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

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1723662932003.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure><a href="https://hayspost.com/pages/state-farm-weather-window">For a full look at the weather forecast, click here.</a>

Three-day weather outlook

By GEMA DE LAS HERAS Consumer Education Specialist, FTC

Getting an urgent call from what sounds like your utility company might make you think: Did I forget to pay my bill? The caller says there’s a way to avoid shutoff and fees: they’ll send you a barcode by text or email so you can pay at a local retailer like Walgreens, CVS, or Walmart. Don’t. It’s all a lie. Wondering how to know it’s not a real utility company calling?

Scammers call unexpectedly and create a sense of urgency. But real utility companies don’t do that. Even if you owe money, they’ll work with you on a payment plan and won’t try to scare you into paying immediately — and they won’t send you a barcode and insist you take it to a store to pay.

Here’s how to deal with calls or messages that appear to come from your utility company:

Report utility company impersonators it to your utility company and to the FTC at&nbsp;<a href="http://www.reportfraud.ftc.gov/">ReportFraud.ftc.gov</a>.

By GEMA DE LAS HERAS Consumer Education Specialist, FTCGetting an urgent call from what sounds like your utility company might make you think: Did I forget to pay my bill? The caller says there’s a way to avoid shutoff and fees: they’ll send you a barcode by text or email so you can pay at a local retailer like Walgreens, CVS, or Walmart. Don’t. It’s all a lie. Wondering how to know it’s not a real utility company calling?Scammers call unexpectedly and create a sense of urgency. But real utility companies don’t do that. Even if you owe money, they’ll work with you on a payment plan and won’t try to scare you into paying immediately — and they won’t send you a barcode and insist you take it to a store to pay.Here’s how to deal with calls or messages that appear to come from your utility company:<ul>
 <li>Contact the utility company yourself.&nbsp;If you’re worried you might be behind on your bills, call the company using the number on your bill or the utility company’s website ― never the number the caller gave you, which will lead you back to the scammer.</li><li>Know only scammers demand you pay a certain way.&nbsp;Scammers ask you to pay in a way that makes it hard for you to get your money back —&nbsp;<a href="https://consumer.ftc.gov/articles/you-wire-money">wiring money</a>, putting money on a&nbsp;<a href="https://consumer.ftc.gov/articles/gift-card-scams">gift card</a>, using&nbsp;<a href="https://consumer.ftc.gov/articles/mobile-payment-apps-how-avoid-scam-when-you-use-one">payment apps</a>,&nbsp;paying with a scannable barcode or&nbsp;<a href="https://consumer.ftc.gov/consumer-alerts/2023/12/scammers-hide-harmful-links-qr-codes-steal-your-information">QR code</a>, or&nbsp;<a href="https://consumer.ftc.gov/articles/what-know-about-cryptocurrency-and-scams">cryptocurrency</a>. Your utility company won’t demand you pay that way.</li><li>Act quickly if you suspect you paid a scammer.&nbsp;Contact the company you used to send the money and tell them it was fraud. Ask for their help to reverse the payment. You might be able to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/articles/what-do-if-you-were-scammed#Paid">recover some of your money</a>.</li>
 </ul>Report utility company impersonators it to your utility company and to the FTC at&nbsp;<a href="http://www.reportfraud.ftc.gov/">ReportFraud.ftc.gov</a>.

Got a barcode from your utility company to make a payment? That’s a scam

By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays Post

Hays USD 489 school board members and members of the public toured the construction site for the new Hays High School on Aug. 5.

The school is part of $143 million in bond projects. The new high school, located adjacent to the current high school on 13th Street, is scheduled to be completed by fall 2025.

The current high school will be remodeled into a middle school when the new high school is complete.

Special education will have four large classrooms, including a life skills area with a kitchen in the new high school.

The high school will have an area, including a small playground, where family studies students can work with small children

The school will have an industrial kitchen for culinary arts students. The walls facing the hallway will be glass so that other students can observe what is happening in those classrooms.

A new metals shop is being constructed in the new high school, while the wood shop will stay in its current location in what will be the middle school.

Superintendent Ron Wilson said the district could not economically replicate the classroom and storage space needed for that discipline in the new high school. Hays Middle and Hays High students will both use the wood shop space in the former Hays High School CTE building.

The new school will have teacher workrooms and collaborative space for students.

Animal science and STEM will have connected classrooms on the second floor.

The school will have two creative commons where students can work on hands-on projects. Henderson described it as a miniature Hobby Lobby.

By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays PostHays USD 489 school board members and members of the public toured the construction site for the new Hays High School on Aug. 5.The school is part of $143 million in bond projects. The new high school, located adjacent to the current high school on 13th Street, is scheduled to be completed by fall 2025.The current high school will be remodeled into a middle school when the new high school is complete.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1722980801469.jpeg" alt="Members of the school board, community and construction team stand in front of what will be locker rooms on the lower floor and the wrestling room on the upper floor. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>Members of the school board, community and construction team stand in front of what will be locker rooms on the lower floor and the wrestling room on the upper floor. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1722981138061.jpeg" alt="The wrestling room can be seen on the upper floor. On the right is the walls of the new main gym of the new Hays High School.&nbsp;Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>The wrestling room can be seen on the upper floor. On the right is the walls of the new main gym of the new Hays High School.&nbsp;Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1722981234615.jpeg" alt="Locker rooms are under construction on the west side of what will be the new football stadium. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>Locker rooms are under construction on the west side of what will be the new football stadium. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1723049937497.jpeg" alt="Behind Hays High School Principal Shawn Henderson, right, and Superintendent Ron Wilson, left, is the new high school's second gym. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>Behind Hays High School Principal Shawn Henderson, right, and Superintendent Ron Wilson, left, is the new high school's second gym. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1722981338510.jpeg" alt="To the left is Hays High School's new science and math wing. A commons will connect the two wings. The new auditorium is taking shape on the right. The arts and language wing is behind the auditorium. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>To the left is Hays High School's new science and math wing. A commons will connect the two wings. The new auditorium is taking shape on the right. The arts and language wing is behind the auditorium. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1722981515746.jpeg" alt="The large door will be the opening for the concession stand for the new high school. It faces the new football stadium for Hays High School. Outdoor seating will be available for students for lunch during the school day and for concessions during football games. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>The large door will be the opening for the concession stand for the new high school. It faces the new football stadium for Hays High School. Outdoor seating will be available for students for lunch during the school day and for concessions during football games. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1722983178796.jpeg" alt="Hays High School Principal Shawn Henderson in the cafeteria serving area of the new Hays High School. Students will receive their food here and eat in the adjacent commons. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>Hays High School Principal Shawn Henderson in the cafeteria serving area of the new Hays High School. Students will receive their food here and eat in the adjacent commons. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1722983280444.jpeg" alt="The framing for individual bathrooms off the commons at the new Hays High School. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>The framing for individual bathrooms off the commons at the new Hays High School. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure>Special education will have four large classrooms, including a life skills area with a kitchen in the new high school.The high school will have an area, including a small playground, where family studies students can work with small childrenThe school will have an industrial kitchen for culinary arts students. The walls facing the hallway will be glass so that other students can observe what is happening in those classrooms.A new metals shop is being constructed in the new high school, while the wood shop will stay in its current location in what will be the middle school.Superintendent Ron Wilson said the district could not economically replicate the classroom and storage space needed for that discipline in the new high school. Hays Middle and Hays High students will both use the wood shop space in the former Hays High School CTE building.The new school will have teacher workrooms and collaborative space for students.Animal science and STEM will have connected classrooms on the second floor.The school will have two creative commons where students can work on hands-on projects. Henderson described it as a miniature Hobby Lobby.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1722983728690.jpeg" alt="A classroom in the science and math wing is taking shape. Principal Shawn Henderson said the new school has been outfitted with abundant windows to take advantage of natural light, something that the current high school is lacking. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>A classroom in the science and math wing is taking shape. Principal Shawn Henderson said the new school has been outfitted with abundant windows to take advantage of natural light, something that the current high school is lacking. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1722983803475.jpeg" alt="More classroom space.&nbsp;Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>More classroom space.&nbsp;Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1722984001310.jpeg" alt="The new auditorium can be seen on the new Hays High School site. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>The new auditorium can be seen on the new Hays High School site. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1722984102561.jpeg" alt="A bridge will connect the science and math wing of the new Hays High School to the new auditorium and arts and language wing. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>A bridge will connect the science and math wing of the new Hays High School to the new auditorium and arts and language wing. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1722984271173.jpeg" alt="The beginning of the new football field can be seen from the second floor of the new Hays High School. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>The beginning of the new football field can be seen from the second floor of the new Hays High School. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1723049378880.jpeg" alt="These are "learning stairs," which are adjacent to the commons in the new high school. They can be used as flexible study space for students or for presentations. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>These are "learning stairs," which are adjacent to the commons in the new high school. They can be used as flexible study space for students or for presentations. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1723049587579.jpeg" alt="Tour participants walk through what will be the new Hays High School commons. The auditorium can be seen in the distance. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>Tour participants walk through what will be the new Hays High School commons. The auditorium can be seen in the distance. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1723049678314.jpeg" alt="Inside the new Hays High auditorium, which will be attached to the arts and language wing of the school. This view faces the stage. The auditorium will have 800 seats. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>Inside the new Hays High auditorium, which will be attached to the arts and language wing of the school. This view faces the stage. The auditorium will have 800 seats. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1723050170486.jpeg" alt="The new high school offices will be on the lower floor of the area being framed here. The offices will have windows that look onto the student commons. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>The new high school offices will be on the lower floor of the area being framed here. The offices will have windows that look onto the student commons. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure>

Hays USD 489 BOE members tour new high school site

<a href="http://www.hayschamber.com">The Chamber in Hays, Kansas</a>

The
Chamber in Hays, Kansas is pleased to announce the upcoming Q3 Professional
Development Series event, "Performance Management 101," sponsored by
Sunflower Electric Power Corporation. 

This Lunch and
Learn session will take place at the Rose Garden Banquet Hall &amp; Catering,
located at 2350 E. 8th St., Hays, at 11:30 a.m., August 21.

The session will feature speakers
Hannah Hilker and Michelle Bland, who will guide attendees through essential
concepts in performance management. 

The event is designed for small
business owners, managers, and supervisors at all levels who aim to enhance
their skills in managing the employee lifecycle from hiring to exit interviews.

"We are thrilled to partner
with Sunflower Electric Power Corporation to offer this valuable professional
development opportunity to our members and the broader business community,”
said Sarah Wasinger, president and CEO of The Chamber in Hays, Kansas. “Performance
management is a critical aspect of organizational success, and this Lunch and
Learn will provide attendees with practical tools and insights to improve their
processes and outcomes."

The "Performance Management
101" session will cover a variety of high-level concepts that span the
entire employee experience, including:

Designing an Impactful Interview Experience: Learn how to craft interview questions that
reveal the best candidates for your organization.

Elements of an Effective Onboarding Program: Discover strategies for integrating new
employees smoothly and effectively.

The Working File and Its Contents: Understand what documents and information
should be maintained in an employee's working file.

Providing Effective Coaching and Feedback: Gain techniques for offering constructive
feedback that motivates and guides employees.

Tips for Conducting a Performance Review: Explore best practices for conducting
thorough and beneficial performance reviews.

Maximizing Exit Interviews for Organizational Improvement: Learn how to use exit interviews to gather
insights and drive continuous improvement within your organization.

<a href="https://hayschamber.com/events/performance-management-101-workshop">RSVPs are required by August 14 and can be submitted on The Chamber's website.</a>

The pricing for Chamber members
is $30, while non-members can attend for $40. 

Please note that cancellations
made within 48 hours of the event will be subject to a charge to cover the costs
associated with the number of RSVPs submitted.

“The Chamber in Hays, Kansas is
committed to supporting the local business community through events and
initiatives that promote professional growth and development,” Wasinger said. “This
Q3 Lunch and Learn is an excellent opportunity for business leaders to network,
learn, and enhance their performance management skills.”

For more information and to
register for the event, please visit <a href="https://hayschamber.com/">hayschamber.com</a>&nbsp;or contact The Chamber in Hays,
Kansas at (785) 628-8201 or hayscc@hayschamber.com.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1723500717555.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure><a href="http://www.hayschamber.com">The Chamber in Hays, Kansas</a>The
Chamber in Hays, Kansas is pleased to announce the upcoming Q3 Professional
Development Series event, "Performance Management 101," sponsored by
Sunflower Electric Power Corporation. This Lunch and
Learn session will take place at the Rose Garden Banquet Hall &amp; Catering,
located at 2350 E. 8th St., Hays, at 11:30 a.m., August 21.The session will feature speakers
Hannah Hilker and Michelle Bland, who will guide attendees through essential
concepts in performance management. The event is designed for small
business owners, managers, and supervisors at all levels who aim to enhance
their skills in managing the employee lifecycle from hiring to exit interviews."We are thrilled to partner
with Sunflower Electric Power Corporation to offer this valuable professional
development opportunity to our members and the broader business community,”
said Sarah Wasinger, president and CEO of The Chamber in Hays, Kansas. “Performance
management is a critical aspect of organizational success, and this Lunch and
Learn will provide attendees with practical tools and insights to improve their
processes and outcomes."The "Performance Management
101" session will cover a variety of high-level concepts that span the
entire employee experience, including:Designing an Impactful Interview Experience: Learn how to craft interview questions that
reveal the best candidates for your organization.Elements of an Effective Onboarding Program: Discover strategies for integrating new
employees smoothly and effectively.The Working File and Its Contents: Understand what documents and information
should be maintained in an employee's working file.Providing Effective Coaching and Feedback: Gain techniques for offering constructive
feedback that motivates and guides employees.Tips for Conducting a Performance Review: Explore best practices for conducting
thorough and beneficial performance reviews.Maximizing Exit Interviews for Organizational Improvement: Learn how to use exit interviews to gather
insights and drive continuous improvement within your organization.<a href="https://hayschamber.com/events/performance-management-101-workshop">RSVPs are required by August 14 and can be submitted on The Chamber's website.</a>The pricing for Chamber members
is $30, while non-members can attend for $40. Please note that cancellations
made within 48 hours of the event will be subject to a charge to cover the costs
associated with the number of RSVPs submitted.“The Chamber in Hays, Kansas is
committed to supporting the local business community through events and
initiatives that promote professional growth and development,” Wasinger said. “This
Q3 Lunch and Learn is an excellent opportunity for business leaders to network,
learn, and enhance their performance management skills.”For more information and to
register for the event, please visit <a href="https://hayschamber.com/">hayschamber.com</a>&nbsp;or contact The Chamber in Hays,
Kansas at (785) 628-8201 or hayscc@hayschamber.com.

Performance Management 101 planned, registration deadline Aug. 14

Northwestern Kansas Veterans, family members, caregivers, and survivors will have the opportunity to file new or check on existing claims, conduct Compensation and Pension (C&amp;P) exams (in certain cases), visit with Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA) staff members, and examiners. Depending on the type of claim submitted, this clinic will have resources available to provide a rating the same day the claim is filed. The Claims Clinic will be held at the Hilton Garden Inn located at 221 W. 43rd St. in Hays, Kansas from 9 a.m. until 5:30 p.m., August 15.

This Claims Clinic is being hosted by the Wichita VA Regional Office (RO) in partnership with Robert J. Dole VA Medical Center (VAMC) and other state, Veteran-centric organizations including: the Kansas Office of Veteran Services (KOVS), Disabled American Veterans (DAV), Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW), and American Legion.

Veterans, their families, caregivers, and survivors have served and sacrificed for our country, and now, it’s our job to serve them as well as they’ve served us. All Veterans deserve timely access to world-class health care and earned benefits, and we will never settle for anything less.

If you are a Veteran, family member, caregiver, or survivor living in Ellis, Osborne, Rooks, Graham, Trego, Ness, Rush, Barton, Russell, and other surrounding counties, this claims clinic has been specifically designed to provide timely access to your earned benefits! Appointments for this event can be made utilizing the QR code below. Walk-ins are welcomed and strongly encouraged if one is unable to make an appointment.

For any questions, please contact the Wichita RO Public Affairs Officer (PAO) by email: david.jackson5@va.gov or by phone: 316-469-0926.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1723661189752.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>SubmittedNorthwestern Kansas Veterans, family members, caregivers, and survivors will have the opportunity to file new or check on existing claims, conduct Compensation and Pension (C&amp;P) exams (in certain cases), visit with Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA) staff members, and examiners. Depending on the type of claim submitted, this clinic will have resources available to provide a rating the same day the claim is filed. The Claims Clinic will be held at the Hilton Garden Inn located at 221 W. 43rd St. in Hays, Kansas from 9 a.m. until 5:30 p.m., August 15.This Claims Clinic is being hosted by the Wichita VA Regional Office (RO) in partnership with Robert J. Dole VA Medical Center (VAMC) and other state, Veteran-centric organizations including: the Kansas Office of Veteran Services (KOVS), Disabled American Veterans (DAV), Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW), and American Legion.Veterans, their families, caregivers, and survivors have served and sacrificed for our country, and now, it’s our job to serve them as well as they’ve served us. All Veterans deserve timely access to world-class health care and earned benefits, and we will never settle for anything less.If you are a Veteran, family member, caregiver, or survivor living in Ellis, Osborne, Rooks, Graham, Trego, Ness, Rush, Barton, Russell, and other surrounding counties, this claims clinic has been specifically designed to provide timely access to your earned benefits! Appointments for this event can be made utilizing the QR code below. Walk-ins are welcomed and strongly encouraged if one is unable to make an appointment.For any questions, please contact the Wichita RO Public Affairs Officer (PAO) by email: david.jackson5@va.gov or by phone: 316-469-0926.

Veteran claims clinic scheduled for Aug. 15

Hays area employers seeking to fill part-time positions or internships are invited to attend the Part-time Job Fair at Fort Hays State University on Wednesday, August 28, from 2 to 4 p.m.

There is no cost to participate, but employers must register no later than Aug. 22 by phone (785-628-4260) or email (careers@fhsu.edu). Early registration is recommended, as space is limited.

Businesses and organizations will have an opportunity to share information with students about part-time jobs or internships that are available.

The job fair will take place in the Fort Hays Ballroom of the Memorial Union. Registration includes a 6-foot table and two chairs. Participating employers are welcome to bring a table cover, visual displays, flyers, application forms, and/or promotional items.

SubmittedHays area employers seeking to fill part-time positions or internships are invited to attend the Part-time Job Fair at Fort Hays State University on Wednesday, August 28, from 2 to 4 p.m.There is no cost to participate, but employers must register no later than Aug. 22 by phone (785-628-4260) or email (careers@fhsu.edu). Early registration is recommended, as space is limited.Businesses and organizations will have an opportunity to share information with students about part-time jobs or internships that are available.The job fair will take place in the Fort Hays Ballroom of the Memorial Union. Registration includes a 6-foot table and two chairs. Participating employers are welcome to bring a table cover, visual displays, flyers, application forms, and/or promotional items.

FHSU plans part-time job fair

Starting Wednesday, August 14 in Hays, W. 17th Street from Elm to Walnut will be closed during the day to through traffic for water line replacements. 

Residents will still be allowed access and the street will be reopened in the evenings. 

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

The City of Hays regrets any inconvenience this may cause to the public. If there are any questions, please call the contractor, J Corp, at 785-650-3995 or the Office of Project Management at 785-628-7350.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/6/1686234332975.jpeg" alt="File photo" />
 <figcaption>File photo</figcaption>
 </figure>City of HaysStarting Wednesday, August 14 in Hays, W. 17th Street from Elm to Walnut will be closed during the day to through traffic for water line replacements. Residents will still be allowed access and the street will be reopened in the evenings. Any residents affected by this project will be notified by the contractor for any interruption of services.The City of Hays regrets any inconvenience this may cause to the public. If there are any questions, please call the contractor, J Corp, at 785-650-3995 or the Office of Project Management at 785-628-7350.

Partial closure of W. 17th Street in Hays starts Wednesday

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1723582412726.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>

By TONY GUERRERO Hays Post

A male suspect was arrested after a 911 call was made from inside a trailer connected to the vehicle he allegedly stole in Hays.

According to Hays Police Chief Don Scheibler, 33-year-old Tyler James Goodwin of Derby allegedly stole a truck from Walmart Sunday night.

At 10:27 p.m., dispatch received a 911 call from a woman inside a box trailer who had been sleeping and awoke to find the trailer moving.

Ellis County Deputy Tanner Dixson spotted the 2002 white Ford F-250 and trailer and initiated a pursuit as it traveled eastbound on Interstate 70, speeding to Russell County and through Gorham.

The pursuit lasted about 30 minutes, and Goodwin reached speeds of around 80 miles per hour. It ended in rural Russell County near a set of train tracks, Scheibler said.

Goodwin was arrested without further incident. The woman sustained minor injuries and was transported to Russell Regional Hospital, where she was released later that night.

Goodwin faces several pending charges, including aggravated burglary, aggravated battery, theft of property, fleeing or attempting to elude, possession of methamphetamine and possession of a firearm.

He was booked into Ellis County Jail on Monday morning.

Scheibler said he appreciates Dixson, the Ellis County Sheriff's Office, the Russell County Sheriff's Office and the Kansas Highway Patrol for their involvement in the chase.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1723591128598.png" alt="Goodwin from an earlier arrest in Sedgwick Co." />
 <figcaption>Goodwin from an earlier arrest in Sedgwick Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>By TONY GUERRERO Hays PostA male suspect was arrested after a 911 call was made from inside a trailer connected to the vehicle he allegedly stole in Hays.According to Hays Police Chief Don Scheibler, 33-year-old Tyler James Goodwin of Derby allegedly stole a truck from Walmart Sunday night.At 10:27 p.m., dispatch received a 911 call from a woman inside a box trailer who had been sleeping and awoke to find the trailer moving.Ellis County Deputy Tanner Dixson spotted the 2002 white Ford F-250 and trailer and initiated a pursuit as it traveled eastbound on Interstate 70, speeding to Russell County and through Gorham.The pursuit lasted about 30 minutes, and Goodwin reached speeds of around 80 miles per hour. It ended in rural Russell County near a set of train tracks, Scheibler said.Goodwin was arrested without further incident. The woman sustained minor injuries and was transported to Russell Regional Hospital, where she was released later that night.Goodwin faces several pending charges, including aggravated burglary, aggravated battery, theft of property, fleeing or attempting to elude, possession of methamphetamine and possession of a firearm.He was booked into Ellis County Jail on Monday morning.Scheibler said he appreciates Dixson, the Ellis County Sheriff's Office, the Russell County Sheriff's Office and the Kansas Highway Patrol for their involvement in the chase.

Suspect arrested for allegedly stealing a truck, trailer with a woman inside in Hays

By KARISSA WINKEL Cottonwood Extension District

120/ 80. It’s the blood pressure number we all aim for, but what does the ratio stand for?

The top number, known as systole, measures the pressure in the arteries when the heart contracts, pumping blood to the body. The bottom number, diastole, measures the pressure in the arteries as the heart relaxes, filling with blood.

Blood pressure can vary from minute to minute with stress and sleep changes, and for some of us, white coat syndrome spikes blood pressure as we walk into the doctor’s office. While we know that keeping blood pressure in check is good, we may not fully understand why high blood pressure can put our health at risk.

High blood pressure is a condition that often goes unnoticed. With little to no symptoms, hypertension has coined the name, “the silent killer” because it can cause major damage to the heart, brain, eyes, and kidneys before it feels like anything is wrong. This is why regularly checking blood pressure and taking measures to reduce hypertension is vital! Watching alcohol consumption, cholesterol levels, and sodium intake can all make a difference.

If you want to take control of your blood pressure, form the habit of reducing sodium. The American Heart Association names six popular foods to watch for, known as The Salty Six:

· Bread and rolls – One slice of bread can contain as much as 230 milligrams of sodium.

· Cold cuts and cured meats – Deli or pre-packaged meats can have as much as 1,050 milligrams of sodium.

· Pizza – One slice can contain up to 760 milligrams.

· Poultry – Choose your chicken wisely, avoiding products enhanced with a sodium solution. Just 3 ounces of fast-food-style nuggets can contain almost 600 milligrams of sodium.

· Soup – One cup of canned chicken noodle soup can have up to 940 milligrams of sodium.

· Sandwiches – A sandwich can easily top 1,500 milligrams of sodium.

While the daily recommended sodium intake is 2,300 mg, it can be easy to overdo salt because it’s disguised in everyday foods. This is why it’s important to check nutrition labels for sodium content; you may be surprised to find sodium in foods that don’t taste salty! Choose “no salt added” and “low sodium” products and cook with plenty of herbs and spices.

If nutrition labels overwhelm you, simply swapping processed foods for fresh options can help. Fresh fruits and vegetables are naturally low in sodium and high in nutrients.

Of course, reducing sodium isn’t the only way to improve blood pressure. Stress management, regular exercise, and avoiding tobacco products are just a few other lifestyle factors that can play a part. Incorporating these habit shifts can make the world of difference in your blood pressure and health for years to come.

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

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1697546908793.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>By KARISSA WINKEL Cottonwood Extension District120/ 80. It’s the blood pressure number we all aim for, but what does the ratio stand for?The top number, known as systole, measures the pressure in the arteries when the heart contracts, pumping blood to the body. The bottom number, diastole, measures the pressure in the arteries as the heart relaxes, filling with blood.Blood pressure can vary from minute to minute with stress and sleep changes, and for some of us, white coat syndrome spikes blood pressure as we walk into the doctor’s office. While we know that keeping blood pressure in check is good, we may not fully understand why high blood pressure can put our health at risk.High blood pressure is a condition that often goes unnoticed. With little to no symptoms, hypertension has coined the name, “the silent killer” because it can cause major damage to the heart, brain, eyes, and kidneys before it feels like anything is wrong. This is why regularly checking blood pressure and taking measures to reduce hypertension is vital! Watching alcohol consumption, cholesterol levels, and sodium intake can all make a difference.If you want to take control of your blood pressure, form the habit of reducing sodium. The American Heart Association names six popular foods to watch for, known as The Salty Six:· Bread and rolls – One slice of bread can contain as much as 230 milligrams of sodium.· Cold cuts and cured meats – Deli or pre-packaged meats can have as much as 1,050 milligrams of sodium.· Pizza – One slice can contain up to 760 milligrams.· Poultry – Choose your chicken wisely, avoiding products enhanced with a sodium solution. Just 3 ounces of fast-food-style nuggets can contain almost 600 milligrams of sodium.· Soup – One cup of canned chicken noodle soup can have up to 940 milligrams of sodium.· Sandwiches – A sandwich can easily top 1,500 milligrams of sodium.While the daily recommended sodium intake is 2,300 mg, it can be easy to overdo salt because it’s disguised in everyday foods. This is why it’s important to check nutrition labels for sodium content; you may be surprised to find sodium in foods that don’t taste salty! Choose “no salt added” and “low sodium” products and cook with plenty of herbs and spices.If nutrition labels overwhelm you, simply swapping processed foods for fresh options can help. Fresh fruits and vegetables are naturally low in sodium and high in nutrients.Of course, reducing sodium isn’t the only way to improve blood pressure. Stress management, regular exercise, and avoiding tobacco products are just a few other lifestyle factors that can play a part. Incorporating these habit shifts can make the world of difference in your blood pressure and health for years to come.Karissa Winkel is the Family and Community Wellness Agent with K-State Research and Extension – Cottonwood District. You may reach her at: 620-793-1910 or krwinkel@ksu.edu.

WINKEL: The salty six and blood pressure

By BECKY KISER Hays Post

Almost two inches of rain fell overnight in Hays Monday.

The official total measured at the K-State Agricultural Center south of town was 1.84 inches as of 8 a.m.&nbsp;

That puts Hays at 3.40 inches for the month as of Aug. 13 and above the cumulative average of 3.01 inches by the end of the month.

 Hays has received 17.30 inches of moisture so far this year, closing in on the cumulative average of 17.70 inches at the end of August.&nbsp;

The <a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/ad7d6b47-a206-4b17-b09a-2caa71c8f2d9">three-day weather forecast</a> is calling for a chance of thunderstorms again on Thursday.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1723559074564.jpeg" alt="National Weather Service, Dodge City&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>National Weather Service, Dodge City&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>By BECKY KISER Hays PostAlmost two inches of rain fell overnight in Hays Monday.The official total measured at the K-State Agricultural Center south of town was 1.84 inches as of 8 a.m.&nbsp;That puts Hays at 3.40 inches for the month as of Aug. 13 and above the cumulative average of 3.01 inches by the end of the month. Hays has received 17.30 inches of moisture so far this year, closing in on the cumulative average of 17.70 inches at the end of August.&nbsp;The <a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/ad7d6b47-a206-4b17-b09a-2caa71c8f2d9">three-day weather forecast</a> is calling for a chance of thunderstorms again on Thursday.

Nearly 2 inches of rain falls in Hays overnight Monday; total rainfall amount ahead for Aug.

By DIANE GASPER-O’BRIEN Special to Hays Post

The Catholic Diocese of Salina is made up of more than 35,000 parishioners in 86 parishes across the northern half of Kansas.

With 12 active parishes, Ellis County sits in the middle of the vast, 26,685-square mile diocese that stretches from Manhattan in eastern Kansas to the Colorado border.

So what better location to host a Eucharistic Conference than in the predominantly Catholic county seat of Hays? And what better venue than Fort Hays State University, home of the Comeau Catholic Campus Center?

Led in part by Hays natives Bill Meagher and Father Gale Hammerschmidt, the diocese put on a conference for the ages that brought more than 1,100 people to campus to spend a day and a half with fellow members of their faith.

Meagher, director of youth ministry, religious education, and family life for the diocese, headed up the committee that planned and implemented the conference in just six months.

A member of that committee was Fr. Gale, director of evangelization and communication for the diocese who also serves as chaplain of St. Isidore’s Catholic Student Center at Kansas State University in Manhattan.

“I love the fact that this conference was held in the center of the diocese,” said Fr. Gale, one of the conference emcees. “And I love that it was in my hometown. Hays is the place where I learned about God and first encountered the Catholic Church. I brag about Hays every day of my life.”

Meagher was quick to give credit to the entire committee as well as the 50-plus volunteers who helped with various duties leading up to, during and after the conference.

“I definitely thought it was possible to pull this off because of who we had on the planning committee and all the great sponsors and volunteers who stepped up to make it happen,” Meagher said. “It was definitely a team effort.”

Every parish in Hays, as well as other parishes around the diocese, offered volunteer help.

The conference promoted attendees to “prepare to be inspired and transformed” at the conference, “an event to ignite the daft of our entire Catholic diocese.” And that it did.

The highlight of the conference was keynote speaker Bishop Joseph Espaillat from the Archdiocese of New York, who, at 47, is the youngest bishop in the country.

Bishop Gerald “Jerry” Vincke of the Salina Diocese and the other 12,000-plus attendees were inspired by Bishop Joseph’s candidness at the National Catholic Youth Conference (NCYC) in Indianapolis, Indiana, last November.

He had talked of how joyful he was – and how all Catholics should be – living a joyful life.

It was announced at NCYC that Indianapolis also would be the site of the huge National Eucharistic Congress scheduled for this summer.

Bishop Jerry knew there were some people from his diocese who wouldn’t be able to attend the Eucharistic Congress. In an effort to give everyone a chance to participate in such an inspirational event, he consulted Meagher and others, asking if it was possible to hold such a conference in the diocese.

“Bishop Vincke had the idea after praying about what our diocese needed,” Meagher said. “The Holy Spirit put this on his heart, and he wanted to bring this conference to the diocese.”

Bishop Jerry thought it was an ideal way to portray the diocese's mission: "Together, let us be disciples of Jesus on mission."

“I trust Bishop Vincke very much,” Fr. Gale said. “The idea for this conference was perfect, to take what we were doing on a national level and do it on a local level.”

But could all the planning, including finding the right venue, be done in such a short time?

“We kind of went with what the early-church concept – going out with nothing but the clothes on our back and let the Holy Spirit lead you,” Meagher said.

The committee researched several locations in different cities.

Father Andy Hammeke, chaplain of FHSU’s Catholic Campus Center, indicated he had been wanting to bring a conference of this type to the FHSU students he serves at the campus center. So, he and the CCCC took the lead in hosting the conference.

So, on a cool Friday evening in mid-August, parishioners from all across the diocese and beyond were joined by priests, deacons, seminarians and sisters from two different orders as they made their way to the beautiful Beach/Schmidt Performing Arts Center in FHSU’s Sheridan Hall.

Some came alone, others brought their entire families. And many came early with the intention of finding a good seat in Beach/Schmidt.

They soon found that every seat was a good one in the auditorium that seats about 1,100.

Nonetheless, two members of St. Joseph Parish in Hays were looking forward to the conference so much that they were seated in Beach/Schmidt about an hour before Friday’s opening session.

They said they learned about the upcoming conference from their church bulletin.

“As soon as it said ‘Eucharistic,’ I knew I was going,” Ramona Herman said.

“Since it was in going to be in Hays, I thought, ‘I have to go,’” agreed Adrienne Cargile.

Fr. Gale, donning a cowboy hat and talking up rural America, gave a colorful introduction of the keynote speaker, known as the Bronx Bishop. Fr. Gale told the audience how grateful he was that Bishop Joseph had made it to Hays at all.

While the planning committee had been keeping an eye on the forecast in Hays, Bishop Joseph was watching the development of a tropical storm that was making its way north out of the Carolinas toward New York.

But he got out of New York in time and arrived in Hays just in the nick of time for the start of the conference.

As it was, both Friday and Saturday turned out unseasonably cool with temperatures in the mid- to low-70s. And Bishop Joseph made it to Hays just in time for his opening session to kick off the weekend.

“I would like to go through the history of our Hays weather and see when the last time it was in the mid-70s in August,” Fr. Gale said. “I have no memory in my lifetime of that. It was a special gift from God to have this kind of weather.”

Some folks even brought jackets and coats to the late-night Eucharistic Adoration under the wide open skies.

The only major change in the schedule came Saturday morning when a rain shower moved the planned rosary from the grotto at Thomas More Prep-Marian to indoors at St. Joseph Church.

Bishop Joseph talked about the four pillars of the National Eucharistic Revival: reinvigorating worship, personal encounter, robust faith formation, and missionary sending.

“The fire has to be from the Eucharist,” he said. “The Eucharist is food for the soul. Nothing will supplant Jesus in the Eucharist.”

He used a baseball analogy in describing the sacraments, saying the center of the baseball (the cork) is baptism, the string around the cork represents the Eucharist, and the leather cover – confirmation.

“The purpose of a baseball is to play ball,” Bishop Joseph said.

Following another robust keynote talk from Bishop Joseph, the rest of the day was filled with numerous breakout sessions, finishing with a late afternoon Mass in FHSU’s lush outdoor quad – more beautiful than ever this August, thanks to recent moisture.

“Seeing that many people, you love seeing the diocese connected,” Meagher said. “Unity and community - that’s what the church is all about.”

While the majority of those attending the event at FHSU are current parishioners in the Salina Diocese, anyone was welcome to attend.

Two of those were former Hays residents, Jeff and Tina Wick, who now live in Wamego – which is part of the Archdiocese of Kansas City.

Tina Wick had attended the Eucharistic Congress in Indianapolis, and she said the inspirational event was life-changing.

“What I experienced from the Eucharistic Congress, I wanted my husband to have a taste of,” she said. “I think the conference in Hays was phenomenal. It goes to show that people are wanting to continue the fire of the Holy Spirit to touch people’s souls – and to keep this revival going.”

Numerous Facebook posts Saturday night and Sunday showed how the conference had energized many.

It’s an experience that will be talked about for a long time. And that’s the idea.

“I’m really excited to see where the Holy Spirit takes us from here,” Meagher said. “I think He’s working in our diocese and has a plan for us.”

“Often, we see lots of division in our society,” Meagher continued. “This was a special opportunity for people from all over our state to come together, meet each other, talk to each other and, most importantly, worship together as a united group.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/6/1717536573500.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1723515967409.jpeg" alt="Bishop Joseph Espaillat from New York enjoys sharing the gospel with Kansans. Photo by Terri Braun" />
 <figcaption>Bishop Joseph Espaillat from New York enjoys sharing the gospel with Kansans. Photo by Terri Braun</figcaption>
 </figure>By DIANE GASPER-O’BRIEN Special to Hays PostThe Catholic Diocese of Salina is made up of more than 35,000 parishioners in 86 parishes across the northern half of Kansas.With 12 active parishes, Ellis County sits in the middle of the vast, 26,685-square mile diocese that stretches from Manhattan in eastern Kansas to the Colorado border.So what better location to host a Eucharistic Conference than in the predominantly Catholic county seat of Hays? And what better venue than Fort Hays State University, home of the Comeau Catholic Campus Center?Led in part by Hays natives Bill Meagher and Father Gale Hammerschmidt, the diocese put on a conference for the ages that brought more than 1,100 people to campus to spend a day and a half with fellow members of their faith.Meagher, director of youth ministry, religious education, and family life for the diocese, headed up the committee that planned and implemented the conference in just six months.A member of that committee was Fr. Gale, director of evangelization and communication for the diocese who also serves as chaplain of St. Isidore’s Catholic Student Center at Kansas State University in Manhattan.“I love the fact that this conference was held in the center of the diocese,” said Fr. Gale, one of the conference emcees. “And I love that it was in my hometown. Hays is the place where I learned about God and first encountered the Catholic Church. I brag about Hays every day of my life.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1723516151514.jpeg" alt="Bishop Joseph Espaillat asked Eucharistic Conference emcees Sister Amy Marie Havlet and Father Gale Hammerschmidt to pray over him before the beginning of the opening session. Photo by Diane Gasper-O’Brien" />
 <figcaption>Bishop Joseph Espaillat asked Eucharistic Conference emcees Sister Amy Marie Havlet and Father Gale Hammerschmidt to pray over him before the beginning of the opening session. Photo by Diane Gasper-O’Brien</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>A team effort</h2>Meagher was quick to give credit to the entire committee as well as the 50-plus volunteers who helped with various duties leading up to, during and after the conference.“I definitely thought it was possible to pull this off because of who we had on the planning committee and all the great sponsors and volunteers who stepped up to make it happen,” Meagher said. “It was definitely a team effort.”Every parish in Hays, as well as other parishes around the diocese, offered volunteer help.The conference promoted attendees to “prepare to be inspired and transformed” at the conference, “an event to ignite the daft of our entire Catholic diocese.” And that it did.The highlight of the conference was keynote speaker Bishop Joseph Espaillat from the Archdiocese of New York, who, at 47, is the youngest bishop in the country.Bishop Gerald “Jerry” Vincke of the Salina Diocese and the other 12,000-plus attendees were inspired by Bishop Joseph’s candidness at the National Catholic Youth Conference (NCYC) in Indianapolis, Indiana, last November.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1723516256273.jpeg" alt="Seminarians in the Salina Diocese lead the procession of clergy into the afternoon outdoor Mass on the Fort Hays State quad. Photo by Diane Gasper-O’Brien" />
 <figcaption>Seminarians in the Salina Diocese lead the procession of clergy into the afternoon outdoor Mass on the Fort Hays State quad. Photo by Diane Gasper-O’Brien</figcaption>
 </figure>He had talked of how joyful he was – and how all Catholics should be – living a joyful life.It was announced at NCYC that Indianapolis also would be the site of the huge National Eucharistic Congress scheduled for this summer.Bishop Jerry knew there were some people from his diocese who wouldn’t be able to attend the Eucharistic Congress. In an effort to give everyone a chance to participate in such an inspirational event, he consulted Meagher and others, asking if it was possible to hold such a conference in the diocese.“Bishop Vincke had the idea after praying about what our diocese needed,” Meagher said. “The Holy Spirit put this on his heart, and he wanted to bring this conference to the diocese.”Bishop Jerry thought it was an ideal way to portray the diocese's mission: "Together, let us be disciples of Jesus on mission."“I trust Bishop Vincke very much,” Fr. Gale said. “The idea for this conference was perfect, to take what we were doing on a national level and do it on a local level.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1723516421366.jpeg" alt="With Bishop Gerald Vincke at his side, Bishop Joseph Espaillat commissions the congregation members to go out and spread the love and word of God. Photo by Terri Braun" />
 <figcaption>With Bishop Gerald Vincke at his side, Bishop Joseph Espaillat commissions the congregation members to go out and spread the love and word of God. Photo by Terri Braun</figcaption>
 </figure>But could all the planning, including finding the right venue, be done in such a short time?“We kind of went with what the early-church concept – going out with nothing but the clothes on our back and let the Holy Spirit lead you,” Meagher said.<h2>Hays: the perfect location</h2>The committee researched several locations in different cities.Father Andy Hammeke, chaplain of FHSU’s Catholic Campus Center, indicated he had been wanting to bring a conference of this type to the FHSU students he serves at the campus center. So, he and the CCCC took the lead in hosting the conference.So, on a cool Friday evening in mid-August, parishioners from all across the diocese and beyond were joined by priests, deacons, seminarians and sisters from two different orders as they made their way to the beautiful Beach/Schmidt Performing Arts Center in FHSU’s Sheridan Hall.Some came alone, others brought their entire families. And many came early with the intention of finding a good seat in Beach/Schmidt.They soon found that every seat was a good one in the auditorium that seats about 1,100.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1723516716012.jpeg" alt="Hundreds of Catholics stand in line to receive Holy Communion during an outdoor Mass at the Eucharistic Conference in Hays. Photo by Terri Braun" />
 <figcaption>Hundreds of Catholics stand in line to receive Holy Communion during an outdoor Mass at the Eucharistic Conference in Hays. Photo by Terri Braun</figcaption>
 </figure>Nonetheless, two members of St. Joseph Parish in Hays were looking forward to the conference so much that they were seated in Beach/Schmidt about an hour before Friday’s opening session.They said they learned about the upcoming conference from their church bulletin.“As soon as it said ‘Eucharistic,’ I knew I was going,” Ramona Herman said.“Since it was in going to be in Hays, I thought, ‘I have to go,’” agreed Adrienne Cargile.<h2>It started with a bang</h2>Fr. Gale, donning a cowboy hat and talking up rural America, gave a colorful introduction of the keynote speaker, known as the Bronx Bishop. Fr. Gale told the audience how grateful he was that Bishop Joseph had made it to Hays at all.While the planning committee had been keeping an eye on the forecast in Hays, Bishop Joseph was watching the development of a tropical storm that was making its way north out of the Carolinas toward New York.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1723516899110.jpeg" alt="Bishop Gerald Vincke is joined in prayer by other clergy during Mass. Photo by Terri Braun" />
 <figcaption>Bishop Gerald Vincke is joined in prayer by other clergy during Mass. Photo by Terri Braun</figcaption>
 </figure>But he got out of New York in time and arrived in Hays just in the nick of time for the start of the conference.As it was, both Friday and Saturday turned out unseasonably cool with temperatures in the mid- to low-70s. And Bishop Joseph made it to Hays just in time for his opening session to kick off the weekend.“I would like to go through the history of our Hays weather and see when the last time it was in the mid-70s in August,” Fr. Gale said. “I have no memory in my lifetime of that. It was a special gift from God to have this kind of weather.”Some folks even brought jackets and coats to the late-night Eucharistic Adoration under the wide open skies.The only major change in the schedule came Saturday morning when a rain shower moved the planned rosary from the grotto at Thomas More Prep-Marian to indoors at St. Joseph Church.Bishop Joseph talked about the four pillars of the National Eucharistic Revival: reinvigorating worship, personal encounter, robust faith formation, and missionary sending.“The fire has to be from the Eucharist,” he said. “The Eucharist is food for the soul. Nothing will supplant Jesus in the Eucharist.”He used a baseball analogy in describing the sacraments, saying the center of the baseball (the cork) is baptism, the string around the cork represents the Eucharist, and the leather cover – confirmation.“The purpose of a baseball is to play ball,” Bishop Joseph said.<h2>It ended with a bang</h2>Following another robust keynote talk from Bishop Joseph, the rest of the day was filled with numerous breakout sessions, finishing with a late afternoon Mass in FHSU’s lush outdoor quad – more beautiful than ever this August, thanks to recent moisture.“Seeing that many people, you love seeing the diocese connected,” Meagher said. “Unity and community - that’s what the church is all about.”While the majority of those attending the event at FHSU are current parishioners in the Salina Diocese, anyone was welcome to attend.Two of those were former Hays residents, Jeff and Tina Wick, who now live in Wamego – which is part of the Archdiocese of Kansas City.Tina Wick had attended the Eucharistic Congress in Indianapolis, and she said the inspirational event was life-changing.“What I experienced from the Eucharistic Congress, I wanted my husband to have a taste of,” she said. “I think the conference in Hays was phenomenal. It goes to show that people are wanting to continue the fire of the Holy Spirit to touch people’s souls – and to keep this revival going.”Numerous Facebook posts Saturday night and Sunday showed how the conference had energized many.It’s an experience that will be talked about for a long time. And that’s the idea.“I’m really excited to see where the Holy Spirit takes us from here,” Meagher said. “I think He’s working in our diocese and has a plan for us.”“Often, we see lots of division in our society,” Meagher continued. “This was a special opportunity for people from all over our state to come together, meet each other, talk to each other and, most importantly, worship together as a united group.”

NWester: Catholics converge on FHSU campus for Eucharistic Conference

<a href="https://www.kumc.edu/about/news/news-archive/rural-populations-medicaid-expansion.html">UMKC News Service</a>

KANSAS CITY — While some studies have found that Medicaid expansion reduces overall mortality rates in states where it has been adopted, a recent study published in the Journal of Rural Health looks more closely at mortality rates in specific populations. This study points to complex factors that may affect mortality differently depending on race, ethnicity, sex and geography.

Looking across the nation using data from states that have expanded Medicaid with federal money, the study indicates many different factors at play.

“The primary takeaway is that Medicaid expansion is unevenly impacting all-cause mortality nationwide,” said J. Tom Mueller, Ph.D., assistant professor in the Department of Population Health at the University of Kansas Medical Center and primary author of the study. “Rural populations are seeing clear negative impacts, and urban populations are seeing only some benefits.”

Mueller is a rural sociologist and demographer focused on inequality, health and well-being in rural America. He focuses on issues of social policy and the environment, attempting to understand why some places have persistently lower health and well-being than others, and what can be done to change that for the better. He came to KU Medical Center from the University of Oklahoma in 2023.

The purpose of this study was to drill down into data to see how different groups fared when their state expanded Medicaid. Mueller noted that these impacts were uneven across ethnic and racial groups, with rural white populations seeing the clearest negative impacts and urban Black populations seeing the greatest evidence of health improvement.

The study showed that Medicaid expansion led to a reduction in all-cause age-adjusted mortality for urban Black populations, but not rural Black populations. Urban white populations experienced mixed effects depending on how many years had passed since Medicaid expansion. Latino populations saw no appreciable impact. While no effect was observed for rural Black and Latino populations, rural white all-cause age-adjusted mortality unexpectedly increased due to Medicaid expansion. These effects reduced rural- and urban-specific mortality disparities among Black and white populations but did not shrink the rural-urban mortality gap.

“To be clear, this does not mean expanding Medicaid is foolhardy or misguided — there is a lot of evidence that it has led to a great number of health improvements nationwide,” Mueller said. “What this means is that the rural health care system, which is already struggling and has long been facing issues of funding, resources and personnel, is not providing rural Americans on Medicaid with the safe and effective health care they need.”

Mueller and his research colleagues from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and Florida State University were surprised by the outcome of the study, but Mueller believes it points toward a complex range of issues facing rural Americans.

“Opioid prescribing is higher in rural areas and among Medicaid patients, and chronic pain is far more common in these areas,” Mueller said. “Our ongoing follow-up research suggests that drug overdoses are driving the increase in all-cause mortality, so the picture is starting to come together, but we were neither hoping nor expecting to find this negative outcome for rural Americans.”

Mueller noted that additional research of the complex issues is underway by his team: “We are already studying the impact of Medicaid by cause of death and age group to identify what is driving the increase in all-cause mortality.” He pointed out that the increase in mortality seems largely due to drug overdoses, although there may be some correlations to diseases known to impact rural areas, such as chronic respiratory disease, heart disease and stroke. Another issue affecting rural mortality is the lack of access to health care providers, including a shortage of those who accept Medicaid. Mueller and his research colleagues already are studying these shortages.

“Rural areas have lost many health care services, and many doctors either don’t accept Medicaid at all, or are unwilling to accept new patients. In a rural area with few substitutes, if your local clinic won’t accept Medicaid, you could have a truly difficult time finding care,” Mueller said.

“It is imperative that resources and attention be directed to rural areas to ensure that Medicaid expansion actually results in patients seeing doctors and receiving effective and safe care.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/10/1665405753233.png" alt="Pixabay photo" />
 <figcaption>Pixabay photo</figcaption>
 </figure><a href="https://www.kumc.edu/about/news/news-archive/rural-populations-medicaid-expansion.html">UMKC News Service</a>KANSAS CITY — While some studies have found that Medicaid expansion reduces overall mortality rates in states where it has been adopted, a recent study published in the Journal of Rural Health looks more closely at mortality rates in specific populations. This study points to complex factors that may affect mortality differently depending on race, ethnicity, sex and geography.Looking across the nation using data from states that have expanded Medicaid with federal money, the study indicates many different factors at play.“The primary takeaway is that Medicaid expansion is unevenly impacting all-cause mortality nationwide,” said J. Tom Mueller, Ph.D., assistant professor in the Department of Population Health at the University of Kansas Medical Center and primary author of the study. “Rural populations are seeing clear negative impacts, and urban populations are seeing only some benefits.”<figure>
 <img src="https://www.kumc.edu/images/news/mueller-tom-preferred.jpg" alt="J.&nbsp;Tom Mueller, Ph.D., assistant professor in the Department of Population Health at KU Medical Center. Photo courtesy KU" />
 <figcaption>J.&nbsp;Tom Mueller, Ph.D., assistant professor in the Department of Population Health at KU Medical Center. Photo courtesy KU</figcaption>
 </figure>Mueller is a rural sociologist and demographer focused on inequality, health and well-being in rural America. He focuses on issues of social policy and the environment, attempting to understand why some places have persistently lower health and well-being than others, and what can be done to change that for the better. He came to KU Medical Center from the University of Oklahoma in 2023.The purpose of this study was to drill down into data to see how different groups fared when their state expanded Medicaid. Mueller noted that these impacts were uneven across ethnic and racial groups, with rural white populations seeing the clearest negative impacts and urban Black populations seeing the greatest evidence of health improvement.The study showed that Medicaid expansion led to a reduction in all-cause age-adjusted mortality for urban Black populations, but not rural Black populations. Urban white populations experienced mixed effects depending on how many years had passed since Medicaid expansion. Latino populations saw no appreciable impact. While no effect was observed for rural Black and Latino populations, rural white all-cause age-adjusted mortality unexpectedly increased due to Medicaid expansion. These effects reduced rural- and urban-specific mortality disparities among Black and white populations but did not shrink the rural-urban mortality gap.“To be clear, this does not mean expanding Medicaid is foolhardy or misguided — there is a lot of evidence that it has led to a great number of health improvements nationwide,” Mueller said. “What this means is that the rural health care system, which is already struggling and has long been facing issues of funding, resources and personnel, is not providing rural Americans on Medicaid with the safe and effective health care they need.”Mueller and his research colleagues from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and Florida State University were surprised by the outcome of the study, but Mueller believes it points toward a complex range of issues facing rural Americans.“Opioid prescribing is higher in rural areas and among Medicaid patients, and chronic pain is far more common in these areas,” Mueller said. “Our ongoing follow-up research suggests that drug overdoses are driving the increase in all-cause mortality, so the picture is starting to come together, but we were neither hoping nor expecting to find this negative outcome for rural Americans.”Mueller noted that additional research of the complex issues is underway by his team: “We are already studying the impact of Medicaid by cause of death and age group to identify what is driving the increase in all-cause mortality.” He pointed out that the increase in mortality seems largely due to drug overdoses, although there may be some correlations to diseases known to impact rural areas, such as chronic respiratory disease, heart disease and stroke. Another issue affecting rural mortality is the lack of access to health care providers, including a shortage of those who accept Medicaid. Mueller and his research colleagues already are studying these shortages.“Rural areas have lost many health care services, and many doctors either don’t accept Medicaid at all, or are unwilling to accept new patients. In a rural area with few substitutes, if your local clinic won’t accept Medicaid, you could have a truly difficult time finding care,” Mueller said.“It is imperative that resources and attention be directed to rural areas to ensure that Medicaid expansion actually results in patients seeing doctors and receiving effective and safe care.”

KU study: Rural populations may experience uneven effects of Medicaid expansion 

By JONATHAN ZWEYGARDT Hays Post

&nbsp;The
Thunder on the Plains Car Show capped off another successful&nbsp;<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/4425ae9a-9bc7-4433-a419-19cc2ff41f55" target="_blank">summer event</a>&nbsp;with
the recent donation of more than $31,000 to local organizations, including
nearly $17,000 to the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Missouri and Kansas.

In June, the
Thunder committee marked its ninth-annual car and truck show with a return to
downtown Hays and the continued desire to raise money for local
organizations and nonprofits.

The group
surpassed the <a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/06165d2f-3f9a-475b-99a7-acedde4a885f">$100,000 donation mark </a>in 2023, but Thunder on the Plains
secretary and treasurer Jackie Lang said they wanted to do something even
bigger.

"We've been
talking about expanding, something where we could get into something larger. We
still want to support our local organizations. We don't want to just forget
about them," Lang said, "but we wanted to get into something bigger."

Lang said the
partnership with Make-a-Wish was extra special for her family after her oldest
son, Brett, received his wish to go to Disney World in 2010. Brett died from
cancer two years later.

Lang’s husband, Mark, who was a big part of the Thunder on the Plains group, died unexpectedly this past Christmas Eve, and she said he was a huge supporter of the Make-a-Wish Foundation.

“Make-a-Wish was
really big in his heart because of our son, Brett,” Lang said. “So, we just
felt like it was a good time to move forward with that.”

Stephanie
Hampton-Boeglin is the chief operating officer for Make-a-Wish Missouri and
Kansas and was in Hays to celebrate the donation earlier this summer.

She said more than 700 children are waiting to receive a wish, and the organization has seen a significant decline in funding since the end of the pandemic.

Hampton-Boeglin said Make-a-Wish was searching for funding to provide wishes for kids
in the Hays community when she began talking to Lang about the group’s
fundraising efforts and said their effort was “incredible.”

“I do believe
that it was some type of divine intervention that we had that call,”
Hampton-Boeglin said. “I was in tears. Jackie was in tears.”

Hampton-Boeglin
said the money raised will benefit families locally.

“Everybody
rallies around one another. So, if one person in the community is really
battling something, the whole town rallies around that,”
Hampton-Boeglin said. “What I love about Thunder on the Plains is they spread
so much joy in wealth, not just wealth in money, but wealth in heart. And to me, that is exactly why anybody, I think, should grow up in a small town.”

At the June car show, children who had been recipients of wishes came and enjoyed the event. One local 3-year-old, Damon Sheeley from Victoria,
who is receiving leukemia treatments, will get to take his family to Disney
World in December. They had planned to announce the reveal of Damon’s wish at
the car show, but he was not feeling well.

Hampton-Boeglin said
the event was great for those who got to attend.

"It really
brought some light—some light to some dark times for our families,"
Hampton-Boeglin said. "For them to be able to tell some kids that they're
going to Disney World or they're going on their wishes coming true, the amount
of joy that brings to the entire family is priceless."

She also praised
the efforts of the community.

"Obviously, we
can't do this alone. It does take a village, and the Hays village spoke loud
and clear. They're sending children to Disney World, and they're getting
their wishes," Hampton-Boeglin said. 

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1723238460736.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>By JONATHAN ZWEYGARDT Hays Post&nbsp;The
Thunder on the Plains Car Show capped off another successful&nbsp;<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/4425ae9a-9bc7-4433-a419-19cc2ff41f55" target="_blank">summer event</a>&nbsp;with
the recent donation of more than $31,000 to local organizations, including
nearly $17,000 to the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Missouri and Kansas. In June, the
Thunder committee marked its ninth-annual car and truck show with a return to
downtown Hays and the continued desire to raise money for local
organizations and nonprofits.The group
surpassed the <a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/06165d2f-3f9a-475b-99a7-acedde4a885f">$100,000 donation mark </a>in 2023, but Thunder on the Plains
secretary and treasurer Jackie Lang said they wanted to do something even
bigger."We've been
talking about expanding, something where we could get into something larger. We
still want to support our local organizations. We don't want to just forget
about them," Lang said, "but we wanted to get into something bigger."Lang said the
partnership with Make-a-Wish was extra special for her family after her oldest
son, Brett, received his wish to go to Disney World in 2010. Brett died from
cancer two years later.Lang’s husband, Mark, who was a big part of the Thunder on the Plains group, died unexpectedly this past Christmas Eve, and she said he was a huge supporter of the Make-a-Wish Foundation.“Make-a-Wish was
really big in his heart because of our son, Brett,” Lang said. “So, we just
felt like it was a good time to move forward with that.”Stephanie
Hampton-Boeglin is the chief operating officer for Make-a-Wish Missouri and
Kansas and was in Hays to celebrate the donation earlier this summer.She said more than 700 children are waiting to receive a wish, and the organization has seen a significant decline in funding since the end of the pandemic.Hampton-Boeglin said Make-a-Wish was searching for funding to provide wishes for kids
in the Hays community when she began talking to Lang about the group’s
fundraising efforts and said their effort was “incredible.”“I do believe
that it was some type of divine intervention that we had that call,”
Hampton-Boeglin said. “I was in tears. Jackie was in tears.”Hampton-Boeglin
said the money raised will benefit families locally.“Everybody
rallies around one another. So, if one person in the community is really
battling something, the whole town rallies around that,”
Hampton-Boeglin said. “What I love about Thunder on the Plains is they spread
so much joy in wealth, not just wealth in money, but wealth in heart. And to me, that is exactly why anybody, I think, should grow up in a small town.”At the June car show, children who had been recipients of wishes came and enjoyed the event. One local 3-year-old, Damon Sheeley from Victoria,
who is receiving leukemia treatments, will get to take his family to Disney
World in December. They had planned to announce the reveal of Damon’s wish at
the car show, but he was not feeling well.Hampton-Boeglin said
the event was great for those who got to attend."It really
brought some light—some light to some dark times for our families,"
Hampton-Boeglin said. "For them to be able to tell some kids that they're
going to Disney World or they're going on their wishes coming true, the amount
of joy that brings to the entire family is priceless."She also praised
the efforts of the community."Obviously, we
can't do this alone. It does take a village, and the Hays village spoke loud
and clear. They're sending children to Disney World, and they're getting
their wishes," Hampton-Boeglin said.

Thunder on the Plains makes donation to Make a Wish, local agencies

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1723492588195.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>

By JOHN P. TRETBAR Eagle Media

The Kansas Independent Oil and Gas Association, KIOGA, holds its annual convention and Expo August 18-20 at the Hyatt Regency and Century Two in downtown Wichita. The yearly get-together features a trade show, industry seminars and all manner of social gatherings, including golf, sporting clays, and bingo. 

Find out more online at&nbsp;<a href="http://www.kioga.org/" target="_blank">www.kioga.org</a>.

After a week of slow gains, crude prices spiked on Monday. 

The NYMEX settlement price for WTI (Sep'24) on Friday, Aug. 9 was $76.84 per barrel, up $3.32 on the week. Prices were four percent higher Monday afternoon at $79.71 per barrel, topping $79 for the first time since mid July.

U.S. crude production increased to 13,415,000 barrels per day (bpd) in the week through August 2. That's the highest weekly production average ever reported by the U.S. Energy Information Administration. Four-week average production is up more than eight percent from last year. Cumulative production so far this year is up more than seven percent.

Crude production through May of this year averaged 13.18 million bpd nationwide. 

The latest numbers from the Energy Information Administration show Kansas pumping 75,480 bpd in May, placing the Sunflower State 12th in the state rankings.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/5/1684775008059.jpeg" alt="Photo by Pixabay" />
 <figcaption>Photo by Pixabay</figcaption>
 </figure>By JOHN P. TRETBAR Eagle MediaThe Kansas Independent Oil and Gas Association, KIOGA, holds its annual convention and Expo August 18-20 at the Hyatt Regency and Century Two in downtown Wichita. The yearly get-together features a trade show, industry seminars and all manner of social gatherings, including golf, sporting clays, and bingo. Find out more online at&nbsp;<a href="http://www.kioga.org/" target="_blank">www.kioga.org</a>.After a week of slow gains, crude prices spiked on Monday. The NYMEX settlement price for WTI (Sep'24) on Friday, Aug. 9 was $76.84 per barrel, up $3.32 on the week. Prices were four percent higher Monday afternoon at $79.71 per barrel, topping $79 for the first time since mid July.U.S. crude production increased to 13,415,000 barrels per day (bpd) in the week through August 2. That's the highest weekly production average ever reported by the U.S. Energy Information Administration. Four-week average production is up more than eight percent from last year. Cumulative production so far this year is up more than seven percent.Crude production through May of this year averaged 13.18 million bpd nationwide. The latest numbers from the Energy Information Administration show Kansas pumping 75,480 bpd in May, placing the Sunflower State 12th in the state rankings.The Rotary Rig Count from Baker Hughes is up three oil rigs but down one seeking natural gas for a total of 588 rigs. The count in Texas was up two. New Mexico was down one rig. Colorado was up one and Wyoming was up two rigs from a week ago.The Kansas Rig Count from Independent Oil &amp; Gas Service is unchanged east of Wichita at 12 rigs, and up one at 18 rigs in western Kansas. The statewide tally is down 29% from a year ago. Drilling was underway or about to start on a lease in Stafford County. Operators reached total depth on the second Ellis County well in as many weeks.Operators completed 46 wells across Kansas last week. Independent Oil &amp; Gas Service reports 13 in eastern Kansas and 33 west of Wichita, including one in Butler County, one in Ellis County and two in Russell County. That's 791 new well-completions so far this year, compared to 1,063 a year ago at this time.Kansas regulators okayed 13 permits for drilling at new locations statewide in the week through August 8, with six in western Kansas. That's 604 new drilling locations so far this year, compared to 762 by this time last year.The U.S. imported more crude oil than we exported last week by 2.5 million barrels per day (bpd). Petroleum product exports outpaced imports by 4.7 million bpd. U.S. crude imports averaged 6.2 million bpd, dropping 729,000 daily barrels from a week ago. Four week average imports are up 49,000 daily barrels to just under 6.8 million. Domestic exports are down 1.3 million barrels from a week ago at 3.6 million bpd. The four-week average is up 165,000 bpd from a year ago.Commercial crude oil inventories dropped by 3.7 million barrels (bbl) from the previous week to just over 429 million bbl. This is the sixth consecutive weekly decline in crude stockpiles, which are down more than 31 million bbl since June. Stockpiles are about six percent below the five-year average for this time of year.The weekly government dip-stick at the Strategic Petroleum Reserve shows 375.8 million bbl of crude. That's 28 million bbl in refills in the last year and 700,000 bbl in the last week.&nbsp; At recent prices, the government is, by selling high and buying low, reaping a net profit of more than $20 per barrel. That's more than $14 million for the week, and more than $200 million since April.The Association of American Railroads reports an eight percent spike in U.S. oil-by-rail shipments in July, despite a two percent drop in total carload originations. AAR reports 12 of the 20 commodity categories they track saw carload gains compared with last year. That includes petroleum and petroleum products, which rose by more than 4,000 carloads for an increase of eight-and-a-half percent over a year ago. Weekly U.S. oil-by-rail traffic is up more than 17% from a year ago.&nbsp;&nbsp;

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