The Ellis County Health Department on Wednesday reported the average number of new coronavirus cases per day in the last seven days as one.

<a href="https://form.jotform.com/210066258239051">CLICK HERE</a>&nbsp;for information on how to receive a COVID-19 vaccination.

As of Wednesday, there were 12 COVID-19 inpatients at HaysMed, down from 14 on Tuesday, with seven of those active patients and five in the recovery phase.

NOTE:&nbsp;"New cases" reflects cases reported by the Ellis County Health Department between regular reporting periods of Monday, Wednesday and Friday. "Total cases" reflects all cases reported by the department. Because of delayed test results, total cases might include cases prior to the previous reporting period, so KDHE figures might not necessarily correspond.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/3/1614797474854.png" alt="KDHE" />
 <figcaption>KDHE</figcaption>
 </figure>The Ellis County Health Department on Wednesday reported the average number of new coronavirus cases per day in the last seven days as one.There were four new cases reported.<a href="https://form.jotform.com/210066258239051">CLICK HERE</a>&nbsp;for information on how to receive a COVID-19 vaccination.As of Wednesday, there were 12 COVID-19 inpatients at HaysMed, down from 14 on Tuesday, with seven of those active patients and five in the recovery phase.NOTE:&nbsp;"New cases" reflects cases reported by the Ellis County Health Department between regular reporting periods of Monday, Wednesday and Friday. "Total cases" reflects all cases reported by the department. Because of delayed test results, total cases might include cases prior to the previous reporting period, so KDHE figures might not necessarily correspond.

Average Ellis County COVID-19 rate drops to 1 per day

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — The Kansas Senate on Wednesday approved a proposal from its top Republican to require the state’s public school districts to offer in-person classes to all students by March 26.

Senate President Ty Masterson, an Andover Republican, is pushing&nbsp;<a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/documents/supp_note_sb235_00_0000.pdf" target="_blank">the measure</a>&nbsp;with the number of new COVID-19 cases lower than they have been in months. Masterson and other Republicans argue that many students don’t fare well academically or emotionally with online learning and need to get back into classrooms.

The Senate’s&nbsp;<a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/vote_view/je_20210303112826_035095/" target="_blank">26-12 vote</a>&nbsp;sends the measure to the House.

Some Democrats argued that the bill is an attack on local control of public K-12 schools.

The measure also could be largely symbolic. According to State Department of Education data, only five local districts were not planning to have a majority of their students returning to in-person classes by March 26.

GOP lawmakers criticized Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly for closing K-12 school buildings in March 2020 until the end of the spring semester. A bill&nbsp;<a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/documents/supp_note_sb273_02_0000.pdf" target="_blank">approved Monday&nbsp;</a>by the Senate would allow only local schools boards to cancel in-person classes.

Legislators also are considering proposals to rewrite the state’s emergency management laws, with the House set to debate a measure Wednesday.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/3/1614796581786.png" alt="Members of the Kansas Senate at work on Wednesday morning" />
 <figcaption>Members of the Kansas Senate at work on Wednesday morning</figcaption>
 </figure>TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — The Kansas Senate on Wednesday approved a proposal from its top Republican to require the state’s public school districts to offer in-person classes to all students by March 26.Senate President Ty Masterson, an Andover Republican, is pushing&nbsp;<a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/documents/supp_note_sb235_00_0000.pdf" target="_blank">the measure</a>&nbsp;with the number of new COVID-19 cases lower than they have been in months. Masterson and other Republicans argue that many students don’t fare well academically or emotionally with online learning and need to get back into classrooms.The Senate’s&nbsp;<a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/vote_view/je_20210303112826_035095/" target="_blank">26-12 vote</a>&nbsp;sends the measure to the House.Some Democrats argued that the bill is an attack on local control of public K-12 schools.The measure also could be largely symbolic. According to State Department of Education data, only five local districts were not planning to have a majority of their students returning to in-person classes by March 26.GOP lawmakers criticized Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly for closing K-12 school buildings in March 2020 until the end of the spring semester. A bill&nbsp;<a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/documents/supp_note_sb273_02_0000.pdf" target="_blank">approved Monday&nbsp;</a>by the Senate would allow only local schools boards to cancel in-person classes.Legislators also are considering proposals to rewrite the state’s emergency management laws, with the House set to debate a measure Wednesday.

Kansas Senate passes bill requiring in-person K-12 classes

By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays Post

The Ellis County Commission voted Monday to close a bridge 1/4 mile north of Old Highway 40 on 140th Road.

The steel low truss bridge was built in 1920 and traverses Big Creek.

The bridge was due for its fracture critical inspection, which would have cost the county about $1,900. The bridge requires inspections every year.

The county will receive $50,000 from the Kansas Local Bridge Improvement Program to permanently remove the bridge from service.

The county will install permanent barriers at the bridge, as well as signage and reflectors, said Brendan Mackay, pubic works director.

The commission also voted to accept the annual bridge report at its meeting Monday.

The commission also accepted&nbsp;$168,657 from the&nbsp;High Risk Rural Roads Grant program.&nbsp;

Ellis County was awarded the grant as part of a 2019 submission. These projects have allowed the county to update road signage and pavement marking at no cost to the county.

Gene Chrisler requested four miles of 400th Avenue in the northeast Ellis County be rocked.

Mackay recommended the road remain sand and gravel. This is consistent with the portion of the road in Russell County.

Mackay further recommended the road shoulders be clipped and the road surface be rounded to eliminate flat spots.&nbsp;

The commission approved Mackay's recommendation for repairs.

The commission approved Driggs Design Group to move forward with the condemnation process on any remaining tracts of land for the Northwest Business Corridor Project.

&nbsp;A majority of the tracts of land needed have been negotiated and settled. However, there are still a few remaining tracts that have not been settled.

The motion started the process to file the appropriate paperwork with legal counsel, allowing the project to proceed until agreements are settled with those remaining tracts.&nbsp; &nbsp;

Driggs Design group has hired an outside firm to handle these negotiations.  To staff's understanding, those impacted property owners have been working in good faith to come to final agreements, according to the commission board packet.&nbsp;&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/3/1614790188154.png" alt="The Ellis County Commission voted Monday to close this bridge&nbsp;1/4 mile north of Old Highway 40 on 140th Road." />
 <figcaption>The Ellis County Commission voted Monday to close this bridge&nbsp;1/4 mile north of Old Highway 40 on 140th Road.</figcaption>
 </figure>By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays PostThe Ellis County Commission voted Monday to close a bridge 1/4 mile north of Old Highway 40 on 140th Road.The steel low truss bridge was built in 1920 and traverses Big Creek.The bridge was due for its fracture critical inspection, which would have cost the county about $1,900. The bridge requires inspections every year.The county will receive $50,000 from the Kansas Local Bridge Improvement Program to permanently remove the bridge from service.The county will install permanent barriers at the bridge, as well as signage and reflectors, said Brendan Mackay, pubic works director.<h2>Bridge report</h2>The commission also voted to accept the annual bridge report at its meeting Monday.<h2>KDOT grant</h2>The commission also accepted&nbsp;$168,657 from the&nbsp;High Risk Rural Roads Grant program.&nbsp;Ellis County was awarded the grant as part of a 2019 submission. These projects have allowed the county to update road signage and pavement marking at no cost to the county.<h2>Road improvement request</h2>Gene Chrisler requested four miles of 400th Avenue in the northeast Ellis County be rocked.Mackay recommended the road remain sand and gravel. This is consistent with the portion of the road in Russell County.Mackay further recommended the road shoulders be clipped and the road surface be rounded to eliminate flat spots.&nbsp;The commission approved Mackay's recommendation for repairs.<h2>Northwest Business Corridor</h2>The commission approved Driggs Design Group to move forward with the condemnation process on any remaining tracts of land for the Northwest Business Corridor Project.&nbsp;A majority of the tracts of land needed have been negotiated and settled. However, there are still a few remaining tracts that have not been settled.The motion started the process to file the appropriate paperwork with legal counsel, allowing the project to proceed until agreements are settled with those remaining tracts.&nbsp; &nbsp;Driggs Design group has hired an outside firm to handle these negotiations. To staff's understanding, those impacted property owners have been working in good faith to come to final agreements, according to the commission board packet.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Ellis County bridge on 140th Road to close permanently

<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/5dd2f46c897d147ad4bb104b">To find out more about The Post Podcast, or subscribe to mobile&nbsp;</a><a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/5dd2f46c897d147ad4bb104b">notifications click here.</a>

<div><iframe title="Hays Public Library adopts new spaces as remodel continues" height="400" width="400" style="border: none;" scrolling="no" data-name="pb-iframe-player" src="https://www.podbean.com/media/player/5e6m7-fc8555?from=pb6admin&download=1&version=1&vjs=1&auto=1&share=1&download=1&rtl=0&fonts=Helvetica&skin=3&pfauth="></iframe></div><a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/5dd2f46c897d147ad4bb104b">To find out more about The Post Podcast, or subscribe to mobile&nbsp;</a><a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/5dd2f46c897d147ad4bb104b">notifications click here.</a>

🎙 Post Podcast: Hays Public Library adopts new spaces as remodel continues

KANSAS CITY, Mo. - After locking up its third regular season MIAA Championship, the Fort Hays State women's basketball team received six All-MIAA awards, announced Wednesday (March 3) by the league office before the start of the 2021 MIAA Championship Tournament, presented by Citizens Bank &amp; Trust. Head coach&nbsp;<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/coaches.aspx?rc=947">Tony Hobson</a>&nbsp;earned his fourth MIAA Coach of the Year honor, while seniors&nbsp;<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/roster.aspx?rp_id=5847">Jaden Hobbs</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/roster.aspx?rp_id=5850">Whitney Randall</a>&nbsp;were both first team All-MIAA selections.&nbsp;<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/roster.aspx?rp_id=5845">Cydney Bergmann</a>&nbsp;was listed on the MIAA All-Defensive team in addition to receiving honorable mention All-MIAA honors. Freshman&nbsp;<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/roster.aspx?rp_id=5854">Olivia Hollenbeck</a>&nbsp;joined Bergmann on the honorable mention list. It is the first time the Tigers have had multiple first team all-conference selections since 1994-95 (Kris Osthoff &amp; Kristin Wiebe). <a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/roster.aspx?rp_id=5847">Jaden Hobbs</a>&nbsp;was a first team selection after earning third team honors last season. The senior led the league and ranked third in the country with 133 assists this season, averaging 6.0 per game, 11th-best in DII. She is on pace to break the school record of 5.4 assist per game. Hobbs scored an average of 14.6 points per game, ranking 11th in the league, while hitting 47.2 percent from the floor and 45.7 percent from behind the arc. She drained 59 3-pointers during the regular season (2.7 per game), second-most in Division II. The Alva, Okla. native also led the league in assist/turnover ratio at 3.33, good for third-best in the country. She led the team and ranked third in the conference with an average of 2.2 steals per contest. Hobbs scored in double figures 18 times and recorded four double-doubles after distributing at least 10 assists four times. She hit three or more 3-pointers in 11 different games. <a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/roster.aspx?rp_id=5850">Whitney Randall</a>&nbsp;earned first team honors after leading the team with an average of 16.0 points per game, seventh-best in the MIAA. She scored in double figures 20 times out of 22 games, including five games with at least 20 points. Her 29 points against Missouri Western (2/25) were the most in a single game for a Tiger and seventh-most in a single game in the league this season. Randall added 4.6 rebounds and 1.8 assists per game, including one double-double. She hit at least three 3-pointers in five different games. The senior ranked fourth among qualifying players with a field-goal percentage of 45.1 percent. Her 130 field goals made rank 21st in Division II. It is Randall's first All-MIAA honor. Bergmann earned a spot on the All-Defensive team in addition to honorable mention accolades after an impressive junior season. The guard scored 7.9 points per game and grabbed 5.5 rebounds each night, second-most on the team. Bergmann tallied eight blocks and 19 steals while playing lock-down defense on some of the top players in the conference all season long. She hit 47.4 percent of her shots from the floor and 75 percent from the line. The Concordia, Kan. native scored in double figures seven times and averaged 25.9 minutes per game, third-most on the team. Bergmann is the ninth Tiger to earn MIAA All-Defensive team honors and the first since current assistant coach&nbsp;<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/roster.aspx?rp_id=1316">Paige Lunsford</a>&nbsp;in 2015-16. Hollenbeck was one of just five freshman honored with All-MIAA status this season. The Lincoln, Neb. native ranked third on the team with 9.0 points per game, including eight games with at least 10 points. She recorded one double-double while eclipsing 10 rebounds in two different contests. The 6-3 forward blocked 41 shots on the year, including six games with at least three blocks. added 18 steals on the defensive end. Hollenbeck added 4.1 rebounds and 1.0 assists per game while hitting a team-high 54.7 percent from the floor. She is the first Tiger freshman to earn All-MIAA honors since&nbsp;<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/roster.aspx?rp_id=1305">Kate Lehman</a>&nbsp;in 2011-12. 2021 MIAA Postseason Awards Player of the Year:&nbsp;Tre'Zure Jobe – Emporia State, Sophomore Defensive Player of the Year:&nbsp;Morgan VanHyfte – Central Missouri, Senior Freshman of the Year:&nbsp;Molly Hartnett – Northwest Missouri Coach of the Year: Tony Hobson Fort Hays State 2021 MIAA All-Defensive Team Cydney Bergmann – Fort Hays State, Junior Tre'Zure Jobe – Emporia State, Sophomore Brooke Rayner – Central Oklahoma, Junior Kelsey Sanger – Nebraska Kearney, Senior Madi Stokes – Missouri Southern, Sophomore Morgan VanHyfte – Central Missouri, Senior [Reflects tie in voting] 2021 All-MIAA First-Team Nija Collier – Central Missouri, Senior Jaden Hobbs&nbsp;– Fort Hays State, Senior Tre'Zure Jobe – Emporia State, Sophomore* Kelsey Johnson – Central Oklahoma, Senior Whitney Randall – Fort Hays State, Senior * denotes unanimous selection 2021 All-MIAA Second-Team Elisa Backes – Nebraska Kearney, Junior Hunter Bentley – Washburn, Senior Kaylee Damitz – Pittsburg State, Junior Tristan Gegg – Pittsburg State, Junior Olivia Nelson – Central Missouri, Freshman 2021 All-MIAA Third-Team Brooke Carlson – Nebraska Kearney, Junior Graycen Holden – Central Missouri, Freshman Fredricka Sheats – Emporia State, Senior Haley Simental – Nebraska Kearney, Graduate Carley Turnbull – Missouri Southern, Senior 2021 All-MIAA Honorable Mention Central Missouri – Gigi McAtee - Senior Central Oklahoma – Jaci Little – Sophomore, Brooke Rayner – Junior Emporia State – Ehlaina Hartman – Freshman, Karsen Schultz - Junior Fort Hays State – Cydney Bergmann&nbsp;– Junior, Olivia Hollenbeck&nbsp;- Freshman Lincoln – Niyah Jackson - Sophomore Missouri Southern – Madi Stokes - Sophomore Nebraska Kearney – Klaire Kirsch - Junior Northeastern State – Zaria Collins – Sophomore, Cenia Hayes - Senior Northwest Missouri – Molly Hartnett - Freshman, Mallory McConkey - Senior Rogers State – Samariah Thompson - Junior Washburn – Nuria Barrientos - Junior&nbsp;&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/3/1614788381996.jpeg" alt="Courtesy FHSU Athletics" />
 <figcaption>Courtesy FHSU Athletics</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY, Mo. - After locking up its third regular season MIAA Championship, the Fort Hays State women's basketball team received six All-MIAA awards, announced Wednesday (March 3) by the league office before the start of the 2021 MIAA Championship Tournament, presented by Citizens Bank &amp; Trust. Head coach&nbsp;<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/coaches.aspx?rc=947">Tony Hobson</a>&nbsp;earned his fourth MIAA Coach of the Year honor, while seniors&nbsp;<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/roster.aspx?rp_id=5847">Jaden Hobbs</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/roster.aspx?rp_id=5850">Whitney Randall</a>&nbsp;were both first team All-MIAA selections.&nbsp;<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/roster.aspx?rp_id=5845">Cydney Bergmann</a>&nbsp;was listed on the MIAA All-Defensive team in addition to receiving honorable mention All-MIAA honors. Freshman&nbsp;<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/roster.aspx?rp_id=5854">Olivia Hollenbeck</a>&nbsp;joined Bergmann on the honorable mention list. It is the first time the Tigers have had multiple first team all-conference selections since 1994-95 (Kris Osthoff &amp; Kristin Wiebe). <a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/roster.aspx?rp_id=5847">Jaden Hobbs</a>&nbsp;was a first team selection after earning third team honors last season. The senior led the league and ranked third in the country with 133 assists this season, averaging 6.0 per game, 11th-best in DII. She is on pace to break the school record of 5.4 assist per game. Hobbs scored an average of 14.6 points per game, ranking 11th in the league, while hitting 47.2 percent from the floor and 45.7 percent from behind the arc. She drained 59 3-pointers during the regular season (2.7 per game), second-most in Division II. The Alva, Okla. native also led the league in assist/turnover ratio at 3.33, good for third-best in the country. She led the team and ranked third in the conference with an average of 2.2 steals per contest. Hobbs scored in double figures 18 times and recorded four double-doubles after distributing at least 10 assists four times. She hit three or more 3-pointers in 11 different games. <a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/roster.aspx?rp_id=5850">Whitney Randall</a>&nbsp;earned first team honors after leading the team with an average of 16.0 points per game, seventh-best in the MIAA. She scored in double figures 20 times out of 22 games, including five games with at least 20 points. Her 29 points against Missouri Western (2/25) were the most in a single game for a Tiger and seventh-most in a single game in the league this season. Randall added 4.6 rebounds and 1.8 assists per game, including one double-double. She hit at least three 3-pointers in five different games. The senior ranked fourth among qualifying players with a field-goal percentage of 45.1 percent. Her 130 field goals made rank 21st in Division II. It is Randall's first All-MIAA honor. Bergmann earned a spot on the All-Defensive team in addition to honorable mention accolades after an impressive junior season. The guard scored 7.9 points per game and grabbed 5.5 rebounds each night, second-most on the team. Bergmann tallied eight blocks and 19 steals while playing lock-down defense on some of the top players in the conference all season long. She hit 47.4 percent of her shots from the floor and 75 percent from the line. The Concordia, Kan. native scored in double figures seven times and averaged 25.9 minutes per game, third-most on the team. Bergmann is the ninth Tiger to earn MIAA All-Defensive team honors and the first since current assistant coach&nbsp;<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/roster.aspx?rp_id=1316">Paige Lunsford</a>&nbsp;in 2015-16. Hollenbeck was one of just five freshman honored with All-MIAA status this season. The Lincoln, Neb. native ranked third on the team with 9.0 points per game, including eight games with at least 10 points. She recorded one double-double while eclipsing 10 rebounds in two different contests. The 6-3 forward blocked 41 shots on the year, including six games with at least three blocks. added 18 steals on the defensive end. Hollenbeck added 4.1 rebounds and 1.0 assists per game while hitting a team-high 54.7 percent from the floor. She is the first Tiger freshman to earn All-MIAA honors since&nbsp;<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/roster.aspx?rp_id=1305">Kate Lehman</a>&nbsp;in 2011-12. 2021 MIAA Postseason Awards Player of the Year:&nbsp;Tre'Zure Jobe – Emporia State, Sophomore Defensive Player of the Year:&nbsp;Morgan VanHyfte – Central Missouri, Senior Freshman of the Year:&nbsp;Molly Hartnett – Northwest Missouri Coach of the Year: Tony Hobson Fort Hays State 2021 MIAA All-Defensive Team Cydney Bergmann – Fort Hays State, Junior Tre'Zure Jobe – Emporia State, Sophomore Brooke Rayner – Central Oklahoma, Junior Kelsey Sanger – Nebraska Kearney, Senior Madi Stokes – Missouri Southern, Sophomore Morgan VanHyfte – Central Missouri, Senior [Reflects tie in voting] 2021 All-MIAA First-Team Nija Collier – Central Missouri, Senior Jaden Hobbs&nbsp;– Fort Hays State, Senior Tre'Zure Jobe – Emporia State, Sophomore* Kelsey Johnson – Central Oklahoma, Senior Whitney Randall – Fort Hays State, Senior * denotes unanimous selection 2021 All-MIAA Second-Team Elisa Backes – Nebraska Kearney, Junior Hunter Bentley – Washburn, Senior Kaylee Damitz – Pittsburg State, Junior Tristan Gegg – Pittsburg State, Junior Olivia Nelson – Central Missouri, Freshman 2021 All-MIAA Third-Team Brooke Carlson – Nebraska Kearney, Junior Graycen Holden – Central Missouri, Freshman Fredricka Sheats – Emporia State, Senior Haley Simental – Nebraska Kearney, Graduate Carley Turnbull – Missouri Southern, Senior 2021 All-MIAA Honorable Mention Central Missouri – Gigi McAtee - Senior Central Oklahoma – Jaci Little – Sophomore, Brooke Rayner – Junior Emporia State – Ehlaina Hartman – Freshman, Karsen Schultz - Junior Fort Hays State – Cydney Bergmann&nbsp;– Junior, Olivia Hollenbeck&nbsp;- Freshman Lincoln – Niyah Jackson - Sophomore Missouri Southern – Madi Stokes - Sophomore Nebraska Kearney – Klaire Kirsch - Junior Northeastern State – Zaria Collins – Sophomore, Cenia Hayes - Senior Northwest Missouri – Molly Hartnett - Freshman, Mallory McConkey - Senior Rogers State – Samariah Thompson - Junior Washburn – Nuria Barrientos - Junior&nbsp;&nbsp;

🏀 FHSU women earn six All-MIAA honors; Hobson Coach of the Year

BROWN COUNTY — Law enforcement authorities captured a man and teenager Tuesday night after a chase by law enforcement in Hays and later in the northeast Kansas community of Hiawatha, according to Brown County Sheriff John Merchant.

Just after 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, police in Hays notified deputies in Brown County to watch for 21-year-old Trevonn Hall in a reported stolen 2005 Buick LaCrosse.&nbsp;He was reported as possibly armed and also had a runaway girl with him.

Brown was wanted on a felony probation violation, according to the sheriff. According to online records, Hall, who had previous arrests in Riley, Pottawatomie and Shawnee counties, had been living in Hays.

Brown County Undersheriff Brian Guilliams located the suspect vehicle parked in the 500 block of Pottawatomie in Hiawatha. When the vehicle drove away, Hiawatha Police initiated a traffic stop and the suspect vehicle immediately fled east on Iowa Street and struck a Ford Edge that was turning in to gas and convenience store.&nbsp;

The suspect vehicle then turned north on First Street where Guilliams took over the pursuit, which ended in a field west of Walmart,&nbsp;701 Hopi Drive.

Hall and the girl immediately exited the vehicle and ran toward Walmart.&nbsp; A good Samaritan assisted Hiawatha police and a Brown County Deputy in apprehending them in the parking lot, according to Merchant.&nbsp;

Hall is being held on requested charges of both felony and misdemeanor probation violations, felony flee and elude, felony possession of stolen property, felony obstruction, possession of meth, and child endangerment.

The 16-year-old girl was arrested on requested charges of possession of meth, possession of drug paraphernalia and felony obstruction. Brown County officials transported her to the Douglas County Detention Center, according to Merchant.

There were no injuries as a result of the crash.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/3/1614776368271.png" alt="Hall has previous convictions for driving while suspended, criminal possession of a weapon by a felon and interference with law enforcement, according to the Kansas Department of Correction" />
 <figcaption>Hall has previous convictions for driving while suspended, criminal possession of a weapon by a felon and interference with law enforcement, according to the Kansas Department of Correction</figcaption>
 </figure>BROWN COUNTY — Law enforcement authorities captured a man and teenager Tuesday night after a chase by law enforcement in Hays and later in the northeast Kansas community of Hiawatha, according to Brown County Sheriff John Merchant.Just after 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, police in Hays notified deputies in Brown County to watch for 21-year-old Trevonn Hall in a reported stolen 2005 Buick LaCrosse.&nbsp;He was reported as possibly armed and also had a runaway girl with him.Brown was wanted on a felony probation violation, according to the sheriff. According to online records, Hall, who had previous arrests in Riley, Pottawatomie and Shawnee counties, had been living in Hays.Brown County Undersheriff Brian Guilliams located the suspect vehicle parked in the 500 block of Pottawatomie in Hiawatha. When the vehicle drove away, Hiawatha Police initiated a traffic stop and the suspect vehicle immediately fled east on Iowa Street and struck a Ford Edge that was turning in to gas and convenience store.&nbsp;The suspect vehicle then turned north on First Street where Guilliams took over the pursuit, which ended in a field west of Walmart,&nbsp;701 Hopi Drive. Hall and the girl immediately exited the vehicle and ran toward Walmart.&nbsp; A good Samaritan assisted Hiawatha police and a Brown County Deputy in apprehending them in the parking lot, according to Merchant.&nbsp;Hall is being held on requested charges of both felony and misdemeanor probation violations, felony flee and elude, felony possession of stolen property, felony obstruction, possession of meth, and child endangerment. The 16-year-old girl was arrested on requested charges of possession of meth, possession of drug paraphernalia and felony obstruction. Brown County officials transported her to the Douglas County Detention Center, according to Merchant.There were no injuries as a result of the crash.&nbsp;

Man, teen who eluded police in Hays captured after NE Kan. chase

The new Ellis County administrator reported Monday night the county financial outlook has drastically improved during the last year.

Department directors and elected officials were able to end the year under budget collectively by $1,513,865, Darin Myers, county administrator, told county commissioners at their meeting Monday night.

Revenues came in just a little more than $1 million more than what was projected.

Combined, Myers called that $2.5 million in the right direction for the county's budget.

In addition, county voters passed two 1/4-cent sales taxes. These will be used to help sustain the Ellis County Emergency Medical Services and Health Departments at current levels and to fund a $5.5 million general obligation bond for road improvements.

The hope is the bond will remove some of financial burden off the public works department.&nbsp;

The two sales taxes are set to sunset in 2030.

The county also dropped the State Employee Health Insurance Program in favor of a&nbsp;partially self-funded system in cooperation with FCMI Inc. Early projections show $600,000 or more in annual savings, Myers said.

The pandemic resulted in budget savings as a result of decreased county activity. Most departments had reductions in services, temporary changes in operational practices, less travel, less training and other associated costs, Myers said in his report.

The county had significant savings in fuel as prices dipped during the pandemic. Public works alone has a $400,000 fuel budget.

"As we look now, with the sales tax in place with the county departments holding their budgets for many years in a row, with the change in health insurance, the financial forecast for Ellis County is significantly better," Myers said. 

"We have a lot of opportunities to do some of these road projects we're looking at, maintain good benefits for our employees without breaking the bank and sustain where we are at in the next 10 years."

Last year, when the county started talking about its 10-year budget outlook, it had many long red lines at the bottom of its budget, indicating shortfalls, Myers said. 

The county would have had a budget gap starting in 2024. Significant cuts in services and in employees would have been required, Myers said.

Commission Chairman Butch Schlyer said he thought the budget forecast looks considerably better than when he came on the commission a couple of years ago.

"It was looking real bad at that point," he said. "Without that sales tax, I don't know how we would be putting budgets together, but it would just be ugly.

"We still have the burden to make good decisions going forward."

By 2032, projections show the county back at a budget gap, Myers said.

"I am not saying we need to raise taxes, but when we look at our future in 10 years ..." Myers said. "If taxes stay the same, everyone in this room knows everything we do costs more — fuel will go up, cost of a grader will go up, ambulances go up, cost of payroll goes up. All costs of contractual services and materials will continue to increase."

The county continues to need to complete road and bridge projects even beyond those that are being funded by the recent bond, he said. Ellis County has 198 bridges, 1,400 miles of roads — 140 miles of which are asphalt roads.

The public works building is also in need of major repairs. The employees have marked the second story, so they know where to place buckets when it rains.&nbsp;

The HVAC systems at the Ellis County Administration Building, as well as the Law Enforcement Center need repairs.

"It is very clear that we cannot sustain, even with the sales tax, where we are at now," Myers said. "We can't go out and start increasing budgets and improving services.&nbsp;

"We need, in my opinion, to continue to focus on the services we do now and do them as best as we can."

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/7/1595426196795.jpeg" alt="Ellis County Administrator Darin Myers" />
 <figcaption>Ellis County Administrator Darin Myers</figcaption>
 </figure>By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays PostThe new Ellis County administrator reported Monday night the county financial outlook has drastically improved during the last year.Department directors and elected officials were able to end the year under budget collectively by $1,513,865, Darin Myers, county administrator, told county commissioners at their meeting Monday night.Revenues came in just a little more than $1 million more than what was projected.Combined, Myers called that $2.5 million in the right direction for the county's budget.In addition, county voters passed two 1/4-cent sales taxes. These will be used to help sustain the Ellis County Emergency Medical Services and Health Departments at current levels and to fund a $5.5 million general obligation bond for road improvements.The hope is the bond will remove some of financial burden off the public works department.&nbsp;The two sales taxes are set to sunset in 2030.The county also dropped the State Employee Health Insurance Program in favor of a&nbsp;partially self-funded system in cooperation with FCMI Inc. Early projections show $600,000 or more in annual savings, Myers said.The pandemic resulted in budget savings as a result of decreased county activity. Most departments had reductions in services, temporary changes in operational practices, less travel, less training and other associated costs, Myers said in his report.The county had significant savings in fuel as prices dipped during the pandemic. Public works alone has a $400,000 fuel budget."As we look now, with the sales tax in place with the county departments holding their budgets for many years in a row, with the change in health insurance, the financial forecast for Ellis County is significantly better," Myers said. "We have a lot of opportunities to do some of these road projects we're looking at, maintain good benefits for our employees without breaking the bank and sustain where we are at in the next 10 years."Last year, when the county started talking about its 10-year budget outlook, it had many long red lines at the bottom of its budget, indicating shortfalls, Myers said. The county would have had a budget gap starting in 2024. Significant cuts in services and in employees would have been required, Myers said.Commission Chairman Butch Schlyer said he thought the budget forecast looks considerably better than when he came on the commission a couple of years ago."It was looking real bad at that point," he said. "Without that sales tax, I don't know how we would be putting budgets together, but it would just be ugly."We still have the burden to make good decisions going forward."By 2032, projections show the county back at a budget gap, Myers said."I am not saying we need to raise taxes, but when we look at our future in 10 years ..." Myers said. "If taxes stay the same, everyone in this room knows everything we do costs more — fuel will go up, cost of a grader will go up, ambulances go up, cost of payroll goes up. All costs of contractual services and materials will continue to increase."The county continues to need to complete road and bridge projects even beyond those that are being funded by the recent bond, he said. Ellis County has 198 bridges, 1,400 miles of roads — 140 miles of which are asphalt roads.The public works building is also in need of major repairs. The employees have marked the second story, so they know where to place buckets when it rains.&nbsp;The HVAC systems at the Ellis County Administration Building, as well as the Law Enforcement Center need repairs."It is very clear that we cannot sustain, even with the sales tax, where we are at now," Myers said. "We can't go out and start increasing budgets and improving services.&nbsp;"We need, in my opinion, to continue to focus on the services we do now and do them as best as we can."

Ellis County budget looks drastically better; gaps still possible long term

Dr. Angela Pool-Funai has been selected as dean of the Graduate School at Fort Hays State University. She currently serves as director of the Master of the Public Administration (MPA) program at Southern Utah University.&nbsp;

Pool-Funai’s career as a higher education leader began at Baylor University, where she served as the Director of Foundation and Corporate Development. She also served as a lecturer and instructor with the Shandong Institute of Economics in the People’s Republic of China, McLennan Community College, Baylor University, and Southern Utah University. A published author, her work includes the book,&nbsp;Ethics in Fiscal Administration: An Introduction, and the book&nbsp;Globalization in Public Budgeting, which she&nbsp;coedited and contributed an article.&nbsp;Pool-Funai also worked as a columnist and editor, contributing to scholarly publications in the fields of political science, criminal justice, and public administration.&nbsp;

In 2014, Dr. Pool-Funai began her service at Southern Utah University as an assistant professor, teaching undergraduate and graduate courses in political science and public administration. She was selected the interim associate dean of the College of Humanities and Social Sciences at Southern Utah in 2017 and served in this role for one year as she continued to lead the Master of Public Administration program at the university. She earned the Doctor of Public Administration degree from Georgia State University, the Master of Public Policy and Administration degree from Baylor University and the Bachelor of Arts in Communication from Stephan F. Austin State University.

In a message to the campus community, FHSU Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs, Dr. Jill Arensdorf, stated, “I am thrilled that Dr. Pool-Funai has accepted this position. I look forward to working closely with her to advance the Graduate School, graduate education, and scholarship and sponsored projects at FHSU. She is a skilled leader, bringing with her unique experience in public administration, graduate program leadership, partnership development, and connecting people in a collective vision to serve students.”

Dr. Pool-Funai looks forward to beginning her official role as dean of the Graduate School on Monday, July 5, 2021, and said, “I am looking forward to working across disciplines to support all of our graduate programs, and I’m honored by this opportunity to invest in the future of FHSU. FHSU has already made a name for itself as a leader in adult education, and together we’ll build upon these successes for an even stronger future.”

Dr. Arensdorf also recognized the leadership and contributions of Dr. Grady Dixon, the search committee chair, and the entire Graduate School Dean Search Committee for their work in vetting candidates and creating a unique virtual experience for all of the finalists. She went on to also thank members of the university community who participated in the process.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/3/1614719236929.jpeg" alt="Dr. Angela Pool-Funai " />
 <figcaption>Dr. Angela Pool-Funai </figcaption>
 </figure>FHSU University RelationsDr. Angela Pool-Funai has been selected as dean of the Graduate School at Fort Hays State University. She currently serves as director of the Master of the Public Administration (MPA) program at Southern Utah University.&nbsp;Pool-Funai’s career as a higher education leader began at Baylor University, where she served as the Director of Foundation and Corporate Development. She also served as a lecturer and instructor with the Shandong Institute of Economics in the People’s Republic of China, McLennan Community College, Baylor University, and Southern Utah University. A published author, her work includes the book,&nbsp;Ethics in Fiscal Administration: An Introduction, and the book&nbsp;Globalization in Public Budgeting, which she&nbsp;coedited and contributed an article.&nbsp;Pool-Funai also worked as a columnist and editor, contributing to scholarly publications in the fields of political science, criminal justice, and public administration.&nbsp;In 2014, Dr. Pool-Funai began her service at Southern Utah University as an assistant professor, teaching undergraduate and graduate courses in political science and public administration. She was selected the interim associate dean of the College of Humanities and Social Sciences at Southern Utah in 2017 and served in this role for one year as she continued to lead the Master of Public Administration program at the university. She earned the Doctor of Public Administration degree from Georgia State University, the Master of Public Policy and Administration degree from Baylor University and the Bachelor of Arts in Communication from Stephan F. Austin State University.In a message to the campus community, FHSU Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs, Dr. Jill Arensdorf, stated, “I am thrilled that Dr. Pool-Funai has accepted this position. I look forward to working closely with her to advance the Graduate School, graduate education, and scholarship and sponsored projects at FHSU. She is a skilled leader, bringing with her unique experience in public administration, graduate program leadership, partnership development, and connecting people in a collective vision to serve students.”Dr. Pool-Funai looks forward to beginning her official role as dean of the Graduate School on Monday, July 5, 2021, and said, “I am looking forward to working across disciplines to support all of our graduate programs, and I’m honored by this opportunity to invest in the future of FHSU. FHSU has already made a name for itself as a leader in adult education, and together we’ll build upon these successes for an even stronger future.”Dr. Arensdorf also recognized the leadership and contributions of Dr. Grady Dixon, the search committee chair, and the entire Graduate School Dean Search Committee for their work in vetting candidates and creating a unique virtual experience for all of the finalists. She went on to also thank members of the university community who participated in the process.

Fort Hays State announces new graduate school dean

Career opportunity available from Farmers National Bank, with offices in Phillipsburg, Agra, Logan, Kensington, Stockton and Atwood, Kansas.&nbsp; Seeking the right motivated individual to join our team as a Loan Officer with agricultural emphasis.&nbsp; 

Duties include meeting with customers,
 farm visits and inspections, cash flow analysis and general banking.&nbsp; 
Farmers National Bank offers a strong team environment, competitive 
salary and benefits package including retirement.&nbsp; 

Come join our
 team, celebrating 100 years of financial services in the area.&nbsp; 

Submit 
your resume to Farmers National Bank, PO Box 546, Phillipsburg, Kansas 
67661, or deliver to 759 State Street, Phillipsburg, Kansas.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/3/1614780563822.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Career opportunity available from Farmers National Bank, with offices in Phillipsburg, Agra, Logan, Kensington, Stockton and Atwood, Kansas.&nbsp; Seeking the right motivated individual to join our team as a Loan Officer with agricultural emphasis.&nbsp; Duties include meeting with customers,
 farm visits and inspections, cash flow analysis and general banking.&nbsp; 
Farmers National Bank offers a strong team environment, competitive 
salary and benefits package including retirement.&nbsp; Come join our
 team, celebrating 100 years of financial services in the area.&nbsp; Submit 
your resume to Farmers National Bank, PO Box 546, Phillipsburg, Kansas 
67661, or deliver to 759 State Street, Phillipsburg, Kansas.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

Holy Family fifth-grader earns honors in state DAR essay contest

GREAT BEND - Barton Community College has announced its list of graduates who earned associate degrees or certificates for career training during the fall semester of 2020.

Ellis County graduates are listed below. For an entire list of grads, <a href="https://bartonccc.edu/news/fall-grads-20">click here</a>.&nbsp;

Grant Brungardt, Natural
Gas Transmission &amp; Distribution Certificate 
Sarah Stramel, Medical Coding Certificate 
Brittney Unrein, A.A.S. &nbsp; 
Grace Walker, Pharmacy Technician Certificate

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/2/1613590329847.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>BCCGREAT BEND - Barton Community College has announced its list of graduates who earned associate degrees or certificates for career training during the fall semester of 2020.Ellis County graduates are listed below. For an entire list of grads, <a href="https://bartonccc.edu/news/fall-grads-20">click here</a>.&nbsp;HAYSGrant Brungardt, Natural
Gas Transmission &amp; Distribution Certificate 
Sarah Stramel, Medical Coding Certificate 
Brittney Unrein, A.A.S. &nbsp; 
Grace Walker, Pharmacy Technician Certificate

Hays students among fall graduates at Barton Community College

Fort Hays State University will host the Tiger Education Nation Online Career Fair on Tuesday, March 9, from 3 to 5 p.m. Over 70 employers from Kansas and neighboring states will be represented.&nbsp;

Employers will visit with anyone interested in teaching or other professional opportunities in K-12 education. Members of the Hays community, alumni and students are welcome to attend. This includes experienced teachers, Transition to Teaching candidates, and students seeking their first career position.&nbsp;

There is no cost to participate in the online career fair. Register at <a href="https://fhsu.edu/career/fairs/ttn-virtual-fair">https://fhsu.edu/career/fairs/ttn-virtual-fair</a>.

Fort Hays State University will host the Tiger Education Nation Online Career Fair on Tuesday, March 9, from 3 to 5 p.m. Over 70 employers from Kansas and neighboring states will be represented.&nbsp;Employers will visit with anyone interested in teaching or other professional opportunities in K-12 education. Members of the Hays community, alumni and students are welcome to attend. This includes experienced teachers, Transition to Teaching candidates, and students seeking their first career position.&nbsp;There is no cost to participate in the online career fair. Register at <a href="https://fhsu.edu/career/fairs/ttn-virtual-fair">https://fhsu.edu/career/fairs/ttn-virtual-fair</a>.— FHSU

Fort Hays State will host online career fair next week

Three-day weather outlook

By BECKY KISER Hays Post

A number of spring fundraisers for non-profit groups in Hays have been moved to the internet.

The continuing coronavirus pandemic has forced a change from large in-person gatherings to online events, many of them as auctions.

The <a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/10293964-13c9-4b32-919b-dfdb27308cdb">Hays Chamber annual banquet</a> honoring local business people and volunteers has also moved online.

Some activities, including the Fort Hays State University Graphic Design BFA Exhibition, offer both online and in-person opportunities.&nbsp;

Melissa Dixon, Convention and Visitors Bureau executive director, has a preview of some of the events and activities during March.&nbsp;&nbsp;

For an up-to-date list of events, check the calendar on the Hays Convention and Visitors Bureau website,&nbsp;<a href="http://www.visithays.com/calendar.aspx">www.visithays.com</a>.&nbsp;&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/12/1575300742886.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>By BECKY KISER Hays PostA number of spring fundraisers for non-profit groups in Hays have been moved to the internet.The continuing coronavirus pandemic has forced a change from large in-person gatherings to online events, many of them as auctions.The <a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/10293964-13c9-4b32-919b-dfdb27308cdb">Hays Chamber annual banquet</a> honoring local business people and volunteers has also moved online.Some activities, including the Fort Hays State University Graphic Design BFA Exhibition, offer both online and in-person opportunities.&nbsp;Melissa Dixon, Convention and Visitors Bureau executive director, has a preview of some of the events and activities during March.&nbsp;&nbsp;<figure>
 <iframe width="560" height="315" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/YvprECgOROw"></iframe>
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>For an up-to-date list of events, check the calendar on the Hays Convention and Visitors Bureau website,&nbsp;<a href="http://www.visithays.com/calendar.aspx">www.visithays.com</a>.&nbsp;&nbsp;

🎥 March brings mix of online, in-person events to Hays

Ellis County is considering consolidating some of its townships.

The county currently has nine townships, but has struggled to find the necessary elected leadership to run the townships.

Ellis Township has been without a treasurer for some time, and former Public Works Director Bill Ring has temporarily stepped up to help the township gather paperwork until someone else can be found or the township can be consolidated.

The county last reorganized townships in 1971.

The current townships include Ellis, Buckeye, Catherine, Herzog, Victoria, Freedom, Big Creek, Wheatland and Lookout.

Most of the duties of the townships were eliminated under the county unit road system.

Townships also at one time took care of the cemeteries, but are no longer doing so.

Big Creek Township signs off on cereal malt beverage licensing for the Ellis County fairgrounds and the speedway.

Buckeye Township owns and operates the former Buckeye School as a meeting place.&nbsp;

However, the rest of the counties have no real duties.

County counselor Bill Jeter said the townships could be reduced to as few as three.

If the townships were consolidated from nine to three, only nine officers would be needed instead of 27.

Ellis County Clerk Bobbi Dreiling said the county would likely save money by eliminating ballot styles through consolidation. The county's election vendor charges per ballot style.&nbsp;

Dreilng said she would look into the potential cost savings on elections and report back to the commission.

Dreiling suggested meeting with the officers of the townships to explain the process.

The process is fairly simple, Dreiling explained. The commission would need to pass two resolutions of intent to disband and reorganize into another township and then schedule a public hearing on the matter. A notice would have to be published in the newspaper of record.&nbsp;

If a majority of electors in any township would file a petition in opposition, the consolidation would not go through, Jeter, said.

All three commissioners expressed support of Dreiling moving forward with the consolidation process.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/3/1614705366665.png" alt="This map of the Ellis County Commission districts also shows the nine Ellis County Townships." />
 <figcaption>This map of the Ellis County Commission districts also shows the nine Ellis County Townships.</figcaption>
 </figure>By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays PostEllis County is considering consolidating some of its townships.The county currently has nine townships, but has struggled to find the necessary elected leadership to run the townships.Ellis Township has been without a treasurer for some time, and former Public Works Director Bill Ring has temporarily stepped up to help the township gather paperwork until someone else can be found or the township can be consolidated.The county last reorganized townships in 1971.The current townships include Ellis, Buckeye, Catherine, Herzog, Victoria, Freedom, Big Creek, Wheatland and Lookout.Most of the duties of the townships were eliminated under the county unit road system.Townships also at one time took care of the cemeteries, but are no longer doing so.Big Creek Township signs off on cereal malt beverage licensing for the Ellis County fairgrounds and the speedway.Buckeye Township owns and operates the former Buckeye School as a meeting place.&nbsp;However, the rest of the counties have no real duties.County counselor Bill Jeter said the townships could be reduced to as few as three.If the townships were consolidated from nine to three, only nine officers would be needed instead of 27.Ellis County Clerk Bobbi Dreiling said the county would likely save money by eliminating ballot styles through consolidation. The county's election vendor charges per ballot style.&nbsp;Dreilng said she would look into the potential cost savings on elections and report back to the commission.Dreiling suggested meeting with the officers of the townships to explain the process.The process is fairly simple, Dreiling explained. The commission would need to pass two resolutions of intent to disband and reorganize into another township and then schedule a public hearing on the matter. A notice would have to be published in the newspaper of record.&nbsp;If a majority of electors in any township would file a petition in opposition, the consolidation would not go through, Jeter, said.All three commissioners expressed support of Dreiling moving forward with the consolidation process.

Ellis County discusses consolidating townships

<div><iframe title="Hays Chamber continues planning for virtual award banquet" height="400" width="400" style="border: none;" scrolling="no" data-name="pb-iframe-player" src="https://www.podbean.com/media/player/sijcx-fc61a4?from=pb6admin&download=1&version=1&vjs=1&auto=1&share=1&download=1&rtl=0&fonts=Helvetica&skin=3&pfauth="></iframe></div><a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/5dd2f46c897d147ad4bb104b">To find out more about The Post Podcast, or subscribe to mobile&nbsp;</a><a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/5dd2f46c897d147ad4bb104b">notifications click here.</a>

🎙 Post Podcast: Hays Chamber continues planning for virtual awards banquet

🏀 Watch This Week's Tiger Talk

Interim Ellis County Administrator Darin Myers was appointed Monday night to fill the position permanently.

The position is being combined with the director of fire and emergency management, which Myers has held for the last six years. He has served as the interim county administrator for the last 16 months.

Myers said the commission will consider at its next meeting making the emergency management director into a separate position.

“Honestly, my heart has always been in the fire service and public safety,” Myers said in a news release issued after Monday's county commission meeting. “However, in the last 16 months I have come to know our staff and county better. I have seen what they are capable of, and know they are passionate about making Ellis County a great place to live, work and call home. 

"Last year we made some significant changes and improvements to our finances, and we now have the ability to complete some significant projects, which will enhance our future here in Ellis County. 

"I am excited about this dual position and opportunity to continue doing something I love with the fire service. I will strive to do everything I can to make our county a better community for everyone.”

Commissioner Dean Haselhorst said at the meeting he thought Myers was very qualified.

"I think he is a great fit for the county," he said. "I think he has done a wonderful job on the fire side. I think that is his true love, but I think his other true love is leadership in Ellis County. 

"He is going to be with us for a long time. I am excited to have him on board finally. Instead of that interim name, we can throw it away and actually call you a county administrator."

Commissioner Neal Younger said he did not think that the county could ask for anyone better.

"We've got ourselves a good employee, a good administrator," he said.

Commission Chairman Butch Schlyer said he has demonstrated his knowledge and abilities.&nbsp;

"He has a genuine interest in and a concern for Ellis County, and I know we could not find that genuine person with that kind of interest in any administrator candidate we would have looked for.

"Darin, he is the right fit for the county at this point in time."

Commission Chairman Butch Schlyer added in the news release, “Darin has stepped up and shown his abilities over the last year and a half.

"He helped secure new revenues in the sales tax, has worked on the northwest business corridor project, helped lead the county through the COVID-19 pandemic, and helped the county save hundreds of thousands of dollars in identifying changes to employees health insurance costs.

"Staff has expressed their support for Darin, and they are excited for this transition.”

Myers is a lifelong resident of Ellis County. He and his wife Kelly live in Hays and have three boys, Jordin, Jace and Jentry, who all attend school in Hays.

Myers has spent more than 20 years working in the public sector with experience in managing budgets and projects, strategic planning initiatives, building relationships, and strongly believes in employee professional development, the press release said.

Myers is an U.S. Army veteran with a tour of duty in the Middle East in 2003. 

He is a business management graduate of Fort Hays State University and has a master’s degree in public administration from Anna Maria College in Massachusetts. He completed the certified public manager program at the University of Kansas, as well as the executive fire officer program at the National Fire Academy in Maryland.

CORRECTED, 10:45 a.m. Tuesday to reflect correct title in photo caption. Hays Post apologizes for the error.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/3/1614647983795.jpeg" alt="Darin Myers, left, was appointed Monday night as the permanent county administrator after serving as the interim for 16 months." />
 <figcaption>Darin Myers, left, was appointed Monday night as the permanent county administrator after serving as the interim for 16 months.</figcaption>
 </figure>By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays PostInterim Ellis County Administrator Darin Myers was appointed Monday night to fill the position permanently.The position is being combined with the director of fire and emergency management, which Myers has held for the last six years. He has served as the interim county administrator for the last 16 months.Myers said the commission will consider at its next meeting making the emergency management director into a separate position.“Honestly, my heart has always been in the fire service and public safety,” Myers said in a news release issued after Monday's county commission meeting. “However, in the last 16 months I have come to know our staff and county better. I have seen what they are capable of, and know they are passionate about making Ellis County a great place to live, work and call home. "Last year we made some significant changes and improvements to our finances, and we now have the ability to complete some significant projects, which will enhance our future here in Ellis County. "I am excited about this dual position and opportunity to continue doing something I love with the fire service. I will strive to do everything I can to make our county a better community for everyone.”Commissioner Dean Haselhorst said at the meeting he thought Myers was very qualified."I think he is a great fit for the county," he said. "I think he has done a wonderful job on the fire side. I think that is his true love, but I think his other true love is leadership in Ellis County. "He is going to be with us for a long time. I am excited to have him on board finally. Instead of that interim name, we can throw it away and actually call you a county administrator."Commissioner Neal Younger said he did not think that the county could ask for anyone better."We've got ourselves a good employee, a good administrator," he said.Commission Chairman Butch Schlyer said he has demonstrated his knowledge and abilities.&nbsp;"He has a genuine interest in and a concern for Ellis County, and I know we could not find that genuine person with that kind of interest in any administrator candidate we would have looked for."Darin, he is the right fit for the county at this point in time."Commission Chairman Butch Schlyer added in the news release, “Darin has stepped up and shown his abilities over the last year and a half."He helped secure new revenues in the sales tax, has worked on the northwest business corridor project, helped lead the county through the COVID-19 pandemic, and helped the county save hundreds of thousands of dollars in identifying changes to employees health insurance costs."Staff has expressed their support for Darin, and they are excited for this transition.”Myers is a lifelong resident of Ellis County. He and his wife Kelly live in Hays and have three boys, Jordin, Jace and Jentry, who all attend school in Hays.Myers has spent more than 20 years working in the public sector with experience in managing budgets and projects, strategic planning initiatives, building relationships, and strongly believes in employee professional development, the press release said.Myers is an U.S. Army veteran with a tour of duty in the Middle East in 2003. He is a business management graduate of Fort Hays State University and has a master’s degree in public administration from Anna Maria College in Massachusetts. He completed the certified public manager program at the University of Kansas, as well as the executive fire officer program at the National Fire Academy in Maryland.CORRECTED, 10:45 a.m. Tuesday to reflect correct title in photo caption. Hays Post apologizes for the error.

Ellis County Administrator Myers throws away interim title

Oil traders and producers alike will be watching this week as producers from the "OPEC Plus" alliance meet to decide whether to relax the group's production cuts. Prices have rallied to pre-pandemic levels, but supplies are dwindling at their steepest rate in 20 years. Bloomberg reports the crude glut that piled up during the pandemic is vanishing fast, and the "OPEC Plus" group could decide to increase output.&nbsp; Kansas crude prices dropped $2 Friday, but will still post February gains of $8 per barrel. Kansas Common crude at CHS in McPherson starts the week and the month of March at $51.75 per barrel. Intent-to-drill notices for the month of February were down by more than half from totals for the month before and a year earlier. The Kansas Corporation Commission reports 31 intents filed statewide last month. That's 110 intents statewide so far this year. Ellis, Russell and Stafford counties each reported on new intent-to-drill notice last month. Independent Oil &amp; Gas Service reports a slight increase in the rig count in Western Kansas this week with 12, and increase of two rigs. East of Wichita, the count was three active rigs, down three from the week before. Operators reached total depth at one lease in Ellis County and one lease in Stafford County. The weekly Rotary Rig Count from Baker Hughes shows an increase of four oil rigs to the active count of 402.&nbsp; Texas was up three while the count in New Mexico was up one. Kansas regulators okayed six new drilling permits last week, all of them in the western half of the state. That brings the running total this year to 100 permits for drilling at new locations in Kansas. Independent Oil &amp; Gas Service says Kansas operators completed eleven wells last week, six of them east of Wichita, and five in Western Kansas. Those include a service well in Russell County and an oil well in Stafford County. After a magnitude 4.2 earthquake rumbled under the town of Manchester in northern Oklahoma on Friday (Feb. 19), regulators there locked down some oilfield activity over the following weekend. Three disposal wells within three miles of the epicenter were shut down under the directive, and another 13 wells were ordered to cut back disposal volumes by half. The Oklahoma Corporation Commission staff says that amounts to about 7,000 barrels of wastewater per day. Data supplied by the OCC shows 61 earthquakes of magnitude two or greater in January, the highest monthly total since May of last year. In part, officials credit these commission directives limiting wastewater disposal with the sharp decrease in the seismicity rate in the Sooner State. Oklahoma reached a monthly peak of nearly 948 earthquakes in March 2015. Local officials did not receive any reports of damage or injury from the Manchester quake. U.S. crude inventories jumped 1.3 million barrels last week. Stockpiles are marginally below the five-year average for this time of year. Crude production dropped by more than a million barrels per day last week. The Energy Information Administration says current output is just shy of 9.7 Million barrels per day. Compare that to a year ago, when output was a few barrels short of 13 million per day. EIA says weekly imports dropped by 1.3 million barrels per day. The four-week average for imports is down more than 13% from a year ago. Oil-by-rail shipments plummeted during the recent cold snap. The Association of American Railroads reports just 8.148 tanker cars hauling petroleum for the week ending February 20. That's down nearly 2,000 cars from the week before, and a nearly 40% drop from a year earlier. With the forced shutdown of Gulf Coast and some Midwest refineries due to winter weather, gasoline stockpiles have tightened and gas prices have skyrocketed. Triple-A reported the most expensive national average since October of 2019. Two-thirds of statewide averages were up by double-digits last week, with spikes of anywhere from ten to 22 cents a gallon. The average across Kansas on Thursday was over two forty-seven a gallon, an increase of 12 cents over last week. Pump prices are up to $2.55 a gallon across Hays and $2.57 in Great Bend. Your 15-gallon fill-up is up more than two dollars from a week ago, up four dollars from last month, and nearly five dollars higher than last year at this time. Africa's biggest crude producer is playing hardball with one of the world's largest oil companies. A court in Nigeria has now frozen access to the bank accounts of Royal Dutch Shell. The action comes amid a legal dispute with a local producer over a pipeline deal six years ago. The dispute is just one among a growing list of legal entanglements related to Shell’s business in Nigeria. A buyer is demanding billions in damages, claiming Shell misrepresented the condition of the pipeline and under-counted crude volumes. Shell calls the lawsuit baseless and is working to overturn the court order. The government of Canada formalized some new winter safety rules for rail transport of dangerous goods including petroleum products. The new regulations include some common-sense items like risk assessments, stronger track inspection and maintenance programs, and new technology requirements. One will have an immediate impact on the bottom line of some operators. Trains hauling large quantities of crude oil or liquid petroleum gases will now face a speed limit across Canada. These trains can travel up to 35 mph in metro areas and 40 mph at all other places.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/6/1592847975802.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>By JOHN P. TRETBAROil traders and producers alike will be watching this week as producers from the "OPEC Plus" alliance meet to decide whether to relax the group's production cuts. Prices have rallied to pre-pandemic levels, but supplies are dwindling at their steepest rate in 20 years. Bloomberg reports the crude glut that piled up during the pandemic is vanishing fast, and the "OPEC Plus" group could decide to increase output.&nbsp; Kansas crude prices dropped $2 Friday, but will still post February gains of $8 per barrel. Kansas Common crude at CHS in McPherson starts the week and the month of March at $51.75 per barrel. Intent-to-drill notices for the month of February were down by more than half from totals for the month before and a year earlier. The Kansas Corporation Commission reports 31 intents filed statewide last month. That's 110 intents statewide so far this year. Ellis, Russell and Stafford counties each reported on new intent-to-drill notice last month. Independent Oil &amp; Gas Service reports a slight increase in the rig count in Western Kansas this week with 12, and increase of two rigs. East of Wichita, the count was three active rigs, down three from the week before. Operators reached total depth at one lease in Ellis County and one lease in Stafford County. The weekly Rotary Rig Count from Baker Hughes shows an increase of four oil rigs to the active count of 402.&nbsp; Texas was up three while the count in New Mexico was up one. Kansas regulators okayed six new drilling permits last week, all of them in the western half of the state. That brings the running total this year to 100 permits for drilling at new locations in Kansas. Independent Oil &amp; Gas Service says Kansas operators completed eleven wells last week, six of them east of Wichita, and five in Western Kansas. Those include a service well in Russell County and an oil well in Stafford County. After a magnitude 4.2 earthquake rumbled under the town of Manchester in northern Oklahoma on Friday (Feb. 19), regulators there locked down some oilfield activity over the following weekend. Three disposal wells within three miles of the epicenter were shut down under the directive, and another 13 wells were ordered to cut back disposal volumes by half. The Oklahoma Corporation Commission staff says that amounts to about 7,000 barrels of wastewater per day. Data supplied by the OCC shows 61 earthquakes of magnitude two or greater in January, the highest monthly total since May of last year. In part, officials credit these commission directives limiting wastewater disposal with the sharp decrease in the seismicity rate in the Sooner State. Oklahoma reached a monthly peak of nearly 948 earthquakes in March 2015. Local officials did not receive any reports of damage or injury from the Manchester quake. U.S. crude inventories jumped 1.3 million barrels last week. Stockpiles are marginally below the five-year average for this time of year. Crude production dropped by more than a million barrels per day last week. The Energy Information Administration says current output is just shy of 9.7 Million barrels per day. Compare that to a year ago, when output was a few barrels short of 13 million per day. EIA says weekly imports dropped by 1.3 million barrels per day. The four-week average for imports is down more than 13% from a year ago. Oil-by-rail shipments plummeted during the recent cold snap. The Association of American Railroads reports just 8.148 tanker cars hauling petroleum for the week ending February 20. That's down nearly 2,000 cars from the week before, and a nearly 40% drop from a year earlier. With the forced shutdown of Gulf Coast and some Midwest refineries due to winter weather, gasoline stockpiles have tightened and gas prices have skyrocketed. Triple-A reported the most expensive national average since October of 2019. Two-thirds of statewide averages were up by double-digits last week, with spikes of anywhere from ten to 22 cents a gallon. The average across Kansas on Thursday was over two forty-seven a gallon, an increase of 12 cents over last week. Pump prices are up to $2.55 a gallon across Hays and $2.57 in Great Bend. Your 15-gallon fill-up is up more than two dollars from a week ago, up four dollars from last month, and nearly five dollars higher than last year at this time. Africa's biggest crude producer is playing hardball with one of the world's largest oil companies. A court in Nigeria has now frozen access to the bank accounts of Royal Dutch Shell. The action comes amid a legal dispute with a local producer over a pipeline deal six years ago. The dispute is just one among a growing list of legal entanglements related to Shell’s business in Nigeria. A buyer is demanding billions in damages, claiming Shell misrepresented the condition of the pipeline and under-counted crude volumes. Shell calls the lawsuit baseless and is working to overturn the court order. The government of Canada formalized some new winter safety rules for rail transport of dangerous goods including petroleum products. The new regulations include some common-sense items like risk assessments, stronger track inspection and maintenance programs, and new technology requirements. One will have an immediate impact on the bottom line of some operators. Trains hauling large quantities of crude oil or liquid petroleum gases will now face a speed limit across Canada. These trains can travel up to 35 mph in metro areas and 40 mph at all other places.

News From the Oil Patch: OPEC+ decision could slow price rally

The reconstruction of 27th Street from Hall to Fort is scheduled to begin on or about March 15. &nbsp;A preconstruction public information meeting will be held beginning at 5 p.m. on Wednesday.

The meeting will be live streamed on YouTube. The link to the live stream is:&nbsp;<a href="https://youtu.be/xzv0pdsaROA" target="_blank">https://youtu.be/xzv0pdsaROA</a>&nbsp; You can also access it by typing bit.ly/hays27 into your web browser. &nbsp;Or, simply go to YouTube and search “27th Street Reconstruction”

The meeting and broadcast will feature comments from the contractor Paul-Wertenberger Construction, the city’s engineer Kirkham Michael, and city staff.

Due to social distancing precautions, in-person attendance at the city commission chambers is limited, and access may be denied if the space is full. &nbsp;The contractor, engineer, and staff will be available until 7 p.m. for questions.

An informational flyer is&nbsp;<a href="https://www.haysusa.com/DocumentCenter/View/3831/27th-Street-Reconstruction-Flyer---March-2021" target="_blank">attached</a>. &nbsp;If you have specific questions that you would like to discuss ahead of time, or have addressed during the virtual meeting, email johnbraun@haysusa.com or call (785) 628-7350 before noon on the day of the meeting.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/3/1614616315062.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>City of HaysThe reconstruction of 27th Street from Hall to Fort is scheduled to begin on or about March 15. &nbsp;A preconstruction public information meeting will be held beginning at 5 p.m. on Wednesday.The meeting will be live streamed on YouTube. The link to the live stream is:&nbsp;<a href="https://youtu.be/xzv0pdsaROA" target="_blank">https://youtu.be/xzv0pdsaROA</a>&nbsp; You can also access it by typing bit.ly/hays27 into your web browser. &nbsp;Or, simply go to YouTube and search “27th Street Reconstruction”The meeting and broadcast will feature comments from the contractor Paul-Wertenberger Construction, the city’s engineer Kirkham Michael, and city staff.Due to social distancing precautions, in-person attendance at the city commission chambers is limited, and access may be denied if the space is full. &nbsp;The contractor, engineer, and staff will be available until 7 p.m. for questions.An informational flyer is&nbsp;<a href="https://www.haysusa.com/DocumentCenter/View/3831/27th-Street-Reconstruction-Flyer---March-2021" target="_blank">attached</a>. &nbsp;If you have specific questions that you would like to discuss ahead of time, or have addressed during the virtual meeting, email johnbraun@haysusa.com or call (785) 628-7350 before noon on the day of the meeting.

27th Street reconstruction public information meeting Wednesday

By LACEY NEWLIN <a href="https://www.hpj.com/ag_news/wind-energy-a-breeze-or-a-bust-for-rural-america/article_b162f790-77bd-11eb-beff-fb391dfc4f8f.html#utm_source=hpj.com&amp;utm_campaign=%2Fnewsletters%2Flists%2Fhpj-weekly%2F%3F-dc%3D1614362416&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_content=headline">High Plains Journal</a>

Built to withstand hurricane level 
winds with blades longer than a Boeing 747, the massive wind turbines 
popping up across the plains of rural America are hard to miss. With the
 Biden administration taking the helm in 2021, touting clean and 
renewable energy as a main objective, it seems energy sources, like 
wind, will only gain momentum.

The
 president made good on his energy stance when he recently signed an 
executive order to replace the 645,000 federal vehicle fleet with 
electric cars, truck and vans. Much to the dismay of many oil and gas 
workers, he also signed an executive order to halt the Keystone Pipeline
 and ended federal subsidies for fossil fuels with the stroke of a pen. 
To counteract his plans to slow down oil and gas production, POTUS 
announced an objective to double United States offshore wind capacity by
 2030. These efforts are part of the Biden administration’s goal of 
reaching a carbon pollution-free power sector by 2035, which would put 
the U.S. on a path to a net-zero economy by 2050.

Right now only about 15% of the world’s 
power is produced by renewable energy, and to meet these somewhat 
fanciful energy ambitions, change could be coming in a big way. 
Uncertainty of how these shifts will affect rural Americans and 
agriculture is palpable. Since half of the wind energy in the U.S. is 
produced in rural areas such Texas, Oklahoma, Iowa and Kansas, wind 
energy will have a significant effect on these communities—for better or
 for worse.

Finally, a good reason for the wind to blow

According
 to the Center for Climate and Energy Solution, wind energy is the 
second largest renewable energy source after hydropower. One of the 
reasons wind turbines are considered to be a key to the future of energy
 is that they do not produce any greenhouse gases or pollutants while in
 operation and are considerably cheap to run. The U.S. Department of 
Energy’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy describes wind
 power as one of the lowest-priced energy sources available, costing 
$0.01 to $0.02 per kilowatt per hour after the production tax credit.

Power
 prices are also more stable than coal, gas or oil because electricity 
from wind farms is sold at a fixed price over a long period of time. 
Unlike fossil fuels, wind is renewable, sustainable and as anyone across
 the plains of Texas, Oklahoma or Kansas can attest, the wind only seems
 to blow stronger each year. Finally, wind is a domestic source of 
energy that cannot be hijacked or price gouged by foreign countries.

According
 to the American Wind Energy Association, there are nearly 60,000 wind 
turbines operating in 41 states and two U.S. territories. Construction 
activity reached a new record in the first quarter of 2020, with 24,690 
megawatts under construction across the country and many of the 
individuals profiting from these wind projects are farmers and ranchers.

Brady
 Weeks, president of Allegiant Land Services &amp; Consulting, in 
Seiling, Oklahoma, and landowner with wind turbines on his property, 
plays the middleman between landowners and energy companies during 
contract negotiations. He works with oil, gas and renewable energy 
companies to secure leases, so he sees all sides of these industries and
 recognizes wind power for its benefits to rural property owners.

“Everyone
 knows when you get an oil and gas well it has a chance to be a barn 
burner or maybe it’s just average, but one thing that you do know in the
 oil and gas industry is that it is going to drop off eventually,” Weeks
 explained. “The takeaway from wind energy from a land owner’s 
standpoint is the generational income, and on top of that it is an 
increasing revenue stream that could last for 40 to 50 years. Our state 
is built around oil and gas, so we go up and down with that industry, 
which is kind of our downfall. The beauty of wind energy is that it is 
not a commodity like oil. It’s steady and doesn’t jump around.”

Weeks
 said the checks landowners are cut each year are dependent on how big 
their turbines are, but with newer contracts many landowners can expect 
$10,000 to $15,000 per turbine annually. Additionally, Weeks said the 
industry is moving toward bigger turbines and fewer of them, so payments
 are getting larger compared to what they were 20 years ago.

“Depending
 on the turbine and the megawatt capacity, with these newer projects 
landowners could be getting paid anywhere from $500,000 to $750,000 per 
turbine over the life of the contracts,” Weeks said. “It’s serious 
money. If you look at that from a landowner’s perspective, it’s a 
no-brainer. You may miss a crop, but you have another source of income.”

Fortunately,
 landowners are still able to use the land around the turbines for 
agriculture like crops or livestock, with minimal production area taken 
out of commission.

“Usually one
 turbine is going to remove one and half to two acres out of 
production,” he said. “We haven’t perfected the invisible turbine yet, 
but the surface impact is minimal.”

However,
 the property owner is not the only one to benefit financially from wind
 turbines. According to Weeks, the oil and gas industry pays a gross 
production tax, which is distributed across all the counties in the 
state. However, with wind energy projects, all the taxes stay in the 
county where the wind turbines stand, keeping the revenue stream local. 
Weeks said some larger wind farm projects—depending on the megawatt 
capacity—could be anywhere from $400 million to even billion dollar 
investments, which will benefit rural America, not only with tax 
dollars, but with good paying jobs that bring families to farming 
communities and keep small towns alive.

“Any money you can bring in from bigger 
companies to small, rural America is only going to improve the 
survivability of producers,” Weeks explained.

In
 fact, in Dewey County, Oklahoma, where Weeks resides, the schools are 
able to stay off the state school funding formula due in large part to 
the amount of taxes paid through wind turbine companies. Although many 
fear wind turbine installation across the plains because they associate 
them with the Green New Deal and calls for taxes on cow flatulence, to 
Weeks, there is a place for oil, gas and renewable energy in this 
country and the more energy production in his state, the better—no 
matter the type.

“I think we 
need to focus on the positives of wind energy and how the oil and gas 
and wind industries can coexist and work together on the grid,” he said.
 “Some people see it as an us versus them mentality and it couldn’t be 
any further from the truth from the landowner’s perspective. Yes, I 
think renewables are going to become more prevalent, but I think we’ll 
always be drilling for oil. The bottom line is Trump never stopped the 
windmills and Biden will never stop the fracking.”

Wind power is green energy and benefits 
rural landowners and communities financially, but some still see them as
 noisy eyesores that besmirch sunset views and take away for the beauty 
of the High Plains. Although wind turbines have a good reputation among 
most in the renewable energy sector, one must only look to the 
Environmental Protection Agency, of all places, to get the dirt on this 
clean energy. An EPA renewable energy briefing paper published January 
2021 painted wind turbines in a less than glowing light when it stated 
that there are chemical management concerns as wind turbines contain 
oils and other lubricants that can leak out and contaminate soil and 
water.

Additionally, EPA said 
although wind turbines produce carbon-neutral energy, large amounts of 
fossil fuels are needed to install, transport and monitor turbines. The 
paper also said in most leases, wind farm operators are responsible for 
returning the land to its previous state at the end of the wind farm’s 
life, but if the windmill owner goes out of business before the end of 
the lease, the landowner is responsible for decommissioning and removal.
 Additionally, farmers have complained of difficulties crop dusting 
where wind turbines are present and the radio frequencies emitted from 
the turbines are known to foul up GPS systems.

Although
 they are known for being environmentally friendly, the U.S. Fish and 
Wildlife Service says between 140,000 and 500,000 birds of over 200 
species are killed each year by wind turbines in the U.S. alone. The FWS
 predicts the average bird deaths from turbine collisions could reach 
1.4 million a year if wind farms are increased with the DOE’s mandates. 
Wind turbines can also affect animal habitats like that of the lesser 
prairie-chicken, which is listed as a vulnerable species. Wind turbines 
and lesser prairie-chickens require the same rural plains in Kansas, 
Texas, Oklahoma, New Mexico and Colorado and they do not coexist well 
together. Lesser prairie-chickens fear vertical structures because their
 instincts associate them with raptor perches, making it difficult for 
them to find nesting areas to lay their eggs. Aside from this list of 
concerns wind energy’s seemingly squeaky clean reputation can be marred 
with one simple fact, decommissioned blades are piling up in landfills.

“Windmills
 are perhaps the least energy-producing and most physically difficult 
renewable waste stream to deal with,” the EPA briefing stated. “These 
behemoth power generators are not only laborious and expensive to 
transport and install, but they are burdensome to remove and recycle 
too.”

The briefing paper goes 
on to reveal the larger the wind turbine, the larger the blade diameter,
 and the more power generated, so turbine manufacturers are incentivized
 to install the largest turbines they can, which makes them more 
difficult to dispose. Although 85% of the turbine, including steel, 
copper wire, electronics and gears, can be recycled, the blades are made
 of fiberglass or carbon fiber—depending on their age—leaving companies 
with few choices when blades reach the end of their lifetime. Of the 
8,000 blades decommissioned each year, most are scrapped and buried in 
one of three landfills in the U.S. that accepts them, including Lake 
Mills, Iowa, Sioux Falls, South Dakota, and Casper, Wyoming. The Casper 
Municipal Landfill alone is home to almost 900 blades that are buried 30
 feet underground.

The topic of
 wind turbine blade graveyards is not only timely because of the current
 push toward 100% renewable energy, but also because blades last about 
20 to 25 years, so many of the original turbines that were installed 
when wind energy became popular in the late 1990s and early 2000s are 
reaching the end of their life, so this issue will only grow without 
some major problem solving by the wind industry.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/2/1614369153575.png" alt="According to the American Wind Energy Association, there are nearly 60,000 wind turbines operating in 41 states and two U.S. territories. Construction activity reached a new record in the first quarter of 2020, with 24,690 megawatts under construction across the country and many of the individuals profiting from these wind projects are farmers and ranchers. Photo by Lacey Newlin" />
 <figcaption>According to the American Wind Energy Association, there are nearly 60,000 wind turbines operating in 41 states and two U.S. territories. Construction activity reached a new record in the first quarter of 2020, with 24,690 megawatts under construction across the country and many of the individuals profiting from these wind projects are farmers and ranchers. Photo by Lacey Newlin</figcaption>
 </figure>By LACEY NEWLIN <a href="https://www.hpj.com/ag_news/wind-energy-a-breeze-or-a-bust-for-rural-america/article_b162f790-77bd-11eb-beff-fb391dfc4f8f.html#utm_source=hpj.com&amp;utm_campaign=%2Fnewsletters%2Flists%2Fhpj-weekly%2F%3F-dc%3D1614362416&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_content=headline">High Plains Journal</a>Built to withstand hurricane level 
winds with blades longer than a Boeing 747, the massive wind turbines 
popping up across the plains of rural America are hard to miss. With the
 Biden administration taking the helm in 2021, touting clean and 
renewable energy as a main objective, it seems energy sources, like 
wind, will only gain momentum.The
 president made good on his energy stance when he recently signed an 
executive order to replace the 645,000 federal vehicle fleet with 
electric cars, truck and vans. Much to the dismay of many oil and gas 
workers, he also signed an executive order to halt the Keystone Pipeline
 and ended federal subsidies for fossil fuels with the stroke of a pen. 
To counteract his plans to slow down oil and gas production, POTUS 
announced an objective to double United States offshore wind capacity by
 2030. These efforts are part of the Biden administration’s goal of 
reaching a carbon pollution-free power sector by 2035, which would put 
the U.S. on a path to a net-zero economy by 2050.Right now only about 15% of the world’s 
power is produced by renewable energy, and to meet these somewhat 
fanciful energy ambitions, change could be coming in a big way. 
Uncertainty of how these shifts will affect rural Americans and 
agriculture is palpable. Since half of the wind energy in the U.S. is 
produced in rural areas such Texas, Oklahoma, Iowa and Kansas, wind 
energy will have a significant effect on these communities—for better or
 for worse.<h2>Finally, a good reason for the wind to blow</h2>According
 to the Center for Climate and Energy Solution, wind energy is the 
second largest renewable energy source after hydropower. One of the 
reasons wind turbines are considered to be a key to the future of energy
 is that they do not produce any greenhouse gases or pollutants while in
 operation and are considerably cheap to run. The U.S. Department of 
Energy’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy describes wind
 power as one of the lowest-priced energy sources available, costing 
$0.01 to $0.02 per kilowatt per hour after the production tax credit.Power
 prices are also more stable than coal, gas or oil because electricity 
from wind farms is sold at a fixed price over a long period of time. 
Unlike fossil fuels, wind is renewable, sustainable and as anyone across
 the plains of Texas, Oklahoma or Kansas can attest, the wind only seems
 to blow stronger each year. Finally, wind is a domestic source of 
energy that cannot be hijacked or price gouged by foreign countries.According
 to the American Wind Energy Association, there are nearly 60,000 wind 
turbines operating in 41 states and two U.S. territories. Construction 
activity reached a new record in the first quarter of 2020, with 24,690 
megawatts under construction across the country and many of the 
individuals profiting from these wind projects are farmers and ranchers.Brady
 Weeks, president of Allegiant Land Services &amp; Consulting, in 
Seiling, Oklahoma, and landowner with wind turbines on his property, 
plays the middleman between landowners and energy companies during 
contract negotiations. He works with oil, gas and renewable energy 
companies to secure leases, so he sees all sides of these industries and
 recognizes wind power for its benefits to rural property owners.“Everyone
 knows when you get an oil and gas well it has a chance to be a barn 
burner or maybe it’s just average, but one thing that you do know in the
 oil and gas industry is that it is going to drop off eventually,” Weeks
 explained. “The takeaway from wind energy from a land owner’s 
standpoint is the generational income, and on top of that it is an 
increasing revenue stream that could last for 40 to 50 years. Our state 
is built around oil and gas, so we go up and down with that industry, 
which is kind of our downfall. The beauty of wind energy is that it is 
not a commodity like oil. It’s steady and doesn’t jump around.”Weeks
 said the checks landowners are cut each year are dependent on how big 
their turbines are, but with newer contracts many landowners can expect 
$10,000 to $15,000 per turbine annually. Additionally, Weeks said the 
industry is moving toward bigger turbines and fewer of them, so payments
 are getting larger compared to what they were 20 years ago.“Depending
 on the turbine and the megawatt capacity, with these newer projects 
landowners could be getting paid anywhere from $500,000 to $750,000 per 
turbine over the life of the contracts,” Weeks said. “It’s serious 
money. If you look at that from a landowner’s perspective, it’s a 
no-brainer. You may miss a crop, but you have another source of income.”Fortunately,
 landowners are still able to use the land around the turbines for 
agriculture like crops or livestock, with minimal production area taken 
out of commission.“Usually one
 turbine is going to remove one and half to two acres out of 
production,” he said. “We haven’t perfected the invisible turbine yet, 
but the surface impact is minimal.”However,
 the property owner is not the only one to benefit financially from wind
 turbines. According to Weeks, the oil and gas industry pays a gross 
production tax, which is distributed across all the counties in the 
state. However, with wind energy projects, all the taxes stay in the 
county where the wind turbines stand, keeping the revenue stream local. 
Weeks said some larger wind farm projects—depending on the megawatt 
capacity—could be anywhere from $400 million to even billion dollar 
investments, which will benefit rural America, not only with tax 
dollars, but with good paying jobs that bring families to farming 
communities and keep small towns alive.“Any money you can bring in from bigger 
companies to small, rural America is only going to improve the 
survivability of producers,” Weeks explained.In
 fact, in Dewey County, Oklahoma, where Weeks resides, the schools are 
able to stay off the state school funding formula due in large part to 
the amount of taxes paid through wind turbine companies. Although many 
fear wind turbine installation across the plains because they associate 
them with the Green New Deal and calls for taxes on cow flatulence, to 
Weeks, there is a place for oil, gas and renewable energy in this 
country and the more energy production in his state, the better—no 
matter the type.“I think we 
need to focus on the positives of wind energy and how the oil and gas 
and wind industries can coexist and work together on the grid,” he said.
 “Some people see it as an us versus them mentality and it couldn’t be 
any further from the truth from the landowner’s perspective. Yes, I 
think renewables are going to become more prevalent, but I think we’ll 
always be drilling for oil. The bottom line is Trump never stopped the 
windmills and Biden will never stop the fracking.”<h2>How clean is wind energy?</h2>Wind power is green energy and benefits 
rural landowners and communities financially, but some still see them as
 noisy eyesores that besmirch sunset views and take away for the beauty 
of the High Plains. Although wind turbines have a good reputation among 
most in the renewable energy sector, one must only look to the 
Environmental Protection Agency, of all places, to get the dirt on this 
clean energy. An EPA renewable energy briefing paper published January 
2021 painted wind turbines in a less than glowing light when it stated 
that there are chemical management concerns as wind turbines contain 
oils and other lubricants that can leak out and contaminate soil and 
water.Additionally, EPA said 
although wind turbines produce carbon-neutral energy, large amounts of 
fossil fuels are needed to install, transport and monitor turbines. The 
paper also said in most leases, wind farm operators are responsible for 
returning the land to its previous state at the end of the wind farm’s 
life, but if the windmill owner goes out of business before the end of 
the lease, the landowner is responsible for decommissioning and removal.
 Additionally, farmers have complained of difficulties crop dusting 
where wind turbines are present and the radio frequencies emitted from 
the turbines are known to foul up GPS systems.Although
 they are known for being environmentally friendly, the U.S. Fish and 
Wildlife Service says between 140,000 and 500,000 birds of over 200 
species are killed each year by wind turbines in the U.S. alone. The FWS
 predicts the average bird deaths from turbine collisions could reach 
1.4 million a year if wind farms are increased with the DOE’s mandates. 
Wind turbines can also affect animal habitats like that of the lesser 
prairie-chicken, which is listed as a vulnerable species. Wind turbines 
and lesser prairie-chickens require the same rural plains in Kansas, 
Texas, Oklahoma, New Mexico and Colorado and they do not coexist well 
together. Lesser prairie-chickens fear vertical structures because their
 instincts associate them with raptor perches, making it difficult for 
them to find nesting areas to lay their eggs. Aside from this list of 
concerns wind energy’s seemingly squeaky clean reputation can be marred 
with one simple fact, decommissioned blades are piling up in landfills.“Windmills
 are perhaps the least energy-producing and most physically difficult 
renewable waste stream to deal with,” the EPA briefing stated. “These 
behemoth power generators are not only laborious and expensive to 
transport and install, but they are burdensome to remove and recycle 
too.”The briefing paper goes 
on to reveal the larger the wind turbine, the larger the blade diameter,
 and the more power generated, so turbine manufacturers are incentivized
 to install the largest turbines they can, which makes them more 
difficult to dispose. Although 85% of the turbine, including steel, 
copper wire, electronics and gears, can be recycled, the blades are made
 of fiberglass or carbon fiber—depending on their age—leaving companies 
with few choices when blades reach the end of their lifetime. Of the 
8,000 blades decommissioned each year, most are scrapped and buried in 
one of three landfills in the U.S. that accepts them, including Lake 
Mills, Iowa, Sioux Falls, South Dakota, and Casper, Wyoming. The Casper 
Municipal Landfill alone is home to almost 900 blades that are buried 30
 feet underground.The topic of
 wind turbine blade graveyards is not only timely because of the current
 push toward 100% renewable energy, but also because blades last about 
20 to 25 years, so many of the original turbines that were installed 
when wind energy became popular in the late 1990s and early 2000s are 
reaching the end of their life, so this issue will only grow without 
some major problem solving by the wind industry.The
 EPA’s briefing paper summed it up best when it stated: “Until such a 
time as windmills can be efficiently dismantled so that component 
elements are separated out into units small enough to enter the existing
 waste stream and be reused or properly disposed of, each windfarm is a 
towering promise of future wreckage.”Fortunately,
 wind energy companies are focused on discovering ways to recycle old 
blades and engineer the new blades to be reused in the future. A company
 called Global Fiberglass Solutions has devised a patented solution to 
break down the old blades and press them into pellets and fiber boards 
to be used for flooring and walls. GFS has opened plants in Texas and 
Iowa where they are able to process 99.9% of a blade and expect to break
 down 6,000 to 7,000 blades per year per plant—which is a big step in 
the right direction.Whether 
they are spinning 300 feet high in the sky or buried 30 feet under, wind
 turbines will continue to play a part in the world’s energy production 
and rural America can prepare itself by learning the advantages and 
drawbacks of wind energy production and what is just hot air.Lacey Newlin can be reached at 620-227-1871 or <a href="mailto:lnewlin@hpj.com">lnewlin@hpj.com</a>. Republished with permission.