Dawson Sandoval, a critical care nurse in HaysMed’s Intensive Care Unit, recently received certification as a Critical Care Registered Nurses from the American Association of Critical Care Nurses.

CCRN certification is awarded to critical care nurses who have completed a strenuous exam process assessing their knowledge base and who also meet the eligibility requirements for hours of clinical practice in care of acutely and/or critically ill patients.

"Healthcare is becoming more complex," said Sandy Gottschalk, Director of Professional Development at HaysMed. "It has become increasingly vital to assure our patients that healthcare professionals are highly skilled and competent. Receiving this certification validates a nurse’s mastery of skills, knowledge and abilities. Everyone in the healthcare equation — patients and families, employers and nurses — all benefit from CCRN certification as it is a mark of excellence."

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/1/1673277611084.jpeg" alt="Sandoval" />
 <figcaption>Sandoval</figcaption>
 </figure>HaysMedDawson Sandoval, a critical care nurse in HaysMed’s Intensive Care Unit, recently received certification as a Critical Care Registered Nurses from the American Association of Critical Care Nurses.CCRN certification is awarded to critical care nurses who have completed a strenuous exam process assessing their knowledge base and who also meet the eligibility requirements for hours of clinical practice in care of acutely and/or critically ill patients."Healthcare is becoming more complex," said Sandy Gottschalk, Director of Professional Development at HaysMed. "It has become increasingly vital to assure our patients that healthcare professionals are highly skilled and competent. Receiving this certification validates a nurse’s mastery of skills, knowledge and abilities. Everyone in the healthcare equation — patients and families, employers and nurses — all benefit from CCRN certification as it is a mark of excellence."

HaysMed nurse receives critical care certification

By BECKY KISER Hays Post

The Hays Police Department has just implemented a new partnership with WeTip.com.

The program is similar to Crimestoppers, but is a hands-off package deal for the city, according to Hays police Lt. Jeff Ridgway.&nbsp;

"Those wishing to report a crime can do that several ways, especially if they are wanting to stay anonymous," Ridgway said.&nbsp;

Reports can be made online at&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wetip.com/submit-a-crime-tip/">www.wetip.com</a>.

Tipsters can also call or text  844-785-1214. 

The 24-hour toll-free phone number is dedicated to the Hays Police Department.

When calling, "you can speak with a trained WeTip agent to report any bullying, threats, discrimination or other tips. You can report any time, day or night,"&nbsp;Ridgway explained.

To text a tip, type in the word "report" to&nbsp;844-785-1214 and you'll "receive a direct link on your mobile device where you can submit reports safely and anonymously."&nbsp;

As part of the Hays police/WeTip partnership, WeTip offers up to a $1,000 reward for information that leads to an arrest and successful prosecution.

"Keep in mind that reward is managed and offered by WeTip," Ridgway noted. "The Hays Police Department does not manage that."&nbsp;

A link to the tip site will also be available on the city of Hays website www.haysusa.com as well as a QR code which can be scanned to reach WeTip.&nbsp;

WeTip replaces an the police department's online reporting system which was not monitored 24 hours a day, according to Ridgway.

"WeTip staffs the call center 24 hours a day... And they actually do an initial evaluation of the tip and the spirit of the incident. And depending on the nature [of the incident], if it requires immediate [response], they will notify our dispatch center appropriately.&nbsp;

"Other reports that are determined not to require an immediate reponse,&nbsp; get forwarded to our investigations unit for review.&nbsp;

The program is provided to the city of Hays as part of the premium it pays to its property and liability insurance provider, Midwest Public Risk, according to Collin Bielser, assistant city manager.&nbsp;

"The service is not being charged to the police department," Ridgway said. "It's just part of that premium, so we're taking advantage of that free service to the city."

WeTip became effective in Hays at the end of December and just finished the "go live" process.

The next step is public awareness of the tip line, including in Hays schools and parks.

"We plan to distribute posters as well as some signage around the city to encourage the utilization of WeTip," said Ridgway.

"You call this number and you're getting straight through to our team, if you will.

"When WeTip answers this phone number, they know they're getting something for the city of Hays police department."

According to the WeTip website, the 50-year-old service based in&nbsp;

Cucamonga,&nbsp;California, receives more than 25,000 tips each year and currently has a recorded 8,372 resulting convictions.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/1/1673219945939.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>By BECKY KISER Hays PostThe Hays Police Department has just implemented a new partnership with WeTip.com.The program is similar to Crimestoppers, but is a hands-off package deal for the city, according to Hays police Lt. Jeff Ridgway.&nbsp;"Those wishing to report a crime can do that several ways, especially if they are wanting to stay anonymous," Ridgway said.&nbsp;Reports can be made online at&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wetip.com/submit-a-crime-tip/">www.wetip.com</a>.Tipsters can also call or text 844-785-1214. The 24-hour toll-free phone number is dedicated to the Hays Police Department. When calling, "you can speak with a trained WeTip agent to report any bullying, threats, discrimination or other tips. You can report any time, day or night,"&nbsp;Ridgway explained.To text a tip, type in the word "report" to&nbsp;844-785-1214 and you'll "receive a direct link on your mobile device where you can submit reports safely and anonymously."&nbsp;As part of the Hays police/WeTip partnership, WeTip offers up to a $1,000 reward for information that leads to an arrest and successful prosecution."Keep in mind that reward is managed and offered by WeTip," Ridgway noted. "The Hays Police Department does not manage that."&nbsp;A link to the tip site will also be available on the city of Hays website www.haysusa.com as well as a QR code which can be scanned to reach WeTip.&nbsp;<div><div style="position:relative; overflow:hidden; padding-bottom:56.25%"><iframe src="https://cdn.jwplayer.com/players/nBAt8PJO-P46diVCW.html" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" scrolling="auto" title="Ridgway Wetip" style="position:absolute;" allowfullscreen></iframe></div></div>WeTip replaces an the police department's online reporting system which was not monitored 24 hours a day, according to Ridgway."WeTip staffs the call center 24 hours a day... And they actually do an initial evaluation of the tip and the spirit of the incident. And depending on the nature [of the incident], if it requires immediate [response], they will notify our dispatch center appropriately.&nbsp;"Other reports that are determined not to require an immediate reponse,&nbsp; get forwarded to our investigations unit for review.&nbsp;The program is provided to the city of Hays as part of the premium it pays to its property and liability insurance provider, Midwest Public Risk, according to Collin Bielser, assistant city manager.&nbsp;"The service is not being charged to the police department," Ridgway said. "It's just part of that premium, so we're taking advantage of that free service to the city."WeTip became effective in Hays at the end of December and just finished the "go live" process.The next step is public awareness of the tip line, including in Hays schools and parks."We plan to distribute posters as well as some signage around the city to encourage the utilization of WeTip," said Ridgway."You call this number and you're getting straight through to our team, if you will."When WeTip answers this phone number, they know they're getting something for the city of Hays police department."According to the WeTip website, the 50-year-old service based in&nbsp;

Cucamonga,&nbsp;California, receives more than 25,000 tips each year and currently has a recorded 8,372 resulting convictions.&nbsp;

🎥 Hays PD: New WeTip crime reporting program implemented 

By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays Post

The 2023 Kansas legislative session will kick off Monday in Topeka with several local legislators saying they would like the body to address property tax relief. 

Rep. Barbara Wasinger, R-Hays, will be on the taxation committee this session and said she would like to see further tax relief for Kansans.

Gov. Larua Kelly has promoted immediately dropping the food sales tax to zero. Wasinger said she is a fiscal conservative and would like to see a lot of taxes trimmed.

Sen. Rick Billinger, R-Goodland, will be the chairman of the Senate budget committee. 

"We are going to try to approach the budget again this year similar to the way we did last year, which is to look at it from an aspect that we have no money rather than we have excess money that everyone is wanting a piece of," he said.

"We will start out looking at ways we can pay off debt and reduce our liabilities."

Billinger said in his district, which includes Ellis County, voters are interested in reductions in property tax. 

"Property tax is getting to where it's going to be very hard on senior citizens. It's going to be very hard on young people. It's going to just be hard on the working class because valuations have gone up so much in the last couple of years," he said.

With a recession looming, Billinger said he did not favor speeding up the cuts to the food sales tax as the governor has proposed.

Rep. Jim Minnix, R-Scott City, said he also is not in favor of the food taxes going to zero. He said he would like the reduction to stop at 2 percent. The state would retain about $170 million on an annual basis at that tax level.

Minnix said he would like to see those funds go to reduce local property taxes.

Two areas Billinger said he thought might receive additional funding are special education and mental health services.

<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/65f4b138-7b7a-475f-9ec8-ad89a56dce66">The state is required to fund 92 percent of what is not paid by the federal government for special education. The state is currently funding that gap at 71 percent with local school districts picking up the rest of the tab.</a>

<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/ac75a946-211c-4cf9-a0a9-76ab440e36b8">If the state fully funded its share of special education, that would mean an additional $1.5 million annually for the West Central Kansas Special Education Cooperative of which Hays is a member.</a>

<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/01082a7a-9bf8-422b-be47-fbd5b7a55ec4">Kansas, especially western Kansas, has faced a severe shortage of in-patient mental health beds with individuals being housed at law enforcement facilities or hospitals for days before they can be transferred to state hospitals.</a>

Billinger said an additional 50 adult mental health beds are being considered for Sedgwick County.

Wasinger also said she would like more funding to go to mental health services, but she did not point to any specific programs she would target. 

"When we spend more time and attention and money on mental health services, we end up being able to save money within the jail system," she said. "Right now, unfortunately, a lot of our jails are basically mental health clinics because we don't have any other place to put them. 

"I think we need to look back and reopen some mental health institutions that we had."

Wasigner is also vice-chair of the higher education budget committee. The written report on the potential restructuring of the Kanas Board of Regents system was set to be released on Friday as the state's major universities, including Fort Hays State University, have experienced recent declines in enrollment.

<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/2d790f37-173d-4569-8fe5-48137bb35063">Emporia State University this fall fired a handful of tenured faculty in response to those enrollment declines.</a>

"I think Emporia saw the writing on the wall that they are going to have to figure out how to do the job in a different way," Wasinger said, "because clearly, they're losing enrollment.

"We can't continue to do business the way we've done it before because it's clearly not working the same way it was.

"There are lots of things we need to visit about to try to get Regents schools, as well as our private religious schools, to all succeed in Kansas. I think we all need to come together to figure out what the best course of action is."

Billinger, who will chair the Senate higher education subcommittee, said he would like to see funds spent on the $1.2 billion in deferred maintenance at the Regents schools.

Minnix represents the 118th District, which includes WaKeeney. He is on the House water committee this session.

He said he did not anticipate any water bills coming out of the House this session. Much of the committee is new this year and the Senate does not have a similar committee on water.

However, he said he hopes to see major water reforms considered in 2024.

In the meantime, he would like to see Kansans in both the eastern and western parts of the state and in both rural and urban areas work to reduce water consumption.

Local Enhanced Management Areas, also known as LEMAs, have been successful in some areas in reducing water consumption. Citywide water conversation efforts in Hays have local residents using half as much water on a daily basis than their peers in other parts of the state, Minnix said.

He said he wants to keep water conservation and control at the local level. 

"I can see the variance in the Ogallala Aquifer from one small area to 10 miles down the road," he said.

Rep. Ken Rahjes, R-Agra, also supported the continuation of local control of water.

"I don't think eastern Kansas would want someone in Morton County telling someone in Johnson County what to do watering their yard much like I don't think someone from Topeka needs to tell someone in western Kansas whether they should or shouldn't irrigate," he said.

Rahjes said managing water resources is a complicated issue that won't be dealt with in a single session.

"We are looking at the long game," he said. ... "There is no silver bullet."

Rahjes, who will be on the ag committee, said there also is a need in Kansas for more large-animal veterinarians. He said the ag committee also will likely continue to address hemp production in the state.

Medical marijuana legislation, if it is discussed in the House, would likely come from the federal and state committee. Rahjes said whether he would consider supporting medical marijuana legislation would depend on how the bill was written.

Both he and Billinger said they would not support any move to legalize recreational marijuana in the state.

Minnix is also on the transportation committee and said he does think he will see action there.

"Since the 'bank of KDOT' is now closed and the state is not robbing from their funds," he said, "there should be more available funds and accentuate the highway repairs here in the state of Kansas.

"I think there will be a push to come up with more comprehensive long-term plans for transportation, especially freight corridors."

Wasinger said she would also like the constitutional amendment on rules and regulations rewritten. She has been named chair of the newly created legislative modernization committee as well as chair/vice chair of the joint administrative rules and regulations committee

<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/9ec2b8cb-7b6b-4608-b035-64f48bae4110">A
 measure sparked by the pandemic that would have given the Legislature 
more oversight over the executive branch failed in the general election this
 fall. </a>

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/1/1672953359493.png" alt="Photo courtesy Max McCoy / Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy Max McCoy / Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays PostThe 2023 Kansas legislative session will kick off Monday in Topeka with several local legislators saying they would like the body to address property tax relief. Rep. Barbara Wasinger, R-Hays, will be on the taxation committee this session and said she would like to see further tax relief for Kansans.Gov. Larua Kelly has promoted immediately dropping the food sales tax to zero. Wasinger said she is a fiscal conservative and would like to see a lot of taxes trimmed.Sen. Rick Billinger, R-Goodland, will be the chairman of the Senate budget committee. "We are going to try to approach the budget again this year similar to the way we did last year, which is to look at it from an aspect that we have no money rather than we have excess money that everyone is wanting a piece of," he said."We will start out looking at ways we can pay off debt and reduce our liabilities."Billinger said in his district, which includes Ellis County, voters are interested in reductions in property tax. "Property tax is getting to where it's going to be very hard on senior citizens. It's going to be very hard on young people. It's going to just be hard on the working class because valuations have gone up so much in the last couple of years," he said.With a recession looming, Billinger said he did not favor speeding up the cuts to the food sales tax as the governor has proposed. Rep. Jim Minnix, R-Scott City, said he also is not in favor of the food taxes going to zero. He said he would like the reduction to stop at 2 percent. The state would retain about $170 million on an annual basis at that tax level.Minnix said he would like to see those funds go to reduce local property taxes.<h2>Funds for special ed, mental health</h2>Two areas Billinger said he thought might receive additional funding are special education and mental health services.<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/65f4b138-7b7a-475f-9ec8-ad89a56dce66">The state is required to fund 92 percent of what is not paid by the federal government for special education. The state is currently funding that gap at 71 percent with local school districts picking up the rest of the tab.</a><a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/ac75a946-211c-4cf9-a0a9-76ab440e36b8">If the state fully funded its share of special education, that would mean an additional $1.5 million annually for the West Central Kansas Special Education Cooperative of which Hays is a member.</a> <a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/01082a7a-9bf8-422b-be47-fbd5b7a55ec4">Kansas, especially western Kansas, has faced a severe shortage of in-patient mental health beds with individuals being housed at law enforcement facilities or hospitals for days before they can be transferred to state hospitals.</a>Billinger said an additional 50 adult mental health beds are being considered for Sedgwick County.Wasinger also said she would like more funding to go to mental health services, but she did not point to any specific programs she would target. "When we spend more time and attention and money on mental health services, we end up being able to save money within the jail system," she said. "Right now, unfortunately, a lot of our jails are basically mental health clinics because we don't have any other place to put them. "I think we need to look back and reopen some mental health institutions that we had."<h2>Higher ed</h2>Wasigner is also vice-chair of the higher education budget committee. The written report on the potential restructuring of the Kanas Board of Regents system was set to be released on Friday as the state's major universities, including Fort Hays State University, have experienced recent declines in enrollment.<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/2d790f37-173d-4569-8fe5-48137bb35063">Emporia State University this fall fired a handful of tenured faculty in response to those enrollment declines.</a> "I think Emporia saw the writing on the wall that they are going to have to figure out how to do the job in a different way," Wasinger said, "because clearly, they're losing enrollment."We can't continue to do business the way we've done it before because it's clearly not working the same way it was. "There are lots of things we need to visit about to try to get Regents schools, as well as our private religious schools, to all succeed in Kansas. I think we all need to come together to figure out what the best course of action is."Billinger, who will chair the Senate higher education subcommittee, said he would like to see funds spent on the $1.2 billion in deferred maintenance at the Regents schools.<h2>Water</h2>Minnix represents the 118th District, which includes WaKeeney. He is on the House water committee this session.He said he did not anticipate any water bills coming out of the House this session. Much of the committee is new this year and the Senate does not have a similar committee on water. However, he said he hopes to see major water reforms considered in 2024.In the meantime, he would like to see Kansans in both the eastern and western parts of the state and in both rural and urban areas work to reduce water consumption.Local Enhanced Management Areas, also known as LEMAs, have been successful in some areas in reducing water consumption. Citywide water conversation efforts in Hays have local residents using half as much water on a daily basis than their peers in other parts of the state, Minnix said.He said he wants to keep water conservation and control at the local level. "I can see the variance in the Ogallala Aquifer from one small area to 10 miles down the road," he said.Rep. Ken Rahjes, R-Agra, also supported the continuation of local control of water."I don't think eastern Kansas would want someone in Morton County telling someone in Johnson County what to do watering their yard much like I don't think someone from Topeka needs to tell someone in western Kansas whether they should or shouldn't irrigate," he said. Rahjes said managing water resources is a complicated issue that won't be dealt with in a single session."We are looking at the long game," he said. ... "There is no silver bullet."Rahjes, who will be on the ag committee, said there also is a need in Kansas for more large-animal veterinarians. He said the ag committee also will likely continue to address hemp production in the state.Medical marijuana legislation, if it is discussed in the House, would likely come from the federal and state committee. Rahjes said whether he would consider supporting medical marijuana legislation would depend on how the bill was written.Both he and Billinger said they would not support any move to legalize recreational marijuana in the state. Minnix is also on the transportation committee and said he does think he will see action there."Since the 'bank of KDOT' is now closed and the state is not robbing from their funds," he said, "there should be more available funds and accentuate the highway repairs here in the state of Kansas."I think there will be a push to come up with more comprehensive long-term plans for transportation, especially freight corridors."Wasinger said she would also like the constitutional amendment on rules and regulations rewritten. She has been named chair of the newly created legislative modernization committee as well as chair/vice chair of the joint administrative rules and regulations committee<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/9ec2b8cb-7b6b-4608-b035-64f48bae4110">A
 measure sparked by the pandemic that would have given the Legislature 
more oversight over the executive branch failed in the general election this
 fall. </a>

Local legislators favor property tax relief as session set to start Monday

By JOHN HANNA&nbsp; Associated Press

TOPEKA — Kansas water experts are sounding an alarm decades in the making: Farmers and ranchers in the state's western half must stop pumping more water out of a vast aquifer than nature puts back each year or risk the economic collapse of a region important to the U.S. food supply.

That warning is setting up a big and messy fight for the annual session of the Kansas Legislature set to open Monday.

The Kansas Water Authority is telling lawmakers that Kansas needs to break sharply with its decades long policy of slowing depletion while still allowing water levels to drop in the Ogallala Aquifer. The aquifer covers roughly 175,000 square miles in the western and Great Plains states of Texas, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Kansas, Colorado, Nebraska, Wyoming and South Dakota.

Most of those states have areas where depletion is a problem, but the call in Kansas to “halt” the declines has farmers, ranchers and politically influential agriculture groups preparing to battle proposals that would give them less control over water and possibly could force them to cultivate fewer acres, buy expensive new equipment or turn on a dime to grow different crops.

Imposing the Water Authority's policy means agribusinesses that drive the region's economy would have to consume less water — perhaps as much as 30% less in some areas. Lawmakers also would have to decide whether local officials would keep driving conservation efforts or if the state would be in charge.

“The easy part was making the statement. That didn’t cost anybody anything,” said Clay Scott, who farms in southwestern Kansas. “We’re going to have to start paying for it, and we have to decide how that gets divvied up.”

Kansas produces more than 20% of the nation's wheat and has about 18% of the cattle being fed in the U.S. The western third of Kansas, home to most of its portion of the Ogallala, accounts for 60% of the value of all Kansas crops and livestock. That's possible because of the water.

<a href="https://kwo.ks.gov/docs/default-source/kansas-water-authority-page/annual-report-2023-draft.pdf?sfvrsn=ed658e14_2">The recommendation</a>&nbsp;on the Ogallala from the water authority, a planning and advisory commission, is a response to data showing that since widespread pumping began around 1940, much of the Ogallala&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kgs.ku.edu/Publications/OFR/2022/OFR2022-27.pdf">has lost at least 30% of</a><a href="https://www.kgs.ku.edu/Publications/OFR/2022/OFR2022-27.pdf">its available water</a>&nbsp;and more than 60% in places in western Kansas. The Kansas Geological Survey had a team in western Kansas this week to measure well depths for updated figures.

“There are wells that are starting to run dry already, so this isn’t a distant problem in some areas,” said Tom Buller, executive director of the Kansas Rural Center, a nonprofit that promotes sustainable agriculture and family farming. “There isn’t a lot of time to solve the problem.”

The Water Authority's recommendation comes as much of the western U.S. continues to suffer through a megadrought fueled by climate change. Parts of Kansas have had drought conditions for a year, and more than half the state has been in extreme drought since mid-September.

The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation is currently working on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/colorado-river-droughts-climate-and-environment-c04cbad0ef3758f8f2f39460b575e911">a plan to cut water use</a>&nbsp;from the Colorado River in western states by 15%, and Arizona is&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-arizona-kansas-kingman-climate-and-environment-3930e382b67255333a8172f044da2609">restricting large-scale farming.</a>&nbsp;Nebraska last year launched&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/climate-colorado-river-droughts-8948b3bc74335b94ba86fd9f3b631e02">a $500 million canal project</a>&nbsp;to divert water from the South Platte River in Colorado.

“We are told that the future, due to climate change, is going to get warmer and drier in western Kansas,” said Connie Owen, director of the Kansas Water Office, which oversees long-term plans for preserving water. “That is making things worse, which is all the more reason that we have to deal with this now.”

There's broad agreement, including among powerful agriculture groups and nervous farmers and ranchers, that Kansas needs to extend the aquifer's life.

But the path forward isn't yet clear for Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly and the Republican-controlled Legislature.

In a pre-session interview, Kelly promised only to get affected parties together to negotiate a comprehensive solution. She added that following her narrow reelection in November, “I’ve got some political capital to spend to deal with what will be a very contentious issue.”

Depletion of the Ogallala was one reason that in the Kansas House, the Water Committee last year considered&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-environment-and-nature-kansas-topeka-water-management-1df02b1fe32b37c7a090a7f5768c6dc4">a 283-page bipartisan proposal</a>&nbsp;to set aside $49 million a year for conservation efforts and other programs. The measure also would have reorganized those programs and made the official who grants rights to use water independent of the state Department of Agriculture. In addition, it would have curbed the power of big irrigators in local districts that manage groundwater use, including from the Ogallala.

Opponents included the Kansas Farm Bureau and the Kansas Livestock Association. Nothing ultimately passed after critics accused supporters of drafting it largely in secret. The committee's chair later retired.

The new Water Committee chair, Republican Rep. Jim Minnix, a southwestern Kansas farmer, said he hopes to work on incentives for local officials to be more aggressive about water conservation.

The state allows local districts to set restrictions, and one in northwest Kansas gets high marks from water experts and officials for cutting water use. In one area of 99 square miles (256 square kilometers), it set water-use rules, sought to cut consumption 20% and reduced it 35% over the past decade, according to Manager Shannon Kenyon.

Kenyon prizes local control but said the state should take charge where local officials haven't pursued enough conservation.

If local officials allow the water dry up, she said, “They are going to kill the economy in the state of Kansas,” Kenyon said.

Some western Kansas farmers argue that the state's best move is to ramp up education about ways to conserve water and provide incentives to help farmers adopt them. Several of them, as well as local water officials, said agriculture has become more careful with water over the past several decades through new technology, new crop varieties and better farming practices.

Lee Reeve, whose family has farmed near Garden City in southwest Kansas for more than 100 years and now operates a cattle feed yard and ethanol plant, sees the Water Authority's language on halting depletion as “toxic,” noting that farmers already are suspicious of government programs.

“There’s just enough of this scare stuff out there that it's hard to get through to people that, ‘Hey, there are things we can do,’” he said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/1/1673198135092.jpeg" alt="Kansas Geological Survey" />
 <figcaption>Kansas Geological Survey</figcaption>
 </figure>By JOHN HANNA&nbsp; Associated PressTOPEKA — Kansas water experts are sounding an alarm decades in the making: Farmers and ranchers in the state's western half must stop pumping more water out of a vast aquifer than nature puts back each year or risk the economic collapse of a region important to the U.S. food supply.That warning is setting up a big and messy fight for the annual session of the Kansas Legislature set to open Monday.The Kansas Water Authority is telling lawmakers that Kansas needs to break sharply with its decades long policy of slowing depletion while still allowing water levels to drop in the Ogallala Aquifer. The aquifer covers roughly 175,000 square miles in the western and Great Plains states of Texas, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Kansas, Colorado, Nebraska, Wyoming and South Dakota.Most of those states have areas where depletion is a problem, but the call in Kansas to “halt” the declines has farmers, ranchers and politically influential agriculture groups preparing to battle proposals that would give them less control over water and possibly could force them to cultivate fewer acres, buy expensive new equipment or turn on a dime to grow different crops.Imposing the Water Authority's policy means agribusinesses that drive the region's economy would have to consume less water — perhaps as much as 30% less in some areas. Lawmakers also would have to decide whether local officials would keep driving conservation efforts or if the state would be in charge.“The easy part was making the statement. That didn’t cost anybody anything,” said Clay Scott, who farms in southwestern Kansas. “We’re going to have to start paying for it, and we have to decide how that gets divvied up.”Kansas produces more than 20% of the nation's wheat and has about 18% of the cattle being fed in the U.S. The western third of Kansas, home to most of its portion of the Ogallala, accounts for 60% of the value of all Kansas crops and livestock. That's possible because of the water.<a href="https://kwo.ks.gov/docs/default-source/kansas-water-authority-page/annual-report-2023-draft.pdf?sfvrsn=ed658e14_2">The recommendation</a>&nbsp;on the Ogallala from the water authority, a planning and advisory commission, is a response to data showing that since widespread pumping began around 1940, much of the Ogallala&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kgs.ku.edu/Publications/OFR/2022/OFR2022-27.pdf">has lost at least 30% of</a><a href="https://www.kgs.ku.edu/Publications/OFR/2022/OFR2022-27.pdf">its available water</a>&nbsp;and more than 60% in places in western Kansas. The Kansas Geological Survey had a team in western Kansas this week to measure well depths for updated figures.“There are wells that are starting to run dry already, so this isn’t a distant problem in some areas,” said Tom Buller, executive director of the Kansas Rural Center, a nonprofit that promotes sustainable agriculture and family farming. “There isn’t a lot of time to solve the problem.”The Water Authority's recommendation comes as much of the western U.S. continues to suffer through a megadrought fueled by climate change. Parts of Kansas have had drought conditions for a year, and more than half the state has been in extreme drought since mid-September.The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation is currently working on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/colorado-river-droughts-climate-and-environment-c04cbad0ef3758f8f2f39460b575e911">a plan to cut water use</a>&nbsp;from the Colorado River in western states by 15%, and Arizona is&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-arizona-kansas-kingman-climate-and-environment-3930e382b67255333a8172f044da2609">restricting large-scale farming.</a>&nbsp;Nebraska last year launched&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/climate-colorado-river-droughts-8948b3bc74335b94ba86fd9f3b631e02">a $500 million canal project</a>&nbsp;to divert water from the South Platte River in Colorado.“We are told that the future, due to climate change, is going to get warmer and drier in western Kansas,” said Connie Owen, director of the Kansas Water Office, which oversees long-term plans for preserving water. “That is making things worse, which is all the more reason that we have to deal with this now.”There's broad agreement, including among powerful agriculture groups and nervous farmers and ranchers, that Kansas needs to extend the aquifer's life.But the path forward isn't yet clear for Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly and the Republican-controlled Legislature.In a pre-session interview, Kelly promised only to get affected parties together to negotiate a comprehensive solution. She added that following her narrow reelection in November, “I’ve got some political capital to spend to deal with what will be a very contentious issue.”Depletion of the Ogallala was one reason that in the Kansas House, the Water Committee last year considered&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-environment-and-nature-kansas-topeka-water-management-1df02b1fe32b37c7a090a7f5768c6dc4">a 283-page bipartisan proposal</a>&nbsp;to set aside $49 million a year for conservation efforts and other programs. The measure also would have reorganized those programs and made the official who grants rights to use water independent of the state Department of Agriculture. In addition, it would have curbed the power of big irrigators in local districts that manage groundwater use, including from the Ogallala.Opponents included the Kansas Farm Bureau and the Kansas Livestock Association. Nothing ultimately passed after critics accused supporters of drafting it largely in secret. The committee's chair later retired.The new Water Committee chair, Republican Rep. Jim Minnix, a southwestern Kansas farmer, said he hopes to work on incentives for local officials to be more aggressive about water conservation.The state allows local districts to set restrictions, and one in northwest Kansas gets high marks from water experts and officials for cutting water use. In one area of 99 square miles (256 square kilometers), it set water-use rules, sought to cut consumption 20% and reduced it 35% over the past decade, according to Manager Shannon Kenyon.Kenyon prizes local control but said the state should take charge where local officials haven't pursued enough conservation.If local officials allow the water dry up, she said, “They are going to kill the economy in the state of Kansas,” Kenyon said.Some western Kansas farmers argue that the state's best move is to ramp up education about ways to conserve water and provide incentives to help farmers adopt them. Several of them, as well as local water officials, said agriculture has become more careful with water over the past several decades through new technology, new crop varieties and better farming practices.Lee Reeve, whose family has farmed near Garden City in southwest Kansas for more than 100 years and now operates a cattle feed yard and ethanol plant, sees the Water Authority's language on halting depletion as “toxic,” noting that farmers already are suspicious of government programs.“There’s just enough of this scare stuff out there that it's hard to get through to people that, ‘Hey, there are things we can do,’” he said.

Warning about aquifer's decline sets up big fight in Kansas

By LAAH TUCKER Special to the Post

NATOMA — The 1918 poem “We Shall Keep the Faith” by Moina Michael continues to be the inspiration for annual programs and projects by the Natoma American Legion Auxiliary Unit 109.

Throughout the year the auxiliary members are motivated by the motto “For God and Country."

Members encourage veterans, living near and far, through goodwill and encouraging messages.

During the year, invitations, correspondence and greetings are sent with prayers to veterans, military service members, widows, military families and the elderly by mail, email, radio, television, magazines and YouTube.

Personal visits with music carry encouragement into nursing homes. For decades packages have been sent to service men and women around the world during wartime and peace times. 

In 2022, Unit 109 sent a monetary Christmas donation to help with the Fort Dodge Soldiers’ Home Christmas Shop for 88 residents (ages 58-98) and families.

Through good works, the general public was reminded to encourage military service members with gratitude for their sacrificial service.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/1/1672872299337.jpeg" alt="Gathering to celebrate the Christmas season and New Year were Natoma American Legion Auxiliary members (L-R): Linda Crawford, Sheri Beisner, Jenjer Murphy, Sharon MacConnell (hostess), Cindy Elliott, and Marge Kertz. Courtesy photo " />
 <figcaption>Gathering to celebrate the Christmas season and New Year were Natoma American Legion Auxiliary members (L-R): Linda Crawford, Sheri Beisner, Jenjer Murphy, Sharon MacConnell (hostess), Cindy Elliott, and Marge Kertz. Courtesy photo </figcaption>
 </figure>By LAAH TUCKER Special to the Post NATOMA — The 1918 poem “We Shall Keep the Faith” by Moina Michael continues to be the inspiration for annual programs and projects by the Natoma American Legion Auxiliary Unit 109.Throughout the year the auxiliary members are motivated by the motto “For God and Country."Members encourage veterans, living near and far, through goodwill and encouraging messages.During the year, invitations, correspondence and greetings are sent with prayers to veterans, military service members, widows, military families and the elderly by mail, email, radio, television, magazines and YouTube.Personal visits with music carry encouragement into nursing homes. For decades packages have been sent to service men and women around the world during wartime and peace times. In 2022, Unit 109 sent a monetary Christmas donation to help with the Fort Dodge Soldiers’ Home Christmas Shop for 88 residents (ages 58-98) and families.Through good works, the general public was reminded to encourage military service members with gratitude for their sacrificial service.

Natoma American Legion Auxiliary shares season with veterans, military

Russell County USD 407 is seeking applicants for treasurer. &nbsp;

Must have Associate of Science in accounting or finance; 5 years of financial management, supervises accounting operations, accounts payable and budget. &nbsp;

For more information or to apply, go to&nbsp;<a href="http://www.usd407.org/">www.usd407.org</a>

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1671029274787.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Russell County USD 407 is seeking applicants for treasurer. &nbsp;Must have Associate of Science in accounting or finance; 5 years of financial management, supervises accounting operations, accounts payable and budget. &nbsp;For more information or to apply, go to&nbsp;<a href="http://www.usd407.org/">www.usd407.org</a>

🎥 Hays CVB: January activities and events move indoors

<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/2023/1/1673214182937.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure><a href="https://hayspost.com/pages/state-farm-weather-window">For a full look at the weather forecast, click here.</a>

Three-day weather outlook

The Hays Public Library recently released the Top 10 non-fiction and fiction books checked out in 2022.

This does not include books checked out on the library's online platform.

Go to <a href="http://hayslibrary.org">hayslibrary.org</a> to apply for a temporary library card. This will give you instant access to everything in the <a href="https://hayslibrary.org/digital-library/" target="_blank">digital library</a>
 for 30 days. Complete the online form, then when you are ready, simply 
go to any service desk with a photo ID and proof of address to receive 
your permanent card.

RELATED STORY: <a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/55829ac6-1de7-4ec1-a702-be6cf4db852d">Hays Public Library launches new activities, reading group in new year</a>

1. "The Last Thing He Told Me" by Laura Dave A novel about a woman searching for the truth about her husband’s disappearance … at any cost, according to <a href="https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/The-Last-Thing-He-Told-Me/Laura-Dave/9781501171345">Simon and Schuster's website</a>.

2. "The Four Winds" by Kristin Hannah Set in 1934 in Texas, "The Four Winds" is an epic novel of love and heroism and hope, set against the backdrop of one of America’s most defining eras — the Great Depression, according to the<a href="https://kristinhannah.com/books/the-four-winds/"> author's website</a>.

3. "Confess" by Colleen Hoover A novel about risking everything for love — and finding your heart somewhere between the truth and lies, according to the <a href="https://www.colleenhoover.com">author's website</a>.

4. "Shattered" by James Patterson Det. Michael Bennett investigates the disappearance of his partner and friend FBI agent Emily Parker. Read more on the <a href="https://www.jamespatterson.com/titles/james-patterson/shattered/9781668605431/">author's website</a>.

5. "Shadows Reel" by C.J. Box "Wyoming Game Warden Joe Pickett and his wife, Marybeth, make separate discoveries that put the Pickett family in a pair of killers’ crosshairs in this thrilling new novel in the bestselling series," according to the author's website.

6. "The Midnight Library" by Matt Haig "Between life and death, there is a library, and within that library, the shelves go on forever. Every book provides a chance to try another life you could have lived. To see how things would be if you had made other choices..."&nbsp; the author says on his <a href="http://www.matthaig.com/books/midnight-library/">website</a>. He describes the novel as a novel about all the choices that go into a life well lived.

7. "The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo" by Taylor Jenkins Reid An aging and reclusive Hollywood movie icon, Evelyn Hugo, is finally ready to tell the truth about her glamorous and scandalous life, according to the <a href="https://taylorjenkinsreid.com/books/the-seven-husbands-of-evelyn-hugo/">author's website</a>. But as Evelyn’s story catches up with the present, it becomes clear that her life intersects with the reporter’s own in tragic and irreversible ways.

8.&nbsp; "Dune" by Frank Herbert "Dune" was first published in 1965. It is a sci-fi classic set in the distant future on the planet Arrakis. Fuedal violence breaks out over control of "spice," a drug that is necessary for space travel. The re-emergence of the popularity of the novel may have been sparked by a new movie adaptation directed by Denis Villeneuve that was released in fall 2021.

9. "What Happened to the Bennetts" by Lisa Scottoline "Jason Bennett is a suburban dad who owns a court-reporting business, but one night, his life takes a horrific turn. He is driving his family home after his daughter’s field hockey game when a pickup truck begins tailgating them, on a dark stretch of road. Suddenly two men jump from the pickup and pull guns on Jason, demanding the car. A horrific flash of violence changes his life forever," according to <a href="https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/602709/what-happened-to-the-bennetts-by-lisa-scottoline/">Penguin Random House's website</a>.

10. "Where the Crawdads Sing" by Delia Owens A No. 1 New York Times bestseller that has been adapted into a movie, "Where the Crawdads Sing" is at once an exquisite ode to the natural world, a heartbreaking coming-of-age story, and a surprising tale of possible murder, according to <a href="https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/567281/where-the-crawdads-sing-movie-tie-in-by-delia-owens/">Penguin Random House.</a>

1. "Wiccapedia: A Modern-Day White Witch's Guide" by Shawn Robbins and Leanna Greenaway "'Spiritual life coaches and celebrity witches Shawn Robbins and Leanna Greenaway unlock the secrets of the Wicca universe, explaining what it means to become a 'simply fabulous' twenty-first-century witch. Newfound witches — and even more experienced ones — will learn how to tap into magic, re-empower themselves, and realize their dreams through a little witchy know-how," according to amazon.com.

2. "Atomic Habits: Tiny Changes, Remarkable Results: An Easy and Proven Way to Build Good Habits and Break Bad Ones" by James Clear "No matter your goals, 'Atomic Habits' offers a proven framework for
 improving — every day. James Clear, one of the world's leading experts 
on habit formation, reveals practical strategies that will teach you 
exactly how to form good habits, break bad ones, and master the tiny 
behaviors that lead to remarkable results, according to the Hays Public Library summary.

3. "Taste of Home Vegetarian Made Easy: Going Meatless in a Meat-Loving Family" Taste of Home "Whether going meatless happens once a week or every day, turn 
here for over 335&nbsp;fuss-free recipes everyone at the table will clamor 
for," according to the Hays Public Library summary

4. "Far Above Rubies Vol. 1" by Lynda Coats A guide for Christain parents who want to homeschool their daughters

5. "Untamed" by Glennon Doyle "In her most revealing and powerful memoir yet,&nbsp;the activist, speaker,
 bestselling author, and 'patron saint of female empowerment'
 explores the joy and peace we discover when we&nbsp;stop striving to meet 
others' expectations and start trusting the voice deep within us," according to the Hays Public Library summary.

6. "Far Above Rubies Vol. 2" by Lynda Coats A guide for Christain parents who want to homeschool their daughters

7. "Crying in H Mart: A Memoir" by Michelle Zauner "From the indie rock sensation known as Japanese Breakfast, an 
unforgettable memoir about family, food, grief, love and growing up 
Korean American—'in losing her mother and cooking to bring her back to 
life, Zauner became herself,'" according to the Hays Public Library summary.

8. "Good Morning, Monster: A Therapist Shares Five Heroic Stories of Emotional Recovery" by Catherine Gildiner "In this fascinating narrative, therapist Catherine Gildiner presents five of what she calls her most heroic and memorable patients. Among them: a successful, first-generation Chinese immigrant musician suffering sexual dysfunction; a young woman whose father abandoned her at age 9 with her younger siblings in an isolated cottage in the depth of winter; and a glamorous workaholic whose narcissistic, negligent mother greeted her each morning of her childhood with 'Good morning, Monster,'" according to amazon.com.

9. "The Real Anthony Fauci: Big Pharma's Global War on Democracy, Humanity and Public Health" by Robert F. Kennedy "Pharma-funded mainstream media has convinced millions of Americans that Dr. Anthony Fauci is a hero. He is anything but," according to a summary on amazon.com.

10. "Greenlights" by Matthew McConaughey A memoir by Academy Award-winning actor Matthew McConaughey, this book has unflinching honesty, unconventional wisdom, and lessons learned the hard way about living with greater satisfaction, according to the Hays Public Library summary.

By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays PostThe Hays Public Library recently released the Top 10 non-fiction and fiction books checked out in 2022.This does not include books checked out on the library's online platform.<h2>How to get a library card </h2>Go to <a href="http://hayslibrary.org">hayslibrary.org</a> to apply for a temporary library card. This will give you instant access to everything in the <a href="https://hayslibrary.org/digital-library/" target="_blank">digital library</a>
 for 30 days. Complete the online form, then when you are ready, simply 
go to any service desk with a photo ID and proof of address to receive 
your permanent card.RELATED STORY: <a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/55829ac6-1de7-4ec1-a702-be6cf4db852d">Hays Public Library launches new activities, reading group in new year</a><h2>Fiction</h2>1. "The Last Thing He Told Me" by Laura Dave A novel about a woman searching for the truth about her husband’s disappearance … at any cost, according to <a href="https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/The-Last-Thing-He-Told-Me/Laura-Dave/9781501171345">Simon and Schuster's website</a>.2. "The Four Winds" by Kristin Hannah Set in 1934 in Texas, "The Four Winds" is an epic novel of love and heroism and hope, set against the backdrop of one of America’s most defining eras — the Great Depression, according to the<a href="https://kristinhannah.com/books/the-four-winds/"> author's website</a>. 3. "Confess" by Colleen Hoover A novel about risking everything for love — and finding your heart somewhere between the truth and lies, according to the <a href="https://www.colleenhoover.com">author's website</a>.4. "Shattered" by James Patterson Det. Michael Bennett investigates the disappearance of his partner and friend FBI agent Emily Parker. Read more on the <a href="https://www.jamespatterson.com/titles/james-patterson/shattered/9781668605431/">author's website</a>. 5. "Shadows Reel" by C.J. Box "Wyoming Game Warden Joe Pickett and his wife, Marybeth, make separate discoveries that put the Pickett family in a pair of killers’ crosshairs in this thrilling new novel in the bestselling series," according to the author's website.6. "The Midnight Library" by Matt Haig "Between life and death, there is a library, and within that library, the shelves go on forever. Every book provides a chance to try another life you could have lived. To see how things would be if you had made other choices..."&nbsp; the author says on his <a href="http://www.matthaig.com/books/midnight-library/">website</a>. He describes the novel as a novel about all the choices that go into a life well lived.7. "The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo" by Taylor Jenkins Reid An aging and reclusive Hollywood movie icon, Evelyn Hugo, is finally ready to tell the truth about her glamorous and scandalous life, according to the <a href="https://taylorjenkinsreid.com/books/the-seven-husbands-of-evelyn-hugo/">author's website</a>. But as Evelyn’s story catches up with the present, it becomes clear that her life intersects with the reporter’s own in tragic and irreversible ways.8.&nbsp; "Dune" by Frank Herbert "Dune" was first published in 1965. It is a sci-fi classic set in the distant future on the planet Arrakis. Fuedal violence breaks out over control of "spice," a drug that is necessary for space travel. The re-emergence of the popularity of the novel may have been sparked by a new movie adaptation directed by Denis Villeneuve that was released in fall 2021.9. "What Happened to the Bennetts" by Lisa Scottoline "Jason Bennett is a suburban dad who owns a court-reporting business, but one night, his life takes a horrific turn. He is driving his family home after his daughter’s field hockey game when a pickup truck begins tailgating them, on a dark stretch of road. Suddenly two men jump from the pickup and pull guns on Jason, demanding the car. A horrific flash of violence changes his life forever," according to <a href="https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/602709/what-happened-to-the-bennetts-by-lisa-scottoline/">Penguin Random House's website</a>.10. "Where the Crawdads Sing" by Delia Owens A No. 1 New York Times bestseller that has been adapted into a movie, "Where the Crawdads Sing" is at once an exquisite ode to the natural world, a heartbreaking coming-of-age story, and a surprising tale of possible murder, according to <a href="https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/567281/where-the-crawdads-sing-movie-tie-in-by-delia-owens/">Penguin Random House.</a> <h2>Non-fiction</h2>1. "Wiccapedia: A Modern-Day White Witch's Guide" by Shawn Robbins and Leanna Greenaway "'Spiritual life coaches and celebrity witches Shawn Robbins and Leanna Greenaway unlock the secrets of the Wicca universe, explaining what it means to become a 'simply fabulous' twenty-first-century witch. Newfound witches — and even more experienced ones — will learn how to tap into magic, re-empower themselves, and realize their dreams through a little witchy know-how," according to amazon.com. 2. "Atomic Habits: Tiny Changes, Remarkable Results: An Easy and Proven Way to Build Good Habits and Break Bad Ones" by James Clear "No matter your goals, 'Atomic Habits' offers a proven framework for
 improving — every day. James Clear, one of the world's leading experts 
on habit formation, reveals practical strategies that will teach you 
exactly how to form good habits, break bad ones, and master the tiny 
behaviors that lead to remarkable results, according to the Hays Public Library summary.3. "Taste of Home Vegetarian Made Easy: Going Meatless in a Meat-Loving Family" Taste of Home "Whether going meatless happens once a week or every day, turn 
here for over 335&nbsp;fuss-free recipes everyone at the table will clamor 
for," according to the Hays Public Library summary 4. "Far Above Rubies Vol. 1" by Lynda Coats A guide for Christain parents who want to homeschool their daughters 5. "Untamed" by Glennon Doyle "In her most revealing and powerful memoir yet,&nbsp;the activist, speaker,
 bestselling author, and 'patron saint of female empowerment'
 explores the joy and peace we discover when we&nbsp;stop striving to meet 
others' expectations and start trusting the voice deep within us," according to the Hays Public Library summary. 6. "Far Above Rubies Vol. 2" by Lynda Coats A guide for Christain parents who want to homeschool their daughters7. "Crying in H Mart: A Memoir" by Michelle Zauner "From the indie rock sensation known as Japanese Breakfast, an 
unforgettable memoir about family, food, grief, love and growing up 
Korean American—'in losing her mother and cooking to bring her back to 
life, Zauner became herself,'" according to the Hays Public Library summary.8. "Good Morning, Monster: A Therapist Shares Five Heroic Stories of Emotional Recovery" by Catherine Gildiner "In this fascinating narrative, therapist Catherine Gildiner presents five of what she calls her most heroic and memorable patients. Among them: a successful, first-generation Chinese immigrant musician suffering sexual dysfunction; a young woman whose father abandoned her at age 9 with her younger siblings in an isolated cottage in the depth of winter; and a glamorous workaholic whose narcissistic, negligent mother greeted her each morning of her childhood with 'Good morning, Monster,'" according to amazon.com. 9. "The Real Anthony Fauci: Big Pharma's Global War on Democracy, Humanity and Public Health" by Robert F. Kennedy "Pharma-funded mainstream media has convinced millions of Americans that Dr. Anthony Fauci is a hero. He is anything but," according to a summary on amazon.com. 10. "Greenlights" by Matthew McConaughey A memoir by Academy Award-winning actor Matthew McConaughey, this book has unflinching honesty, unconventional wisdom, and lessons learned the hard way about living with greater satisfaction, according to the Hays Public Library summary.

Thriller, book on white witches Hays Public Library's most popular books in '22

The Hays school board is set to approve bids for two HVAC projects at its meeting at 6:30 p.m. Monday at the Rockwell Administration Center.

Both of the projects were bid through the Greenbush Education Service Center Purchasing Cooperative, a state program that guarantees preferential pricing to schools.

The cost of the O'Loughlin Elementary School project is about $1.28 million.

The Wilson Elementary School HVAC replacement was approved in October. However, school officials are requesting a change order so the system will be better suited to meet the needs of the building when it becomes the district administrative office.

Cost of the Wilson project will be $2.4 million.

The district has struggled to fill paraprofessional positions for the functional life skills and Westisde programs. These students generally need more assistance than other students in the special education program.

School officials are proposing increasing pay by $1 for paras for these programs. This proposal will raise the starting wage of paraeducators in these programs to $13.06 per hour.

The special education co-op has 61 employees who would be covered by the proposal. The change will cost the co-op about $35,000 for the rest of the school year.

The board also will consider Kansas Association of School Boards policy revision recommendations and the appointment of members to the teacher negotiations team.

By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays PostThe Hays school board is set to approve bids for two HVAC projects at its meeting at 6:30 p.m. Monday at the Rockwell Administration Center. Both of the projects were bid through the Greenbush Education Service Center Purchasing Cooperative, a state program that guarantees preferential pricing to schools.The cost of the O'Loughlin Elementary School project is about $1.28 million.The Wilson Elementary School HVAC replacement was approved in October. However, school officials are requesting a change order so the system will be better suited to meet the needs of the building when it becomes the district administrative office.Cost of the Wilson project will be $2.4 million.<h2>Special education raises</h2>The district has struggled to fill paraprofessional positions for the functional life skills and Westisde programs. These students generally need more assistance than other students in the special education program.School officials are proposing increasing pay by $1 for paras for these programs. This proposal will raise the starting wage of paraeducators in these programs to $13.06 per hour.The special education co-op has 61 employees who would be covered by the proposal. The change will cost the co-op about $35,000 for the rest of the school year.The board also will consider Kansas Association of School Boards policy revision recommendations and the appointment of members to the teacher negotiations team.

Hays USD 489 school board to consider HVAC bids Monday

I’ve got the perfect New Year’s resolution for Kansas legislators: no more lobbyist-authored bills.

Last year, Kansas lawmaking was marked by two dramatic “fails,” both involving lobbyist-authored acts.&nbsp; One of them failed, the other passed, and both were problematic.

First came anti-abortion “Value Them Both” amendment, sent to the voters by the Legislature and rejected by 18 percentage points in August.&nbsp; Closely watched nationally and even overseas, the campaign and contained many controversies, including its confusing ballot language.&nbsp; “VTB” opponents even suggested that the language was&nbsp;deliberately&nbsp;confusing—highly legalistic and not clear at all about the amendment’s intent, which was to authorize the Kansas Legislature to criminalize abortion in nearly all circumstances, which they had the votes and the plans to do, perhaps even calling themselves into special session right after the vote, had it passed.

Oddly, the amendment itself was not written by the Kansas Legislative Research Department (KLRD).&nbsp; Despite making major changes to the state constitution, legislators allowed two anti-abortion interest groups to write the ballot language.&nbsp; By contrast, the staff of the KLRD are nonpartisan professionals.&nbsp; The bills, bill summaries and other proposals they write are not based upon their own, personal political views.&nbsp; Rather, KLRD staff draft legislation as requested by legislators.&nbsp; Not lobbyists or politicians, KLRD are experienced experts in the state constitution, existing federal, state and local laws, court rulings, laws in other states, and other background needed to write good legislation.&nbsp; With so much at stake this summer, why did the legislators ignore the KLRD and have interest groups draft the amendment instead?

Lobbyist-authored bills cause even more problems when they pass.&nbsp; Last year’s authorization of sports betting illustrates this perfectly.&nbsp; An exposé by the&nbsp;New York Times&nbsp;illustrated these problems.&nbsp; Not only were key legislators showed with gifts, but a provision was slipped into the provision that has resulted in Kansans reaping almost none of the promised tax revenue so far.&nbsp; This “carry over” provision allows the gambling companies to write off the costs of offering free bets to get new customers hooked on their product.&nbsp; It also allows them to carry forth these losses to future years.&nbsp; The&nbsp;NYT&nbsp;reporter found that the whole bill was in fact written by the gambling industry.&nbsp; Had it been drafted by the KLRD, they easily could have red-flagged this loophole.&nbsp; In September and October, the two largest online sports betting providers paid less than $42,000 in state taxes on $247&nbsp;million&nbsp;of activity.&nbsp; This figure started to rise later in the year, but is still paltry compared to what the state could have collected.&nbsp; A similar bill failed to pass in Missouri— not due to the public interest, but because of infighting among pro-betting interest groups.

Speaking of Missouri, another bill that passed there last year illustrates the depths to which these lobbyist-authored bills can sink.&nbsp; By making it a crime to sleep on public land without authorization, Missouri essentially criminalized homelessness—without providing any additional support for affordable housing.&nbsp; This awful bill was literally&nbsp;cut and pasted off the Internet&nbsp;by its sponsor—and the interest group that posted it was not even in-state.

Kansas and other states employ nonpartisan professionals to draft legislation, for a reason.&nbsp; The debacles here and in neighboring states last year all point to the same conclusion:&nbsp; legislators should resolve right now not to propose or pass any lobbyist-written legislation in 2023 or afterwards.

Michael Smith is a professor at Emporia State University.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/12/1639601062071.jpeg" alt="Michael Smith is a professor at Emporia State University." />
 <figcaption>Michael Smith is a professor at Emporia State University.</figcaption>
 </figure>I’ve got the perfect New Year’s resolution for Kansas legislators: no more lobbyist-authored bills.Last year, Kansas lawmaking was marked by two dramatic “fails,” both involving lobbyist-authored acts.&nbsp; One of them failed, the other passed, and both were problematic.First came anti-abortion “Value Them Both” amendment, sent to the voters by the Legislature and rejected by 18 percentage points in August.&nbsp; Closely watched nationally and even overseas, the campaign and contained many controversies, including its confusing ballot language.&nbsp; “VTB” opponents even suggested that the language was&nbsp;deliberately&nbsp;confusing—highly legalistic and not clear at all about the amendment’s intent, which was to authorize the Kansas Legislature to criminalize abortion in nearly all circumstances, which they had the votes and the plans to do, perhaps even calling themselves into special session right after the vote, had it passed.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/12/1575913663048.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Oddly, the amendment itself was not written by the Kansas Legislative Research Department (KLRD).&nbsp; Despite making major changes to the state constitution, legislators allowed two anti-abortion interest groups to write the ballot language.&nbsp; By contrast, the staff of the KLRD are nonpartisan professionals.&nbsp; The bills, bill summaries and other proposals they write are not based upon their own, personal political views.&nbsp; Rather, KLRD staff draft legislation as requested by legislators.&nbsp; Not lobbyists or politicians, KLRD are experienced experts in the state constitution, existing federal, state and local laws, court rulings, laws in other states, and other background needed to write good legislation.&nbsp; With so much at stake this summer, why did the legislators ignore the KLRD and have interest groups draft the amendment instead?Lobbyist-authored bills cause even more problems when they pass.&nbsp; Last year’s authorization of sports betting illustrates this perfectly.&nbsp; An exposé by the&nbsp;New York Times&nbsp;illustrated these problems.&nbsp; Not only were key legislators showed with gifts, but a provision was slipped into the provision that has resulted in Kansans reaping almost none of the promised tax revenue so far.&nbsp; This “carry over” provision allows the gambling companies to write off the costs of offering free bets to get new customers hooked on their product.&nbsp; It also allows them to carry forth these losses to future years.&nbsp; The&nbsp;NYT&nbsp;reporter found that the whole bill was in fact written by the gambling industry.&nbsp; Had it been drafted by the KLRD, they easily could have red-flagged this loophole.&nbsp; In September and October, the two largest online sports betting providers paid less than $42,000 in state taxes on $247&nbsp;million&nbsp;of activity.&nbsp; This figure started to rise later in the year, but is still paltry compared to what the state could have collected.&nbsp; A similar bill failed to pass in Missouri— not due to the public interest, but because of infighting among pro-betting interest groups.Speaking of Missouri, another bill that passed there last year illustrates the depths to which these lobbyist-authored bills can sink.&nbsp; By making it a crime to sleep on public land without authorization, Missouri essentially criminalized homelessness—without providing any additional support for affordable housing.&nbsp; This awful bill was literally&nbsp;cut and pasted off the Internet&nbsp;by its sponsor—and the interest group that posted it was not even in-state.Kansas and other states employ nonpartisan professionals to draft legislation, for a reason.&nbsp; The debacles here and in neighboring states last year all point to the same conclusion:&nbsp; legislators should resolve right now not to propose or pass any lobbyist-written legislation in 2023 or afterwards.Michael Smith is a professor at Emporia State University.

INSIGHT KANSAS: No more lobbyist-written bills

The Hays Public Library is launching 2023 with three new programs. 

The library has launched a new events series called hobby jumping.

"It's kind of a fun way for people to try out some new things to see if they think it's a hobby they want to explore," Callie Kolacny, library communications coordinator, said.&nbsp; 

Hobby jumping will be offered twice a month at 5 p.m. on the first and third Mondays. A new topic will be introduced each month. January's topic is easy chair yoga.

February's topic will be amateur geology, March's topic will be bread making, and April's topic will be nature journaling.

"It's just a fun way to learn about something different and see if you want to explore it further," Kolacny said.

The library will be launching a spice series at 6 p.m Jan. 12 and it will run every Thursday night through Feb. 9. The program is a partnership with Moburts Specialty Grocery of Topeka.

See below for a list of the topics that will be covered.

"I believe there will be some samples for people each week," Kolacny said. "It is something for the cooks to explore in our area."

If you are further interested in the culinary arts, the library has relaunched its Cookbook Club after a break during the pandemic. That group meets at 11 a.m. on the second Thursday of the month. Home cooks can make and bring a dish from one of the two cookbooks selected for the month.

This month's books are "Marvel Eat the Universe: The Official Cookbook" and "House of Vinegar: The Power of Sour."

The library is adding a Fantasy Book Club to its list of reading groups. That group will meet at 6 p.m. on the last Monday of the month. The first club meeting will be on Jan. 30.

The group will look at sub-genres of fantasy with gothic fantasy on the agenda for the first month. The book will be "Sabriel" by Garth Nix.

This joins the Cozy Mystery and True Crime book clubs. The Kansas Room is doing its own book club. A discussion on "The Worst Hard Time" by Timothy Egan will be at 6:30 p.m. Jan. 12 in person and at 7 p.m. Jan. 17 online.

<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/ae1b2190-d314-4646-8810-14df1bd8a0b8">See a list of the Hays Public Library's Top 10 most popular fiction and non-fiction books for 2022.</a>

The Hays Public Library Foundation will have an Afternoon Tea Party from 2 to 4 p.m. Feb. 5. Tickets are $35 and are on sale now through the library<a href="https://hayslibrary.org/shop/afternoon-tea-party/"> website. </a>

A full list of library events can be found on its website, <a href="http://hayslibrary.org">hayslibrary.org</a>. This includes a long list of activities for children and teens, including a Bluey Party at 1 p.m. March 25. Bluey will appear in person.

Print copies of the event calendars are also available at the library.

By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays PostThe Hays Public Library is launching 2023 with three new programs. The library has launched a new events series called hobby jumping."It's kind of a fun way for people to try out some new things to see if they think it's a hobby they want to explore," Callie Kolacny, library communications coordinator, said.&nbsp; Hobby jumping will be offered twice a month at 5 p.m. on the first and third Mondays. A new topic will be introduced each month. January's topic is easy chair yoga.February's topic will be amateur geology, March's topic will be bread making, and April's topic will be nature journaling."It's just a fun way to learn about something different and see if you want to explore it further," Kolacny said.The library will be launching a spice series at 6 p.m Jan. 12 and it will run every Thursday night through Feb. 9. The program is a partnership with Moburts Specialty Grocery of Topeka. See below for a list of the topics that will be covered.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/1/1672951978842.jpeg" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>"I believe there will be some samples for people each week," Kolacny said. "It is something for the cooks to explore in our area."If you are further interested in the culinary arts, the library has relaunched its Cookbook Club after a break during the pandemic. That group meets at 11 a.m. on the second Thursday of the month. Home cooks can make and bring a dish from one of the two cookbooks selected for the month.This month's books are "Marvel Eat the Universe: The Official Cookbook" and "House of Vinegar: The Power of Sour."The library is adding a Fantasy Book Club to its list of reading groups. That group will meet at 6 p.m. on the last Monday of the month. The first club meeting will be on Jan. 30.The group will look at sub-genres of fantasy with gothic fantasy on the agenda for the first month. The book will be "Sabriel" by Garth Nix. This joins the Cozy Mystery and True Crime book clubs. The Kansas Room is doing its own book club. A discussion on "The Worst Hard Time" by Timothy Egan will be at 6:30 p.m. Jan. 12 in person and at 7 p.m. Jan. 17 online. <a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/ae1b2190-d314-4646-8810-14df1bd8a0b8">See a list of the Hays Public Library's Top 10 most popular fiction and non-fiction books for 2022.</a>The Hays Public Library Foundation will have an Afternoon Tea Party from 2 to 4 p.m. Feb. 5. Tickets are $35 and are on sale now through the library<a href="https://hayslibrary.org/shop/afternoon-tea-party/"> website. </a><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/1/1672955986280.jpeg" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>A full list of library events can be found on its website, <a href="http://hayslibrary.org">hayslibrary.org</a>. This includes a long list of activities for children and teens, including a Bluey Party at 1 p.m. March 25. Bluey will appear in person.Print copies of the event calendars are also available at the library.

Hays Public Library launches new activities, reading group in new year

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