On this episode of the Post Podcast Hays Chamber president and CEO Sarah Wasinger and Cottonwood Extension district agent Stacy Campbell, discuss area resources for plants and landscaping in Ellis County.

<div><iframe title="As spring approaches area resources available for plants and landscaping" allowtransparency="true" height="300" width="100%" style="border: none; min-width: min(100%, 430px);" scrolling="no" data-name="pb-iframe-player" src="https://www.podbean.com/player-v2/?i=ykxrt-13cb44f-pb&from=pb6admin&square=1&share=1&download=1&rtl=0&fonts=Arial&skin=3267a3&font-color=auto&logo_link=podcast_page&btn-skin=3267a3&size=300" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div>On this episode of the Post Podcast Hays Chamber president and CEO Sarah Wasinger and Cottonwood Extension district agent Stacy Campbell, discuss area resources for plants and landscaping in Ellis County.

🎙 Post Podcast: As spring approaches area resources available for plants and landscaping

TREGO COUNTY—One person was injured in an accident just after 8:30a.m. Tuesday in Trego County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2017 Hyundai passenger vehicle driven by David Lee Allen, 57, Sherman, Texas, was westbound on Interstate 70 just west of the Ogallah exit.

The driver attempted to pass a 2106 Ford Escape driven by Clayton James Sargent, 24, Canton.&nbsp; Allen lost control of the Hyundai. It struck the Ford and then collided with a guardrail.

EMS transported a passenger in the Hyundai Chong&nbsp; Allen, 59, Sherman, Texas, to the Trego County Hospital. The drivers were not injured. All three were properly restrained, according to the KHP.

TREGO COUNTY—One person was injured in an accident just after 8:30a.m. Tuesday in Trego County.The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2017 Hyundai passenger vehicle driven by David Lee Allen, 57, Sherman, Texas, was westbound on Interstate 70 just west of the Ogallah exit.The driver attempted to pass a 2106 Ford Escape driven by Clayton James Sargent, 24, Canton.&nbsp; Allen lost control of the Hyundai. It struck the Ford and then collided with a guardrail.EMS transported a passenger in the Hyundai Chong&nbsp; Allen, 59, Sherman, Texas, to the Trego County Hospital. The drivers were not injured. All three were properly restrained, according to the KHP.

One hospitalized after 2-vehicle I-70 crash

🎥⚾️🥎 Watch This Week's Tiger Talk

By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays Post

WAKEENEY — Rob Todd of Wyoming was cruising along Interstate 70 when he slammed on his brakes and shot off the west exit at WaKeeney.

He couldn't believe his eyes. He was looking at an F-14 Tomcat just like the ones he helped launch when he worked on the deck of a carrier when he was in the Navy.

However, as he ran his hand along the fuselage of the mighty warbird he said he almost began to cry.

The plane, which was on display in this rural Kansas community in honor of its nearby veteran's cemetery, had been severely damaged in a hail storm.

Todd was determined to get the plane repaired.

The F-14 was loaned to WaKeeney in 2006. The then-mayor of WaKeeney helped raise $40,000 to have the plane shipped to WaKeeney where it has been on display at Eisenhower Park right off Interstate 70 ever since.

The F-14 Tomcat was the premier fighter aircraft for the U.S. Navy, beginning at the end of the Vietnam War until 2006. It was the famed fighter that was flown by Tom Cruise's character in "Top Gun" and again in a portion of the movie "Top Gun: Maverick."

<a href="https://archive.hayspost.com/2017/08/10/wakeeney-residents-begin-cleanup-after-thursday-storm/">Fast forward to August 2017, a storm dropped softball size hail on WaKeeney. Although the F-14 is made of titanium alloys, it sustained significant damage during that storm.</a>

None of that damage was repaired, and the plane has been allowed to further deteriorate.

"This is American history," said Todd, who is also a co-host of a radio show on the F-14. "It's naval aviation history. This is a warbird. It fought in operation Preying Mantis in the '80s against Lybia. It represents veterans. It represents this community. 

"It represents everyone who worked on this aircraft, who sacrificed their lives for this aircraft. You want to preserve that history."&nbsp;

He was determined to have the plane repaired. However, there was a snag. The National Naval Aviation Museum in Pensacola, Fla., still owned the plane and did not want to approve the funds necessary to repair it.

Todd began writing emails demanding repairs for the plane until he was writing multiple emails per day. This went on for years. Finally, the naval museum relented and has now given the OK for Todd to pursue fundraising to make repairs to the aircraft.

WaKeeney's F-14 served in the U.S. Navy from March 1980 until November 1998.&nbsp; It was part of several strike force fighter squadrons as well as fleet replacement squadrons. These included The Black Lions, Black Knights, Gun Fighters, Black Aces and Grim Reapers.

While serving in 1995, this aircraft carried commemorative markings for The Sundowners. The F-14 sat at a U.S. Navy Reserve station in Texas for five years before it was awarded to WaKeeney.

Lorenzo Bencini, F-14 Radio show producer,&nbsp; described the power of the F-14. A pilot who flew over Irag in the F-14 was recently on the F-14 radio show. He told of being on one side of Iraq and getting a call about troops in trouble on the opposite side of the country near the border with Syria.

The F-14 has a top speed of more than 1,500 mph. The pilot flew full throttle, crossed the entire country in about 12 minutes, dropped bombs to cover the troops on the ground and still had enough fuel to get home.

"No other plane in our inventory could have done that and today we still have that gap," he said.

The WaKeeney F-14 was dismantled and transported by truck to Kansas. This was no small feat considering the F-14's size—40,000 pounds and 62 feet long with more than a 30-foot wing span.

After it finally arrived in WaKeeney, a team of four retired military men from Virginia rebuilt the plane in a downtown parking lot. A large crane was brought in to unload the plane from the trailer. The jet became the center of attention in downtown Wakeeney while it was being rebuilt. Locals brought their lawn chairs and sat and watched for hours.&nbsp;

"I think it's important for WaKeeney to have this because we are right along I-70 and it reminds people of what we have gone through as a country to maintain our freedoms," said Lynelle Shubert, director of WaKeeney Travel and Tourism.

"This jet has fought for that freedom," Todd added.

When F-14s were retired from service, the U.S. had concerns enemies would begin to acquire the spare parts through the black market.&nbsp;Museums and memorials are now the only places where the U.S. F-14s survive.

In short, there aren't a lot of spare parts lying around for F-14s. Todd said the goal of restoration is not to make the F-14 flight worthy. The engines and other key components of the plane have already been removed. Finding the rare and expensive alloys used to build the plane is impractical.

The goal is to restore the plane using available materials to better represent its history and service as well as preserve it for future generations.

Much of the plane has been dented by hail. The canopy has been cracked. The whole plane needs to be repainted. The wind also forced the plane off of its platform.

Todd estimates the repairs will cost at least $150,000. The project will have a little bit of money from insurance because of the hail storm.

The project  likely will take at least a year and a half but could be completed in phases, Todd said.

Todd is trying to rally support through the <a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCCY6oENeWNlHhRinkQzQEMw">F-14 Tomcat ATG Radio Show</a>, which is produced out of Long Island where the F-14 was manufactured.

Todd is raising funds for the restoration through a <a href="https://www.gofundme.com/f/fighting-213-f14a-tomcat-restoration">GoFundMe</a> account under Fighting 213 F14A Tomcat Restoration. He also is recruiting craftsmen who either served in the Navy or worked in the manufacturing plants that built the planes.

You can also follow the show and the restoration progress on the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/F14tomcatpodcast">F-14 Tomcat ATG Radio Show's Facebook page</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/3/1679949673258.jpeg" alt="Hosts of an international radio show on the F-14 Tomcat along with local residents are trying to raise money to restore this F-14 Tomcat that is on display in WaKeeney. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>Hosts of an international radio show on the F-14 Tomcat along with local residents are trying to raise money to restore this F-14 Tomcat that is on display in WaKeeney. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure>By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays PostWAKEENEY — Rob Todd of Wyoming was cruising along Interstate 70 when he slammed on his brakes and shot off the west exit at WaKeeney.He couldn't believe his eyes. He was looking at an F-14 Tomcat just like the ones he helped launch when he worked on the deck of a carrier when he was in the Navy.However, as he ran his hand along the fuselage of the mighty warbird he said he almost began to cry.The plane, which was on display in this rural Kansas community in honor of its nearby veteran's cemetery, had been severely damaged in a hail storm.Todd was determined to get the plane repaired.The F-14 was loaned to WaKeeney in 2006. The then-mayor of WaKeeney helped raise $40,000 to have the plane shipped to WaKeeney where it has been on display at Eisenhower Park right off Interstate 70 ever since.The F-14 Tomcat was the premier fighter aircraft for the U.S. Navy, beginning at the end of the Vietnam War until 2006. It was the famed fighter that was flown by Tom Cruise's character in "Top Gun" and again in a portion of the movie "Top Gun: Maverick."<a href="https://archive.hayspost.com/2017/08/10/wakeeney-residents-begin-cleanup-after-thursday-storm/">Fast forward to August 2017, a storm dropped softball size hail on WaKeeney. Although the F-14 is made of titanium alloys, it sustained significant damage during that storm.</a>None of that damage was repaired, and the plane has been allowed to further deteriorate.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/3/1679949842563.jpeg" alt="Rob Todd, F-14 Radio Show co-host, worked on the flight deck with F-14s when he was in the Navy. Now he and his colleagues want to restore this Tomcat that is on display in WaKeeney. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>Rob Todd, F-14 Radio Show co-host, worked on the flight deck with F-14s when he was in the Navy. Now he and his colleagues want to restore this Tomcat that is on display in WaKeeney. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure>"This is American history," said Todd, who is also a co-host of a radio show on the F-14. "It's naval aviation history. This is a warbird. It fought in operation Preying Mantis in the '80s against Lybia. It represents veterans. It represents this community. "It represents everyone who worked on this aircraft, who sacrificed their lives for this aircraft. You want to preserve that history."&nbsp;He was determined to have the plane repaired. However, there was a snag. The National Naval Aviation Museum in Pensacola, Fla., still owned the plane and did not want to approve the funds necessary to repair it.Todd began writing emails demanding repairs for the plane until he was writing multiple emails per day. This went on for years. Finally, the naval museum relented and has now given the OK for Todd to pursue fundraising to make repairs to the aircraft.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/3/1679950025528.jpeg" alt="A storm that dropped softball-sized hail on WaKeeney caused significant damage, including these large dents, to the F-14 that is on display at Eisenhower Park. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>A storm that dropped softball-sized hail on WaKeeney caused significant damage, including these large dents, to the F-14 that is on display at Eisenhower Park. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure>WaKeeney's F-14 served in the U.S. Navy from March 1980 until November 1998.&nbsp; It was part of several strike force fighter squadrons as well as fleet replacement squadrons. These included The Black Lions, Black Knights, Gun Fighters, Black Aces and Grim Reapers.While serving in 1995, this aircraft carried commemorative markings for The Sundowners. The F-14 sat at a U.S. Navy Reserve station in Texas for five years before it was awarded to WaKeeney.Lorenzo Bencini, F-14 Radio show producer,&nbsp; described the power of the F-14. A pilot who flew over Irag in the F-14 was recently on the F-14 radio show. He told of being on one side of Iraq and getting a call about troops in trouble on the opposite side of the country near the border with Syria.The F-14 has a top speed of more than 1,500 mph. The pilot flew full throttle, crossed the entire country in about 12 minutes, dropped bombs to cover the troops on the ground and still had enough fuel to get home."No other plane in our inventory could have done that and today we still have that gap," he said.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/3/1679950194930.jpeg" alt="Children have thrown rocks into the engine housings of the F-14 that is on display in WaKeeney. The fighter is visible from Interstate 70. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>Children have thrown rocks into the engine housings of the F-14 that is on display in WaKeeney. The fighter is visible from Interstate 70. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure>The WaKeeney F-14 was dismantled and transported by truck to Kansas. This was no small feat considering the F-14's size—40,000 pounds and 62 feet long with more than a 30-foot wing span.After it finally arrived in WaKeeney, a team of four retired military men from Virginia rebuilt the plane in a downtown parking lot. A large crane was brought in to unload the plane from the trailer. The jet became the center of attention in downtown Wakeeney while it was being rebuilt. Locals brought their lawn chairs and sat and watched for hours.&nbsp;"I think it's important for WaKeeney to have this because we are right along I-70 and it reminds people of what we have gone through as a country to maintain our freedoms," said Lynelle Shubert, director of WaKeeney Travel and Tourism."This jet has fought for that freedom," Todd added.When F-14s were retired from service, the U.S. had concerns enemies would begin to acquire the spare parts through the black market.&nbsp;Museums and memorials are now the only places where the U.S. F-14s survive.In short, there aren't a lot of spare parts lying around for F-14s. Todd said the goal of restoration is not to make the F-14 flight worthy. The engines and other key components of the plane have already been removed. Finding the rare and expensive alloys used to build the plane is impractical.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/3/1679950524399.jpeg" alt="&nbsp;F-14 weighs about 40,000 pounds, is 62 feet long with a 38-f00t wing span when the wings are swept. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>&nbsp;F-14 weighs about 40,000 pounds, is 62 feet long with a 38-f00t wing span when the wings are swept. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure>The goal is to restore the plane using available materials to better represent its history and service as well as preserve it for future generations.Much of the plane has been dented by hail. The canopy has been cracked. The whole plane needs to be repainted. The wind also forced the plane off of its platform.Todd estimates the repairs will cost at least $150,000. The project will have a little bit of money from insurance because of the hail storm.The project likely will take at least a year and a half but could be completed in phases, Todd said.Todd is trying to rally support through the <a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCCY6oENeWNlHhRinkQzQEMw">F-14 Tomcat ATG Radio Show</a>, which is produced out of Long Island where the F-14 was manufactured.Todd is raising funds for the restoration through a <a href="https://www.gofundme.com/f/fighting-213-f14a-tomcat-restoration">GoFundMe</a> account under Fighting 213 F14A Tomcat Restoration. He also is recruiting craftsmen who either served in the Navy or worked in the manufacturing plants that built the planes.You can also follow the show and the restoration progress on the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/F14tomcatpodcast">F-14 Tomcat ATG Radio Show's Facebook page</a>.

F-14 fans near, far seek to restore WaKeeney warbird

Crude prices are rising from 15-month lows. Friday's settlement price for near-month light sweet crude on the Nymex dropped 70 cents to $69.26 per barrel, $3 higher than a week earlier. In morning trading Monday that contract gained more than a dollar, trading over $70 per barrel. London Brent was over $76 per barrel. Kansas Common crude at CHS in McPherson starts the week at $59.50 per barrel. US Crude inventories increased by 1.1 million barrels per day in the week through March 17. Stockpiles (not including the Strategic Petroleum Reserve) reached 481.2 million barrels. The government says inventories are about eight percent above the five-year average for this time of year. The government has been underreporting supplies and overstating the final disposition of crude in the US. In a report last week, the Energy Information Administration said that in order to address growing differences between supply and disposition they are making some changes to their surveys and to their calculations. The agency said the problems stem from tallies of unfinished oils used for field blending. A first-in-the-nation bill to investigate and punish oil companies for price gouging at the gas pump breezed through the California Senate, the first major vote in an effort to pass the law by the end of the month. The bill would let a five-member panel decide whether to impose civil penalties on oil companies for price gouging. The commission would rely on a new state agency with the power to subpoena oil executives and force companies to disclose financial information. The proposal is a response to price increases last summer, when a gallon of regular gasoline in California soared to a record high average price of $6.44. Drivers in some places paid as much as $8 per gallon, prompting widespread outrage. US regulators last week approved Canadian Pacific's $31 billion purchase of US carrier Kansas City Southern, creating a North American rail network stretching from Canada to Mexico. The US Surface Transportation Board voted 4-1 in favor of the merger, enabling the two Class I railroads to combine into a new one, the Canadian Pacific Kansas City. The merger joins CP's operations in Canada, the US Midwest and the US northeast with KCS' operations in the south-central US and Mexico. Total US railroad freight traffic is down more than seven percent in the US compared to a year ago. In the most recent tally from the Association of American Railroads, US operators moved 9,563 tanker carloads of petroleum and petroleum products. Canadian shippers added 8,196 carloads while Mexico notched 2,057. Operators last week completed 12 new wells in eastern Kansas and 20 in the western half of the state, including two in Barton County, one in Ellis County and two in Stafford County. Independent Oil &amp; Gas Service reports 471 well-completions so far this year, compared to 374 a year ago at this time.&nbsp; Kansas regulators okayed 14 new drilling permits last week, with two east of Wichita and 12 in Western Kansas, including one in Russell County. That's 296 new drilling locations so far this year, compared to 336 a year ago. The weekly Rotary Rig Count from Baker Hughes showed 758 active rigs nationwide on Friday, an increase of four oil rigs. The count in New Mexico was up two, Texas was up one and Oklahoma was down one rig.&nbsp; A weekly government report shows US operators pumping more than 12.3 million barrels of crude oil per day. The Energy Information Administration reports output was 103,000 barrels per day higher than a week earlier, and more than 700,000 barrels per day higher than a year ago. US crude imports averaged 6.2 million barrels per day, down 45,000 barrels per day from the week before. The four-week average is down slightly from from a year earlier. Russia tops Saudi Arabia as China’s top oil supplier for the second month in a row in February. Chinese government reports show arrivals from Russia were up 23 percent, while flows from Saudi Arabia dropped 29 percent to the lowest level since last June. The Oil Minister of Venezuela resigned amid a growing corruption probe into the state-owned oil company. The government did not immediately name a replacement nor confirm it had accepted the resignation. Numerous public officials were arrested in weekend raids in the wake of claims that the country is missing between $3 billion and $5 billion in cryptocurrency.

By JOHN P. TRETBARCrude prices are rising from 15-month lows. Friday's settlement price for near-month light sweet crude on the Nymex dropped 70 cents to $69.26 per barrel, $3 higher than a week earlier. In morning trading Monday that contract gained more than a dollar, trading over $70 per barrel. London Brent was over $76 per barrel. Kansas Common crude at CHS in McPherson starts the week at $59.50 per barrel. US Crude inventories increased by 1.1 million barrels per day in the week through March 17. Stockpiles (not including the Strategic Petroleum Reserve) reached 481.2 million barrels. The government says inventories are about eight percent above the five-year average for this time of year. The government has been underreporting supplies and overstating the final disposition of crude in the US. In a report last week, the Energy Information Administration said that in order to address growing differences between supply and disposition they are making some changes to their surveys and to their calculations. The agency said the problems stem from tallies of unfinished oils used for field blending. A first-in-the-nation bill to investigate and punish oil companies for price gouging at the gas pump breezed through the California Senate, the first major vote in an effort to pass the law by the end of the month. The bill would let a five-member panel decide whether to impose civil penalties on oil companies for price gouging. The commission would rely on a new state agency with the power to subpoena oil executives and force companies to disclose financial information. The proposal is a response to price increases last summer, when a gallon of regular gasoline in California soared to a record high average price of $6.44. Drivers in some places paid as much as $8 per gallon, prompting widespread outrage. US regulators last week approved Canadian Pacific's $31 billion purchase of US carrier Kansas City Southern, creating a North American rail network stretching from Canada to Mexico. The US Surface Transportation Board voted 4-1 in favor of the merger, enabling the two Class I railroads to combine into a new one, the Canadian Pacific Kansas City. The merger joins CP's operations in Canada, the US Midwest and the US northeast with KCS' operations in the south-central US and Mexico. Total US railroad freight traffic is down more than seven percent in the US compared to a year ago. In the most recent tally from the Association of American Railroads, US operators moved 9,563 tanker carloads of petroleum and petroleum products. Canadian shippers added 8,196 carloads while Mexico notched 2,057. Operators last week completed 12 new wells in eastern Kansas and 20 in the western half of the state, including two in Barton County, one in Ellis County and two in Stafford County. Independent Oil &amp; Gas Service reports 471 well-completions so far this year, compared to 374 a year ago at this time.&nbsp; Kansas regulators okayed 14 new drilling permits last week, with two east of Wichita and 12 in Western Kansas, including one in Russell County. That's 296 new drilling locations so far this year, compared to 336 a year ago. The weekly Rotary Rig Count from Baker Hughes showed 758 active rigs nationwide on Friday, an increase of four oil rigs. The count in New Mexico was up two, Texas was up one and Oklahoma was down one rig.&nbsp; A weekly government report shows US operators pumping more than 12.3 million barrels of crude oil per day. The Energy Information Administration reports output was 103,000 barrels per day higher than a week earlier, and more than 700,000 barrels per day higher than a year ago. US crude imports averaged 6.2 million barrels per day, down 45,000 barrels per day from the week before. The four-week average is down slightly from from a year earlier. Russia tops Saudi Arabia as China’s top oil supplier for the second month in a row in February. Chinese government reports show arrivals from Russia were up 23 percent, while flows from Saudi Arabia dropped 29 percent to the lowest level since last June. The Oil Minister of Venezuela resigned amid a growing corruption probe into the state-owned oil company. The government did not immediately name a replacement nor confirm it had accepted the resignation. Numerous public officials were arrested in weekend raids in the wake of claims that the country is missing between $3 billion and $5 billion in cryptocurrency.

News From the Oil Patch: California anti-gouging bill advances

FHSU’s Muslim Student Association will host an event to provide information about Ramadan in the Memorial Union Ballroom from 7-8 p.m. Wednesday. During the event, students will answer questions about fasting, the origin of Ramadan, and its observation.

Following the presentation will be a breaking of the fast. Due to limited seating, food for the event is limited to the first 40 attendees. All are invited to attend.

For more information about the event, contact Diane Hernandez,&nbsp;<a href="mailto:dmhernandez.se@fhsu.edu">dmhernandez.se@fhsu.edu</a>

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/3/1679954213173.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>FHSU University CommunicationsFHSU’s Muslim Student Association will host an event to provide information about Ramadan in the Memorial Union Ballroom from 7-8 p.m. Wednesday. During the event, students will answer questions about fasting, the origin of Ramadan, and its observation.Following the presentation will be a breaking of the fast. Due to limited seating, food for the event is limited to the first 40 attendees. All are invited to attend.For more information about the event, contact Diane Hernandez,&nbsp;<a href="mailto:dmhernandez.se@fhsu.edu">dmhernandez.se@fhsu.edu</a>

Ramadan feast planned for Wednesday evening at Fort Hays State

TOPEKA&nbsp; — U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development&nbsp;Kansas&nbsp;State Director&nbsp;Christy Davis&nbsp;last week announced&nbsp;the availability of grants to help&nbsp;people repair&nbsp;their&nbsp;homes&nbsp;that were damaged by&nbsp;snow storms or wild fires in 2022.&nbsp;

The homes must be&nbsp;located in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fema.gov/disaster/declarations">presidentially declared disaster areas</a>.&nbsp;People living in&nbsp;22 counties&nbsp;in&nbsp;Kansas&nbsp;are eligible for the funding.

“When an unexpected crisis&nbsp;impacts&nbsp;our lives, it reminds us of our connection to our communities and to the places we call home,”&nbsp;Davis&nbsp;said. “That’s why the&nbsp;USDA stands ready to help&nbsp;people across rural&nbsp;Kansas&nbsp;access the resources they need to&nbsp;rebuild their homes, their communities and&nbsp;their lives.”

The grants are being made available through supplemental disaster funding under theRural Disaster Home Repair Grant Program.&nbsp;Through this program, people may apply to receive grants of up to $40,675 directly from USDA to repair their homes.&nbsp;

Funds will be available until expended.&nbsp;They&nbsp;may be used to:

•pay for home repair expenses that were a result of a Presidentally declared disasters in calendar year 2022 •prepare a site for a manufactured home •relocate a manufactured home.

•applicants must have household incomes that do not exceed the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.rd.usda.gov/sites/default/files/RD-DirectLimitMap.pdf">low-limits</a>&nbsp;based on their household size and county. •&nbsp;homes must be located in an&nbsp;<a href="https://eligibility.sc.egov.usda.gov/eligibility/welcomeAction.do">eligible rural area.</a> <a href="https://eligibility.sc.egov.usda.gov/eligibility/welcomeAction.do"></a>•homes must be located in a Presidentially declared disaster areas2022.

For more information&nbsp;on how to apply, contact&nbsp;<a href="mailto:KSDirect@ks.usda.gov">KSDirect@ks.usda.gov</a>.

Residents in the&nbsp;following counties&nbsp;may be&nbsp;eligible for the funding:

Barton&nbsp; Clark&nbsp; Comanche&nbsp; Edwards&nbsp; Ellis&nbsp; Ford&nbsp; Graham&nbsp; Gray&nbsp; Harvey&nbsp; Hodgeman&nbsp; Kiowa&nbsp; Lane&nbsp; Meade&nbsp; Ness&nbsp; Pawnee&nbsp; Phillips&nbsp; Reno&nbsp; Rooks&nbsp; Rush&nbsp; Stafford&nbsp; Trego&nbsp; Wallace

USDATOPEKA&nbsp; — U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development&nbsp;Kansas&nbsp;State Director&nbsp;Christy Davis&nbsp;last week announced&nbsp;the availability of grants to help&nbsp;people repair&nbsp;their&nbsp;homes&nbsp;that were damaged by&nbsp;snow storms or wild fires in 2022.&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/9/1662564035796.jpeg" alt="The burned-out shells of vehicles at a home in Paradise in 2022. CRISTINA JANNEY/Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>The burned-out shells of vehicles at a home in Paradise in 2022. CRISTINA JANNEY/Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure>The homes must be&nbsp;located in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fema.gov/disaster/declarations">presidentially declared disaster areas</a>.&nbsp;People living in&nbsp;22 counties&nbsp;in&nbsp;Kansas&nbsp;are eligible for the funding.“When an unexpected crisis&nbsp;impacts&nbsp;our lives, it reminds us of our connection to our communities and to the places we call home,”&nbsp;Davis&nbsp;said. “That’s why the&nbsp;USDA stands ready to help&nbsp;people across rural&nbsp;Kansas&nbsp;access the resources they need to&nbsp;rebuild their homes, their communities and&nbsp;their lives.”The grants are being made available through supplemental disaster funding under theRural Disaster Home Repair Grant Program.&nbsp;Through this program, people may apply to receive grants of up to $40,675 directly from USDA to repair their homes.&nbsp;Funds will be available until expended.&nbsp;They&nbsp;may be used to:•pay for home repair expenses that were a result of a Presidentally declared disasters in calendar year 2022 •prepare a site for a manufactured home •relocate a manufactured home.To be eligible:•applicants must have household incomes that do not exceed the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.rd.usda.gov/sites/default/files/RD-DirectLimitMap.pdf">low-limits</a>&nbsp;based on their household size and county. •&nbsp;homes must be located in an&nbsp;<a href="https://eligibility.sc.egov.usda.gov/eligibility/welcomeAction.do">eligible rural area.</a> <a href="https://eligibility.sc.egov.usda.gov/eligibility/welcomeAction.do"></a>•homes must be located in a Presidentially declared disaster areas2022.For more information&nbsp;on how to apply, contact&nbsp;<a href="mailto:KSDirect@ks.usda.gov">KSDirect@ks.usda.gov</a>.Residents in the&nbsp;following counties&nbsp;may be&nbsp;eligible for the funding:Barton&nbsp; Clark&nbsp; Comanche&nbsp; Edwards&nbsp; Ellis&nbsp; Ford&nbsp; Graham&nbsp; Gray&nbsp; Harvey&nbsp; Hodgeman&nbsp; Kiowa&nbsp; Lane&nbsp; Meade&nbsp; Ness&nbsp; Pawnee&nbsp; Phillips&nbsp; Reno&nbsp; Rooks&nbsp; Rush&nbsp; Stafford&nbsp; Trego&nbsp; Wallace

Grants available in NW Kan. for those affected by 2022 disasters

<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/2023/3/1679941219866.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 BECKY KISER Hays Post

Traffic will greatly increase on East 13th Street when the new Hays High School is built just east of the current building and the existing facility is reconstructed as Hays Middle School.

City commissioners unanimously approved three agenda items during their meeting last week to improve that traffic flow.

The Hays USD 489 property where the new high school will be built, 2500 East 13th, was annexed into the city and rezoned from agriculture district to public institutional district.&nbsp;&nbsp;

A $120,000 design contract with MKEC Engineering of Overland Park - which is already working with the school district on the high school project - was approved for reconstructing and widening 13th Street between Anthony Drive and Commerce Parkway. The 3,5oo ft. segment is currently maintained by Ellis County and is an arterial road, carrying about 3,500 vehicles per day.

The street will be widened to 36 ft. when completed, according to Jesse Rohr, public works director.

"The street itself is currently two lanes wide, asphalt, with no shoulders," Rohr said.&nbsp;

"When we're done we intend on having a three-lane asphalt street there with three-foot shoulders. We will also extend the pedestrian and multi-use path along the north side of the street. It will extend the full length of the project and be eight-foot wide going out to Commerce Parkway."

Rohr expects design to begin this spring with bid letting by the end of the year. Construction would start in the spring of 2024 and be completed by the end of next year.&nbsp;

Although concrete is now being used to build most city streets, Rohr said the existing asphalt road is in good shape and so it will remain asphalt.&nbsp;

Total estimated cost of the project is $2.5 million.

The city received a Kansas Department of Transportation cost share grant to cover $1.2 million of the cost. The city's share of $750,000 is included in the capital improvement plan in the 2023 budget. Ellis County has budgeted $500,000 in participating funds.&nbsp;

Commissioner Sandy Jacobs commended the financial partnership between the city and county for the reconstruction project.&nbsp;

"It's going to be very necessary with the new school and the middle school moving out there," Jacobs said. "I just appreciate the commitment from the county."&nbsp;&nbsp;

"Not only for the school district, it's time [to widen the street] for the city, for the county, for all the people living out there, and new housing," Commissioner Shaun Musil added.

Once completed, the city will take ownership of the road section and be responsible for its maintenance.&nbsp;

Ron Wilson, USD 489 Superintendent, was in the audience and told commissioners the district improvements financed by the new bond issue are "on pace."

In other business, commissioners approved a $3.2 million bid from RDH Electric &amp; Construction, Hays, for construction of a new building at the south end of the hanger area to house the airport's snow removal equipment. The current building was constructed in 1996 when Hays Regional Airport had just two pieces of snow removal equipment.&nbsp; There are now seven pieces in the fleet. The bid was below the engineer's estimate.

The building project and the associated construction engineering contract with Burns &amp; McDonnell for $385,000 are both eligible for a 90/10 match with the Federal Aviation Administration.&nbsp;

Total project cost is $3.95 million dollars with the city's share being $456,000.&nbsp;

Once the FAA grants are awarded, construction could begin as early as this summer.

In other business, commissioners approved the low bid of $321,000 from Mayer Specialty Services, Goddard, for lining 10,000 linear feet of 8-inch sanitary sewer line.&nbsp; Cleaning and inspection of sewer lines has been performed by contractors annually since 2013.&nbsp;&nbsp;

A public hearing, which brought no comments, was held for special assessments of  water, sanitary sewer, storm sewer, and street improvements in the King's Gate 2nd Addition Improvement District.&nbsp;

The 22 homeowners' assessments will be $21,363 per lot.

At the start of the meeting, one agenda item, a nuisance abatement for 1700 Marshall Road, was removed by Mayor Mason Ruder with no comment.

Commissioner Reese Barrick was absent from the meeting.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/3/1679346493881.png" alt="13th Street between Anthony Drive and Canterbury Road will be widened to three lanes to accommodate increased traffic for the new Hays High School and Hays Middle School. (City of Hays)" />
 <figcaption>13th Street between Anthony Drive and Canterbury Road will be widened to three lanes to accommodate increased traffic for the new Hays High School and Hays Middle School. (City of Hays)</figcaption>
 </figure>By BECKY KISER Hays PostTraffic will greatly increase on East 13th Street when the new Hays High School is built just east of the current building and the existing facility is reconstructed as Hays Middle School.City commissioners unanimously approved three agenda items during their meeting last week to improve that traffic flow.The Hays USD 489 property where the new high school will be built, 2500 East 13th, was annexed into the city and rezoned from agriculture district to public institutional district.&nbsp;&nbsp;A $120,000 design contract with MKEC Engineering of Overland Park - which is already working with the school district on the high school project - was approved for reconstructing and widening 13th Street between Anthony Drive and Commerce Parkway. The 3,5oo ft. segment is currently maintained by Ellis County and is an arterial road, carrying about 3,500 vehicles per day.The street will be widened to 36 ft. when completed, according to Jesse Rohr, public works director."The street itself is currently two lanes wide, asphalt, with no shoulders," Rohr said.&nbsp;"When we're done we intend on having a three-lane asphalt street there with three-foot shoulders. We will also extend the pedestrian and multi-use path along the north side of the street. It will extend the full length of the project and be eight-foot wide going out to Commerce Parkway."<div><div style="position:relative; overflow:hidden; padding-bottom:56.25%"><iframe src="https://cdn.jwplayer.com/players/jPLTyIE8-P46diVCW.html" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" scrolling="auto" title="13th Street Widen Rohr" style="position:absolute;" allowfullscreen></iframe></div></div>Rohr expects design to begin this spring with bid letting by the end of the year. Construction would start in the spring of 2024 and be completed by the end of next year.&nbsp;Although concrete is now being used to build most city streets, Rohr said the existing asphalt road is in good shape and so it will remain asphalt.&nbsp;Total estimated cost of the project is $2.5 million.The city received a Kansas Department of Transportation cost share grant to cover $1.2 million of the cost. The city's share of $750,000 is included in the capital improvement plan in the 2023 budget. Ellis County has budgeted $500,000 in participating funds.&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/3/1679881822699.png" alt="City of Hays" />
 <figcaption>City of Hays</figcaption>
 </figure>Commissioner Sandy Jacobs commended the financial partnership between the city and county for the reconstruction project.&nbsp;"It's going to be very necessary with the new school and the middle school moving out there," Jacobs said. "I just appreciate the commitment from the county."&nbsp;&nbsp;"Not only for the school district, it's time [to widen the street] for the city, for the county, for all the people living out there, and new housing," Commissioner Shaun Musil added.Once completed, the city will take ownership of the road section and be responsible for its maintenance.&nbsp;Ron Wilson, USD 489 Superintendent, was in the audience and told commissioners the district improvements financed by the new bond issue are "on pace."In other business, commissioners approved a $3.2 million bid from RDH Electric &amp; Construction, Hays, for construction of a new building at the south end of the hanger area to house the airport's snow removal equipment. The current building was constructed in 1996 when Hays Regional Airport had just two pieces of snow removal equipment.&nbsp; There are now seven pieces in the fleet. The bid was below the engineer's estimate.The building project and the associated construction engineering contract with Burns &amp; McDonnell for $385,000 are both eligible for a 90/10 match with the Federal Aviation Administration.&nbsp;Total project cost is $3.95 million dollars with the city's share being $456,000.&nbsp;Once the FAA grants are awarded, construction could begin as early as this summer.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/3/1679881626945.png" alt="City of Hays" />
 <figcaption>City of Hays</figcaption>
 </figure>In other business, commissioners approved the low bid of $321,000 from Mayer Specialty Services, Goddard, for lining 10,000 linear feet of 8-inch sanitary sewer line.&nbsp; Cleaning and inspection of sewer lines has been performed by contractors annually since 2013.&nbsp;&nbsp;A public hearing, which brought no comments, was held for special assessments of water, sanitary sewer, storm sewer, and street improvements in the King's Gate 2nd Addition Improvement District.&nbsp;The 22 homeowners' assessments will be $21,363 per lot.At the start of the meeting, one agenda item, a nuisance abatement for 1700 Marshall Road, was removed by Mayor Mason Ruder with no comment.Commissioner Reese Barrick was absent from the meeting.

🎥 Anticipating increased school traffic, East 13th Street to be widened in Hays

Fort Hays State University women's basketball will have a new, but very 
familiar face as its leader going into the 2023-24 season. On Monday, head coach <a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/sports/womens-basketball/roster/coaches/tony-hobson/1136">Tony Hobson</a>
 announced his retirement after putting together a phenomenal career 
record of 745-227 in 31 seasons as a collegiate head coach, including a 
332-121 mark over 15 years that made him the winningest coach in Fort 
Hays State program history. The university and Director of Athletics 
Curtis Hammeke looked no further than the individual who has been 
instrumental in helping Hobson build the program into one of the 
strongest in NCAA Division II the last 11 years. Assistant coach <a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/sports/womens-basketball/roster/coaches/talia-kahrs/1137">Talia Kahrs</a> will elevate into the role of head coach. 
A press conference to officially introduce Kahrs as the next 
head coach will be held on Thursday, April 13, at the FHSU Memorial Union
 Lobby at 5 p.m. On Saturday, April 15, the university will be holding a
 celebration of <a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/sports/womens-basketball/roster/coaches/tony-hobson/1136">Tony Hobson</a>'s
 coaching career at the Robbins Center at 11 a.m. The delay for these 
in-person celebrations is to allow for family members to be in 
attendance. 
Hobson has elevated the FHSU women's basketball program to heights it 
never saw at the NCAA Division II level prior to his arrival, serving as
 head coach from 2008 to 2023. The program has won 20 or more games in 
12-straight seasons going back to the 2011-12 campaign, which is the 
longest-running streak in NCAA Division II. He guided the Tigers to 30 
or more wins three times and the Tigers were the No. 1 seed in the 
Central Regional of the NCAA Tournament four times under Hobson's 
leadership, making the regional final three times (2015, 2019, 2022) and
 the regional semifinals twice. FHSU was an NCAA Tournament qualifier 
seven of the last nine years after qualifying for the NCAA national 
tournament just once before Hobson became head coach. 
The Tigers enjoyed six MIAA Championships under Hobson's guidance, which
 included four regular season titles (2015, 2019, 2021, 2022) and two 
tournament titles (2019, 2022). He was the MIAA Women's Basketball Coach
 of the Year four times (2015, 2016, 2019, 2021). Hobson was also the 
WBCA Regional Coach of the Year in 2015 and 2019 and was named the 
Kansas Basketball Coaches Association Four-Year College Coach of the 
Year in 2019 and 2022. 
"Tony has done an outstanding job with our women's basketball program 
over the past 15 years," said Hammeke. "Our program has become 
consistently competitive at the conference, regional, and national 
levels during his tenure." 
Hobson started his career as head coach at Cloud County (Kan.) Community
 College in 1983-84, where he coached for six years. Eventually, he 
became head coach at Barton County (Kan.) Community College for three 
years from 1997 to 2000. Hobson notched 202 wins as a head coach in nine
 years as a junior college head coach. He then moved on to Hastings 
College (Neb.), where he put together a national powerhouse program at 
the NAIA level for seven years from 2001 to 2008. Hastings won three 
NAIA national titles (2002, 2003, 2006) under Hobson's guidance and won 
211 games, reaching the 30-win plateau in five of his seven seasons. 
Hobson then came to FHSU, where he enjoyed his longest tenure as a head 
coach and tacked on 332 wins to his career total of 745. 
"Everybody in their career knows this time will come, and hopefully you 
get to go out on your own terms like I get to," said Hobson. "It's good 
timing for me to retire. I always hoped I'd be able to leave a really 
good team and have somebody take over for me that I'm confident in and 
will take really good care of that group that I'm leaving. Both of those
 things have happened. We've been able to sustain success for a long 
period of time and hopefully the way we are transitioning into this next
 phase of the program will give us the best chance of keeping that 
going. This is a great group of players we have right now and I think 
it's going to be about as seamless of a transition as possible." 
Helping Hobson push FHSU to new heights in the NCAA Division II realm since the 2012-13 season has been FHSU graduate <a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/sports/womens-basketball/roster/coaches/talia-kahrs/1137">Talia Kahrs</a>
 (formerly Miller), who played for Hobson at FHSU from 2008-11. She then
 served as a student assistant coach in 2011-12 and elevated to 
assistant coach in 2012-13, highly instrumental in the success of the 
team and several great players that have been a part of the program the 
last 12 years. She has been here as both a player and coach during 
Hobson's entire 15-year tenure at FHSU. 
"I really believe in Talia," said Hobson. "She is a really intelligent, 
hard-working person and one of the more unselfish individuals I've ever 
been around. I know she has the players' respect and I think that is of 
utmost importance. She has turned into a really good recruiter, and to 
recruit kids you have to be genuine and she is that. You can't try to be
 something you're not because kids are smart, they figure that out. As 
far as X's and O's go, she's on top of it. The hard part of coaching is 
getting individuals here that fit into what you want to do, on and off 
the court. Talia has been one of the main reasons why we have been able 
to sustain what we have going here at FHSU because we have stability as a
 coaching staff. She has had plenty of interest from the outside the 
last few years and she has been very patient on doing her job at a very 
high level, waiting for her opportunity. As much of I think of her as a 
coach, I think even more highly of her as a person. I think she will do 
an excellent job." 
The Tigers have garnered 42 All-MIAA selections while Kahrs has been on 
the sideline with Hobson since 2011 to go with the six conference 
championships and seven NCAA Tournament appearances. They have also 
coached three All-America players in that span, including Kate Lehman, 
Tatyana Legette, and <a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/sports/womens-basketball/roster/jaden-hobbs/6437">Jaden Hobbs</a>. Lehman and Legette also garnered MIAA Player of the Year honors in their time as Tigers. 
"I'm just really thankful for this opportunity and to have spent as much
 time as I have with Tony. To learn under him with as successful as he 
has been over the years," said Kahrs. "I'm thankful for the way he 
allowed me to do more in my role as assistant over the years to get me 
to this point where I feel confident that I'm prepared to be head coach.
 I'm very excited and willing to take the opportunity to lead this group
 of women, a team that we've worked really hard to put together." 
"Talia possesses all the traits we want to see in a coach to lead our 
program forward," said Hammeke. "She is passionate, knowledgeable, 
enthusiastic, and has a strong work ethic. These characteristics coupled
 with her personality, love for the game, and care for our 
student-athletes, makes her well suited to take over where Tony left 
off." 
Kahrs will be the seventh head coach of women's basketball at Fort Hays State since 1969.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/3/1679968005868.png" alt="FHSU Athletics photo" />
 <figcaption>FHSU Athletics photo</figcaption>
 </figure>FHSU AthleticsFort Hays State University women's basketball will have a new, but very 
familiar face as its leader going into the 2023-24 season. On Monday, head coach <a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/sports/womens-basketball/roster/coaches/tony-hobson/1136">Tony Hobson</a>
 announced his retirement after putting together a phenomenal career 
record of 745-227 in 31 seasons as a collegiate head coach, including a 
332-121 mark over 15 years that made him the winningest coach in Fort 
Hays State program history. The university and Director of Athletics 
Curtis Hammeke looked no further than the individual who has been 
instrumental in helping Hobson build the program into one of the 
strongest in NCAA Division II the last 11 years. Assistant coach <a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/sports/womens-basketball/roster/coaches/talia-kahrs/1137">Talia Kahrs</a> will elevate into the role of head coach. 
A press conference to officially introduce Kahrs as the next 
head coach will be held on Thursday, April 13, at the FHSU Memorial Union
 Lobby at 5 p.m. On Saturday, April 15, the university will be holding a
 celebration of <a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/sports/womens-basketball/roster/coaches/tony-hobson/1136">Tony Hobson</a>'s
 coaching career at the Robbins Center at 11 a.m. The delay for these 
in-person celebrations is to allow for family members to be in 
attendance. 
Hobson has elevated the FHSU women's basketball program to heights it 
never saw at the NCAA Division II level prior to his arrival, serving as
 head coach from 2008 to 2023. The program has won 20 or more games in 
12-straight seasons going back to the 2011-12 campaign, which is the 
longest-running streak in NCAA Division II. He guided the Tigers to 30 
or more wins three times and the Tigers were the No. 1 seed in the 
Central Regional of the NCAA Tournament four times under Hobson's 
leadership, making the regional final three times (2015, 2019, 2022) and
 the regional semifinals twice. FHSU was an NCAA Tournament qualifier 
seven of the last nine years after qualifying for the NCAA national 
tournament just once before Hobson became head coach. 
The Tigers enjoyed six MIAA Championships under Hobson's guidance, which
 included four regular season titles (2015, 2019, 2021, 2022) and two 
tournament titles (2019, 2022). He was the MIAA Women's Basketball Coach
 of the Year four times (2015, 2016, 2019, 2021). Hobson was also the 
WBCA Regional Coach of the Year in 2015 and 2019 and was named the 
Kansas Basketball Coaches Association Four-Year College Coach of the 
Year in 2019 and 2022. 
"Tony has done an outstanding job with our women's basketball program 
over the past 15 years," said Hammeke. "Our program has become 
consistently competitive at the conference, regional, and national 
levels during his tenure." 
Hobson started his career as head coach at Cloud County (Kan.) Community
 College in 1983-84, where he coached for six years. Eventually, he 
became head coach at Barton County (Kan.) Community College for three 
years from 1997 to 2000. Hobson notched 202 wins as a head coach in nine
 years as a junior college head coach. He then moved on to Hastings 
College (Neb.), where he put together a national powerhouse program at 
the NAIA level for seven years from 2001 to 2008. Hastings won three 
NAIA national titles (2002, 2003, 2006) under Hobson's guidance and won 
211 games, reaching the 30-win plateau in five of his seven seasons. 
Hobson then came to FHSU, where he enjoyed his longest tenure as a head 
coach and tacked on 332 wins to his career total of 745. 
"Everybody in their career knows this time will come, and hopefully you 
get to go out on your own terms like I get to," said Hobson. "It's good 
timing for me to retire. I always hoped I'd be able to leave a really 
good team and have somebody take over for me that I'm confident in and 
will take really good care of that group that I'm leaving. Both of those
 things have happened. We've been able to sustain success for a long 
period of time and hopefully the way we are transitioning into this next
 phase of the program will give us the best chance of keeping that 
going. This is a great group of players we have right now and I think 
it's going to be about as seamless of a transition as possible." 
Helping Hobson push FHSU to new heights in the NCAA Division II realm since the 2012-13 season has been FHSU graduate <a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/sports/womens-basketball/roster/coaches/talia-kahrs/1137">Talia Kahrs</a>
 (formerly Miller), who played for Hobson at FHSU from 2008-11. She then
 served as a student assistant coach in 2011-12 and elevated to 
assistant coach in 2012-13, highly instrumental in the success of the 
team and several great players that have been a part of the program the 
last 12 years. She has been here as both a player and coach during 
Hobson's entire 15-year tenure at FHSU. 
"I really believe in Talia," said Hobson. "She is a really intelligent, 
hard-working person and one of the more unselfish individuals I've ever 
been around. I know she has the players' respect and I think that is of 
utmost importance. She has turned into a really good recruiter, and to 
recruit kids you have to be genuine and she is that. You can't try to be
 something you're not because kids are smart, they figure that out. As 
far as X's and O's go, she's on top of it. The hard part of coaching is 
getting individuals here that fit into what you want to do, on and off 
the court. Talia has been one of the main reasons why we have been able 
to sustain what we have going here at FHSU because we have stability as a
 coaching staff. She has had plenty of interest from the outside the 
last few years and she has been very patient on doing her job at a very 
high level, waiting for her opportunity. As much of I think of her as a 
coach, I think even more highly of her as a person. I think she will do 
an excellent job." 
The Tigers have garnered 42 All-MIAA selections while Kahrs has been on 
the sideline with Hobson since 2011 to go with the six conference 
championships and seven NCAA Tournament appearances. They have also 
coached three All-America players in that span, including Kate Lehman, 
Tatyana Legette, and <a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/sports/womens-basketball/roster/jaden-hobbs/6437">Jaden Hobbs</a>. Lehman and Legette also garnered MIAA Player of the Year honors in their time as Tigers. 
"I'm just really thankful for this opportunity and to have spent as much
 time as I have with Tony. To learn under him with as successful as he 
has been over the years," said Kahrs. "I'm thankful for the way he 
allowed me to do more in my role as assistant over the years to get me 
to this point where I feel confident that I'm prepared to be head coach.
 I'm very excited and willing to take the opportunity to lead this group
 of women, a team that we've worked really hard to put together." 
"Talia possesses all the traits we want to see in a coach to lead our 
program forward," said Hammeke. "She is passionate, knowledgeable, 
enthusiastic, and has a strong work ethic. These characteristics coupled
 with her personality, love for the game, and care for our 
student-athletes, makes her well suited to take over where Tony left 
off." 
Kahrs will be the seventh head coach of women's basketball at Fort Hays State since 1969.

🏀 Hobson to retire; Kahrs new head coach of FHSU women’s basketball

March 27, 2023 Hello from Topeka.

A big thank you to all who came to the town halls we had throughout the district; great attendance and lots of issues were discussed. Glad to have State Senators Billinger and Bowers&nbsp;and State Representative Barb Wasinger at some of the stops. 

We are in the final two weeks before First&nbsp;Adjournment of the session. There are many things that we will vote on and some that did not make the&nbsp;cut, so they may be attempted next year.

Here are a few of the things that happened:

Comprehensive Tax Package - The House Tax Committee has spent months putting together a taxation&nbsp;package. Kansans in every corner of the state made their voices heard, and we listened. This taxation&nbsp;package is responsible, sustainable, and will not raise taxes on ANY Kansans.

Income Tax - This plan brings about a single-rate income tax of 5.25%. Establish a single-rate tax assists&nbsp;in keeping things simple as our state grows and adjustments are made, while making Kansas competitive&nbsp;with our neighbors. The Republican income tax plan focuses most relief on low-income Kansans, raising&nbsp;the starting point before taxes kick in by more than $4,000 for individuals and $7,300 for married filers.

The standard deduction for individuals is brought to $4,000, a number that will increase with inflation to&nbsp;provide flexibility in economic turmoil. This package accelerates reductions to taxes paid by businesses&nbsp;as they stay in Kansas. This helps us retain mature and loyal businesses who want to stay in Kansas. 

The&nbsp;Social Security Income Tax cliff has been great concern to many of our state’s retirees. This package&nbsp;eliminates that cliff and smooths out the tax rate when earning over $100,000 in Social Security income.&nbsp;This relief is much-needed for Kansas retirees. 

Property Taxes - The residential property tax deduction is increased from $40,000 to $65,000, placing&nbsp;about $60 million in tax relief directly to homeowners.

Sales Tax - This bill brings the elimination of sales tax on groceries to July 1st of this year, saving the&nbsp;average family hundreds of dollars that they would have previously had to wait much longer to see. The&nbsp;Senate has their own version of tax relief so we are a few steps away before something is finalized.&nbsp;

Education Budget - House Republicans have fully and constitutionally funded K-12 education again this year to the tune of $6.4 billion, $4.2 billion of which comes from state general funds. We fully support&nbsp;our K-12 schools and educators and are committed to providing them with the resources they need to&nbsp;be successful. SB 113 also allows students enrolled in nonpublic schools or home school programs to&nbsp;compete in KSHSAA activities. This increases competition and expands the opportunity to join peers in&nbsp;athletics and other activities to more students across Kansas. Additionally, parents will now be able to&nbsp;access a portal on district websites so they can view curricula for the year, increasing transparency and&nbsp;providing a resource to parents who want to reinforce schoolwork at home. SB 113 does not include&nbsp;special education funding.

Much like tax bills, education is not finished yet; there will still be&nbsp;negotiations with the Senate and we will have to see if the Governor vetoes these measures if they are&nbsp;agreed to by the legislative branch. 

ESG -&nbsp;The weaponization of ESG policies that we have seen seeks to eliminate the free market by neglecting&nbsp;fiduciary duty to investors. With HB 2436, House Republicans are taking care of the issue now, returning&nbsp;our investments to a free-market strategy that does not play games with the money we are responsible&nbsp;for. This bill has been carefully crafted over the course of many months to minimize any unintended&nbsp;consequences. The goal is simple: ensure that fiduciary responsibility takes precedence over ideological&nbsp;credit scores when making investments with state dollars.

Here’s what we have accomplished with HB&nbsp;2436: Proxy Voting:&nbsp;Now, we will use proxy voting organizations that do not follow ESG criteria, making&nbsp;sure that state-controlled money will not be used by investment firms to push their agenda upon&nbsp;companies.

Investments: There’s roughly $30 billion managed by our pension and pooled money&nbsp;boards. HB 2436 will make sure that money is not invested based on political ESG criteria, but with the&nbsp;goal of the greatest returns for Kansans.

Contracts: ESG will no longer be permitted as criteria for&nbsp;selection when the state is determining contracts. This affects all contracts, not just those with financial&nbsp;institutions.

Teacher Interstate Mobility Compact -&nbsp;Teacher shortages are impacting districts across Kansas and&nbsp;House Republicans are determined to tackle the issue from multiple angles. One solution we are&nbsp;discussing is SB 66, which creates a compact that assists in the mobility of teachers across member&nbsp;states. By streamlining licensure reciprocity, we can welcome new teachers from other states that we&nbsp;know are strong, well-qualified candidates to educate Kansas kids.

You can read about all the bills that passed or could be considered in either chamber by going online to&nbsp;<a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/">kslegislature.org</a>&nbsp;and when the house and senate are on the floor or in committees you can see all of them on the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC_0NO-Pb96CFABvxDwXAq8A">Kansas Legislature’s YouTube channel</a>. I am located at 186-W, which is the northwest corner of the capital. When you call my assistant, Terry Benitis will answer you call and help you with you matter. If you would like to contact me, email is:&nbsp;ken.rahjes@house.ks.gov, phone during the session (785) 296-7463 or you can always try my cell number at (785) 302-8416.

Thanks for reading. It is my honor to serve you.

Ken Rahjes, R-Agra, is the Kansas state representative of the 110th Dist. which includes:&nbsp;

* Graham, Norton, Phillips and Rooks Counties * Ellis County: Cities: Catharine, Ellis, Munjor and Schoenchen Townships: Big Creek (part), Buckeye, Catherine, Ellis, Freedom, Herzog (part), Lookout, Victoria (part) and Wheatland

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/3/1678110420754.jpeg" alt="Rep. Ken Rahjes, R-Agra, 110th Dist. (Photo by Becky Kiser/Hays Post)" />
 <figcaption>Rep. Ken Rahjes, R-Agra, 110th Dist. (Photo by Becky Kiser/Hays Post)</figcaption>
 </figure>March 27, 2023 Hello from Topeka. A big thank you to all who came to the town halls we had throughout the district; great attendance and lots of issues were discussed. Glad to have State Senators Billinger and Bowers&nbsp;and State Representative Barb Wasinger at some of the stops. We are in the final two weeks before First&nbsp;Adjournment of the session. There are many things that we will vote on and some that did not make the&nbsp;cut, so they may be attempted next year.Here are a few of the things that happened: Comprehensive Tax Package - The House Tax Committee has spent months putting together a taxation&nbsp;package. Kansans in every corner of the state made their voices heard, and we listened. This taxation&nbsp;package is responsible, sustainable, and will not raise taxes on ANY Kansans.&nbsp;Here are some highlights:&nbsp;Income Tax - This plan brings about a single-rate income tax of 5.25%. Establish a single-rate tax assists&nbsp;in keeping things simple as our state grows and adjustments are made, while making Kansas competitive&nbsp;with our neighbors. The Republican income tax plan focuses most relief on low-income Kansans, raising&nbsp;the starting point before taxes kick in by more than $4,000 for individuals and $7,300 for married filers. The standard deduction for individuals is brought to $4,000, a number that will increase with inflation to&nbsp;provide flexibility in economic turmoil. This package accelerates reductions to taxes paid by businesses&nbsp;as they stay in Kansas. This helps us retain mature and loyal businesses who want to stay in Kansas. The&nbsp;Social Security Income Tax cliff has been great concern to many of our state’s retirees. This package&nbsp;eliminates that cliff and smooths out the tax rate when earning over $100,000 in Social Security income.&nbsp;This relief is much-needed for Kansas retirees. Property Taxes - The residential property tax deduction is increased from $40,000 to $65,000, placing&nbsp;about $60 million in tax relief directly to homeowners.Sales Tax - This bill brings the elimination of sales tax on groceries to July 1st of this year, saving the&nbsp;average family hundreds of dollars that they would have previously had to wait much longer to see. The&nbsp;Senate has their own version of tax relief so we are a few steps away before something is finalized.&nbsp;Other issues:&nbsp;Education Budget - House Republicans have fully and constitutionally funded K-12 education again this year to the tune of $6.4 billion, $4.2 billion of which comes from state general funds. We fully support&nbsp;our K-12 schools and educators and are committed to providing them with the resources they need to&nbsp;be successful. SB 113 also allows students enrolled in nonpublic schools or home school programs to&nbsp;compete in KSHSAA activities. This increases competition and expands the opportunity to join peers in&nbsp;athletics and other activities to more students across Kansas. Additionally, parents will now be able to&nbsp;access a portal on district websites so they can view curricula for the year, increasing transparency and&nbsp;providing a resource to parents who want to reinforce schoolwork at home. SB 113 does not include&nbsp;special education funding. Much like tax bills, education is not finished yet; there will still be&nbsp;negotiations with the Senate and we will have to see if the Governor vetoes these measures if they are&nbsp;agreed to by the legislative branch. ESG -&nbsp;The weaponization of ESG policies that we have seen seeks to eliminate the free market by neglecting&nbsp;fiduciary duty to investors. With HB 2436, House Republicans are taking care of the issue now, returning&nbsp;our investments to a free-market strategy that does not play games with the money we are responsible&nbsp;for. This bill has been carefully crafted over the course of many months to minimize any unintended&nbsp;consequences. The goal is simple: ensure that fiduciary responsibility takes precedence over ideological&nbsp;credit scores when making investments with state dollars.Here’s what we have accomplished with HB&nbsp;2436: Proxy Voting:&nbsp;Now, we will use proxy voting organizations that do not follow ESG criteria, making&nbsp;sure that state-controlled money will not be used by investment firms to push their agenda upon&nbsp;companies. Investments: There’s roughly $30 billion managed by our pension and pooled money&nbsp;boards. HB 2436 will make sure that money is not invested based on political ESG criteria, but with the&nbsp;goal of the greatest returns for Kansans.Contracts: ESG will no longer be permitted as criteria for&nbsp;selection when the state is determining contracts. This affects all contracts, not just those with financial&nbsp;institutions.Teacher Interstate Mobility Compact -&nbsp;Teacher shortages are impacting districts across Kansas and&nbsp;House Republicans are determined to tackle the issue from multiple angles. One solution we are&nbsp;discussing is SB 66, which creates a compact that assists in the mobility of teachers across member&nbsp;states. By streamlining licensure reciprocity, we can welcome new teachers from other states that we&nbsp;know are strong, well-qualified candidates to educate Kansas kids.You can read about all the bills that passed or could be considered in either chamber by going online to&nbsp;<a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/">kslegislature.org</a>&nbsp;and when the house and senate are on the floor or in committees you can see all of them on the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC_0NO-Pb96CFABvxDwXAq8A">Kansas Legislature’s YouTube channel</a>. I am located at 186-W, which is the northwest corner of the capital. When you call my assistant, Terry Benitis will answer you call and help you with you matter. If you would like to contact me, email is:&nbsp;ken.rahjes@house.ks.gov, phone during the session (785) 296-7463 or you can always try my cell number at (785) 302-8416.Thanks for reading. It is my honor to serve you.Ken Rahjes, R-Agra, is the Kansas state representative of the 110th Dist. which includes:&nbsp;* Graham, Norton, Phillips and Rooks Counties * Ellis County: Cities: Catharine, Ellis, Munjor and Schoenchen Townships: Big Creek (part), Buckeye, Catherine, Ellis, Freedom, Herzog (part), Lookout, Victoria (part) and Wheatland&nbsp;

RAHJES REPORT: March 27, 2023

The Hays Fire Department will be inspecting and flow testing fire hydrants on Monday in the area of Hall St. to Oak St. between 7th St. and 17th St. also Vine St. to Canterbury Dr. between 22nd St. and 33rd St. 

This is part of a coordinated effort by the city of Hays to inspect all fire hydrants in the city and flush all water mains annually.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1588196742299.jpeg" alt="City of Hays" />
 <figcaption>City of Hays</figcaption>
 </figure>Hays FDThe Hays Fire Department will be inspecting and flow testing fire hydrants on Monday in the area of Hall St. to Oak St. between 7th St. and 17th St. also Vine St. to Canterbury Dr. between 22nd St. and 33rd St. This is part of a coordinated effort by the city of Hays to inspect all fire hydrants in the city and flush all water mains annually.&nbsp;

Fire hydrant flushing, inspections continue this week by Hays Fire Dept. 

Defiance Brewing Company will collaborate with a series of Sunflower State breweries for Kansas Craft Beer Week. The collaborative brews will be with local brewery Lb. Brewing Company&nbsp;and Lawrence natives Fields &amp; Ivy. The two local breweries will host two separate tapping events held at Gella’s Diner&nbsp;on April 17 and at Defiance’s taphouse, 2050 old Hwy 40,&nbsp;location on April 20. Craft beer aficionados, novices and&nbsp;the public&nbsp;are welcome to attend.&nbsp;

The first of the three new collaborative brews will be a Tropical IPA. The second brew will be available at both Defiance locations. This brew will be a Honey Blonde Ale that uses ingredients from another local business, Jensen Honey. Lastly, the collaboration between Fields and Ivy and Defiance will be a Czech Dark Lager.&nbsp;

Brews will be exclusive to their respective taphouse locations other than the collaboration with Fields &amp; Ivy. The Czech dark lager will be available at Fields &amp; Ivy’s location in Lawrence, as well as liquor stores across the state. Each of the three brews are limited in supplies with Defiance brewing six barrels,&nbsp;Lb.brewing 10, and Fields &amp; Ivy brewing a total of 20 barrels.&nbsp;

Defiance Brewing Company will also be offering a craft beer pub crawl on April 21 and 22. Information regarding the pub crawl will be posted on Defiance Brewing Company’s Facebook page.&nbsp;

News releaseDefiance Brewing Company will collaborate with a series of Sunflower State breweries for Kansas Craft Beer Week. The collaborative brews will be with local brewery Lb. Brewing Company&nbsp;and Lawrence natives Fields &amp; Ivy. The two local breweries will host two separate tapping events held at Gella’s Diner&nbsp;on April 17 and at Defiance’s taphouse, 2050 old Hwy 40,&nbsp;location on April 20. Craft beer aficionados, novices and&nbsp;the public&nbsp;are welcome to attend.&nbsp;The first of the three new collaborative brews will be a Tropical IPA. The second brew will be available at both Defiance locations. This brew will be a Honey Blonde Ale that uses ingredients from another local business, Jensen Honey. Lastly, the collaboration between Fields and Ivy and Defiance will be a Czech Dark Lager.&nbsp;Brews will be exclusive to their respective taphouse locations other than the collaboration with Fields &amp; Ivy. The Czech dark lager will be available at Fields &amp; Ivy’s location in Lawrence, as well as liquor stores across the state. Each of the three brews are limited in supplies with Defiance brewing six barrels,&nbsp;Lb.brewing 10, and Fields &amp; Ivy brewing a total of 20 barrels.&nbsp;Defiance Brewing Company will also be offering a craft beer pub crawl on April 21 and 22. Information regarding the pub crawl will be posted on Defiance Brewing Company’s Facebook page.&nbsp;

Kansas breweries join forces to celebrate Craft Brew Week 2023

NATOMA — The Osborne County Community Foundation has awarded a grant to the Natoma Community Center to replace the back doors on the building. 

 The Community Center, converted from the Welling Theater by citizens of Natoma, serves as a gathering place for many events in Natoma and the surrounding areas such as blood drives, birthday parties, wedding and graduation receptions, and more. 

Due to the terrible <a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/3e1b3b1c-d9bf-45b9-b8a3-9a126510b232">flooding in Natoma</a> in May 2021, many parts of the building were damaged and in need of repair.

 In the last year OCCF has helped NCC with grants for replacing carpeting and chair racks as well as remodeling the bathrooms after walls had to be replaced.  However, work still remains to be done, and the back doors are bent and warped from water damage.  For safety and security in the building, the doors will be replaced with new, steel ones that open easily yet maintain security. 

 Carmen George, treasurer for NCC, said "the mission of the Natoma Community Center is to provide a safe and clean space for residents," and OCCF is committed to helping them fulfill this mission. 

 Donations from the generous donors of Osborne County make grants like this possible. 

For information on becoming a donor or to learn more about the Osborne County Community Foundation, email OCCF board members at OsborneCCF@gmail.com or visit <a href="https://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.Osborneccf.org%2F%3Ffbclid%3DIwAR3lNviuozupYc7QIaNdz3h_auGWeAQL0cXkxJNqyIt5us-Sa0KkJABsVvU&amp;h=AT3TZ67YgKqB5zfyS2DiUHSQJoUEnJhsfBvTgaL8dhAY2auM_pVWxZGuCeGbfl9f_p0QcJidEXQJ6g3-0kKhrWNavrR6Ao7-yBq_nurOGyGgnT2zsih-QFfAZAbG-W2rrPxM&amp;__tn__=-UK-R&amp;c[0]=AT1jVxvbEbzxlk_irIPBAndr41hexOOxbmt0Qvf1mdX3FQ6UB6gj3-1609roi7uDYDqmxbuFE4oJHiWienw3uHcF59PovsNqkkvT6EaKHsxnZ6Ro7hmh6Y8yeQWs7bGaV7QOAnRtDprAOzWaNZ16CLCyKOhluYNyO9SbYu6O1uXM0QOvwxouBjNjUQgF3pm6amm9f057YHjdIW0y-xGBOmxmL_MqvS7mgIsQ4w" target="_blank">www.Osborneccf.org.</a>

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/3/1679404612717.png" alt="Photo by Osborne County Community Foundation" />
 <figcaption>Photo by Osborne County Community Foundation</figcaption>
 </figure>NCCFNATOMA — The Osborne County Community Foundation has awarded a grant to the Natoma Community Center to replace the back doors on the building. The Community Center, converted from the Welling Theater by citizens of Natoma, serves as a gathering place for many events in Natoma and the surrounding areas such as blood drives, birthday parties, wedding and graduation receptions, and more. Due to the terrible <a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/3e1b3b1c-d9bf-45b9-b8a3-9a126510b232">flooding in Natoma</a> in May 2021, many parts of the building were damaged and in need of repair. In the last year OCCF has helped NCC with grants for replacing carpeting and chair racks as well as remodeling the bathrooms after walls had to be replaced. However, work still remains to be done, and the back doors are bent and warped from water damage. For safety and security in the building, the doors will be replaced with new, steel ones that open easily yet maintain security. Carmen George, treasurer for NCC, said "the mission of the Natoma Community Center is to provide a safe and clean space for residents," and OCCF is committed to helping them fulfill this mission. Donations from the generous donors of Osborne County make grants like this possible. For information on becoming a donor or to learn more about the Osborne County Community Foundation, email OCCF board members at OsborneCCF@gmail.com or visit <a href="https://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.Osborneccf.org%2F%3Ffbclid%3DIwAR3lNviuozupYc7QIaNdz3h_auGWeAQL0cXkxJNqyIt5us-Sa0KkJABsVvU&amp;h=AT3TZ67YgKqB5zfyS2DiUHSQJoUEnJhsfBvTgaL8dhAY2auM_pVWxZGuCeGbfl9f_p0QcJidEXQJ6g3-0kKhrWNavrR6Ao7-yBq_nurOGyGgnT2zsih-QFfAZAbG-W2rrPxM&amp;__tn__=-UK-R&amp;c[0]=AT1jVxvbEbzxlk_irIPBAndr41hexOOxbmt0Qvf1mdX3FQ6UB6gj3-1609roi7uDYDqmxbuFE4oJHiWienw3uHcF59PovsNqkkvT6EaKHsxnZ6Ro7hmh6Y8yeQWs7bGaV7QOAnRtDprAOzWaNZ16CLCyKOhluYNyO9SbYu6O1uXM0QOvwxouBjNjUQgF3pm6amm9f057YHjdIW0y-xGBOmxmL_MqvS7mgIsQ4w" target="_blank">www.Osborneccf.org.</a>

Natoma Community Center receives grant for '21 flood recovery

COLBY — Awards were handed out for the 2023 Art on the Oasis show in March at Colby Community College. Organizers extended appreciation to the donors and communities involved with another successful event.&nbsp;

The judge was&nbsp;Kris Kuksi from Lawrence, formerly of Hays.&nbsp;High schools at the show included Colby, Wheatland-Grinnell, and Wauneta-Palisade (Neb.).&nbsp;Toby Flores of Hays received Best of Show.

The top three artists, listed in each division with their current town or school, were presented with cash prizes.

Opaque Painting 1. Skyla Hegwood, McCook, Neb. 2. Tony Spivey, Goodland 3. Janelle N Johnson, Trenton, Neb.&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;

Mixed Medium&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 1. Brian Hutchinson, Hays&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 2. Sally Brandon, Phillipsburg&nbsp; &nbsp; 3. Teresa Honeycutt, McCook, Neb.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

2D&nbsp; &nbsp; 1. Skyla Hegwood, McCook, Neb.&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 2. Julie Peterson Shea, Phillipsburg 3. Molly Kay Lamb, Russell Springs

Sculpture&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 1. Dan Schluckebeir, Palisade, Neb. &nbsp; &nbsp; 2. Rebel Mahieu, Colby &nbsp; 3. Ashley Smith, Smith Center&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;

Watercolor 1. Gulnura Taylor, Greensburg&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;

Photography &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 1. Doyle Saddler, Colby &nbsp; &nbsp; 2. Alan Haug, McCook, Neb. 3. Teresa Honeycutt, McCook, Neb.&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;

Best of Show&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Tobias Flores, Hays&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

Opaque Painting&nbsp; 1. Theresa Reeves, Oberlin&nbsp; 2. Cassandra Rhymer, Colby&nbsp;&nbsp; 3. Kent Lockhart, Norton&nbsp; &nbsp;

Mixed Medium&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 1. Alvin Schultz, Garden City&nbsp; 2. Suzanne Schielke, Colby&nbsp; 3. Sophia Alfayo, Palisade, Neb.&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;

2D&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 1. Alvin Schultz, Garden City &nbsp; 2. Ann Dixson, Greensburg &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 3. Zack Beltz, Colby &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;

Sculpture&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 1. Carla Albers Johnson, Oakley &nbsp; &nbsp; 2. Laila Aufdenfarten, Palisade, Neb.&nbsp; &nbsp; 3. Cassie Sells, Hays &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;

Photography&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 1. David L Wilson, McCook, Neb.&nbsp; &nbsp; 2. Wilson&nbsp;&nbsp; 3. Cliff Johnson, Trenton, Neb.&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

Watercolor 1. Don Schroeder, Lewis 2. Kim Benson, Colby 3.&nbsp; Schroeder

Painting&nbsp; 1. Dylan Hawks, Norton&nbsp; 2. Ashton Wheeler, Wauneta-Palisade (Neb.) 3. Hawks, Norton&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;

Mixed Media&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

1. Treyton Barnett, Wheatland-Grinnell&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 2. Rob Manning, Norton 3. Kierra Tallent, Norton&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

2D&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 1. Jayden Bradley, Colby&nbsp; &nbsp; 2. Mareesa Hempler, Norton&nbsp; 3. Dylan Hawks, Norton&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

Sculpture&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 1. Abigail Cheney, Wheatland-Grinnell&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 2.&nbsp;Patrick Johnson, Wheatland-Grinnell&nbsp; 3. Sophia Alfago, Wauneta-Palisade &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

Photography&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 1. Rob Manning, Norton&nbsp; 2. Ashton Wheeler, Wauneta-Palisade&nbsp; 3. Manning, Norton &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/3/1679063739060.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>CCCCOLBY — Awards were handed out for the 2023 Art on the Oasis show in March at Colby Community College. Organizers extended appreciation to the donors and communities involved with another successful event.&nbsp;The judge was&nbsp;Kris Kuksi from Lawrence, formerly of Hays.&nbsp;High schools at the show included Colby, Wheatland-Grinnell, and Wauneta-Palisade (Neb.).&nbsp;Toby Flores of Hays received Best of Show. The top three artists, listed in each division with their current town or school, were presented with cash prizes.<h2>PROFESSIONAL</h2>Opaque Painting 1. Skyla Hegwood, McCook, Neb. 2. Tony Spivey, Goodland 3. Janelle N Johnson, Trenton, Neb.&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Mixed Medium&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 1. Brian Hutchinson, Hays&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 2. Sally Brandon, Phillipsburg&nbsp; &nbsp; 3. Teresa Honeycutt, McCook, Neb.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;2D&nbsp; &nbsp; 1. Skyla Hegwood, McCook, Neb.&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 2. Julie Peterson Shea, Phillipsburg 3. Molly Kay Lamb, Russell Springs Sculpture&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 1. Dan Schluckebeir, Palisade, Neb. &nbsp; &nbsp; 2. Rebel Mahieu, Colby &nbsp; 3. Ashley Smith, Smith Center&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;Watercolor 1. Gulnura Taylor, Greensburg&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; Photography &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 1. Doyle Saddler, Colby &nbsp; &nbsp; 2. Alan Haug, McCook, Neb. 3. Teresa Honeycutt, McCook, Neb.&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Best of Show&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Tobias Flores, Hays&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;AMATUER Opaque Painting&nbsp; 1. Theresa Reeves, Oberlin&nbsp; 2. Cassandra Rhymer, Colby&nbsp;&nbsp; 3. Kent Lockhart, Norton&nbsp; &nbsp; Mixed Medium&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 1. Alvin Schultz, Garden City&nbsp; 2. Suzanne Schielke, Colby&nbsp; 3. Sophia Alfayo, Palisade, Neb.&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;2D&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 1. Alvin Schultz, Garden City &nbsp; 2. Ann Dixson, Greensburg &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 3. Zack Beltz, Colby &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;Sculpture&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 1. Carla Albers Johnson, Oakley &nbsp; &nbsp; 2. Laila Aufdenfarten, Palisade, Neb.&nbsp; &nbsp; 3. Cassie Sells, Hays &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;Photography&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 1. David L Wilson, McCook, Neb.&nbsp; &nbsp; 2. Wilson&nbsp;&nbsp; 3. Cliff Johnson, Trenton, Neb.&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Watercolor 1. Don Schroeder, Lewis 2. Kim Benson, Colby 3.&nbsp; Schroeder <h2>HIGH SCHOOL</h2>Painting&nbsp; 1. Dylan Hawks, Norton&nbsp; 2. Ashton Wheeler, Wauneta-Palisade (Neb.) 3. Hawks, Norton&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Mixed Media&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;1. Treyton Barnett, Wheatland-Grinnell&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 2. Rob Manning, Norton 3. Kierra Tallent, Norton&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;2D&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 1. Jayden Bradley, Colby&nbsp; &nbsp; 2. Mareesa Hempler, Norton&nbsp; 3. Dylan Hawks, Norton&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Sculpture&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 1. Abigail Cheney, Wheatland-Grinnell&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 2.&nbsp;Patrick Johnson, Wheatland-Grinnell&nbsp; 3. Sophia Alfago, Wauneta-Palisade &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Photography&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 1. Rob Manning, Norton&nbsp; 2. Ashton Wheeler, Wauneta-Palisade&nbsp; 3. Manning, Norton &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;

Hays resident awarded Best of Show in Art on the Oasis; other NW Kansas winners

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/3/1679695768191.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>

Grow Hays, the nonprofit economic development organization serving Ellis County, will soon release its annual report highlighting economic factors in the county. Among insights generated by the report, it highlights a significant increase
in sales tax, valuations and transient guest tax collections.

According to Grow Hays Executive Director Doug Williams, the report shows sales tax for the city of Hays was
up by approximately 7.6 percent compared to the previous year, indicating people are buying more goods and services, and merchants are selling more
products, resulting in a positive economic impact.

The valuations for residential properties were reported up by
12.6 percent compared to the previous year, and the total valuation for the county
increased by 13 percent. Additionally, oil valuations showed a significant increase of
1 percent year over year due to the higher per-barrel price in January 2022, he said.

But Williams pointed out
that a large increase in oil valuation does not necessarily equate to a significant increase in total valuations as oil reflects less than 10 percent of the overall
valuation in the county, which was approximately $458 million.

While the increase in valuations may result in a potential
increase in property taxes, Williams noted that an increase in valuation does
not necessarily equate to a tax hike. He added that a lot of
factors are involved in the calculation of property tax, and it is a
complicated formula.

The transient guest tax collections took a significant jump
as well, increasing by almost 20 percent compared to the previous year. The increase
in the transient guest tax collections indicates that hotels in Hays are doing
well and more people are using them.

Williams also said that the pull factor for Hays
increased from 1.72 to 1.74, which means that more people are coming into the
community from outside and spending money in Hays.

"These 13,000 cars a day that are going by (on Interstate 70)? We want as many of those to stop as we can and spend money here," he said.

Overall, Williams said the annual report showed positive growth in various
sectors, indicating a healthy economic environment in Hays, while other western Kansas economic hubs like Garden City
and Dodge City are experiencing a slight decline.

The region's growth is important to Ellis County's
economy as it affects sales tax revenues, transient guests, tax revenues, and
the overall economy. Williams noted that Hays currently has the second- or third-highest pull factor in the state.

Williams acknowledged that the reason for the growth in Hays
and the decline in Garden City and Dodge City is difficult to pinpoint but
said that having more retail choices and recruiting more retailers will help
maintain the city's high pull factor. The organization is also exploring ways
to get people to stop off the interstate highway, including the implementation
of a Star Bond.

On the housing front, Williams noted that the overall sales
volume of the Hays MLS was down 3.3 percent last year due to a previously overheated
market in 2020 and 2021. However, the MLS average sales price increased by 4 percent,
while the county valuation of residential property increased by about 12 percent.

And while county appraisers often receive criticism, Williams said valuations are determined by a computer algorithm and that evidence-based
appeals are a fair process.

Ellis County saw a slight increase in
housing inventory and days on the market from the previous year with 48
active listings reported at year-end, compared to 40 in 2021. The increase in inventory, however,
did not fully address the supply issues faced by the community. Williams noted
that there is still a shortage of housing, particularly in the $175,000 to $275,000 price
range.

The increase in interest rates also impacted the market,
leading to a slowdown in sales. 

Williams said that it would take time to
resolve the issue, as it requires the development of land, lots and
multifamily units. In addition, challenges related to supply chain and labor
shortages have made the situation even more difficult.

"We still have supply issues," he said. "We don't have enough housing. In our community, we're working diligently to try and fix some of that. But we can use some more, and we're going to continue to try and fix it."

Williams expressed the need for continued diligent planning and
investment in the community to address the housing shortage. 

"I think the next five years in Ellis County are going to be fantastic," Williams said. "If you look at all the large projects are going on and all the things that we've got happening, they're going to be great. But we need to step up to the plate and do some things to do to meet the housing needs and to meet some other needs, the infrastructure needs in not only Hays but in Ellis and Victoria and those places, and use the tools that are available to try and ensure that we take advantage of this."

<a href="https://www.growhays.com/">The report is set to release soon and will be available on the Grow Hays website.</a>

<div><iframe title="Grow Hays annual report highlights Ellis County economic activity in 2022" allowtransparency="true" height="300" width="100%" style="border: none; min-width: min(100%, 430px);" scrolling="no" data-name="pb-iframe-player" src="https://www.podbean.com/player-v2/?i=f9tsw-13bd083-pb&from=pb6admin&square=1&share=1&download=1&rtl=0&fonts=Arial&skin=3267a3&font-color=auto&logo_link=podcast_page&btn-skin=3267a3&size=300" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div>By JAMES BELL Hays PostGrow Hays, the nonprofit economic development organization serving Ellis County, will soon release its annual report highlighting economic factors in the county. Among insights generated by the report, it highlights a significant increase
in sales tax, valuations and transient guest tax collections.According to Grow Hays Executive Director Doug Williams, the report shows sales tax for the city of Hays was
up by approximately 7.6 percent compared to the previous year, indicating people are buying more goods and services, and merchants are selling more
products, resulting in a positive economic impact.The valuations for residential properties were reported up by
12.6 percent compared to the previous year, and the total valuation for the county
increased by 13 percent. Additionally, oil valuations showed a significant increase of
1 percent year over year due to the higher per-barrel price in January 2022, he said.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/11/1574881377018.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>But Williams pointed out
that a large increase in oil valuation does not necessarily equate to a significant increase in total valuations as oil reflects less than 10 percent of the overall
valuation in the county, which was approximately $458 million.While the increase in valuations may result in a potential
increase in property taxes, Williams noted that an increase in valuation does
not necessarily equate to a tax hike. He added that a lot of
factors are involved in the calculation of property tax, and it is a
complicated formula.The transient guest tax collections took a significant jump
as well, increasing by almost 20 percent compared to the previous year. The increase
in the transient guest tax collections indicates that hotels in Hays are doing
well and more people are using them.Williams also said that the pull factor for Hays
increased from 1.72 to 1.74, which means that more people are coming into the
community from outside and spending money in Hays."These 13,000 cars a day that are going by (on Interstate 70)? We want as many of those to stop as we can and spend money here," he said.Overall, Williams said the annual report showed positive growth in various
sectors, indicating a healthy economic environment in Hays, while other western Kansas economic hubs like Garden City
and Dodge City are experiencing a slight decline.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/12/1640279693304.jpeg" alt="Doug Williams (File photo)" />
 <figcaption>Doug Williams (File photo)</figcaption>
 </figure>The region's growth is important to Ellis County's
economy as it affects sales tax revenues, transient guests, tax revenues, and
the overall economy. Williams noted that Hays currently has the second- or third-highest pull factor in the state.Williams acknowledged that the reason for the growth in Hays
and the decline in Garden City and Dodge City is difficult to pinpoint but
said that having more retail choices and recruiting more retailers will help
maintain the city's high pull factor. The organization is also exploring ways
to get people to stop off the interstate highway, including the implementation
of a Star Bond.On the housing front, Williams noted that the overall sales
volume of the Hays MLS was down 3.3 percent last year due to a previously overheated
market in 2020 and 2021. However, the MLS average sales price increased by 4 percent,
while the county valuation of residential property increased by about 12 percent.And while county appraisers often receive criticism, Williams said valuations are determined by a computer algorithm and that evidence-based
appeals are a fair process.Ellis County saw a slight increase in
housing inventory and days on the market from the previous year with 48
active listings reported at year-end, compared to 40 in 2021. The increase in inventory, however,
did not fully address the supply issues faced by the community. Williams noted
that there is still a shortage of housing, particularly in the $175,000 to $275,000 price
range.The increase in interest rates also impacted the market,
leading to a slowdown in sales. Williams said that it would take time to
resolve the issue, as it requires the development of land, lots and
multifamily units. In addition, challenges related to supply chain and labor
shortages have made the situation even more difficult."We still have supply issues," he said. "We don't have enough housing. In our community, we're working diligently to try and fix some of that. But we can use some more, and we're going to continue to try and fix it."Williams expressed the need for continued diligent planning and
investment in the community to address the housing shortage. "I think the next five years in Ellis County are going to be fantastic," Williams said. "If you look at all the large projects are going on and all the things that we've got happening, they're going to be great. But we need to step up to the plate and do some things to do to meet the housing needs and to meet some other needs, the infrastructure needs in not only Hays but in Ellis and Victoria and those places, and use the tools that are available to try and ensure that we take advantage of this."<a href="https://www.growhays.com/">The report is set to release soon and will be available on the Grow Hays website.</a>

🎙 Grow Hays annual report highlights positive economic momentum

Developmental Services of Northwest Kansas has announced that it has reached their $5 million goal in its inaugural capital campaign. The goal was reached thanks to a gift from the Robert E. and Patricia A. Schmidt Foundation.&nbsp;

Gary Shorman, Trustee of the Schmidt Foundation, presented a check to President and CEO Jerry Michaud, which officially marked the successful completion of the DSNWK’s Stronger Forever Together campaign.

“We are forever grateful to all of the supporters of our capital campaign who believe in our mission and&nbsp;who have shown&nbsp;it by their financial support," Michaud said. "Our special thanks is extended to the Schmidt Foundation for helping us reach the finish line. &nbsp;It is&nbsp;through all of this&nbsp;support and generosity that has allowed us to achieve our goal."

The money raised through the campaign&nbsp;was strategically targeted to benefit people with intellectual and developmental disabilities by improving the group homes and developmental centers where they live, learn and cultivate skills with purpose. 

In addition, DSNWK improved energy efficiency, strengthened security and safety through needed upgrades, and&nbsp;enhanced the effectiveness of service settings by completing much-needed facility repairs, renovations, technology upgrades and accessibility improvements.

"DSNWK would like to thank everyone who contributed to the Stronger Forever Together Capital Campaign,"&nbsp;Michaud said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/10/1602261742827.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>DSNWKDevelopmental Services of Northwest Kansas has announced that it has reached their $5 million goal in its inaugural capital campaign. The goal was reached thanks to a gift from the Robert E. and Patricia A. Schmidt Foundation.&nbsp;Gary Shorman, Trustee of the Schmidt Foundation, presented a check to President and CEO Jerry Michaud, which officially marked the successful completion of the DSNWK’s Stronger Forever Together campaign.“We are forever grateful to all of the supporters of our capital campaign who believe in our mission and&nbsp;who have shown&nbsp;it by their financial support," Michaud said. "Our special thanks is extended to the Schmidt Foundation for helping us reach the finish line. &nbsp;It is&nbsp;through all of this&nbsp;support and generosity that has allowed us to achieve our goal."The money raised through the campaign&nbsp;was strategically targeted to benefit people with intellectual and developmental disabilities by improving the group homes and developmental centers where they live, learn and cultivate skills with purpose. In addition, DSNWK improved energy efficiency, strengthened security and safety through needed upgrades, and&nbsp;enhanced the effectiveness of service settings by completing much-needed facility repairs, renovations, technology upgrades and accessibility improvements."DSNWK would like to thank everyone who contributed to the Stronger Forever Together Capital Campaign,"&nbsp;Michaud said.

Schmidt Foundation gift propels DSNWK to fundraising goal

The Hays school board will consider adopting an agreement to bring the Russell school district into the West Central Kansas Special Education Cooperative in 2024.

Hays USD 489 and the other school districts in the co-op — Ellis, Victoria and La Crosse —&nbsp;<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/6159f5db-0739-4af2-bb57-68e8cc563051">have already voted to approve a plan that has&nbsp;</a>been phasing Russell into the new co-op.

The new co-op agreement will be effective July 1, 2024.

Once Russell is fully admitted to the co-op, it will begin paying a portion of the co-op's operating expenses.

By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays PostThe Hays school board will consider adopting an agreement to bring the Russell school district into the West Central Kansas Special Education Cooperative in 2024.Hays USD 489 and the other school districts in the co-op — Ellis, Victoria and La Crosse —&nbsp;<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/6159f5db-0739-4af2-bb57-68e8cc563051">have already voted to approve a plan that has&nbsp;</a>been phasing Russell into the new co-op.The new co-op agreement will be effective July 1, 2024.Once Russell is fully admitted to the co-op, it will begin paying a portion of the co-op's operating expenses.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/3/1679687049741.jpeg" alt="A piece of playground equipment the Hays school board is considering for Wilson Elementary School. Courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>A piece of playground equipment the Hays school board is considering for Wilson Elementary School. Courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>The Hays board also&nbsp;will discuss purchasing new playground equipment for Wilson Elementary School with donation assistance from the Wilson Elementary Home and School Group and installing new turf at the Early Childhood Complex at a cost of $36,000.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/3/1679687120441.png" alt="The area at the Early Childhood Complex that is set to be turfed. Courtesy image." />
 <figcaption>The area at the Early Childhood Complex that is set to be turfed. Courtesy image.</figcaption>
 </figure>