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Enter to win Old Chicago's Chiefs Big Game Giveaway

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/1/1580072693610.jpeg" alt="Auto World volunteers serve soup at the 23rd-annual Humane Society of the High Plains Soup R Bowl Sunday at the Ellis County Fairgrounds. Auto World won the Golden Ladle award for their bacon cheeseburger soup." />
 <figcaption>Auto World volunteers serve soup at the 23rd-annual Humane Society of the High Plains Soup R Bowl Sunday at the Ellis County Fairgrounds. Auto World won the Golden Ladle award for their bacon cheeseburger soup.</figcaption>
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 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/1/1580072943116.jpeg" alt="Platinum Group" />
 <figcaption>Platinum Group</figcaption>
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 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/1/1580072999839.jpeg" alt="A Bank of Hays volunteer serves jalapeno popper soup." />
 <figcaption>A Bank of Hays volunteer serves jalapeno popper soup.</figcaption>
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 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/1/1580073153784.jpeg" alt="Dr. Dustin and Jessica Moffitt of Prospectively Healthy serve a white bean soup at the Soup R Bowl." />
 <figcaption>Dr. Dustin and Jessica Moffitt of Prospectively Healthy serve a white bean soup at the Soup R Bowl.</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/1/1580073287230.jpeg" alt="Boy Scout Troop 131 volunteered for various duties at the Humane Society Soup R Bowl . Girl Scouts also volunteered to assemble tasting kits for the fundraiser." />
 <figcaption>Boy Scout Troop 131 volunteered for various duties at the Humane Society Soup R Bowl . Girl Scouts also volunteered to assemble tasting kits for the fundraiser.</figcaption>
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 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/1/1580074769073.jpeg" alt="Eighth St. Liquor" />
 <figcaption>Eighth St. Liquor</figcaption>
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 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/1/1580074832406.jpeg" alt="Sunflower Bank volunteers serve cracked chicken cream cheese slow cooker soup." />
 <figcaption>Sunflower Bank volunteers serve cracked chicken cream cheese slow cooker soup.</figcaption>
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Auto World wins Humane Society Soup R Bowl 

TOPEKA –&nbsp;Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) Secretary Lee Norman, MD, recently delivered “2020: The State of the Health of Kansans” to the Kansas Senate Public Health and Welfare Committee and the Kansas House Health and Human Services Committee. This is the first time KDHE has delivered such address to the Kansas Legislature.

“As the State Health Officer, it is my duty to look at the health of our state and provide education on what we as a state can do at an individual level, a community level and a government level,” said Dr. Lee Norman, Secretary of KDHE. “Health isn’t just medical care. It’s our behaviors, our environment, our policies and our outcomes.”

Since 1990, Kansas has seen the greatest decline in its health rankings according to America’s Health Rankings published December 6, 2019.

“What this data suggests is that Kansas needs to improve access to care – addressing the shortage of medical professionals, financial impediments and geographic maldistribution among others,” said Dr. Norman. “It suggests that we have unhealthy behaviors that need to be remedied and that there’s a need for active illness prevention and intervention.”

Dr. Norman continued, “Every Kansan can take steps to improve our state’s health – increase your physical activity, be mindful of proper nutrition and make sure your family is up-to-date on immunizations. It’s also critical that we as a state look beyond ourselves and our families, to our neighbors and community members. It’s time for us to intervene and invest in the health of Kansans.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/1/1579890625416.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>KDHETOPEKA –&nbsp;Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) Secretary Lee Norman, MD, recently delivered “2020: The State of the Health of Kansans” to the Kansas Senate Public Health and Welfare Committee and the Kansas House Health and Human Services Committee. This is the first time KDHE has delivered such address to the Kansas Legislature.“As the State Health Officer, it is my duty to look at the health of our state and provide education on what we as a state can do at an individual level, a community level and a government level,” said Dr. Lee Norman, Secretary of KDHE. “Health isn’t just medical care. It’s our behaviors, our environment, our policies and our outcomes.”Since 1990, Kansas has seen the greatest decline in its health rankings according to America’s Health Rankings published December 6, 2019.<ol>
 <li>Behaviors&nbsp;- Kansas ranks #38 in the survey for obesity rates and #30 for smoking.</li><li>Environment&nbsp;- Kansas ranks #21 in the U.S. for the number of children living in poverty. Kansas’ chlamydia numbers are twice the healthiest state, at 465 per 100,000.</li><li>Policy&nbsp;- Kansas ranks #49 in U.S. for females receiving the HPV vaccine and #34 for males. Kansas ranks #32 for children 19-35 months receiving completed vaccines at 69 percent. Kansas ranks 40th&nbsp;for the amount of dollars in public health funding at $60/person. This is 4.5 times less than the top state at $281/per person.</li><li>Medical Care&nbsp;- There is low access to dentists, particularly in rural Kansas. Kansas ranks #38 with 50 dentists per 100,000. Kansas also ranks #35 for mental health providers.</li><li>Outcomes&nbsp;- Kansas ranks in the bottom half on cancer, cardiovascular and diabetes deaths; frequent mental distress; infant mortality; and premature deaths in years lost before age 75.</li>
 </ol>“What this data suggests is that Kansas needs to improve access to care – addressing the shortage of medical professionals, financial impediments and geographic maldistribution among others,” said Dr. Norman. “It suggests that we have unhealthy behaviors that need to be remedied and that there’s a need for active illness prevention and intervention.”Dr. Norman continued, “Every Kansan can take steps to improve our state’s health – increase your physical activity, be mindful of proper nutrition and make sure your family is up-to-date on immunizations. It’s also critical that we as a state look beyond ourselves and our families, to our neighbors and community members. It’s time for us to intervene and invest in the health of Kansans.”

KDHE: Low access to dentists, particularly in rural Kansas

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

Hays Post is honored to publish full obituaries at no cost to families. Funeral homes can send notices to <a href="http://admin@hayspost.com">admin@hayspost.com</a>.

Click <a href="https://hayspost.com/category/obituaries">HERE</a> for the most recent obituaries and service times from our funeral home partners.Hays Post is honored to publish full obituaries at no cost to families. Funeral homes can send notices to <a href="http://admin@hayspost.com">admin@hayspost.com</a>.<figure>
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Recent obituaries

TOPEKA - Governor Laura Kelly and Lieutenant Governor Lynn Rogers recently announced the release of the Office of Rural Prosperity Listening Tour report.

The Office of Rural Prosperity (ORP), housed within the Kansas Department of Commerce, was created by Governor Kelly as a way to help revitalize and highlight rural Kansas communities.

The Office’s new report includes details regarding the unique needs and strengths of rural communities across Kansas that were gathered during a listening tour conducted this summer by Lt. Governor Rogers and outlines the Office’s recommendations for fostering growth and prosperity in these areas.

“I am proud of the work Lt. Governor Rogers has done to identify rural communities’ barriers to long-term prosperity,” Governor Kelly said. “We are committed to partnering with rural communities, to develop policies that help Kansans succeed.”

The report is a summary of conversations and public listening sessions with hundreds of Kansans about what prosperity means to their community.

“Through our discussions with rural communities, we learned a lot about rural Kansans’ unique challenges,” Lt. Governor Rogers said. “Which include housing; physical and digital infrastructure; economic and workforce development; high property taxes; and access to quality, affordable health care and child care.”

The report outlines several areas ORP will be focusing on in the coming months to begin addressing these challenges. It includes plans to create three Interagency Work Groups that will develop&nbsp;tools to help address the unique challenges facing rural communities in the areas of housing; childcare; and workforce recruitment, retention and education. These groups will bring together state and federal agencies to help identify what our state can be doing better when it comes to each area, find available resources and make recommendations for administrative changes.

“While the creation of the Office of Rural Prosperity and my listening tour were great first steps, we know there is much more work to do in order to facilitate growth and prosperity in rural communities,” Lt. Governor Rogers said. “I am excited to continue working to improve rural Kansans’ quality of life one step at a time.”

To access to full report, click&nbsp;<a href="https://gcc01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ruralkanprosper.ks.gov%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2020%2F01%2FOffice-Of-Rural-Prosperity-2019-Report-1.pdf&amp;data=02%7C01%7C%7C179d82eccb2e4b98175808d7984e8bbd%7Cdcae8101c92d480cbc43c6761ccccc5a%7C0%7C0%7C637145335419210819&amp;sdata=Wc2HxpYV4wMcKVioZyiS5fxYb%2BprEabTFx8%2B9IY64qk%3D&amp;reserved=0" target="_blank">here</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/1/1579892284345.jpeg" alt="Colby and Phillipsburg were visited during the listening tour of the new Kansas Office of Rural Prosperity." />
 <figcaption>Colby and Phillipsburg were visited during the listening tour of the new Kansas Office of Rural Prosperity.</figcaption>
 </figure>OFFICE OF GOV.TOPEKA - Governor Laura Kelly and Lieutenant Governor Lynn Rogers recently announced the release of the Office of Rural Prosperity Listening Tour report.The Office of Rural Prosperity (ORP), housed within the Kansas Department of Commerce, was created by Governor Kelly as a way to help revitalize and highlight rural Kansas communities.The Office’s new report includes details regarding the unique needs and strengths of rural communities across Kansas that were gathered during a listening tour conducted this summer by Lt. Governor Rogers and outlines the Office’s recommendations for fostering growth and prosperity in these areas.“I am proud of the work Lt. Governor Rogers has done to identify rural communities’ barriers to long-term prosperity,” Governor Kelly said. “We are committed to partnering with rural communities, to develop policies that help Kansans succeed.”The report is a summary of conversations and public listening sessions with hundreds of Kansans about what prosperity means to their community.“Through our discussions with rural communities, we learned a lot about rural Kansans’ unique challenges,” Lt. Governor Rogers said. “Which include housing; physical and digital infrastructure; economic and workforce development; high property taxes; and access to quality, affordable health care and child care.”The report outlines several areas ORP will be focusing on in the coming months to begin addressing these challenges. It includes plans to create three Interagency Work Groups that will develop&nbsp;tools to help address the unique challenges facing rural communities in the areas of housing; childcare; and workforce recruitment, retention and education. These groups will bring together state and federal agencies to help identify what our state can be doing better when it comes to each area, find available resources and make recommendations for administrative changes.“While the creation of the Office of Rural Prosperity and my listening tour were great first steps, we know there is much more work to do in order to facilitate growth and prosperity in rural communities,” Lt. Governor Rogers said. “I am excited to continue working to improve rural Kansans’ quality of life one step at a time.”To access to full report, click&nbsp;<a href="https://gcc01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ruralkanprosper.ks.gov%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2020%2F01%2FOffice-Of-Rural-Prosperity-2019-Report-1.pdf&amp;data=02%7C01%7C%7C179d82eccb2e4b98175808d7984e8bbd%7Cdcae8101c92d480cbc43c6761ccccc5a%7C0%7C0%7C637145335419210819&amp;sdata=Wc2HxpYV4wMcKVioZyiS5fxYb%2BprEabTFx8%2B9IY64qk%3D&amp;reserved=0" target="_blank">here</a>.

Colby, Phillipsburg included in Rural Prosperity Listening Tour report

PRATT – Commission Big Game Permit winners were drawn by Kansas Wildlife, Parks and Tourism Commissioners during their Jan. 9, 2020 meeting in Iola. 

The Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism’s (KDWPT) Commission Big Game Permit program allows eligible conservation organizations to apply for one of seven big game permits, which can then be sold to raise funds for pre-approved conservation projects. Organizations drawn may receive just one Commission Big Game Permit in a three-year period.

One elk, one antelope or up to seven deer permits are issued each year, depending on applicant preference. The permits are either-species/either-sex and are valid statewide during any season with legal equipment for that season; they do not count against other big game permits the license holder is eligible for.

Once the permit is sold, 15 percent of the total sale price is kept by the organization. The remainder raised is then remitted to KDWPT to be utilized on a jointly determined conservation project.

Seven deer permits were awarded to the following conservation groups this year:

Ducks Unlimited, Cheyenne Bottoms Chapter

Contact: Kim Schneweis, Chairman,&nbsp;<a href="mailto:cheyennebottoms.du@gmail.com" target="_blank">cheyennebottoms.du@gmail.com</a>, (620) 282-9592

Pheasants Forever, North Fork Tailgunners Chapter

Contact: Chris Blackledge, Regional Rep.,&nbsp;<a href="mailto:cblackledge@pheasantsforever.org" target="_blank">cblackledge@pheasantsforever.org</a>, (620) 767-2121

Ducks Unlimited, Prairie Dog Chapter

Contact: Josh Williams, Regional Director West Region,&nbsp;<a href="mailto:jwilliams@ducks.org" target="_blank">jwilliams@ducks.org</a>, (785) 443-4486

Contact: Chris Young, Regional Director East,&nbsp;<a href="mailto:cyoung@ducks.org" target="_blank">cyoung@ducks.org</a>, (913) 333-2922

Ducks Unlimited, Kiowa County Chapter

Contact: Jamie Brown, Area Chair,&nbsp;<a href="mailto:brownauction@att.net" target="_blank">brownauction@att.net</a>, (620) 723-2111

Ducks Unlimited, Woodson County Chapter

For more information on this program, visit ksoutdoors.com/KDWPT-Info/Commission or contact Commission secretary Sheila Kemmis at (620) 672-5911.

KDWPTPRATT – Commission Big Game Permit winners were drawn by Kansas Wildlife, Parks and Tourism Commissioners during their Jan. 9, 2020 meeting in Iola. The Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism’s (KDWPT) Commission Big Game Permit program allows eligible conservation organizations to apply for one of seven big game permits, which can then be sold to raise funds for pre-approved conservation projects. Organizations drawn may receive just one Commission Big Game Permit in a three-year period.One elk, one antelope or up to seven deer permits are issued each year, depending on applicant preference. The permits are either-species/either-sex and are valid statewide during any season with legal equipment for that season; they do not count against other big game permits the license holder is eligible for.Once the permit is sold, 15 percent of the total sale price is kept by the organization. The remainder raised is then remitted to KDWPT to be utilized on a jointly determined conservation project.Seven deer permits were awarded to the following conservation groups this year:Ducks Unlimited, Cheyenne Bottoms ChapterContact: Kim Schneweis, Chairman,&nbsp;<a href="mailto:cheyennebottoms.du@gmail.com" target="_blank">cheyennebottoms.du@gmail.com</a>, (620) 282-9592Pheasants Forever, North Fork Tailgunners ChapterContact: Chris Blackledge, Regional Rep.,&nbsp;<a href="mailto:cblackledge@pheasantsforever.org" target="_blank">cblackledge@pheasantsforever.org</a>, (620) 767-2121Ducks Unlimited, Prairie Dog ChapterContact: Josh Williams, Regional Director West Region,&nbsp;<a href="mailto:jwilliams@ducks.org" target="_blank">jwilliams@ducks.org</a>, (785) 443-4486Ducks Unlimited, Topeka ChapterContact: Chris Young, Regional Director East,&nbsp;<a href="mailto:cyoung@ducks.org" target="_blank">cyoung@ducks.org</a>, (913) 333-2922Ducks Unlimited, Kiowa County ChapterContact: Jamie Brown, Area Chair,&nbsp;<a href="mailto:brownauction@att.net" target="_blank">brownauction@att.net</a>, (620) 723-2111Ducks Unlimited, St. Paul ChapterContact: Chris Young, Regional Director East,&nbsp;<a href="mailto:cyoung@ducks.org" target="_blank">cyoung@ducks.org</a>, (913) 333-2922Ducks Unlimited, Woodson County ChapterContact: Chris Young, Regional Director East,&nbsp;<a href="mailto:cyoung@ducks.org" target="_blank">cyoung@ducks.org</a>, (913) 333-2922For more information on this program, visit ksoutdoors.com/KDWPT-Info/Commission or contact Commission secretary Sheila Kemmis at (620) 672-5911.

Area conservation groups awarded KDWPT big game permits

<a href="https://hayspost.com/state-farm-weather-window/">For a full look at weather visit the State Farm Weather Window by clicking here.&nbsp;</a>

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 </figure><a href="https://hayspost.com/state-farm-weather-window/">For a full look at weather visit the State Farm Weather Window by clicking here.&nbsp;</a><figure>
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Three-day weather outlook

The Hays Police Department will be conducting training on Tue., January 28 and Wed., Jan. 29, between the hours of 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. at 2701 Augusta Lane, Hays.

Police officers will be training with special equipment. This training is being done with great care and safety.

As a home or business owner, you may see law enforcement officers move through your area. There is no need to be alarmed. The officers are merely conducting a realistic training exercise and there is no danger to the community.

If you have any questions or concerns, you may contact the on-site supervisor Lt. Tim Greenwood or Deputy Chief Brian Dawson at 785-625-1030.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/11/1574117285695.jpeg" alt="HPD SSRT training (Photo courtesy&nbsp; HPD)" />
 <figcaption>HPD SSRT training (Photo courtesy&nbsp; HPD)</figcaption>
 </figure>HPDThe Hays Police Department will be conducting training on Tue., January 28 and Wed., Jan. 29, between the hours of 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. at 2701 Augusta Lane, Hays.Police officers will be training with special equipment. This training is being done with great care and safety.As a home or business owner, you may see law enforcement officers move through your area. There is no need to be alarmed. The officers are merely conducting a realistic training exercise and there is no danger to the community.If you have any questions or concerns, you may contact the on-site supervisor Lt. Tim Greenwood or Deputy Chief Brian Dawson at 785-625-1030.

HPD to conduct SSRT training this week

LAWRENCE – The Robert J. Dole Institute of Politics at the University of Kansas has announced the opening of “What Would a Woman Offer Her Country?: Elizabeth Dole’s Ground-breaking, Trail-blazing Life of Service,” the inaugural exhibition of the newly opened Elizabeth Dole Gallery and Reading Room at the institute.

The exhibition features over 100 items from her personal collections, documenting her career across six decades of public service. The title is inspired by a 1999 speech given by Dole, in which she asked, “What would I as a woman offer our country?”

“This centennial year of women’s suffrage, as well as an election year, is an ideal opportunity to recognize the career of Senator Elizabeth Dole as a prime example of women’s leadership in public service and politics over the last century,” said Dole Institute Associate Director Audrey Coleman, who oversaw the project’s development.

“The question the senator posed in her ’99 exploratory speech suggests a need to defend her qualifications for presidential leadership – even after, at that time, nearly four decades of service at the highest levels of U.S. government – in a way that women are still too frequently expected to do,” Coleman said. “We sought to answer that question in this exhibit based on her career archive, showcasing her achievements in policy and politics as a leader, mentor and icon.”

In 2017, the former U.S. senator announced the gift of her personal papers to the archives at the Dole Institute of Politics, creating the Robert and Elizabeth Dole Archive &amp; Special Collections.

Dole is married to Bob Dole, former U.S. Senator from Russell.

In honor of this gift, the Dole Institute renovated the archives research room to become a multipurpose space for showcasing collections through both exhibitions and research. The space will be officially dedicated later in spring 2020.

The exhibition will be on display at the Dole Institute through May 2020. The Elizabeth Dole Gallery and Reading Room is open from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday and from 12:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. Sunday. The gallery is closed on Mondays. Admission to the Dole Institute, Elizabeth Dole Gallery and events are free.

The Dole Institute is dedicated to promoting political and civic participation as well as civil discourse in a bipartisan, philosophically balanced manner. It is located in KU’s West District and houses the Dole Archive and Special Collections. Through its robust public programming, congressional archive and museum, the Dole Institute strives to celebrate public service and the legacies of U.S. Senators Bob Dole and Elizabeth Dole.

More information on all programs, as well as ongoing additions to the schedule, can be found on the Dole Institute’s website,&nbsp;<a href="http://www.doleinstitute.org/">www.doleinstitute.org</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/1/1579889922625.png" alt="Elizabeth Dole Gallery and Reading Room at&nbsp; KU" />
 <figcaption>Elizabeth Dole Gallery and Reading Room at&nbsp; KU</figcaption>
 </figure>KU NEWS SERVICELAWRENCE – The Robert J. Dole Institute of Politics at the University of Kansas has announced the opening of “What Would a Woman Offer Her Country?: Elizabeth Dole’s Ground-breaking, Trail-blazing Life of Service,” the inaugural exhibition of the newly opened Elizabeth Dole Gallery and Reading Room at the institute.The exhibition features over 100 items from her personal collections, documenting her career across six decades of public service. The title is inspired by a 1999 speech given by Dole, in which she asked, “What would I as a woman offer our country?”“This centennial year of women’s suffrage, as well as an election year, is an ideal opportunity to recognize the career of Senator Elizabeth Dole as a prime example of women’s leadership in public service and politics over the last century,” said Dole Institute Associate Director Audrey Coleman, who oversaw the project’s development.“The question the senator posed in her ’99 exploratory speech suggests a need to defend her qualifications for presidential leadership – even after, at that time, nearly four decades of service at the highest levels of U.S. government – in a way that women are still too frequently expected to do,” Coleman said. “We sought to answer that question in this exhibit based on her career archive, showcasing her achievements in policy and politics as a leader, mentor and icon.”In 2017, the former U.S. senator announced the gift of her personal papers to the archives at the Dole Institute of Politics, creating the Robert and Elizabeth Dole Archive &amp; Special Collections.Dole is married to Bob Dole, former U.S. Senator from Russell.In honor of this gift, the Dole Institute renovated the archives research room to become a multipurpose space for showcasing collections through both exhibitions and research. The space will be officially dedicated later in spring 2020.The exhibition will be on display at the Dole Institute through May 2020. The Elizabeth Dole Gallery and Reading Room is open from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday and from 12:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. Sunday. The gallery is closed on Mondays. Admission to the Dole Institute, Elizabeth Dole Gallery and events are free.The Dole Institute is dedicated to promoting political and civic participation as well as civil discourse in a bipartisan, philosophically balanced manner. It is located in KU’s West District and houses the Dole Archive and Special Collections. Through its robust public programming, congressional archive and museum, the Dole Institute strives to celebrate public service and the legacies of U.S. Senators Bob Dole and Elizabeth Dole.More information on all programs, as well as ongoing additions to the schedule, can be found on the Dole Institute’s website,&nbsp;<a href="http://www.doleinstitute.org/">www.doleinstitute.org</a>.

Elizabeth Dole Gallery to open at KU

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Today's Community Calendar

RUSSELL COUNTY— One person was injured in an accident just after 3p.m. Sunday in Russell County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2008 Honda Accord driven by&nbsp; Trudy L. Haynes, 51, Hutchinson, was westbound in the eastbound lanes on Interstate 70 seven miles west of Russell.

The driver turned the Honda around at an unknown location and was then eastbound in the eastbound lanes. 

The Honda ran off the roadway to the right, struck a drainage ditch, went airborne, re-entered the roadway, travelled a short distance, exited the roadway to the right again, traveled through a KDOT fence and came to rest in a creek that feeds into a pond.

EMS transported Haynes to the hospital in Russell. She was properly restrained at the time of the accident, according to the KHP.

RUSSELL COUNTY— One person was injured in an accident just after 3p.m. Sunday in Russell County.The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2008 Honda Accord driven by&nbsp; Trudy L. Haynes, 51, Hutchinson, was westbound in the eastbound lanes on Interstate 70 seven miles west of Russell.The driver turned the Honda around at an unknown location and was then eastbound in the eastbound lanes. The Honda ran off the roadway to the right, struck a drainage ditch, went airborne, re-entered the roadway, travelled a short distance, exited the roadway to the right again, traveled through a KDOT fence and came to rest in a creek that feeds into a pond.EMS transported Haynes to the hospital in Russell. She was properly restrained at the time of the accident, according to the KHP.

Kan. woman hospitalized after car lands in Russell Co. creek

By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays Post

Rep. Roger Mashall, R-Kansas, was in Hays on Thursday talking trade with his constituents.

"I think the biggest news in recent history — the most historical news to agriculture in my lifetime — are the trade agreements that the president has completed this last week," Marshall said.&nbsp;

The U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement has been approved by both houses of Congress, and the president has completed phase one of a trade deal with China.

These deals are critical to Kansas as 40 percent of the Kansas economy is dependent on agriculture, Marshall said.

Last year China bought $70 million worth of U.S. beef. This year China has pledged to buy $1 billion worth of U.S. beef.

In total China's import of U.S. ag products is expected to jump from $9 billion to $37 billion.

Although there will be some expansion of ag exports to Mexico and Canada, the deal will likely move more manufacturing jobs back to the States, Marshall said.

"I think those are two huge wins for America," he said. "They both mean thousands of jobs and hundreds of millions of dollars in increased exports from Kansas.

"I can't promise you the wheat price is going to go up, but it should and the beef prices and some of those types as well. I think there are great, great opportunities."

Marshall opened up the town hall for questions. Several people talked about issues they were having with Veterans Affairs.

Jim Tyree of Wilson, a Navy veteran, said his wife has not been able to get the medicine that she needs.

Kathy Zeleneka, also a veteran from Wilson, said she was struggling to obtain proper care for her cancer.

A Hays resident Arlyn Schupman told Marshall, an MD, he was struggling with sharp increases in medication costs for his family. His wife is on a medication that costs $250 every two weeks.

Schupman asked why drug costs in America are high compared to other nations.

Marshall explained big pharmaceutical companies sell drugs to pharmacy benefit managers, who function like wholesalers. Those benefit managers, in turn, sell the drugs to pharmacies.

The benefit managers take a large chunk of the profits. The benefits managers are also allowed to give legal kickbacks to the drug manufacturers.

Marshall said the benefit managers and the drug manufacturers back big lobbying efforts and as a result, it is difficult to pass reforms.

"I think I know how to fix it, but Nancy Pelosi is not going to let us fix it," Marshall said. "She is not going to let us get any types of solutions to the committee to solve the problem. She does not want President Trump to get any credit for this."

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/1/1579903688507.jpeg" alt="U.S. Rep. Roger Marshall, R-Kansas, talks to constituents Thursday at HaysMed." />
 <figcaption>U.S. Rep. Roger Marshall, R-Kansas, talks to constituents Thursday at HaysMed.</figcaption>
 </figure>By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays PostRep. Roger Mashall, R-Kansas, was in Hays on Thursday talking trade with his constituents."I think the biggest news in recent history — the most historical news to agriculture in my lifetime — are the trade agreements that the president has completed this last week," Marshall said.&nbsp;The U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement has been approved by both houses of Congress, and the president has completed phase one of a trade deal with China.These deals are critical to Kansas as 40 percent of the Kansas economy is dependent on agriculture, Marshall said.Last year China bought $70 million worth of U.S. beef. This year China has pledged to buy $1 billion worth of U.S. beef.In total China's import of U.S. ag products is expected to jump from $9 billion to $37 billion.Although there will be some expansion of ag exports to Mexico and Canada, the deal will likely move more manufacturing jobs back to the States, Marshall said."I think those are two huge wins for America," he said. "They both mean thousands of jobs and hundreds of millions of dollars in increased exports from Kansas."I can't promise you the wheat price is going to go up, but it should and the beef prices and some of those types as well. I think there are great, great opportunities."<h2>Voters upset about VA, drug costs</h2>Marshall opened up the town hall for questions. Several people talked about issues they were having with Veterans Affairs.Jim Tyree of Wilson, a Navy veteran, said his wife has not been able to get the medicine that she needs.Kathy Zeleneka, also a veteran from Wilson, said she was struggling to obtain proper care for her cancer.A Hays resident Arlyn Schupman told Marshall, an MD, he was struggling with sharp increases in medication costs for his family. His wife is on a medication that costs $250 every two weeks.Schupman asked why drug costs in America are high compared to other nations.Marshall explained big pharmaceutical companies sell drugs to pharmacy benefit managers, who function like wholesalers. Those benefit managers, in turn, sell the drugs to pharmacies.The benefit managers take a large chunk of the profits. The benefits managers are also allowed to give legal kickbacks to the drug manufacturers.Marshall said the benefit managers and the drug manufacturers back big lobbying efforts and as a result, it is difficult to pass reforms."I think I know how to fix it, but Nancy Pelosi is not going to let us fix it," Marshall said. "She is not going to let us get any types of solutions to the committee to solve the problem. She does not want President Trump to get any credit for this."

Marshall talks trade, listens to health care concerns in Hays

The Farm Bill enrollment is open at this time and will be until March 15. Many producers have already made their decisions for the next 2 years, but some of you may still have questions on what program you want to choose. Although the decision is for just for 2 years this time, it is still important in your farm’s management.&nbsp;

If you have questions, or just want a little clarification, you can call the Cottonwood Extension District and make an appointment with us to run a decision tool. This can help give you more information to make your choices. All you need to bring in with you is the abbreviated 156 farm record form from your FSA office and the decision tool will take your yield data along with the national factors to give you a close estimate about what possible payments you will see over the next 2 years. The Great Bend office number is 620-793-1910 and ask for Alicia. For the Hays office, call 785-628-9430 and ask for Stacy.

The decision tools that are out there are meant to be a guide to help you get the best information out there for the most informed decision that you can make. K-State Research and Extension is here to assist you with the tools and any updated information that we have.&nbsp;

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

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/11/1573141354634.png" alt="Alicia Boor is an Agriculture and Natural Resources agent in the Cottonwood District." />
 <figcaption>Alicia Boor is an Agriculture and Natural Resources agent in the Cottonwood District.</figcaption>
 </figure>The Farm Bill enrollment is open at this time and will be until March 15. Many producers have already made their decisions for the next 2 years, but some of you may still have questions on what program you want to choose. Although the decision is for just for 2 years this time, it is still important in your farm’s management.&nbsp;If you have questions, or just want a little clarification, you can call the Cottonwood Extension District and make an appointment with us to run a decision tool. This can help give you more information to make your choices. All you need to bring in with you is the abbreviated 156 farm record form from your FSA office and the decision tool will take your yield data along with the national factors to give you a close estimate about what possible payments you will see over the next 2 years. The Great Bend office number is 620-793-1910 and ask for Alicia. For the Hays office, call 785-628-9430 and ask for Stacy.The decision tools that are out there are meant to be a guide to help you get the best information out there for the most informed decision that you can make. K-State Research and Extension is here to assist you with the tools and any updated information that we have.&nbsp;Alicia Boor is an Agriculture and Natural Resources agent in the Cottonwood District (which includes Barton and Ellis counties) for K-State Research and Extension. You can contact her by e-mail at aboor@ksu.edu or calling 620-793-1910

BOOR: Open enrollment season for 2020 farm programs

The Kansas Legislature is back, and anti-abortion advocates wasted no time initiating an amendment to the state constitution.&nbsp; If approved by two-thirds of both houses, and by voters, it would overturn last year’s decision by the Kansas Supreme Court affirming a woman’s right to have an abortion.&nbsp; Debate has already turned nasty, with legislators asking hostile questions of witnesses for both sides, legalistic arguments and farfetched, hypothetical scenarios being bandied to and fro.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

Dear Kansas legislators and anti-abortion activists:&nbsp; if you really want fewer abortions, then to quote the social media meme, you’re doing it wrong.

A recent study at Washington University in St. Louis confirmed what public health advocates have been saying for years—safe, affordable access to birth control causes the abortion rate to fall dramatically.&nbsp; Participants in the study received free birth control and medical care, and were given a range of options.&nbsp; Their abortion rates ranged from 62 to 78 percent lower than the national rate.&nbsp; The rates were particularly low for those who chose long-term, reversible methods of birth control.&nbsp; Want fewer abortions?&nbsp; Nothing does this as well as birth control.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Even so, the Washington University study did not reduce the rate of unplanned pregnancies to zero, and there is still the matter of caring for children born from unexpected pregnancies.&nbsp; Kansas has had a particularly appalling record on this score recently, with children in the state’s foster care system having gone missing, others abused, and still others sleeping in state offices.&nbsp; Governor Kelly’s proposed 2021 budget includes increased funding for a larger foster care caseload, as well as more funding to support permanent adoptions of children in the foster care system.&nbsp; Kelly also proposes administrative reorganization, and money to hire additional social workers.&nbsp; If these proposals are passed by the Legislature, this is the kind of no-drama, real-world change that will give these kids a chance at a better life.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Hard data show us that affordable birth control causes abortions to fall dramatically.&nbsp; Better funding and reorganization offer kids born into tough circumstances hope for the future.&nbsp; Still, abortion opponents will want to do more.&nbsp; Once again, they can consult the data.&nbsp; The Guttmacher Institute is a clearinghouse of objective data on abortions, since the&nbsp;Roe v. Wade&nbsp;court ruling in 1973.&nbsp; Their data show that 59% of abortions in 2017 were performed on women who already have at least one child.&nbsp; Defying stereotypes, only 18% of women who have abortions are teenagers.&nbsp; By far the most common reason given for having an abortion, is that a woman or couple cannot afford another child.&nbsp; In fact, the Guttmacher data show that 75% of women having abortions are poor or low-income. It appears that higher wages and better incomes would be more likely to lower the abortion rate, than anything currently happening in the Kansas Legislature.

Many Kansans—including many Kansas women—have serious personal reservations about abortion.&nbsp; Fearmongering about things like sex-selection and late-term abortions is just that—scare tactics.&nbsp; In truth, these are rare, and the overwhelming majority of abortions are performed in the first six weeks of pregnancy.&nbsp; Still, many want to see the procedure become rare.&nbsp; While it is unrealistic to eliminate it entirely, there are plenty of choices to bring the abortion rate down sharply.&nbsp; Not one of them involves court challenges or constitutional amendments, and none would deny women the right to make the final decision themselves.

Michael Smith is a professor at Emporia State University.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/1/1579108824567.jpeg" alt="Michael Smith is a professor at Emporia State University" />
 <figcaption>Michael Smith is a professor at Emporia State University</figcaption>
 </figure>Here we go again.The Kansas Legislature is back, and anti-abortion advocates wasted no time initiating an amendment to the state constitution.&nbsp; If approved by two-thirds of both houses, and by voters, it would overturn last year’s decision by the Kansas Supreme Court affirming a woman’s right to have an abortion.&nbsp; Debate has already turned nasty, with legislators asking hostile questions of witnesses for both sides, legalistic arguments and farfetched, hypothetical scenarios being bandied to and fro.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Dear Kansas legislators and anti-abortion activists:&nbsp; if you really want fewer abortions, then to quote the social media meme, you’re doing it wrong.A recent study at Washington University in St. Louis confirmed what public health advocates have been saying for years—safe, affordable access to birth control causes the abortion rate to fall dramatically.&nbsp; Participants in the study received free birth control and medical care, and were given a range of options.&nbsp; Their abortion rates ranged from 62 to 78 percent lower than the national rate.&nbsp; The rates were particularly low for those who chose long-term, reversible methods of birth control.&nbsp; Want fewer abortions?&nbsp; Nothing does this as well as birth control.&nbsp;&nbsp;Even so, the Washington University study did not reduce the rate of unplanned pregnancies to zero, and there is still the matter of caring for children born from unexpected pregnancies.&nbsp; Kansas has had a particularly appalling record on this score recently, with children in the state’s foster care system having gone missing, others abused, and still others sleeping in state offices.&nbsp; Governor Kelly’s proposed 2021 budget includes increased funding for a larger foster care caseload, as well as more funding to support permanent adoptions of children in the foster care system.&nbsp; Kelly also proposes administrative reorganization, and money to hire additional social workers.&nbsp; If these proposals are passed by the Legislature, this is the kind of no-drama, real-world change that will give these kids a chance at a better life.&nbsp;&nbsp;Hard data show us that affordable birth control causes abortions to fall dramatically.&nbsp; Better funding and reorganization offer kids born into tough circumstances hope for the future.&nbsp; Still, abortion opponents will want to do more.&nbsp; Once again, they can consult the data.&nbsp; The Guttmacher Institute is a clearinghouse of objective data on abortions, since the&nbsp;Roe v. Wade&nbsp;court ruling in 1973.&nbsp; Their data show that 59% of abortions in 2017 were performed on women who already have at least one child.&nbsp; Defying stereotypes, only 18% of women who have abortions are teenagers.&nbsp; By far the most common reason given for having an abortion, is that a woman or couple cannot afford another child.&nbsp; In fact, the Guttmacher data show that 75% of women having abortions are poor or low-income. It appears that higher wages and better incomes would be more likely to lower the abortion rate, than anything currently happening in the Kansas Legislature.Many Kansans—including many Kansas women—have serious personal reservations about abortion.&nbsp; Fearmongering about things like sex-selection and late-term abortions is just that—scare tactics.&nbsp; In truth, these are rare, and the overwhelming majority of abortions are performed in the first six weeks of pregnancy.&nbsp; Still, many want to see the procedure become rare.&nbsp; While it is unrealistic to eliminate it entirely, there are plenty of choices to bring the abortion rate down sharply.&nbsp; Not one of them involves court challenges or constitutional amendments, and none would deny women the right to make the final decision themselves.Michael Smith is a professor at Emporia State University.

INSIGHT KANSAS: Fewer abortions? Legislature, you’re doing it wrong

By CORINNE BOYER, <a href="https://www.hppr.org/post/census-could-help-kansas-communities-most-needing-child-care-theyre-hardest-count">Kansas News Service</a>

GARDEN CITY — The census determines more 
than the number of congressional districts in a state. The number of 
responses impacts child care, too.&nbsp;

Eighteen of Kansas’ 105 
counties don’t have infant or toddler child care available, according to
 Child Care Aware Kansas. It uses census data to calculate the state’s 
child care needs, and every year, the demand grows.&nbsp;

“Each year 
it just continues to really become a little bleaker — especially in 
rural areas,” said Leadell Ediger, executive director of Child Care 
Aware Kansas.&nbsp;

Kansas is at risk of being undercounted in this year’s 2020 census — eight counties in southwest Kansas are classified as a <a href="https://www.censushardtocountmaps2020.us/">Hard-To-Count</a>
 populations by the U.S. Census Bureau. That means a quarter or more 
households in those eight counties didn’t return the 2010 census.&nbsp;

Census
 data determines the amount of federal funding that local communities 
receive for things like schools and roads. The 2019 Child Care Supply 
and Demand <a href="https://ks.childcareaware.org/wp-content/uploads/Supply-Demand-2019-FINAL.pdf">report</a>
 by Child Care Aware Kansas used census data to calculate the number of 
spots needed across the state in day cares, private care and most Head 
Start programs.&nbsp;

It’s why some child care centers are planning to
 engage with families, because an inaccurate count could thwart child 
care expansion efforts or even reduce the number of spots at child care 
centers.&nbsp;

Ediger said 35% of counties “do not have a child care 
center at all. And that is really especially true for the smaller rural 
areas.”&nbsp;

In western Kansas, the demand for child care in more populous 
counties like Seward, Ford, Finney and Russell ranges from 50 spots to 
more than 1,500. Even smaller counties like Morton, Hamilton and Wichita
 only have enough child care for 15 to 35 kids —&nbsp; but need an estimated 
100 openings.&nbsp; &nbsp;

In Garden City, the Kansas Children’s Service 
League’s Head Start program will share census videos and handouts with 
parents. Head Start Grant Development Manager Cecilia Douglass said 
census data could impact future grant funding that will “either justify 
program expansion or not.”

In the 2010 census, <a href="https://www.garden-city.org/home/showdocument?id=1643">Finney County</a> was undercounted by as many as 5,300 people.&nbsp;&nbsp;

“If
 we had accurate numbers with the census, it’s very possible that we 
would have been able to add a few more … Head Start classrooms,” 
Douglass said.

Census responses do not impact <a href="https://www.nhsa.org/our-work/initiative/census-2020/census-and-head-start">Head Start</a>
 funding, but they capture the number of children, demographics and 
poverty levels, which can affect Head Start facilities’ grant funding.&nbsp;

In December, Bianca Alvarez attended a lunch-and-learn in Dodge City 
that focused on the census. When attendees were asked if they responded 
to the 2010 census, only two people out of 20 raised their hands.&nbsp;

Alvarez,
 a family and community specialist at Bright Beginnings Early Childhood 
Center in Dodge City, said her organization serves 450 children in Ford 
County.&nbsp;

An undercount, she said, “could mean loss of spots for our program. It could mean loss of funding for our program.”

Corinne Boyer covers western Kansas for High Plains Public Radio and the Kansas News Service. You can follow her on Twitter<a href="https://kannews.slack.com/team/UFFCS11T5"> @Corinne</a>_boyer or email cboyer@hppr.org.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/1/1579816390151.png" alt="Children practice yoga at the Kansas Children's Service League's Head Start program in Garden City.&nbsp;Kansas Children's Service League" />
 <figcaption>Children practice yoga at the Kansas Children's Service League's Head Start program in Garden City.&nbsp;Kansas Children's Service League</figcaption>
 </figure>By CORINNE BOYER, <a href="https://www.hppr.org/post/census-could-help-kansas-communities-most-needing-child-care-theyre-hardest-count">Kansas News Service</a>GARDEN CITY — The census determines more 
than the number of congressional districts in a state. The number of 
responses impacts child care, too.&nbsp;Eighteen of Kansas’ 105 
counties don’t have infant or toddler child care available, according to
 Child Care Aware Kansas. It uses census data to calculate the state’s 
child care needs, and every year, the demand grows.&nbsp;“Each year 
it just continues to really become a little bleaker — especially in 
rural areas,” said Leadell Ediger, executive director of Child Care 
Aware Kansas.&nbsp;Kansas is at risk of being undercounted in this year’s 2020 census — eight counties in southwest Kansas are classified as a <a href="https://www.censushardtocountmaps2020.us/">Hard-To-Count</a>
 populations by the U.S. Census Bureau. That means a quarter or more 
households in those eight counties didn’t return the 2010 census.&nbsp;Census
 data determines the amount of federal funding that local communities 
receive for things like schools and roads. The 2019 Child Care Supply 
and Demand <a href="https://ks.childcareaware.org/wp-content/uploads/Supply-Demand-2019-FINAL.pdf">report</a>
 by Child Care Aware Kansas used census data to calculate the number of 
spots needed across the state in day cares, private care and most Head 
Start programs.&nbsp;It’s why some child care centers are planning to
 engage with families, because an inaccurate count could thwart child 
care expansion efforts or even reduce the number of spots at child care 
centers.&nbsp;Ediger said 35% of counties “do not have a child care 
center at all. And that is really especially true for the smaller rural 
areas.”&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/1/1579816271654.png" alt="Child Care Aware Kansas tracks the number of child care centers and uses census data that shows poverty rates among children in Kansas.&nbsp;Credit Child Care Aware Kansas &nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>Child Care Aware Kansas tracks the number of child care centers and uses census data that shows poverty rates among children in Kansas.&nbsp;Credit Child Care Aware Kansas &nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>In western Kansas, the demand for child care in more populous 
counties like Seward, Ford, Finney and Russell ranges from 50 spots to 
more than 1,500. Even smaller counties like Morton, Hamilton and Wichita
 only have enough child care for 15 to 35 kids —&nbsp; but need an estimated 
100 openings.&nbsp; &nbsp;In Garden City, the Kansas Children’s Service 
League’s Head Start program will share census videos and handouts with 
parents. Head Start Grant Development Manager Cecilia Douglass said 
census data could impact future grant funding that will “either justify 
program expansion or not.”In the 2010 census, <a href="https://www.garden-city.org/home/showdocument?id=1643">Finney County</a> was undercounted by as many as 5,300 people.&nbsp;&nbsp;“If
 we had accurate numbers with the census, it’s very possible that we 
would have been able to add a few more … Head Start classrooms,” 
Douglass said.Census responses do not impact <a href="https://www.nhsa.org/our-work/initiative/census-2020/census-and-head-start">Head Start</a>
 funding, but they capture the number of children, demographics and 
poverty levels, which can affect Head Start facilities’ grant funding.&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/1/1579816339040.jpeg" alt=" Children hang out with Seamus, a Wheaten Terrier, at the Kansas Children's Service League's Head Start program. Credit Kansas Children's Service League" />
 <figcaption> Children hang out with Seamus, a Wheaten Terrier, at the Kansas Children's Service League's Head Start program. Credit Kansas Children's Service League</figcaption>
 </figure>In December, Bianca Alvarez attended a lunch-and-learn in Dodge City 
that focused on the census. When attendees were asked if they responded 
to the 2010 census, only two people out of 20 raised their hands.&nbsp;Alvarez,
 a family and community specialist at Bright Beginnings Early Childhood 
Center in Dodge City, said her organization serves 450 children in Ford 
County.&nbsp;An undercount, she said, “could mean loss of spots for our program. It could mean loss of funding for our program.”Corinne Boyer covers western Kansas for High Plains Public Radio and the Kansas News Service. You can follow her on Twitter<a href="https://kannews.slack.com/team/UFFCS11T5"> @Corinne</a>_boyer or email cboyer@hppr.org.

Census could help Kan. communities most needing child care

Since 1972 a small team in Hill City has been a key
component of economic development in northwest Kansas.

The
Northwest Kansas Planning and Development Commission, a non-governmental
organization, based in Hill City, assists cities and counties in 18 northwest
Kansas counties to obtain federal grant funds for community improvement
projects, such as fire departments, emergency medical services, senior centers,
medical facilities, water and sewer projects, and housing rehabilitation and
demolition, as well as urgent need grants.

They may be small, but their activities have a large
impact across the region as the official regional planning commission for the
area.

But a recent decision by the Ellis County Commission
to not pay its assigned dues has created a difficult situation for the group,
as well as the three city governments in the county, who are now being asked to
pay a portion of the dues, or risk losing at least part of the organization’s
assistance in the future. 

“For me it’s disappointing, but I know budget
concerns right now. Every county is the same way,” said Randy Hrabe, executive
director of the NWKPDC. “But in Ellis County alone we have (secured) $2.3 million in actual grant
funds in the last 10 years. If you calculate that out, that is 50 years worth
of dues.”

The Ellis County economic development group, Grow
Hays, sees both sides of the issue and often ties the economic development of
Ellis County to the larger area.

“We are supportive of the Northwest Kansas Planning
and Development Commission, we think they do a lot of good things,” said Doug
Williams, director of Grow Hays, “but we are also sympathetic to the budgetary
issues in Ellis County.” 

In the last year, Hrabe said the organization procured
$7.9 million in grants in their region, assisted with finding funding for
$14.6 million in infrastructure projects, and administered $20 million in business loans.

In Ellis County in recent months, the organization
worked with the city of Ellis to secure grant funding totaling more than $1 million
to support the construction of a new pool and is waiting to hear the results of
another $600,000 grant proposal that would be used to fund water system repairs
in the city.

They also administer the Section 8 housing program,
with 55 Ellis County residents currently receiving assistance through the
program.

&nbsp;“That’s doesn’t
even include the millions of dollars in business loans that we have done throughout
Ellis County and mainly in Hays,” Hrabe said.

The group also bought and placed two houses from NCK
Tech near Hays and built 10 duplex units in Ellis.

The future of that assistance and those programs is
now in question as the city governments and the organization wrestle with not
only the cut in funding, but also the regulatory problems that stem from Ellis
County declaring they would not send dues to the commission.

NWKPDC dues are calculated across their 18 county
region at a rate of a tenth of a mill, based on total valuation.

“What that amounts to is that the larger counties
pay more than the smaller counties,” Hrabe said.

Frustration had arisen in recent years as Ellis
County Commissioners noticed as Ellis County’s assessed value was going up, valuation of many
of the other counties in the area was going down. That meant Ellis
County was paying an increasingly larger percentage of dues, while unable to
tap into one of the organizations primary functions, procuring Community
Development Block Grants.

The CBDG grants are limited to population areas that
remain under a per capita income threshold.

Those concerns came to a head during the 2020 Ellis
County budget process, when the county agreed to pay only 56 percent of their
anticipated assessed dues, totaling $22,500.

“At that point we talked about it at our board
meeting. We weren’t necessarily happy, but we could get along with it until
things got better,” Hrabe said.

Then on Monday, everything changed when Ellis County Commission Chairman Butch Schlyer told Hrabe the Ellis County Commission unanimously decided they would not be paying any dues this year, as they were
contemplating adjustments to the county’s 2020 budget.

He also told Hrabe they would no longer be attending
NWKPDC meetings.

“One of the big shifts, which came out of the
commission budget, was not rejoining, or using the membership of the NWKPDC,”
Schlyer said, during an appearance on KAYS radio on Jan. 7. “So we will no longer be
members of that group. We decided to use that for salaries, instead of joining
that membership.”

He also said benefits from the organization are “not
that much.”

On the same day Schlyer talked to Hrabe, the city governments of Ellis and
Victoria discussed written requests from NWKPDC to cover the difference in the original
amount in dues that were not going to be paid by Ellis County.

In some of the counties in their area, cities are
already helping cover dues, Hrabe said, noting Wallace County and the city of Sharon Springs as well as Cheyenne
County and the city of St. Francis split dues.

“That’s up to each county how they want to divide it
up, but to me, it is only fair that the counties pay the dues, that way everybody
that owns property in the county pays a tenth of a mill,” he said.

Victoria and Ellis were asked to consider $5,000 in funding
for the organization and Hays was asked to pay $7,662, numbers that Hrabe said
were not assigned by any specific formula, but rather “drawn out of a hat,” in
an effort to start a conversation with the cities about their funding needs.

“It’s all negotiable, but I wanted to gauge what the
cities would be interested in,” Hrabe said.

At the Victoria City Council meeting, council members
questioned the distribution of the request. 

“I just figured, based on population, Victoria
should only pay $195,”&nbsp; said
council member Zach Kanzenbach “The
$5,000 is a little ridiculous considering Hays is over 10 times our population.”


Victoria council members also noted Ellis is also considerably larger
then Victoria and has been a primary benefactor of NWKPDC efforts in the county.

“I don’t think we should carry that much of the
load,” Kanzenbach said.

Victoria Mayor John Schulte said he was unaware of any direct
benefits from the group within the city.

They concluded a representative from the NWKPDC
should address the council before any decision is made.

In Hays, city manager Toby Dougherty also said the city has never utilized their services, but forwarded on the request to
commissioners on Tuesday. Dougherty also suggested Hrabe appear at a city work session to discuss the request.

In Ellis, council members want answers from the
county after receiving no word as to the reasoning behind their decision to decline
to pay the dues.

“I think we need to go to the county commission. I
think we need to encourage Victoria to go to the county commission. I think we
need to get Butch Schlyer here. I would like to see what he is doing to
represent the city of Ellis as our representative,” said council member Jolene Niernberger. “I am not happy
right now.”

Niernberger also said she wants to know what the county is using those funds for.

“We have a right to know that,” she said.

In an email followup, Hrabe told the council not to take action on the funding request as the NWKPDC was contemplating the implications
of the county declining to pay any dues, including
how the organization would proceed with active grant applications and
rental assistance in Ellis.

As Ellis County cities contemplate funding requests,
the NWKPDC is also considering the ramifications of Ellis County leaving the group and how it would affect the organization and the whole of northwest Kansas.

Hrabe worries that if Ellis County decides to not
pay dues others may follow suit.

“Then the organization just folds,” he said.

Dues from the member counties currently account for about
20 percent of the organization's operating budget, while the rest is generated
from direct services, like business loan administration and grant funding.

Total annual income from dues is about $150,000, according
to Hrabe, with Ellis County accounting for 25 to 30 percent.

While counties generally pay the dues, NWKPDC services are available to the cities within them for free.

“We were behind the scenes a lot of the time. People don’t
necessarily know what we do,” Hrabe said. “But we are the ones that put the
applications together so the cities and counties can get grant funds that are
available.”

️Currently, the organization has a staff of seven people and is searching for two others to fill open positions in their housing department.

Ellis County's dues would cover the cost of one of those positions.

“Based on the budget, we are not looking real hard right now, but we need two more people,” Hrabe said. “It’s not going to happen if counties begin cutting their dues.”

Even that small staff is very active throughout the area and attended almost 160 city or county government meetings last year, he said.

“We are out and about all of the time,” Hrabe said. “All they have to do is call and ask us to come and we would have somebody there.”

With  NWKPDC projects completed directly
with city governments or businesses, he believes county commissioners may be missing
how important their work is to the area, and by cutting funding, they
may inadvertently damage economic development in Ellis County.

“Hays and Ellis County are dependent on a lot
of the surrounding counties, just because they are the regional hub for
northwest Kansas,"&nbsp; Hrabe said. "So we’ve got to make sure everybody does well. If
you get three or four counties struggling, then that affects the next county. We
are here to help all 18 counties.”

And even if Ellis County feels they are not getting
the full use out of the organization, he said 66 percent of retail business in Hays
comes from outside of the city, and economic development in the region is
beneficial for the city as well as Ellis County.

While Hays, Victoria and Ellis contemplate the county's actions and their own abilities to cover at least some of the county's dues, if no funding comes in from Ellis County, the organization's bylaws say they can still complete
projects in Ellis County.

“They are at the bottom of the list,” Hrabe said. “We
only do them if we have time to do them and then they have got to pay direct
costs upfront.”

As an example, he pointed to the grant
application they compiled that is currently being considered for a water
project in Ellis. 

“We put that whole application together,” he said.

Putting together applications like that one can
sometimes take hundreds of hours and is
completed at no charge to the cities, he said.

&nbsp;“If Ellis County decided that they are not going to pay their dues and the city of Ellis
still wanted to apply to the water line grant, then we would probably have to
charge them $5,000 or $10,000 upfront, before we ever got started,”
Hrabe said. "That fee would be non-refundable and the project would still be charged a separate administration fee if the application
led to funding.

“I’m not sure how many cities would want to put up
very much money upfront just hoping they would get funded,” he said. “When it
doesn’t cost them anything right up front then they are willing to gamble and go through
a little bit of work to try to get some funds.”

He also said he is unclear what happens to anyone
using the organization for housing assistance in the county if dues are not paid
and is waiting for representatives from the Department of Housing and Urban Development
to send guidance.

However, he believes those applications, just like
any other request would be shuffled to the bottom of the organization's
priorities list, an action that is outlined in the NWKPDC bylaws.

“There are a lot of questions that need answered,
but I’m hoping that things get worked out,” Hrabe said.

The next board meeting for the NWKPDC is set for 7 p.m.
Jan. 29 in Hill City.

Hays Post reporters Becky Kiser and Jonathan Zweygardt contributed to this story.

By JAMES BELL Hays Post<div><iframe title="Ellis County Commission cuts ties with NWKPDC" src="https://www.podbean.com/media/player/7hrwb-ce6e2a&?from=usersite&vjs=1&skin=3&fonts=Helvetica&auto=1&download=1" height="315" width="100%" style="border: none;" scrolling="no" data-name="pb-iframe-player"></iframe></div>Since 1972 a small team in Hill City has been a key
component of economic development in northwest Kansas.The
Northwest Kansas Planning and Development Commission, a non-governmental
organization, based in Hill City, assists cities and counties in 18 northwest
Kansas counties to obtain federal grant funds for community improvement
projects, such as fire departments, emergency medical services, senior centers,
medical facilities, water and sewer projects, and housing rehabilitation and
demolition, as well as urgent need grants.They may be small, but their activities have a large
impact across the region as the official regional planning commission for the
area.But a recent decision by the Ellis County Commission
to not pay its assigned dues has created a difficult situation for the group,
as well as the three city governments in the county, who are now being asked to
pay a portion of the dues, or risk losing at least part of the organization’s
assistance in the future. “For me it’s disappointing, but I know budget
concerns right now. Every county is the same way,” said Randy Hrabe, executive
director of the NWKPDC. “But in Ellis County alone we have (secured) $2.3 million in actual grant
funds in the last 10 years. If you calculate that out, that is 50 years worth
of dues.”The Ellis County economic development group, Grow
Hays, sees both sides of the issue and often ties the economic development of
Ellis County to the larger area.“We are supportive of the Northwest Kansas Planning
and Development Commission, we think they do a lot of good things,” said Doug
Williams, director of Grow Hays, “but we are also sympathetic to the budgetary
issues in Ellis County.” In the last year, Hrabe said the organization procured
$7.9 million in grants in their region, assisted with finding funding for
$14.6 million in infrastructure projects, and administered $20 million in business loans.In Ellis County in recent months, the organization
worked with the city of Ellis to secure grant funding totaling more than $1 million
to support the construction of a new pool and is waiting to hear the results of
another $600,000 grant proposal that would be used to fund water system repairs
in the city.They also administer the Section 8 housing program,
with 55 Ellis County residents currently receiving assistance through the
program.&nbsp;“That’s doesn’t
even include the millions of dollars in business loans that we have done throughout
Ellis County and mainly in Hays,” Hrabe said.The group also bought and placed two houses from NCK
Tech near Hays and built 10 duplex units in Ellis.The future of that assistance and those programs is
now in question as the city governments and the organization wrestle with not
only the cut in funding, but also the regulatory problems that stem from Ellis
County declaring they would not send dues to the commission.NWKPDC dues are calculated across their 18 county
region at a rate of a tenth of a mill, based on total valuation.“What that amounts to is that the larger counties
pay more than the smaller counties,” Hrabe said.Frustration had arisen in recent years as Ellis
County Commissioners noticed as Ellis County’s assessed value was going up, valuation of many
of the other counties in the area was going down. That meant Ellis
County was paying an increasingly larger percentage of dues, while unable to
tap into one of the organizations primary functions, procuring Community
Development Block Grants.The CBDG grants are limited to population areas that
remain under a per capita income threshold.Those concerns came to a head during the 2020 Ellis
County budget process, when the county agreed to pay only 56 percent of their
anticipated assessed dues, totaling $22,500.“At that point we talked about it at our board
meeting. We weren’t necessarily happy, but we could get along with it until
things got better,” Hrabe said.Then on Monday, everything changed when Ellis County Commission Chairman Butch Schlyer told Hrabe the Ellis County Commission unanimously decided they would not be paying any dues this year, as they were
contemplating adjustments to the county’s 2020 budget.He also told Hrabe they would no longer be attending
NWKPDC meetings.“One of the big shifts, which came out of the
commission budget, was not rejoining, or using the membership of the NWKPDC,”
Schlyer said, during an appearance on KAYS radio on Jan. 7. “So we will no longer be
members of that group. We decided to use that for salaries, instead of joining
that membership.”He also said benefits from the organization are “not
that much.”On the same day Schlyer talked to Hrabe, the city governments of Ellis and
Victoria discussed written requests from NWKPDC to cover the difference in the original
amount in dues that were not going to be paid by Ellis County.In some of the counties in their area, cities are
already helping cover dues, Hrabe said, noting Wallace County and the city of Sharon Springs as well as Cheyenne
County and the city of St. Francis split dues.“That’s up to each county how they want to divide it
up, but to me, it is only fair that the counties pay the dues, that way everybody
that owns property in the county pays a tenth of a mill,” he said.Victoria and Ellis were asked to consider $5,000 in funding
for the organization and Hays was asked to pay $7,662, numbers that Hrabe said
were not assigned by any specific formula, but rather “drawn out of a hat,” in
an effort to start a conversation with the cities about their funding needs.“It’s all negotiable, but I wanted to gauge what the
cities would be interested in,” Hrabe said.At the Victoria City Council meeting, council members
questioned the distribution of the request. “I just figured, based on population, Victoria
should only pay $195,”&nbsp; said
council member Zach Kanzenbach “The
$5,000 is a little ridiculous considering Hays is over 10 times our population.”
Victoria council members also noted Ellis is also considerably larger
then Victoria and has been a primary benefactor of NWKPDC efforts in the county.“I don’t think we should carry that much of the
load,” Kanzenbach said.Victoria Mayor John Schulte said he was unaware of any direct
benefits from the group within the city.They concluded a representative from the NWKPDC
should address the council before any decision is made.In Hays, city manager Toby Dougherty also said the city has never utilized their services, but forwarded on the request to
commissioners on Tuesday. Dougherty also suggested Hrabe appear at a city work session to discuss the request.In Ellis, council members want answers from the
county after receiving no word as to the reasoning behind their decision to decline
to pay the dues.“I think we need to go to the county commission. I
think we need to encourage Victoria to go to the county commission. I think we
need to get Butch Schlyer here. I would like to see what he is doing to
represent the city of Ellis as our representative,” said council member Jolene Niernberger. “I am not happy
right now.”Niernberger also said she wants to know what the county is using those funds for.“We have a right to know that,” she said.In an email followup, Hrabe told the council not to take action on the funding request as the NWKPDC was contemplating the implications
of the county declining to pay any dues, including
how the organization would proceed with active grant applications and
rental assistance in Ellis.As Ellis County cities contemplate funding requests,
the NWKPDC is also considering the ramifications of Ellis County leaving the group and how it would affect the organization and the whole of northwest Kansas.Hrabe worries that if Ellis County decides to not
pay dues others may follow suit.“Then the organization just folds,” he said.Dues from the member counties currently account for about
20 percent of the organization's operating budget, while the rest is generated
from direct services, like business loan administration and grant funding.Total annual income from dues is about $150,000, according
to Hrabe, with Ellis County accounting for 25 to 30 percent.While counties generally pay the dues, NWKPDC services are available to the cities within them for free.“We were behind the scenes a lot of the time. People don’t
necessarily know what we do,” Hrabe said. “But we are the ones that put the
applications together so the cities and counties can get grant funds that are
available.”️Currently, the organization has a staff of seven people and is searching for two others to fill open positions in their housing department.Ellis County's dues would cover the cost of one of those positions.“Based on the budget, we are not looking real hard right now, but we need two more people,” Hrabe said. “It’s not going to happen if counties begin cutting their dues.”Even that small staff is very active throughout the area and attended almost 160 city or county government meetings last year, he said.“We are out and about all of the time,” Hrabe said. “All they have to do is call and ask us to come and we would have somebody there.”With NWKPDC projects completed directly
with city governments or businesses, he believes county commissioners may be missing
how important their work is to the area, and by cutting funding, they
may inadvertently damage economic development in Ellis County.“Hays and Ellis County are dependent on a lot
of the surrounding counties, just because they are the regional hub for
northwest Kansas,"&nbsp; Hrabe said. "So we’ve got to make sure everybody does well. If
you get three or four counties struggling, then that affects the next county. We
are here to help all 18 counties.”And even if Ellis County feels they are not getting
the full use out of the organization, he said 66 percent of retail business in Hays
comes from outside of the city, and economic development in the region is
beneficial for the city as well as Ellis County.While Hays, Victoria and Ellis contemplate the county's actions and their own abilities to cover at least some of the county's dues, if no funding comes in from Ellis County, the organization's bylaws say they can still complete
projects in Ellis County.But there is a catch.“They are at the bottom of the list,” Hrabe said. “We
only do them if we have time to do them and then they have got to pay direct
costs upfront.”As an example, he pointed to the grant
application they compiled that is currently being considered for a water
project in Ellis. “We put that whole application together,” he said.Putting together applications like that one can
sometimes take hundreds of hours and is
completed at no charge to the cities, he said.&nbsp;“If Ellis County decided that they are not going to pay their dues and the city of Ellis
still wanted to apply to the water line grant, then we would probably have to
charge them $5,000 or $10,000 upfront, before we ever got started,”
Hrabe said. "That fee would be non-refundable and the project would still be charged a separate administration fee if the application
led to funding.“I’m not sure how many cities would want to put up
very much money upfront just hoping they would get funded,” he said. “When it
doesn’t cost them anything right up front then they are willing to gamble and go through
a little bit of work to try to get some funds.”He also said he is unclear what happens to anyone
using the organization for housing assistance in the county if dues are not paid
and is waiting for representatives from the Department of Housing and Urban Development
to send guidance.However, he believes those applications, just like
any other request would be shuffled to the bottom of the organization's
priorities list, an action that is outlined in the NWKPDC bylaws.“There are a lot of questions that need answered,
but I’m hoping that things get worked out,” Hrabe said.The next board meeting for the NWKPDC is set for 7 p.m.
Jan. 29 in Hill City.Hays Post reporters Becky Kiser and Jonathan Zweygardt contributed to this story.

Cities asked to pay what Ellis County won’t

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