By MIKE COURSON Great Bend Post

GREAT BEND — As the saying 
goes, choose your battles wisely. But sometimes, it's not a choice at 
all. Fifteen-year-old Owen Klug was diagnosed with Dravet syndrome, a 
degenerative form of epilepsy that can cause hundreds of seizures a day.
 When pharmaceuticals did not work, his parents found hope in hemp oil. 
With 37 states now offering medical cannabis, and 21 states allowing the
 drug to be used recreationally, Owen's mother, Kiley, simply wants 
those same opportunities for her child.

"If you would have told us
 we would have to go down this road 20 years ago, I would have said 
nope, no way, never," she said. "But when you love someone, and you do 
your research, and you're all in as a parent, this was the only path we 
had available to us. You don't understand it until you have to live it."

Dravet
 syndrome is chronic and medication-resistant. Many medications actually
 make the symptoms worse. The Klugs were hoping for a small break during
 Owen's teenage years, but improvements with seizures have been 
marginal.

"The teenage years are supposed to be that honeymoon period where 
they do get better," Kiley said. "I feel like they've gotten better. 
They have changed a little bit in presentation. Before any kind of 
therapy, he was having over 250 in an 18-hour period."

Owen has 
gone through 10 anti-epileptic medicines with little success. He's on a 
keto, high-fat, low-carb diet to help control seizures. He's had a 
feeding tube because a well-regulated diet can help with the seizures. 
And his parents use a vagal nerve stimulator (VNS), which acts like a 
pacemaker in the brain to shock the brain before the onset of a seizure.

But
 the best results have come from Haleigh's Hope, a hemp extract 
containing naturally occurring cannabinoids. By current law, the extract
 cannot have more than 0.3 percent THC content. The Klugs learned about 
medical cannabis from a California parent while attending a Dravet 
conference. Dravet parents have found Haleigh's Hope to be a more 
effective solution.

"I really feel like these children with Dravet
 syndrome have been at the forefront, these families, of the medical 
cannabis revolution," Kiley said. "This movement of, oh my gosh, this 
stuff actually can help these medical conditions where we've had 
roadblock after roadblock."

The Klugs eventually weaned Owen off all pharmaceuticals, using only 
the VNS, keto diet, and Haleigh's Hope. The results have been promising,
 but as with all drugs, Owen's body has built a tolerance to Haleigh's 
Hope, and the product has lost some of its healing power.

"He 
started gaining back these skills," Kiley said. "He started bearing 
weight again, he started vocalizing, he wasn't asleep all day, he 
started smiling when his brothers would get in trouble or make funny 
jokes. He would show meaningful, non-verbal conversation. It was such a 
gift."

Kiley has returned to teaching full-time, but she spent the
 first 11 years of Owen's life at home. During that time, she made four 
trips to Topeka to lobby and educate legislators about the importance of
 products like Haleigh's Hope, and their impact on patients. She found 
many conversations with legislators to be less than inspiring.

"Some
 of the responses I would get were fairly appalling," Kiley said. "I can
 recall, and this has really stuck with me, one legislator, as he's 
looking at my son and looking me in the face, he says, 'Well you know, 
I've got some of that stuff in the ditch behind my house. You're more 
than welcome to come check that out.' It just breaks my heart that the 
people who lead our state can't have the empathy to at least refrain 
from those stereotypical comments in the presence of my son, who 
struggles day-in, day-out."

The Klugs are not pushing legislation for the recreational use of 
cannabis. But they do want their son to have access to some of the 
products now available legally in Colorado and Missouri. Nebraska 
senators recently held a hearing on a revised medical marijuana bill in 
that state, and Oklahoma has already passed medical marijuana 
legislation.

"I think it's time," Kiley said. "We are surrounded 
by Colorado, Missouri, soon to be Oklahoma. They've had these laws in 
place for years now, and guess what? Those states are still standing. 
They're standing, and they're wealthy. Their schools are flourishing.

"We're
 not going to be a pioneer by any means, but I think we need to follow 
suit. I think it's time for Kansas to start looking after the people who
 need it most."

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/2/1676297951566.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>By MIKE COURSON Great Bend PostGREAT BEND — As the saying 
goes, choose your battles wisely. But sometimes, it's not a choice at 
all. Fifteen-year-old Owen Klug was diagnosed with Dravet syndrome, a 
degenerative form of epilepsy that can cause hundreds of seizures a day.
 When pharmaceuticals did not work, his parents found hope in hemp oil. 
With 37 states now offering medical cannabis, and 21 states allowing the
 drug to be used recreationally, Owen's mother, Kiley, simply wants 
those same opportunities for her child."If you would have told us
 we would have to go down this road 20 years ago, I would have said 
nope, no way, never," she said. "But when you love someone, and you do 
your research, and you're all in as a parent, this was the only path we 
had available to us. You don't understand it until you have to live it."Dravet
 syndrome is chronic and medication-resistant. Many medications actually
 make the symptoms worse. The Klugs were hoping for a small break during
 Owen's teenage years, but improvements with seizures have been 
marginal.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/2/1676297981878.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>"The teenage years are supposed to be that honeymoon period where 
they do get better," Kiley said. "I feel like they've gotten better. 
They have changed a little bit in presentation. Before any kind of 
therapy, he was having over 250 in an 18-hour period."Owen has 
gone through 10 anti-epileptic medicines with little success. He's on a 
keto, high-fat, low-carb diet to help control seizures. He's had a 
feeding tube because a well-regulated diet can help with the seizures. 
And his parents use a vagal nerve stimulator (VNS), which acts like a 
pacemaker in the brain to shock the brain before the onset of a seizure.But
 the best results have come from Haleigh's Hope, a hemp extract 
containing naturally occurring cannabinoids. By current law, the extract
 cannot have more than 0.3 percent THC content. The Klugs learned about 
medical cannabis from a California parent while attending a Dravet 
conference. Dravet parents have found Haleigh's Hope to be a more 
effective solution."I really feel like these children with Dravet
 syndrome have been at the forefront, these families, of the medical 
cannabis revolution," Kiley said. "This movement of, oh my gosh, this 
stuff actually can help these medical conditions where we've had 
roadblock after roadblock."The Klugs eventually weaned Owen off all pharmaceuticals, using only 
the VNS, keto diet, and Haleigh's Hope. The results have been promising,
 but as with all drugs, Owen's body has built a tolerance to Haleigh's 
Hope, and the product has lost some of its healing power."He 
started gaining back these skills," Kiley said. "He started bearing 
weight again, he started vocalizing, he wasn't asleep all day, he 
started smiling when his brothers would get in trouble or make funny 
jokes. He would show meaningful, non-verbal conversation. It was such a 
gift."Kiley has returned to teaching full-time, but she spent the
 first 11 years of Owen's life at home. During that time, she made four 
trips to Topeka to lobby and educate legislators about the importance of
 products like Haleigh's Hope, and their impact on patients. She found 
many conversations with legislators to be less than inspiring."Some
 of the responses I would get were fairly appalling," Kiley said. "I can
 recall, and this has really stuck with me, one legislator, as he's 
looking at my son and looking me in the face, he says, 'Well you know, 
I've got some of that stuff in the ditch behind my house. You're more 
than welcome to come check that out.' It just breaks my heart that the 
people who lead our state can't have the empathy to at least refrain 
from those stereotypical comments in the presence of my son, who 
struggles day-in, day-out."<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/2/1676298038815.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>The Klugs are not pushing legislation for the recreational use of 
cannabis. But they do want their son to have access to some of the 
products now available legally in Colorado and Missouri. Nebraska 
senators recently held a hearing on a revised medical marijuana bill in 
that state, and Oklahoma has already passed medical marijuana 
legislation."I think it's time," Kiley said. "We are surrounded 
by Colorado, Missouri, soon to be Oklahoma. They've had these laws in 
place for years now, and guess what? Those states are still standing. 
They're standing, and they're wealthy. Their schools are flourishing."We're
 not going to be a pioneer by any means, but I think we need to follow 
suit. I think it's time for Kansas to start looking after the people who
 need it most."

Kansas family sees benefit of medical cannabis

COLBY&nbsp; — Colby Community College announced the hiring of Dr. Christopher Flieg as the new program director for the physical therapist assistant program.

Before joining the faculty at CCC, he served as director of rehab at a critical access hospital, managing therapy services in the inpatient, outpatient, and skilled nursing treatment settings. He is also a practicing doctor of physical therapy in the areas of orthopedics, neuro, joint replacement, movement dysfunction, concussion, post-surgical, vestibular/balance, and more.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Flieg earned a Bachelor of Science in Exercise Science and Health Management from Southeast Missouri State University in 2009, a Doctorate of Physical Therapy from Missouri State University in 2015, and a Strength and Conditioning Specialist Certification in 2018.

"Physical therapy can significantly enhance quality of life and elevate an individual's functional performance to levels once thought to be unachievable," said Flieg. "For the profession to deliver this, we need a future filled with passionate therapists committed to excellence and lifelong professional and personal development. I am honored to serve these future therapists so they may serve countless others."

Flieg is married and has two children. In his free time, he enjoys weightlifting, camping, working outside, and being with family.&nbsp;

Applications are being accepted for the fall 2023 class until May 31. For more information, contact Flieg at<a href="mailto:christopher.flieg@colbycc.edu?subject=PTA%20Program%20Information" target="_blank">christopher.flieg@colbycc.edu</a>&nbsp;or (785) 460-5443.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/2/1676299483892.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>CCCCOLBY&nbsp; — Colby Community College announced the hiring of Dr. Christopher Flieg as the new program director for the physical therapist assistant program.Before joining the faculty at CCC, he served as director of rehab at a critical access hospital, managing therapy services in the inpatient, outpatient, and skilled nursing treatment settings. He is also a practicing doctor of physical therapy in the areas of orthopedics, neuro, joint replacement, movement dysfunction, concussion, post-surgical, vestibular/balance, and more.&nbsp;&nbsp; Flieg earned a Bachelor of Science in Exercise Science and Health Management from Southeast Missouri State University in 2009, a Doctorate of Physical Therapy from Missouri State University in 2015, and a Strength and Conditioning Specialist Certification in 2018."Physical therapy can significantly enhance quality of life and elevate an individual's functional performance to levels once thought to be unachievable," said Flieg. "For the profession to deliver this, we need a future filled with passionate therapists committed to excellence and lifelong professional and personal development. I am honored to serve these future therapists so they may serve countless others."Flieg is married and has two children. In his free time, he enjoys weightlifting, camping, working outside, and being with family.&nbsp;Applications are being accepted for the fall 2023 class until May 31. For more information, contact Flieg at<a href="mailto:christopher.flieg@colbycc.edu?subject=PTA%20Program%20Information" target="_blank">christopher.flieg@colbycc.edu</a>&nbsp;or (785) 460-5443.

New director takes reins of Colby CC physical therapy assistance program

<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/2023/2/1676321482616.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

K-State Research and Extension will be offering a one-day soybean school on Feb. 22 at Great Plains Manufacturing, 1525 E. North St. in Salina. The school will start at 8:30 a.m. with registration and presentations will begin at 9 a.m. The presentations will conclude at 2:30 p.m. with an optional tour of Great Plains Manufacturing immediately following the last presenter. A noon lunch will be provided thanks to sponsorship by the Kansas Soybean Commission.

This event will provide in-depth training targeted for soybean producers and key stakeholders. Some topics that will be covered include crop production practices, soybean breeding update, Kansas&nbsp;Mesonet&nbsp;tools, insect and disease management, and market outlook.

There is no cost to attend this school. In addition, CCA credits have been applied for. For those interested in the Great Plains Manufacturing tour, dress for the weather and wear closed-toed shoes.

Register online at&nbsp;<a href="https://bit.ly/soyschool">https://bit.ly/soyschool</a>. You can also register by calling one of these contacts: Kansas Soybean at 877-577-6923; Jay Wisbey at 785-309-5850; or K-State Extension Agronomy at 785-532-0400.&nbsp;

K-State Research and ExtensionK-State Research and Extension will be offering a one-day soybean school on Feb. 22 at Great Plains Manufacturing, 1525 E. North St. in Salina. The school will start at 8:30 a.m. with registration and presentations will begin at 9 a.m. The presentations will conclude at 2:30 p.m. with an optional tour of Great Plains Manufacturing immediately following the last presenter. A noon lunch will be provided thanks to sponsorship by the Kansas Soybean Commission.This event will provide in-depth training targeted for soybean producers and key stakeholders. Some topics that will be covered include crop production practices, soybean breeding update, Kansas&nbsp;Mesonet&nbsp;tools, insect and disease management, and market outlook.There is no cost to attend this school. In addition, CCA credits have been applied for. For those interested in the Great Plains Manufacturing tour, dress for the weather and wear closed-toed shoes.Register online at&nbsp;<a href="https://bit.ly/soyschool">https://bit.ly/soyschool</a>. You can also register by calling one of these contacts: Kansas Soybean at 877-577-6923; Jay Wisbey at 785-309-5850; or K-State Extension Agronomy at 785-532-0400.&nbsp;Cover image courtesy Pixabay

K-State soybean school scheduled this month in Salina

On this episode of the Post Podcast Hays Public Library communications coordinator Callie Kolacny and outreach coordinator Jake Mishoulam share information about recent activities and events.

<div><iframe title="Bookmobile, community events help bring Hays library directly to community" 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=3yu4m-138d9f2-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 Public Library communications coordinator Callie Kolacny and outreach coordinator Jake Mishoulam share information about recent activities and events.

🎙 Post Podcast: Bookmobile, community events help bring Hays library directly to community

Beginning Monday, contractors will be upgrading the signal light equipment and wiring for the intersection of Eight&nbsp; and Vine streets. &nbsp; Throughout the project, the signal lights may be 
intermittently flashing red, indicating a four-way stop, or even off 
completely. &nbsp;Under these scenarios, the intersection may be controlled 
with temporary stop signs at some or all legs of the intersection. &nbsp;

Drivers
 are asked to use extra caution when approaching and entering the 
intersection. &nbsp;Repairs are expected to be completed on or before the end
 of the day on Friday. For more information, call (785) 628-7350.

Beginning Monday, contractors will be upgrading the signal light equipment and wiring for the intersection of Eight&nbsp; and Vine streets. &nbsp; Throughout the project, the signal lights may be 
intermittently flashing red, indicating a four-way stop, or even off 
completely. &nbsp;Under these scenarios, the intersection may be controlled 
with temporary stop signs at some or all legs of the intersection. &nbsp;Drivers
 are asked to use extra caution when approaching and entering the 
intersection. &nbsp;Repairs are expected to be completed on or before the end
 of the day on Friday. For more information, call (785) 628-7350.— City of Hays

Eighth and Vine signal upgrades will alter traffic flow

After an unseasonably warm Super Bowl weekend and start to the work week, the National Weather Service in Dodge City is predicting wintry weather will return in a big way this week.

A winter storm watch is in effect for Hays and northwest Kansas starting at 6 a.m. Wednesday. The NWS said the Hays area has a 74 percent chance of receiving 4 or more inches of snow.

The NWS also said there is a chance of moisture beginning Monday night. Up to a quarter inch of rain is expected after 9 p.m. Monday before clearing late Tuesday morning.

Check Hays Post and tune into your Eagle Radio of Hays stations for the latest on severe weather and cancellations.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/2/1676315743615.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>After an unseasonably warm Super Bowl weekend and start to the work week, the National Weather Service in Dodge City is predicting wintry weather will return in a big way this week.A winter storm watch is in effect for Hays and northwest Kansas starting at 6 a.m. Wednesday. The NWS said the Hays area has a 74 percent chance of receiving 4 or more inches of snow.The NWS also said there is a chance of moisture beginning Monday night. Up to a quarter inch of rain is expected after 9 p.m. Monday before clearing late Tuesday morning.Check Hays Post and tune into your Eagle Radio of Hays stations for the latest on severe weather and cancellations.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Snow will be expected Wednesday, starting across far western Kansas in the morning, spreading eastward as the day progresses. Strong northerly winds gusting above 40 mph will create blowing snow and reduced visibilities. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/kswx?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#kswx</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/nwsddc?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#nwsddc</a> <a href="https://t.co/FiajQaeiD0">pic.twitter.com/FiajQaeiD0</a>&mdash; NWS Dodge City (@NWSDodgeCity) <a href="https://twitter.com/NWSDodgeCity/status/1625157398808891394?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 13, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> </div>

Enjoy the warmth, because winter weather is on the way 

By LESLIE EIKLEBERRY Salina Post

SALINA — A Hays man was arrested after a high-speed chase through parts of Salina and southern Saline County early Monday morning.

At
 approximately 2 a.m. Monday, an officer noticed a fast-moving white 
2008 Dodge Charger headed eastbound on West Walnut Street in central 
Salina. The car turned southbound onto South 12th Street, where the officer
 clocked the car traveling at 54 mph in a 30 mph zone, Salina Police 
Captain Paul Forrester said.

When the car turned west
 onto W. South Street, the officer attempted to stop it, however, the 
car took off and turned south onto South Broadway Boulevard, traveling at 
up to 90 mph in a 40 mph zone, Forrester said. After the car turned onto
 South Ninth Street, it reached speeds of more than 100 mph. The Charger 
continued south out of the city limits on Old Highway 81, traveling at 
120 mph, Forrester said.

When the Charger reached the Old Highway 
81 interchange with Interstate 135 near Bridgeport, it turned north onto
 I-135 and reach 131 mph.

Spike strips placed by a Salina officer 
near the West Water Well Road exit punctured the Charger's tires, as did 
additional spike strips placed near the West Schilling Road exit, however,
 the car kept going, finally exiting at West Magnolia Road, where it went 
east at 60 mph on deflated tires, Forrester said.

The car then 
traveled on a number of south Salina streets, eventually traveling west 
on Leslie Avenue. Forrester said it was clocked at the Leslie 
Avenue-Quincy Street intersection going 15 mph. The Charger then 
traveled onto Quincy Court, where it became disabled.

The driver, Brandon Cunningham, 40, Hays, was found to have a 
revoked driver's license. He was arrested on the following requested 
charges, Forrester said:

●Felony flee and elude ●Reckless driving ●Felony interference with a law enforcement officer ●Driving while revoked as a habitual offender ●Thirty-eight traffic violations

By LESLIE EIKLEBERRY Salina PostSALINA — A Hays man was arrested after a high-speed chase through parts of Salina and southern Saline County early Monday morning.At
 approximately 2 a.m. Monday, an officer noticed a fast-moving white 
2008 Dodge Charger headed eastbound on West Walnut Street in central 
Salina. The car turned southbound onto South 12th Street, where the officer
 clocked the car traveling at 54 mph in a 30 mph zone, Salina Police 
Captain Paul Forrester said.When the car turned west
 onto W. South Street, the officer attempted to stop it, however, the 
car took off and turned south onto South Broadway Boulevard, traveling at 
up to 90 mph in a 40 mph zone, Forrester said. After the car turned onto
 South Ninth Street, it reached speeds of more than 100 mph. The Charger 
continued south out of the city limits on Old Highway 81, traveling at 
120 mph, Forrester said.When the Charger reached the Old Highway 
81 interchange with Interstate 135 near Bridgeport, it turned north onto
 I-135 and reach 131 mph.Spike strips placed by a Salina officer 
near the West Water Well Road exit punctured the Charger's tires, as did 
additional spike strips placed near the West Schilling Road exit, however,
 the car kept going, finally exiting at West Magnolia Road, where it went 
east at 60 mph on deflated tires, Forrester said.The car then 
traveled on a number of south Salina streets, eventually traveling west 
on Leslie Avenue. Forrester said it was clocked at the Leslie 
Avenue-Quincy Street intersection going 15 mph. The Charger then 
traveled onto Quincy Court, where it became disabled.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/2/1676307550665.jpeg" alt="Brandon Cunningham. Photos courtesy Saline County Sheriff's Office" />
 <figcaption>Brandon Cunningham. Photos courtesy Saline County Sheriff's Office</figcaption>
 </figure>The driver, Brandon Cunningham, 40, Hays, was found to have a 
revoked driver's license. He was arrested on the following requested 
charges, Forrester said:●Felony flee and elude ●Reckless driving ●Felony interference with a law enforcement officer ●Driving while revoked as a habitual offender ●Thirty-eight traffic violations

High-speed pursuit in Saline Co. results in arrest of Hays man

On this episode of the Post Podcast, Heartland Community Foundation Sarah Meitner shares updates from the foundation about Match Month and details of a Big Give Day freewill dinner going on throughout Feb. 13 at Thirsty's Brew Pub and Grill in Hays.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/2/1676307411104.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>On this episode of the Post Podcast, Heartland Community Foundation Sarah Meitner shares updates from the foundation about Match Month and details of a Big Give Day freewill dinner going on throughout Feb. 13 at Thirsty's Brew Pub and Grill in Hays.<div><iframe title="Free-will taco bar available at Thirsty’s during Big Give Day Feb. 13" allowtransparency="true" height="600" 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=yanf3-138d209-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=600" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div>

🎙 Post Podcast: Freewill taco bar available at Thirsty's during Big Give Day Feb. 13

By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays Post

The Ellis County Commission is considering rejoining the Northwest Kansas Planning and Development Commission, but members said Tuesday they weren't quite ready to jump on board yet.&nbsp;

The county ended its membership in 2020 with commissioners citing a lack of benefits received from the development commission.

The cities of Ellis and Victoria had been covered under the county's membership. When the county left, Ellis and Victoria joined the development commission for fees of $3,500 a year each.

<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/93f2e61e-a2e0-43d8-9f38-f7beacb841b5">RELATED STORY: Two out of three ain't bad; Victoria follows Ellis' lead joining economic partnership</a>

<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/5e1f7da37d7daa72b30eb039">Post Podcast: Ellis County Commission cuts ties with NWKPDC</a>

Randall Hrabe, development commission executive director, presented a proposal to the county commission Tuesday on Ellis County rejoining the agency.

The development commission is proposing the commission rejoin the development commission at a rate of $40,000 a year. The fees for the 18-county agency are based on 1/10 of a mill of valuation. Because Ellis County has the largest valuation in the region, it had paid the largest dues. The agency's annual budget is about $600,000.

Hrabe said if Ellis County would rejoin the organization, the cities of Ellis and Victoria would no longer have to pay dues.

"When you look at it, it's a lot of money. But when you look at some of the grants and business loans that we've done throughout Ellis County, it amounts to quite a little bit of money," Hrabe said.

The development commission helped the city of Ellis secure $1 million for its swimming pool, $400,000 for water lines, $400,000 for Ellis streets,&nbsp;$299,685&nbsp; for an Ellis County KanStep grant, and&nbsp;$251,600 for an Ellis housing
project, Hrabe said in a letter to the commissioners.

Commissioner Michael Berges asked about the agency's fees for Ellis County. Valuations are increasing and 1/10 of a mill likely would mean a higher fee in years to come — about $50,000 just next year, Berges said.

The development commission board had discussed charging Ellis County back fees for the years it was not a member. Hrabe said he just wanted Ellis County to rejoin for the $40,000 annual fee.

Berges said he is not in favor of paying any back fees.

Berges also argued Hays and Ellis County often do not qualify for the U.S. Department of Agriculture programs that the agency applies for because they don't meet low-income or rural population guidelines.

Hrabe tried to make the case for the benefits Ellis County would receive with their membership.

Although the agency helps local governments apply for community development block grants, it is not the only service the agency provides, Hrabe said.

The agency is trying to get more state development funds awarded to projects in northwest Kansas, Hrabe said. Only 4 percent of the last $100 million came to the 35 western Kansas counties. Forty percent of the funds went to Johnson and Wyandotte counties.

Pioneer Country Development is a nonprofit, Small Business
Administration Certified Development Company under the agency's umbrella.&nbsp;

Pioneer County Development packages and services the SBA 504 loans. Although local businesses can go through any&nbsp;Certified Development Company in the state, Pioneer County is the only CDC&nbsp;left in all of north central and western Kansas, Hrabe said.

He said Pioneer County processes anywhere from $10 million to $64 million in loans per year. Most of those are for smaller businesses.

Northwest Kansas Housing, also under the umbrella of the&nbsp;Northwest Kansas Planning and Development Commission, was buying the homes built by the NCK Tech construction program. However, that program was discontinued because the agency was losing money on the program once they placed the homes on basements, Hrabe said.

He said the agency won't provide services for nothing in Ellis County.

"We've had several businesses that have come to us and wanted business loans," he said. "We do charge them a $2,000 fee upfront. We typically would not do that to other businesses in our area."

The agency also controls Section 8 rental assistance funding. It received about $900,000 during the last two years. 

Ellis County has existing Section 8 recipients; however, no one new in Ellis County received rental assistance funds from their agency during the last two years, Hrabe said. In fact, the agency turned funds back to the government, he said.

"The board has chosen not to give any tenants in Ellis County any new rental assistance because of Ellis County not being a member," Hrabe said.

Berges said the budget is already set for 2023. He said he would like to consider the agency's proposal for the 2024 budget.

He said he's heard both sides of the issue. Some have argued the county doesn't get value for the dues and others see the partnership as very necessary.

"It is hard for me to say I'm a commissioner and we're looking for growth and we're looking for business opportunities and infrastructure opportunities and not be part of a commission that helps do those things," Berges said.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/2/1675888740863.png" alt="Randall Hrabe,&nbsp;Northwest Kansas Planning and Development Commission executive director, asks the Ellis County Commission on Tuesday to rejoin the development commission. Courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Randall Hrabe,&nbsp;Northwest Kansas Planning and Development Commission executive director, asks the Ellis County Commission on Tuesday to rejoin the development commission. Courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays PostThe Ellis County Commission is considering rejoining the Northwest Kansas Planning and Development Commission, but members said Tuesday they weren't quite ready to jump on board yet.&nbsp;The county ended its membership in 2020 with commissioners citing a lack of benefits received from the development commission.The cities of Ellis and Victoria had been covered under the county's membership. When the county left, Ellis and Victoria joined the development commission for fees of $3,500 a year each.<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/93f2e61e-a2e0-43d8-9f38-f7beacb841b5">RELATED STORY: Two out of three ain't bad; Victoria follows Ellis' lead joining economic partnership</a><a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/5e1f7da37d7daa72b30eb039">Post Podcast: Ellis County Commission cuts ties with NWKPDC</a>Randall Hrabe, development commission executive director, presented a proposal to the county commission Tuesday on Ellis County rejoining the agency.The development commission is proposing the commission rejoin the development commission at a rate of $40,000 a year. The fees for the 18-county agency are based on 1/10 of a mill of valuation. Because Ellis County has the largest valuation in the region, it had paid the largest dues. The agency's annual budget is about $600,000.Hrabe said if Ellis County would rejoin the organization, the cities of Ellis and Victoria would no longer have to pay dues."When you look at it, it's a lot of money. But when you look at some of the grants and business loans that we've done throughout Ellis County, it amounts to quite a little bit of money," Hrabe said.The development commission helped the city of Ellis secure $1 million for its swimming pool, $400,000 for water lines, $400,000 for Ellis streets,&nbsp;$299,685&nbsp; for an Ellis County KanStep grant, and&nbsp;$251,600 for an Ellis housing
project, Hrabe said in a letter to the commissioners.Commissioner Michael Berges asked about the agency's fees for Ellis County. Valuations are increasing and 1/10 of a mill likely would mean a higher fee in years to come — about $50,000 just next year, Berges said.The development commission board had discussed charging Ellis County back fees for the years it was not a member. Hrabe said he just wanted Ellis County to rejoin for the $40,000 annual fee.Berges said he is not in favor of paying any back fees.Berges also argued Hays and Ellis County often do not qualify for the U.S. Department of Agriculture programs that the agency applies for because they don't meet low-income or rural population guidelines.Hrabe tried to make the case for the benefits Ellis County would receive with their membership.Although the agency helps local governments apply for community development block grants, it is not the only service the agency provides, Hrabe said.The agency is trying to get more state development funds awarded to projects in northwest Kansas, Hrabe said. Only 4 percent of the last $100 million came to the 35 western Kansas counties. Forty percent of the funds went to Johnson and Wyandotte counties.Pioneer Country Development is a nonprofit, Small Business
Administration Certified Development Company under the agency's umbrella.&nbsp;Pioneer County Development packages and services the SBA 504 loans. Although local businesses can go through any&nbsp;Certified Development Company in the state, Pioneer County is the only CDC&nbsp;left in all of north central and western Kansas, Hrabe said.He said Pioneer County processes anywhere from $10 million to $64 million in loans per year. Most of those are for smaller businesses.Northwest Kansas Housing, also under the umbrella of the&nbsp;Northwest Kansas Planning and Development Commission, was buying the homes built by the NCK Tech construction program. However, that program was discontinued because the agency was losing money on the program once they placed the homes on basements, Hrabe said.He said the agency won't provide services for nothing in Ellis County."We've had several businesses that have come to us and wanted business loans," he said. "We do charge them a $2,000 fee upfront. We typically would not do that to other businesses in our area."The agency also controls Section 8 rental assistance funding. It received about $900,000 during the last two years. Ellis County has existing Section 8 recipients; however, no one new in Ellis County received rental assistance funds from their agency during the last two years, Hrabe said. In fact, the agency turned funds back to the government, he said."The board has chosen not to give any tenants in Ellis County any new rental assistance because of Ellis County not being a member," Hrabe said.Berges said the budget is already set for 2023. He said he would like to consider the agency's proposal for the 2024 budget.He said he's heard both sides of the issue. Some have argued the county doesn't get value for the dues and others see the partnership as very necessary."It is hard for me to say I'm a commissioner and we're looking for growth and we're looking for business opportunities and infrastructure opportunities and not be part of a commission that helps do those things," Berges said.&nbsp;

Ellis Co. to consider rejoining regional development group in 2024

A longtime tattoo and body piercing studio in Hays has moved and reopened under a new name downtown.

After 15 years on the corner of Vine and Eighth streets, Sore Loser Tattoo moved to 1008 Main and reopened as Blue Light Body Art.

Chris Norris, owner, purchased the building two years ago. The building required extensive work to the roof, as well as interior remodeling. Norris installed hardwood flooring on both floors. The studio was finally able to open in the remodeled building on Jan. 21.

Norris said his motivation behind the move was increased foot traffic.

"Eighth and Vine is a great location for a huge number of businesses. Everybody going by at 35 mph, they weren't really stopping to take a look around," Norris said.&nbsp;

"I've been trying to get downtown for many years. Everything fell into place. ... I've always loved downtown Hays, and I wanted to be part of it."

He said he is eager to be involved in the Hays Arts Center's quarterly art walks. Several of the tattoo artists who work in the studio are Fort Hays State University art graduates.

The new name is in honor of the legend of Hays' Blue Light Lady. The legend says the Blue Light Lady is the ghost of Elizabeth Polly, who died of cholera while tending patients during an outbreak in 1867. Her ghost is said to appear in the area of Sentinel Hill where she is buried.

The studio has three piercers and four tattoo artists.

Tattoo and piercing services will remain the same. Tattoo artists will be working on the second floor and piercers on the first floor. However, the studio has a room on the ground floor that can be used for tattooing if accessibility is an issue.

Norris said he is expanding his piercing jewelry to include more gold pieces. The studio is carrying 14kt. and 18kt. gold with options for yellow, white or rose gold, as well as pieces with genuine gemstones.

The studio will continue to carry its implant-grade titanium pieces.

Blue Light will keep the hours it had at its former location — noon to 6 p.m. Tuesdays through Saturdays.

Reservations are encouraged, but walk-ins are welcome. You can reach the studio at&nbsp;785-621-4969.

Norris said he is still in the process of changing the studio's Facebook and website to reflect the new name. You can follow Blue Light on Instagram.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/2/1675965490569.jpeg" alt="Chris Norris, owner of Blue Light Body Art, far right, with his staff of piercers and tattoo artists in front of the studio's new location in downtown Hays. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>Chris Norris, owner of Blue Light Body Art, far right, with his staff of piercers and tattoo artists in front of the studio's new location in downtown Hays. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure>By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays PostA longtime tattoo and body piercing studio in Hays has moved and reopened under a new name downtown.After 15 years on the corner of Vine and Eighth streets, Sore Loser Tattoo moved to 1008 Main and reopened as Blue Light Body Art.Chris Norris, owner, purchased the building two years ago. The building required extensive work to the roof, as well as interior remodeling. Norris installed hardwood flooring on both floors. The studio was finally able to open in the remodeled building on Jan. 21.Norris said his motivation behind the move was increased foot traffic."Eighth and Vine is a great location for a huge number of businesses. Everybody going by at 35 mph, they weren't really stopping to take a look around," Norris said.&nbsp;"I've been trying to get downtown for many years. Everything fell into place. ... I've always loved downtown Hays, and I wanted to be part of it."<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/2/1675965912878.jpeg" alt="Blue Light Body Art's tattoo area on the second floor of its new location at&nbsp;1008 Main in Hays. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>Blue Light Body Art's tattoo area on the second floor of its new location at&nbsp;1008 Main in Hays. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure>He said he is eager to be involved in the Hays Arts Center's quarterly art walks. Several of the tattoo artists who work in the studio are Fort Hays State University art graduates.The new name is in honor of the legend of Hays' Blue Light Lady. The legend says the Blue Light Lady is the ghost of Elizabeth Polly, who died of cholera while tending patients during an outbreak in 1867. Her ghost is said to appear in the area of Sentinel Hill where she is buried.The studio has three piercers and four tattoo artists.Tattoo and piercing services will remain the same. Tattoo artists will be working on the second floor and piercers on the first floor. However, the studio has a room on the ground floor that can be used for tattooing if accessibility is an issue.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/2/1675965990094.jpeg" alt="A piercing room at Blue Light Body Art at its new location in downtown Hays. The studio has three piercers and four tattoo artists on staff. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>A piercing room at Blue Light Body Art at its new location in downtown Hays. The studio has three piercers and four tattoo artists on staff. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure>Norris said he is expanding his piercing jewelry to include more gold pieces. The studio is carrying 14kt. and 18kt. gold with options for yellow, white or rose gold, as well as pieces with genuine gemstones.The studio will continue to carry its implant-grade titanium pieces.Blue Light will keep the hours it had at its former location — noon to 6 p.m. Tuesdays through Saturdays.Reservations are encouraged, but walk-ins are welcome. You can reach the studio at&nbsp;785-621-4969.Norris said he is still in the process of changing the studio's Facebook and website to reflect the new name. You can follow Blue Light on Instagram.

Blue Light Body Art opens with new name on Main in Hays

Great Bend — Barton Community College has named 283 students to the Dean’s List for the fall 2022 semester. To qualify for this honor, students must have been enrolled in a minimum of 12 credit hours and maintained a grade point average of 3.5 to 3.99 on a 4.0 or "A" letter scale.

Claflin 
Brooke Farmer 
Shaylah Kempke 
Kassidy Nixon

Great Bend 
Joshua Ball 
Jasmine Campos 
Maleny Carrasco 
Jose Carrillo 
James Chestnut 
Shae Cox 
Lexi Deines 
Sandra Delgadillo 
Emily Holguin 
Elle Hutchinson 
Jacob Kennedy 
Sarah Mehlhaff 
Joseph Moeder 
Austin Moore 
Raegan Moore 
Abby Muth 
Samantha Naab 
Andrea Orona Favela 
Ashton Ramsey 
Arely Reyes 
Valerie Ruiz 
Darien Sanchez 
Brandi Sander 
Karter Smith 
Kayla Souter 
Juan Vera Gutierrez 
Kristy Wittig

Larned&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; 
Andre Claibourn 
Paige Cobb 
John Courtney 
Kirsten Gabel 
Carlo Malone 
Tyson Nicholson 
James Stewart 
Kameron Turner 
John Wasinger 
Carolyn Zook

Russell 
Harley Headley 
Denise Ketchens 
Kristy Lynn Sullivan

Smith Center&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; 
Kandis Frydendall

Barton CCGreat Bend — Barton Community College has named 283 students to the Dean’s List for the fall 2022 semester. To qualify for this honor, students must have been enrolled in a minimum of 12 credit hours and maintained a grade point average of 3.5 to 3.99 on a 4.0 or "A" letter scale.Area students included on the list were:Burdett 
Elizabeth RasmussenClaflin 
Brooke Farmer 
Shaylah Kempke 
Kassidy NixonGarfield 
Ashlynn HarrelsonGreat Bend 
Joshua Ball 
Jasmine Campos 
Maleny Carrasco 
Jose Carrillo 
James Chestnut 
Shae Cox 
Lexi Deines 
Sandra Delgadillo 
Emily Holguin 
Elle Hutchinson 
Jacob Kennedy 
Sarah Mehlhaff 
Joseph Moeder 
Austin Moore 
Raegan Moore 
Abby Muth 
Samantha Naab 
Andrea Orona Favela 
Ashton Ramsey 
Arely Reyes 
Valerie Ruiz 
Darien Sanchez 
Brandi Sander 
Karter Smith 
Kayla Souter 
Juan Vera Gutierrez 
Kristy WittigLarned&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; 
Andre Claibourn 
Paige Cobb 
John Courtney 
Kirsten Gabel 
Carlo Malone 
Tyson Nicholson 
James Stewart 
Kameron Turner 
John Wasinger 
Carolyn ZookOtis 
Taylor CroisantRussell 
Harley Headley 
Denise Ketchens 
Kristy Lynn SullivanSmith Center&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; 
Kandis Frydendall

NW Kansas students earn spot on Barton CC Dean's List

The Alumni Association of Thomas More Prep-Marian will sponsor the 49th annual Auction for Christian Education (ACE). From the first auction in 1975 to 2022, ACE has raised $11,868,702.18 for Thomas More Prep-Marian.

This year's auction will be April 28 and 29 at the Al Billinger Fieldhouse.

The Hays business community, TMP-Marian parents, alumni, and friends have worked many years together with the Capuchin friars and Agnesian sisters and now the Diocese of Salina to keep the dream of a Catholic educational option alive for Hays, Ellis County, and western Kansas. The ACE 2023 hosts are Dan '64 and Judy '64 Dischner and Glen '67 and Anita Neuburger.

For more information, click <a href="https://www.hayscatholicschools.org/page/ace-2023">HERE</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/2/1675969924199.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Hays Catholic SchoolsThe Alumni Association of Thomas More Prep-Marian will sponsor the 49th annual Auction for Christian Education (ACE). From the first auction in 1975 to 2022, ACE has raised $11,868,702.18 for Thomas More Prep-Marian.This year's auction will be April 28 and 29 at the Al Billinger Fieldhouse.The Hays business community, TMP-Marian parents, alumni, and friends have worked many years together with the Capuchin friars and Agnesian sisters and now the Diocese of Salina to keep the dream of a Catholic educational option alive for Hays, Ellis County, and western Kansas. The ACE 2023 hosts are Dan '64 and Judy '64 Dischner and Glen '67 and Anita Neuburger.For more information, click <a href="https://www.hayscatholicschools.org/page/ace-2023">HERE</a>.

49th annual ACE auction scheduled for April

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/2/1676049963825.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>

On this episode of the Post Podcast Grow Hays executive director Doug Williams discusses the City of Hays' Braun property plan.&nbsp;

<div><iframe title="Grow Hays director discusses the city of Hays’ Braun property plan" allowtransparency="true" height="600" 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=ya5wg-1389209-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=600" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div>On this episode of the Post Podcast Grow Hays executive director Doug Williams discusses the City of Hays' Braun property plan.&nbsp;

🎙 Post Podcast: Grow Hays director discusses the city of Hays' Braun property plan

Corrected Tuesday, Feb. 7, for a typo in the paragraph on the number of cases that resulted in prison convictions in 2021.

For victims of sexual violence seeking justice, the wheels of the court system grind slowly.

Sexual violence cases can take up to two years to resolve, according to Ellis County Attorney Robert Anderson.

Among those few cases that make it all the way to a conclusion within court system, many result in plea deals and few result in incarceration.

<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/4d6c50a1-d68d-418e-876e-65896aac09d3">Second in a series</a>

Based on correlating multiple data sources, Rape, Abuse and Incest National Network estimates that for every 1,000 rapes, 384 are reported to police, 57 result in an arrest, 11 are referred for prosecution, seven&nbsp;result in a felony conviction, and six result in incarceration.

“I once had it referred to as the leaky pipeline,” said Joyce Grover, executive director of the Kansas Coalition Against Sexual and Domestic Violence. “The cases just fall away. At the end, I think there are a lot of victims who feel they did not get justice because there wasn’t a conviction in their case.”

<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/4d6c50a1-d68d-418e-876e-65896aac09d3">SEE RELATED STORY: Rape reports increase in Ellis County; majority of victims remain in shadows</a>

Anderson said when he took over the Ellis County Attorney's Office in January 2021, he had a backlog of unfiled cases — some of these included sexual violence cases.&nbsp;

Anderson has filed some of the cases that were left to him by the previous Ellis County Attorney Tom Drees, who is now a district court judge, but he said the county attorney's office will never have enough attorneys to keep up with the county's caseload.

“We get 1,500 reports a year, and we are capable of getting to approximately 1,000 of them,” he said. “There are always going to be that number of reports that we just can’t get to."

Anderson said in his opinion, there's a clear hierarchy of case types.

“Generally, that hierarchy goes dead bodies, child victims, victims of sexual assault, victims of serious person crimes," he said, "and then we start branching out into this area of drug distribution, property crimes underneath that is drug possession. We’ve also got traffic that we deal with.

“The challenge is there is no one area that we can completely ignore. If you leave any one area untouched, then that sort of behavior is going to fester in the community.”

Even within the realm of sexual violence cases, he said there's a hierarchy.

“Sexual assault covers a lot of different behavior,” Anderson said. “It covers suspects and defendants and victims who are a lot of different ages.”

 Anderson said each incident is handled on a case-by-case basis.

“Objectively, a rape that occurs at gunpoint is a lot more serious than a rape that occurs between two college-age kids who are heavily under the influence and there’s some question about whether or not it's consensual,” he said. “Those are both rape. They are both the same crime and the same punishment, but they are very different circumstances.”

Hecker said from a victim's perspective, sexual crimes are all violent.

"All sexual assault is serious and violent whether they use a gun as a weapon or they use alcohol as a weapon," she said.

Anderson said even if he had more staff, he did not think the judicial district had enough judges, courtrooms and court staff to try all cases.

Anderson said he has been looking at some of the sexual violence cases in the county attorney's backlog and trying to file those.

"I feel I have made sexual assault cases more of a priority in my time as county attorney. I have filed a number of cases predating my time here," Anderson said.&nbsp;

“I would say a quarter to half of the sexual assault cases that I have filed predate that Jan. 11, 2021, date,” he said.

This story was updated Monday, Feb. 6 for the number of cases filed in 2022 and 2023.

In 2022, the county attorney's office filed 18 sexual assault cases. Four cases have been filed through Feb. 3 of this year. He filed 19 in 2021, his first year in office.

In 2020, Drees, as the Ellis County Attorney, filed 14 sexual assault cases. Anderson worked as a special prosecutor for a short time that year and filed three other cases.

Anderson reported the following number of cases filed by the county attorney's office under Drees from 2014 to 2019. • 2019: 6 sexual assault cases filed • 2018: 8 sexual assault cases filed • 2017: 3 sexual assault cases filed • 2016: 14 sexual assault cases filed • 2015: 13 sexual assault cases filed • 2014: 12 sexual assault cases filed&nbsp;

“I do work through old reports and look at what still can be filed and what is important enough to be filed,” Anderson said.

The office has to consider statute of limitations issues and factors such as the death of parties in the case or lack of access to investigating officers or medical professionals. A suspect also might be in prison serving a lengthy sentence for another crime.

Hecker claimed its a double standard to urge victims to report sex crimes, but not file the cases in court.

“When our police departments and sheriff’s departments, county attorneys — everyone in that system is saying 'go report, go report, go report,' how disheartening is it for a victim to go and make that report and then have nothing happen to it after the case is filed," she said.

"Nothing happens. It just fades into the distance. What does that say about how much we value perpetrator accountability for the worst person crimes," Hecker said. "They are rape, domestic violence, child abuse. These are the worst crimes against people, and they’re not even getting filed.

"That’s shocking and shameful. That’s as shameful as not testing a rape kit. And we’re still scratching our heads asking,'Why don’t people report?' ”

Tracking conviction rates in Ellis County is near to impossible and Anderson explained why.

When Anderson attempted to run a report for sexual violence convictions during the last 10 years, he said the reports came back incomplete.

"The accuracy of those reports relies on the accuracy of data entry over the last 10 years. I know the datasets are not completely accurate because when I run a report that would work for this purpose, I don’t see cases I know should be there," he said in an email to the Hays Post.

Many other factors play into the difficulty in tracking sex cases. Here are some mitigating factors.

• A case might be filed by a prosecutor in 2022, but that incident could have been reported years earlier. • Juvenile and adult offenders are treated differently in court but lumped together into the same statistics. • A case may initially be filed as a rape but the charge might be reduced as the result of a plea agreement

Anderson said each case is handled on a case-by-case basis. He meets with each victim before the case begins and discusses with them their visions of justice.&nbsp;

"Based on their perceived idea of what justice would look like for them, that is a driving force on how I handle a case. It doesn’t control it. I’m not bound by it, but it is certainly very important," Anderson said.

However, he said, plea agreements are the norm.

“The reason for that is if every single case we had was prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law, we would need dozens more courtrooms, hundreds of more attorneys, defense attorneys, judges and court staff. There’s just simply not the time or resources to try cases and prosecute cases to the fullest extent of the law,” he said.

“A defendant is not just going to give up and plead as charged and take the punishment they deserve. They are going to want something in exchange for their plea,” he said. “That usually comes in the form of a lesser charge or less time or a different disposition."

To provide some light on the conviction rate, Anderson hand-pulled cases from 2021 and 2022. Anderson became Ellis County Attorney Jan. 11, 2021.

In 2021, 19 sexual assault cases were filed by the county attorney's office. Sixteen of those resulted in felony&nbsp;convictions or adjudications. Nine of those convictions resulted in prison sentences.

As of October, not all of the 2021 cases had been resolved and others were pending sentencing.

As of October 2022,&nbsp;13 sexual assault cases had been filed by the county attorney's office. Anderson said at that time the office had several unfiled reports (some of which were from 2022, but some of which were from 2021 or before), but he said he anticipated filing those by the end of the year.

None of the 13 filed cases that were filed in 2022 had been resolved by October.

Anderson reported&nbsp;nine out of 17 (53 percent) sexual assault cases that were filed in 2020 ended with a conviction and prison sentences. Of those cases that did not end up in conviction, there were circumstances beyond local officials' control. One suspect died, one was taken into federal custody and one had an active warrant but had not been located.

Hecker said other counties in northwest Kansas have been even less cooperative in tracking conviction data. Instead of being able to access cumulative county data, court records keepers require agencies to request each record by name of the suspect or case number.

Anderson called the current case management system antiquated. He said would like to be able to provide better statistics to the community.

The Ellis County prosecutor's office is set to launch a new case management system in April.

"I think moving forward these types of inquiries will be a lot easier to answer and we will have a lot more accuracy, but I imagine that Ellis County’s numbers are pretty consistent with nationwide statistics and statewide statistics,” he said.

Anderson made a plea to any victims of sexual violence to come forward and make a report.

“If a victim is seeing those low prosecution, conviction and incarceration rates, I think the message they are probably receiving is no one cares, which is tragic and is obviously going to have a deterrent effect,” he said of reporting sex crimes.

“If I could send out a message to victims or someone who might become a victim, I would say I do care. This office cares. Law enforcement cares. This community cares. The community partners, Options, the Western Kansa Child Advocacy Center, the [Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner] program at HaysMed, we care. We care a lot.”

Grover said&nbsp;victims need advocates, such as the ones provided by Options, to be with them all through the judicial process. She said she did not think the state had the resources to provide that across the board. 

“I think that is one of the areas that could really make a difference,” she said, “to have that kind of support for victims from the moment they are assaulted until the case is resolved.”

“I want victims to know there is confidential support for them where they are in the state,” she said. “They can get that support through the statewide hotline, certainly through the local resources at Options. 

"They have a variety of ways people can be in touch with them beyond the hotline. I would encourage the victims they are not going to have to be made to tell anybody else. They can just start with that phone call or with that first contact and reach out for support. They’re not alone.”

If you or someone you know has been a victim of sex crime, you can reach an advocate through Options through its&nbsp;text, chat or phone hotlines. Text the word "Hope" to 847411.

The 24-hour phone helpline is 800-794-4624. The chat and other information can be accessed on the Options website at&nbsp;<a href="https://help4abuse.org/">https://help4abuse.org/</a>&nbsp;All of the helplines and chats are manned 24/7, 365 days a year. All services are free and confidential.

The agency also has a mobile unit that travels throughout its 18-county catchment area in northwest Kansas. Contact Options through one of the means above to learn more.

Corrected Tuesday, Feb. 7, for a typo in the paragraph on the number of cases that resulted in prison convictions in 2021.By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays PostFor victims of sexual violence seeking justice, the wheels of the court system grind slowly.Sexual violence cases can take up to two years to resolve, according to Ellis County Attorney Robert Anderson.Among those few cases that make it all the way to a conclusion within court system, many result in plea deals and few result in incarceration.<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/4d6c50a1-d68d-418e-876e-65896aac09d3">Second in a series</a>Based on correlating multiple data sources, Rape, Abuse and Incest National Network estimates that for every 1,000 rapes, 384 are reported to police, 57 result in an arrest, 11 are referred for prosecution, seven&nbsp;result in a felony conviction, and six result in incarceration.“I once had it referred to as the leaky pipeline,” said Joyce Grover, executive director of the Kansas Coalition Against Sexual and Domestic Violence. “The cases just fall away. At the end, I think there are a lot of victims who feel they did not get justice because there wasn’t a conviction in their case.”<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/4d6c50a1-d68d-418e-876e-65896aac09d3">SEE RELATED STORY: Rape reports increase in Ellis County; majority of victims remain in shadows</a><h2>Backlog of cases</h2>Anderson said when he took over the Ellis County Attorney's Office in January 2021, he had a backlog of unfiled cases — some of these included sexual violence cases.&nbsp;Anderson has filed some of the cases that were left to him by the previous Ellis County Attorney Tom Drees, who is now a district court judge, but he said the county attorney's office will never have enough attorneys to keep up with the county's caseload.“We get 1,500 reports a year, and we are capable of getting to approximately 1,000 of them,” he said. “There are always going to be that number of reports that we just can’t get to."Anderson said in his opinion, there's a clear hierarchy of case types.“Generally, that hierarchy goes dead bodies, child victims, victims of sexual assault, victims of serious person crimes," he said, "and then we start branching out into this area of drug distribution, property crimes underneath that is drug possession. We’ve also got traffic that we deal with.“The challenge is there is no one area that we can completely ignore. If you leave any one area untouched, then that sort of behavior is going to fester in the community.”Even within the realm of sexual violence cases, he said there's a hierarchy.“Sexual assault covers a lot of different behavior,” Anderson said. “It covers suspects and defendants and victims who are a lot of different ages.” Anderson said each incident is handled on a case-by-case basis.“Objectively, a rape that occurs at gunpoint is a lot more serious than a rape that occurs between two college-age kids who are heavily under the influence and there’s some question about whether or not it's consensual,” he said. “Those are both rape. They are both the same crime and the same punishment, but they are very different circumstances.”Hecker said from a victim's perspective, sexual crimes are all violent."All sexual assault is serious and violent whether they use a gun as a weapon or they use alcohol as a weapon," she said.Anderson said even if he had more staff, he did not think the judicial district had enough judges, courtrooms and court staff to try all cases.Anderson said he has been looking at some of the sexual violence cases in the county attorney's backlog and trying to file those."I feel I have made sexual assault cases more of a priority in my time as county attorney. I have filed a number of cases predating my time here," Anderson said.&nbsp;“I would say a quarter to half of the sexual assault cases that I have filed predate that Jan. 11, 2021, date,” he said.This story was updated Monday, Feb. 6 for the number of cases filed in 2022 and 2023.In 2022, the county attorney's office filed 18 sexual assault cases. Four cases have been filed through Feb. 3 of this year. He filed 19 in 2021, his first year in office.In 2020, Drees, as the Ellis County Attorney, filed 14 sexual assault cases. Anderson worked as a special prosecutor for a short time that year and filed three other cases.Anderson reported the following number of cases filed by the county attorney's office under Drees from 2014 to 2019. • 2019: 6 sexual assault cases filed • 2018: 8 sexual assault cases filed • 2017: 3 sexual assault cases filed • 2016: 14 sexual assault cases filed • 2015: 13 sexual assault cases filed • 2014: 12 sexual assault cases filed&nbsp;“I do work through old reports and look at what still can be filed and what is important enough to be filed,” Anderson said.The office has to consider statute of limitations issues and factors such as the death of parties in the case or lack of access to investigating officers or medical professionals. A suspect also might be in prison serving a lengthy sentence for another crime.Hecker claimed its a double standard to urge victims to report sex crimes, but not file the cases in court.“When our police departments and sheriff’s departments, county attorneys — everyone in that system is saying 'go report, go report, go report,' how disheartening is it for a victim to go and make that report and then have nothing happen to it after the case is filed," she said."Nothing happens. It just fades into the distance. What does that say about how much we value perpetrator accountability for the worst person crimes," Hecker said. "They are rape, domestic violence, child abuse. These are the worst crimes against people, and they’re not even getting filed."That’s shocking and shameful. That’s as shameful as not testing a rape kit. And we’re still scratching our heads asking,'Why don’t people report?' ”<h2>Pleas are the norm</h2>Tracking conviction rates in Ellis County is near to impossible and Anderson explained why.When Anderson attempted to run a report for sexual violence convictions during the last 10 years, he said the reports came back incomplete."The accuracy of those reports relies on the accuracy of data entry over the last 10 years. I know the datasets are not completely accurate because when I run a report that would work for this purpose, I don’t see cases I know should be there," he said in an email to the Hays Post.Many other factors play into the difficulty in tracking sex cases. Here are some mitigating factors.• A case might be filed by a prosecutor in 2022, but that incident could have been reported years earlier. • Juvenile and adult offenders are treated differently in court but lumped together into the same statistics. • A case may initially be filed as a rape but the charge might be reduced as the result of a plea agreement Anderson said each case is handled on a case-by-case basis. He meets with each victim before the case begins and discusses with them their visions of justice.&nbsp;"Based on their perceived idea of what justice would look like for them, that is a driving force on how I handle a case. It doesn’t control it. I’m not bound by it, but it is certainly very important," Anderson said.However, he said, plea agreements are the norm.“The reason for that is if every single case we had was prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law, we would need dozens more courtrooms, hundreds of more attorneys, defense attorneys, judges and court staff. There’s just simply not the time or resources to try cases and prosecute cases to the fullest extent of the law,” he said.“A defendant is not just going to give up and plead as charged and take the punishment they deserve. They are going to want something in exchange for their plea,” he said. “That usually comes in the form of a lesser charge or less time or a different disposition."<h2>Not as easy as pressing enter</h2>To provide some light on the conviction rate, Anderson hand-pulled cases from 2021 and 2022. Anderson became Ellis County Attorney Jan. 11, 2021.In 2021, 19 sexual assault cases were filed by the county attorney's office. Sixteen of those resulted in felony&nbsp;convictions or adjudications. Nine of those convictions resulted in prison sentences.As of October, not all of the 2021 cases had been resolved and others were pending sentencing.As of October 2022,&nbsp;13 sexual assault cases had been filed by the county attorney's office. Anderson said at that time the office had several unfiled reports (some of which were from 2022, but some of which were from 2021 or before), but he said he anticipated filing those by the end of the year.None of the 13 filed cases that were filed in 2022 had been resolved by October.Anderson reported&nbsp;nine out of 17 (53 percent) sexual assault cases that were filed in 2020 ended with a conviction and prison sentences. Of those cases that did not end up in conviction, there were circumstances beyond local officials' control. One suspect died, one was taken into federal custody and one had an active warrant but had not been located.Hecker said other counties in northwest Kansas have been even less cooperative in tracking conviction data. Instead of being able to access cumulative county data, court records keepers require agencies to request each record by name of the suspect or case number.Anderson called the current case management system antiquated. He said would like to be able to provide better statistics to the community.The Ellis County prosecutor's office is set to launch a new case management system in April."I think moving forward these types of inquiries will be a lot easier to answer and we will have a lot more accuracy, but I imagine that Ellis County’s numbers are pretty consistent with nationwide statistics and statewide statistics,” he said.Anderson made a plea to any victims of sexual violence to come forward and make a report.“If a victim is seeing those low prosecution, conviction and incarceration rates, I think the message they are probably receiving is no one cares, which is tragic and is obviously going to have a deterrent effect,” he said of reporting sex crimes.“If I could send out a message to victims or someone who might become a victim, I would say I do care. This office cares. Law enforcement cares. This community cares. The community partners, Options, the Western Kansa Child Advocacy Center, the [Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner] program at HaysMed, we care. We care a lot.”Grover said&nbsp;victims need advocates, such as the ones provided by Options, to be with them all through the judicial process. She said she did not think the state had the resources to provide that across the board. “I think that is one of the areas that could really make a difference,” she said, “to have that kind of support for victims from the moment they are assaulted until the case is resolved.”“I want victims to know there is confidential support for them where they are in the state,” she said. “They can get that support through the statewide hotline, certainly through the local resources at Options. "They have a variety of ways people can be in touch with them beyond the hotline. I would encourage the victims they are not going to have to be made to tell anybody else. They can just start with that phone call or with that first contact and reach out for support. They’re not alone.”If you or someone you know has been a victim of sex crime, you can reach an advocate through Options through its&nbsp;text, chat or phone hotlines. Text the word "Hope" to 847411.The 24-hour phone helpline is 800-794-4624. The chat and other information can be accessed on the Options website at&nbsp;<a href="https://help4abuse.org/">https://help4abuse.org/</a>&nbsp;All of the helplines and chats are manned 24/7, 365 days a year. All services are free and confidential.The agency also has a mobile unit that travels throughout its 18-county catchment area in northwest Kansas. Contact Options through one of the means above to learn more.Cover photo courtesy of Pixabay

Judicial system 'leaky pipeline;' few rapists end up in prison

GREAT BEND — The Wall That Heals will be on display in Great Bend in May and as 
part of the exhibit, local Vietnam Veterans who died after returning 
home are eligible to be honored as part of the In Memory Honor Roll 
display. Since the Vietnam War ended, thousands of Vietnam veterans have
 suffered due to Agent Orange exposure, PTSD and other illnesses as a 
result of their service. The Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund (VVMF) 
believes all those who served in Vietnam should be honored and 
remembered for their service. 

The In Memory program enables the 
families and friends of those who came home and later died the 
opportunity to have them be forever memorialized.

All veterans 
from Kansas honored through In Memory will have their photos and names 
on display as part of the mobile Education Center exhibit when The Wall 
That Heals is in Great Bend from May 11-14, 2023.

“We want to 
honor as many Vietnam veterans from Kansas as possible," said Larry 
Parsons, Committee Co-Chair. "If your loved one served in Vietnam, 
returned home and later died – we want to be able to proudly display 
their name and photo in our community. We’re asking for the public’s 
help to identify eligible veterans and get their applications into VVMF 
so their veteran can be on display in Great Bend."

There is no 
cost to have a veteran honored and the application process is simple. To
 honor a loved one, you only need to complete a short application and 
submit the veteran’s DD214 showing their proof of service in Vietnam, a 
copy of their death certificate and two photographs. Additional 
information on the In Memory program and the application form can be 
found here: www.vvmf.org/inmemory.

In addition to The Wall That Heals display, having a veteran honored through In Memory includes:

•
 As part of the In Memory Honor Roll, an online personal remembrance 
page is created for each honoree with their photo and biographical 
information. Family members can share the page and leave remembrances 
about their loved one. To see the Honor Roll, go here: 
www.vvmf.org/Honor-Roll/

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1669652510925.jpeg" alt="Courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>Courtesy Great Bend PostGREAT BEND — The Wall That Heals will be on display in Great Bend in May and as 
part of the exhibit, local Vietnam Veterans who died after returning 
home are eligible to be honored as part of the In Memory Honor Roll 
display. Since the Vietnam War ended, thousands of Vietnam veterans have
 suffered due to Agent Orange exposure, PTSD and other illnesses as a 
result of their service. The Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund (VVMF) 
believes all those who served in Vietnam should be honored and 
remembered for their service. The In Memory program enables the 
families and friends of those who came home and later died the 
opportunity to have them be forever memorialized.All veterans 
from Kansas honored through In Memory will have their photos and names 
on display as part of the mobile Education Center exhibit when The Wall 
That Heals is in Great Bend from May 11-14, 2023.“We want to 
honor as many Vietnam veterans from Kansas as possible," said Larry 
Parsons, Committee Co-Chair. "If your loved one served in Vietnam, 
returned home and later died – we want to be able to proudly display 
their name and photo in our community. We’re asking for the public’s 
help to identify eligible veterans and get their applications into VVMF 
so their veteran can be on display in Great Bend."There is no 
cost to have a veteran honored and the application process is simple. To
 honor a loved one, you only need to complete a short application and 
submit the veteran’s DD214 showing their proof of service in Vietnam, a 
copy of their death certificate and two photographs. Additional 
information on the In Memory program and the application form can be 
found here: www.vvmf.org/inmemory.In addition to The Wall That Heals display, having a veteran honored through In Memory includes:•
 As part of the In Memory Honor Roll, an online personal remembrance 
page is created for each honoree with their photo and biographical 
information. Family members can share the page and leave remembrances 
about their loved one. To see the Honor Roll, go here: 
www.vvmf.org/Honor-Roll/• An invitation to In Memory weekend in 
Washington, D.C., which includes a touching ceremony on the site of the 
Vietnam Veterans Memorial where each honoree’s name is read aloud. Each 
applicant also receives a printed personal tribute certificate with 
their veteran’s photo(s).The plaque on the grounds of the Vietnam
 Veterans Memorial site in Washington, D.C. that honors these veterans 
was dedicated as a part of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in 2004 and a 
replica plaque is part of The Wall That Heals exhibit. It reads: ‘In 
Memory of the men and women who served in the Vietnam War and later died
 as a result of their service. We honor and remember their sacrifice.’“The
 impact of the Vietnam War stretches far beyond the 58,281 names on the 
Vietnam Veterans Memorial. More than three million Americans served in 
Vietnam and an untold number of those who served have suffered from 
service-connected illnesses. No one knew that when the war ended, 
Vietnam veterans and their families would still be feeling the effects 
of their service more than 50 years later. In Memory is our way to honor
 these Vietnam veterans for the sacrifices they made,” said Jim Knotts, 
president and CEO of VVMF, the nonprofit organization that founded the 
Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C. in 1982 and manages The 
Wall That Heals and In Memory programs.For more information on 
The Wall That Heals visit to Great Bend visit: 
https://www.exploregreatbend.com/wallthathealsgbks or call the 
Convention &amp; Visitors Bureau Office at 620-792-2750 for more 
information.

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