By AUDREY COLEMAN <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2022/12/05/from-this-celebrated-kansans-past-a-leadership-legacy-for-the-future/">Courtesy Kansas Reflector</a>

Dec. 5 marks one year since the passing of one of America’s greatest statesmen, U.S. Sen. Bob Dole.

In a time when bipartisan cooperation is an innovation rather than an
 empirical norm, we’re left with the historical examples. It’s 
instructive to remember that Dole reached the height of power and 
influence through dealmaking — shepherding nuanced, compromise 
legislative solutions into law and building a future-oriented consensus.

In honor of him, and fortunately for us, the values that produced 
these compromises are still alive and well at the University of Kansas’ 
Dole Institute of Politics. Since 2003, the Dole Institute has promoted 
civility, bipartisanship, and public service — elements of human 
character made institutional mission.

As a witness and participant in Dole’s memorial services last year, 
another of his defining qualities prevailed among the public remarks and
 personal conversations: his optimism, a posture not always present but 
well-considered and hard-fought.

Optimism has been a hard sell of late to students on college 
campuses, and all of us beyond, conjuring either willful obliviousness 
or a delusion excusing norm-destroying behavior. But the optimism Dole 
came to know was constructive, centering the belief beyond all doubt 
that he — and you, and I — possessed the power to surmount the day’s 
challenges together and regardless of political difference.

Several weeks ago, among an already busy slate of engagement 
opportunities for young people, the Dole Institute hosted an exchange 
between KU students, largely Kansan and Midwestern, with a group of 
students from Harvard Kennedy School’s Institute of Politics for 
conversation about political polarization, political participation and 
democracy’s future in this country. Twelve undergraduate students of 
different places, backgrounds and beliefs dedicated their weekend to one
 another, deliberating actionable steps to address what comes next for 
our country.

Those of us who had the privilege to witness this next generation — 
their smarts, compassion, earnestness of purpose — would be forgiven our
 optimism for our nation’s future.

The 118th Congress will convene in January, and again arrives the 
opportunity for a new cohort of leaders to turn from bitter partisanship
 toward compromise and consensus. That expectation might seem 
unreasonable given our political climate, but as the midterm election 
results showed, the electorate is ready for a change in tone.

In this way, perhaps, the past is again an inspiration. More than a 
quarter-century ago, Dole accepted the Republican nomination for 
president with a speech that closed in these words:

Optimism is in our blood. I know this as few others can. There 
once was a time when I doubted the future. But I have learned as many of
 you have learned that obstacles can be overcome.

And I have unlimited confidence in the wisdom of our people and the future of our country.

Tonight, I stand before you tested by adversity, made sensitive 
by hardship, a fighter by principle, and the most optimistic man in 
America.

My life is proof that America is a land without limits. And with 
my feet on the ground and my heart filled with hope, I put my faith in 
you and in the God who loves us all.

For I am convinced that America’s best days are yet to come.

We don’t typically look for the next wave of the future in 
institutions, which tend to be about as revolutionary as nostalgia for a
 receding past. But at their best, when reflecting human nature’s finest
 qualities, they are both an essential foundation of and sustaining 
nourishment for an enduring democratic society.

On a sad day for so many, how fortunate we are that Dole’s legacy 
lives through a thriving institution dedicated to the only kind of 
leadership that will secure our country’s future.

Audrey Coleman is the director of the Robert J. Dole Institute of Politics at the University of Kansas in Lawrence.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1670260627700.png" alt="Audrey Coleman gives opening remarks at the Kansas Statehouse service for Sen. Bob Dole last year. (Eric Montgomery/Dole Archives)" />
 <figcaption>Audrey Coleman gives opening remarks at the Kansas Statehouse service for Sen. Bob Dole last year. (Eric Montgomery/Dole Archives)</figcaption>
 </figure>By AUDREY COLEMAN <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2022/12/05/from-this-celebrated-kansans-past-a-leadership-legacy-for-the-future/">Courtesy Kansas Reflector</a>Dec. 5 marks one year since the passing of one of America’s greatest statesmen, U.S. Sen. Bob Dole.In a time when bipartisan cooperation is an innovation rather than an
 empirical norm, we’re left with the historical examples. It’s 
instructive to remember that Dole reached the height of power and 
influence through dealmaking — shepherding nuanced, compromise 
legislative solutions into law and building a future-oriented consensus.In honor of him, and fortunately for us, the values that produced 
these compromises are still alive and well at the University of Kansas’ 
Dole Institute of Politics. Since 2003, the Dole Institute has promoted 
civility, bipartisanship, and public service — elements of human 
character made institutional mission.As a witness and participant in Dole’s memorial services last year, 
another of his defining qualities prevailed among the public remarks and
 personal conversations: his optimism, a posture not always present but 
well-considered and hard-fought.Optimism has been a hard sell of late to students on college 
campuses, and all of us beyond, conjuring either willful obliviousness 
or a delusion excusing norm-destroying behavior. But the optimism Dole 
came to know was constructive, centering the belief beyond all doubt 
that he — and you, and I — possessed the power to surmount the day’s 
challenges together and regardless of political difference.Partisanship was a means, not an end.Several weeks ago, among an already busy slate of engagement 
opportunities for young people, the Dole Institute hosted an exchange 
between KU students, largely Kansan and Midwestern, with a group of 
students from Harvard Kennedy School’s Institute of Politics for 
conversation about political polarization, political participation and 
democracy’s future in this country. Twelve undergraduate students of 
different places, backgrounds and beliefs dedicated their weekend to one
 another, deliberating actionable steps to address what comes next for 
our country.Those of us who had the privilege to witness this next generation — 
their smarts, compassion, earnestness of purpose — would be forgiven our
 optimism for our nation’s future.The 118th Congress will convene in January, and again arrives the 
opportunity for a new cohort of leaders to turn from bitter partisanship
 toward compromise and consensus. That expectation might seem 
unreasonable given our political climate, but as the midterm election 
results showed, the electorate is ready for a change in tone.In this way, perhaps, the past is again an inspiration. More than a 
quarter-century ago, Dole accepted the Republican nomination for 
president with a speech that closed in these words:Optimism is in our blood. I know this as few others can. There 
once was a time when I doubted the future. But I have learned as many of
 you have learned that obstacles can be overcome.And I have unlimited confidence in the wisdom of our people and the future of our country.Tonight, I stand before you tested by adversity, made sensitive 
by hardship, a fighter by principle, and the most optimistic man in 
America. My life is proof that America is a land without limits. And with 
my feet on the ground and my heart filled with hope, I put my faith in 
you and in the God who loves us all.For I am convinced that America’s best days are yet to come.We don’t typically look for the next wave of the future in 
institutions, which tend to be about as revolutionary as nostalgia for a
 receding past. But at their best, when reflecting human nature’s finest
 qualities, they are both an essential foundation of and sustaining 
nourishment for an enduring democratic society.On a sad day for so many, how fortunate we are that Dole’s legacy 
lives through a thriving institution dedicated to the only kind of 
leadership that will secure our country’s future.Audrey Coleman is the director of the Robert J. Dole Institute of Politics at the University of Kansas in Lawrence.

OPINION: From celebrated Kansan’s past, a leadership legacy for the future

Enjoy sleigh bells and Santa for Christmas at Fort Larned      

By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays Post

The <a href="https://www.facebook.com/HaysPD?__cft__[0]=AZWkWzvALK08V9jkK4MTqPdzVhKrCs4hTpJt6m8d5D_0NCrjcBqpTGwX0YYgPnnuTqDCMrB8ND98w5n8vJXLaiWphrZuK7vo3rKgPZT4RJRumC1DLnjm611TSD-D03SwkUXlbOETjgD3BmIlYAvt8My4iWjkOuOPCl-TSdN2u5IefJYMlXARg_3c28SLcrWBe4U&amp;__tn__=-]K-R">Hays Police Department</a> is joining forces with <a href="https://www.facebook.com/LbBrewing?__cft__[0]=AZWkWzvALK08V9jkK4MTqPdzVhKrCs4hTpJt6m8d5D_0NCrjcBqpTGwX0YYgPnnuTqDCMrB8ND98w5n8vJXLaiWphrZuK7vo3rKgPZT4RJRumC1DLnjm611TSD-D03SwkUXlbOETjgD3BmIlYAvt8My4iWjkOuOPCl-TSdN2u5IefJYMlXARg_3c28SLcrWBe4U&amp;__tn__=-]K-R">Gella's Diner &amp; Lb. Brewing Co.</a> to raise money for <a href="https://www.facebook.com/specialolympicskansas?__cft__[0]=AZWkWzvALK08V9jkK4MTqPdzVhKrCs4hTpJt6m8d5D_0NCrjcBqpTGwX0YYgPnnuTqDCMrB8ND98w5n8vJXLaiWphrZuK7vo3rKgPZT4RJRumC1DLnjm611TSD-D03SwkUXlbOETjgD3BmIlYAvt8My4iWjkOuOPCl-TSdN2u5IefJYMlXARg_3c28SLcrWBe4U&amp;__tn__=-]K-R">Special Olympics Kansas</a> athletes.

Members of the HPD will be at the Gella's from 5 to 7 p.m. Tuesday.

The HPD members will approach tables with servers. They will inform the diners about Special Olympics and leave an envelope in which the diners can leave donations, said Brain Dawson, Hays deputy chief.

The HPD volunteers will help serve and bus tables.

"Our goal is to get out there and raise as many funds as we can," Dawson said.

Local law enforcement has historically been a supporter of Special Olympics both fundraising and participating in torch lighting for the Kansas basketball and cheerleading events conducted annually in Hays.

"We like to think the community is aware, but every little bit helps raise awareness of the needs of the athletes and their families," Dawson said.

If you can't make it out to Gella's, you can donate to Special Olympics directly at <a href="https://soks.org/">https://soks.org/</a>.

By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays PostThe <a href="https://www.facebook.com/HaysPD?__cft__[0]=AZWkWzvALK08V9jkK4MTqPdzVhKrCs4hTpJt6m8d5D_0NCrjcBqpTGwX0YYgPnnuTqDCMrB8ND98w5n8vJXLaiWphrZuK7vo3rKgPZT4RJRumC1DLnjm611TSD-D03SwkUXlbOETjgD3BmIlYAvt8My4iWjkOuOPCl-TSdN2u5IefJYMlXARg_3c28SLcrWBe4U&amp;__tn__=-]K-R">Hays Police Department</a> is joining forces with <a href="https://www.facebook.com/LbBrewing?__cft__[0]=AZWkWzvALK08V9jkK4MTqPdzVhKrCs4hTpJt6m8d5D_0NCrjcBqpTGwX0YYgPnnuTqDCMrB8ND98w5n8vJXLaiWphrZuK7vo3rKgPZT4RJRumC1DLnjm611TSD-D03SwkUXlbOETjgD3BmIlYAvt8My4iWjkOuOPCl-TSdN2u5IefJYMlXARg_3c28SLcrWBe4U&amp;__tn__=-]K-R">Gella's Diner &amp; Lb. Brewing Co.</a> to raise money for <a href="https://www.facebook.com/specialolympicskansas?__cft__[0]=AZWkWzvALK08V9jkK4MTqPdzVhKrCs4hTpJt6m8d5D_0NCrjcBqpTGwX0YYgPnnuTqDCMrB8ND98w5n8vJXLaiWphrZuK7vo3rKgPZT4RJRumC1DLnjm611TSD-D03SwkUXlbOETjgD3BmIlYAvt8My4iWjkOuOPCl-TSdN2u5IefJYMlXARg_3c28SLcrWBe4U&amp;__tn__=-]K-R">Special Olympics Kansas</a> athletes.Members of the HPD will be at the Gella's from 5 to 7 p.m. Tuesday.The HPD members will approach tables with servers. They will inform the diners about Special Olympics and leave an envelope in which the diners can leave donations, said Brain Dawson, Hays deputy chief. The HPD volunteers will help serve and bus tables."Our goal is to get out there and raise as many funds as we can," Dawson said.Local law enforcement has historically been a supporter of Special Olympics both fundraising and participating in torch lighting for the Kansas basketball and cheerleading events conducted annually in Hays. "We like to think the community is aware, but every little bit helps raise awareness of the needs of the athletes and their families," Dawson said.If you can't make it out to Gella's, you can donate to Special Olympics directly at <a href="https://soks.org/">https://soks.org/</a>.

Tip a Cop to raise money for Special Olympics Tuesday at Gella's

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

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1670008476280.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure><a href="https://hayspost.com/pages/state-farm-weather-window">For a full look at the weather forecast, click here.</a>

Three-day weather outlook

The successes of tomorrow begin today, Catholic education is a lifetime advantage.

Catholic schools...schools you can believe in.

SubmittedThe successes of tomorrow begin today, Catholic education is a lifetime advantage.Catholic schools...schools you can believe in.Monday<ol>
 <li>Mrs. Alexandra Rome, Music Teacher, will represent us this morning at the Catholic Schools Report; topic: HFE Christmas Program. </li><li>5th gr. has program practice at 10:30 a.m. </li><li>4th gr. will have program practice at 12:30. </li><li>Admin Team Mtg. 1:30 p.m. in Cafeteria. </li><li>VBRD Committee Mtg. 3:40 p.m. in 5B Classroom.</li>
 </ol>Tuesday<ol>
 <li>This mass was prepared by 6B and celebrated by Fr. Damian. </li><li>St. Nicholas Day! It is the Memorial of St. Nicholas, Bishop! </li><li>2nd &amp; 3rd Gr. program practice at 9:00 a.m </li><li>6th Gr. program practice at 10:30 a.m. </li><li>K &amp; 1st Gr. program practice at 1:30 p.m. </li><li>Tonight is our Christmas Program at 6:30 p.m. at IHM! Students, listen up! You need to arrive by 6:15 tonight and come wearing your best Christmas service attire! No jeans!</li>
 </ol>Wednesday<ol>
 <li>Memorial of St. Ambrose, Bishop &amp; Dr. of the Church. </li><li>All Staff Mtg. 3:40 p.m. in Library. </li><li>Just a reminder that there is no school tomorrow due to the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary (Holy Day)</li>
 </ol>Thursday<ol>
 <li>NO SCHOOL – HOLY DAY </li>
 </ol>Friday<ol>
 <li>Memorial of St. Juan Diego Cuauhtlatoatzin. </li><li>Hourly staff timesheets are due to Karla in the office this morning. </li><li>Just a reminder that Mary’s Baby Shower is on Monday, so be sure to bring your baby gift with you to school on Monday!</li>
 </ol><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1670010097896.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>

Holy Family Elementary weekly update

At a meeting last week, the Child Care Task Force of Ellis County shared the insights members gleaned from a series of focus groups.

Finding locations for child care centers is not an issue, but supporting and recruiting providers, and regulatory hurdles are, according to people who attended the focus groups.

Sarah Wasinger, task force member, shared the information with the rest of the task force.

Ellis County would need 640 additional child care spots to reach full capacity.

Several participants who attended the faith-based focus group said their churches have spaces that could be available for child care and their churches would be interested in partnering with providers in some way, Wasigner said.

Wasinger said the Hays Chamber could act as a contact point for providers who might be interested in partnering with one of these faith groups.

"Because we have the ties to KDHE and Child Care Aware of Kansas, [the chamber] can then connect them with resources on the different things they can access," Wasinger said of potential providers.

The faith-based participants shared Centennial Plaza and Epworth Towers could be good places to look toward for creating foster grandparent programs.

They also brought up Lincoln Elementary School, which is set to be closed once construction on several Hays USD 489 bond projects is completed.

State law would prohibit young children from being housed on the second floor of the building, and Wasinger said there are also limitations to a building that is almost 100 years old. The group discussed bringing modular buildings onto the land. A provider could use the playground that already exists at that location.

The provider focus group participants discussed some of the challenges of waiting lists.

Bright Minds Academy has a waiting list of 20 to 25 children. The baby room is booked through 2025. 

Staffing continues to be a challenge because workers can make more money working in the fast food industry, Wasinger said.

Bright Minds also raised concerns about the need to raise tuition.&nbsp; Caregivers need to make livable wages, but providers don't want to charge prices that parents can't afford, Wasinger said.

Child care workers are required to take a two-week online health and safety course. Providers said it would help if that training could be provided for free. Offering free CPR and first-aid classes on a regular basis could also be an incentive to recruit new child-care workers.

Providers expressed frustration with the bureaucracy.&nbsp; Wasinger said it can be months between certification and when a home can open.

Provider and task force member Andrea Hoss said she would like the state to issue emergency orders to allow child-care homes or centers to care for more children. 

Hoss said our community is in a crisis. The community has first responders who can't go to work because they don't have child care, she said.

Legislators are often unaware of the child care regulatory hurdles, said Donna Hudson-Hamilton, task force member and director of Early Childhood Connections. She said it is up to providers and members of the task force to educate legislators.

State Rep. Barb Wasinger, R-Hays, has attended some task force meetings, but she was not at the November meeting.

Brett Schmidt, provider, said the power to change regulations lies with the Kansas Department of Health and Environment. He said suggestions should be brought to that agency.

The providers also suggested trying to get business or accounting students to help providers with their bookkeeping. They also discussed the possibility of the task force applying for a grant to purchase business management software for providers or pooling resources to obtain discounts on licenses.

Providers have had continued discussions of trying to get a restaurant or caterer to work with providers to produce meals for children in care.

Employers said they saw lost productivity if a parent had to bring a child to work because of lack of care. Some employees have been unsure if they will return to work after maternity leave because they don't know if they will be able to secure child care.

During the educators' focus group a representative from Tiger Tots child care said that center had a year to year and a half waiting period.

The group discussed a hospital in another community that offers child care for sick children. 

Hudson-Hamilton said she is still working to establish a child care accreditation track at Hays High School. 

The group talked about tapping into retired teachers as potential child care providers.

The task force also discussed organizing quarterly education presentations for providers. They hoped this would also be time providers could offer each other support. The task force is interested in finding sponsors for these meetings so it could provide meals.

The task force has received a $30,000 matching grant from the Robert E. and Patricia A. Schmidt Foundation to use toward a child care awareness campaign. The task force received $15,000 toward the match from the Ellis County Commission plus donations from other charitable groups and businesses. It still needs $3,800 to garner the full Schmidt Foundation match.

The Schmidt Foundation will still honor the match dollar-for-dollar even if the full $30,000 is not raised, Wasinger said. If the task force doesn't receive the full $30,000 match, it will reduce its spending on the campaign.

The task force hopes to begin the year-long campaign in January.

Cover photo courtesy of Pixabay

By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays PostAt a meeting last week, the Child Care Task Force of Ellis County shared the insights members gleaned from a series of focus groups.Finding locations for child care centers is not an issue, but supporting and recruiting providers, and regulatory hurdles are, according to people who attended the focus groups. Sarah Wasinger, task force member, shared the information with the rest of the task force.Ellis County would need 640 additional child care spots to reach full capacity. Several participants who attended the faith-based focus group said their churches have spaces that could be available for child care and their churches would be interested in partnering with providers in some way, Wasigner said.Wasinger said the Hays Chamber could act as a contact point for providers who might be interested in partnering with one of these faith groups."Because we have the ties to KDHE and Child Care Aware of Kansas, [the chamber] can then connect them with resources on the different things they can access," Wasinger said of potential providers.The faith-based participants shared Centennial Plaza and Epworth Towers could be good places to look toward for creating foster grandparent programs.They also brought up Lincoln Elementary School, which is set to be closed once construction on several Hays USD 489 bond projects is completed.State law would prohibit young children from being housed on the second floor of the building, and Wasinger said there are also limitations to a building that is almost 100 years old. The group discussed bringing modular buildings onto the land. A provider could use the playground that already exists at that location. The provider focus group participants discussed some of the challenges of waiting lists.Bright Minds Academy has a waiting list of 20 to 25 children. The baby room is booked through 2025. Staffing continues to be a challenge because workers can make more money working in the fast food industry, Wasinger said.Bright Minds also raised concerns about the need to raise tuition.&nbsp; Caregivers need to make livable wages, but providers don't want to charge prices that parents can't afford, Wasinger said.Child care workers are required to take a two-week online health and safety course. Providers said it would help if that training could be provided for free. Offering free CPR and first-aid classes on a regular basis could also be an incentive to recruit new child-care workers.Providers expressed frustration with the bureaucracy.&nbsp; Wasinger said it can be months between certification and when a home can open. Provider and task force member Andrea Hoss said she would like the state to issue emergency orders to allow child-care homes or centers to care for more children. Hoss said our community is in a crisis. The community has first responders who can't go to work because they don't have child care, she said. Legislators are often unaware of the child care regulatory hurdles, said Donna Hudson-Hamilton, task force member and director of Early Childhood Connections. She said it is up to providers and members of the task force to educate legislators.State Rep. Barb Wasinger, R-Hays, has attended some task force meetings, but she was not at the November meeting. Brett Schmidt, provider, said the power to change regulations lies with the Kansas Department of Health and Environment. He said suggestions should be brought to that agency.The providers also suggested trying to get business or accounting students to help providers with their bookkeeping. They also discussed the possibility of the task force applying for a grant to purchase business management software for providers or pooling resources to obtain discounts on licenses. Providers have had continued discussions of trying to get a restaurant or caterer to work with providers to produce meals for children in care.Employers said they saw lost productivity if a parent had to bring a child to work because of lack of care. Some employees have been unsure if they will return to work after maternity leave because they don't know if they will be able to secure child care.During the educators' focus group a representative from Tiger Tots child care said that center had a year to year and a half waiting period. The group discussed a hospital in another community that offers child care for sick children. Hudson-Hamilton said she is still working to establish a child care accreditation track at Hays High School. The group talked about tapping into retired teachers as potential child care providers.The task force also discussed organizing quarterly education presentations for providers. They hoped this would also be time providers could offer each other support. The task force is interested in finding sponsors for these meetings so it could provide meals.The task force has received a $30,000 matching grant from the Robert E. and Patricia A. Schmidt Foundation to use toward a child care awareness campaign. The task force received $15,000 toward the match from the Ellis County Commission plus donations from other charitable groups and businesses. It still needs $3,800 to garner the full Schmidt Foundation match.The Schmidt Foundation will still honor the match dollar-for-dollar even if the full $30,000 is not raised, Wasinger said. If the task force doesn't receive the full $30,000 match, it will reduce its spending on the campaign. The task force hopes to begin the year-long campaign in January. Cover photo courtesy of Pixabay

Ellis County Child Care Task Force discusses fixes during focus groups

By BECKY KISER Hays Post

It's a happy holiday season in Hays with a calendar filled with community events.

Melissa Dixon, Convention and Visitors Bureau executive director, has just a handful of the highlighted activities during December, included some special Santa stops in Hays.

For an up-to-the-minute holiday calendar of events, check the Hays CVB website at <a href="https://www.visithays.com/calendar.aspx">www.visithays.com</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/2/1643752861736.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>By BECKY KISER Hays PostIt's a happy holiday season in Hays with a calendar filled with community events.Melissa Dixon, Convention and Visitors Bureau executive director, has just a handful of the highlighted activities during December, included some special Santa stops in Hays.<div><div style="position:relative; overflow:hidden; padding-bottom:56.25%"><iframe src="https://cdn.jwplayer.com/players/ouLAfBrM-P46diVCW.html" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" scrolling="auto" title="Cvb Dec 2022" style="position:absolute;" allowfullscreen></iframe></div></div>For an up-to-the-minute holiday calendar of events, check the Hays CVB website at <a href="https://www.visithays.com/calendar.aspx">www.visithays.com</a>.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1670020621821.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>

🎥 CVB: Check out the holiday fun in Hays this season 

Over Labor Day Weekend ,many&nbsp;Nicodemus descendants gathered to&nbsp;re-enact&nbsp;their ancestors’ story&nbsp;of leaving&nbsp;1877&nbsp;Kentucky&nbsp;to&nbsp;immigrate&nbsp;to Western Kansas&nbsp;to homestead and found a town. Descendant Angela Bates&nbsp;devoted decades to researching and recording her family’s&nbsp;Western Kansas story&nbsp;and has written a script to share&nbsp;it. &nbsp;The&nbsp;ripples, like those of a pebble tossed into a still pond, continue to affect&nbsp;participants’ lives.

Angela&nbsp;researched the Ellis/Nicodemus Trail, collaborated with Walz families who own land the trail crosses, wrote the script, encouraged cousins to participate,&nbsp;and&nbsp;discovered&nbsp;Nick Abt&nbsp;Films.&nbsp;Finally, she, with the help of others, and funding from the National Parks Foundation and Trust for Public Lands,&nbsp;tied up loose ends necessary to film the&nbsp;Ellis to Nicodemus Trail&nbsp;segment&nbsp;of the documentary in&nbsp;only three days.&nbsp;After a storm threatened filming on Friday evening,&nbsp;they&nbsp;shot&nbsp;the rest of the weekend’s footage&nbsp;with&nbsp;sunshine,&nbsp;gentle breezes, and moderate temperatures.&nbsp;Everyone involved&nbsp;thanked God&nbsp;that local snakes sunbathed&nbsp;elsewhere&nbsp;while&nbsp;participants&nbsp;traipsed&nbsp;the path their forebears&nbsp;walked&nbsp;145 years earlier.&nbsp;

I&nbsp;participated&nbsp;as the&nbsp;proverbial fly on the wall, taking&nbsp;photos and listening&nbsp;to conversations among computer techs, business people, realtors, vet techs, university professors, United States Park Service employees, chefs,&nbsp;and&nbsp;others&nbsp;who peeled&nbsp;away&nbsp;layers of shared family history.&nbsp;Several descendants&nbsp;traveled from&nbsp;urban areas&nbsp;as far away as Atlanta and Cincinnati&nbsp;because&nbsp;Nicodemus like most western Kansas&nbsp;small towns has outsourced&nbsp;many&nbsp;dreamers and visionaries.&nbsp;

These cousins&nbsp;proudly&nbsp;connect to this community that birthed their&nbsp;futures&nbsp;through their&nbsp;annual&nbsp;Emancipation&nbsp;Celebration&nbsp;and its huge gathering.&nbsp;Only a&nbsp;few&nbsp;live&nbsp;nearby so&nbsp;hiking through&nbsp;grasses&nbsp;so&nbsp;dense&nbsp;walkers&nbsp;couldn’t see&nbsp;snakes or ticks added realistic drama.&nbsp;Experiencing&nbsp;mosquito&nbsp;bites and&nbsp;a badger-hole-induced&nbsp;tumble,&nbsp;re-enactors&nbsp;demonstrated the&nbsp;same&nbsp;hardy spirit their ancestors&nbsp;displayed following wagons&nbsp;35 miles&nbsp;northwest&nbsp;from&nbsp;Ellis&nbsp;across unbroken&nbsp;prairie to&nbsp;undeveloped&nbsp;Nicodemus.&nbsp;

On Pioneer Day in October,&nbsp;ripples widened as&nbsp;documentary&nbsp;participants&nbsp;provided the Nicodemus Historical Society&nbsp;Program.&nbsp;Actors&nbsp;emotionally&nbsp;voiced&nbsp;either in person or through Zoomhow the filming impacted them.&nbsp;Several told how children,&nbsp;grandchildren, and friends&nbsp;had never heard of&nbsp;relatives who left Kentucky and&nbsp;traveled&nbsp;to Kansas to homestead.&nbsp;They&nbsp;discussed&nbsp;what homesteading required.&nbsp;All&nbsp;took pride in&nbsp;descending&nbsp;from sturdy stock.&nbsp;Actors&nbsp;playing the&nbsp;very&nbsp;pregnant&nbsp;Emma Williams,&nbsp;her mom&nbsp;Zerina, and dad&nbsp;Tom&nbsp;Johnson&nbsp;experienced&nbsp;a deep spiritual connection to&nbsp;ancestors they portrayed.&nbsp;Those observing filming watched their characters develop&nbsp;and deepen.&nbsp;

Many&nbsp;participants&nbsp;noted original settlers’&nbsp;physical&nbsp;stressors&nbsp;due to traveling with&nbsp;a very pregnant woman&nbsp;and&nbsp;several older family members.&nbsp;They commented that their&nbsp;ancestors relied entirely on themselves during that first&nbsp;trek&nbsp;to Nicodemus. Re-enactors knew&nbsp;they&nbsp;could call help if&nbsp;necessary. Someone&nbsp;mentioned&nbsp;farmsteads with wells&nbsp;now&nbsp;exist that didn’t back then.&nbsp;Those newcomers&nbsp;either carried water or drank from creeks and the river along the way.

The circle widens as this story impacts&nbsp;more than&nbsp;the descendants recreating&nbsp;it. Their&nbsp;formerly enslaved&nbsp;ancestors’&nbsp;desire for freedom and the right to&nbsp;homestead&nbsp;came to life for&nbsp;the film crew, land owners, support crews, and&nbsp;wagon and horse&nbsp;teams&nbsp;who had no relatives in Nicodemus.&nbsp;The filming&nbsp;touched everyone involved.&nbsp;That effect will grow as more audiences view it.&nbsp;

Completing all aspects of the documentary takes time.&nbsp;In the future, when it hits the screen, ripples will expand beyond Western Kansas and these&nbsp;participants’&nbsp;lives.&nbsp;This&nbsp;story&nbsp;of strength and determination adds not only to the&nbsp;legacy&nbsp;of our state but also our nation. &nbsp;

Karen is a retired teacher, writer, photographer, outdoors lover, and
 sixth-generation Kansan. After a time away, she’s glad to be home.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1669931782533.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>By KAREN MADORINOver Labor Day Weekend ,many&nbsp;Nicodemus descendants gathered to&nbsp;re-enact&nbsp;their ancestors’ story&nbsp;of leaving&nbsp;1877&nbsp;Kentucky&nbsp;to&nbsp;immigrate&nbsp;to Western Kansas&nbsp;to homestead and found a town. Descendant Angela Bates&nbsp;devoted decades to researching and recording her family’s&nbsp;Western Kansas story&nbsp;and has written a script to share&nbsp;it. &nbsp;The&nbsp;ripples, like those of a pebble tossed into a still pond, continue to affect&nbsp;participants’ lives.Angela&nbsp;researched the Ellis/Nicodemus Trail, collaborated with Walz families who own land the trail crosses, wrote the script, encouraged cousins to participate,&nbsp;and&nbsp;discovered&nbsp;Nick Abt&nbsp;Films.&nbsp;Finally, she, with the help of others, and funding from the National Parks Foundation and Trust for Public Lands,&nbsp;tied up loose ends necessary to film the&nbsp;Ellis to Nicodemus Trail&nbsp;segment&nbsp;of the documentary in&nbsp;only three days.&nbsp;After a storm threatened filming on Friday evening,&nbsp;they&nbsp;shot&nbsp;the rest of the weekend’s footage&nbsp;with&nbsp;sunshine,&nbsp;gentle breezes, and moderate temperatures.&nbsp;Everyone involved&nbsp;thanked God&nbsp;that local snakes sunbathed&nbsp;elsewhere&nbsp;while&nbsp;participants&nbsp;traipsed&nbsp;the path their forebears&nbsp;walked&nbsp;145 years earlier.&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/7/1658158605319.jpeg" alt="Karen Madorin" />
 <figcaption>Karen Madorin</figcaption>
 </figure>I&nbsp;participated&nbsp;as the&nbsp;proverbial fly on the wall, taking&nbsp;photos and listening&nbsp;to conversations among computer techs, business people, realtors, vet techs, university professors, United States Park Service employees, chefs,&nbsp;and&nbsp;others&nbsp;who peeled&nbsp;away&nbsp;layers of shared family history.&nbsp;Several descendants&nbsp;traveled from&nbsp;urban areas&nbsp;as far away as Atlanta and Cincinnati&nbsp;because&nbsp;Nicodemus like most western Kansas&nbsp;small towns has outsourced&nbsp;many&nbsp;dreamers and visionaries.&nbsp;These cousins&nbsp;proudly&nbsp;connect to this community that birthed their&nbsp;futures&nbsp;through their&nbsp;annual&nbsp;Emancipation&nbsp;Celebration&nbsp;and its huge gathering.&nbsp;Only a&nbsp;few&nbsp;live&nbsp;nearby so&nbsp;hiking through&nbsp;grasses&nbsp;so&nbsp;dense&nbsp;walkers&nbsp;couldn’t see&nbsp;snakes or ticks added realistic drama.&nbsp;Experiencing&nbsp;mosquito&nbsp;bites and&nbsp;a badger-hole-induced&nbsp;tumble,&nbsp;re-enactors&nbsp;demonstrated the&nbsp;same&nbsp;hardy spirit their ancestors&nbsp;displayed following wagons&nbsp;35 miles&nbsp;northwest&nbsp;from&nbsp;Ellis&nbsp;across unbroken&nbsp;prairie to&nbsp;undeveloped&nbsp;Nicodemus.&nbsp;On Pioneer Day in October,&nbsp;ripples widened as&nbsp;documentary&nbsp;participants&nbsp;provided the Nicodemus Historical Society&nbsp;Program.&nbsp;Actors&nbsp;emotionally&nbsp;voiced&nbsp;either in person or through Zoomhow the filming impacted them.&nbsp;Several told how children,&nbsp;grandchildren, and friends&nbsp;had never heard of&nbsp;relatives who left Kentucky and&nbsp;traveled&nbsp;to Kansas to homestead.&nbsp;They&nbsp;discussed&nbsp;what homesteading required.&nbsp;All&nbsp;took pride in&nbsp;descending&nbsp;from sturdy stock.&nbsp;Actors&nbsp;playing the&nbsp;very&nbsp;pregnant&nbsp;Emma Williams,&nbsp;her mom&nbsp;Zerina, and dad&nbsp;Tom&nbsp;Johnson&nbsp;experienced&nbsp;a deep spiritual connection to&nbsp;ancestors they portrayed.&nbsp;Those observing filming watched their characters develop&nbsp;and deepen.&nbsp;Many&nbsp;participants&nbsp;noted original settlers’&nbsp;physical&nbsp;stressors&nbsp;due to traveling with&nbsp;a very pregnant woman&nbsp;and&nbsp;several older family members.&nbsp;They commented that their&nbsp;ancestors relied entirely on themselves during that first&nbsp;trek&nbsp;to Nicodemus. Re-enactors knew&nbsp;they&nbsp;could call help if&nbsp;necessary. Someone&nbsp;mentioned&nbsp;farmsteads with wells&nbsp;now&nbsp;exist that didn’t back then.&nbsp;Those newcomers&nbsp;either carried water or drank from creeks and the river along the way.The circle widens as this story impacts&nbsp;more than&nbsp;the descendants recreating&nbsp;it. Their&nbsp;formerly enslaved&nbsp;ancestors’&nbsp;desire for freedom and the right to&nbsp;homestead&nbsp;came to life for&nbsp;the film crew, land owners, support crews, and&nbsp;wagon and horse&nbsp;teams&nbsp;who had no relatives in Nicodemus.&nbsp;The filming&nbsp;touched everyone involved.&nbsp;That effect will grow as more audiences view it.&nbsp;Completing all aspects of the documentary takes time.&nbsp;In the future, when it hits the screen, ripples will expand beyond Western Kansas and these&nbsp;participants’&nbsp;lives.&nbsp;This&nbsp;story&nbsp;of strength and determination adds not only to the&nbsp;legacy&nbsp;of our state but also our nation. &nbsp;Karen is a retired teacher, writer, photographer, outdoors lover, and
 sixth-generation Kansan. After a time away, she’s glad to be home.

MADORIN: Ripples beyond Nicodemus

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1670008443736.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure><a href="https://hayspost.com/pages/state-farm-weather-window">For a full look at the weather forecast, click here.</a>

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🏀 WINNERS EVERY WEEK! CERVs Basketball Matchup

There was nearly a 70-degree swing in temperature from a record high on Thursday to the overnight low, according to the K-State Ag Research Center in Hays.

The high on Thursday was a Dec. 2 record of 77 degrees, with the overnight low plunging to just 8 degrees.

The high Saturday is expected to reach the low-40s, with highs in the low-50s expected Sunday and Monday, the National Weather Service in Dodge City reported. Overnight lows for the next week will remain well below freezing.

Skies are expected to remain partly cloudy and there is only a slight — very slight — chance of precipitation mid-week. But the NWS said no rain or snow is expected in western Kansas through Dec. 9, noting the "exceptional" drought will continue well into the month.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1670090651948.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>There was nearly a 70-degree swing in temperature from a record high on Thursday to the overnight low, according to the K-State Ag Research Center in Hays.The high on Thursday was a Dec. 2 record of 77 degrees, with the overnight low plunging to just 8 degrees.The high Saturday is expected to reach the low-40s, with highs in the low-50s expected Sunday and Monday, the National Weather Service in Dodge City reported. Overnight lows for the next week will remain well below freezing.Skies are expected to remain partly cloudy and there is only a slight — very slight — chance of precipitation mid-week. But the NWS said no rain or snow is expected in western Kansas through Dec. 9, noting the "exceptional" drought will continue well into the month.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">The exceptional drought continues across southwest Kansas, with no moisture relief in sight. No rain of snow is expected over the upcoming week, with rain in Oklahoma mostly, or entirely, staying southeast of southwest Kansas. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/kswx?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#kswx</a> <a href="https://t.co/DNY4eL90ul">pic.twitter.com/DNY4eL90ul</a>&mdash; NWS Dodge City (@NWSDodgeCity) <a href="https://twitter.com/NWSDodgeCity/status/1598845321924136960?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 3, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> </div>

70-degree temperature swing after record high Thursday

TOPEKA — The Kansas Department of Health and Environment has issued a boil water advisory for the city of Smith Center public water supply system located in Smith County.

Customers should observe the following precautions until further notice:

The advisory took effect on Dec. 2 and will remain in effect until the conditions that placed the system at risk of bacterial contamination are resolved. KDHE officials issued the advisory because of a line break resulting in a loss of pressure in the distribution system.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Regardless of whether the public water supplier or Kansas Department of Health and Environment announced a boil water advisory, only KDHE can issue the rescind order following testing at a certified laboratory.

For consumer questions, contact the water system at 785-282-3812, or KDHE at 785-296-5514. For consumer information, visit KDHE’s PWS Consumer Information webpage:&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDAsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyMjEyMDMuNjc2MjQyMTEiLCJ1cmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy5rZGhlLmtzLmdvdi80NjgvQ29uc3VtZXItSW5mb3JtYXRpb24tUmVnYXJkaW5nLWEtRGlzcnVwdD91dG1fbWVkaXVtPWVtYWlsJnV0bV9zb3VyY2U9Z292ZGVsaXZlcnkifQ.UNVsBG4uY_vAXdtjKKTd6y6Tw7zN_AfBsntjrnGqgh8/s/1305913623/br/149488557684-l" target="_blank">kdhe.ks.gov/waterdisruption</a>

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1670076172058.jpeg" alt="(Photo by Pixabay)" />
 <figcaption>(Photo by Pixabay)</figcaption>
 </figure>KDHETOPEKA — The Kansas Department of Health and Environment has issued a boil water advisory for the city of Smith Center public water supply system located in Smith County.Customers should observe the following precautions until further notice:<ul>
 <li>Boil water for one minute prior to drinking or food preparation or use bottled water.</li><li>Dispose of ice cubes and do not use ice from a household automatic icemaker.</li><li>If your tap water appears dirty, flush the water lines by letting the water run until it clears.</li><li>Disinfect dishes and other food contact surfaces by immersion for at least one minute in clean tap water that contains one teaspoon of unscented household bleach per gallon of water.</li><li>Water used for bathing does not generally need to be boiled. Supervision of children is necessary while bathing so that water is not ingested. Persons with cuts or severe rashes may wish to consult their physicians.</li>
 </ul>The advisory took effect on Dec. 2 and will remain in effect until the conditions that placed the system at risk of bacterial contamination are resolved. KDHE officials issued the advisory because of a line break resulting in a loss of pressure in the distribution system.&nbsp;&nbsp;Regardless of whether the public water supplier or Kansas Department of Health and Environment announced a boil water advisory, only KDHE can issue the rescind order following testing at a certified laboratory.For consumer questions, contact the water system at 785-282-3812, or KDHE at 785-296-5514. For consumer information, visit KDHE’s PWS Consumer Information webpage:&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDAsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyMjEyMDMuNjc2MjQyMTEiLCJ1cmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy5rZGhlLmtzLmdvdi80NjgvQ29uc3VtZXItSW5mb3JtYXRpb24tUmVnYXJkaW5nLWEtRGlzcnVwdD91dG1fbWVkaXVtPWVtYWlsJnV0bV9zb3VyY2U9Z292ZGVsaXZlcnkifQ.UNVsBG4uY_vAXdtjKKTd6y6Tw7zN_AfBsntjrnGqgh8/s/1305913623/br/149488557684-l" target="_blank">kdhe.ks.gov/waterdisruption</a>

KDHE issues boil order for Smith Center

VICTORIA — One of Ellis County's most beloved holiday traditions, the annual Christmas concert in the St. Fidelis Basilica is set to return at 3:30 p.m. Dec. 11.

"It's a big deal with us, and we'd like to see the big crowd come in and fill up St. Fidelis. It usually does," said Terry Crull, Fort Hays State University director of choral activities.

This year's concert marks the 36th year of the free event.

"That's the gift from St. Fidelis and the Fort Hays Choirs," Crull said.

During the concert, attendees will enjoy music provided by FHSU faculty and ensembles and other guest musicians, along with the Fort Hays Singers and Concert Choir, Smoky Hill Chorale and the Hays High School Chamber Singers, according to the event announcement.

"Our special guests this year is the TMP-Marian pop singers," Crull said. "Alexandra Rome (TMP-Marian Choir director) is a former singer of mine, and her choir is going to come and be our guest choir. They're going to combine on a number with the Hays High Chamber Singers.

"We've got the Fort Hays Brass Ensemble, and the Hays symphony orchestra is playing this year," he continued. "They're doing a suite of airs and dances, and then they're also accompanying the Fort Hays Singers on a traditional piece that my generation would know 'Twas the Night Before Christmas and All Through the House,' that old poem from years ago set to music by Harry Simone, and so they're going to have a little fun with that."

Returning again this year are carols of the season performed by the assembled crowd.

"We're going to give them a chance to stand and stretch and sing some of the joyous carols of Christmas," Crull said.

Fort Hays State University music professors Ivalah Allen, Ben Cline and Irena Ravitskaya, along with accompanist Pam McGowan, will also be featured during the concert.

"It's a full program, but we keep it moving because while the interludes, the brass ensemble, etc., are playing, that's when choirs move on and off quietly so as not to disturb the performance," Crull said. "But that way, as soon as one musical item is done, the next one can start."

As the event typically fills the cathedral, he said choir members would help direct the audience to fill the pews.

"There's no bad seat in the entire sanctuary," he said. "Anywhere you sit, and anywhere you sing from, the sound is just glorious. ... I've been in Italy, with choir tour, singing in some of the great cathedrals there in Rome. The sound is just as good in St. Fidelis. Maybe there aren't as many statues by Michelangelo or Raphael. And if you go to Spain, there's a little more gold all over the place than there is in St. Fidelis, but it's a beautiful sound."

He said the concert would be around 90 minutes, allowing ample time to enjoy the annual Frost Fest parade in downtown Hays at 6 p.m.

"It's a busy time of year," Crull said. "So we think it's a great way to start the holiday season. Second Sunday of Advent this year — Dec. 11 at 3:30 p.m. and free. Absolutely free. "

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1670010791180.jpeg" alt="File photo" />
 <figcaption>File photo</figcaption>
 </figure>By JAMES BELL Hays PostVICTORIA — One of Ellis County's most beloved holiday traditions, the annual Christmas concert in the St. Fidelis Basilica is set to return at 3:30 p.m. Dec. 11."It's a big deal with us, and we'd like to see the big crowd come in and fill up St. Fidelis. It usually does," said Terry Crull, Fort Hays State University director of choral activities.This year's concert marks the 36th year of the free event."That's the gift from St. Fidelis and the Fort Hays Choirs," Crull said.During the concert, attendees will enjoy music provided by FHSU faculty and ensembles and other guest musicians, along with the Fort Hays Singers and Concert Choir, Smoky Hill Chorale and the Hays High School Chamber Singers, according to the event announcement.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1670010759211.jpeg" alt="File photo" />
 <figcaption>File photo</figcaption>
 </figure>"Our special guests this year is the TMP-Marian pop singers," Crull said. "Alexandra Rome (TMP-Marian Choir director) is a former singer of mine, and her choir is going to come and be our guest choir. They're going to combine on a number with the Hays High Chamber Singers."We've got the Fort Hays Brass Ensemble, and the Hays symphony orchestra is playing this year," he continued. "They're doing a suite of airs and dances, and then they're also accompanying the Fort Hays Singers on a traditional piece that my generation would know 'Twas the Night Before Christmas and All Through the House,' that old poem from years ago set to music by Harry Simone, and so they're going to have a little fun with that."Returning again this year are carols of the season performed by the assembled crowd."We're going to give them a chance to stand and stretch and sing some of the joyous carols of Christmas," Crull said.Fort Hays State University music professors Ivalah Allen, Ben Cline and Irena Ravitskaya, along with accompanist Pam McGowan, will also be featured during the concert."It's a full program, but we keep it moving because while the interludes, the brass ensemble, etc., are playing, that's when choirs move on and off quietly so as not to disturb the performance," Crull said. "But that way, as soon as one musical item is done, the next one can start."As the event typically fills the cathedral, he said choir members would help direct the audience to fill the pews.But Crull said any seat is good."There's no bad seat in the entire sanctuary," he said. "Anywhere you sit, and anywhere you sing from, the sound is just glorious. ... I've been in Italy, with choir tour, singing in some of the great cathedrals there in Rome. The sound is just as good in St. Fidelis. Maybe there aren't as many statues by Michelangelo or Raphael. And if you go to Spain, there's a little more gold all over the place than there is in St. Fidelis, but it's a beautiful sound."He said the concert would be around 90 minutes, allowing ample time to enjoy the annual Frost Fest parade in downtown Hays at 6 p.m."It's a busy time of year," Crull said. "So we think it's a great way to start the holiday season. Second Sunday of Advent this year — Dec. 11 at 3:30 p.m. and free. Absolutely free. "

Sounds of Christmas return to Ellis County with annual Cathedral Concert

SHERIDAN COUNTY —A Kansas man died in an accident just before 3:30p.m. Friday in Sheridan County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2016 Kenworth semi driven by Jamie Beeson, 54, Scott City, was traveling on U.S. 24 seven miles west of Kansas 23 Highway.

The semi struck a struck a 2018 Ram driven by Brenton Phillips, 63, Selden, who was stopped behind a 2014 Peterbilt semi driven by Guy Wolf, 76, Syracuse, Nebraska.

The impact pushed the Ram into the Peterbilt. 

The Kenworth and Ram came to rest in the south ditch.&nbsp; The Peterbilt semi came to rest on the shoulder approximately a quarter mile east of the accident scene.

Phillips was pronounced dead at the scene and was transported to&nbsp;Mickey Leopold Mortuary. A private vehicle transported Beeson to the Sheridan County Hospital. Wolf was not injured. Phillips was not wearing a seat belt, according to the KHP.

SHERIDAN COUNTY —A Kansas man died in an accident just before 3:30p.m. Friday in Sheridan County.The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2016 Kenworth semi driven by Jamie Beeson, 54, Scott City, was traveling on U.S. 24 seven miles west of Kansas 23 Highway.The semi struck a struck a 2018 Ram driven by Brenton Phillips, 63, Selden, who was stopped behind a 2014 Peterbilt semi driven by Guy Wolf, 76, Syracuse, Nebraska.The impact pushed the Ram into the Peterbilt. The Kenworth and Ram came to rest in the south ditch.&nbsp; The Peterbilt semi came to rest on the shoulder approximately a quarter mile east of the accident scene.Phillips was pronounced dead at the scene and was transported to&nbsp;Mickey Leopold Mortuary. A private vehicle transported Beeson to the Sheridan County Hospital. Wolf was not injured. Phillips was not wearing a seat belt, according to the KHP.

NW Kansas man dies after semi rear-ends a pickup 

Hays public works crews got their first experience with brining the streets <a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/a6510352-cdaa-44a1-8429-6a7414f3489b">Nov. 14</a>, just ahead of the first — and only — measurable snowfall in Hays so far this season.

"Ironically, on Nov. 10, all service division employees participated in a 'liquids in winter operations and maintenance' workshop. Very timely," Collin Bielser, assistant city manager, told Hays city commissioners during a recent progress report of city departments' activities.&nbsp;

"All winter maintenance equipment has been checked over and is ready if needed," Bielser added.&nbsp;

The city has two trucks capable of applying the liquid brine. "It takes about four to five hours to cover the city," Bielser said.&nbsp;

In anticipation of holiday events, public works crews also installed holiday street decorations in downtown Hays with the assistance of the parks department.

Twenty-three lighted wreaths were hung along Main Street.&nbsp;

Parks employees trimmed shrubbery along 10th and Main prior to hanging Christmas lights and decorations on the tree in Union Pacific Railroad Park.

Watch the video below for highlights of more projects recently completed by city departments.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1670006892995.jpeg" alt="One of two trucks used by the city of Hays to brine the streets prior to a predicted ice or snow event. (Photo courtesy city of Hays)" />
 <figcaption>One of two trucks used by the city of Hays to brine the streets prior to a predicted ice or snow event. (Photo courtesy city of Hays)</figcaption>
 </figure>By BECKY KISER Hays PostHays public works crews got their first experience with brining the streets <a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/a6510352-cdaa-44a1-8429-6a7414f3489b">Nov. 14</a>, just ahead of the first — and only — measurable snowfall in Hays so far this season."Ironically, on Nov. 10, all service division employees participated in a 'liquids in winter operations and maintenance' workshop. Very timely," Collin Bielser, assistant city manager, told Hays city commissioners during a recent progress report of city departments' activities.&nbsp;"All winter maintenance equipment has been checked over and is ready if needed," Bielser added.&nbsp;The city has two trucks capable of applying the liquid brine. "It takes about four to five hours to cover the city," Bielser said.&nbsp;In anticipation of holiday events, public works crews also installed holiday street decorations in downtown Hays with the assistance of the parks department.Twenty-three lighted wreaths were hung along Main Street.&nbsp;Parks employees trimmed shrubbery along 10th and Main prior to hanging Christmas lights and decorations on the tree in Union Pacific Railroad Park.Watch the video below for highlights of more projects recently completed by city departments.<div><div style="position:relative; overflow:hidden; padding-bottom:56.25%"><iframe src="https://cdn.jwplayer.com/players/8le06FIV-P46diVCW.html" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" scrolling="auto" title="Hays Oct Progress Report" style="position:absolute;" allowfullscreen></iframe></div></div>

🎥 Hays equipment stands 'ready if needed' to clear streets 

See part two of the series Monday on Hays Post.

By DAVID CONDOS, XCARET NUNEZ and ELIZABETH REMBERT <a href="https://www.hppr.org/2022-11-25/heres-how-this-years-drought-has-battered-the-midwest-and-what-it-might-mean-for-next-year">Kansas News Service</a>&nbsp;&amp; Harvest Public Media

LA CROSSE — On G.W. Johnston’s ranch in west-central Kansas, the grass never got green this summer.

So he's had to buy hay to keep his cattle alive — in the middle of a widespread drought that's pushed those <a href="https://www.kgou.org/business-and-economy/2022-11-23/hay-shortage-means-high-costs-for-oklahoma-ranchers-as-winter-arrives" target="_blank">hay prices</a> way up.

He
 could sell all his cattle, at the cost of leaving behind the work 
that's defined his life. Watching his calves arrive in the spring, he 
said, is what counts as his therapy during a stressful year like this.

So he came here to the La Crosse Livestock Market to auction off 52 of his calves.

“You
 always think it’s gonna get better,” Johnston said. “Out of 60 years 
since I’ve been in the business, I’ve never run into it this bad.”

Johnston’s
 story marks just one example of the countless ways this historically 
dry, hot, windy year is wreaking havoc from coast to coast.

Drought now covers more than half of the continental U.S., and its 
ripple effects touch everything from the food we eat to the air we 
breathe to the water we drink. In one of the hardest hit regions, the 
Great Plains, there’s not much relief in sight.

In <a href="https://www.kmbc.com/article/drought-cold-weather-could-cause-problems-for-home-foundations-kansas-city/41696222#" target="_blank">Missouri</a>, the drought is cracking home foundations. In <a href="https://twitter.com/droughtdenise/status/1592932265004523520?s=43&amp;t=7dYaOKoht_gxnYcVioVBcQ" target="_blank">Minnesota</a>, it’s killing Christmas trees. Low water levels have shut down a hydroelectric plant in <a href="https://www.siouxlandproud.com/news/iowa-news/low-river-levels-shut-down-iowa-hydroelectric-dam/" target="_blank">Iowa</a> and stranded barges on the <a href="https://grist.org/extreme-weather/as-drought-chokes-mississippi-river-barges-carrying-grain-shipments-have-nowhere-to-go/" target="_blank">Mississippi River</a>.

Frank
 Seidel, who owns the La Crosse cattle auction, has seen his share of 
bad droughts in this semi-arid part of the world. But never like this.

“Not to this severity,” Seidel said. “You look at them pastures, and they’re just grubbed down to nothing.”

Kansas cattle would normally be grazing on a buffet of prairie grass over the past few months. But in one of the <a href="https://twitter.com/NWSDodgeCity/status/1565355495870894081" target="_blank">driest, hottest summers</a> on record in western Kansas, oppressive drought scorched pastures across the region.

That
 left ranchers with a tough choice this fall: bring in expensive feed to
 get your livestock through the winter or sell however many cattle you 
must to keep your livelihood afloat.

“It’s everybody. There’s no 
one excluded from it,” Seidel said. “The conversation is always, ‘I 
ain’t got enough feed. I don’t have enough feed. So, I can’t keep them 
all.’ ”

This livestock market has auctioned off 12,000 more cattle this year than it did by this point last year, Seidel said, an increase of nearly 20%.

So
 many ranchers were calling Seidel clamoring to thin their herds in the 
late summer that he had to double the number of auctions from every 
other week to every week.

In the hallways outside the La Crosse auction ring, the historic gravity of this year’s drought comes into focus.

Max Prose’s ranch in Lane County got less than half of its paltry 
average rainfall this year. In the 71 years he’s farmed, this is the 
first that his land has no moisture left in its soil. He had to sell off
 his calves in August.

“There’s places in my pasture that didn’t get any rain at all,” Prose said. “The cactus have died.”

Gene
 Tilton, who farms and raises cattle near Quinter in northwest Kansas, 
said the only thing that could turn this drought around is a blizzard 
like the one that helped claw the region out of a similar drought <a href="https://www.weather.gov/ddc/1957Blizzard" target="_blank">65 years ago</a>.

“It’s dry. … Dry as it’s been since 1955,” Tilton said. “I was here.”

With roughly <a href="https://twitter.com/DroughtDenise/status/1595475164061265921" target="_blank">three-quarters</a> of U.S. cattle currently in drought-stricken areas, ranchers from <a href="https://www.lubbockonline.com/story/business/agricultural/2022/11/13/low-cattle-supply-may-drive-record-high-prices-next-year/69637966007/" target="_blank">Texas</a> to <a href="https://www.thecentersquare.com/montana/montana-ranchers-have-culled-back-significantly-because-of-drought-high-hay-prices/article_ce0f202e-f662-11ec-b15a-0b364b7321f5.html" target="_blank">Montana</a> face these same hard choices. And the impacts of those choices touch plenty of folks who’ve never seen an auction ring.

Because
 so many ranchers have to sell their animals months or even years ahead 
of schedule, there’ll be a shortage of cattle going to market next year. That will mean <a href="https://www.restaurantdive.com/news/beef-prices-to-rise-in-2023-poultry-costs-will-fall/632402/" target="_blank">higher beef prices</a> at the grocery store.

“That hamburger won’t be in the industry for the next two years,” Seidel said. “It’s gone.”

As climate 
change fuels more frequent, more intense droughts nationwide, it’s hard 
to count all the ways this parched year is transforming people’s lives.

Just
 ask the person whose job it is to keep track of the drought’s impacts: 
the National Drought Mitigation Center’s Denise Gutzmer.

“I’m just swamped,” Gutzmer said. “I can work nonstop and still not be done.”

Deadly wildfires. Choking dust storms. Decimated crop harvests.

The
 amount of the country covered in drought and abnormal dryness this 
fall, Gutzmer said, is the most in the history of the Drought Monitor. 
More than half of the continental U.S. is <a href="https://droughtmonitor.unl.edu/Maps/MapArchive.aspx" target="_blank">now covered</a> by some level of drought.

The impacts this year stretch even farther across the map, Gutzmer 
said, than the last major drought in 2012 — from fanning wildfires in <a href="https://www.khon2.com/top-stories/trade-winds-and-dry-air-has-fire-departments-busy/" target="_blank">Hawaii</a> to drying up <a href="https://www.wbur.org/hereandnow/2022/10/21/water-coalinga-california" target="_blank">water supplies</a> in California to rotting the wood pilings that support buildings in <a href="https://www.bostonglobe.com/2022/09/03/science/we-need-rain-drought-threatens-very-foundation-some-boston-buildings/" target="_blank">Boston</a>.

“It just all snowballs so quickly,” Gutzmer said. “It’s just been horrifying.”

In
 the grasslands of Kansas, the extreme heat has threatened another 
creature that shares the state’s pastures with cattle: birds.

Iconic
 prairie songbirds like meadowlarks and grasshopper sparrows build their
 nests down in the grass. Robert Penner, bird conservation manager with 
The Nature Conservancy, said that as ground temperatures climb north of 
100 degrees, it can roast the eggs where they lie.

“The eggs were just basically cooked,” Penner said. “The adults just gave up on them because the temperatures were too high.”

A lack of rainfall has also dried up the <a href="https://www.hppr.org/hppr-news/2022-11-04/up-to-1-million-birds-count-on-kansas-wetlands-during-migration-drought-has-left-them-high-and-dry" target="_blank">Kansas wetlands</a> that hundreds of thousands of birds use as vital stopover points during their long flights south for the winter.

In the 26 years Penner has worked in central Kansas, he said, it’s 
hard to think of another time when the area’s wetlands were this dry, 
especially this late in the year.

With no water in the Cheyenne 
Bottoms wetlands, for instance, he’s spotted migrating ducks and geese 
paddling around the sewage lagoons of a nearby town. He’s seen smaller 
birds gathering at livestock water tanks.

For shorebirds — some of
 which migrate thousands of miles and weigh only a few ounces — not 
being able to rest and refuel at wetlands that meet their specific food 
and habitat needs could push them beyond their limits.

“If they can’t stop and feed somewhere, they’re in trouble,” Penner said. “They’re not going to make it.”

Nearby, parts of southeastern Kansas and Oklahoma saw flash droughts 
rapidly develop over the summer as record-low precipitation totals 
paired with sweltering heat.

When a reservoir that provides 
drinking water for more than 1 million people in Oklahoma City dropped 
several feet below its normal level this summer, the city had to <a href="https://www.kosu.org/energy-environment/2022-10-19/oklahoma-city-requests-water-from-canton-lake-for-the-second-time-this-year" target="_blank">bring in billions of gallons</a> from another lake 100 miles away. It’s the first time that’s happened in a decade.

“We
 hoped that one water draw would be enough, and that we’d get a lot of 
rain after that,” utility department spokesperson Michelann Ooten said. 
“But that didn’t happen.”

So the city drew another <a href="https://www.okc.gov/Home/Components/News/News/4256/18?utm_medium=email&amp;utm_source=govdelivery" target="_blank">4 billion gallons</a> from that reservoir, Canton Lake, this fall.

For the people who live in rural western Oklahoma near Canton Lake, 
watching that much water flow away in the middle of a drought was hard 
to swallow.

Curtis Hoskins, president of the Canton Lake 
Association, said it’s a critical blow to the area’s recreational 
tourism economy. The last time Oklahoma City drew away billions of 
gallons a decade ago, low lake levels forced businesses to close.

“Everybody
 was pretty upset, you know, because they’ve seen it happen before,” 
Hoskins said. “Everybody’s gun-shy that they don’t have control of the 
water.”

And cities aren’t the only ones scrambling for more water.

As the lack of rainfall pushes farmers to pump more water from underground aquifers to irrigate crops, parts of <a href="https://www.agriculture.ks.gov/divisions-programs/dwr/managing-kansas-water-resources/local-enhanced-management-areas/gmd1-four-county-lema" target="_blank">Kansas</a> and <a href="https://nebraskapublicmedia.org/en/news/news-articles/irrigation-systems-couldnt-keep-up-2022-drought-dealt-supply-problems-for-water-managers/" target="_blank">Nebraska</a> are considering new pumping limits.

Nate Jenkins, assistant manager of the Upper Republican Natural 
Resource District in southwest Nebraska, said the proposed limits in his
 area aren’t a direct response to this particularly dry year. But in a 
region where so much of the economy bends to the whims of the weather, 
the reality of life without water is easy to envision.

“It creates some worry,” Jenkins said. “Everybody knows farmers or is a farmer, so they know what they're struggling with.”