The Ellis County Sheriff's Office responded to 313 incidents June 30-July 6, 2024, according to the activity report.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/9/1600444921352.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>ECSOThe Ellis County Sheriff's Office responded to 313 incidents June 30-July 6, 2024, according to the activity report.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1720451712045.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1720451775356.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1720451826422.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1720451875986.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1720451923159.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1720451973002.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1720452021763.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1720452110328.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1720452196538.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>

Ellis County Sheriff activity log, June 30-July 6, 2024

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/2/1708970452306.jpeg" alt="File photo/Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>File photo/Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1720451242997.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1720451358725.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>

Ellis County Jail bookings, July 1-8, 2024

The Hays Police Department responded to 72 incidents June 23-29, 2024, according to the HPD Activity Log.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/8/1692189791424.jpeg" alt="HPD" />
 <figcaption>HPD</figcaption>
 </figure>HPDThe Hays Police Department responded to 72 incidents June 23-29, 2024, according to the HPD Activity Log.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1720450659831.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1720450742063.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1720450792242.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>

Hays Police Department activity log, June 23-29, 2024

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/12/1702995961939.png" alt="File photo/Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>File photo/Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1720450253622.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1720450338540.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>

Hays Police Department arrest log, June 23-27, 2024

By JONATHAN ZWEYGARDT Hays Post

The Ellis County Commission will begin discussing the
future of the Ellis County Jail at Tuesday’s commission meeting.

Last year, the commission approved a feasibility study by Justice Planners and a needs assessment for the county jail.

Currently, the facility houses 72 beds, but according to information provided ahead of Tuesday’s meeting, a 2013 assessment projected it to
have 95 beds by 2025.

Justice Planners will present the commission with the
results of their assessment.

The commission will also consider increasing the rental rate for the Schenk and Unrein Building at the fairgrounds, discuss rate increases for the Transfer Station in 2025, and vote on whether to exceed the revenue
neutral rate.

This week's agenda can be found <a href="https://www.ellisco.net/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_07092024-608">HERE</a>.

Tuesday’s meeting is scheduled for 8:30 a.m. at the Ellis
County Administrative Center, 812 Main St., Hays.

By JONATHAN ZWEYGARDT Hays PostThe Ellis County Commission will begin discussing the
future of the Ellis County Jail at Tuesday’s commission meeting.Last year, the commission approved a feasibility study by Justice Planners and a needs assessment for the county jail.Currently, the facility houses 72 beds, but according to information provided ahead of Tuesday’s meeting, a 2013 assessment projected it to
have 95 beds by 2025.Justice Planners will present the commission with the
results of their assessment.The commission will also consider increasing the rental rate for the Schenk and Unrein Building at the fairgrounds, discuss rate increases for the Transfer Station in 2025, and vote on whether to exceed the revenue
neutral rate.This week's agenda can be found <a href="https://www.ellisco.net/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_07092024-608">HERE</a>.Tuesday’s meeting is scheduled for 8:30 a.m. at the Ellis
County Administrative Center, 812 Main St., Hays.

Ellis County Commission set to discuss jail future

<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/b853194d-fc10-4735-bbcd-bc8e86c5b170">RELATED STORY: 50 years later, classmates from Miami choose Hays Wild West Festival for reunion</a>

<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/f1cec037-5a22-4a91-9022-f52b6a71e5b8">RELATED STORY: From the beginning: Grand marshall recalls 30 years of Wild West Festival</a>

<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/f3e7d822-a91b-4cef-b989-58c64905dc1d">RELATED STORY: Wild West Festival 2024 parade</a>

<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/3210cfb2-5a57-4be3-9de6-1ec97a6926b6">RELATED STORY: Wild West Festival 2024 Day 2</a>

<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/18281817-5cd5-4d42-b1fe-89097f6e34ad">RELATED STORY: Wild West Festival Day 1: Nate Smith</a>

<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/b853194d-fc10-4735-bbcd-bc8e86c5b170">RELATED STORY: 50 years later, classmates from Miami choose Hays Wild West Festival for reunion</a><a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/f1cec037-5a22-4a91-9022-f52b6a71e5b8">RELATED STORY: From the beginning: Grand marshall recalls 30 years of Wild West Festival</a><a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/f3e7d822-a91b-4cef-b989-58c64905dc1d">RELATED STORY: Wild West Festival 2024 parade</a><a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/3210cfb2-5a57-4be3-9de6-1ec97a6926b6">RELATED STORY: Wild West Festival 2024 Day 2</a><a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/18281817-5cd5-4d42-b1fe-89097f6e34ad">RELATED STORY: Wild West Festival Day 1: Nate Smith</a><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1720367602138.jpeg" alt="Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1720367660404.jpeg" alt="Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1720367823933.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1720368001730.jpeg" alt="Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1720368079414.jpeg" alt="Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1720368114515.jpeg" alt="Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1720368154999.jpeg" alt="Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1720368232183.jpeg" alt="Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1720368273132.jpeg" alt="Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1720368339416.jpeg" alt="Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1720368408779.jpeg" alt="Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1720368590446.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1720368794760.jpeg" alt="Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1720368970924.jpeg" alt="Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1720369051907.jpeg" alt="Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1720369085137.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1720369117668.jpeg" alt="\Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>\Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1720369151269.jpeg" alt="Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1720369188085.jpeg" alt="Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1720369216935.jpeg" alt="Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1720369260834.jpeg" alt="Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure>

📷 Wild West Festival 2024: Day 3 Quiet Riot

Many small businesses owners are planning on retiring soon, but finding buyers to keep the businesses going can be a challenge, especially in rural areas.

&nbsp;By Brian Beach Harvest Public Media

The town of Stratton, Nebraska, used to have two grocery stores, two barber shops and a pharmacist.

But today, most of those businesses are long gone.

Late last year the town’s lone lumberyard and hardware store closed, too, adding to the empty buildings in town.

Owner Denis League, who is in his late 60s, spent a year trying to find a buyer. Yet none of the interested buyers could make the finances work in the tiny western Nebraska community.

“You’re dealing with a pretty small base and we’re just not getting enough business here to make it interesting to anybody else, as far as anybody else wanting to buy it,” League said.

Without League Builders Supply, customers now have to drive more than an hour and a half away to the nearest lumberyard.

“The people that have been coming here are just going to have to go somewhere else,” League said. “But a lot of people have gotten used to not coming here anyway.”

More than half of business owners are 55 years or older, according to the U.S. Census Bureau’s Annual Business Survey. With the youngest Baby Boomers set to reach retirement age in 2030, it’s clear small business ownership will undergo a major transition. The Exit Planning Institute found in a recent study that 75% of business owners would like to exit their businesses within the next 10 years.

“There's a silver tsunami coming,” said Renee Wiatt, a research specialist with the North Central Regional Center for Rural Development at Purdue University. “There’s basically going to be this mass exodus of that baby boomer age who are going to all be retiring in the next five to 10 years.”

That wave is likely to hit rural areas especially hard.

The village of Stratton had a population of more than 600 in 1950.

Many other towns across the rural Great Plains and the Midwest have experienced similar losses.

Young people migrating to larger cities and leaving behind aging populations are contributing to the decline, according to Ness Sandoval, a sociology professor at Saint Louis University.

“In rural areas, you tend to see more people dying than are born,” he said. “That has to do with the brain drain — young people leaving and going to college, and not necessarily coming back home.”

He grew up in Scottsbluff, Nebraska, a town of nearly 15,000 people in the state’s western panhandle.

He said things have changed since he was a kid, as most businesses in the smaller towns have closed due to competition from larger retailers.

“All these small businesses that surrounded Scottsbluff essentially are dead because they can't compete with a Walmart, they can't compete with Home Depot,” he said. “The margins are just too small.”

Sandoval said he is concerned about the future of many rural small towns as the older generation retires without young people to replace them.

“Once these Baby Boomers die and my generation, the Gen Xers die, I don’t see a lot of people moving there because they’re not the same type of communities that existed 20, 25 years ago,” he said.

Yet Wiatt of the North Central Regional Center for Rural Development said the wave of retirements could also bring opportunities, as well.

“Most businesses fail within the first five years from when they're started,” she said. “So, if there was an opportunity like that, to come into a business that’s established and try to run it, I think it's a great opportunity for these younger individuals to take some charge there,” she said.

At Advance Iowa, an organization that helps businesses with ownership succession planning, Program Manager Stacy Mullinex said there are three primary questions that need to be asked when a business owner is looking to sell their business: when they want to see, what the value of the business is and who they are going to sell to.

Mullinex said the third question is where more business owners struggle.

But through Advance Iowa, Mullinex focuses on an employee ownership model where existing business employees can be trained to own the operation.

“A lot of times, the people that already know the business really well, that already are vested in the community, they already know the consumers and they know how the business operates and runs, that’s the employees,” Mullinex said.

She advocates for the worker cooperative model, where the owner sells the business to employees and then the workers own it as a group. “It’s kind of a win-win-win of opportunity for everybody,” she said.

Mullinex said the owner wins because they are provided with a feasible buyer, the employees win through increased wealth and job satisfaction through ownership, and the local community wins by keeping a business in town.

However, for businesses with no employees to sell to, Wiatt said many business owners are working further into old age to keep their operations running.

“The retirement age is being pushed back for a lot of these farms and small businesses and family businesses,” she said. “I think it's just getting harder and harder to quit.”

In the southeast Kansas town of Moran, population 466, Marilyn Logan is adamant that she does not plan on retiring soon.

Logan, who is nearing 80 years old, is the part-owner and manager of Marmaton Market, the town’s lone grocery store.

“I'm going to be here until they wheel me out to the ambulance in my chair,” she said.

However, Logan is looking to hire someone to help her manage the grocery store and lighten her current workload of 60-to-80-hour weeks. That process hasn’t been easy.

“We need younger people, but we need younger people with skills,” she said. “We don't have people in the town that are young enough to work that have the skills to work, and they're not interested in learning.”

Most young people with skills, Logan said, move to larger cities where they can earn more money.

“It’s hard to find somebody with the passion to stay in a small town and work at a lower wage to make a business succeed,” she said. “It’s also tough on them to stay here too, because there’s not a lot of things for them.”

At Vitale’s Italian Restaurant and Pizzeria in Macomb, Illinois, Julie Dienst said her 86-year-old mother still comes to the restaurant each day to make the pizza sauce.

“She is really a driving force behind the restaurant too, so it’s a passion for her,” Dienst said.

The family has been running the restaurant since 1980, and while her mother is dedicated, Dienst said she’s ready to retire, along with Dienst’s older brother.

Two years ago, the family put the restaurant on the market. But Macomb, the home of Western Illinois University, has lost a quarter of its population and is facing a declining university enrollment.

Dienst said that’s made it a challenging market.

“There are already several restaurants that are empty, so having one more restaurant for sale, even though we're not closed like these other places, it's just more competition, I guess,” she said.

Dienst’s father came from Brooklyn to buy a pizzeria in a town with more room to expand. Since then, she said the family restaurant has seen generations of customers come through their doors.

“I’m waiting on the grandchildren of people I waited on when I was in high school,” she said. “It’s really hard to put on a price on that.”

This story was produced in partnership with&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kcur.org/harvestpublicmedia" target="_blank">Harvest Public Media,</a>&nbsp;a collaboration of public media newsrooms in the Midwest. It reports on food systems, agriculture and rural issues.&nbsp;

<h2>Many small businesses owners are planning on retiring soon, but finding buyers to keep the businesses going can be a challenge, especially in rural areas.</h2><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1719931207344.png" alt="League Builders Supply, a lumberyard and store in Stratton, Nebraska, closed at the end of 2023 after owner Denis League retired. “I’m not going to say Stratton’s going to shrivel up and die because I’m not here, but I don’t think it’s going to help anything, and I feel bad about that,” he said.&nbsp;Brian Beach/Nebraska Public Media" />
 <figcaption>League Builders Supply, a lumberyard and store in Stratton, Nebraska, closed at the end of 2023 after owner Denis League retired. “I’m not going to say Stratton’s going to shrivel up and die because I’m not here, but I don’t think it’s going to help anything, and I feel bad about that,” he said.&nbsp;Brian Beach/Nebraska Public Media</figcaption>
 </figure>&nbsp;By Brian Beach Harvest Public MediaThe town of Stratton, Nebraska, used to have two grocery stores, two barber shops and a pharmacist.But today, most of those businesses are long gone.Late last year the town’s lone lumberyard and hardware store closed, too, adding to the empty buildings in town.Owner Denis League, who is in his late 60s, spent a year trying to find a buyer. Yet none of the interested buyers could make the finances work in the tiny western Nebraska community.“You’re dealing with a pretty small base and we’re just not getting enough business here to make it interesting to anybody else, as far as anybody else wanting to buy it,” League said.Without League Builders Supply, customers now have to drive more than an hour and a half away to the nearest lumberyard.“The people that have been coming here are just going to have to go somewhere else,” League said. “But a lot of people have gotten used to not coming here anyway.”More than half of business owners are 55 years or older, according to the U.S. Census Bureau’s Annual Business Survey. With the youngest Baby Boomers set to reach retirement age in 2030, it’s clear small business ownership will undergo a major transition. The Exit Planning Institute found in a recent study that 75% of business owners would like to exit their businesses within the next 10 years.“There's a silver tsunami coming,” said Renee Wiatt, a research specialist with the North Central Regional Center for Rural Development at Purdue University. “There’s basically going to be this mass exodus of that baby boomer age who are going to all be retiring in the next five to 10 years.”That wave is likely to hit rural areas especially hard.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1719931090132.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Shrinking rural populations</h2>The village of Stratton had a population of more than 600 in 1950.Today, it’s less than half that.Many other towns across the rural Great Plains and the Midwest have experienced similar losses.Young people migrating to larger cities and leaving behind aging populations are contributing to the decline, according to Ness Sandoval, a sociology professor at Saint Louis University.“In rural areas, you tend to see more people dying than are born,” he said. “That has to do with the brain drain — young people leaving and going to college, and not necessarily coming back home.”Sandoval knows firsthand.He grew up in Scottsbluff, Nebraska, a town of nearly 15,000 people in the state’s western panhandle.He said things have changed since he was a kid, as most businesses in the smaller towns have closed due to competition from larger retailers.“All these small businesses that surrounded Scottsbluff essentially are dead because they can't compete with a Walmart, they can't compete with Home Depot,” he said. “The margins are just too small.”Sandoval said he is concerned about the future of many rural small towns as the older generation retires without young people to replace them.“Once these Baby Boomers die and my generation, the Gen Xers die, I don’t see a lot of people moving there because they’re not the same type of communities that existed 20, 25 years ago,” he said.Yet Wiatt of the North Central Regional Center for Rural Development said the wave of retirements could also bring opportunities, as well.“Most businesses fail within the first five years from when they're started,” she said. “So, if there was an opportunity like that, to come into a business that’s established and try to run it, I think it's a great opportunity for these younger individuals to take some charge there,” she said.At Advance Iowa, an organization that helps businesses with ownership succession planning, Program Manager Stacy Mullinex said there are three primary questions that need to be asked when a business owner is looking to sell their business: when they want to see, what the value of the business is and who they are going to sell to.Mullinex said the third question is where more business owners struggle.But through Advance Iowa, Mullinex focuses on an employee ownership model where existing business employees can be trained to own the operation.“A lot of times, the people that already know the business really well, that already are vested in the community, they already know the consumers and they know how the business operates and runs, that’s the employees,” Mullinex said.She advocates for the worker cooperative model, where the owner sells the business to employees and then the workers own it as a group. “It’s kind of a win-win-win of opportunity for everybody,” she said.Mullinex said the owner wins because they are provided with a feasible buyer, the employees win through increased wealth and job satisfaction through ownership, and the local community wins by keeping a business in town.However, for businesses with no employees to sell to, Wiatt said many business owners are working further into old age to keep their operations running.“The retirement age is being pushed back for a lot of these farms and small businesses and family businesses,” she said. “I think it's just getting harder and harder to quit.”<h2>Working longer</h2>In the southeast Kansas town of Moran, population 466, Marilyn Logan is adamant that she does not plan on retiring soon.Logan, who is nearing 80 years old, is the part-owner and manager of Marmaton Market, the town’s lone grocery store.“I'm going to be here until they wheel me out to the ambulance in my chair,” she said.However, Logan is looking to hire someone to help her manage the grocery store and lighten her current workload of 60-to-80-hour weeks. That process hasn’t been easy.“We need younger people, but we need younger people with skills,” she said. “We don't have people in the town that are young enough to work that have the skills to work, and they're not interested in learning.”Most young people with skills, Logan said, move to larger cities where they can earn more money.“It’s hard to find somebody with the passion to stay in a small town and work at a lower wage to make a business succeed,” she said. “It’s also tough on them to stay here too, because there’s not a lot of things for them.”At Vitale’s Italian Restaurant and Pizzeria in Macomb, Illinois, Julie Dienst said her 86-year-old mother still comes to the restaurant each day to make the pizza sauce.“She is really a driving force behind the restaurant too, so it’s a passion for her,” Dienst said.The family has been running the restaurant since 1980, and while her mother is dedicated, Dienst said she’s ready to retire, along with Dienst’s older brother.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1719931304791.png" alt="The Dienst family has run Vitale’s Italian Restaurant and Pizzeria since 1980, when Julie’s father moved from Brooklyn to buy a pizzeria in a town with more room to expand. “My dad saw it and fell in love, so we’ve been here for 44 years,” Julie said.&nbsp;Provided By Vitale’s Italian Restaurant And Pizzeria" />
 <figcaption>The Dienst family has run Vitale’s Italian Restaurant and Pizzeria since 1980, when Julie’s father moved from Brooklyn to buy a pizzeria in a town with more room to expand. “My dad saw it and fell in love, so we’ve been here for 44 years,” Julie said.&nbsp;Provided By Vitale’s Italian Restaurant And Pizzeria</figcaption>
 </figure>Two years ago, the family put the restaurant on the market. But Macomb, the home of Western Illinois University, has lost a quarter of its population and is facing a declining university enrollment.Dienst said that’s made it a challenging market.“There are already several restaurants that are empty, so having one more restaurant for sale, even though we're not closed like these other places, it's just more competition, I guess,” she said.Dienst’s father came from Brooklyn to buy a pizzeria in a town with more room to expand. Since then, she said the family restaurant has seen generations of customers come through their doors.“I’m waiting on the grandchildren of people I waited on when I was in high school,” she said. “It’s really hard to put on a price on that.”This story was produced in partnership with&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kcur.org/harvestpublicmedia" target="_blank">Harvest Public Media,</a>&nbsp;a collaboration of public media newsrooms in the Midwest. It reports on food systems, agriculture and rural issues.&nbsp;

'Silver tsunami’ hitting rural America as small business owners retire without replacements

By COLLEEN TRESSLER Federal Trade Commission, Division of Consumer and Business Education

Here’s a new scam spotted on social media: appointment setting jobs. They claim you can work from home and make big money. But just what does an appointment setter do? And how can you tell the difference between a legit job offer and a scam?

An appointment setter is someone who schedules calls for a company’s sales staff and potential clients to help them close deals. You’re typically paid an hourly rate, but might earn bonuses based on the number of appointments you successfully set. If you need training, the employer should offer it at no cost to you.

Now that you know the basics, here are some ways to tell the difference between an appointment setter&nbsp;<a href="https://consumer.ftc.gov/articles/job-scams">job scam</a>&nbsp;and a legitimate position. Scammy ads tend to promise a very high income.&nbsp;The truth is&nbsp;that real appointment setting is a normal job with a modest income.&nbsp;Scammy job offers claim you have to pay thousands of dollars upfront for training.&nbsp;The truth is&nbsp;honest employers will never ask you to pay to get a job. Scammers say they’ll guarantee you a job once you pay for training.&nbsp;The truth is&nbsp;no one can guarantee you a job. Scammers may also look more like a business opportunity than a paid position, promising you potential clients, or suggesting you recruit new people to their “job” training programs, instead of setting appointments.

Before you accept a job or&nbsp;<a href="https://consumer.ftc.gov/articles/when-business-offer-or-coaching-program-scam#avoid">business opportunity offer</a>:

If you see a job or business opportunity scam, or lose money to one, report it to the FTC at&nbsp;<a href="https://reportfraud.ftc.gov/">ReportFraud.ftc.gov</a>.&nbsp;

By COLLEEN TRESSLER Federal Trade Commission, Division of Consumer and Business EducationHere’s a new scam spotted on social media: appointment setting jobs. They claim you can work from home and make big money. But just what does an appointment setter do? And how can you tell the difference between a legit job offer and a scam?An appointment setter is someone who schedules calls for a company’s sales staff and potential clients to help them close deals. You’re typically paid an hourly rate, but might earn bonuses based on the number of appointments you successfully set. If you need training, the employer should offer it at no cost to you.Now that you know the basics, here are some ways to tell the difference between an appointment setter&nbsp;<a href="https://consumer.ftc.gov/articles/job-scams">job scam</a>&nbsp;and a legitimate position. Scammy ads tend to promise a very high income.&nbsp;The truth is&nbsp;that real appointment setting is a normal job with a modest income.&nbsp;Scammy job offers claim you have to pay thousands of dollars upfront for training.&nbsp;The truth is&nbsp;honest employers will never ask you to pay to get a job. Scammers say they’ll guarantee you a job once you pay for training.&nbsp;The truth is&nbsp;no one can guarantee you a job. Scammers may also look more like a business opportunity than a paid position, promising you potential clients, or suggesting you recruit new people to their “job” training programs, instead of setting appointments.Before you accept a job or&nbsp;<a href="https://consumer.ftc.gov/articles/when-business-offer-or-coaching-program-scam#avoid">business opportunity offer</a>:<ul>
 <li>Take your time and talk to someone you trust.&nbsp;Scammers will try to pressure you to get involved or risk losing out.</li><li>Do some research.&nbsp;Search online for the name of the company and words like “review,” “scam,” or “complaint.” Check with&nbsp;<a href="https://consumer.ftc.gov/now-leaving?external_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.naag.org%2Ffind-my-ag%2F&amp;back_url=https%3A%2F%2Fconsumer.ftc.gov%2Fconsumer-alerts%2F2024%2F06%2Fjob-scams-start-social-media-appointment-setters%3Futm_source%3Dgovdelivery">your state attorney general</a>&nbsp;for complaints. No complaints? It doesn’t guarantee that a company is honest, but complaints can tip you off to possible problems.</li><li>Read success stories and testimonials with skepticism.&nbsp;They might not be true or typical. Glowing stories of success could be fake or misleading, and positive&nbsp;<a href="https://consumer.ftc.gov/articles/how-evaluate-online-reviews">online reviews</a>&nbsp;may have come from made-up profiles.</li>
 </ul>If you see a job or business opportunity scam, or lose money to one, report it to the FTC at&nbsp;<a href="https://reportfraud.ftc.gov/">ReportFraud.ftc.gov</a>.&nbsp;

Job scams that start on social media: Appointment setters

<a href="https://hayspost.com/pages/state-farm-weather-window">For a full look at the weather forecast, click here.</a>

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1720393471175.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure><a href="https://hayspost.com/pages/state-farm-weather-window">For a full look at the weather forecast, click here.</a>

Three-day weather outlook

By KARISSA WINKEL Cottonwood Extension District

An abundance of produce makes summer the perfect time to eat leafy greens and snack on fruit throughout the day. Whether you pick it straight from the garden or shop sales at the farmer’s market, fresh fruits and vegetables are widely available this time of year.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control reports that only 10% of Americans meet the daily general recommendation of five servings of fruits and vegetables each day. However, with a surplus of options available, now is the perfect time to create the habit of eating fruits and vegetables. Here are a few tips to incorporate more produce in your diet no matter the season.

Ashley Svaty, K-State Extension Specialist, explains that the key is to make fruits and vegetables convenient and tasty. “One habit I like to share is to keep a bowl of fresh fruit out so you can see it when you walk into the kitchen. If you're hungry for a snack, you're likely to grab that instead of looking in the cabinet for something less nutritious.”

Tasty dips can also add flavor to fruits and vegetables. Pairing produce with hummus or yogurt can encourage children and adults to fill up on whole foods. For example, strawberries and Greek yogurt alongside a sandwich makes for a nutritious, quick meal. Also, broccoli paired with hummus can create a balanced, satisfying snack.

Another way to encourage fruits and vegetables is to make it fun! Svaty recommends adding fruit to a skewer or grilling veggie kabobs. “Kids and adults will have more fun eating fruit on a skewer compared to the same fruit or vegetable on a plate,” Svaty shares.

Eating five servings of fruit and vegetables per day may seem overwhelming, and it is difficult to reach unless you make a conscious effort. So, hiding produce in smoothies and sauces is another option to increase intake. Add frozen fruit and sneak greens in a smoothie for a refreshing breakfast. Also, finely chopped vegetables such as onion, celery, carrot, bell pepper, or zucchini can be sautéed, and disguised in pasta sauce.

Produce is packed with micronutrients and fiber that support a healthy body and brain. Eating the recommended serving of fruits and vegetables can help you lose weight, fight inflammation, lower cholesterol, and decrease blood pressure.

Now is the time to experiment and incorporate produce daily. Use this summer to make the healthy choice a habit, no matter the season.

Karissa Winkel is the Family and Community Wellness Agent with K-State Research and Extension – Cottonwood District. You may reach her at: 620-793-1910 or krwinkel@ksu.edu.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1697546908793.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>By KARISSA WINKEL Cottonwood Extension DistrictAn abundance of produce makes summer the perfect time to eat leafy greens and snack on fruit throughout the day. Whether you pick it straight from the garden or shop sales at the farmer’s market, fresh fruits and vegetables are widely available this time of year.The U.S. Centers for Disease Control reports that only 10% of Americans meet the daily general recommendation of five servings of fruits and vegetables each day. However, with a surplus of options available, now is the perfect time to create the habit of eating fruits and vegetables. Here are a few tips to incorporate more produce in your diet no matter the season.Ashley Svaty, K-State Extension Specialist, explains that the key is to make fruits and vegetables convenient and tasty. “One habit I like to share is to keep a bowl of fresh fruit out so you can see it when you walk into the kitchen. If you're hungry for a snack, you're likely to grab that instead of looking in the cabinet for something less nutritious.”Tasty dips can also add flavor to fruits and vegetables. Pairing produce with hummus or yogurt can encourage children and adults to fill up on whole foods. For example, strawberries and Greek yogurt alongside a sandwich makes for a nutritious, quick meal. Also, broccoli paired with hummus can create a balanced, satisfying snack.Another way to encourage fruits and vegetables is to make it fun! Svaty recommends adding fruit to a skewer or grilling veggie kabobs. “Kids and adults will have more fun eating fruit on a skewer compared to the same fruit or vegetable on a plate,” Svaty shares.Eating five servings of fruit and vegetables per day may seem overwhelming, and it is difficult to reach unless you make a conscious effort. So, hiding produce in smoothies and sauces is another option to increase intake. Add frozen fruit and sneak greens in a smoothie for a refreshing breakfast. Also, finely chopped vegetables such as onion, celery, carrot, bell pepper, or zucchini can be sautéed, and disguised in pasta sauce.Produce is packed with micronutrients and fiber that support a healthy body and brain. Eating the recommended serving of fruits and vegetables can help you lose weight, fight inflammation, lower cholesterol, and decrease blood pressure.Now is the time to experiment and incorporate produce daily. Use this summer to make the healthy choice a habit, no matter the season.###Karissa Winkel is the Family and Community Wellness Agent with K-State Research and Extension – Cottonwood District. You may reach her at: 620-793-1910 or krwinkel@ksu.edu.

WINKEL: Healthy habits start now

Are you a detail-oriented individual looking for a great opportunity?

Midwest Energy’s Hays, Kan. office has an opening for a Grant Accountant. We offer excellent pay and benefits, like family coverage through Blue Cross &amp; Blue Shield of Kansas, Delta dental, a vision/wellness plan, 401K with generous match and a company-funded pension plan!

The Grant Accountant position will support Federal grant projects by preparing and submitting grant fund reimbursement and progress forms and administering other grant reporting activities as necessary. In addition, the Grant Accountant can function as an Accountant by entering journal entries into the General Ledger, processing wholesale and miscellaneous invoicing, conducting general ledger reconciliations for interim and annual audited financial statements, and preparing and submitting monthly taxes. The Grant Accountant maintains the overall integrity of the grant reporting, general ledger and financial statements through relevant recording and analysis.

A bachelor’s degree with completion of at least twelve hours of college credit in accounting is required. A bachelor’s degree in accounting is preferred. A successful candidate will have one to two years of professional-level experience in an office environment and the ability to learn FERC Uniform System of Accounts. Find more information on our website under www.mwenergy.com/careers. If you’re ready to apply, visit https://mwenergy.clearcompany.com/careers/jobs/c252cc90-3753-353b-ed56-775b31c6e330/apply?source=3083908-CS-43286 before July 15th. Midwest Energy is an EOE.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1720017520778.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Are you a detail-oriented individual looking for a great opportunity?Midwest Energy’s Hays, Kan. office has an opening for a Grant Accountant. We offer excellent pay and benefits, like family coverage through Blue Cross &amp; Blue Shield of Kansas, Delta dental, a vision/wellness plan, 401K with generous match and a company-funded pension plan!The Grant Accountant position will support Federal grant projects by preparing and submitting grant fund reimbursement and progress forms and administering other grant reporting activities as necessary. In addition, the Grant Accountant can function as an Accountant by entering journal entries into the General Ledger, processing wholesale and miscellaneous invoicing, conducting general ledger reconciliations for interim and annual audited financial statements, and preparing and submitting monthly taxes. The Grant Accountant maintains the overall integrity of the grant reporting, general ledger and financial statements through relevant recording and analysis.A bachelor’s degree with completion of at least twelve hours of college credit in accounting is required. A bachelor’s degree in accounting is preferred. A successful candidate will have one to two years of professional-level experience in an office environment and the ability to learn FERC Uniform System of Accounts. Find more information on our website under www.mwenergy.com/careers. If you’re ready to apply, visit https://mwenergy.clearcompany.com/careers/jobs/c252cc90-3753-353b-ed56-775b31c6e330/apply?source=3083908-CS-43286 before July 15th. Midwest Energy is an EOE.

Exploring Kansas Outdoors: God’s slithering vermin snatchers

By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays Post

In his light blue Pontiac Tempest, Bob Swift and his wife, Sandra, led the parade for the 30th-annual Wild West Festival Saturday as the grand marshall.

Swift, 80, of Hays, has been on the Wild West Committee since its beginning three decades ago.

He became involved with the festival in its infancy through his work with Midwest Energy, which provided the festival's electricity.

"That's how a lot of people got started in this, through businesses, because the businesses were very active and supportive of this from the get-go," he said.

The festival was conceived as a way to keep Hays residents in town during the Fourth of July holiday.

He's seen the festival grow over the years, starting the first year with a trailer being brought in for a stage and audience members sitting on planks set across hay bales.

The committee was instrumental in building two shelter houses, parking in Municipal Park, and a cement pad for the stage brought in annually for the event.

He was there for the epic Charlie Daniels concert, which attracted 10,000 people to Municipal Park—far more than the committee expected.

"It kind of scared me because there were more people than we ever could imagine we could take care of," Swift said. "As always, people were very good and very courteous, and everything went well. But gosh, that night was unbelievable."

Swift said one of the reasons he has kept coming back for the July Fourth festivities is the joy the event creates.

"People have fun," he said. "We do it for that reason. It's a family-oriented program. When you see them smiling ...&nbsp; They'll see a committee member in one of our red, white and blue shirts and thank them. 

"They come down and relax and just have a good time. We need that in our daily lives to be able to hang out and just be with our neighbors and enjoy some good music."

&nbsp;<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/d8edd6b6-77a5-4f00-be6f-dd172d6a13a7">Earlier this year, the committee announced that the festival was in financial difficulties, and members were unsure if it would be able to continue.</a>

<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/70199022-3eac-48ab-888e-07f9fa5667d9">Businesses stepped up as sponsors and community members packed the park on Wednesday and Friday nights for the first two nights of the festival's ticketed concerts.</a>

"That tells me that the people of Hays want this event. In wanting this event, they stepped forward financially, and buying that ticket really put us over the top," Swift said. "We really appreciate that. We can't do this by ourselves as a committee and all the volunteers we've had over 30 years."

Swift said he was honored to be named grand marshal of the parade, but he thought each of the many volunteers over the years of the festival deserved recognition.

Swift encouraged anyone interested in volunteering to contact the committee. The committee can still use volunteers to tear down the festival venue at Municipal Park today.&nbsp;

Although the festival has three days to stage the event, they only have one day to tear down and clean up.

"We always encourage new people to get on. [They bring] new ideas. The ideas I see are the new talent. They ask me who I want. I've been here so long. I'm in the '50s. You give me some good ole rock 'n' roll, and I'm happy."

He added, "It's not easy. There's a lot of sweat that goes into this. We appreciate each and every person who does this. It's unbelievable what it takes to put this on."

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1720310277664.jpeg" alt="Bob Swift before the 2024 Wild West Festival parade. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>Bob Swift before the 2024 Wild West Festival parade. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure><a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/f3e7d822-a91b-4cef-b989-58c64905dc1d">RELATED STORY: Wild West Festival 2024 parade</a><a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/3210cfb2-5a57-4be3-9de6-1ec97a6926b6">RELATED STORY: Wild West Festival 2024 Day 2</a><a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/18281817-5cd5-4d42-b1fe-89097f6e34ad">RELATED STORY: Wild West Festival Day 1: Nate Smith</a>By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays PostIn his light blue Pontiac Tempest, Bob Swift and his wife, Sandra, led the parade for the 30th-annual Wild West Festival Saturday as the grand marshall.Swift, 80, of Hays, has been on the Wild West Committee since its beginning three decades ago.He became involved with the festival in its infancy through his work with Midwest Energy, which provided the festival's electricity."That's how a lot of people got started in this, through businesses, because the businesses were very active and supportive of this from the get-go," he said.The festival was conceived as a way to keep Hays residents in town during the Fourth of July holiday.He's seen the festival grow over the years, starting the first year with a trailer being brought in for a stage and audience members sitting on planks set across hay bales.The committee was instrumental in building two shelter houses, parking in Municipal Park, and a cement pad for the stage brought in annually for the event.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1720308832054.jpeg" alt="Bob Swift, longtime Wild West Festival Committee member, makes announcements during the Wild West Festival concert Friday night. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>Bob Swift, longtime Wild West Festival Committee member, makes announcements during the Wild West Festival concert Friday night. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure>He was there for the epic Charlie Daniels concert, which attracted 10,000 people to Municipal Park—far more than the committee expected."It kind of scared me because there were more people than we ever could imagine we could take care of," Swift said. "As always, people were very good and very courteous, and everything went well. But gosh, that night was unbelievable."Swift said one of the reasons he has kept coming back for the July Fourth festivities is the joy the event creates."People have fun," he said. "We do it for that reason. It's a family-oriented program. When you see them smiling ...&nbsp; They'll see a committee member in one of our red, white and blue shirts and thank them. "They come down and relax and just have a good time. We need that in our daily lives to be able to hang out and just be with our neighbors and enjoy some good music."&nbsp;<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/d8edd6b6-77a5-4f00-be6f-dd172d6a13a7">Earlier this year, the committee announced that the festival was in financial difficulties, and members were unsure if it would be able to continue.</a><a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/70199022-3eac-48ab-888e-07f9fa5667d9">Businesses stepped up as sponsors and community members packed the park on Wednesday and Friday nights for the first two nights of the festival's ticketed concerts.</a>"That tells me that the people of Hays want this event. In wanting this event, they stepped forward financially, and buying that ticket really put us over the top," Swift said. "We really appreciate that. We can't do this by ourselves as a committee and all the volunteers we've had over 30 years."Swift said he was honored to be named grand marshal of the parade, but he thought each of the many volunteers over the years of the festival deserved recognition.Swift encouraged anyone interested in volunteering to contact the committee. The committee can still use volunteers to tear down the festival venue at Municipal Park today.&nbsp;Although the festival has three days to stage the event, they only have one day to tear down and clean up."We always encourage new people to get on. [They bring] new ideas. The ideas I see are the new talent. They ask me who I want. I've been here so long. I'm in the '50s. You give me some good ole rock 'n' roll, and I'm happy."He added, "It's not easy. There's a lot of sweat that goes into this. We appreciate each and every person who does this. It's unbelievable what it takes to put this on."

From the beginning: Grand marshal recalls 30 years of Wild West Festival

Photos By Tony Guerrero/Hays Post<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1720286046693.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1720286109825.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1720286160992.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1720286205542.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1720286250693.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1720286293342.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1720286328573.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1720286366907.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1720286401657.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1720286434554.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1720286468472.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1720286506388.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1720286537122.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1720286613554.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1720286638670.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>

📷 Wild West Festival 2024 Parade

Beginning Monday, July 8 at about 8 a.m., the west part of the 11th and Walnut and 14th and Walnut intersections in Hays will be closed to through traffic for water line replacements. 

Any residents affected by this project will be notified by the contractor for any interruption of services.

The City of Hays regrets any inconvenience this may cause to the public. 

If there are any questions, please call the contractor, J Corp, at 785-650-3995 or the Office of Project Management at 785-628-7350.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/6/1686234332975.jpeg" alt="File photo" />
 <figcaption>File photo</figcaption>
 </figure>City of HaysBeginning Monday, July 8 at about 8 a.m., the west part of the 11th and Walnut and 14th and Walnut intersections in Hays will be closed to through traffic for water line replacements. Any residents affected by this project will be notified by the contractor for any interruption of services.The City of Hays regrets any inconvenience this may cause to the public. If there are any questions, please call the contractor, J Corp, at 785-650-3995 or the Office of Project Management at 785-628-7350.

2 Walnut Street intersections to close for water line replacements in Hays

By BRIANNE HEIDBREDER Insight Kansas

Fireworks are an important part of Independence Day celebrations in the United States. They entertain us with their power and beauty, while symbolizing our national pride. However, the sale and use of fireworks are heavily regulated by state and local governments.

Consumer fireworks are legal to purchase in 49 of the 50 states. In fact, only Massachusetts bans the sale of all fireworks at the state level. However, just because you can buy them, doesn’t mean you can shoot them off. Kansas gives local authorities the power to regulate the use of consumer fireworks.  

Therefore, before lighting up your stash of smoke bombs, sparklers, and bottle rockets over the 4th of July week, you better check your local ordinances.

The regulation of fireworks is not arbitrary. City and county officials may be driven by several factors when deciding their own regulations.

The foremost reason for regulating fireworks is public safety. Many types of fireworks, while beautiful, are explosives. They can cause serious injuries when not handled with care. According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission, thousands of people are injured each year in fireworks-related accidents.

To prevent injury, government officials in some local governments have outright banned consumer fireworks. Others have chosen to heavily regulate the types that are allowed. For example, Lawrence is a “fireworks-free” city, allowing only the use of items such as party poppers, snappers, snakes, sparklers, toy caps and toy smoke devices.

Another critical aspect of fireworks regulation is the prevention of fires and property damage. Fireworks can be a fire hazard, especially in dry areas. To mitigate potential fire and property damage caused by fireworks, regulations may mandate safe distances from buildings and flammable material, or they may even prohibit their use during droughts. For example, Manhattan KS does not allow discharge of fireworks within 100 feet of firework stands.

Property and fire damage concerns are also the reason many local governments ban the use of sky lanterns as they can land on property while still burning.

Environmental concerns can also play a role in firework regulation. Fireworks contain chemicals and heavy metals that can pollute air, water, and soil. They leave behind debris, some of which is non-biodegradable.

Another type of pollution that comes with fireworks is noise pollution. Fireworks can be loud, causing disturbances to residents, particularly in densely populated areas. The loud explosions can be distressing to people. This is especially true for those with conditions such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

To mitigate the effects of noise pollution, cities and counties have regulated the hours of the day fireworks can be used. Shawnee county, for example, allows fireworks to be shot off between 8:00 am and midnight in unincorporated areas.

While fireworks are a revered part of our fourth of July celebrations, the regulation of fireworks by state and local governments is essential to protect public health, safety, and property, and to mitigate disturbances.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/3/1678375743023.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>By BRIANNE HEIDBREDER Insight KansasFireworks are an important part of Independence Day celebrations in the United States. They entertain us with their power and beauty, while symbolizing our national pride. However, the sale and use of fireworks are heavily regulated by state and local governments.Consumer fireworks are legal to purchase in 49 of the 50 states. In fact, only Massachusetts bans the sale of all fireworks at the state level. However, just because you can buy them, doesn’t mean you can shoot them off. Kansas gives local authorities the power to regulate the use of consumer fireworks. Therefore, before lighting up your stash of smoke bombs, sparklers, and bottle rockets over the 4th of July week, you better check your local ordinances.The regulation of fireworks is not arbitrary. City and county officials may be driven by several factors when deciding their own regulations.The foremost reason for regulating fireworks is public safety. Many types of fireworks, while beautiful, are explosives. They can cause serious injuries when not handled with care. According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission, thousands of people are injured each year in fireworks-related accidents.To prevent injury, government officials in some local governments have outright banned consumer fireworks. Others have chosen to heavily regulate the types that are allowed. For example, Lawrence is a “fireworks-free” city, allowing only the use of items such as party poppers, snappers, snakes, sparklers, toy caps and toy smoke devices.Another critical aspect of fireworks regulation is the prevention of fires and property damage. Fireworks can be a fire hazard, especially in dry areas. To mitigate potential fire and property damage caused by fireworks, regulations may mandate safe distances from buildings and flammable material, or they may even prohibit their use during droughts. For example, Manhattan KS does not allow discharge of fireworks within 100 feet of firework stands.Property and fire damage concerns are also the reason many local governments ban the use of sky lanterns as they can land on property while still burning.Environmental concerns can also play a role in firework regulation. Fireworks contain chemicals and heavy metals that can pollute air, water, and soil. They leave behind debris, some of which is non-biodegradable.Another type of pollution that comes with fireworks is noise pollution. Fireworks can be loud, causing disturbances to residents, particularly in densely populated areas. The loud explosions can be distressing to people. This is especially true for those with conditions such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).To mitigate the effects of noise pollution, cities and counties have regulated the hours of the day fireworks can be used. Shawnee county, for example, allows fireworks to be shot off between 8:00 am and midnight in unincorporated areas.While fireworks are a revered part of our fourth of July celebrations, the regulation of fireworks by state and local governments is essential to protect public health, safety, and property, and to mitigate disturbances.

INSIGHT KANSAS: The politics of regulating fireworks

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1720283109601.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure><a href="https://hayspost.com/pages/state-farm-weather-window">For a full look at the weather forecast, click here.</a>

Driver injured after wind blows semi over during NW Kan. storm

THOMAS COUNTY—On. person was injured in an accident just before 3p.m. Saturday in Thomas County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2022 Kenworth semi driven by James F.&nbsp; Self, 48, Ada, Oklahoma, was eastbound on Interstate 70 just east of the County Road K exit during a storm with strong winds

The driver lost control of the vehicle. The semi traveled into the median then overturned onto its driver side.

EMS transported Self to Citizens Medical Center. He was properly restrained, according to the KHP.

THOMAS COUNTY—On. person was injured in an accident just before 3p.m. Saturday in Thomas County.The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2022 Kenworth semi driven by James F.&nbsp; Self, 48, Ada, Oklahoma, was eastbound on Interstate 70 just east of the County Road K exit during a storm with strong windsThe driver lost control of the vehicle. The semi traveled into the median then overturned onto its driver side.EMS transported Self to Citizens Medical Center. He was properly restrained, according to the KHP.

Driver hospitalized after storm blows semi off Interstate 70

Thank you for your patience as the threat of severe weather passes. It's looking like it will be a perfect night for some ROCK.

After communicating with the National Weather Service out of Dodge city and the Ellis County Emergency Manager the Wild West Fest committee feels it is in the best interest of safety of our community and our attendees to delay tonight's concerts. 

The incoming storm has a history of producing hail the side up to 1.75 inches and wind gust up to 60 mph. 

It is our intention to open our gates as soon as the storm passes. Please continue to follow Facebook and our partners with Eagle Radio for additional updates.

 Early indications indicate we might be able to open our gates shortly after the 7 o’clock hour.

Wild West Festival&nbsp;UPDATE: 6:25 p.m.Weather update:Gates open at 7 p.m.Sunset Sinners at 7:30 p.m.Quiet Riot at 9:30 p.m.Thank you for your patience as the threat of severe weather passes. It's looking like it will be a perfect night for some ROCK.Original post:After communicating with the National Weather Service out of Dodge city and the Ellis County Emergency Manager the Wild West Fest committee feels it is in the best interest of safety of our community and our attendees to delay tonight's concerts. The incoming storm has a history of producing hail the side up to 1.75 inches and wind gust up to 60 mph. It is our intention to open our gates as soon as the storm passes. Please continue to follow Facebook and our partners with Eagle Radio for additional updates. Early indications indicate we might be able to open our gates shortly after the 7 o’clock hour.

UPDATE: Saturday Wild West Festival delayed for weather

📷  Wild West Festival 2024 Day 2

By MIKE COURSON Great Bend Post

A line of storms with high winds was predicted to move across Kansas in the final hours leading into the Fourth of July holiday Thursday. Even so, the images displayed on radar were not particularly threatening around 11:30 p.m. Wednesday night at Wilson Lake. Chase resident Mackenzie Oberle and family were staying in the Wheatgrass Campground in the Hell Creek area of the lake. Just as the storm arrived, she moved from her parents' camper to a truck just a few feet away.

"It felt like the wind had come up underneath the truck and picked it up," she said. "Something loud hit what I thought was the truck, but it hit the boat. I didn't think anything of it but I looked back and I could see my parents' camper flipped over sideways so I got out and called 911."

Oberle, who has ridden out other storms from inside a camper, said nothing seemed unusual about the storm as it came in. Winds estimated at 70 miles an hour hit the area just as the rain began. Several campers from the packed campgrounds were damaged. One camper near Oberle's truck was blown across the road and completely destroyed. Fortunately, its occupants were able to walk away.

"There wasn't a rhyme or reason why some blew over and some didn't," Oberle said. "There were tiny campers that didn't blow over, and there big, heavy campers that did blow over."

Oberle's parents were able to crawl out of their camper without injury. Three people were transported by Russell County EMS to Russell Regional Hospital with injuries. Christopher Montoya, 64, of Holyrood, was found deceased in the Hell Creek Area of the park.

The storm gained strength as it approached Russell late Wednesday, prompting the National Weather Service out of Wichita to issue a Severe Thunderstorm Warning shortly before 11:30 p.m. More warnings were later issued for Ellsworth and Rice counties. 

Torrential rain fell in a short period with more than an inch recorded in Great Bend, 2.06 inches reported in one location near Larned, and up to 1.90 inches reported near Little River. Most locations near Lawrence later reported more than two inches of rain. Most wind reports out of Ellsworth and Russell counties indicate gusts between 68 and 70 mph. Saline County reported the highest gust at 82 mph.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1720195934565.jpeg" alt="Several campers at Lake Wilson were blown over by wind gusts shortly before midnight on July 3. Three people were transported to Russell Regional Hospital with injuries and a Holyrood man was found deceased. (photo courtesy of Mackenzie Oberle)" />
 <figcaption>Several campers at Lake Wilson were blown over by wind gusts shortly before midnight on July 3. Three people were transported to Russell Regional Hospital with injuries and a Holyrood man was found deceased. (photo courtesy of Mackenzie Oberle)</figcaption>
 </figure>By MIKE COURSON Great Bend PostA line of storms with high winds was predicted to move across Kansas in the final hours leading into the Fourth of July holiday Thursday. Even so, the images displayed on radar were not particularly threatening around 11:30 p.m. Wednesday night at Wilson Lake. Chase resident Mackenzie Oberle and family were staying in the Wheatgrass Campground in the Hell Creek area of the lake. Just as the storm arrived, she moved from her parents' camper to a truck just a few feet away."It felt like the wind had come up underneath the truck and picked it up," she said. "Something loud hit what I thought was the truck, but it hit the boat. I didn't think anything of it but I looked back and I could see my parents' camper flipped over sideways so I got out and called 911."<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1720196040317.jpeg" alt="photo courtesy of Mackenzie Oberle" />
 <figcaption>photo courtesy of Mackenzie Oberle</figcaption>
 </figure>Oberle, who has ridden out other storms from inside a camper, said nothing seemed unusual about the storm as it came in. Winds estimated at 70 miles an hour hit the area just as the rain began. Several campers from the packed campgrounds were damaged. One camper near Oberle's truck was blown across the road and completely destroyed. Fortunately, its occupants were able to walk away."There wasn't a rhyme or reason why some blew over and some didn't," Oberle said. "There were tiny campers that didn't blow over, and there big, heavy campers that did blow over."Oberle's parents were able to crawl out of their camper without injury. Three people were transported by Russell County EMS to Russell Regional Hospital with injuries. Christopher Montoya, 64, of Holyrood, was found deceased in the Hell Creek Area of the park.The storm gained strength as it approached Russell late Wednesday, prompting the National Weather Service out of Wichita to issue a Severe Thunderstorm Warning shortly before 11:30 p.m. More warnings were later issued for Ellsworth and Rice counties. Torrential rain fell in a short period with more than an inch recorded in Great Bend, 2.06 inches reported in one location near Larned, and up to 1.90 inches reported near Little River. Most locations near Lawrence later reported more than two inches of rain. Most wind reports out of Ellsworth and Russell counties indicate gusts between 68 and 70 mph. Saline County reported the highest gust at 82 mph.

Family escapes injury despite camper overturned in storm at Wilson Lake 

🎥 Green & Growing Fertilizing Buffalo Grass

TOPEKA –&nbsp;While ticks and mosquitoes are a natural part of our environment, it is important to know that some may transmit harmful diseases. The Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) tracks illnesses caused by ticks and mosquitoes, and as of May 29, 2024, has received over 200 laboratory reports of tickborne diseases. Additionally, KDHE has received several reports of tick bites and complaints of high numbers of ticks, which indicates that tick activity and density are increasing and are occurring earlier in the season this year.

Numerous tickborne diseases caused by bacteria are present in Kansas. These include Ehrlichiosis, Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever and other Spotted Fever Group Rickettsioses (SFGR), and Tularemia. Two rare tickborne viruses, Heartland virus and Bourbon virus, have also been identified in Kansas in both humans and ticks. All of these tickborne diseases are transmitted by the Lone Star tick, the most abundant tick in Kansas. Lone Star ticks can be found widely throughout at least the eastern two-thirds of the state in a variety of habitats and are aggressive human biters. This year alone, KDHE has investigated several tickborne disease cases with severe health outcomes, including hospitalizations due to Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever and Tularemia, and a fatal case of Bourbon virus.

“Vector-borne diseases, both those that are transmitted by ticks and those transmitted by mosquitoes are extremely active this year,”&nbsp;Dr. Erin Petro, KDHE State Public Health Veterinarian, said. “I really encourage people to take the risk of vector-borne diseases seriously and take personal protective measures for themselves and their pets to reduce their chance of acquiring an illness from a tick or mosquito bite. We’re also seeing emerging tick-associated conditions, like Alpha-gal syndrome, which can have lifelong consequences for those affected, which is why bite prevention is so important.”

In addition to increased tickborne diseases being reported to KDHE, there have been increased case reports of West Nile Virus (WNV), which is a reportable disease. While WNV cases occur every year in Kansas, the concerning trend this year is how early it’s being seen. Cases of WNV typically start in late July to early August. However, KDHE has already had two cases of WNV reported.

These cases serve as an important reminder to take precautions as you enjoy the outdoors this summer. Ticks are commonly found at the edge of trails, on tall grasses and in wooded, shaded areas. Mosquitoes are often more common at dawn and dusk and can breed in small amounts of standing water.

KDHETOPEKA –&nbsp;While ticks and mosquitoes are a natural part of our environment, it is important to know that some may transmit harmful diseases. The Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) tracks illnesses caused by ticks and mosquitoes, and as of May 29, 2024, has received over 200 laboratory reports of tickborne diseases. Additionally, KDHE has received several reports of tick bites and complaints of high numbers of ticks, which indicates that tick activity and density are increasing and are occurring earlier in the season this year.Numerous tickborne diseases caused by bacteria are present in Kansas. These include Ehrlichiosis, Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever and other Spotted Fever Group Rickettsioses (SFGR), and Tularemia. Two rare tickborne viruses, Heartland virus and Bourbon virus, have also been identified in Kansas in both humans and ticks. All of these tickborne diseases are transmitted by the Lone Star tick, the most abundant tick in Kansas. Lone Star ticks can be found widely throughout at least the eastern two-thirds of the state in a variety of habitats and are aggressive human biters. This year alone, KDHE has investigated several tickborne disease cases with severe health outcomes, including hospitalizations due to Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever and Tularemia, and a fatal case of Bourbon virus.“Vector-borne diseases, both those that are transmitted by ticks and those transmitted by mosquitoes are extremely active this year,”&nbsp;Dr. Erin Petro, KDHE State Public Health Veterinarian, said. “I really encourage people to take the risk of vector-borne diseases seriously and take personal protective measures for themselves and their pets to reduce their chance of acquiring an illness from a tick or mosquito bite. We’re also seeing emerging tick-associated conditions, like Alpha-gal syndrome, which can have lifelong consequences for those affected, which is why bite prevention is so important.”In addition to increased tickborne diseases being reported to KDHE, there have been increased case reports of West Nile Virus (WNV), which is a reportable disease. While WNV cases occur every year in Kansas, the concerning trend this year is how early it’s being seen. Cases of WNV typically start in late July to early August. However, KDHE has already had two cases of WNV reported.These cases serve as an important reminder to take precautions as you enjoy the outdoors this summer. Ticks are commonly found at the edge of trails, on tall grasses and in wooded, shaded areas. Mosquitoes are often more common at dawn and dusk and can breed in small amounts of standing water.To reduce the risk of contracting a vector-borne disease, take the following steps:<ul>
 <li>Use an EPA-registered insect repellent such as DEET, picaridin, oil of lemon eucalyptus or IR3535 on all exposed skin. If going camping or hiking, treat clothing and gear with products containing 0.5 percent permethrin.</li><li>When doing yardwork, hiking, camping or recreating in areas where ticks and mosquitoes may be found, wear long pants tucked into socks or boots, if possible. Additionally, light colored clothing can make it easier to spot ticks.</li><li>Take steps to control mosquitoes indoors and outdoors, such as emptying standing water, particularly in old tires, tarps and flowerpots. Empty bird baths at least once a week to disrupt the mosquito life cycle.</li><li>Ensure pets remain tick free by consulting with a veterinarian about tick prevention products.</li><li>After spending time outdoors, shower and check for ticks again (some can be hard to spot). The vital areas to check are in and around the hair and ears, under the arms, inside the belly button, around the waist, between the legs and the back of the knees.</li><li>If a tick has bitten you, don’t squeeze it. Remove it with tweezers by grasping the tick as close to the skin’s surface as possible, then pull outward. Dispose of the tick by flushing it down the toilet. Don’t forget to check pets for ticks.</li><li>Pay attention to common signs and symptoms of vector-borne illness such as fever/chills, body aches and/or rash. If any of these symptoms are present within a few weeks of spending time outdoors in areas that may have ticks or mosquitoes, it’s important to talk with a doctor about being tested for vector-borne illnesses.</li>
 </ul>For more information, visit KDHE’s&nbsp;<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDIsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsInVybCI6Imh0dHBzOi8vbWFwcy5rZGhlLnN0YXRlLmtzLnVzL2tzdGJkaG9tZS8_dXRtX21lZGl1bT1lbWFpbCZ1dG1fc291cmNlPWdvdmRlbGl2ZXJ5IiwiYnVsbGV0aW5faWQiOiIyMDI0MDYyNC45NjY2Mjc4MSJ9.chflwFV9TMRsu4qRmUP7e2Fz_3FBbxZyz-5gQ_k9nQw/s/1305913623/br/244644433721-l">Tickborne Disease Data Stories</a>&nbsp;to learn more about tickborne diseases, signs and symptoms specific to each disease, tick bite prevention and tick distribution. CDC also has additional&nbsp;<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDMsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsInVybCI6Imh0dHBzOi8vd3d3LmNkYy5nb3YvdmVjdG9yLWJvcm5lLWRpc2Vhc2VzL3ByZXZlbnRpb24vaW5kZXguaHRtbD91dG1fbWVkaXVtPWVtYWlsJnV0bV9zb3VyY2U9Z292ZGVsaXZlcnkiLCJidWxsZXRpbl9pZCI6IjIwMjQwNjI0Ljk2NjYyNzgxIn0.yGt3gxaLyrz3ZHSbQCiGxYbx5lwV67iLAcdema_wEwo/s/1305913623/br/244644433721-l">information about vector-borne diseases on their website.</a>

Local