🎙Post Podcast: Return to school marks good opportunity to check fire prevention equipment

By BECKY KISER Hays Post

Fort Hays State University and NCK Technical College begin their fall semesters Monday; the other many schools in Hays started classes last week.

With those changes comes an increase in local traffic and the Hays Police Department (HPD) is urging drivers to be cautious.

The most important thing you can do, according to&nbsp;Lt. Brandon Wright, is to just
slow down and give yourself extra time.

"People are going to be going to new places and figuring out their routes, and figure out their timelines every morning.

"Traffic is going to be more congested than it's been all summer as we get back into the groove what the school year is like," Wright said.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Drivers should be extra vigilant around schools, he added.

"Kids are unpredictable. They're not always watching and they can be bouncing around and popping out from behind cars."&nbsp; &nbsp;

Wright said police officers will prioritize watching and enforcing school zones, where speeding ticket fines are automatically doubled.

He also reminds drivers they must stop in both directions when coming up to a stopped school bus with its red lights flashing. A stop sign is also ususally extended from the bus.&nbsp;

"You must stay stopped until the red lights are off and the bus resumes motion."

Fines for "school bus drive bys" are even more expensive.

The first offense will cost violators $315 plus court costs and increase substantially with subsequent violations.

"We've all seen those internet clips of horrible accidents that happen as a kid comes running around a school bus and is blind to the traffic until they pop out. So be careful around the buses."

Drivers also need to watch out for kids coming out of alleys and from between parked cars.&nbsp;

Don't double park, stop in the middle of the street or to be in a no parking zone when dropping off or picking up children at schools. "It contributes to blocking vision and is more dangerous for your children."

To avoid the congested areas, Wright suggests dropping off children in a familiar neighborhood close to their school and having them use the school crosswalks to cross a busy street.

Youngsters walking to school or riding their bikes or scooters should be use the same route each day and have a plan for notifying an adult where they'll be after school.

"You should talk to them about traffic safety and tell them especially to watch alleys and driveway accesses.

"Kids often, especially on bikes, go flying down sidewalks and you just never know when a car is going to pull out of a driveway. You should also be thinking about that as a driver."

According to Wright, bicycles and scooters may be ridden on sidewalks in Hays, except in the downtown business area. Riders should wear a helmet.&nbsp;

Wright also encouraged drivers to stay off their phones when around school zones and school buses.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/8/1661059297099.jpeg" alt="(Photo by Pixabay)" />
 <figcaption>(Photo by Pixabay)</figcaption>
 </figure>By BECKY KISER Hays PostFort Hays State University and NCK Technical College begin their fall semesters Monday; the other many schools in Hays started classes last week.With those changes comes an increase in local traffic and the Hays Police Department (HPD) is urging drivers to be cautious.The most important thing you can do, according to&nbsp;Lt. Brandon Wright, is to just
slow down and give yourself extra time."People are going to be going to new places and figuring out their routes, and figure out their timelines every morning."Traffic is going to be more congested than it's been all summer as we get back into the groove what the school year is like," Wright said.&nbsp;&nbsp;Drivers should be extra vigilant around schools, he added."Kids are unpredictable. They're not always watching and they can be bouncing around and popping out from behind cars."&nbsp; &nbsp;<div><div itemscope itemtype="https://schema.org/VideoObject"><meta itemprop="uploadDate" content="Sun Aug 21 2022 00:28:10 GMT-0500 (Central Daylight Time)"/><meta itemprop="name" content="School Traffic"/><meta itemprop="duration" content="P0Y0M0DT0H0M40S" /><meta itemprop="thumbnailUrl" content="https://content.jwplatform.com/thumbs/IWCHSioS-960.jpg"/><meta itemprop="contentUrl" content="https://content.jwplatform.com/videos/IWCHSioS-pBJeDI6y.mp4"/><div style="position:relative; overflow:hidden; padding-bottom:56.25%"><iframe src="https://cdn.jwplayer.com/players/IWCHSioS-P46diVCW.html" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" scrolling="auto" title="School Traffic" style="position:absolute;" allowfullscreen></iframe></div></div></div>Wright said police officers will prioritize watching and enforcing school zones, where speeding ticket fines are automatically doubled.He also reminds drivers they must stop in both directions when coming up to a stopped school bus with its red lights flashing. A stop sign is also ususally extended from the bus.&nbsp;"You must stay stopped until the red lights are off and the bus resumes motion."Fines for "school bus drive bys" are even more expensive.The first offense will cost violators $315 plus court costs and increase substantially with subsequent violations."We've all seen those internet clips of horrible accidents that happen as a kid comes running around a school bus and is blind to the traffic until they pop out. So be careful around the buses."Drivers also need to watch out for kids coming out of alleys and from between parked cars.&nbsp;Don't double park, stop in the middle of the street or to be in a no parking zone when dropping off or picking up children at schools. "It contributes to blocking vision and is more dangerous for your children."To avoid the congested areas, Wright suggests dropping off children in a familiar neighborhood close to their school and having them use the school crosswalks to cross a busy street.Youngsters walking to school or riding their bikes or scooters should be use the same route each day and have a plan for notifying an adult where they'll be after school."You should talk to them about traffic safety and tell them especially to watch alleys and driveway accesses."Kids often, especially on bikes, go flying down sidewalks and you just never know when a car is going to pull out of a driveway. You should also be thinking about that as a driver."According to Wright, bicycles and scooters may be ridden on sidewalks in Hays, except in the downtown business area. Riders should wear a helmet.&nbsp;Wright also encouraged drivers to stay off their phones when around school zones and school buses.

🎥 All schools in session Monday; Hays PD urges driver vigilance

How will the residents of Kansas’ “Big First” get along with Lawrence?&nbsp;&nbsp;This is only one of many questions posted by Kansas’ new Congressional district map.

The Big First is Kansas’ rural, western and central district that stretches to Colorado. In this year’s map, Lawrence is “scooped” out of the Second and placed into the Big First by an eastward appendage that resembles an arm or a hook.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Plaintiffs&nbsp;&nbsp;challenged the map and District Court judge Bill Klapper ruled for the plaintiffs, but the Kansas Supreme Court reversed and their decision—and the map—are final.&nbsp;

The Big First is one of America’s “reddest” (most Republican) districts.&nbsp;&nbsp;Meanwhile, 60 percent of Douglas County’s voters preferred President Biden over Donald Trump, and a crushing 81.5 percent voted “No” on this summer’s proposed, anti-abortion constitutional referendum.&nbsp;&nbsp;For its new neighbors, Lawrence is really going to keep things interesting.&nbsp;

Will incumbent Tracey Mann schedule town hall meetings in Lawrence?&nbsp;&nbsp;Expect many in this open and inclusive community to take Mann to task for his rhetoric about immigrants and immigration, which many will find offensive.&nbsp;&nbsp;If there are no meetings scheduled locally, Lawrence residents can travel.&nbsp;&nbsp;Also, will Mann fight for federal funding for KU?&nbsp;&nbsp;Right now, that job seems to fall to Rep. Sharice Davids in the House, but none of the main campus lies in her district, plus she faces a tough challenger and a new district this fall.

Electorally, Lawrence’s Democratic supermajority cannot overcome the Republican advantage in the Big First.&nbsp;&nbsp;Yet the community’s population of politically active people have other options.&nbsp;&nbsp;They may start fundraising, recruiting, and base-building in the rest of the district.&nbsp;&nbsp;As my colleague Alex Middlewood pointed out a few weeks ago in her column, Kansas has several statehouse and other races that go unopposed, and many of those are Republican districts in Western Kansas.&nbsp;&nbsp;That region has not always been so one-sided.&nbsp;&nbsp;In the early 2000s, popular incumbents like state senator Janis Lee, state representatives Josh Svaty and Eber Phelps, and State Treasurer Dennis McKinney insured that Democrat were represented west of Salina.&nbsp;&nbsp;The formidable fundraising and organizing power of Lawrence combined with KU’s vast alumni network might be just the tickets to start recruiting, funding, and training new candidates for state and local office, for example from the growing immigrant communities of that region, which currently have little to no representation and notoriously lower voter turnout.&nbsp;&nbsp;Another college town, Manhattan has been in the district since 2012—adding Lawrence will change the Big First’s character still further.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Changes are coming to the other districts, too.&nbsp;&nbsp;Most of Wyandotte county is moved from the Kansas-City area Third District, into the Second with Topeka, but not Lawrence, creating a strangely-shaped district which will be substantially more urban than the one to which Rep. Jake LaTurner is accustomed to representing.&nbsp;&nbsp;Several counties in the Flint Hills region were then moved from the Big First into the Second.&nbsp;&nbsp;All in all, hundreds of thousands more voters were moved from district to district than would have been necessary simply to comply with the 2020 U.S. Census, with only Wichita’s Fourth District remaining largely unchanged.

Finally, the Third District now combines three rural counties, all of Johnson County, and the southernmost portion of Kansas City, changing its character and setting up a showdown between incumbent Sharice Davids and her challenger, Republican Amanda Adkins.

Redistricting has consequences that go far beyond the partisan balance between Democrats and Republicans.&nbsp;&nbsp;In the next few election cycles, Kansans will learn just how far these can go.

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>How will the residents of Kansas’ “Big First” get along with Lawrence?&nbsp;&nbsp;This is only one of many questions posted by Kansas’ new Congressional district map.The Big First is Kansas’ rural, western and central district that stretches to Colorado. In this year’s map, Lawrence is “scooped” out of the Second and placed into the Big First by an eastward appendage that resembles an arm or a hook.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Plaintiffs&nbsp;&nbsp;challenged the map and District Court judge Bill Klapper ruled for the plaintiffs, but the Kansas Supreme Court reversed and their decision—and the map—are final.&nbsp;The Big First is one of America’s “reddest” (most Republican) districts.&nbsp;&nbsp;Meanwhile, 60 percent of Douglas County’s voters preferred President Biden over Donald Trump, and a crushing 81.5 percent voted “No” on this summer’s proposed, anti-abortion constitutional referendum.&nbsp;&nbsp;For its new neighbors, Lawrence is really going to keep things interesting.&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/12/1575913663048.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Will incumbent Tracey Mann schedule town hall meetings in Lawrence?&nbsp;&nbsp;Expect many in this open and inclusive community to take Mann to task for his rhetoric about immigrants and immigration, which many will find offensive.&nbsp;&nbsp;If there are no meetings scheduled locally, Lawrence residents can travel.&nbsp;&nbsp;Also, will Mann fight for federal funding for KU?&nbsp;&nbsp;Right now, that job seems to fall to Rep. Sharice Davids in the House, but none of the main campus lies in her district, plus she faces a tough challenger and a new district this fall.Electorally, Lawrence’s Democratic supermajority cannot overcome the Republican advantage in the Big First.&nbsp;&nbsp;Yet the community’s population of politically active people have other options.&nbsp;&nbsp;They may start fundraising, recruiting, and base-building in the rest of the district.&nbsp;&nbsp;As my colleague Alex Middlewood pointed out a few weeks ago in her column, Kansas has several statehouse and other races that go unopposed, and many of those are Republican districts in Western Kansas.&nbsp;&nbsp;That region has not always been so one-sided.&nbsp;&nbsp;In the early 2000s, popular incumbents like state senator Janis Lee, state representatives Josh Svaty and Eber Phelps, and State Treasurer Dennis McKinney insured that Democrat were represented west of Salina.&nbsp;&nbsp;The formidable fundraising and organizing power of Lawrence combined with KU’s vast alumni network might be just the tickets to start recruiting, funding, and training new candidates for state and local office, for example from the growing immigrant communities of that region, which currently have little to no representation and notoriously lower voter turnout.&nbsp;&nbsp;Another college town, Manhattan has been in the district since 2012—adding Lawrence will change the Big First’s character still further.&nbsp;&nbsp;Changes are coming to the other districts, too.&nbsp;&nbsp;Most of Wyandotte county is moved from the Kansas-City area Third District, into the Second with Topeka, but not Lawrence, creating a strangely-shaped district which will be substantially more urban than the one to which Rep. Jake LaTurner is accustomed to representing.&nbsp;&nbsp;Several counties in the Flint Hills region were then moved from the Big First into the Second.&nbsp;&nbsp;All in all, hundreds of thousands more voters were moved from district to district than would have been necessary simply to comply with the 2020 U.S. Census, with only Wichita’s Fourth District remaining largely unchanged.Finally, the Third District now combines three rural counties, all of Johnson County, and the southernmost portion of Kansas City, changing its character and setting up a showdown between incumbent Sharice Davids and her challenger, Republican Amanda Adkins.Redistricting has consequences that go far beyond the partisan balance between Democrats and Republicans.&nbsp;&nbsp;In the next few election cycles, Kansans will learn just how far these can go.Michael Smith is a professor at Emporia State University.

INSIGHT KANSAS: Redistricting means big changes for Kansans

 🎥 Green & Growing: Water-smart landscaping

<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/2022/8/1660929195677.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

During a hot, dry spell a few years back, a&nbsp;friend&nbsp;told me she’d&nbsp;been hearing the call of a&nbsp;“rain crow” and asked&nbsp;me&nbsp;if I knew what kind of bird&nbsp;it was. She also said she had been seeing “sundogs” in the evening and that they were&nbsp;both&nbsp;supposedly predictors of rain. Now I remember&nbsp;someone’s grandpa talking about a rain crow&nbsp;when I was a kid, or storm crow as he called it, and I knew absolutely zero about sundogs, but&nbsp;given their supposed rain prediction powers,&nbsp;I&nbsp;delved deeper.&nbsp;

I found numerous references to a “rain crow” and all seemed&nbsp;to agree that it was in&nbsp;fact a Yellow- Billed Cuckoo. Few, however wanted to stick their neck out concerning its rain prediction ability; one website tossed around the figure of 3 days from&nbsp;first hearing one until rain. Sundogs on the other hand, were quite a popular subject, and are ice crystals high in the atmosphere&nbsp;that, when sunlight shines through&nbsp;them cangive the illusion of a second or third sun on each side of the actual sun.&nbsp;I’ve&nbsp;seen sun dogs a couple times over the years in the winter. But once again, however,&nbsp;sundogs ties to predicting rain&nbsp;were sparse.&nbsp;

My search turned up so many&nbsp;proverbs and&nbsp;“old&nbsp;wives’&nbsp;tales” concerning rain that I decided to&nbsp;enlist the help of Ross Jansen, Meteorologist at KWCH TV channel 12, and play an Exploring Kansas Outdoors version of Myth Busters. I read several rain-prediction fables&nbsp;to Ross over the phone and got his take on each.&nbsp;Concerning sundogs, Ross said&nbsp;there is some correct science in tying sundogs to rain, in that the same ice crystals that cause them have the ability to form&nbsp;clouds containing rain. But as far as&nbsp;them predicting rain, Ross was hesitant to agree to that.&nbsp;

Next,&nbsp;I asked him about a ring around the moon predicting rain, and again he&nbsp;said that a ring around the moon indeed meant there was moisture at some level, but&nbsp;said it was so high up that the chance of it finding its way to us in the form of rain was nil. “Red sky at night, sailors delight; red sky in morning, sailors take warning”&nbsp;is another&nbsp;widely quoted proverb about rain. Since weather patterns typically move across the country from west to east, the gist of the explanation is that a red morning sky means we are seeing sunlight through a weather system yet to come, while a red&nbsp;evening sky means we are seeing a weather system moving away from us. Ross said he&nbsp;has indeed noticed that morning thunderstorms&nbsp;often bring with them a red morning sky, and that there was again some correct science accompanying the tale. But also like the previous two fables, he felt it&nbsp;was a stretch&nbsp;to say that they actually predicted&nbsp;rain. We agreed to call these&nbsp;three myths SEMI-BUSTED.

Another proverb I found read&nbsp;“When grass is dry at night, look for rain before the light; when grass is dry at morning light, look for rain before the night.” This one uses the&nbsp;presence or&nbsp;absence of dew at certain times to predict rain. 

Ross says that the presence or absence of dew depends solely on night time temperatures and dew point temperatures and&nbsp;saw&nbsp;no link&nbsp;between them and a prediction for rain. We&nbsp;declared&nbsp;this one BUSTED. The next was an Indian proverb that says “If the moon is red, of rain she speaks.”&nbsp;Ross said&nbsp;a red moon is red only&nbsp;because of smoke or dust; again BUSTED.&nbsp;

Next,&nbsp;I asked him about something&nbsp;I’ve always&nbsp;thought to be a rain predictor, that being the fact that birds fly lower and congregate on power lines just before a storm because the lower air pressure preceding a storm makes it tough for them to attain lift and fly. He debunked that also by&nbsp;telling me that when air pressure is low, the air as a whole actually rises;&nbsp;BUSTED again.

I could literally spend the next month cussing and discussing all the&nbsp;old-time&nbsp;weather fables and proverbs I found while writing this piece. To those of you who&nbsp;put&nbsp;stock in any of the rain predictors I cast doubt upon, I’m sorry to have rained on your parade (yes,&nbsp;pun intended) even though I’m certain some&nbsp;hold true some of the time. Ross even&nbsp;told me&nbsp;that his mom swears by an old tale that says&nbsp;it will rain 100 days after a fog; she even keeps track of it on her calendar. Maybe that&nbsp;will win me back some points and make you feel better again about your favorite weather tales knowing that the weather guy’s&nbsp;mom even believes&nbsp;some of&nbsp;them! 

Steve Gilliland, Inman, can be contacted by email at stevenrgilliland@gmail.com

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/11/1574696211722.png" alt="Steve&nbsp;Gilliland" />
 <figcaption>Steve&nbsp;Gilliland</figcaption>
 </figure>During a hot, dry spell a few years back, a&nbsp;friend&nbsp;told me she’d&nbsp;been hearing the call of a&nbsp;“rain crow” and asked&nbsp;me&nbsp;if I knew what kind of bird&nbsp;it was. She also said she had been seeing “sundogs” in the evening and that they were&nbsp;both&nbsp;supposedly predictors of rain. Now I remember&nbsp;someone’s grandpa talking about a rain crow&nbsp;when I was a kid, or storm crow as he called it, and I knew absolutely zero about sundogs, but&nbsp;given their supposed rain prediction powers,&nbsp;I&nbsp;delved deeper.&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/8/1660764702066.jpg" alt="Sundog / Image courtesy of Pixabay" />
 <figcaption>Sundog / Image courtesy of Pixabay</figcaption>
 </figure>I found numerous references to a “rain crow” and all seemed&nbsp;to agree that it was in&nbsp;fact a Yellow- Billed Cuckoo. Few, however wanted to stick their neck out concerning its rain prediction ability; one website tossed around the figure of 3 days from&nbsp;first hearing one until rain. Sundogs on the other hand, were quite a popular subject, and are ice crystals high in the atmosphere&nbsp;that, when sunlight shines through&nbsp;them cangive the illusion of a second or third sun on each side of the actual sun.&nbsp;I’ve&nbsp;seen sun dogs a couple times over the years in the winter. But once again, however,&nbsp;sundogs ties to predicting rain&nbsp;were sparse.&nbsp;My search turned up so many&nbsp;proverbs and&nbsp;“old&nbsp;wives’&nbsp;tales” concerning rain that I decided to&nbsp;enlist the help of Ross Jansen, Meteorologist at KWCH TV channel 12, and play an Exploring Kansas Outdoors version of Myth Busters. I read several rain-prediction fables&nbsp;to Ross over the phone and got his take on each.&nbsp;Concerning sundogs, Ross said&nbsp;there is some correct science in tying sundogs to rain, in that the same ice crystals that cause them have the ability to form&nbsp;clouds containing rain. But as far as&nbsp;them predicting rain, Ross was hesitant to agree to that.&nbsp;Next,&nbsp;I asked him about a ring around the moon predicting rain, and again he&nbsp;said that a ring around the moon indeed meant there was moisture at some level, but&nbsp;said it was so high up that the chance of it finding its way to us in the form of rain was nil. “Red sky at night, sailors delight; red sky in morning, sailors take warning”&nbsp;is another&nbsp;widely quoted proverb about rain. Since weather patterns typically move across the country from west to east, the gist of the explanation is that a red morning sky means we are seeing sunlight through a weather system yet to come, while a red&nbsp;evening sky means we are seeing a weather system moving away from us. Ross said he&nbsp;has indeed noticed that morning thunderstorms&nbsp;often bring with them a red morning sky, and that there was again some correct science accompanying the tale. But also like the previous two fables, he felt it&nbsp;was a stretch&nbsp;to say that they actually predicted&nbsp;rain. We agreed to call these&nbsp;three myths SEMI-BUSTED.Another proverb I found read&nbsp;“When grass is dry at night, look for rain before the light; when grass is dry at morning light, look for rain before the night.” This one uses the&nbsp;presence or&nbsp;absence of dew at certain times to predict rain. Ross says that the presence or absence of dew depends solely on night time temperatures and dew point temperatures and&nbsp;saw&nbsp;no link&nbsp;between them and a prediction for rain. We&nbsp;declared&nbsp;this one BUSTED. The next was an Indian proverb that says “If the moon is red, of rain she speaks.”&nbsp;Ross said&nbsp;a red moon is red only&nbsp;because of smoke or dust; again BUSTED.&nbsp;Next,&nbsp;I asked him about something&nbsp;I’ve always&nbsp;thought to be a rain predictor, that being the fact that birds fly lower and congregate on power lines just before a storm because the lower air pressure preceding a storm makes it tough for them to attain lift and fly. He debunked that also by&nbsp;telling me that when air pressure is low, the air as a whole actually rises;&nbsp;BUSTED again.I could literally spend the next month cussing and discussing all the&nbsp;old-time&nbsp;weather fables and proverbs I found while writing this piece. To those of you who&nbsp;put&nbsp;stock in any of the rain predictors I cast doubt upon, I’m sorry to have rained on your parade (yes,&nbsp;pun intended) even though I’m certain some&nbsp;hold true some of the time. Ross even&nbsp;told me&nbsp;that his mom swears by an old tale that says&nbsp;it will rain 100 days after a fog; she even keeps track of it on her calendar. Maybe that&nbsp;will win me back some points and make you feel better again about your favorite weather tales knowing that the weather guy’s&nbsp;mom even believes&nbsp;some of&nbsp;them! Continue to Explore Kansas Outdoors.Steve Gilliland, Inman, can be contacted by email at stevenrgilliland@gmail.com

Exploring Outdoors Kansas: Of rain crows and sundogs

Crystal Hammerschmidt has been named the new arts services coordinator for Salina Arts &amp; Humanities.

Raised
 in Smolan, Hammerschmidt most recently lived and worked in Hays, where 
she recently completed her Master of Fine Arts degree in printmaking and
 sculpture at Fort Hays State University. She also lived in Lawrence for
 12 years and was involved in projects with the Lawrence Arts Center, 
Lawrence Public Schools, the Douglas County Food Policy Council, and 
managed a local screen printing shop.

“I strongly believe
 access for all to the arts within our community is vital to the 
development of artists and community members of all ages. I am fortunate
 to be a product of a rich arts community between Lindsborg and Salina. I
 look forward to a chance to help strengthen rich cultural experiences 
throughout Salina,” said Hammerschmidt.

Her artistic practice is currently about objects in nature and how 
they relate to one another. As a mixed media artist-printmaker, she 
combines relief cuts, lithography, etching, silkscreen, cast metals, and
 fabric. 

“I have always enjoyed studying science, and I find the 
natural world to be a curious and magical place, ripe for exploring,” 
she said.

This past June, Hammerschmidt participated in an 
international project in Rudolstadt, Thuringia, Germany, with a team of 
artists, former Fort Hays State faculty, and students. There they built a
 cupola furnace for smelting iron. The furnace will be the center 
performance of an international cast iron festival in 2024 in Saalfeld, 
Thuringia. 

“This opportunity took place at the crossroads of 
industry, art, and community and has given me a unique perspective on 
how to approach large-scale projects. I’m excited to apply this process 
to the public art projects here in Salina,” Hammerschmidt said.

“Crystal
 will be a great addition to the Arts &amp; Humanities team,” said Brad 
Anderson, Salina Arts &amp; Humanities executive director. “Her strong 
arts practice and familiarity with central Kansas will allow her to get a
 jump-start in connecting with the community.”

For Salina Arts 
&amp; Humanities, Hammerschmidt will oversee the Smoky Hill River 
Festival’s juried art show, demo artists, outdoor Art Installations, and
 the Art Patron Program. She also will serve as the primary liaison to 
the Community Art &amp; Design Program and its advisory committee and 
will serve as a regional public art and visual arts resource.

To reach Hammerschmidt, contact Salina Arts &amp; Humanities at 785-309-5770 or at <a href="mailto:crystal.hammerschmidt@salina.org">crystal.hammerschmidt@salina.org</a>. Explore her artistic practice at <a href="http://www.diamondzendirt.com/">www.diamondzendirt.com/</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/8/1660670796463.png" alt="Crystal Hammerschmidt /&nbsp;Photo courtesy Salina Arts &amp; Humanities" />
 <figcaption>Crystal Hammerschmidt /&nbsp;Photo courtesy Salina Arts &amp; Humanities</figcaption>
 </figure>Salina Arts &amp; HumanitiesCrystal Hammerschmidt has been named the new arts services coordinator for Salina Arts &amp; Humanities.Raised
 in Smolan, Hammerschmidt most recently lived and worked in Hays, where 
she recently completed her Master of Fine Arts degree in printmaking and
 sculpture at Fort Hays State University. She also lived in Lawrence for
 12 years and was involved in projects with the Lawrence Arts Center, 
Lawrence Public Schools, the Douglas County Food Policy Council, and 
managed a local screen printing shop.“I strongly believe
 access for all to the arts within our community is vital to the 
development of artists and community members of all ages. I am fortunate
 to be a product of a rich arts community between Lindsborg and Salina. I
 look forward to a chance to help strengthen rich cultural experiences 
throughout Salina,” said Hammerschmidt.Her artistic practice is currently about objects in nature and how 
they relate to one another. As a mixed media artist-printmaker, she 
combines relief cuts, lithography, etching, silkscreen, cast metals, and
 fabric. “I have always enjoyed studying science, and I find the 
natural world to be a curious and magical place, ripe for exploring,” 
she said.This past June, Hammerschmidt participated in an 
international project in Rudolstadt, Thuringia, Germany, with a team of 
artists, former Fort Hays State faculty, and students. There they built a
 cupola furnace for smelting iron. The furnace will be the center 
performance of an international cast iron festival in 2024 in Saalfeld, 
Thuringia. “This opportunity took place at the crossroads of 
industry, art, and community and has given me a unique perspective on 
how to approach large-scale projects. I’m excited to apply this process 
to the public art projects here in Salina,” Hammerschmidt said.“Crystal
 will be a great addition to the Arts &amp; Humanities team,” said Brad 
Anderson, Salina Arts &amp; Humanities executive director. “Her strong 
arts practice and familiarity with central Kansas will allow her to get a
 jump-start in connecting with the community.”For Salina Arts 
&amp; Humanities, Hammerschmidt will oversee the Smoky Hill River 
Festival’s juried art show, demo artists, outdoor Art Installations, and
 the Art Patron Program. She also will serve as the primary liaison to 
the Community Art &amp; Design Program and its advisory committee and 
will serve as a regional public art and visual arts resource.To reach Hammerschmidt, contact Salina Arts &amp; Humanities at 785-309-5770 or at <a href="mailto:crystal.hammerschmidt@salina.org">crystal.hammerschmidt@salina.org</a>. Explore her artistic practice at <a href="http://www.diamondzendirt.com/">www.diamondzendirt.com/</a>.

FHSU alum new arts services coordinator at Salina art organization

SCOTT COUNTY—A Kansas teen died in an accident just before 11a.m. Saturday in Scott County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2002 Mercury Mountaineer driven by Isaac Jeremiah Redburn, 18, Haviland, was southbound on Venison Road just north of Kansas 96.

The SUV entered the west ditch. The diver overcorrected, causing the vehicle to travel into the east ditch and roll.

The vehicle came to rest upside down after striking an irrigation motor.

Redburn was pronounced dead at the scene and was transported to&nbsp; Price and&nbsp; Sons Funeral Home. He was not wearing a seat belt, according to the KHP.

SCOTT COUNTY—A Kansas teen died in an accident just before 11a.m. Saturday in Scott County.The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2002 Mercury Mountaineer driven by Isaac Jeremiah Redburn, 18, Haviland, was southbound on Venison Road just north of Kansas 96.The SUV entered the west ditch. The diver overcorrected, causing the vehicle to travel into the east ditch and roll.The vehicle came to rest upside down after striking an irrigation motor.Redburn was pronounced dead at the scene and was transported to&nbsp; Price and&nbsp; Sons Funeral Home. He was not wearing a seat belt, according to the KHP.

Kansas teen dies after SUV rollover crash

During Friday's Eagle Morning Show Grow Hays executive director Doug Williams will answer your burning questions about the area economy.

Questions can be submitted via Facebook on the Hays Post or KAYS page.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/8/1660939614957.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>During Friday's Eagle Morning Show Grow Hays executive director Doug Williams will answer your burning questions about the area economy.Questions can be submitted via Facebook on the Hays Post or KAYS page.

Grow Hays executive director to answer listener questions on KAYS Friday

On this episode of the Post Podcast&nbsp;&nbsp;Fort Hays State University's Glen McNeil share some tasty facts about some of these favorite menu items.

On this episode of the Post Podcast&nbsp;&nbsp;Fort Hays State University's Glen McNeil share some tasty facts about some of these favorite menu items. <div><iframe title="Fajitas, red wine and ice cream pie combine into one tasty day" 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=94jdn-12a22e9-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><a href="https://postpodcast.podbean.com/">For more about the Post Podcast, including a full list of episodes and episode transcripts click here.</a>

🎙Post Podcast: Fajitas, red wine and ice cream pie combine into one tasty day

National <a href="https://natw.org/about/">Community Night Out</a> is celebrated by police departments across the country the first week in August.&nbsp;

It's an annual community-building campaign started in 1984 that promotes police-community partnerships and neighborhood camaraderie.&nbsp;

The Hays Police Department (HPD) participated on Thursday evening by providing a free hamburger/hotdog feed at the Hays Aquatic Park (HAP), where free swimming is also available to the public.

The cooks and line servers were volunteer HPD officers and staff, out of uniform, smiling and&nbsp; looking relaxed in their casual T-shirts and shorts. 

They visited with the hungry swimmers and their families waiting patiently in line for the burgers, dogs, chips, cookies and pop, enough to feed 1,000 people, thanks to generous donors.

 "We get some coming through two or three times and the kids just seem to really enjoy it," said Brian Dawson, deputy police chief.

"It's fun for everyone involved to hang out and have a good time.

"We do get to talk to them and say thanks for their support and we get a lot of thanks back as well."

Dawson said "it's good for them to not always see (the police) in uniform, to see that they are a person and a member of the community, seeing them in a little different light.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Manning the grill this year was Det. Chris Hancock, who Dawson said is the "number one guy to pull this together."

Hancock joked he "drew the short straw" when it came to flipping the&nbsp; burgers and dogs but he has "all the experience in the world" and they were "guaranteed to be extremely tasty." With the temperature well above the century mark, even at 6 p.m., Hancock was glad for the breeze. "Keeps the smoke out of our eyes and keeps the bugs away," he said while moving the meat off the grill and into aluminum trays for serving.

"You can consider this community police work, community policing," Dawson said, "with a little different uniform on."&nbsp;&nbsp;

The free food and swimming at HAP has been "pretty successful. We usually have pretty good crowds, even when the weather isn't so favorable."&nbsp;

A limited number of free "Community Night Out" T-shirts are also handed out.

Paxton Weber, 8, Hays, brought his family and his sister's friend "for the cops, and to swim and to have fun."

Both of Paxton's grandfathers served as law enforcement officers. He's been collecting police patches and coins -&nbsp; he figures he has about 500 total so far - and even got to attend a national police conference in Washington, D.C.&nbsp;&nbsp;

HPD first offered the event in 2017 but didn't do it during the COVID pandemic due to health concerns.&nbsp;&nbsp;

According to Dawson, the police department has been talking about different ideas to make "Community Night Out" a little different next year.&nbsp;

"We really appreciate this community and everything they do for us, so we like to give back."

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/8/1660988746459.jpeg" alt="The annual Hays Police Department observation of National Community Night Out was held Aug. 4 at the Hays Aquatic Park. (Photos by Becky Kiser/Hays Post)" />
 <figcaption>The annual Hays Police Department observation of National Community Night Out was held Aug. 4 at the Hays Aquatic Park. (Photos by Becky Kiser/Hays Post)</figcaption>
 </figure>By BECKY KISER Hays PostNational <a href="https://natw.org/about/">Community Night Out</a> is celebrated by police departments across the country the first week in August.&nbsp;It's an annual community-building campaign started in 1984 that promotes police-community partnerships and neighborhood camaraderie.&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/8/1660989069240.jpeg" alt="Free hamburgers, hot dogs, chips, cookies and pop were on the menu along with free swimming at HAP.&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>Free hamburgers, hot dogs, chips, cookies and pop were on the menu along with free swimming at HAP.&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>The Hays Police Department (HPD) participated on Thursday evening by providing a free hamburger/hotdog feed at the Hays Aquatic Park (HAP), where free swimming is also available to the public.The cooks and line servers were volunteer HPD officers and staff, out of uniform, smiling and&nbsp; looking relaxed in their casual T-shirts and shorts. They visited with the hungry swimmers and their families waiting patiently in line for the burgers, dogs, chips, cookies and pop, enough to feed 1,000 people, thanks to generous donors.Or maybe fewer than 1,000 people. "We get some coming through two or three times and the kids just seem to really enjoy it," said Brian Dawson, deputy police chief.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/8/1660938511013.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>"It's fun for everyone involved to hang out and have a good time."We do get to talk to them and say thanks for their support and we get a lot of thanks back as well."Dawson said "it's good for them to not always see (the police) in uniform, to see that they are a person and a member of the community, seeing them in a little different light.&nbsp;&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/8/1660985836152.jpeg" alt="Det. Chris Hancock organized this year's event and served as the grill master.&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>Det. Chris Hancock organized this year's event and served as the grill master.&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>Manning the grill this year was Det. Chris Hancock, who Dawson said is the "number one guy to pull this together."Hancock joked he "drew the short straw" when it came to flipping the&nbsp; burgers and dogs but he has "all the experience in the world" and they were "guaranteed to be extremely tasty." With the temperature well above the century mark, even at 6 p.m., Hancock was glad for the breeze. "Keeps the smoke out of our eyes and keeps the bugs away," he said while moving the meat off the grill and into aluminum trays for serving.<div><div itemscope itemtype="https://schema.org/VideoObject"><meta itemprop="uploadDate" content="Sat Aug 20 2022 04:43:42 GMT-0500 (Central Daylight Time)"/><meta itemprop="name" content="Community Night Out"/><meta itemprop="duration" content="P0Y0M0DT0H1M21S" /><meta itemprop="thumbnailUrl" content="https://content.jwplatform.com/thumbs/FWQKWc3S-1920.jpg"/><meta itemprop="contentUrl" content="https://content.jwplatform.com/videos/FWQKWc3S-AMBVbJQD.mp4"/><div style="position:relative; overflow:hidden; padding-bottom:56.25%"><iframe src="https://cdn.jwplayer.com/players/FWQKWc3S-P46diVCW.html" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" scrolling="auto" title="Community Night Out" style="position:absolute;" allowfullscreen></iframe></div></div></div>"You can consider this community police work, community policing," Dawson said, "with a little different uniform on."&nbsp;&nbsp;The free food and swimming at HAP has been "pretty successful. We usually have pretty good crowds, even when the weather isn't so favorable."&nbsp;A limited number of free "Community Night Out" T-shirts are also handed out.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/8/1660984166340.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/8/1660989453498.jpeg" alt="Hays resident Paxton Weber, 8, has a collection of more than 500 police patches and coins. Both of his grandfathers served in law enforcement.&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>Hays resident Paxton Weber, 8, has a collection of more than 500 police patches and coins. Both of his grandfathers served in law enforcement.&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>Paxton Weber, 8, Hays, brought his family and his sister's friend "for the cops, and to swim and to have fun."Both of Paxton's grandfathers served as law enforcement officers. He's been collecting police patches and coins -&nbsp; he figures he has about 500 total so far - and even got to attend a national police conference in Washington, D.C.&nbsp;&nbsp;HPD first offered the event in 2017 but didn't do it during the COVID pandemic due to health concerns.&nbsp;&nbsp;According to Dawson, the police department has been talking about different ideas to make "Community Night Out" a little different next year.&nbsp;"We really appreciate this community and everything they do for us, so we like to give back."

🎥 Hays PD Community Night Out returns to Hays Aquatic Park

By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays Post

The <a href="https://bukovinasociety.org/">Bukovina Society of the Americas</a>, headquartered in Ellis, will host its first Bukovinafest in five years Sept. 15 to 17.

There is no charge for the program, but participants need to pre-register by Sept. 1 and prepay for meals.

Events Friday night will be at the Bukovina Society Museum in Ellis. Events on Saturday and Sunday will move to the Venue, 2704 Vine in Hays.

"We're trying to instill in people to follow their history and where they are from," event organizer Guy Windholz said.

Bukovina was the eastern-most land of the Austrian Empire, which is now now divided between Romania and Ukraine. Lutherans from the Rhine-Palatinate and Württemberg in Germany and Catholics from the Bohemian Forest of Austria (now in the Czech Republic) migrated to Bukovina to farm and work in the glassworks, according to the Bukovina Society website.

Members of those German-speaking communities eventually migrated to Kansas. About 70 families chose Ellis as their destination during a span of 15 years beginning in 1886. 

Most of the individuals were farmers, some sewing hard winter wheat into their pant legs to carry to the United States. Some of the first immigrants lived on the plains in dugout houses.

Sharing a language and similar culture, some of the families from Bukovina intermarried with Volga Germans, who also settled in Ellis County.

The Bukovinafest invites people from Ellis, other areas of the United States and settlements as far away as Canada and South America to learn about their cultural history and genealogy, Windholz said. He said he is expecting about 50 attendees.

"The purpose of the festival is to just welcome those people and people who are interested in genealogy plus our speakers," he said.

The event will kickoff Friday with a genealogy workshop and tours of the Bukovina Museum, as well as optional tours of the Walter P. Chrysler and Ellis Railroad museums.

Friday and Saturday will include speakers and videos on Bukovinan history with dinners and social hours on both evenings.

You can see a full schedule and find a link to register on the <a href="https://bukovinasociety.org/bsa-files_culture/bsa-file_culture_bukovina-festivals/bsa-file_bsa-bukovina-fest-2022-e/">Bukovina Society of the Americas' website</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/8/1660766681493.jpeg" alt="Joe Erbert and Paul Flax playing at a previous <a href="https://bukovinasociety.org/">Bukovina</a>fest. Courtesy photo " />
 <figcaption>Joe Erbert and Paul Flax playing at a previous <a href="https://bukovinasociety.org/">Bukovina</a>fest. Courtesy photo </figcaption>
 </figure>By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays Post The <a href="https://bukovinasociety.org/">Bukovina Society of the Americas</a>, headquartered in Ellis, will host its first Bukovinafest in five years Sept. 15 to 17.There is no charge for the program, but participants need to pre-register by Sept. 1 and prepay for meals.Events Friday night will be at the Bukovina Society Museum in Ellis. Events on Saturday and Sunday will move to the Venue, 2704 Vine in Hays."We're trying to instill in people to follow their history and where they are from," event organizer Guy Windholz said. Bukovina was the eastern-most land of the Austrian Empire, which is now now divided between Romania and Ukraine. Lutherans from the Rhine-Palatinate and Württemberg in Germany and Catholics from the Bohemian Forest of Austria (now in the Czech Republic) migrated to Bukovina to farm and work in the glassworks, according to the Bukovina Society website.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/8/1660766761234.jpeg" alt="Attendees at a previous Bukovinafest. Courtesy photo. " />
 <figcaption>Attendees at a previous Bukovinafest. Courtesy photo. </figcaption>
 </figure>Members of those German-speaking communities eventually migrated to Kansas. About 70 families chose Ellis as their destination during a span of 15 years beginning in 1886. Most of the individuals were farmers, some sewing hard winter wheat into their pant legs to carry to the United States. Some of the first immigrants lived on the plains in dugout houses. Sharing a language and similar culture, some of the families from Bukovina intermarried with Volga Germans, who also settled in Ellis County. The Bukovinafest invites people from Ellis, other areas of the United States and settlements as far away as Canada and South America to learn about their cultural history and genealogy, Windholz said. He said he is expecting about 50 attendees.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/8/1660767629429.jpeg" alt="<a href="https://bukovinasociety.org/">Bukovina Society of the Americas</a> Museum in Ellis. Courtesy photo " />
 <figcaption><a href="https://bukovinasociety.org/">Bukovina Society of the Americas</a> Museum in Ellis. Courtesy photo </figcaption>
 </figure>"The purpose of the festival is to just welcome those people and people who are interested in genealogy plus our speakers," he said. The event will kickoff Friday with a genealogy workshop and tours of the Bukovina Museum, as well as optional tours of the Walter P. Chrysler and Ellis Railroad museums.Friday and Saturday will include speakers and videos on Bukovinan history with dinners and social hours on both evenings. You can see a full schedule and find a link to register on the <a href="https://bukovinasociety.org/bsa-files_culture/bsa-file_culture_bukovina-festivals/bsa-file_bsa-bukovina-fest-2022-e/">Bukovina Society of the Americas' website</a>.

Ellis Co. Bukovinafest to honor German-speaking immigrants

The Hays Public Library has hired Kayla Ford to take over the position of collections manager. She began work at the library on Aug. 8.

Ford is an Ellis native, who attended Fort Hays State University. She worked at the Golden Belt Cooperative Association in Ellis prior to accepting the position with the library.&nbsp;

Ford said she wanted to work at the library because she knew her passion for helping others aligned with the Hays Public Library’s mission. 

“The library has such a significant&nbsp;impact on the community, and I wanted to be part of that culture,” she said.

Ford will be in charge of curating the library’s collection of books, videos, digital resources and other items.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/8/1660668419220.png" alt="Kayla Ford" />
 <figcaption>Kayla Ford</figcaption>
 </figure>HPLThe Hays Public Library has hired Kayla Ford to take over the position of collections manager. She began work at the library on Aug. 8.Ford is an Ellis native, who attended Fort Hays State University. She worked at the Golden Belt Cooperative Association in Ellis prior to accepting the position with the library.&nbsp;Ford said she wanted to work at the library because she knew her passion for helping others aligned with the Hays Public Library’s mission. “The library has such a significant&nbsp;impact on the community, and I wanted to be part of that culture,” she said.Ford will be in charge of curating the library’s collection of books, videos, digital resources and other items.

Ellis native named collections manager at Hays library

Developmental Services of Northwest Kansas has been awarded $150,000 through the Community Service Tax Credit Grant program at the 50-percent rate through the Kansas Department of Commerce.&nbsp;There were 55 applications of which 29 were awarded with a total of $4,084,455.75. &nbsp;$1 million of that amount went to childcare projects. &nbsp;The tax credits are available to donors on a first come, first served basis and are expected to go quickly.

Tax credits are an incentive for donors to give to charity and non profit organizations. Any tax credit issued by DSNWK that exceeds the tax liability of the donor is refunded to the taxpayer. &nbsp;

“You can use the tax credit to pay any unpaid Kansas state taxes, or receive the credit back on your refund,” said Jerry Michaud, President/CEO of DSNWK.

Donations to this project also count towards DSNWK’s $5 million Stronger Forever Together capital campaign goal.

“We are very&nbsp;thankful and&nbsp;excited to once again have the opportunity to offer these tax credits for donors,” Michaud said. “These donations will be used for economic rejuvenation through construction updates on outdated buildings targeting energy efficiency, ease of access to facilities and better connectivity.”

DSNWK is a 501(c)3 nonprofit serving individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities from the counties of Cheyenne, Decatur, Ellis, Gove, Graham, Logan, Norton, Osborne, Phillips, Rawlins, Rooks, Russell, Sheridan, Sherman, Smith, Thomas, Trego and Wallace.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/10/1602261742827.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>News releaseDevelopmental Services of Northwest Kansas has been awarded $150,000 through the Community Service Tax Credit Grant program at the 50-percent rate through the Kansas Department of Commerce.&nbsp;There were 55 applications of which 29 were awarded with a total of $4,084,455.75. &nbsp;$1 million of that amount went to childcare projects. &nbsp;The tax credits are available to donors on a first come, first served basis and are expected to go quickly.Tax credits are an incentive for donors to give to charity and non profit organizations. Any tax credit issued by DSNWK that exceeds the tax liability of the donor is refunded to the taxpayer. &nbsp;“You can use the tax credit to pay any unpaid Kansas state taxes, or receive the credit back on your refund,” said Jerry Michaud, President/CEO of DSNWK.Donations to this project also count towards DSNWK’s $5 million Stronger Forever Together capital campaign goal.“We are very&nbsp;thankful and&nbsp;excited to once again have the opportunity to offer these tax credits for donors,” Michaud said. “These donations will be used for economic rejuvenation through construction updates on outdated buildings targeting energy efficiency, ease of access to facilities and better connectivity.”DSNWK is a 501(c)3 nonprofit serving individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities from the counties of Cheyenne, Decatur, Ellis, Gove, Graham, Logan, Norton, Osborne, Phillips, Rawlins, Rooks, Russell, Sheridan, Sherman, Smith, Thomas, Trego and Wallace.

DSNWK awarded community service tax credits

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/8/1660929150990.jpeg" alt="" />
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 </figure><a href="https://hayspost.com/pages/state-farm-weather-window">For a full look at the weather forecast click here.</a>

The Hays Police Department responded to 141 calls from July 31 to Aug. 13, 2022 according to the HPD Activity Log.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/11/1573140734289.jpeg" alt="" />
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 </figure>The Hays Police Department responded to 141 calls from July 31 to Aug. 13, 2022 according to the HPD Activity Log.<figure>
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Hays PD Activity Log, July 31 - Aug. 13

By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays Post

The Hays USD 489 school board will have its annual budget hearing at 6:30 p.m. Monday at the Rockwell Administration Center.

It will be preceded by a revenue neutral hearing. Although the district's local option budget mill levy will be slightly lower than last year, the amount raised by the overall school mill levy will increase because of an increase in the property valuation in the district.

Superintendent Ron Wilson will review isolation and quarantine guidelines for COVID-19 and influenza for the 2022-23 school year.

Doug Williams, Grow Hays executive director, will present information about an ordinance for creating another Rural Housing Incentive District in the city of Hays.&nbsp;

The board will consider approval to auction off the naming rights for the west driveways off of 13th Street and Canterbury to the high school parking lot at the annual USD 489 foundation charity auction.

The board will consider approval of a resolution for a contract relating to the use of the city’s educational sales tax revenues to assist the district in the repayment of bonds for the new high school and related construction projects.

The board also will have first readings on policy changes recommended by the Kansas Association of School Boards and Classified Handbook changes.

By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays PostThe Hays USD 489 school board will have its annual budget hearing at 6:30 p.m. Monday at the Rockwell Administration Center.It will be preceded by a revenue neutral hearing. Although the district's local option budget mill levy will be slightly lower than last year, the amount raised by the overall school mill levy will increase because of an increase in the property valuation in the district.Superintendent Ron Wilson will review isolation and quarantine guidelines for COVID-19 and influenza for the 2022-23 school year.Doug Williams, Grow Hays executive director, will present information about an ordinance for creating another Rural Housing Incentive District in the city of Hays.&nbsp;The board will consider approval to auction off the naming rights for the west driveways off of 13th Street and Canterbury to the high school parking lot at the annual USD 489 foundation charity auction.The board will consider approval of a resolution for a contract relating to the use of the city’s educational sales tax revenues to assist the district in the repayment of bonds for the new high school and related construction projects.The board also will have first readings on policy changes recommended by the Kansas Association of School Boards and Classified Handbook changes.

Hays USD 489 school board to have budget hearing Monday

By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays Post

Ellis County will receive an additional $2.5 million in federal funds toward the Northwest Business Corridor, county comissionsers learned at a meeting Monday. 

The county was notified Aug. 9 it will receive the money from the 2019 BUILD grant funds that were made available for projects experiencing COVID-related budget challenges.

These&nbsp; funds could be used to reduce the county’s required local contribution for the corridor project, which would make funding available for other county projects, said Brendan Mackay, Ellis County public works director.

The additional funds also could be used to increase the scope of this project. The money could be used to widen the driving surface.

The project is slated for a 24-foot driving surface and 8-foot aggregate shoulders on both sides.  The 8-foot aggregate shoulders could be reduced in size to expand the paved section by 1 to 3 feet on both sides, widening the paved section from 24 feet to 30 feet,&nbsp; Mackay said.

Wider is always better and safer, Mackay said.

Commissioner Butch Schlyer said there are so many road and bridge projects in the county that he would like to leave the road at 24-feet and use the money to offset the county's share, so the county could do other projects.

Commissioners Neal Younger and Joe LeRoux said they agreed.

"I think if we can cover more ground and serve more people, that is certainly the preferred route for me," Leroux said.

The county also voted to sign the cost-share agreement on construction of Cathedral Avenue in Victoria.

Cathedral Road is being reconstructed from Sixth Street to the north edge of Victoria. Work is under way from south of Sixth Street to U.S. Highway 40. This grant will allow the county to complete the project north.

"I'm just excited that we're able to have this unexpected news, as he pointed out, it's not the norm for this to be awarded two years in a row," Leroux said. "It's been great to take care of Cathedral from the southern to the northern point of Victoria basically all in one shot."

As part of the cost share grant, the Kansas Department of Transportation awarded Ellis County 60 percent of eligible construction costs up to $700,000.  The remaining costs and non-participating costs will be the county’s responsibility.

The county share of eligible construction costs is estimated at $475,600.  In addition, the county will be responsible for the preliminary engineering and construction inspection engineering costs, which are estimated at $94,000 and $176,000. 

The commission approved the final $29 million budget for publication at its meeting Monday. 

The budget includes all departmental requests, personnel changes, health insurance premium adjustments, pay raises, retirement contribution program and continued increase to reserves for infrastructure improvements, Darin Myers, county administrator, said.

The budget includes increasing funding to capital reserves for both the road and bridge funds ($1.6 million, which is up from $329,000 in 2021), as well as setting aside capital for the construction of a new public works facility planned to be built in 2023. 

The budget also includes $1.2 million for outside agencies, including $5,000 for Big Brothers Big Sisters.

The mill levy is estimated at 37.2 mills, just less than the rate set in 2022 of 37.395 mills.

An increase in landfill fees will stabilize the landfill budget, which had been estimated to be at a $14,000 deficit.

The public budget hearing is set for Sept. 12.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/8/1660764285786.jpeg" alt="Work is ongoing on Cathedral Avenue in Victoria. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post " />
 <figcaption>Work is ongoing on Cathedral Avenue in Victoria. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post </figcaption>
 </figure>By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays Post Ellis County will receive an additional $2.5 million in federal funds toward the Northwest Business Corridor, county comissionsers learned at a meeting Monday. The county was notified Aug. 9 it will receive the money from the 2019 BUILD grant funds that were made available for projects experiencing COVID-related budget challenges.These&nbsp; funds could be used to reduce the county’s required local contribution for the corridor project, which would make funding available for other county projects, said Brendan Mackay, Ellis County public works director.The additional funds also could be used to increase the scope of this project. The money could be used to widen the driving surface.The project is slated for a 24-foot driving surface and 8-foot aggregate shoulders on both sides. The 8-foot aggregate shoulders could be reduced in size to expand the paved section by 1 to 3 feet on both sides, widening the paved section from 24 feet to 30 feet,&nbsp; Mackay said.Wider is always better and safer, Mackay said.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/8/1660764482671.jpeg" alt="Northwest Business Corridor Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post " />
 <figcaption>Northwest Business Corridor Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post </figcaption>
 </figure>Commissioner Butch Schlyer said there are so many road and bridge projects in the county that he would like to leave the road at 24-feet and use the money to offset the county's share, so the county could do other projects.Commissioners Neal Younger and Joe LeRoux said they agreed. "I think if we can cover more ground and serve more people, that is certainly the preferred route for me," Leroux said.<h2>Cathedral Avenue</h2>The county also voted to sign the cost-share agreement on construction of Cathedral Avenue in Victoria.Cathedral Road is being reconstructed from Sixth Street to the north edge of Victoria. Work is under way from south of Sixth Street to U.S. Highway 40. This grant will allow the county to complete the project north."I'm just excited that we're able to have this unexpected news, as he pointed out, it's not the norm for this to be awarded two years in a row," Leroux said. "It's been great to take care of Cathedral from the southern to the northern point of Victoria basically all in one shot." As part of the cost share grant, the Kansas Department of Transportation awarded Ellis County 60 percent of eligible construction costs up to $700,000. The remaining costs and non-participating costs will be the county’s responsibility.The county share of eligible construction costs is estimated at $475,600. In addition, the county will be responsible for the preliminary engineering and construction inspection engineering costs, which are estimated at $94,000 and $176,000. <h2>Budget</h2>The commission approved the final $29 million budget for publication at its meeting Monday. The budget includes all departmental requests, personnel changes, health insurance premium adjustments, pay raises, retirement contribution program and continued increase to reserves for infrastructure improvements, Darin Myers, county administrator, said.The budget includes increasing funding to capital reserves for both the road and bridge funds ($1.6 million, which is up from $329,000 in 2021), as well as setting aside capital for the construction of a new public works facility planned to be built in 2023. The budget also includes $1.2 million for outside agencies, including $5,000 for Big Brothers Big Sisters. The mill levy is estimated at 37.2 mills, just less than the rate set in 2022 of 37.395 mills.An increase in landfill fees will stabilize the landfill budget, which had been estimated to be at a $14,000 deficit. The public budget hearing is set for Sept. 12.

Ellis County receives funds for Northwest Corridor, Cathedral Ave.

Area teens are invited to participate in the Ellis County 4-H Civil Discourse Workshop from 1 to 5 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 27, at Fort Hays State University's Memorial Union. 

The event will introduce teens to the importance of civil discourse through a keynote address from Dr. Lori Kniffin from the Fort Hays State University Leadership Studies department. Breakout sessions for both parents and their teens will allow each group to practice these vital communication skills. The event will conclude with a free concert for all in attendance by the Peterson Farm Brothers. Free commemorative T-shirts will be given to the first 100 teens who register, and refreshments will be served.

The event will be hosted by Ellis County 4-H Council and spearheaded by Hays High sophomores Elizabeth Noble, Marisa Wasinger and John Weisenborn. Teens who attend will be given training in how to have productive conversations about difficult topics that can lead to meaningful change.

Sponsors for the event include eyeSMILE Vision and Dental, Hays Optimist Club, Hays Kiwanis Club, Lang Diesel, the Midwest Energy Community Fund, Redeem Designs and private donors.&nbsp;

To learn more or to register, visit&nbsp;<a href="https://tinyurl.com/2fp3mk8u?fbclid=IwAR00aOPM60PndhhSuqVC1mI_6jGnb1M2B5oBwNrqEYBF9fFfnXKnxP9O674" target="_blank">https://tinyurl.com/2fp3mk8u</a>&nbsp;or contact the Cottonwood District office at 785-628-9430.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/8/1660928754272.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>News releaseArea teens are invited to participate in the Ellis County 4-H Civil Discourse Workshop from 1 to 5 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 27, at Fort Hays State University's Memorial Union. The event will introduce teens to the importance of civil discourse through a keynote address from Dr. Lori Kniffin from the Fort Hays State University Leadership Studies department. Breakout sessions for both parents and their teens will allow each group to practice these vital communication skills. The event will conclude with a free concert for all in attendance by the Peterson Farm Brothers. Free commemorative T-shirts will be given to the first 100 teens who register, and refreshments will be served.The event will be hosted by Ellis County 4-H Council and spearheaded by Hays High sophomores Elizabeth Noble, Marisa Wasinger and John Weisenborn. Teens who attend will be given training in how to have productive conversations about difficult topics that can lead to meaningful change.Sponsors for the event include eyeSMILE Vision and Dental, Hays Optimist Club, Hays Kiwanis Club, Lang Diesel, the Midwest Energy Community Fund, Redeem Designs and private donors.&nbsp;To learn more or to register, visit&nbsp;<a href="https://tinyurl.com/2fp3mk8u?fbclid=IwAR00aOPM60PndhhSuqVC1mI_6jGnb1M2B5oBwNrqEYBF9fFfnXKnxP9O674" target="_blank">https://tinyurl.com/2fp3mk8u</a>&nbsp;or contact the Cottonwood District office at 785-628-9430.

Peterson Farm Brothers to headline free teen event in Hays

VICTORIA&nbsp;—&nbsp;As efforts to find new uses for the former St. John’s Rest Home
building continue, one of the ideas generated during initial conversations
will soon come to pass.

During the annual Herzogfest last week, the Ellis County Historical
Society announced they plan to open a satellite museum in the building, providing
the organization with much-needed storage space and a location to share Ellis
County history with more area residents and travelers than ever before.

<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/20265d70-4cca-400e-9a7e-69323db9d166">The idea
of using the location to house a museum was introduced by Mary Kay Schippers,
Ellis County Historical Society Museum Space Committee chair and trustee,
during a meeting last September shortly after Jeff Pfeifer purchased the
building during a meeting discussing the future of the facility.</a>

“The location is absolutely perfect,” Schippers said. “It's
right down the street from the Basilica, which gets thousands of visitors every
year. And we're hoping to tie into that.”

Along with the benefits to the society, she said the
community would benefit from increased traffic, bringing outside dollars into Victoria.

“The longer you can keep a tourist in town, the more money
they're going to spend,” Schippers said. “I said this last September that the
difference between a community that survives and a community that thrives is
that the community that thrives is bringing in outside dollars.”<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/b9828fea-e8ae-4cb0-8cdf-fe1760f225e0"></a>

<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/b9828fea-e8ae-4cb0-8cdf-fe1760f225e0">The move comes as the society
works to sort and centralize the museum’s collection and share that collection with
the public at their main campus at Seventh and Main in Hays.</a>

“We're going to be moving all of our exhibits that deal with
the community outside of Hays,” Schippers said. “We're going to be moving those
to the Victoria site, and that way, at the Hays site, we will be able to focus
more on the Hays history.”

The Wild West history of Hays could focus on the main site,
while the Volga-German heritage that permeates the county could be a highlight
of the new location, she said.

“We want to make both of them fantastic,” Schippers said.

Using the rest home building to showcase Ellis County
history can help honor the history of the building as well, she said, as it
remained an integral part of life in Victoria and Ellis County for decades.

“When we approached the Ellis County Historical Society
board about this idea, one of the board members commented, he said, ‘I remember
pushing my grandma in a wheelchair down that hallway,’ ” she said. 

“And I think that's the thing. That building is just filled
with memories. I have my own memories of grandparents in that facility. And so
no one wanted to see it demolished.”

While the society’s plan will use a portion of the space,
she said other efforts continue to bring senior housing, recreation facilities
and more into the facility.

“When that building was built, it was to facilitate and to
help the community stay connected,” said Ellis County Historical Society
executive director Amanda Rupp. “And the people that were first involved in
that still have a lot of connection to the community."

By finding new uses for the building their legacy can carry on, she said.

And Rupp hopes that desire will translate to volunteers as the museum works to move into the location.

As the larger plans come together for the satellite museum,
area residents will see work begin soon.

“We're going to start on the second floor, which was another
reason why the historical society loved this site. We are really having a space
crunch here in Hays for artifacts,” Schippers said. “The second floor of that
building is going to strictly be used for historical society artifacts. And so the
renovation of that part of it is going to begin here in September.”

Demolition in the 2,700 square-foot upstairs area is set to begin September 19.

Part of that renovation includes securing the roof. During years of non-use, it has deteriorated, allowing water to damage portions of
the building. 

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/5/1653503337583.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>By JAMES BELL Hays PostVICTORIA&nbsp;—&nbsp;As efforts to find new uses for the former St. John’s Rest Home
building continue, one of the ideas generated during initial conversations
will soon come to pass.During the annual Herzogfest last week, the Ellis County Historical
Society announced they plan to open a satellite museum in the building, providing
the organization with much-needed storage space and a location to share Ellis
County history with more area residents and travelers than ever before.<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/20265d70-4cca-400e-9a7e-69323db9d166">The idea
of using the location to house a museum was introduced by Mary Kay Schippers,
Ellis County Historical Society Museum Space Committee chair and trustee,
during a meeting last September shortly after Jeff Pfeifer purchased the
building during a meeting discussing the future of the facility.</a><div><iframe title="Ellis County Historical Society to establish satellite museum in Victoria" 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=uryhf-12a0c7e-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>“The location is absolutely perfect,” Schippers said. “It's
right down the street from the Basilica, which gets thousands of visitors every
year. And we're hoping to tie into that.”Along with the benefits to the society, she said the
community would benefit from increased traffic, bringing outside dollars into Victoria.“The longer you can keep a tourist in town, the more money
they're going to spend,” Schippers said. “I said this last September that the
difference between a community that survives and a community that thrives is
that the community that thrives is bringing in outside dollars.”<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/b9828fea-e8ae-4cb0-8cdf-fe1760f225e0"></a><a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/b9828fea-e8ae-4cb0-8cdf-fe1760f225e0">The move comes as the society
works to sort and centralize the museum’s collection and share that collection with
the public at their main campus at Seventh and Main in Hays.</a>“We're going to be moving all of our exhibits that deal with
the community outside of Hays,” Schippers said. “We're going to be moving those
to the Victoria site, and that way, at the Hays site, we will be able to focus
more on the Hays history.”The Wild West history of Hays could focus on the main site,
while the Volga-German heritage that permeates the county could be a highlight
of the new location, she said.“We want to make both of them fantastic,” Schippers said.Using the rest home building to showcase Ellis County
history can help honor the history of the building as well, she said, as it
remained an integral part of life in Victoria and Ellis County for decades.“When we approached the Ellis County Historical Society
board about this idea, one of the board members commented, he said, ‘I remember
pushing my grandma in a wheelchair down that hallway,’ ” she said. “And I think that's the thing. That building is just filled
with memories. I have my own memories of grandparents in that facility. And so
no one wanted to see it demolished.”While the society’s plan will use a portion of the space,
she said other efforts continue to bring senior housing, recreation facilities
and more into the facility.“When that building was built, it was to facilitate and to
help the community stay connected,” said Ellis County Historical Society
executive director Amanda Rupp. “And the people that were first involved in
that still have a lot of connection to the community."By finding new uses for the building their legacy can carry on, she said.And Rupp hopes that desire will translate to volunteers as the museum works to move into the location.As the larger plans come together for the satellite museum,
area residents will see work begin soon.“We're going to start on the second floor, which was another
reason why the historical society loved this site. We are really having a space
crunch here in Hays for artifacts,” Schippers said. “The second floor of that
building is going to strictly be used for historical society artifacts. And so the
renovation of that part of it is going to begin here in September.”Demolition in the 2,700 square-foot upstairs area is set to begin September 19.Part of that renovation includes securing the roof. During years of non-use, it has deteriorated, allowing water to damage portions of
the building. Rupp said that roofing above the area set to be used by the
society soon could be repaired separately from the rest of the 40,000-square-foot
building.“The Victoria Community Coalition is going to raise funds to
try and help the entire roof area for the other part of the projects, but our
specific project is on that second story. Because it's its own roof structure,
we can start with that almost right away.”Along with the benefit the location will bring to Victoria, Rupp
said the second location would be a benefit to the society’s ongoing need for
space to house the museum’s collection.“We have now pulled everything that was out in various
storage units outside of our campus back to our campus last year, and we have
started sorting through those things, putting like things together,” Rupp said.
“And so right now we are shuffling, we need to work on one
space,” she continued. “We're shuffling it over here, and then we move it back
because we need to work on that area. But there has been a lot moved already, and
those two rooms in the basement are going to be empty pretty soon because we
are now focusing on bringing our staff back to that red brick building by the
end of the year.”To accommodate the staff’s return, she said remodeling work
would soon begin in that area.Following the weekend announcement, Schippers presented to
the Victoria City Council at their regular meeting, asking to waive the permit
fee for the upcoming work.“We plan to be a very, very vibrant, visible part of this
community,” Schippers told the council.She also noted the benefit of bringing workers to the city
for the work as they utilize stores and restaurants in Victoria.“They will be bringing some revenue to the community right
at the very beginning, Schippers said.And future developments will also have a further positive
economic impact, with the opening of a gift shop and the ability to host large
gatherings as part of the society’s mission, she said.With the fee expected to be under $200 Schippers said it
would only be a minor impact to the city’s revenue but would signal the city’s
support for the project. The measure passed unanimously.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/8/1660869675268.jpeg" alt="Former St. John Rest Home" />
 <figcaption>Former St. John Rest Home</figcaption>
 </figure>

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