See part two of the series Monday on Hays Post.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Deadly wildfires. Choking dust storms. Decimated crop harvests.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The depletion of the Ogallala aquifer in the High Plains isn’t a new problem — roughly a <a href="https://www.pnas.org/content/110/37/E3477" target="_blank">third</a>
 of the water under Kansas has already disappeared since European 
settlement, largely thanks to the development of irrigated farming. And 
some of the districts in charge of managing that underground water have 
already put plans in place to <a href="https://www.hppr.org/hppr-news/2021-05-05/farmers-trying-to-save-the-ogallala-aquifer-face-tension-from-peers-but-their-profits-are-improving" target="_blank">slow down</a> the aquifer’s decline.

But
 the reason the underground water is so vital is that there isn’t much 
surface water on the High Plains to begin with. So a drought like this —
 parts of Kansas and Nebraska are experiencing their driest year on 
record — highlights the need to conserve.

“When it gets this hot 
and dry and windy,” Jenkins said, “people kind of shake their head and 
say, ‘Geez, it’s getting kind of ridiculous, isn’t it? When’s it gonna 
stop?’ ”

On his family farm
 in Gray County, Kansas, Alex Millershaski crouches next to a line of 
wheat seedlings no taller than the grass on a ballfield.

He digs his hand down into the soil between rows of small, green plants and scoops up a fistful.

“We have about three or four inches of just basically loose, dry sand,” Millershaski said. “There's no moisture whatsoever.”

Across the Great Plains, months of drought made soil moisture <a href="https://twitter.com/droughtdenise/status/1587464853479772161?s=43&amp;t=WnvOqLdNizi5xRdK13G_JA" target="_blank">virtually nonexistent</a>. Millershaski’s county just experienced its <a href="https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/monitoring/us-maps/1/202210?products[]=countypcpnrank" target="_blank">driest October</a> on record, dating back to the late 1800s.

The western Kansas plains are no stranger to howling gusts. But much of this year has brought winds that are <a href="https://www.cjonline.com/story/news/2022/05/03/why-kansas-so-windy-2022-meteorologist-explains-high-wind-warning-record/9611982002/" target="_blank">even stronger</a> than normal.

As Millershaski steps across his rows of wheat, he braces himself 
against the wall of roaring air. He can barely stand to hear it in his 
ears day after windblown day.

With no moisture to hold the soil in
 place, the wind easily sweeps it up and batters the seedlings with the 
fine grains of sand that collect into small dunes. For these young wheat
 plants, he said, it might as well be cutting them with glass.

“Just
 imagine yourself as a wheat plant planted in the ground getting hit in 
the face all day by that sand,” Millershaski said. “It’s just so dry.”

He said the last time this field got a good rain was May — of last year.

Even
 after years of adopting farming techniques that conserve soil and 
moisture, he said, his farm’s last wheat harvest was the worst in at 
least five decades. And the prospects for this new crop look 
discouraging.

Nationwide, winter wheat is in the <a href="https://twitter.com/kannbwx/status/1587179941682200579" target="_blank">poorest condition</a>
 it’s ever been on record. In Kansas, the country’s top wheat producer, 
less than a quarter of the crop is in good shape. Nebraska and 
Oklahoma’s wheat looks even worse.

This comes on the heels of a poor harvest <a href="https://www.hppr.org/hppr-news/2022-06-08/western-kansas-wheat-crops-are-failing-just-when-the-world-needs-them-most" target="_blank">this past summer</a>
 when the early stages of the drought dried plants to a crisp across 
western Kansas. And worldwide, the war in Ukraine and extreme weather 
continue to fuel <a href="https://www.wired.com/story/how-drought-and-war-are-really-affecting-the-global-food-supply/" target="_blank">global food shortages</a>.

Unfortunately for the drought-parched Great Plains, the outlook for the coming months doesn’t offer much relief.

A<a href="https://www.cpc.ncep.noaa.gov/products/analysis_monitoring/lanina/enso_evolution-status-fcsts-web.pdf" target="_blank"> </a><a href="https://www.cpc.ncep.noaa.gov/products/analysis_monitoring/lanina/enso_evolution-status-fcsts-web.pdf" target="_blank">rare triple dip</a> La Niña weather pattern is set to deliver the region a drier than average winter, which means<a href="https://www.noaa.gov/news-release/us-winter-outlook-warmer-drier-south-with-ongoing-la-nina" target="_blank"> </a><a href="https://www.noaa.gov/news-release/us-winter-outlook-warmer-drier-south-with-ongoing-la-nina" target="_blank">below-average precipitation</a> is likely to continue for at least a while longer.

Beyond that, drought conditions generally don’t improve much in the winter anyway. It takes an average of <a href="https://www.nssl.noaa.gov/education/svrwx101/winter/faq/" target="_blank">13 inches of snow</a> to equal the impact of one inch of rainfall.

So,
 the region’s hopes rest on the chance of a wet spring. But at this 
point, it would take a lot of moisture to get the region out of this 
hole. Gray County, for instance, is roughly <a href="https://mesonet.k-state.edu/precip/daily/#mtIndex=29&amp;tab=chart-tab" target="_blank">one foot of rain</a> below its historical average this year.

“An
 average year out here is extreme, but you can always find a way to 
manage around it,” Millershaski said. “(This year) we’re struggling to 
find answers.”

Next year, Millershaski said, his family is considering switching 
some of their acres to crops that might be even more drought-tolerant, 
such as cotton or sunflowers. But for these rows of wheat already in the
 ground, there’s not much else he can do.

He picks up one of the seedlings and shields it from the wind. A short scraggly root dangles below.

These baby plants are holding on for now. Barely.

But if his farm doesn’t get some relief from the dry, windy conditions, they’re not gonna make it.

“That's
 what makes it frustrating,” Millershaski said. “You can do everything 
right, and the weather is just so extreme right now. It's just tough.”

David Condos covers western Kansas for High Plains Public Radio and the Kansas News Service. You can follow him on Twitter<a href="http://twitter.com/davidcondos" target="_blank"> @davidcondos</a>.&nbsp;Xcaret
 Nuñez and Elizabeth Rembert contributed this report, a collaboration 
between Harvest Public Media and the Kansas News Service.

Here's how drought has battered the Midwest — and what it might mean for next year

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

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1670008396800.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

On this episode of Forward Ever: Leading in Challenging Times host Gary Shorman speaks with Teacher, coach and author Rick Keltner.

<div><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/rr0JlNypUF0" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>On this episode of Forward Ever: Leading in Challenging Times host Gary Shorman speaks with Teacher, coach and author Rick Keltner.

🎤 Forward Ever: Teacher, coach and author Rick Keltner

A red flag warning has been issued Friday for much of western Kansas, the National Weather Service reported.

Southwest winds around 20 mph will begin to pick up in the afternoon, the NWS predicted, shifting to north-northwest and increasing to more than 30 mph later in the day. Gusts of 45 mph are expected, which will lead to areas of blowing dust and critical fire risk.

The high temperature Friday is expected to be in the mid-70s, dropping all the way to the mid-teens overnight. 

The high Saturday is expected to be 41, but high winds are expected to subside over the weekend. Highs in the low-to mid-50s are expected Sunday and Monday.

There is no precipitation in the forecast until Wednesday night, when there is a slight chance of showers or snow.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1669991020508.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>A red flag warning has been issued Friday for much of western Kansas, the National Weather Service reported.Southwest winds around 20 mph will begin to pick up in the afternoon, the NWS predicted, shifting to north-northwest and increasing to more than 30 mph later in the day. Gusts of 45 mph are expected, which will lead to areas of blowing dust and critical fire risk.The high temperature Friday is expected to be in the mid-70s, dropping all the way to the mid-teens overnight. The high Saturday is expected to be 41, but high winds are expected to subside over the weekend. Highs in the low-to mid-50s are expected Sunday and Monday.There is no precipitation in the forecast until Wednesday night, when there is a slight chance of showers or snow.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Strong west-southwest winds ahead of an approaching cold front and low relative humidity will produce critical fire weather conditions this afternoon. <a href="https://t.co/Z5Sd4upmFC">pic.twitter.com/Z5Sd4upmFC</a>&mdash; NWS Dodge City (@NWSDodgeCity) <a href="https://twitter.com/NWSDodgeCity/status/1598673475287232512?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 2, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> </div>

NWS warns of critical fire risk in western Kansas on Friday

HUTCHINSON — Great Bend City Administrator Kendal Francis will 
be hired as the Hutchinson city administrator, pending the approval of 
his contract by the Hutchinson City Council in their meeting Tuesday.

According
 to the contract as printed in the meeting agenda documents, Francis 
will start in Hutchinson on Jan. 1 and receive&nbsp;a bi-weekly base
 salary of $6,730.77 and a one-time payment of $10,000&nbsp;for relocation, 
housing, down payment assistance and related incidentals.

The city
 also is going to contribute 3 percent of Francis'&nbsp;base salary 
on his behalf to a deferred compensation program of his choice.

He
 will also receive a $500 monthly vehicle allowance to use his own 
vehicle for city business and a $100 monthly cellphone allowance.

Francis
 has worked in municipal positions since at least 1994. According to his
 LinkedIn profile, he was a wastewater treatment plant operator in 
Beloit from 1994 to 2007 and foreman of the water plant from 2007 to 
2009, before being named director of water/wastewater operations in 
March 2009, holding that job until January of 2014.&nbsp;

He then
 became city administrator in Lakin for a year and a half, then 
Coffeyville for not quite three years, before coming to Great Bend in 
July 2018.

Interim City Manager Gary Meagher has been serving Hutchinson since Jeff Cantrell's contract was not renewed in mid-May.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1669938123656.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Hutch PostHUTCHINSON — Great Bend City Administrator Kendal Francis will 
be hired as the Hutchinson city administrator, pending the approval of 
his contract by the Hutchinson City Council in their meeting Tuesday.According
 to the contract as printed in the meeting agenda documents, Francis 
will start in Hutchinson on Jan. 1 and receive&nbsp;a bi-weekly base
 salary of $6,730.77 and a one-time payment of $10,000&nbsp;for relocation, 
housing, down payment assistance and related incidentals.The city
 also is going to contribute 3 percent of Francis'&nbsp;base salary 
on his behalf to a deferred compensation program of his choice.He
 will also receive a $500 monthly vehicle allowance to use his own 
vehicle for city business and a $100 monthly cellphone allowance.Francis
 has worked in municipal positions since at least 1994. According to his
 LinkedIn profile, he was a wastewater treatment plant operator in 
Beloit from 1994 to 2007 and foreman of the water plant from 2007 to 
2009, before being named director of water/wastewater operations in 
March 2009, holding that job until January of 2014.&nbsp;He then
 became city administrator in Lakin for a year and a half, then 
Coffeyville for not quite three years, before coming to Great Bend in 
July 2018.Interim City Manager Gary Meagher has been serving Hutchinson since Jeff Cantrell's contract was not renewed in mid-May.

Great Bend admin takes reins of Hutchinson city government

	On November 10, the Kansas School Board voted 7-1 with two abstentions to pass a resolution.&nbsp; They recommend that schools drop their Native American (“Indian”) themed mascots. This came upon the recommendation of a commission, including representatives from four federally-recognized tribes with significant numbers here in Kansas.&nbsp; The resolution is not tied to funding or accreditation.&nbsp; Even so, several school districts including Atchison, Wichita, and Shawnee Mission had already stopped using such mascots, and more name changes are under consideration.

	Our region’s highest-profile team with such a name is of course the Kansas City Chiefs. Though they play in Missouri, the Chiefs Kingdom (as they call it) extends well into Kansas.&nbsp; The team name, stadium name, and arrowhead logo all reference Native Americans, and so do fan rituals such as the “war cry” and the “tomahawk chop.”&nbsp; With other sports teams having dumped such names, protests by local Native American groups to change the name are growing.&nbsp; A deep dive shows just how complicated such decisions can be.

	The Chiefs are named for former Kansas City, MO Mayor H. Roe Bartle, who was instrumental in moving the former Dallas Texans football team to KC.&nbsp; Bartle earned his nickname “The Chief” by founding a Boy Scout Camp near Osceola, MO, which is now named for him.&nbsp; He also founded a regional Scouting organization with the now politically-incorrect name, Tribe of Mic-O-Say, which has tens of thousands of fiercely loyal members and supporters, mostly in Missouri and Kansas.&nbsp; Many alumni and adult leaders have given generously of their time and money over the years to support the organization.

	Scouting legend holds that Bartle founded Camp Osceola after studying with Native American tribes in Montana.&nbsp; Impressed with their rituals in which boys become men, and long before a time when gender neutrality was an expected norm, Bartle created an imaginary “tribe” for Boy Scouts where they could practice similar initiation rites.&nbsp; To this day, boys (and now girls) recreate these rituals as part of their rites of joining the organization.&nbsp;&nbsp;

	Mic-O-Say is just one example of Scouting-connected “Indian” lore that is increasingly considered offensive today. &nbsp; Scouting itself is also in big trouble.&nbsp; Formerly called Boy Scouts of America, they are now in bankruptcy.&nbsp; Some Mic-O-Say youth and parents are weighing in with proposals for new themes.&nbsp; My favorite is Star Wars, but this of course would require an arrangement with the Disney Corporation.&nbsp; My entire immediate family are Mic-O-Say members, and I do hope that they find a way to preserve the organization and Scouting itself, with its commitment to team building and survival skills.&nbsp; This will require dialogue, respect and sensitivity toward Native American communities.

	As for the Chiefs, I am tempted to suggest that they keep their name but drop the “war cry” and “tomahawk chop.”&nbsp; Alas, fans may find this confusing.&nbsp; Instead, a complete name change may be inevitable, but there are further complications.&nbsp; For example, what about the popular “arrowhead” tattoo many fans have on their bodies?&nbsp; The team would also have to spend a great deal of money removing old signage and other branding, and irate and forgetful fans alike are likely to continue using the old names, rituals and symbols for years.&nbsp; After all, I still meet people who refer to Emporia State as “Kansas State Teachers College” — a name we dropped in the early 1970s.&nbsp; Finally, the whole thing could easily get sucked into our society’s wider culture war.

	Changing offensive names and showing respect for all cultures is vital work – but it sure does come with complications.

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>	On November 10, the Kansas School Board voted 7-1 with two abstentions to pass a resolution.&nbsp; They recommend that schools drop their Native American (“Indian”) themed mascots. This came upon the recommendation of a commission, including representatives from four federally-recognized tribes with significant numbers here in Kansas.&nbsp; The resolution is not tied to funding or accreditation.&nbsp; Even so, several school districts including Atchison, Wichita, and Shawnee Mission had already stopped using such mascots, and more name changes are under consideration.	Our region’s highest-profile team with such a name is of course the Kansas City Chiefs. Though they play in Missouri, the Chiefs Kingdom (as they call it) extends well into Kansas.&nbsp; The team name, stadium name, and arrowhead logo all reference Native Americans, and so do fan rituals such as the “war cry” and the “tomahawk chop.”&nbsp; With other sports teams having dumped such names, protests by local Native American groups to change the name are growing.&nbsp; A deep dive shows just how complicated such decisions can be.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/12/1575913663048.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>	The Chiefs are named for former Kansas City, MO Mayor H. Roe Bartle, who was instrumental in moving the former Dallas Texans football team to KC.&nbsp; Bartle earned his nickname “The Chief” by founding a Boy Scout Camp near Osceola, MO, which is now named for him.&nbsp; He also founded a regional Scouting organization with the now politically-incorrect name, Tribe of Mic-O-Say, which has tens of thousands of fiercely loyal members and supporters, mostly in Missouri and Kansas.&nbsp; Many alumni and adult leaders have given generously of their time and money over the years to support the organization.	Scouting legend holds that Bartle founded Camp Osceola after studying with Native American tribes in Montana.&nbsp; Impressed with their rituals in which boys become men, and long before a time when gender neutrality was an expected norm, Bartle created an imaginary “tribe” for Boy Scouts where they could practice similar initiation rites.&nbsp; To this day, boys (and now girls) recreate these rituals as part of their rites of joining the organization.&nbsp;&nbsp;	Mic-O-Say is just one example of Scouting-connected “Indian” lore that is increasingly considered offensive today. &nbsp; Scouting itself is also in big trouble.&nbsp; Formerly called Boy Scouts of America, they are now in bankruptcy.&nbsp; Some Mic-O-Say youth and parents are weighing in with proposals for new themes.&nbsp; My favorite is Star Wars, but this of course would require an arrangement with the Disney Corporation.&nbsp; My entire immediate family are Mic-O-Say members, and I do hope that they find a way to preserve the organization and Scouting itself, with its commitment to team building and survival skills.&nbsp; This will require dialogue, respect and sensitivity toward Native American communities.	As for the Chiefs, I am tempted to suggest that they keep their name but drop the “war cry” and “tomahawk chop.”&nbsp; Alas, fans may find this confusing.&nbsp; Instead, a complete name change may be inevitable, but there are further complications.&nbsp; For example, what about the popular “arrowhead” tattoo many fans have on their bodies?&nbsp; The team would also have to spend a great deal of money removing old signage and other branding, and irate and forgetful fans alike are likely to continue using the old names, rituals and symbols for years.&nbsp; After all, I still meet people who refer to Emporia State as “Kansas State Teachers College” — a name we dropped in the early 1970s.&nbsp; Finally, the whole thing could easily get sucked into our society’s wider culture war.	Changing offensive names and showing respect for all cultures is vital work – but it sure does come with complications.Michael Smith is a professor at Emporia State University.

INSIGHT KANSAS: Past, present and future of KC Chiefs’ name

By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays Post

After a case lasting almost four years, the former owner of the Plainville Livestock Commission was sentenced Wednesday in federal court in Kansas City&nbsp; on a multimillion check kiting scheme.

Tyler Gillum, former owner of the Plainville Livestock Commission, per a sentencing agreement, was sentenced by Judge Daniel Crabtree to 60 months in prison and more than $7.2 million in restitution. 

Gillum's sentences on all counts will run concurrently. He will be required to serve three years of post-release supervision.

The restitution included $6.8 million to Landmark National Bank of Manhattan, Kan., $250,000 to Federal Insurance Company and $208,000 to TBK Bank of Dallas.

Gillum will owe an additional $3,300 in fines.

As a part of his sentencing agreement, he has agreed not to appeal his conviction or sentencing.

<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/85498496-95af-4704-8e67-6ed8943abcf9">Gillum was convicted on 33 federal counts, including 31
 counts of bank fraud, one count of making a false statement in 
connection with a Small Business Administration guaranteed loan, and one
 count of making a false statement in a loan or credit card application. </a>

In the aftermath of Gillum's crimes, payments to ranchers for the sale of their cattle were delayed almost a year, banks were defrauded of millions of dollars and a rural bank closed.

Gillum owned and operated Plainville Livestock Commission Inc. from 2006 until 2019. 

Between January 2015 and August 2017, Gillum wrote checks and made 
wire transfers between various accounts under his control at various 
banks in a scheme commonly known as check kiting, according to the U.S. 
Attorney's Office.

This is when checks are continually written
 back and forth to fraudulently inflate account balances, tricking banks 
into honoring checks written with insufficient funds. Gillum’s scheme 
resulted in losses of more than $10 million to the banking system, 
according to the U.S. Attorney's office.

Bank officials 
stepped in in February 2019. Almena Bank froze Gillum's accounts, 
including a custodial account, which was supposed to hold money due to 
ranchers who sold cattle at Gillum's livestock auctions.

<a href="https://archive.hayspost.com/2019/06/12/ranchers-express-frustration-as-plainville-livestock-funds-remain-in-courts-hands/">Checks
 from the Plainville Livestock Commission for two sales — one at the end
 of January 2019 and the other on Feb. 5, 2019 — bounced.</a>

<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/5de67bc1897d147ad4bb1dfd">Ranchers who were due more than $900,000 in auction proceeds had to 
wait more than 10 months to receive payment for their cattle.</a>

<a href="https://archive.hayspost.com/2019/06/11/auction-set-for-bankrupt-plainville-livestock-commission-14m-owed/">Plainville Livestock Commission declared bankruptcy on March 1, 2019</a>

In October 2020, Almena Bank failed. "The $69 million-asset bank was closed by its state regulator, then sold by the FDIC  to Equity Bank in Andover," according to a story in the American Banker on March 26, 2021.

<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/e0ef87c4-7036-4352-a580-28d25241adc0">The delayed payment to ranchers and Plainville Livestock Commission bankruptcy had lasting effects on the Plainville and area ag communities.</a>

By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays PostAfter a case lasting almost four years, the former owner of the Plainville Livestock Commission was sentenced Wednesday in federal court in Kansas City&nbsp; on a multimillion check kiting scheme.Tyler Gillum, former owner of the Plainville Livestock Commission, per a sentencing agreement, was sentenced by Judge Daniel Crabtree to 60 months in prison and more than $7.2 million in restitution. Gillum's sentences on all counts will run concurrently. He will be required to serve three years of post-release supervision.The restitution included $6.8 million to Landmark National Bank of Manhattan, Kan., $250,000 to Federal Insurance Company and $208,000 to TBK Bank of Dallas.Gillum will owe an additional $3,300 in fines.As a part of his sentencing agreement, he has agreed not to appeal his conviction or sentencing. <a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/85498496-95af-4704-8e67-6ed8943abcf9">Gillum was convicted on 33 federal counts, including 31
 counts of bank fraud, one count of making a false statement in 
connection with a Small Business Administration guaranteed loan, and one
 count of making a false statement in a loan or credit card application. </a> In the aftermath of Gillum's crimes, payments to ranchers for the sale of their cattle were delayed almost a year, banks were defrauded of millions of dollars and a rural bank closed. Gillum owned and operated Plainville Livestock Commission Inc. from 2006 until 2019. Between January 2015 and August 2017, Gillum wrote checks and made 
wire transfers between various accounts under his control at various 
banks in a scheme commonly known as check kiting, according to the U.S. 
Attorney's Office. This is when checks are continually written
 back and forth to fraudulently inflate account balances, tricking banks 
into honoring checks written with insufficient funds. Gillum’s scheme 
resulted in losses of more than $10 million to the banking system, 
according to the U.S. Attorney's office. Bank officials 
stepped in in February 2019. Almena Bank froze Gillum's accounts, 
including a custodial account, which was supposed to hold money due to 
ranchers who sold cattle at Gillum's livestock auctions.<a href="https://archive.hayspost.com/2019/06/12/ranchers-express-frustration-as-plainville-livestock-funds-remain-in-courts-hands/">Checks
 from the Plainville Livestock Commission for two sales — one at the end
 of January 2019 and the other on Feb. 5, 2019 — bounced.</a><a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/5de67bc1897d147ad4bb1dfd">Ranchers who were due more than $900,000 in auction proceeds had to 
wait more than 10 months to receive payment for their cattle.</a><a href="https://archive.hayspost.com/2019/06/11/auction-set-for-bankrupt-plainville-livestock-commission-14m-owed/">Plainville Livestock Commission declared bankruptcy on March 1, 2019</a>In October 2020, Almena Bank failed. "The $69 million-asset bank was closed by its state regulator, then sold by the FDIC to Equity Bank in Andover," according to a story in the American Banker on March 26, 2021.<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/e0ef87c4-7036-4352-a580-28d25241adc0">The delayed payment to ranchers and Plainville Livestock Commission bankruptcy had lasting effects on the Plainville and area ag communities.</a>

Former Plainville Livestock Commission owner sentenced to prison, millions in restitution

DUBUQUE, Iowa — The Dubuque County Board of Health has selected Allie
 M. White as the director of the Dubuque County Health Department. White
 will succeed Patrice Lambert who retired at the end of 2021. Currently,
 Stacey Killian, executive director of the Dubuque Visiting Nurse 
Association is serving as the interim director.

"We are pleased to welcome Allie White as
 the director of the DCHD. &nbsp;We look forward to her leadership at this 
critical time of strategic planning while the Department continues to 
focus on meeting the health needs of all Dubuque County residents,” said Board of Health Chair Sandra Larson. “I am grateful for the opportunities that have prepared me 
for this role and I am excited to lead Dubuque County in the pursuit of 
expanding its health and wellness endeavors.”

&nbsp;White has been serving as the Health Services Coordinator
 for the Dubuque Community School District, and has previously served as
 a health professional in several capacities across the tri-state area. 
White has a master’s degree in nursing administration from Fort Hays 
State University in Kansas, and a bachelor’s degree in nursing from 
Clarke University in Dubuque. White’s duties as health director will 
begin in late December.

&nbsp;White was selected from a field of over 
50 applicants in a national search.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1669763215697.png" alt="White" />
 <figcaption>White</figcaption>
 </figure>News releaseDUBUQUE, Iowa — The Dubuque County Board of Health has selected Allie
 M. White as the director of the Dubuque County Health Department. White
 will succeed Patrice Lambert who retired at the end of 2021. Currently,
 Stacey Killian, executive director of the Dubuque Visiting Nurse 
Association is serving as the interim director."We are pleased to welcome Allie White as
 the director of the DCHD. &nbsp;We look forward to her leadership at this 
critical time of strategic planning while the Department continues to 
focus on meeting the health needs of all Dubuque County residents,” said Board of Health Chair Sandra Larson. “I am grateful for the opportunities that have prepared me 
for this role and I am excited to lead Dubuque County in the pursuit of 
expanding its health and wellness endeavors.”&nbsp;White has been serving as the Health Services Coordinator
 for the Dubuque Community School District, and has previously served as
 a health professional in several capacities across the tri-state area. 
White has a master’s degree in nursing administration from Fort Hays 
State University in Kansas, and a bachelor’s degree in nursing from 
Clarke University in Dubuque. White’s duties as health director will 
begin in late December.&nbsp;White was selected from a field of over 
50 applicants in a national search.&nbsp;

FHSU alum named health director for Iowa county

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

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1669927421389.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>

NWS: Wind, fire warnings issued in NW Kan. for Friday

By BECKY KISER Hays Post

Effective today, Dec. 1, all Hays City Commission
meetings and work sessions will begin at 4 p.m. instead of 6:30 p.m.&nbsp;

Commissioner Sandy Jacobs recently suggested the earlier start time, which she
says will more easily allow city staff and others to attend the meetings during
typical work day hours.

"The reasons include better employee/work life balance, which is really important to me," she said.

"Most of our meetings are done within 90 minutes. ... If we have this meeting at 4 o'clock in the afternoon instead of 6:30, we wouldn't be keeping any staff — those who sit here or come before the commission — past what is the normal business day," Jacobs said.&nbsp;

City employees are paid overtime when they attend a meeting
outside of their normal working hours. 

Other than first responders, most employees of the city work 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 7:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. on Fridays.

Jacobs predicts staff will more regularly attend commission meetings other than when they are required to be there for an agenda item.

"Just to come and be part of it and hear [us] directly," she said.&nbsp;

She also noted it would be more convenient for other people attending commission meetings or work sessions representing a business during normal business hours.&nbsp;

The commission will continue to meet the
first four Thursdays of each month.

Commissioner Shaun Musil and Vice-Mayor Michael Berges voted
against the meeting time change.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1669901383724.jpeg" alt="Hays city commissioners voted 3-2 to change the start time of meetings and work sessions. (Photo by Becky Kiser/Hays Post)" />
 <figcaption>Hays city commissioners voted 3-2 to change the start time of meetings and work sessions. (Photo by Becky Kiser/Hays Post)</figcaption>
 </figure>By BECKY KISER Hays PostEffective today, Dec. 1, all Hays City Commission
meetings and work sessions will begin at 4 p.m. instead of 6:30 p.m.&nbsp;Commissioner Sandy Jacobs recently suggested the earlier start time, which she
says will more easily allow city staff and others to attend the meetings during
typical work day hours."The reasons include better employee/work life balance, which is really important to me," she said.<div><div style="position:relative; overflow:hidden; padding-bottom:56.25%"><iframe src="https://cdn.jwplayer.com/players/XG5210si-P46diVCW.html" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" scrolling="auto" title="Sandy 4 Pm" style="position:absolute;" allowfullscreen></iframe></div></div>"Most of our meetings are done within 90 minutes. ... If we have this meeting at 4 o'clock in the afternoon instead of 6:30, we wouldn't be keeping any staff — those who sit here or come before the commission — past what is the normal business day," Jacobs said.&nbsp;City employees are paid overtime when they attend a meeting
outside of their normal working hours. Other than first responders, most employees of the city work 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 7:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. on Fridays.Jacobs predicts staff will more regularly attend commission meetings other than when they are required to be there for an agenda item."Just to come and be part of it and hear [us] directly," she said.&nbsp;She also noted it would be more convenient for other people attending commission meetings or work sessions representing a business during normal business hours.&nbsp;The commission will continue to meet the
first four Thursdays of each month.Commissioner Shaun Musil and Vice-Mayor Michael Berges voted
against the meeting time change.

🎥 Hays changes commission meeting start times

ELLIS — The annual Ellis Polar Express will roll back into this weekend.

The three-day event begins at 6 p.m. Friday with the running of the holiday miniature
train until 9 p.m. around the Ellis Railroad Museum miniature train tracks, 911
Washington.

“This is
a lighted Christmas train ride," said Dena Patee, Ellis Polar Express committee member. “We put up Christmas lights all around the little miniature train tracks
and different lighted displays. And then we just send people out in the dark
and cold. And it's magical.”

“It's
also a way for the community to kick off the holiday season,” said Dan
Pyle, Ellis Polar Express Committee president and Ellis Recreation director.

Saturday’s activities include train rides, live music by an Ellis community
band and cookies with Santa at the Ellis Public Library from 6 to 9 p.m.

 On
Sunday, the train will run again from 6 to 8 p.m., but activities begin at 5:30
p.m. with the Ellis Recreation Free Candy Cane Hunt.

A $5 freewill donation is suggested for entry, with proceeds going to future
community events.

This year will mark the first time
the event can take full advantage of the recently revamped park and miniature train
depot.

“Just
getting to use all of our spaces again, it's really, really nice,” Patee said. “Having
Santa back in his own little workshop, that makes it nice because the kids get
their time with Santa, and the parents get that chance to get their pictures.”

In 2019 and 2020, the event was
drive-through only, due to the COVID pandemic. Last year, the depot was not yet available
for use. 

“This is
our first year that we're going to be able to go back, line up through the depot,
load the train correctly, and be back to normal,” said&nbsp;Cheryl Kinderknecht, Polar Express committee
member. &nbsp;

Along with using the park for the first time in years, new displays have
also been added to the route.

“We’ve got at least six new displays for 2022,” Pyle said. “My crew and I
have been checking bulbs, cords and displays for about a month, and we think
we are ready to go.”

In previous years, the Ellis Polar Express has had over 800 riders in one
night. This year, the Ellis Polar Express plans a total of 2,000 riders for the
three nights. 

While
all three days are expected to bring hundreds of people downtown, Pyle said
Saturday would likely be the busiest night, as Santa plans to visit with children in the library’s Community
Room.

This year marks the 13th anniversary of the event, and in that
time has evolved and grown over the years. 

“The Polar
Express movie was really big at the time. And it's like, why can't we do a for Polar
Express thing,” Kinderknecht said. "And then it just kind of has grown from there because we went from live vignettes
to more of the blowups to the actual live displays. So, it’s definitely grown
since its very meager beginnings.”

The event has grown thanks
to community involvement, Patee said.

“We do get
quite a bit of support through grants and other donations,” she said. “Without
that kind of funding, we would not be able to do this. And we greatly
appreciate everybody's assistance this year.”

“Those
donors really do help us get those new displays,” Pyle said.

And Patee
said they appreciate the many volunteers that help run the event.

“That is
the one fun little piece that no one really understands about how this works,
is how many people are working behind the scenes that you don't see,” Patee
said. “The people that are watching the crossings, for the patrons to walk in
front of the train, making sure that the people that are taking money, and
making sure people get on the train and off the train and around the family,
and the characters, and people making sure that the displays are still lit, and
something hasn't gone drastically wrong. … There's a ton of things to do, so
anybody that wants to volunteer, we can put them to work.”

Correction: The story was updated to reflect the Candy Cane Hunt's timing on Sunday, not Saturday. Hays Post apologizes for the error.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1669836892112.jpeg" alt="Courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>By JAMES BELL Hays PostELLIS — The annual Ellis Polar Express will roll back into this weekend.The three-day event begins at 6 p.m. Friday with the running of the holiday miniature
train until 9 p.m. around the Ellis Railroad Museum miniature train tracks, 911
Washington.“This is
a lighted Christmas train ride," said Dena Patee, Ellis Polar Express committee member. “We put up Christmas lights all around the little miniature train tracks
and different lighted displays. And then we just send people out in the dark
and cold. And it's magical.”“It's
also a way for the community to kick off the holiday season,” said Dan
Pyle, Ellis Polar Express Committee president and Ellis Recreation director.Saturday’s activities include train rides, live music by an Ellis community
band and cookies with Santa at the Ellis Public Library from 6 to 9 p.m. On
Sunday, the train will run again from 6 to 8 p.m., but activities begin at 5:30
p.m. with the Ellis Recreation Free Candy Cane Hunt.A $5 freewill donation is suggested for entry, with proceeds going to future
community events.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1669836876412.jpeg" alt="Courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>This year will mark the first time
the event can take full advantage of the recently revamped park and miniature train
depot.“Just
getting to use all of our spaces again, it's really, really nice,” Patee said. “Having
Santa back in his own little workshop, that makes it nice because the kids get
their time with Santa, and the parents get that chance to get their pictures.”In 2019 and 2020, the event was
drive-through only, due to the COVID pandemic. Last year, the depot was not yet available
for use. “This is
our first year that we're going to be able to go back, line up through the depot,
load the train correctly, and be back to normal,” said&nbsp;Cheryl Kinderknecht, Polar Express committee
member. &nbsp;Along with using the park for the first time in years, new displays have
also been added to the route.“We’ve got at least six new displays for 2022,” Pyle said. “My crew and I
have been checking bulbs, cords and displays for about a month, and we think
we are ready to go.”In previous years, the Ellis Polar Express has had over 800 riders in one
night. This year, the Ellis Polar Express plans a total of 2,000 riders for the
three nights. While
all three days are expected to bring hundreds of people downtown, Pyle said
Saturday would likely be the busiest night, as Santa plans to visit with children in the library’s Community
Room.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1669836863106.jpeg" alt="Courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>This year marks the 13th anniversary of the event, and in that
time has evolved and grown over the years. “The Polar
Express movie was really big at the time. And it's like, why can't we do a for Polar
Express thing,” Kinderknecht said. "And then it just kind of has grown from there because we went from live vignettes
to more of the blowups to the actual live displays. So, it’s definitely grown
since its very meager beginnings.”The event has grown thanks
to community involvement, Patee said.“We do get
quite a bit of support through grants and other donations,” she said. “Without
that kind of funding, we would not be able to do this. And we greatly
appreciate everybody's assistance this year.”“Those
donors really do help us get those new displays,” Pyle said.And Patee
said they appreciate the many volunteers that help run the event.“That is
the one fun little piece that no one really understands about how this works,
is how many people are working behind the scenes that you don't see,” Patee
said. “The people that are watching the crossings, for the patrons to walk in
front of the train, making sure that the people that are taking money, and
making sure people get on the train and off the train and around the family,
and the characters, and people making sure that the displays are still lit, and
something hasn't gone drastically wrong. … There's a ton of things to do, so
anybody that wants to volunteer, we can put them to work.”Correction: The story was updated to reflect the Candy Cane Hunt's timing on Sunday, not Saturday. Hays Post apologizes for the error.

🎄 Ellis Polar Express returns this weekend 

Faith and family have always provided a solid foundation for Mason Ruder while growing up in Hays.

That foundation got even stronger earlier this month when his alma mater greeted him back with open arms.

Ruder, a 2010 graduate of Thomas More Prep-Marian High School, has been named the new director of institutional advancement for Hays Catholic Schools.

Ruder will take over that position on Dec. 12, but he already feels quite at home with Hays Catholic Schools, which is comprised of Holy Family Elementary School and Thomas More Prep-Marian, where he was heavily involved in activities during his high school years.

“I am really excited about getting on board. This is a way of being able to actively help my community, my school, my family,” said Ruder, a member of the Hays City Commission who is serving as the city’s mayor.

Chad Meitner, principal at TMP-Marian, is impressed with Ruder’s leadership roles in the community. Ruder also has experience as a manager at local restaurants and as environmental services director for Ellis County.

"As an alumnus, a key figure in the Hays community and a man of faith, I am beyond excited to work with Mason Ruder," Meitner said. "His leadership style is a great fit for the Advancement Office and will definitely help progress the mission of Hays Catholic Schools."

Submitted by TMP-M Faith and family have always provided a solid foundation for Mason Ruder while growing up in Hays.That foundation got even stronger earlier this month when his alma mater greeted him back with open arms.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1669839190384.png" alt="Mason Ruder " />
 <figcaption>Mason Ruder </figcaption>
 </figure>Ruder, a 2010 graduate of Thomas More Prep-Marian High School, has been named the new director of institutional advancement for Hays Catholic Schools.Ruder will take over that position on Dec. 12, but he already feels quite at home with Hays Catholic Schools, which is comprised of Holy Family Elementary School and Thomas More Prep-Marian, where he was heavily involved in activities during his high school years.“I am really excited about getting on board. This is a way of being able to actively help my community, my school, my family,” said Ruder, a member of the Hays City Commission who is serving as the city’s mayor.Chad Meitner, principal at TMP-Marian, is impressed with Ruder’s leadership roles in the community. Ruder also has experience as a manager at local restaurants and as environmental services director for Ellis County."As an alumnus, a key figure in the Hays community and a man of faith, I am beyond excited to work with Mason Ruder," Meitner said. "His leadership style is a great fit for the Advancement Office and will definitely help progress the mission of Hays Catholic Schools."

TMP-M alum named Hays Catholic Schools advancement director

Forty-four FHSU students representing 10 countries and multiple degree programs competed in the first sustainability-themed entrepreneurial competition. The EPI²C Challenge was formerly known as Kansas Startup Weekend, a competition held annually at FHSU since 2011.

“Sustainability is very important to these students,” said Henry Schwaller, instructor in the department of management. “It’s their future.”

He said students find greater relevancy in experiential learning and that the value of hands-on learning cannot be underestimated. Schwaller also pointed out that a spirit of cooperation is one of the strengths of FHSU. The smaller size of the university allows people from different departments to work together to innovate and create new synergies.

Historically, the challenge has been held in November because global entrepreneurship week is that same month. In addition, International Student Week activities were set for the same week as the challenge. Many of the EPI²C competitors were international students.&nbsp;

“They all learn so much about other cultures, other perspectives. When you have teams that are so diverse, the ideas are much better,” Schwaller said.

For Brittni Day, whose team’s project Innovia Construction, 3D printed affordable housing, won first place and a $5,000 award, collaboration was critical to the project’s success. The team members included Day,&nbsp;Alicia Feyerherm,&nbsp;Caitlin Leiker,&nbsp;Allison Mattke,&nbsp;Tanner Miller, and&nbsp;Max Weimer.

<figure>
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 </figure>FHSU University CommunicationsForty-four FHSU students representing 10 countries and multiple degree programs competed in the first sustainability-themed entrepreneurial competition. The EPI²C Challenge was formerly known as Kansas Startup Weekend, a competition held annually at FHSU since 2011.“Sustainability is very important to these students,” said Henry Schwaller, instructor in the department of management. “It’s their future.”He said students find greater relevancy in experiential learning and that the value of hands-on learning cannot be underestimated. Schwaller also pointed out that a spirit of cooperation is one of the strengths of FHSU. The smaller size of the university allows people from different departments to work together to innovate and create new synergies.Historically, the challenge has been held in November because global entrepreneurship week is that same month. In addition, International Student Week activities were set for the same week as the challenge. Many of the EPI²C competitors were international students.&nbsp;“They all learn so much about other cultures, other perspectives. When you have teams that are so diverse, the ideas are much better,” Schwaller said.For Brittni Day, whose team’s project Innovia Construction, 3D printed affordable housing, won first place and a $5,000 award, collaboration was critical to the project’s success. The team members included Day,&nbsp;Alicia Feyerherm,&nbsp;Caitlin Leiker,&nbsp;Allison Mattke,&nbsp;Tanner Miller, and&nbsp;Max Weimer.“I came to realize that there is a big difference between trying to expand on our own ideas in a vacuum, and expanding on ideas that have been compounded, layer by layer, from the minds of multiple people,” Day, an online student, said. “Throughout the course of the weekend, I found that I’m much more likely to take calculated risks when I have the support of a team, which ultimately leads to greater innovation.Nuria Garcia, whose team’s project UPpreciate, upcycled student residence hall room furnishings, won second place and a $2,500 award, said the EPI²C challenge was an “intense” weekend.“One of the most important things I learned was about timing and communication since we had to do everything quicker than usual with colleagues we had never worked with before,” she said. “Communication on a team has to be fluent to know what everyone is doing at any time and taking all the opinions into consideration.”Other members of UPpreciate included:&nbsp;Luciana Mendoza,&nbsp;Lincoln Myers, and&nbsp;Chelsie Rose.Some of the projects shown at the competition are slated for real-world implementation.The UPpreciate business plan sells its products to students through an Instagram account. According to Garcia, launching the plan this way allows the team to test the market to see how to move the business further.&nbsp;Innovia Construction, which uses sustainable elements in the design of its homes, such as solar panels, LED light fixtures, and triple-pane windows, hopes to meet with Grow Hays in the future to discuss the implementation of its plan as a business in Hays.&nbsp;“Our team is passionate about enhancing the growth of our community, and we firmly believe that our ideas have the potential to solve the greatest problems contributing to the housing crisis that has been plaguing Hays for years,” Day said.Placing third in the competition was Relle,&nbsp;sustainable clothing.&nbsp;The group was comprised of Diana Angarita,&nbsp;Irina Alfonso,&nbsp;Mohamed Didi,&nbsp;Fiorella Mendez, and&nbsp;Safie Senghor.&nbsp;The idea of sustainable clothing focused on producing clothes with environmentally friendly materials for multi-wear.&nbsp;“The prototype for our project was ideal because not only is it made from a sustainable source, but it also helps reduce fashion waste since you would be able to wear the item in up to five different ways,” Angarita said. “We worked extremely hard all weekend to bring to life this brand-new idea that our teammate, Fiorella, had just suggested at the beginning of the weekend. It was an amazing experience, and I would love to do it again.”The Founder's Prize went to&nbsp;Foenix Jewelry,&nbsp;jewelry crafted from recycled metals.&nbsp;Group members included Maria Diaz,&nbsp;Shelbie Ford,&nbsp;Jacob George,&nbsp;Brandon Hipp,&nbsp;Austin Kastler, and&nbsp;Samuel Princ.

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