaming-29940516d1a0650cd87021d104ddb8a1">The strike began</a>&nbsp;a day later, with more and more productions shutting down as it has gone on.

A similar deadline now looms for actors, whose union, SAG-AFTRA, is negotiating with the AMPTP on a contract that expires June 30. Members voted overwhelmingly to authorize guild leaders to call a strike if no deal is reached.

Streaming and its ripple effects are at the center of the dispute. The guild says that even as series budgets have increased, writers’ share of that money has consistently shrunk.

The AMPTP says writers' demands would require they be kept on staff and paid when there is no work for them, and that its contract proposals have been generous.

“We are here for the sake of the profession we love," writer Liz Alper said at Wednesday’s rally. "The industry we work in, our audiences, our fellow sister unions in Hollywood, and all the workers across America who have been hurt and disenfranchised by Wall Street and big tech."

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Fifty days into a strike with no end in sight, about 1,000&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hollywood-writers-strike-contract-expired-9a6882128a38e75041974f00f9344f53">Hollywood writers and their supporters</a>&nbsp;marched and rallied in Los Angeles for a new contract with studios that includes payment guarantees and job security.Speakers at the Writers Guild of America's WGA Strong March and Rally for a Fair Contract on Wednesday emphasized the broad support for their cause shown by other Hollywood unions — including actors in their own contract negotiations — and labor at large.“We’re all in it together, we’re all fighting the same fight, for a sustainable job in the face of corporate greed,” Adam Conover, a writer and a member of the guild’s board and its negotiating committee, told a crowd at the end of the march at the La Brea Tar Pits. “We are going to win because they need us. Writers are the ones who stare at a blank page. We are the ones who invent the characters, tell the stories and write the jokes that their audiences love. They’d have nothing without us.”Talks with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers, the group representing studios in negotiations, have not resumed since breaking off hours before the writers' contract expired on May 1.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/writers-strike-film-tv-streaming-29940516d1a0650cd87021d104ddb8a1">The strike began</a>&nbsp;a day later, with more and more productions shutting down as it has gone on.A similar deadline now looms for actors, whose union, SAG-AFTRA, is negotiating with the AMPTP on a contract that expires June 30. Members voted overwhelmingly to authorize guild leaders to call a strike if no deal is reached.Streaming and its ripple effects are at the center of the dispute. The guild says that even as series budgets have increased, writers’ share of that money has consistently shrunk.The AMPTP says writers' demands would require they be kept on staff and paid when there is no work for them, and that its contract proposals have been generous.“We are here for the sake of the profession we love," writer Liz Alper said at Wednesday’s rally. "The industry we work in, our audiences, our fellow sister unions in Hollywood, and all the workers across America who have been hurt and disenfranchised by Wall Street and big tech."

Hollywood writers at rally say they'll win as strike reaches 50 days

On this episode of the&nbsp;<a href="https://postpodcast.podbean.com/">Post Podcast</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.theredjumpsuitapparatus.com/" target="_blank">The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus</a> lead singer Ronnie Winter speaks with The Morning Blend's Jeff Liker about their upcoming performance in Hays and more.&nbsp;&nbsp;

On this episode of the&nbsp;<a href="https://postpodcast.podbean.com/">Post Podcast</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.theredjumpsuitapparatus.com/" target="_blank">The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus</a> lead singer Ronnie Winter speaks with The Morning Blend's Jeff Liker about their upcoming performance in Hays and more.&nbsp;&nbsp;<div><iframe title="The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus to play in downtown Hays June 17" allowtransparency="true" height="600" width="100%" style="border: none; min-width: min(100%, 430px);" scrolling="no" data-name="pb-iframe-player" src="https://www.podbean.com/player-v2/?i=nrwfn-1434a31-pb&from=pb6admin&square=1&share=1&download=1&rtl=0&fonts=Arial&skin=f6f6f6&font-color=auto&logo_link=podcast_page&btn-skin=3267a3&size=600" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div>

🎙 Post Podcast: The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus to play in downtown Hays June 17

By JAMES BELL 
Hays Post

Long-time Hays entrepreneurs Dallas and Dacia Haselhorst are
set to bring one of America’s most notable ice cream brands to downtown Hays
with the opening of a <a href="https://www.coldstonecreamery.com/">Cold Stone Creamery</a>
that will be located inside their building at 507 Main.

They purchased the building, best known as the long-time
home of the Hays Daily, in 2021 and has since become the home of <a href="https://www.treetopsecurity.com/">TreeTop Security</a>, as well as <a href="https://stemharvest.org/">STEM Harvest,</a> a science, technology, engineering
and math learning center, both operated by the Haselhorst’s. The Hays Daily
also rents office space in the renovated building.

<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/494d469c-fd58-4c88-9317-9c5e6071a68f">While
the facility has seen significant changes since the purchase</a>, this latest
addition was a part of the plan from the get-go.

“My wife and I were kind of
talking like, ‘What else can we do at this place?’ And I don't know if we
simultaneously said it, but it was pretty close,” Haselhorst said. “The Cold Stone
was pretty much the number one item beyond what the building was originally
purposed for.”

While the details were worked
out later, he said as renovations were underway, the idea was a part of the
design plans.

“It was
very much in the design process because there's a walk-up window there,”
Haselhorst said. “So, if you were to order off the app, we'll make the ice
cream and stuff for you, put it in the freezer, and then you come up show that
you purchased that or made that order, and you can take off right from there.”

He also
said with the redesign of the exterior, they will be able also to feature
outdoor seating.

“Cold Stone
was always very much in that grain of thought that we were going that way,”
Haselhorst said.

He hopes
the location will help accentuate downtown, adding something new to Hays with a
brand that is recognizable enough to draw people downtown.

“At the
end of the day, we want people to come downtown and see what makes downtown
great,” Haselhorst said. “We love downtown. We felt like, with us purchasing
that building, there were a lot of things that we could do with it, whether
it's from the STEM education standpoint or bringing in businesses.

“It's
really just kind of our adding our own flair and a little bit more to downtown
than what we have now.”

And
marketing to travelers is a big part of the plan when the location opens.

“A
majority of what we do are going to be putting billboards, 30 miles south, 30
miles east and 30 miles west,” Haselhorst said. “If we're going to pull
somebody off of interstate, that brand recognition helps us.

“And
that'll probably be part of the message, ‘Hey, come downtown, grab an ice cream,
walk around and see everything that makes downtown Hays cool and what makes it
a great community.”

Tie-ins
with downtown Hays events and other businesses are also being discussed.

With the idea incorporated into
the building’s redesign, he said much of the structural work is already in
place, and the new location's design has been set.

It will feature the latest look
for the brand.

“This
will be probably a more modern look than any other Cold Stone you've ever seen,”
Haselhorst said. “It's actually really cool.”

While owning the location, they will
hire a manager, although Dacia will complete operations training.

“She'll
be there, not a day-to-day standpoint, but more like a management standpoint to
make sure that we understand the full operations and things of that nature,”
Haselhorst said.

He expects to open the location in
mid-late August.

With the
addition of Cold Stone to the building, the front office spaces are full, but space
remains available.

“We've
had all we've had people approaching us about anything and everything at this
point,” Haselhorst said. “it's a big, big open space, and you can kind of make
it to whatever you want.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/6/1686348364174.jpeg" alt="The building at 507 Main, housing TreeTop Security, STEM Harvest and the Hays Daily News, will soon be the home to a Cold Stone Creamery. File photo" />
 <figcaption>The building at 507 Main, housing TreeTop Security, STEM Harvest and the Hays Daily News, will soon be the home to a Cold Stone Creamery. File photo</figcaption>
 </figure>By JAMES BELL 
Hays PostLong-time Hays entrepreneurs Dallas and Dacia Haselhorst are
set to bring one of America’s most notable ice cream brands to downtown Hays
with the opening of a <a href="https://www.coldstonecreamery.com/">Cold Stone Creamery</a>
that will be located inside their building at 507 Main.They purchased the building, best known as the long-time
home of the Hays Daily, in 2021 and has since become the home of <a href="https://www.treetopsecurity.com/">TreeTop Security</a>, as well as <a href="https://stemharvest.org/">STEM Harvest,</a> a science, technology, engineering
and math learning center, both operated by the Haselhorst’s. The Hays Daily
also rents office space in the renovated building.<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/494d469c-fd58-4c88-9317-9c5e6071a68f">While
the facility has seen significant changes since the purchase</a>, this latest
addition was a part of the plan from the get-go.“My wife and I were kind of
talking like, ‘What else can we do at this place?’ And I don't know if we
simultaneously said it, but it was pretty close,” Haselhorst said. “The Cold Stone
was pretty much the number one item beyond what the building was originally
purposed for.”While the details were worked
out later, he said as renovations were underway, the idea was a part of the
design plans.“It was
very much in the design process because there's a walk-up window there,”
Haselhorst said. “So, if you were to order off the app, we'll make the ice
cream and stuff for you, put it in the freezer, and then you come up show that
you purchased that or made that order, and you can take off right from there.”He also
said with the redesign of the exterior, they will be able also to feature
outdoor seating.“Cold Stone
was always very much in that grain of thought that we were going that way,”
Haselhorst said.He hopes
the location will help accentuate downtown, adding something new to Hays with a
brand that is recognizable enough to draw people downtown.“At the
end of the day, we want people to come downtown and see what makes downtown
great,” Haselhorst said. “We love downtown. We felt like, with us purchasing
that building, there were a lot of things that we could do with it, whether
it's from the STEM education standpoint or bringing in businesses.“It's
really just kind of our adding our own flair and a little bit more to downtown
than what we have now.”And
marketing to travelers is a big part of the plan when the location opens.“A
majority of what we do are going to be putting billboards, 30 miles south, 30
miles east and 30 miles west,” Haselhorst said. “If we're going to pull
somebody off of interstate, that brand recognition helps us.“And
that'll probably be part of the message, ‘Hey, come downtown, grab an ice cream,
walk around and see everything that makes downtown Hays cool and what makes it
a great community.”Tie-ins
with downtown Hays events and other businesses are also being discussed.With the idea incorporated into
the building’s redesign, he said much of the structural work is already in
place, and the new location's design has been set.It will feature the latest look
for the brand.“This
will be probably a more modern look than any other Cold Stone you've ever seen,”
Haselhorst said. “It's actually really cool.”While owning the location, they will
hire a manager, although Dacia will complete operations training.“She'll
be there, not a day-to-day standpoint, but more like a management standpoint to
make sure that we understand the full operations and things of that nature,”
Haselhorst said.He expects to open the location in
mid-late August.With the
addition of Cold Stone to the building, the front office spaces are full, but space
remains available.“We've
had all we've had people approaching us about anything and everything at this
point,” Haselhorst said. “it's a big, big open space, and you can kind of make
it to whatever you want.”

Local entrepreneurs to bring Cold Stone Creamery to downtown Hays

Once again, Big Creek Crossing will host a carnival in Hays,
bringing rides, food and games to the shopping center.

Moore’s Greater Shows is set to run from Thursday through Sunday in the
center’s parking lot on those evenings and will include similar amusements to
previous years’ events, said Big Creek Crossing Marketing Director Branson Hoffman.

While
the exact times and prices will be set upon the carnival’s arrival, and will be dependent on set-up time
and weather, he said they would post updates on their <a href="https://www.facebook.com/BigCreekCrossing">facebook page.</a>

In
previous years, Hoffman said the times were 6 to 10 p.m. Thursday, 6 to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and 5 to 10 p.m. Sunday.&nbsp;

Armbands will again be available each night. 

<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/ff53f4a1-c018-4ba0-93ca-a2ae6d89da78">With the
loss of the Wild West Festival carnival this summer</a>, Hoffman said the
center is happy to bring one to the community.

“I would
just say it's a needed attraction,” he said. “I think this is something that
they were recently finding out. … This is the only carnival that's going to be
in Ellis County, to our knowledge. So we're excited to have something for
family fun for pretty much all ages.”

“Bring
your kids, have them ride the kiddie rides, bring your teenagers, have them
ride the older rides if you don't want to do that at all, partake in the food. … So
it’s something to get out of the house, something to have fun with and have a
good time. That’s really what it boils down to.”

As the only summer carnival in
Hays, Hoffman said it is a unique attraction.

This year he expects similar attractions
to previous years.

“They
usually have four to six kind of teenager rides, the big rides,” Hoffman said. “They'll
have four to seven of the kiddie rides. And then in the past, they've had, you
know, plenty of food trucks with pretty much anything from your turkey legs to
your funnel cakes and all that good stuff. So we're anticipating pretty much
the same layout.”

He said
they also anticipate the Ferris wheel will return and the carnival will be in a
similar location to previous years.

“It
should be pretty much the same,” Hoffman said. “We're expecting them to be on
the south part of the Vine Street parking lot.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/6/1623189245408.jpeg" alt="File photo" />
 <figcaption>File photo</figcaption>
 </figure>By JAMES BELL Hays PostOnce again, Big Creek Crossing will host a carnival in Hays,
bringing rides, food and games to the shopping center.Moore’s Greater Shows is set to run from Thursday through Sunday in the
center’s parking lot on those evenings and will include similar amusements to
previous years’ events, said Big Creek Crossing Marketing Director Branson Hoffman.While
the exact times and prices will be set upon the carnival’s arrival, and will be dependent on set-up time
and weather, he said they would post updates on their <a href="https://www.facebook.com/BigCreekCrossing">facebook page.</a><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/6/1686072556395.jpeg" alt="Courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>In
previous years, Hoffman said the times were 6 to 10 p.m. Thursday, 6 to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and 5 to 10 p.m. Sunday.&nbsp;Armbands will again be available each night. <a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/ff53f4a1-c018-4ba0-93ca-a2ae6d89da78">With the
loss of the Wild West Festival carnival this summer</a>, Hoffman said the
center is happy to bring one to the community.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/6/1686072566006.jpeg" alt="Courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>“I would
just say it's a needed attraction,” he said. “I think this is something that
they were recently finding out. … This is the only carnival that's going to be
in Ellis County, to our knowledge. So we're excited to have something for
family fun for pretty much all ages.”“Bring
your kids, have them ride the kiddie rides, bring your teenagers, have them
ride the older rides if you don't want to do that at all, partake in the food. … So
it’s something to get out of the house, something to have fun with and have a
good time. That’s really what it boils down to.”As the only summer carnival in
Hays, Hoffman said it is a unique attraction.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/6/1686072576430.jpeg" alt="Courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>This year he expects similar attractions
to previous years.“They
usually have four to six kind of teenager rides, the big rides,” Hoffman said. “They'll
have four to seven of the kiddie rides. And then in the past, they've had, you
know, plenty of food trucks with pretty much anything from your turkey legs to
your funnel cakes and all that good stuff. So we're anticipating pretty much
the same layout.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/6/1686072589336.jpeg" alt="Courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>He said
they also anticipate the Ferris wheel will return and the carnival will be in a
similar location to previous years.“It
should be pretty much the same,” Hoffman said. “We're expecting them to be on
the south part of the Vine Street parking lot.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/6/1686072545461.jpeg" alt="Courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>

Big Creek Crossing brings only carnival for year to Hays Thursday

🎤 Forward Ever: State Library of Kansas director of reference Cindy Roupe

As work continues inside the home of the <a href="https://www.echshays.org/">Ellis County Historical Society</a>, 100 W.
Seventh, the group will give visitors an opportunity to see two exhibits for
free during extended summer hours.

Executive Director Amanda Rupp said she is very excited to have the museum open to the public seven days a week. 

“We are
going to be usually open almost every day, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., and then even on
Thursdays, we're going to be open until 7 p.m.," Rupp said. “If you'd like to
come to do some research and you work during the day, [you can] come to visit us during
the evening hours. We're even going to be open Saturdays and Sundays.
Sundays, we will be from 1 to 5 p.m.”

The
extended hours are thanks, in part, to additional staff, including Patty Nicholas, she
said.

“I was
able to hire a part-time archivist assistant, and she has been putting those
into our new Past Perfect system,” Rupp said. “So now, if you come down, and
you want to look up some family history, she's going to be able to assist you
in going through the things that we have in archives.”

She said
Court Docket books being entered now – dating back to the 1860-70s – are
particularly noteworthy.

“All
written in hand, that nice calligraphy, they are docket books about notices to
appear or criminal actions, they vary from the city of Hays to other
townships in the county,” Rupp said. “Some of them are pretty interesting to
read if you can read the calligraphy, but she's going to put those in our
system so that you don't have to thumb through them all by hand.”

Nicholas
has a history with the Fort Hays State University Forsyth Library, the Hays
Public Library and Historic Fort Hays, Rupp said.

“She's
really in her element,” Rupp said. "She knows archives in and out and how to put
those systems into order so that they can be useful to other people. I'm
excited about having her ...”

Now that
the society has been working on the archives, they plan to start going through artifacts
that will be put into a storage area to accommodate work on the upstairs of the
building.

Work on a disabled-accessible bathroom is near completion, and work on an accessible entrance is expected
later this year.

“Hopefully,
mid-fall, I think, is when they can get there with their crews,” Rupp said. “So
yeah, we just keep on moving. You blink your eyes. You're going to miss it.”

<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/9acd7c52-251f-4e4b-90ae-281f2a884f22">That
work is being funded in part with a Heritage Trust Fund Grant awarded to the
society from the Kansas State Historic Society.</a>

HVAC
replacement is also expected to begin this year.

Two area
students also will serve the society as interns during the summer, along with
their four staff members. The society will utilize community volunteers during work nights every
second Tuesday of the month from 6 to 8 p.m.

“One of
them is returning from last year, and she was a senior this year at Fort Hays State,”
Rupp said. “Another one is a high school student here through Hays. They both come to us through the <a href="https://www.nex-generation.org/">Next
Generation Roundup for Youth</a>
programs.”

While the new staff acclimates to their positions and
repair work is underway, the society will host two exhibitions over the summer,
including a traveling exhibit from Salina’s Smoky Hill Museum.

“It is supposed to be about
the notorious – I don't want to say outlaws – notorious people of the plains in
the Wild West era of this area,” Rupp said.

The Sternberg Firearms
Collection will again be on display, with some additions to last summer’s exhibition.

“The Sternberg Firearms Collection
got so much attention last summer that we have decided to keep it up,” Rupp
said. “It had been in storage for so long, why not keep showing it around?”

The society’s outbuildings will
be available to view as well.

“We want to get the
excitement going for our community and see what we have to offer, so please
come down and visit us,” Rupp said. “Even if you only have 30 minutes and you
want to get the kids out of the house for a minute.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/6/1685640084520.jpeg" alt="Photo by James Bell/Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>Photo by James Bell/Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure>By JAMES BELL Hays PostAs work continues inside the home of the <a href="https://www.echshays.org/">Ellis County Historical Society</a>, 100 W.
Seventh, the group will give visitors an opportunity to see two exhibits for
free during extended summer hours.Executive Director Amanda Rupp said she is very excited to have the museum open to the public seven days a week. <div><iframe title="Ellis County Historical Society summer exhibit ushers in expanded hours" allowtransparency="true" height="450" width="100%" style="border: none; min-width: min(100%, 430px);" scrolling="no" data-name="pb-iframe-player" src="https://www.podbean.com/player-v2/?i=9er77-1420ffa-pb&from=pb6admin&square=1&share=1&download=1&rtl=0&fonts=Arial&skin=3267a3&font-color=auto&logo_link=podcast_page&btn-skin=60a0c8&size=450" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div>“We are
going to be usually open almost every day, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., and then even on
Thursdays, we're going to be open until 7 p.m.," Rupp said. “If you'd like to
come to do some research and you work during the day, [you can] come to visit us during
the evening hours. We're even going to be open Saturdays and Sundays.
Sundays, we will be from 1 to 5 p.m.”The
extended hours are thanks, in part, to additional staff, including Patty Nicholas, she
said.“I was
able to hire a part-time archivist assistant, and she has been putting those
into our new Past Perfect system,” Rupp said. “So now, if you come down, and
you want to look up some family history, she's going to be able to assist you
in going through the things that we have in archives.”She said
Court Docket books being entered now – dating back to the 1860-70s – are
particularly noteworthy.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/6/1685640154774.jpeg" alt="The "Notorious" exhibition is open now at the Ellis County Historical Society. Photo by James Bell/Hays Post." />
 <figcaption>The "Notorious" exhibition is open now at the Ellis County Historical Society. Photo by James Bell/Hays Post.</figcaption>
 </figure>“All
written in hand, that nice calligraphy, they are docket books about notices to
appear or criminal actions, they vary from the city of Hays to other
townships in the county,” Rupp said. “Some of them are pretty interesting to
read if you can read the calligraphy, but she's going to put those in our
system so that you don't have to thumb through them all by hand.”Nicholas
has a history with the Fort Hays State University Forsyth Library, the Hays
Public Library and Historic Fort Hays, Rupp said.“She's
really in her element,” Rupp said. "She knows archives in and out and how to put
those systems into order so that they can be useful to other people. I'm
excited about having her ...”Now that
the society has been working on the archives, they plan to start going through artifacts
that will be put into a storage area to accommodate work on the upstairs of the
building.Work on a disabled-accessible bathroom is near completion, and work on an accessible entrance is expected
later this year.“Hopefully,
mid-fall, I think, is when they can get there with their crews,” Rupp said. “So
yeah, we just keep on moving. You blink your eyes. You're going to miss it.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/6/1685640116082.jpeg" alt="Photo by James Bell/Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>Photo by James Bell/Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure><a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/9acd7c52-251f-4e4b-90ae-281f2a884f22">That
work is being funded in part with a Heritage Trust Fund Grant awarded to the
society from the Kansas State Historic Society.</a> HVAC
replacement is also expected to begin this year.Two area
students also will serve the society as interns during the summer, along with
their four staff members. The society will utilize community volunteers during work nights every
second Tuesday of the month from 6 to 8 p.m.“One of
them is returning from last year, and she was a senior this year at Fort Hays State,”
Rupp said. “Another one is a high school student here through Hays. They both come to us through the <a href="https://www.nex-generation.org/">Next
Generation Roundup for Youth</a>
programs.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/6/1685641275637.jpeg" alt="Photo by James Bell/Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>Photo by James Bell/Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure>While the new staff acclimates to their positions and
repair work is underway, the society will host two exhibitions over the summer,
including a traveling exhibit from Salina’s Smoky Hill Museum.“It is supposed to be about
the notorious – I don't want to say outlaws – notorious people of the plains in
the Wild West era of this area,” Rupp said.The Sternberg Firearms
Collection will again be on display, with some additions to last summer’s exhibition.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/5/1653503381018.jpeg" alt="Photo by James Bell/Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>Photo by James Bell/Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure>“The Sternberg Firearms Collection
got so much attention last summer that we have decided to keep it up,” Rupp
said. “It had been in storage for so long, why not keep showing it around?”The society’s outbuildings will
be available to view as well.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/6/1685640289439.jpeg" alt="Photo by James Bell/Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>Photo by James Bell/Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure>The summer exhibitions are
free to view.“We want to get the
excitement going for our community and see what we have to offer, so please
come down and visit us,” Rupp said. “Even if you only have 30 minutes and you
want to get the kids out of the house for a minute.”

🎙 Ellis County Historical Society summer exhibit ushers in expanded hours

The Hays City Band will return this summer,
bringing musicians young and old together for a series of concerts downtown.

“It
doesn't matter if you're a person who regularly plays or if you've got an
instrument that's been sitting in a closet collecting dust, no better time to
break it out and make sure that thing still works,” said director Matt Rome,
who during the school year serves as the Hays High School band director.

Work in
other district buildings will drive rehearsals to his regular practice location.

“The
high school is where we're going to be hosting rehearsals this year,” Rome
said. “Last year, those of you may remember, we had to be at his middle school as
they were ripping the AC unit out of my ceiling. So no falling debris this time.
That'll be fun.”

And
returning to Hays High allows participants to use their band instruments, for
those in need, especially larger instruments like tubas, he said.

Like
previous years, practices will be from 7 to 9 p.m. Mondays through June.

Performances
are set for 7:30 p.m. Tuesdays on June 13, 20 and 27 in the downtown Hays pavilion
and run for around an hour.

“I just
really want to encourage anyone and everyone who's maybe been on the fence,
maybe you've come out to a concert or something and thought it might be fun to
join in, please do,” Rome said. “Just give it a shot. The beautiful thing about
the city band is it really is comprised of everything from amateurs and
students in the area all the way up to teachers and professionals. And then, of
course, everything in between.”

And
while attending the entire season of practices and performances is ideal, he
said, those who can participate for a limited time are also welcome.

So far,
those pledging to attend have created a good blend of performers from the
community.

“I think
we've got a really good mix of college students, high school students, and a handful
of middle school students are even stepping up,” Rome said. “A bunch of Fort
Hays faculty I've talked to, and it sounds like they're in. I mean, it just
sounds like it's going to be a really, really good band. And I just want as
many people to experience that as we can.”

He said
the music selections reflect the ability typical of an advanced middle school
student.

“We kind
of know that advanced middle school into like high school repertoire, we might
have one or two things that stretch just a little beyond that, but most of its going
to sit in that in that kind of range.”

“And
like last summer, what I've tried to do is pick just a really broad variety of band
literature, written as early as 1909,” Rome said. “And then up to, in fact, I
think we'll play a couple that were copywritten in 2022.

“So, a
really wide variety of really diverse variety of music, some classics, some new
things, but like I said, really trying to stick into that, that kind of generic
high school level of, of repertoire so that hopefully nobody's too stressed out
trying to sit in.”

For the
listener, that level of music also means it is enjoyable to most audiences. And
with the performances set in the pavilion, attendees will find a relaxed
atmosphere to enjoy the selections.

“People
can bring their lawn chairs and just relax and enjoy an evening of some really
quality, but easy listening band music,” Rome said.

And
while Rome will serve as the principal director, he said others will join in.

“I'm
happy to step off the podium and give some other people the chance to do that,”
Rome said.

Among those others that will take the podium are Hays High principal
Shawn Henderson, TMP band director Hector Hernandez and members of the FHSU
faculty.

If you have questions, he said he can be contacted via email at <a href="mailto:mrome2@usd489.com">mrome2@usd489.com</a>, otherwise, performers
can simply attend the rehearsals.

The Hays
High School band room can be accessed by parking in the main student parking
lot in front of the building.

“I'll
have signs to guide you in, but there's a door directly in, so you don't have
to go through the building,” Rome said.

<div><iframe title="Strike up the band: Area musicians to gather for summer sessions" allowtransparency="true" height="450" width="100%" style="border: none; min-width: min(100%, 430px);" scrolling="no" data-name="pb-iframe-player" src="https://www.podbean.com/player-v2/?i=js8bx-1411ff3-pb&from=pb6admin&square=1&share=1&download=1&rtl=0&fonts=Arial&skin=3267a3&font-color=auto&logo_link=podcast_page&btn-skin=60a0c8&size=450" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/7/1594154454880.jpeg" alt="The Downtown Pavillion at 10th and Main will host the upcoming Hays City Band concerts in June. File photo" />
 <figcaption>The Downtown Pavillion at 10th and Main will host the upcoming Hays City Band concerts in June. File photo</figcaption>
 </figure>By JAMES BELL Hays PostThe Hays City Band will return this summer,
bringing musicians young and old together for a series of concerts downtown.“It
doesn't matter if you're a person who regularly plays or if you've got an
instrument that's been sitting in a closet collecting dust, no better time to
break it out and make sure that thing still works,” said director Matt Rome,
who during the school year serves as the Hays High School band director.Work in
other district buildings will drive rehearsals to his regular practice location.“The
high school is where we're going to be hosting rehearsals this year,” Rome
said. “Last year, those of you may remember, we had to be at his middle school as
they were ripping the AC unit out of my ceiling. So no falling debris this time.
That'll be fun.”And
returning to Hays High allows participants to use their band instruments, for
those in need, especially larger instruments like tubas, he said.Like
previous years, practices will be from 7 to 9 p.m. Mondays through June.Performances
are set for 7:30 p.m. Tuesdays on June 13, 20 and 27 in the downtown Hays pavilion
and run for around an hour.“I just
really want to encourage anyone and everyone who's maybe been on the fence,
maybe you've come out to a concert or something and thought it might be fun to
join in, please do,” Rome said. “Just give it a shot. The beautiful thing about
the city band is it really is comprised of everything from amateurs and
students in the area all the way up to teachers and professionals. And then, of
course, everything in between.”And
while attending the entire season of practices and performances is ideal, he
said, those who can participate for a limited time are also welcome.So far,
those pledging to attend have created a good blend of performers from the
community.“I think
we've got a really good mix of college students, high school students, and a handful
of middle school students are even stepping up,” Rome said. “A bunch of Fort
Hays faculty I've talked to, and it sounds like they're in. I mean, it just
sounds like it's going to be a really, really good band. And I just want as
many people to experience that as we can.”He said
the music selections reflect the ability typical of an advanced middle school
student.“We kind
of know that advanced middle school into like high school repertoire, we might
have one or two things that stretch just a little beyond that, but most of its going
to sit in that in that kind of range.”“And
like last summer, what I've tried to do is pick just a really broad variety of band
literature, written as early as 1909,” Rome said. “And then up to, in fact, I
think we'll play a couple that were copywritten in 2022.“So, a
really wide variety of really diverse variety of music, some classics, some new
things, but like I said, really trying to stick into that, that kind of generic
high school level of, of repertoire so that hopefully nobody's too stressed out
trying to sit in.”For the
listener, that level of music also means it is enjoyable to most audiences. And
with the performances set in the pavilion, attendees will find a relaxed
atmosphere to enjoy the selections.“People
can bring their lawn chairs and just relax and enjoy an evening of some really
quality, but easy listening band music,” Rome said.And
while Rome will serve as the principal director, he said others will join in.“I'm
happy to step off the podium and give some other people the chance to do that,”
Rome said.Among those others that will take the podium are Hays High principal
Shawn Henderson, TMP band director Hector Hernandez and members of the FHSU
faculty.If you have questions, he said he can be contacted via email at <a href="mailto:mrome2@usd489.com">mrome2@usd489.com</a>, otherwise, performers
can simply attend the rehearsals.The Hays
High School band room can be accessed by parking in the main student parking
lot in front of the building.“I'll
have signs to guide you in, but there's a door directly in, so you don't have
to go through the building,” Rome said.

🎙 Strike up the band: Area musicians to gather for summer sessions, concerts in downtown Hays

In an effort to protect one of Hays’ most vital and limited
resources, water, summer restrictions will again be put in place within the
city beginning June 1.

Before Sept. 30, outdoor water use will be prohibited from
noon to 7 p.m. in addition to the year-long restrictions against washing hard
surfaces and letting water flow off the property.

“Water conservation is critically
important to making sure that when we turn the faucet on, we've got water on
tap,” said <a href="https://www.haysusa.com/369/Police">Hays Police Department</a>
Lt. Brandon Wright. “We've had laws in place since, I think, the 1990s,
controlling and trying to promote water conservation.

As the enforcement agency of
the restrictions, he said the department has escalating penalties for
violations.

A first violation will result
in a warning. A second will incur a $50 fine, a third will incur a $200 penalty,
and further infractions will generate a $250 fine.

“It is
not very common for us to get to that point where we're writing those tickets
that have a $250 tag on them,” Wright said. “Most of the time, it's resolved
way before that. We don't have that happen very often. So, people are overall
pretty understanding, I think, once we explain how important it is.”

While
educational in nature, the enforcement will be from members of the police department,
with Community Service Officers especially looking for violations while on patrol.

“That's
one of their primary functions is to look for and address water wasting issues,”
Wright said.

While water restriction enforcement comes up daily for the
department, Wright said education is their main priority. Still, the ordinance will
be enforced as needed.

“Officers don't enjoy writing
citations for water wasting,” Wright said. “That's not something that they
enjoy doing. But the police department is the primary enforcement agency for
making sure that these ordinances are followed.

“Most
typical enforcement comes from a contact from one of our police officers or one
of our community service officers. It may be an educational stop, but if
there's a violation, (we) try to be consistently firm and fair with the enforcement
or the ordinance.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/5/1684247338476.jpg" alt="&nbsp; Image by&nbsp;<a href="https://pixabay.com/users/distelapparath-2726923/?utm_source=link-attribution&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_campaign=image&amp;utm_content=4778601">Markus Distelrath</a>&nbsp;from&nbsp;<a href="https://pixabay.com//?utm_source=link-attribution&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_campaign=image&amp;utm_content=4778601">Pixabay</a>" />
 <figcaption>&nbsp; Image by&nbsp;<a href="https://pixabay.com/users/distelapparath-2726923/?utm_source=link-attribution&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_campaign=image&amp;utm_content=4778601">Markus Distelrath</a>&nbsp;from&nbsp;<a href="https://pixabay.com//?utm_source=link-attribution&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_campaign=image&amp;utm_content=4778601">Pixabay</a></figcaption>
 </figure>By JAMES BELL Hays PostIn an effort to protect one of Hays’ most vital and limited
resources, water, summer restrictions will again be put in place within the
city beginning June 1.Before Sept. 30, outdoor water use will be prohibited from
noon to 7 p.m. in addition to the year-long restrictions against washing hard
surfaces and letting water flow off the property.“Water conservation is critically
important to making sure that when we turn the faucet on, we've got water on
tap,” said <a href="https://www.haysusa.com/369/Police">Hays Police Department</a>
Lt. Brandon Wright. “We've had laws in place since, I think, the 1990s,
controlling and trying to promote water conservation.<div><iframe title="Hays summer water restrictions to begin June 1" allowtransparency="true" height="150" width="100%" style="border: none; min-width: min(100%, 430px);" scrolling="no" data-name="pb-iframe-player" src="https://www.podbean.com/player-v2/?i=qgbpe-1416d69-pb&from=pb6admin&share=1&download=1&rtl=0&fonts=Arial&skin=3267a3&font-color=auto&logo_link=podcast_page&btn-skin=60a0c8&size=315"></iframe></div>As the enforcement agency of
the restrictions, he said the department has escalating penalties for
violations.A first violation will result
in a warning. A second will incur a $50 fine, a third will incur a $200 penalty,
and further infractions will generate a $250 fine.“It is
not very common for us to get to that point where we're writing those tickets
that have a $250 tag on them,” Wright said. “Most of the time, it's resolved
way before that. We don't have that happen very often. So, people are overall
pretty understanding, I think, once we explain how important it is.”While
educational in nature, the enforcement will be from members of the police department,
with Community Service Officers especially looking for violations while on patrol.“That's
one of their primary functions is to look for and address water wasting issues,”
Wright said.While water restriction enforcement comes up daily for the
department, Wright said education is their main priority. Still, the ordinance will
be enforced as needed.“Officers don't enjoy writing
citations for water wasting,” Wright said. “That's not something that they
enjoy doing. But the police department is the primary enforcement agency for
making sure that these ordinances are followed.“Most
typical enforcement comes from a contact from one of our police officers or one
of our community service officers. It may be an educational stop, but if
there's a violation, (we) try to be consistently firm and fair with the enforcement
or the ordinance.”Violations
are tracked for 24 months.For
those special use cases, Wright said, permits are issued through the city of
Hays.“I know
of a lot of commercial entities that do that for maintenance on their
properties, but that's got to be permitted,” Wright said. “So, if you need to
do something like that, you've got to contact city hall, the clerk's office, I
believe, to look for a permit.”Restrictions
are also applied to those using well water.Water conservation specialist
Holly Dickman said that importance is a feature of the water sources that serve
Hays.“We rely
on eluvial aquifers around the Smoky Hill River primarily and Big Creek,” Dickman
said. “Those are fairly shallow aquifers. And so, as you might acknowledge, is
that when we do not get significant rainfall, then those well levels can
decline over time.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/5/1684858807455.png" alt="The&nbsp;<a href="https://drought.unl.edu/">National Drought Mitigation Center</a>, a collaboration between&nbsp;the&nbsp;<a href="https://droughtmonitor.unl.edu/CurrentMap/StateDroughtMonitor.aspx?KS">University of Nebraska-Lincoln</a>, <a href="https://www.usda.gov/">the United States Department of Agriculture</a> and the <a href="https://www.noaa.gov/">National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration</a>, shows Ellis County and much of Northwest Kansas in exceptional drought conditions.&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>The&nbsp;<a href="https://drought.unl.edu/">National Drought Mitigation Center</a>, a collaboration between&nbsp;the&nbsp;<a href="https://droughtmonitor.unl.edu/CurrentMap/StateDroughtMonitor.aspx?KS">University of Nebraska-Lincoln</a>, <a href="https://www.usda.gov/">the United States Department of Agriculture</a> and the <a href="https://www.noaa.gov/">National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration</a>, shows Ellis County and much of Northwest Kansas in exceptional drought conditions.&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>In 2023
the <a href="https://www.hays.k-state.edu/weather/index.html">K-State Research and Extension</a> office recorded 3.04 inches of rain for the
year, under the average 4.57 inch total. Last year they reported Hays received 7.17
under the average 23.46 inches.“We are
currently in exceptional drought,” Dickman said. “The last time we were in
exceptional drought was back in 2012-2013. So just because we get a little bit
of rain doesn't mean that we're instantly out of drought. It will take
significant rainfall to bring us out of that.”Long-time
conversation efforts helped negate the drought then, meaning the extreme
measures in the '90s were not needed.“Back in
the '90s, they were telling people there was no outdoor watering allowed,”
Wright said. “Then, they had a program where they were encouraging people not
to flush their toilets, the water levels were so low. So, we don't want to ever
get back to that place.”And
Dickman said despite limited water resources, Hays remains in great shape thanks to ongoing conservation efforts.“We are
the only municipality with more than 15,000 people that is not located near a
sustainable source of water,” she said. “So that's why water conservation is such
a big deal here.”Generally, Hays residents have
been receptive to the need, according to Hays Police Department Chief Don Scheibler.“It has
become a way of life for the Hays community,” he said. “The city of Hays has
changed the culture on how we conserve water. ... That's been very huge for us. And
people understand the rules now, and they're receptive to that. They understand
the importance of it, and they support it. So, we do appreciate the community's
willingness to comply with these restrictions.”The fear
of the taps running dry, dating back nearly 30 years, spurred those
conversations, Dickman said.“That's
when water conservation took off. And speaking to that, we tried to talk to all
age groups,” she said. “Speaking to kids through adults, we're talking
about it all the time. The city of Hays has become a leader in water
conservation because of all those efforts throughout the years.”It
is more than just using less water, she said, as the city actively promotes using
water as efficiently as possible through various programs.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/5/1684859817553.jpeg" alt="Water conservation efforts by the city of Hays' Water Resources Department are detailed at&nbsp;<a href="https://www.watersmarthays.com/">watersmarthays.com</a>" />
 <figcaption>Water conservation efforts by the city of Hays' Water Resources Department are detailed at&nbsp;<a href="https://www.watersmarthays.com/">watersmarthays.com</a></figcaption>
 </figure>“There's
a lot more stuff on the (c<a href="https://www.haysusa.com/160/Water-Conservation">ity of Hays</a>) website
about other conservation approaches that are just as important or more
important,” Wright said.“If
you're saving it, you can use it for something else,” Dickman said.Those
programs include rebates for water smart appliances, low-flow adapters, and turf
conversation rebates.“Fescue
lawns, which aren't very well suited to the area, take a lot of water to keep
green,” Wright said. “A lot of conversion over to warm season grasses are going
on and from that to the low-flow toilets and faucets, and all of those things.
There's lots of stuff on the website about water conservation as a whole.”With
the success of Hays programs, other cities are turning to Hays as an example of
using water efficiently.“Other municipalities
are coming to us now for advice,” Dickman said. “That's always a good thing. It
just goes to show how, since the early '90s, we've been focused on this, and it
really has paid off.“A lot
of the history and the questions about some of those topics, <a href="https://www.watersmarthays.com/">watersmarthays.com</a> kind of goes into
some of that, as far as our rebate programs linked to the financial side of
things with our water rates and those sorts of things. Watersmarthays.com is
a good starting point to answer some of those questions. And, of course, people
can always contact me if they have further questions or are interested in some
of the rebate programs.”And even
with recent developments in the <a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/021a5674-353e-46c4-b816-42284ec8514b">R9 Ranch
water project</a> that will bring an additional water source into Hays, conservation
will remain a focus in the Hays community.“The R9 Ranch
provides a lot more possibilities that will help us, but our way of conserving
is not going to diminish, and we're not going to change anything there,”
Dickman said. “We're always going to take that seriously. But it will provide
the additional water source will provide a lot of opportunities that we can't
pursue now.”

Entertainment