Welcome to Cash Grab! It is your chance to win $250 on Friday's in October!

Keywords are given out at 9:00 a.m., 11:00 a.m., 1:00 p.m. and 3:00 p.m. Monday through Thursday. You will have 20 minutes to enter the correct keyword that you heard on our radio stations. We will then draw out one winner on Friday morning!

Cash Grab is presented by Robert Brogden GMC in downtown Hays, Whitetail Properties Agents Adam Hahn and Mitch Keeley, Tri-Central Office Supply, and Vanderbilt’s of Hays.

Welcome to Cash Grab! It is your chance to win $250 on Friday's in October!Keywords are given out at 9:00 a.m., 11:00 a.m., 1:00 p.m. and 3:00 p.m. Monday through Thursday. You will have 20 minutes to enter the correct keyword that you heard on our radio stations. We will then draw out one winner on Friday morning!Thanks for playing and good luck!!Cash Grab is presented by Robert Brogden GMC in downtown Hays, Whitetail Properties Agents Adam Hahn and Mitch Keeley, Tri-Central Office Supply, and Vanderbilt’s of Hays.<div><script src="https://xp.audience.io/widget.js"></script>
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By DIANE GASPER-O’BRIEN Special to Hays Post

Gay Flax is passionate about promoting healthy living.

She vowed to continue that mindset in retirement and would like others to experience the same benefits of outdoor activities.

So, the retired Hays elementary teacher decided to start a business called Sunny Cycling, whose motto is to bring sunshine to others, one ride at a time.

Flax’s latest project features a wheelchair-type device on the front of a bicycle, where riders can be safely strapped in with a helmet.

With a veteran bicyclist behind them, nursing facility residents or special needs folks can experience some time outdoors in the fresh air while cruising around town.

“Research has shown so many advantages of sunlight, both physical and mental,” Flax said. “Getting some fresh air helps natural stimulation of the senses and improve general overall moods.”

Flax, who taught in three elementary schools in Hays for 21 years, has long been known for promoting healthy activities.

Twenty years ago, she challenged her fourth-grade students at O’Loughlin Elementary School to set a goal for a reading program called Accelerated Reading. So many points earned by the students in Accelerated Reading would equal so many miles Flax would ride in a single day on Biking Across Kansas the following summer.

“It’s a goal we all set together,” Flax said at the time. “The students made theirs. I had to make mine, too.”

Flax did reach that goal and has been an avid bicyclist ever since.

Coincidentally, during some downtime, while recovering from recent shoulder surgery, Flax came up with the idea for her latest venture.

While sitting around in late 2023—something she isn’t accustomed to doing—Flax was trying to figure out ways to get a change of scenery for her mother,&nbsp;Donita Hayes, an Alzheimer’s patient who lives at&nbsp;Good Samaritan Center in Hays.

Hayes used to bike with her daughter, and Flax’s son, Hunter, learned his ABCs and math times tables while riding on a “Trail-A-Bike” behind his mother when he was young.

Flax even took both those family members on Bike Across Kansas with her in 2010, with Hunter riding on the “Trail-A-Bike.”

So Flax did some research, hoping to find similar equipment for adults.

What she discovered was even better. She ran across a duet bike with a wheelchair-type device mounted on the front.

“I thought, ‘How perfect!’ This would give the rider a full view of scenery instead of my backside,” Flax said.

Right then and there, she decided, “I was going to order this bike when I retired.”

That date came around this past May when Flax decided to close out her 28-year career in education.

She ordered the bike and tried it out on her mother and her mother-in-law, Judy Flax.

Flax decided to go one step further and ordered a side-by-side bicycle where the rider could help pedal if they chose.&nbsp;

Flax does the majority of the work pedaling, but both bicycles have motors for assistance if needed.

Now, in her first year after retiring, Sunny Cycling is up and running strong.&nbsp;

The idea for the name choice was twofold. It was a way to honor a beloved family pet, a cat named Sonny, who died in 2022, and the sunshine she hopes to bring to others.

The wheelchair version can be detached from the bike and taken into a home or facility. Riders are strapped in securely and wear helmets provided by Flax.

The duo then takes off around town or wherever the rider might like to visit. She even stops for a drink for her riders along the way.

Flax beams while talking about the benefits for her riders and for herself. Her mother-in-law, who favors the side-by-side bike, agrees.

“Cardio, sunshine, keeping your mental status sharp,” said Judy Flax, who still lives independently in her own home. “I think this is phenomenal.”

“And I get a lot of exercise pedaling,” Gay Flax said with a laugh.

Her project has been a big investment, which includes insurance for her riders.

But Flax wanted only the best to keep her loved ones—and all her riders —safe.

To help offset costs, she decided on a price of $50 an hour that can be broken up into&nbsp; 20- or 30-minute rides. And if there is any question whether or not a loved one would enjoy the ride, she will give a trial run for free.

She already has another regular customer besides her mother.

Bob Threlkel, a popular retired teacher in Hays known to many as “Mr. T,” suffers from frontal temporal dementia and is a resident of Ascension Living Via Christi Village in Hays.

His condition has robbed him of his ability to speak or write, but his smile tells his family just how much he enjoys his outdoor rides and getting out in the sunshine.

The Threlkels live in a country home north of Hays and are neighbors of the Flaxes. One day, Flax offered to give Karen&nbsp;Threlkel a trial run when her new bike arrived.

Threlkel instantly knew her husband would enjoy such an outing.

“It’s such a clear vision being on the front,” Threlkel said. “Bob loves it. We can definitely see that. I think this is a wonderful opportunity for people in nursing facilities to be able to get out in the fresh air.”

Flax and Threlkel, a retired registered nurse, both agree that gift cards for rides could be a perfect Christmas or birthday gift for loved ones of any age or health.

“I know from personal experience that my mom doesn’t need that many clothes. She doesn’t have room for knick-knacks,” Flax said.

While bicycling can seem like a seasonal activity in our area, Flax says she enjoys riding year-round.

“It can be 60 or 70 degrees on some winter afternoons, and I’ll go riding,” she said. “So I can do the same with Sunny Cycling. I’m flexible. Call me and set up a time. If the weather is great today and someone calls, I just need 10 minutes to get into town.”

To schedule a ride or for more information on Sunny Cycling, Flax is available for a phone call at 785-623-8882.

Although this began as an idea to help people who are homebound or have special needs, Flax said these rides can be enjoyed by anyone. Just ask.

“I am so excited about this,” Flax said. “This all started with trying to help my mother. If I can help others enjoy life more, too, that’s a huge bonus.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/10/1729990593649.jpeg" alt="Retired Hays elementary school teacher Gay Flax, right, came up with a way to help people who are homebound like her mother, Donita Hayes, enjoy fresh air and sunshine. Courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Retired Hays elementary school teacher Gay Flax, right, came up with a way to help people who are homebound like her mother, Donita Hayes, enjoy fresh air and sunshine. Courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1727559193168.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>By DIANE GASPER-O’BRIEN Special to Hays PostGay Flax is passionate about promoting healthy living.She vowed to continue that mindset in retirement and would like others to experience the same benefits of outdoor activities.So, the retired Hays elementary teacher decided to start a business called Sunny Cycling, whose motto is to bring sunshine to others, one ride at a time.Flax’s latest project features a wheelchair-type device on the front of a bicycle, where riders can be safely strapped in with a helmet.With a veteran bicyclist behind them, nursing facility residents or special needs folks can experience some time outdoors in the fresh air while cruising around town.“Research has shown so many advantages of sunlight, both physical and mental,” Flax said. “Getting some fresh air helps natural stimulation of the senses and improve general overall moods.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/10/1729990686233.jpeg" alt="Avid Hays bicyclist Gay Flax has turned her passion for bicycling into a service for others. Courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Avid Hays bicyclist Gay Flax has turned her passion for bicycling into a service for others. Courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>Flax, who taught in three elementary schools in Hays for 21 years, has long been known for promoting healthy activities.Twenty years ago, she challenged her fourth-grade students at O’Loughlin Elementary School to set a goal for a reading program called Accelerated Reading. So many points earned by the students in Accelerated Reading would equal so many miles Flax would ride in a single day on Biking Across Kansas the following summer.“It’s a goal we all set together,” Flax said at the time. “The students made theirs. I had to make mine, too.”Flax did reach that goal and has been an avid bicyclist ever since.Coincidentally, during some downtime, while recovering from recent shoulder surgery, Flax came up with the idea for her latest venture.While sitting around in late 2023—something she isn’t accustomed to doing—Flax was trying to figure out ways to get a change of scenery for her mother,&nbsp;Donita Hayes, an Alzheimer’s patient who lives at&nbsp;Good Samaritan Center in Hays.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/10/1729990821635.jpeg" alt="Gay Flax’s idea for Sunny Cycling was sparked in part by her memory of pulling her son, Hunter, along on her bicycle training rides when he was young. Courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Gay Flax’s idea for Sunny Cycling was sparked in part by her memory of pulling her son, Hunter, along on her bicycle training rides when he was young. Courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>Hayes used to bike with her daughter, and Flax’s son, Hunter, learned his ABCs and math times tables while riding on a “Trail-A-Bike” behind his mother when he was young.Flax even took both those family members on Bike Across Kansas with her in 2010, with Hunter riding on the “Trail-A-Bike.”So Flax did some research, hoping to find similar equipment for adults.What she discovered was even better. She ran across a duet bike with a wheelchair-type device mounted on the front.“I thought, ‘How perfect!’ This would give the rider a full view of scenery instead of my backside,” Flax said.Right then and there, she decided, “I was going to order this bike when I retired.”That date came around this past May when Flax decided to close out her 28-year career in education.She ordered the bike and tried it out on her mother and her mother-in-law, Judy Flax.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/10/1729990892018.jpeg" alt="Bob Threlkel, Hays, enjoys the side-by-side pedaling version of cycling with Gay Flax. Courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Bob Threlkel, Hays, enjoys the side-by-side pedaling version of cycling with Gay Flax. Courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>Flax decided to go one step further and ordered a side-by-side bicycle where the rider could help pedal if they chose.&nbsp;Flax does the majority of the work pedaling, but both bicycles have motors for assistance if needed.Now, in her first year after retiring, Sunny Cycling is up and running strong.&nbsp;The idea for the name choice was twofold. It was a way to honor a beloved family pet, a cat named Sonny, who died in 2022, and the sunshine she hopes to bring to others.The wheelchair version can be detached from the bike and taken into a home or facility. Riders are strapped in securely and wear helmets provided by Flax.The duo then takes off around town or wherever the rider might like to visit. She even stops for a drink for her riders along the way.Flax beams while talking about the benefits for her riders and for herself. Her mother-in-law, who favors the side-by-side bike, agrees.“Cardio, sunshine, keeping your mental status sharp,” said Judy Flax, who still lives independently in her own home. “I think this is phenomenal.”“And I get a lot of exercise pedaling,” Gay Flax said with a laugh.Her project has been a big investment, which includes insurance for her riders.But Flax wanted only the best to keep her loved ones—and all her riders —safe.To help offset costs, she decided on a price of $50 an hour that can be broken up into&nbsp; 20- or 30-minute rides. And if there is any question whether or not a loved one would enjoy the ride, she will give a trial run for free.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/10/1729990960904.jpeg" alt="Sunny Cycling gets the approval of Bob Threlkel and his grandchildren, Gianna and Anno Buich from Colorado Springs, as they greet their grandfather after a ride. Courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Sunny Cycling gets the approval of Bob Threlkel and his grandchildren, Gianna and Anno Buich from Colorado Springs, as they greet their grandfather after a ride. Courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>She already has another regular customer besides her mother.Bob Threlkel, a popular retired teacher in Hays known to many as “Mr. T,” suffers from frontal temporal dementia and is a resident of Ascension Living Via Christi Village in Hays.His condition has robbed him of his ability to speak or write, but his smile tells his family just how much he enjoys his outdoor rides and getting out in the sunshine.The Threlkels live in a country home north of Hays and are neighbors of the Flaxes. One day, Flax offered to give Karen&nbsp;Threlkel a trial run when her new bike arrived.Threlkel instantly knew her husband would enjoy such an outing.“It’s such a clear vision being on the front,” Threlkel said. “Bob loves it. We can definitely see that. I think this is a wonderful opportunity for people in nursing facilities to be able to get out in the fresh air.”Flax and Threlkel, a retired registered nurse, both agree that gift cards for rides could be a perfect Christmas or birthday gift for loved ones of any age or health.“I know from personal experience that my mom doesn’t need that many clothes. She doesn’t have room for knick-knacks,” Flax said.While bicycling can seem like a seasonal activity in our area, Flax says she enjoys riding year-round.“It can be 60 or 70 degrees on some winter afternoons, and I’ll go riding,” she said. “So I can do the same with Sunny Cycling. I’m flexible. Call me and set up a time. If the weather is great today and someone calls, I just need 10 minutes to get into town.”To schedule a ride or for more information on Sunny Cycling, Flax is available for a phone call at 785-623-8882.Although this began as an idea to help people who are homebound or have special needs, Flax said these rides can be enjoyed by anyone. Just ask.“I am so excited about this,” Flax said. “This all started with trying to help my mother. If I can help others enjoy life more, too, that’s a huge bonus.”

NWester: Sunny Cycling pedals sunshine into lives of the homebound 

As of Jan. 1, 2026, Hays Post will charge $100 per obituary for posting obituaries. This cost will include an unlimited word count and posting of a photo of the deceased.&nbsp;

We understand that obituaries are an important way to honor the memory of loved ones and share their life stories with the community. We remain committed to providing this service. The fees collected will help us continue to offer high-quality obituaries while maintaining the overall sustainability of the Hays Post.&nbsp;

PLEASE NOTE: We will no longer go directly to funeral home websites to obtain obituaries They MUST be emailed to <a href="mailto:haysobits@eaglemedia.com" target="_blank">haysobits@eaglemedia.com</a> to be published.&nbsp;

Please allow up to 24 hours from the submission of the obituary for it to be posted on the Hays Post.&nbsp;

If you have questions, please contact Scarlett Deutscher at 785-301-2211.&nbsp;

If you have an issue outside of business hours or your obit has not been published within 24 hours, please email <a href="mailto:hayspost@eaglemedia.com" target="_blank">hayspost@eaglemedia.com</a> or call Cristina Janney, Hays Post editor, at 785-301-2077.&nbsp;

Hays PostAs of Jan. 1, 2026, Hays Post will charge $100 per obituary for posting obituaries. This cost will include an unlimited word count and posting of a photo of the deceased.&nbsp;We understand that obituaries are an important way to honor the memory of loved ones and share their life stories with the community. We remain committed to providing this service. The fees collected will help us continue to offer high-quality obituaries while maintaining the overall sustainability of the Hays Post.&nbsp;PLEASE NOTE: We will no longer go directly to funeral home websites to obtain obituaries They MUST be emailed to <a href="mailto:haysobits@eaglemedia.com" target="_blank">haysobits@eaglemedia.com</a> to be published.&nbsp;Please allow up to 24 hours from the submission of the obituary for it to be posted on the Hays Post.&nbsp;If you have questions, please contact Scarlett Deutscher at 785-301-2211.&nbsp;If you have an issue outside of business hours or your obit has not been published within 24 hours, please email <a href="mailto:hayspost@eaglemedia.com" target="_blank">hayspost@eaglemedia.com</a> or call Cristina Janney, Hays Post editor, at 785-301-2077.&nbsp;

How to submit an obituary; obituary prices

By STEVE GILLILAND Exploring Kansas Outdoors

I’m always raving about all the wildlife and outdoor adventures we have here in Kansas, but much like an inverse bucket list, there are also things I’m glad we DON’T have here. The other night I watched a TV show about the Florida Everglades. The host of the show was there to try and catch a monster everglades bull shark, and as sort of a rite-of-passage, his local guides made him first swim with alligators and then help them catch a huge python snake which are an invasive species to the everglades and are wreaking havoc with its fragile ecosystem. I used to trap muskrats in the McPherson Valley wetlands just outside Inman, which involves wading around in marshes of cattails and marsh grass that look a little like areas of the Everglades. I’m eternally grateful I don’t have to keep my eyes peeled for gators and pythons; geez, I’m glad we don’t have those in Kansas.

I think Joyce and I must have been storm chasers in a previous life; when the tornado sirens blare and the TV weathers guys are yellin’ at us to get in our storm cellars or go to the basement, we’re bustin’ out lawn chairs and watching for the twister, despite the devastation they can cause. Some of the memories I’ll take with me to the grave are pictures and news footage showing all the absolute devastation caused by the hurricanes recently in North Carolina and Florida. So as much as I’d like to own some oceanfront property here in Kansas, I’ll take the occasional tornado that can wipe out parts of towns along its way over a hurricane or tsunami that can wipe out the entire state; geez I’m glad we don’t have those in Kansas.

Dad had a place in a nice “snowbird park” in Mesa Arizona, and one of the activities he enjoyed was picking oranges, lemons and grapefruits with other guys from the park. The Mesa and Scottsdale areas are havens for citrus fruit trees. There are acres of commercial orange groves within the Mesa city limits, plus many homeowners have citrus trees in their backyards like homeowners in Kansas have apple, apricot and pear trees. And like homeowners here, many people don’t want or use most of the citrus fruit from those trees. Each February a crew of guys from dad’s park would go one day each week and pick unwanted fruit for homeowners, then bag the fruit and take it back to the park and put it out for any residents who want it. Many of the homeowners even gave the guys gas money for picking and taking their unwanted fruit. It was a win-win deal all the way around, but the homeowners there seemed much more serious about getting rid of their unwanted oranges, lemons and grapefruit than homeowners here are about getting rid of their unwanted fruit, and I often wondered why. I found out it’s because of a rodent called a “roof rat.”

Roof rats are also known as black rats (but are not really black) and are slightly distinguished from other rats by the length of their tails which are longer than their bodies. Roof rats are historically thought to be the vermin that spread the Plague or Black Death during the Middle Ages. They were first noticed in the Phoenix AZ area in 2001, and have become a problem throughout the area because fresh fruit and especially citrus fruit is their favorite meal. I found a website maintained by Maricopa County AZ, which contains the cities of Phoenix, Scottsdale and Mesa, called www.roofrat.net. Its mission statement reads “To help neighborhoods work, donate quality fruit and eradicate roof rats.” On a list of roof rats preferred foods, the top 6 were citrus fruits, which according to the website they will even eat off the tree. To help eradicate roof rats, the website urges homeowners to “Promptly and completely pick all

fruit (ripe or not) on citrus and other fruit and nut trees and pick up all fallen fruit every season.” I was told that Scottsdale residents may even incur a hefty fine for not doing so. Roof rats nest in attics, hedges and even in trees.

Maybe writing this column was a lesson in just how good we Kansans have it compared to some other states. Yes, we have ticks and brown spiders which both require our respect. We have earth shattering thunderstorms and tornados, but not hurricanes. We have bull snakes, rat snakes and the occasional prairie rattler, but not gators and pythons. We have mice, rats and pack rats (which can be a problem if not discovered,) but not roof rats to eat the fruit off our trees and infest our neighborhoods. Geez I’m glad we don’t have those in Kansas!

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

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/11/1574696211722.png" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>By STEVE GILLILAND Exploring Kansas OutdoorsI’m always raving about all the wildlife and outdoor adventures we have here in Kansas, but much like an inverse bucket list, there are also things I’m glad we DON’T have here. The other night I watched a TV show about the Florida Everglades. The host of the show was there to try and catch a monster everglades bull shark, and as sort of a rite-of-passage, his local guides made him first swim with alligators and then help them catch a huge python snake which are an invasive species to the everglades and are wreaking havoc with its fragile ecosystem. I used to trap muskrats in the McPherson Valley wetlands just outside Inman, which involves wading around in marshes of cattails and marsh grass that look a little like areas of the Everglades. I’m eternally grateful I don’t have to keep my eyes peeled for gators and pythons; geez, I’m glad we don’t have those in Kansas.I think Joyce and I must have been storm chasers in a previous life; when the tornado sirens blare and the TV weathers guys are yellin’ at us to get in our storm cellars or go to the basement, we’re bustin’ out lawn chairs and watching for the twister, despite the devastation they can cause. Some of the memories I’ll take with me to the grave are pictures and news footage showing all the absolute devastation caused by the hurricanes recently in North Carolina and Florida. So as much as I’d like to own some oceanfront property here in Kansas, I’ll take the occasional tornado that can wipe out parts of towns along its way over a hurricane or tsunami that can wipe out the entire state; geez I’m glad we don’t have those in Kansas.Dad had a place in a nice “snowbird park” in Mesa Arizona, and one of the activities he enjoyed was picking oranges, lemons and grapefruits with other guys from the park. The Mesa and Scottsdale areas are havens for citrus fruit trees. There are acres of commercial orange groves within the Mesa city limits, plus many homeowners have citrus trees in their backyards like homeowners in Kansas have apple, apricot and pear trees. And like homeowners here, many people don’t want or use most of the citrus fruit from those trees. Each February a crew of guys from dad’s park would go one day each week and pick unwanted fruit for homeowners, then bag the fruit and take it back to the park and put it out for any residents who want it. Many of the homeowners even gave the guys gas money for picking and taking their unwanted fruit. It was a win-win deal all the way around, but the homeowners there seemed much more serious about getting rid of their unwanted oranges, lemons and grapefruit than homeowners here are about getting rid of their unwanted fruit, and I often wondered why. I found out it’s because of a rodent called a “roof rat.”Roof rats are also known as black rats (but are not really black) and are slightly distinguished from other rats by the length of their tails which are longer than their bodies. Roof rats are historically thought to be the vermin that spread the Plague or Black Death during the Middle Ages. They were first noticed in the Phoenix AZ area in 2001, and have become a problem throughout the area because fresh fruit and especially citrus fruit is their favorite meal. I found a website maintained by Maricopa County AZ, which contains the cities of Phoenix, Scottsdale and Mesa, called www.roofrat.net. Its mission statement reads “To help neighborhoods work, donate quality fruit and eradicate roof rats.” On a list of roof rats preferred foods, the top 6 were citrus fruits, which according to the website they will even eat off the tree. To help eradicate roof rats, the website urges homeowners to “Promptly and completely pick allfruit (ripe or not) on citrus and other fruit and nut trees and pick up all fallen fruit every season.” I was told that Scottsdale residents may even incur a hefty fine for not doing so. Roof rats nest in attics, hedges and even in trees.Maybe writing this column was a lesson in just how good we Kansans have it compared to some other states. Yes, we have ticks and brown spiders which both require our respect. We have earth shattering thunderstorms and tornados, but not hurricanes. We have bull snakes, rat snakes and the occasional prairie rattler, but not gators and pythons. We have mice, rats and pack rats (which can be a problem if not discovered,) but not roof rats to eat the fruit off our trees and infest our neighborhoods. Geez I’m glad we don’t have those in Kansas!Steve can be contacted by email at stevenrgilliland@gmail.com.

Exploring Kansas Outdoors: Geez I’m glad we don’t have those in Kansas

The public is invited to an open house at the newly opened LIFE Center, 601 W. North Street, in Logan on Sunday, November 3 from 2 to 4 p.m.

The LIFE Center is a unique, intergenerational facility that serves both children and Seniors in the hometown of Dane G. Hansen.

At his death in 1965, Mr. Hansen created a trust which later became the Dane G. Hansen Foundation. Distributions were designated for his hometown of Logan and surrounding Northwest Kansas communities. The concept of the LIFE project was nearly seven years in the making and is considered a physical testament to Mr. Hansen’s legacy of forward thinking and giving back to his community.

The Foundation is the primary funder for the LIFE Center, however local donors contributed $1 million toward furnishings and finishes for the facility.

The LIFE Center includes a 36-bed senior nursing facility that replaces the aging Logan Manor. It is built using the “small house” design, with three separate living pods housing twelve residents each, that include private rooms and an open kitchen in each living area, all of which revolve around the new “person-centered care” model that is being adopted in skilled nursing homes. The senior residents are expected to move from their current facility in Logan to the new LIFE Center in late November.&nbsp;

The Center also replaces the deteriorated elementary school facility. Children from pre-school through 4th&nbsp;grade started school this year in the new building, featuring larger classrooms and the unique “scholastic alley” – an expansive corridor between the classrooms that includes special learning activities. A new gymnasium and locker room are also included.

An indoor corridor connects the LIFE Center to the existing high school building for a completely interconnected complex allowing the senior residents to have access to all school activities, ballgames, etc.

A new weight room and wellness facility, a community room, and a multi-purpose room, which doubles as a community storm shelter will serve the broader community.

Kansas City based McCowenGordon Construction was the general contractor.

The open house will be an opportunity for the community to see the space in person. For more information about the facility, visit&nbsp;loganlifecenter.com.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/10/1729792239423.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>SubmittedThe public is invited to an open house at the newly opened LIFE Center, 601 W. North Street, in Logan on Sunday, November 3 from 2 to 4 p.m.The LIFE Center is a unique, intergenerational facility that serves both children and Seniors in the hometown of Dane G. Hansen.At his death in 1965, Mr. Hansen created a trust which later became the Dane G. Hansen Foundation. Distributions were designated for his hometown of Logan and surrounding Northwest Kansas communities. The concept of the LIFE project was nearly seven years in the making and is considered a physical testament to Mr. Hansen’s legacy of forward thinking and giving back to his community.The Foundation is the primary funder for the LIFE Center, however local donors contributed $1 million toward furnishings and finishes for the facility.The LIFE Center includes a 36-bed senior nursing facility that replaces the aging Logan Manor. It is built using the “small house” design, with three separate living pods housing twelve residents each, that include private rooms and an open kitchen in each living area, all of which revolve around the new “person-centered care” model that is being adopted in skilled nursing homes. The senior residents are expected to move from their current facility in Logan to the new LIFE Center in late November.&nbsp;The Center also replaces the deteriorated elementary school facility. Children from pre-school through 4th&nbsp;grade started school this year in the new building, featuring larger classrooms and the unique “scholastic alley” – an expansive corridor between the classrooms that includes special learning activities. A new gymnasium and locker room are also included.An indoor corridor connects the LIFE Center to the existing high school building for a completely interconnected complex allowing the senior residents to have access to all school activities, ballgames, etc.A new weight room and wellness facility, a community room, and a multi-purpose room, which doubles as a community storm shelter will serve the broader community.Kansas City based McCowenGordon Construction was the general contractor.The open house will be an opportunity for the community to see the space in person. For more information about the facility, visit&nbsp;loganlifecenter.com.

Logan LIFE Center open house planned

EDGEFIELD, S.C. — The Kansas NWTF State Chapter recently met in Hays to review NWTF Hunting Heritage Super Fund project proposals for 2025 funding awards. After the reviewing and ranking process, proposals were approved by the Kansas NWTF State Chapter Board of Directors. The board budgeted $59,000 for conservation projects and $28,730 for hunting heritage projects, including outreach and education events, chapter scholarships and 4-H shooting sports support. NWTF conservation project award funding will be matched with $401,060 in partner or grant funds for the approved projects.&nbsp;

“I commend our volunteer leadership for working so hard to raise these funds to continue our mission in Kansas,” said Annie Farrell, NWTF district biologist for Kansas, Nebraska, Oklahoma and Texas. “These volunteers are our boots on the ground that put their hard-earned dollars back on the landscape toward critical projects that will greatly impact the wild turkey in our focal landscapes. It is going to be a great year for conservation in Kansas!”

The Super Fund is a funding model where NWTF volunteers raise money at banquets and other types of fundraisers and then allocate a significant portion of those funds back into meaningful conservation and outreach projects in their respective states and beyond. For Kansas' 2025 Super Fund allocations, projects include:

The following projects support education, outreach, volunteer development and hunter access efforts in Kansas:

About the National Wild Turkey Federation

Since 1973, the National Wild Turkey Federation has invested over half a billion dollars into wildlife conservation and has positively impacted over 23 million acres of critical wildlife habitat. The NWTF has also invested over $9 million into wild turkey research to guide the management of the wild turkey population and to ensure sustainable populations into perpetuity. The organization continues to deliver its mission by working across boundaries on a landscape scale through its Four Shared Values: clean and abundant water, healthy forests and wildlife habitat, resilient communities, and robust recreational opportunities. With the help of its dedicated members, partners and staff, the NWTF continues its work to provide&nbsp;Healthy Habitats.&nbsp;and&nbsp;Healthy Harvests.&nbsp;for future generations.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/10/1729790748187.jpeg" alt="Photo courtesy Darcy Daniels" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy Darcy Daniels</figcaption>
 </figure>SubmittedEDGEFIELD, S.C. — The Kansas NWTF State Chapter recently met in Hays to review NWTF Hunting Heritage Super Fund project proposals for 2025 funding awards. After the reviewing and ranking process, proposals were approved by the Kansas NWTF State Chapter Board of Directors. The board budgeted $59,000 for conservation projects and $28,730 for hunting heritage projects, including outreach and education events, chapter scholarships and 4-H shooting sports support. NWTF conservation project award funding will be matched with $401,060 in partner or grant funds for the approved projects.&nbsp;“I commend our volunteer leadership for working so hard to raise these funds to continue our mission in Kansas,” said Annie Farrell, NWTF district biologist for Kansas, Nebraska, Oklahoma and Texas. “These volunteers are our boots on the ground that put their hard-earned dollars back on the landscape toward critical projects that will greatly impact the wild turkey in our focal landscapes. It is going to be a great year for conservation in Kansas!”The Super Fund is a funding model where NWTF volunteers raise money at banquets and other types of fundraisers and then allocate a significant portion of those funds back into meaningful conservation and outreach projects in their respective states and beyond. For Kansas' 2025 Super Fund allocations, projects include:<ul>
 <li>$7,500&nbsp;to support Ducks Unlimited and Kansas Alliance for Wetlands and Streams timber stand improvement equipment.</li><li>$5,000&nbsp;to support Jamestown Wildlife Area with invasive species removal.</li><li>$3,000&nbsp;to support Lovewell Wildlife Area with a prescribed fire reintroduction project.</li><li>$7,500&nbsp;to support Webster Wildlife Area with invasive species control.</li><li>$7,500&nbsp;(each year for a two-year commitment)&nbsp;to Kansas State University’s wild turkey diets and foraging ecology research project (<a href="https://u7061146.ct.sendgrid.net/ls/click?upn=u001.gqh-2BaxUzlo7XKIuSly0rC3PxJGvsplA-2FzF8EK1Dacxg8Y66sY2sX949Nll-2F-2FFrFMamB0eFfDjhqukOkeNi3HJBuqdb2vdGWDnd8VFT7WjnirdLiHdhSCX-2FVREsIaPG3dnFwWXatmz2eiRh5ZYTKWxXR3yvG0vqkq1aEsM5G2nD4-3DCHpX_5xLpiMTNoYC01LKSlW4nRkYYgetL-2FQPppvAjq6wLWrZTsm3DOTEnmsi9O2zho3RLUIo8wtXMC9hHft99DgtoISvlaBLsBX0gSxea98chQNhQymXxNwOVROnfHKOsTBYQnSwCrhJqGs0BIh6hGzCWAK0kTkSLIMBeqHDW2zUn9bZk0DjDGGJCkddTAgDnIJs-2Be-2BFf4inzuFvO6dNms6wnstDA7ehlECtRge1nIaaWE7mrm6d66Eiec-2FycQa8yTIhXuxj8FaPCO0bFIlomNfTdw2e2c8puyDXg-2Ftvr5Z-2FkqKeDR9x5EYwNKn-2Fo5iLyytB7JXEld8xPAIilghStYy8rCUFtf-2FcjzP3yBDtItYLSgaQ-3D">Learn more about this project</a>).</li><li>$15,000&nbsp;to Kansas State University’s wild turkey toxicology research project.</li><li>$13,500&nbsp;to support NWTF’s&nbsp;<a href="https://u7061146.ct.sendgrid.net/ls/click?upn=u001.gqh-2BaxUzlo7XKIuSly0rC4-2FErTyyj0auj6m17aan-2BQ3RGaOZuBGesFwr5Ih7YAMnNqlMEbtMDG8B-2FJgGZnlnXQ-3D-3DdHdb_5xLpiMTNoYC01LKSlW4nRkYYgetL-2FQPppvAjq6wLWrZTsm3DOTEnmsi9O2zho3RLUIo8wtXMC9hHft99DgtoISvlaBLsBX0gSxea98chQNhQymXxNwOVROnfHKOsTBYQnSwCrhJqGs0BIh6hGzCWAK0kTkSLIMBeqHDW2zUn9bZk0DjDGGJCkddTAgDnIJs-2Be-2BFf4inzuFvO6dNms6wnsvXtwbrxoUbD1888avUobdrUeBuSUiYjQR-2Bq-2BnIpfrafgY6vWocdTfoeZyEeHiSygpD3Ue00Cu76P7xFv-2BRQucQle2cbbMhKYhPIIW1q1FyDhQ89SIssXJXuxxHrFBfZ1-2BLXQMnsjHr64UmoVoiPjl8-3D">Waterways for Wildlife Initiative</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://u7061146.ct.sendgrid.net/ls/click?upn=u001.gqh-2BaxUzlo7XKIuSly0rC3PxJGvsplA-2FzF8EK1DacxischOE50QIfK-2BBwsDo0qITWJj8vXO5daVyWJ80Oes3dWTCNy45Rge-2BuNjNDRH5wglNzOeGYrpXqNOvKywO11bY3u03_5xLpiMTNoYC01LKSlW4nRkYYgetL-2FQPppvAjq6wLWrZTsm3DOTEnmsi9O2zho3RLUIo8wtXMC9hHft99DgtoISvlaBLsBX0gSxea98chQNhQymXxNwOVROnfHKOsTBYQnSwCrhJqGs0BIh6hGzCWAK0kTkSLIMBeqHDW2zUn9bZk0DjDGGJCkddTAgDnIJs-2Be-2BFf4inzuFvO6dNms6wnsg-2FL8H0WyA6wR0eOktYOLNZ-2FItFGdq6nwV93e0YfOjloy1dRzCEMWr8HUCkXBB7G4J8IovzM7y5hZ9t5N2dN1YJPcGanQwDzsyr8YyJZy7aZ3Cay5HXjR7-2FhEnr-2ByiUT-2FHrRx-2B8Meb3scAZ6cCHWzw4-3D">National RFP Research Program</a>.</li>
 </ul>The following projects support education, outreach, volunteer development and hunter access efforts in Kansas:<ul>
 <li>$2,969&nbsp;to support the Central Kansas District 4-H, Ellis County 4-H and Meade County 4-H projects.</li><li>$1,000&nbsp;to support JAKES, Wheelin’ Sportsmen and WITO events.</li><li>$4,000&nbsp;for the Kansas state scholarship for 2024 and 2025.</li><li>$2,000&nbsp;for volunteer travel to convention and leadership meetings.</li><li>$8,761&nbsp;for law enforcement support, NWTF JAKES trailer maintenance, Kansas Natural Resources Conference sponsorship, Kansans for Conservation Coalition membership dues, Kansas membership rebate and other miscellaneous expenses.</li><li>$10,000&nbsp;in carry over funds from the 2024 Kansas 4-H Foundation project.</li>
 </ul>About the National Wild Turkey FederationSince 1973, the National Wild Turkey Federation has invested over half a billion dollars into wildlife conservation and has positively impacted over 23 million acres of critical wildlife habitat. The NWTF has also invested over $9 million into wild turkey research to guide the management of the wild turkey population and to ensure sustainable populations into perpetuity. The organization continues to deliver its mission by working across boundaries on a landscape scale through its Four Shared Values: clean and abundant water, healthy forests and wildlife habitat, resilient communities, and robust recreational opportunities. With the help of its dedicated members, partners and staff, the NWTF continues its work to provide&nbsp;Healthy Habitats.&nbsp;and&nbsp;Healthy Harvests.&nbsp;for future generations.

 NWTF Kansas, partners allocate over $400K to landscape-scale conservation, research and more

By RUSSELL FOX Insight Kansas

Most voters make their decisions for various unreflective reasons; engaging in a prolonged internal struggle over whether or not to support any particular candidate, especially a candidate nominated by a party which the voter identifies with, just isn’t typical behavior.

Donald Trump, though, has never been a typical candidate; he’s always been a contentious one. There is less talk today of “Never Trumpers,” as many of those Republicans who opposed Trump’s rise to dominance within the GOP have left the party. But not all have—even in Kansas, a state that gave Trump 56% of the popular vote in 2016 and 2020, and will likely do so again.

Given that Kansas Republicans have historically divided into moderate and conservative factions, perhaps the fact that there remains a small but persistent number of Republicans who still reject Trump’s control over the GOP isn’t surprising. Stephanie Sharp, a Republican who served three terms in the Kansas House, is one of the prime movers behind&nbsp;<a href="https://www.women4us.org/">Women 4 U.S.</a>, a national organization of self-identifying conservative women working against Trump’s return to the White House. Steven Howe, current Republican member of the Kansas House, condemned Trump’s “<a href="https://salinapost.com/posts/33c904d2-daa4-4be1-9579-7144c08488a5">deceit and lies</a>” and plead with his own party to turn away from their support for the former president. And then there is U.S. Senator Jerry Moran, the only one of the Republicans which Kansans have elected to Congress who has&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kansascity.com/opinion/readers-opinion/guest-commentary/article292202050.html">declined to endorse Trump</a>&nbsp;for president. While he’s never directly condemned Trump either, this is a man who, if you’ve&nbsp;<a href="https://inmedias.blogspot.com/2019/03/a-tale-of-two-congressmen-with-10-point.html">paid attention to his speeches over the years</a>, clearly has little respect for the leader of his own party.

I also have to include here a deeply conservative friend of mine, a life-long Republican voter who finds Trump’s dismissive attitude towards both the law and the truth utterly disqualifying, despite mostly agreeing with Trump on matters of policy.

He, like those mentioned above, knows that his opposition won’t significantly affect voting results in Kansas; it’s a given that Kansas’s electoral college votes will go to Donald Trump.

But what will that result have on the longstanding divide within Kansas’s dominant political party? All political parties deal with internal divisions over policy priorities, but a rejection of the person who leads the party itself? The Bernie Sanders faction of the Democratic party, despite its grievances, made its peace with and supported both Hillary Clinton and Joe Biden, and is set to do the same for Kamala Harris, whereas the absence of any Trump-critical Republicans from the current GOP campaign—from Mitt Romney to Lynn Cheney to Mike Pence--suggests a division quite unlike the divides Kansas Republican faced over Governor Brownback, for example.

I think of another friend, a smart and passionate GOP volunteer, who is entirely on board with the MAGA line: that Trump won the election in 2020, and that Trump’s actions to challenge being denied his supposed win were justified, despite the violence involved. Assuming neither of my friends change their minds, how can their party accommodate such a stark division?

Perhaps by just ignoring it? (It’s notable that Rep. Howe has faced no intra-party challenge in his re-election race). Or if Trump loses, maybe find common ground by treating the past decade as just a strange, rough patch in party history, something that historians will have to figure out?

Neither of those options will be available if Trump wins, or just refuses once again to accept his loss. So long a Trump’s presence endures, I would anticipate that a small but persistent fracture will remain in our state Republican politics. Who knows how long it will take for it to heal then?

Dr. Russell Arben Fox teaches politics at Friends University in Wichita, KS

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/7/1690389122282.jpeg" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>By RUSSELL FOX Insight KansasMost voters make their decisions for various unreflective reasons; engaging in a prolonged internal struggle over whether or not to support any particular candidate, especially a candidate nominated by a party which the voter identifies with, just isn’t typical behavior.Donald Trump, though, has never been a typical candidate; he’s always been a contentious one. There is less talk today of “Never Trumpers,” as many of those Republicans who opposed Trump’s rise to dominance within the GOP have left the party. But not all have—even in Kansas, a state that gave Trump 56% of the popular vote in 2016 and 2020, and will likely do so again.Given that Kansas Republicans have historically divided into moderate and conservative factions, perhaps the fact that there remains a small but persistent number of Republicans who still reject Trump’s control over the GOP isn’t surprising. Stephanie Sharp, a Republican who served three terms in the Kansas House, is one of the prime movers behind&nbsp;<a href="https://www.women4us.org/">Women 4 U.S.</a>, a national organization of self-identifying conservative women working against Trump’s return to the White House. Steven Howe, current Republican member of the Kansas House, condemned Trump’s “<a href="https://salinapost.com/posts/33c904d2-daa4-4be1-9579-7144c08488a5">deceit and lies</a>” and plead with his own party to turn away from their support for the former president. And then there is U.S. Senator Jerry Moran, the only one of the Republicans which Kansans have elected to Congress who has&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kansascity.com/opinion/readers-opinion/guest-commentary/article292202050.html">declined to endorse Trump</a>&nbsp;for president. While he’s never directly condemned Trump either, this is a man who, if you’ve&nbsp;<a href="https://inmedias.blogspot.com/2019/03/a-tale-of-two-congressmen-with-10-point.html">paid attention to his speeches over the years</a>, clearly has little respect for the leader of his own party.I also have to include here a deeply conservative friend of mine, a life-long Republican voter who finds Trump’s dismissive attitude towards both the law and the truth utterly disqualifying, despite mostly agreeing with Trump on matters of policy.He, like those mentioned above, knows that his opposition won’t significantly affect voting results in Kansas; it’s a given that Kansas’s electoral college votes will go to Donald Trump.But what will that result have on the longstanding divide within Kansas’s dominant political party? All political parties deal with internal divisions over policy priorities, but a rejection of the person who leads the party itself? The Bernie Sanders faction of the Democratic party, despite its grievances, made its peace with and supported both Hillary Clinton and Joe Biden, and is set to do the same for Kamala Harris, whereas the absence of any Trump-critical Republicans from the current GOP campaign—from Mitt Romney to Lynn Cheney to Mike Pence--suggests a division quite unlike the divides Kansas Republican faced over Governor Brownback, for example.I think of another friend, a smart and passionate GOP volunteer, who is entirely on board with the MAGA line: that Trump won the election in 2020, and that Trump’s actions to challenge being denied his supposed win were justified, despite the violence involved. Assuming neither of my friends change their minds, how can their party accommodate such a stark division?Perhaps by just ignoring it? (It’s notable that Rep. Howe has faced no intra-party challenge in his re-election race). Or if Trump loses, maybe find common ground by treating the past decade as just a strange, rough patch in party history, something that historians will have to figure out?Neither of those options will be available if Trump wins, or just refuses once again to accept his loss. So long a Trump’s presence endures, I would anticipate that a small but persistent fracture will remain in our state Republican politics. Who knows how long it will take for it to heal then?Dr. Russell Arben Fox teaches politics at Friends University in Wichita, KS

INSIGHT KANSAS:  Kansas Republicans and the problem of Donald Trump

<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/2024/10/1729976622350.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

If you are a Registered Nurse, or you know of a nurse searching for a fulfilling career opportunity, Goodland Regional Medical Center has a lot to offer!

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Goodland Regional Medical Center is a critical access hospital, part of the Common Spirit network of hospitals in Northwest Kansas. The Goodland Family

Health Center is home to primary care and visiting specialty care. Together providing health care for Sherman County and the surrounding communities since 1923.

Join our passionate and skilled care team. At GRMC you’ll find both professional growth and a supportive, enjoyable work environment. Discover more about this exciting opportunity at www.goodlandregional.com/careers/.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/6/1686755849841.jpeg" alt="File photo" />
 <figcaption>File photo</figcaption>
 </figure>SubmittedIf you are a Registered Nurse, or you know of a nurse searching for a fulfilling career opportunity, Goodland Regional Medical Center has a lot to offer!Our nursing positions offer a 3-day, 12-hour work schedule with overnight stay options. Comprehensive full-time benefits, a $5,000 (pre-tax) sign-on bonus, and student loan forgiveness programs are also being offered to qualifying Registered Nurses.Goodland Regional Medical Center is a critical access hospital, part of the Common Spirit network of hospitals in Northwest Kansas. The Goodland FamilyHealth Center is home to primary care and visiting specialty care. Together providing health care for Sherman County and the surrounding communities since 1923.Join our passionate and skilled care team. At GRMC you’ll find both professional growth and a supportive, enjoyable work environment. Discover more about this exciting opportunity at www.goodlandregional.com/careers/.

Biola University welcomes Hays resident Jacobi Antonio as a new student

By TONY GUERRERO Hays Post

Tiger Station returns to Hays under the ownership of Verdant Bistro, which now operates Kluckin Chicken and Shirley's German To Go.

Tiger Station, 700 Main St., was previously home to Fusion by Manual and an old gas station.

Verdant Bistro Owner Austin Petz said he was given the opportunity to operate in the historic building and couldn't pass it up.

"We want to give Hays something local, better ingredients and cleaner ingredients while still maintaining that affordable price," Petz said.

Petz opened Verdant Bistro in August of last year and said opening Tiger Station aims to offer a more accessible dining choice.

While fast food options in Hays can fulfill that need, Petz strives to compete with corporate chains by offering quality ingredients.

The menu features the Tiger Station burger, the spicy boi burger, all-day breakfast items and local beer, which will be available soon.

"I have to recommend our tiger-style fries," Petz said. "I also have to definitely recommend our burnt-end tiger dog."

Additional menu items, like crispies and pretzel bites, evoke nostalgia for a gas station, matching the interior and exterior design.

The building features a wall with historic photos of Hays and the downtown area. The patio includes a Sinclair gas pump for display and outdoor seating that Petz plans to make the most of.

"The idea is to get a nice projector TV screen outside. You can expect us to be playing many of the Kansas City Chiefs football games," he said.

Petz said he would also like to implement an app with a reward system and offer midnight hours of operation at Tiger Station.

Tiger Station is open from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesdays through Saturdays.

You can follow <a href="https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61565800494586">Tiger Station</a> and <a href="https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100093034142365">Verdant Bistro</a> on Facebook.

Kluckin' Chicken and Shirley's German To Go

Petz aims to update Kluckin' Chicken and Shirley's German To Go, including plans for rebranding.

Petz said he would rename Kluckin' Chicken to Coupe and reinvent its menu, focusing on fresh, quality ingredients at an affordable price.

"I've heard a lot from the community and their thoughts," Petz said. "We're going to bring in some really great chicken sandwiches."&nbsp;

Given Hays's German heritage, Petz said that running Shirley's German To Go is challenging as the restaurant strives to satisfy everyone's past experiences with German food.

"You have people that will go in there and say, 'Oh, if this doesn't taste like my mom's cooking, it's not good,'" he said.

Petz said Shirley German To Go will not see major changes for the time being.

With more restaurants on his plate, Petz remains optimistic, thanks to his several years of experience in the field.

"The restaurant industry is very risky. There are many ups and downs, and it doesn't matter who you are. It's always going to be like that," he said.

Petz also operates his own catering company, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/AGourmetKS/?locale=hi_IN">AGourmet</a>, which sprouted into Verdant Bistro.

You can also follow <a href="https://www.facebook.com/kluckinchicken/">Kluckin' Chicken</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.facebook.com/p/Shirleys-German-To-Go-61555862908901/">Shirley's German To Go</a>&nbsp;and <a href="https://www.facebook.com/p/Verdant-Bistro-100093034142365/">Verdant Bistro</a> on Facebook.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/10/1729726797160.jpeg" alt="The entrance of Tiger Station in Hays. Photo by Tony Guerrero/Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>The entrance of Tiger Station in Hays. Photo by Tony Guerrero/Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure>By TONY GUERRERO Hays PostTiger Station returns to Hays under the ownership of Verdant Bistro, which now operates Kluckin Chicken and Shirley's German To Go.Tiger Station, 700 Main St., was previously home to Fusion by Manual and an old gas station.Verdant Bistro Owner Austin Petz said he was given the opportunity to operate in the historic building and couldn't pass it up."We want to give Hays something local, better ingredients and cleaner ingredients while still maintaining that affordable price," Petz said.Petz opened Verdant Bistro in August of last year and said opening Tiger Station aims to offer a more accessible dining choice.While fast food options in Hays can fulfill that need, Petz strives to compete with corporate chains by offering quality ingredients.The menu features the Tiger Station burger, the spicy boi burger, all-day breakfast items and local beer, which will be available soon."I have to recommend our tiger-style fries," Petz said. "I also have to definitely recommend our burnt-end tiger dog."Additional menu items, like crispies and pretzel bites, evoke nostalgia for a gas station, matching the interior and exterior design.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/10/1729726900110.jpeg" alt="Seating area and interior of Tiger Station in Hays. Photo by Tony Guerrero/Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>Seating area and interior of Tiger Station in Hays. Photo by Tony Guerrero/Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/10/1729726932126.jpeg" alt="The indoor seating area of Tiger Station in Hays. Photo by Tony Guerrero/Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>The indoor seating area of Tiger Station in Hays. Photo by Tony Guerrero/Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/10/1729726971429.jpeg" alt="An outdoor seating area and Sinclair gas pump for display at Tiger Station in Hay. Photo By Tony Guerrero/Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>An outdoor seating area and Sinclair gas pump for display at Tiger Station in Hay. Photo By Tony Guerrero/Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/10/1729727010329.jpeg" alt="Patio seating area at Tiger Station in Hays. Photo by Tony Guerrero/Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>Patio seating area at Tiger Station in Hays. Photo by Tony Guerrero/Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure>The building features a wall with historic photos of Hays and the downtown area. The patio includes a Sinclair gas pump for display and outdoor seating that Petz plans to make the most of."The idea is to get a nice projector TV screen outside. You can expect us to be playing many of the Kansas City Chiefs football games," he said.Petz said he would also like to implement an app with a reward system and offer midnight hours of operation at Tiger Station.Tiger Station is open from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesdays through Saturdays.You can follow <a href="https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61565800494586">Tiger Station</a> and <a href="https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100093034142365">Verdant Bistro</a> on Facebook.<h2>Kluckin' Chicken and Shirley's German To Go</h2>Petz aims to update Kluckin' Chicken and Shirley's German To Go, including plans for rebranding.Petz said he would rename Kluckin' Chicken to Coupe and reinvent its menu, focusing on fresh, quality ingredients at an affordable price."I've heard a lot from the community and their thoughts," Petz said. "We're going to bring in some really great chicken sandwiches."&nbsp;Given Hays's German heritage, Petz said that running Shirley's German To Go is challenging as the restaurant strives to satisfy everyone's past experiences with German food."You have people that will go in there and say, 'Oh, if this doesn't taste like my mom's cooking, it's not good,'" he said.Petz said Shirley German To Go will not see major changes for the time being.With more restaurants on his plate, Petz remains optimistic, thanks to his several years of experience in the field."The restaurant industry is very risky. There are many ups and downs, and it doesn't matter who you are. It's always going to be like that," he said.Petz also operates his own catering company, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/AGourmetKS/?locale=hi_IN">AGourmet</a>, which sprouted into Verdant Bistro.You can also follow <a href="https://www.facebook.com/kluckinchicken/">Kluckin' Chicken</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.facebook.com/p/Shirleys-German-To-Go-61555862908901/">Shirley's German To Go</a>&nbsp;and <a href="https://www.facebook.com/p/Verdant-Bistro-100093034142365/">Verdant Bistro</a> on Facebook.

Tiger Station returns in downtown Hays to serve burgers

By BECKY KISER Hays Post

Unless there is a protest petition campaign, the transient guest tax at Hays hotels and Airbnbs will increase to 8.25% on April 1.

The current guest tax rate is 7%, established in 1998. Five percent of that is allocated to Convention and Visitors Bureau operations. Another 2% was added in 2018 for North Vine Street improvements.

"To go on a 5% operating budget for 25 years is quite impressive, but the CVB fund is becoming unsustainable," said Collin Bielser, deputy city manager.&nbsp;

"Technology has changed, costs have increased, so they're doing a lot of things differently."

Increasing the guest tax by 1.25% will generate about $250,000 more each year.

The Special Parks will receive $50,000 to maintain the city’s parks and recreational facilities.

"Those are amenities that both residents and visitors utilize alike," Bielser said.&nbsp;&nbsp;

"We have to find reasons to make visitors come here," Commissioner Shaun Musil said.

The city's general fund is primarily financed by the local sales tax.

"We want visitors to come enjoy the quality-of-life amenities we've invested in," Commissioner Reese Barrick said.&nbsp;

Only two cities in Kansas have a higher guest tax than Hays will soon have. Overland Park and Mission are at 9%. Many cities are at 8%, including Dodge City, Emporia, and Shawnee.

In other business, city commissioners approved three items that continue moving forward The Grove, a retiree-focused&nbsp;housing project north of Hays Medical Center. 

Those included a low bid award of $3 million to Sporer Land Development, Oakley/Colby, for construction of street, water, storm water, sanitary sewer and other infrastructure improvements.

Commissioners signed a $100,438 construction engineering services agreement with Driggs Design Group, Hays, and approved the development agreement with Grow Hays.

Dirt work has begun on a portion of the project, including a new senior/child care/community center. There will also be an extension of the city's multi-use path from 22nd Street and the existing HaysMed path to the north of the Sternberg Museum of Natural History.

Also approved was a renewal agreement with Blue Cross Blue Shield of Kansas for a triple-option employee health insurance plan. The premium will increase by almost 13% in 2025.

"That's still well below the national average," Giebler said.

The city will continue providing up to $625 in employer match for employees’ health savings accounts.

Giebler, the commissioners and Toby Dougherty, city manager, recognized employees who have a combined 315 years of service to the city.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/10/1729864067308.png" alt="Photo by Pixabay" />
 <figcaption>Photo by Pixabay</figcaption>
 </figure><div><iframe title="Hotel guests to pay higher visitors tax in Hays" allowtransparency="true" height="150" width="100%" style="border: none; min-width: min(100%, 430px);height:150px;" scrolling="no" data-name="pb-iframe-player" src="https://www.podbean.com/player-v2/?i=2dhh4-171b5e5-pb&from=pb6admin&share=1&download=1&rtl=0&fonts=Arial&skin=3267a3&font-color=auto&logo_link=podcast_page&btn-skin=60a0c8&size=315" loading="lazy"></iframe></div>By BECKY KISER Hays PostUnless there is a protest petition campaign, the transient guest tax at Hays hotels and Airbnbs will increase to 8.25% on April 1.The current guest tax rate is 7%, established in 1998. Five percent of that is allocated to Convention and Visitors Bureau operations. Another 2% was added in 2018 for North Vine Street improvements."To go on a 5% operating budget for 25 years is quite impressive, but the CVB fund is becoming unsustainable," said Collin Bielser, deputy city manager.&nbsp;"Technology has changed, costs have increased, so they're doing a lot of things differently."Increasing the guest tax by 1.25% will generate about $250,000 more each year.The Special Parks will receive $50,000 to maintain the city’s parks and recreational facilities."Those are amenities that both residents and visitors utilize alike," Bielser said.&nbsp;&nbsp;"We have to find reasons to make visitors come here," Commissioner Shaun Musil said.The city's general fund is primarily financed by the local sales tax."We want visitors to come enjoy the quality-of-life amenities we've invested in," Commissioner Reese Barrick said.&nbsp;Only two cities in Kansas have a higher guest tax than Hays will soon have. Overland Park and Mission are at 9%. Many cities are at 8%, including Dodge City, Emporia, and Shawnee.In other business, city commissioners approved three items that continue moving forward The Grove, a retiree-focused&nbsp;housing project north of Hays Medical Center. Those included a low bid award of $3 million to Sporer Land Development, Oakley/Colby, for construction of street, water, storm water, sanitary sewer and other infrastructure improvements.Commissioners signed a $100,438 construction engineering services agreement with Driggs Design Group, Hays, and approved the development agreement with Grow Hays.Dirt work has begun on a portion of the project, including a new senior/child care/community center. There will also be an extension of the city's multi-use path from 22nd Street and the existing HaysMed path to the north of the Sternberg Museum of Natural History.Also approved was a renewal agreement with Blue Cross Blue Shield of Kansas for a triple-option employee health insurance plan. The premium will increase by almost 13% in 2025."That's still well below the national average," Giebler said.The city will continue providing up to $625 in employer match for employees’ health savings accounts.Giebler, the commissioners and Toby Dougherty, city manager, recognized employees who have a combined 315 years of service to the city.<figure>
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🎙 Hotel guests to pay higher visitors tax in Hays    

The Kansas Historical Society and the Society of Friends of Historic Fort Hays cordially invite you and your family to attend a celebration Frontier Fall at Historic Fort Hays from 2 p.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 26. 

Wagon rides, miniature pumpkin decorating, kids games, live folk music, candy, popcorn, and apples are available. 

A presentation on American Halloween history will begin at 2 p.m. Elizabeth Polly, the Blue Light Lady will be out here to greet visitors after the presentation. 

Twilight tours begin at 6 p.m. and end at 8 p.m. where various either denizens of the Fort will provide stories throughout the fort. 

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/10/1729791446740.jpeg" alt=" " />
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 </figure>SubmittedThe Kansas Historical Society and the Society of Friends of Historic Fort Hays cordially invite you and your family to attend a celebration Frontier Fall at Historic Fort Hays from 2 p.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 26. Wagon rides, miniature pumpkin decorating, kids games, live folk music, candy, popcorn, and apples are available. A presentation on American Halloween history will begin at 2 p.m. Elizabeth Polly, the Blue Light Lady will be out here to greet visitors after the presentation. Twilight tours begin at 6 p.m. and end at 8 p.m. where various either denizens of the Fort will provide stories throughout the fort. Come enjoy the fall colors with us.

Frontier Fall Celebration scheduled for Saturday at Historic Fort Hays

By STACY CAMPBELL Cottonwood Extension District

Shattercane (Sorghum bicolor), sometimes called wild cane or black amber, is the same species as our domesticated sorghums. Some authorities give it the subspecies name drummondii to distinguish it from our cultivated varieties, though the taxonomy of this genus is often debated. What is certain, though, is that shattercane easily cross-pollinates with cultivated sorghums via insects and wind-dispersed pollen and also cross-pollinates with its weedy relative johnsongrass (Sorghum halapense).

Ecology - A native of Africa, this species is now widespread in areas of the world where domesticated grain or forage sorghums are grown. It is possible that sorghum arrived in the U.S. as early as the 1600s, but reliable records indicate that several documented introductions occurred in the early 1800s. Shattercane can be utilized by livestock as a forage, but it can accumulate toxic nitrates and prussic acid under certain conditions. Undigested seeds can be spread in manure applied to fields. Shattercane seeds can also be buoyant, allowing for dispersal in moving water. Birds and small mammals utilize its seeds. Shattercane is a host species for disease and insect pests of sorghum and corn. Yield losses from shattercane interference can be as high as 70% in corn and greater than 95% in soybeans.

Identification- shattercane is a warm-season plant growing up to 12 feet tall. The plant is quite variable in growth habits and tolerant of both heat and drought. The stems are unbranched, but the plant tillers at the base to form clumps. The leaves are generally smooth and display a prominent midrib. They can be up to 20 inches long and 2 inches wide. It has a short membranous ligule with a fringe of hairs at the top. The inflorescence is typically a loose panicle with several pendulous (drooping) racemes (branches). Seeds are dark brown and typically covered with deep purple to black chaff. The panicles, which can number from one to six per plant, produce between 500 and 1500 seeds each. A special layer of abscission cells at the base of the seeds allows them to easily dislodge (shatter) at maturity, giving the plant its common name. Management -to see the detailed herbicide management practices for shattercane control in soybean, sunflower, corn, grain and forage sorghum. Go to https://eupdate.agronomy.ksu.edu and see the Oct. 10th issue of the K-State Agronomy eUpdate.

To prevent the spread of shattercane seeds by harvesting infested fields last (where possible), thoroughly cleaning harvest equipment before moving to a new field, and controlling shattercane in ditches and roadways. These cultural control methods are good integrated weed management practices regardless of which crop is being grown.

Information provided by Sarah Lancaster and Patrick Geier, K-State Research &amp; Extension Weed Management Specialist.

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

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/4/1681266615291.jpeg" alt=" " />
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 </figure>By STACY CAMPBELL Cottonwood Extension DistrictShattercane (Sorghum bicolor), sometimes called wild cane or black amber, is the same species as our domesticated sorghums. Some authorities give it the subspecies name drummondii to distinguish it from our cultivated varieties, though the taxonomy of this genus is often debated. What is certain, though, is that shattercane easily cross-pollinates with cultivated sorghums via insects and wind-dispersed pollen and also cross-pollinates with its weedy relative johnsongrass (Sorghum halapense).Ecology - A native of Africa, this species is now widespread in areas of the world where domesticated grain or forage sorghums are grown. It is possible that sorghum arrived in the U.S. as early as the 1600s, but reliable records indicate that several documented introductions occurred in the early 1800s. Shattercane can be utilized by livestock as a forage, but it can accumulate toxic nitrates and prussic acid under certain conditions. Undigested seeds can be spread in manure applied to fields. Shattercane seeds can also be buoyant, allowing for dispersal in moving water. Birds and small mammals utilize its seeds. Shattercane is a host species for disease and insect pests of sorghum and corn. Yield losses from shattercane interference can be as high as 70% in corn and greater than 95% in soybeans.Identification- shattercane is a warm-season plant growing up to 12 feet tall. The plant is quite variable in growth habits and tolerant of both heat and drought. The stems are unbranched, but the plant tillers at the base to form clumps. The leaves are generally smooth and display a prominent midrib. They can be up to 20 inches long and 2 inches wide. It has a short membranous ligule with a fringe of hairs at the top. The inflorescence is typically a loose panicle with several pendulous (drooping) racemes (branches). Seeds are dark brown and typically covered with deep purple to black chaff. The panicles, which can number from one to six per plant, produce between 500 and 1500 seeds each. A special layer of abscission cells at the base of the seeds allows them to easily dislodge (shatter) at maturity, giving the plant its common name. Management -to see the detailed herbicide management practices for shattercane control in soybean, sunflower, corn, grain and forage sorghum. Go to https://eupdate.agronomy.ksu.edu and see the Oct. 10th issue of the K-State Agronomy eUpdate.To prevent the spread of shattercane seeds by harvesting infested fields last (where possible), thoroughly cleaning harvest equipment before moving to a new field, and controlling shattercane in ditches and roadways. These cultural control methods are good integrated weed management practices regardless of which crop is being grown.Information provided by Sarah Lancaster and Patrick Geier, K-State Research &amp; Extension Weed Management Specialist.Stacy Campbell is a Crop Production Extension agent in the Cottonwood District (which includes Barton and Ellis counties) for K-State Research and Extension. You can contact him by e-mail at scampbel@ksu.edu or by calling 785-628-9430.

CAMPBELL: Shattercane weed

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

20 Ribeyes for 35 dollars at Big Creek Crossing!

This one time chance to get 20 ribeyes for 35 dollars won’t last long.

You’ll find deals on NY Strips, T-Bones, Boneless Chicken Breast and Seafood

20 Ribeyes for 35 dollars! Look for the Big White tent at Big Creek Crossing.

20 Ribeys for 35 Dollars and deals on NY Strips, T-Bones, Boneless Chicken and Seafood.

The truck will be leaving soon, so get to the big white tent at Creek Crossing Mall. 

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 </figure>Submitted<h2>20 Ribeyes for 35 dollars at Big Creek Crossing!</h2>This one time chance to get 20 ribeyes for 35 dollars won’t last long.You’ll find deals on NY Strips, T-Bones, Boneless Chicken Breast and Seafood20 Ribeyes for 35 dollars! Look for the Big White tent at Big Creek Crossing.20 Ribeys for 35 Dollars and deals on NY Strips, T-Bones, Boneless Chicken and Seafood.The truck will be leaving soon, so get to the big white tent at Creek Crossing Mall. All major credit cards and accepted.

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