By NICK GOSNELL <a href="https://hutchpost.com">Hutch Post</a>

HUTCHINSON — 
Hutchinson veterinarian Jon Austin, DVM notes that if your air 
conditioning can't keep up, it's important to take care of your indoor 
pets until it can get fixed.

"I had that last week," Austin said. 
"The couple I had, the air conditioner went out on Sunday and we talked 
that evening, it was already 8:00 and so the sun had already started to 
cool off and they were going to get through that night, but they dropped
 the dogs off with us on Monday morning and we had them through 
Wednesday. They have two kind of large, longer haired black lab mix dogs
 and their air conditioner didn't get fixed until Wednesday. The dogs 
spent three days with me at the animal hospital boarding, because they 
were not able to be safe at home."

Austin only does 
boarding for his veterinary clients, but other boarding kennels should 
have space, as long as it is in the middle of the week. Also, if you are
 going to leave for the day, whether inside or outside, be sure your 
pets have plenty of water.

"If you have one of those unattended 
animals and you don't have anybody who can come and check on it and take
 care of it for you, you sure need to make provisions to ensure that 
animal will have water," Austin said. "Typically, those kind of animals 
who have those behaviors will have a water bowl or bucket that's either 
too big and too heavy for them to disturb or the owners will literally 
attach it to the kennel wall with wire. That way, it stays in place."

For dogs who need to be active, you may need to move that activity to earlier in the day.

"If
 you have a dog that you exercise, if they do anything that requires 
exertion, you should do it really early, even before the sun comes up," 
Austin said. "Some mornings, you wake up, it's already 80 before it's 
even light. You just have to be aware of the humidity, of the heat and 
then make changes as best you can. There may be days where you just 
don't get to do it, if it's too hot."

It's also important not to 
walk or run your dogs on areas that are black like asphalt during the 
heat of the day, as you can burn the dog's pads of their feet that way. 
If you have any questions, contact your veterinarian for more 
information.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/7/1657825179700.jpg" alt="Image courtesy of Pixabay" />
 <figcaption>Image courtesy of Pixabay</figcaption>
 </figure>By NICK GOSNELL <a href="https://hutchpost.com">Hutch Post</a>HUTCHINSON — 
Hutchinson veterinarian Jon Austin, DVM notes that if your air 
conditioning can't keep up, it's important to take care of your indoor 
pets until it can get fixed."I had that last week," Austin said. 
"The couple I had, the air conditioner went out on Sunday and we talked 
that evening, it was already 8:00 and so the sun had already started to 
cool off and they were going to get through that night, but they dropped
 the dogs off with us on Monday morning and we had them through 
Wednesday. They have two kind of large, longer haired black lab mix dogs
 and their air conditioner didn't get fixed until Wednesday. The dogs 
spent three days with me at the animal hospital boarding, because they 
were not able to be safe at home."Austin only does 
boarding for his veterinary clients, but other boarding kennels should 
have space, as long as it is in the middle of the week. Also, if you are
 going to leave for the day, whether inside or outside, be sure your 
pets have plenty of water."If you have one of those unattended 
animals and you don't have anybody who can come and check on it and take
 care of it for you, you sure need to make provisions to ensure that 
animal will have water," Austin said. "Typically, those kind of animals 
who have those behaviors will have a water bowl or bucket that's either 
too big and too heavy for them to disturb or the owners will literally 
attach it to the kennel wall with wire. That way, it stays in place."For dogs who need to be active, you may need to move that activity to earlier in the day."If
 you have a dog that you exercise, if they do anything that requires 
exertion, you should do it really early, even before the sun comes up," 
Austin said. "Some mornings, you wake up, it's already 80 before it's 
even light. You just have to be aware of the humidity, of the heat and 
then make changes as best you can. There may be days where you just 
don't get to do it, if it's too hot."It's also important not to 
walk or run your dogs on areas that are black like asphalt during the 
heat of the day, as you can burn the dog's pads of their feet that way. 
If you have any questions, contact your veterinarian for more 
information.

Vet: Take care of Fido during heat wave with attention, water

By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays Post

Officials at USD 489 are encouraging families to apply for free and reduced-price lunches.

Free lunches for all students will end in August, Jessica Younker, nutrition services director, said.

During the pandemic, school meals were free for all students nationwide under a program funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Younker said she thinks there will be a larger need for free and reduced-price lunches compared to prior to the pandemic because of the challenging economic times.

The summer lunch program, which is free, has seen double and triple the numbers this summer compared to pre-pandemic. Yonker said the program, which runs through July 29, is feeding 300 to 600 students daily. 

"I think [families] are just happy that we have the program in general because they don't have to plan," she said. "It saves them from having to plan and purchase food for their kids' meals this summer."

During COVID, the school lunch program was drive-through only. This year, families could eat at Roosevelt Elementary School or take meals home. A cold breakfast for the next day was offered as a take-home option.

<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/3f1ee464-da14-4c4f-9918-7f3a521a5e2f">Meals are served from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Mondays through Fridays at Roosevelt.</a>

Younker said she hopes to get the word out about the free and reduced-price lunch applications. They can be filled out online at <a href="https://u345601.ct.sendgrid.net/ls/click?upn=9D2tNLSn5vVNxAjjMhXoKY4gBrQ8hHDrMqcnEb3yCsE-3Dj6Wf_-2FnwFlkKVzcKMOkDYhP8GU912sn8gj1nXE4o6Lbx2tJbczYTiCxqkMYsoygJgMB93Ktc65J0qS-2Bb0rqmcRZVw0upUYoGwgIUzatHqm1cUrAT-2BdkEI-2Bq0Zpkk2kAY0Kw9ylOAVpVP07n7rz-2F1DXpBJTEVZlnJ8EmnqSo2t3UlxCsjMWpmd0LOmgerGvRIjOySisEMw-2Fu-2BcSw3G9gqUrmT9z2MnSbtCjPxJ00AaCWAk3WesrbxCGFrIpc-2B-2BFFQtEysqOa7FrO3CJ0F7D-2BgUVtFQpulmYlYrrEKHURsiUC2uQ30-3D" target="_blank">www.ezmealapp.com</a> in English or Spanish or families can request paper copies from the USD 489 district office.

Families can find a list of frequently asked questions and answers on the school lunch program at <a href="https://u345601.ct.sendgrid.net/ls/click?upn=KK1-2FdFmhG1lSbfSgI76426tG341AUjheh6JFq1Y6Ihk-3D_mEH_-2FnwFlkKVzcKMOkDYhP8GU912sn8gj1nXE4o6Lbx2tJbczYTiCxqkMYsoygJgMB93Ktc65J0qS-2Bb0rqmcRZVw0upUYoGwgIUzatHqm1cUrAT-2BdkEI-2Bq0Zpkk2kAY0Kw9ylOAVpVP07n7rz-2F1DXpBJTCErmYmAJYM0a-2BkEbWgKNkUP6WzX3Z7twXXYj7pqtFy2x-2BSBbxOBBwYKhCb9U93fPLvg0sNJkk-2BGmwfZqqp76xRIDnpO-2BqtQ6C0vTcWTVsh4340O2mc9i6IIuQ3c7-2FSyzt9yn3OADd08CJrk0M-2BuWNM-3D" target="_blank">https://5il.co/1dk8c</a>

Applications also will be available at in-person enrollment.

Families can apply for free and reduced-price lunches at any time during the year. However, Younker encouraged families to apply prior to enrollment, because families who qualify for free and reduced-price lunches also qualify for reduced enrollment fees.

The school lunch income guidelines are based on gross income. Younker said if families need assistance in calculating what should count as income on their lunch program applications, they can contact the school district office for assistance.

The cost of a school lunch will be the same as it was pre-COVID.

Food costs have increased significantly, Younker said. However, she said the nutrition program accumulated some funds during COVID that it plans to use to offset the cost of meals for the coming year to ease the economic burden on families.

"We didn't want to make our families struggle more than they already are," Younker said. "Going from free to $2.70 a meal is going to be a shock for some of our families."

The number of students who receive free and reduced-cost lunches also affects the amount of funding the school district receives from the state. School districts receive extra funding based on their student populations' income levels.

"There is no harm in filling out the application," Younker said. 

The applications are confidential, she said.

If families have further questions, they can contact Younker at <a href="mailto:jyounker@usd489.com" target="_blank">jyounker@usd489.com</a>

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/7/1657746946189.jpeg" alt="Families eat during the summer lunch program at Roosevelt Elementary School. School meals have been free for all children for the last two years, but that will end in August. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post " />
 <figcaption>Families eat during the summer lunch program at Roosevelt Elementary School. School meals have been free for all children for the last two years, but that will end in August. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post </figcaption>
 </figure>By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays PostOfficials at USD 489 are encouraging families to apply for free and reduced-price lunches.Free lunches for all students will end in August, Jessica Younker, nutrition services director, said.During the pandemic, school meals were free for all students nationwide under a program funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.Younker said she thinks there will be a larger need for free and reduced-price lunches compared to prior to the pandemic because of the challenging economic times.The summer lunch program, which is free, has seen double and triple the numbers this summer compared to pre-pandemic. Yonker said the program, which runs through July 29, is feeding 300 to 600 students daily. "I think [families] are just happy that we have the program in general because they don't have to plan," she said. "It saves them from having to plan and purchase food for their kids' meals this summer."<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/7/1657747230395.jpeg" alt="The summer meal program has been serving 300 to 600 children per day. School officials think difficult economic times may cause an increase in families applying for the free and reduced-price lunch program. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post " />
 <figcaption>The summer meal program has been serving 300 to 600 children per day. School officials think difficult economic times may cause an increase in families applying for the free and reduced-price lunch program. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post </figcaption>
 </figure>During COVID, the school lunch program was drive-through only. This year, families could eat at Roosevelt Elementary School or take meals home. A cold breakfast for the next day was offered as a take-home option.<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/3f1ee464-da14-4c4f-9918-7f3a521a5e2f">Meals are served from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Mondays through Fridays at Roosevelt.</a>Younker said she hopes to get the word out about the free and reduced-price lunch applications. They can be filled out online at <a href="https://u345601.ct.sendgrid.net/ls/click?upn=9D2tNLSn5vVNxAjjMhXoKY4gBrQ8hHDrMqcnEb3yCsE-3Dj6Wf_-2FnwFlkKVzcKMOkDYhP8GU912sn8gj1nXE4o6Lbx2tJbczYTiCxqkMYsoygJgMB93Ktc65J0qS-2Bb0rqmcRZVw0upUYoGwgIUzatHqm1cUrAT-2BdkEI-2Bq0Zpkk2kAY0Kw9ylOAVpVP07n7rz-2F1DXpBJTEVZlnJ8EmnqSo2t3UlxCsjMWpmd0LOmgerGvRIjOySisEMw-2Fu-2BcSw3G9gqUrmT9z2MnSbtCjPxJ00AaCWAk3WesrbxCGFrIpc-2B-2BFFQtEysqOa7FrO3CJ0F7D-2BgUVtFQpulmYlYrrEKHURsiUC2uQ30-3D" target="_blank">www.ezmealapp.com</a> in English or Spanish or families can request paper copies from the USD 489 district office. Families can find a list of frequently asked questions and answers on the school lunch program at <a href="https://u345601.ct.sendgrid.net/ls/click?upn=KK1-2FdFmhG1lSbfSgI76426tG341AUjheh6JFq1Y6Ihk-3D_mEH_-2FnwFlkKVzcKMOkDYhP8GU912sn8gj1nXE4o6Lbx2tJbczYTiCxqkMYsoygJgMB93Ktc65J0qS-2Bb0rqmcRZVw0upUYoGwgIUzatHqm1cUrAT-2BdkEI-2Bq0Zpkk2kAY0Kw9ylOAVpVP07n7rz-2F1DXpBJTCErmYmAJYM0a-2BkEbWgKNkUP6WzX3Z7twXXYj7pqtFy2x-2BSBbxOBBwYKhCb9U93fPLvg0sNJkk-2BGmwfZqqp76xRIDnpO-2BqtQ6C0vTcWTVsh4340O2mc9i6IIuQ3c7-2FSyzt9yn3OADd08CJrk0M-2BuWNM-3D" target="_blank">https://5il.co/1dk8c</a>Applications also will be available at in-person enrollment.Families can apply for free and reduced-price lunches at any time during the year. However, Younker encouraged families to apply prior to enrollment, because families who qualify for free and reduced-price lunches also qualify for reduced enrollment fees.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/7/1657661355617.png" alt="2022-23 school lunch income guidelines " />
 <figcaption>2022-23 school lunch income guidelines </figcaption>
 </figure>The school lunch income guidelines are based on gross income. Younker said if families need assistance in calculating what should count as income on their lunch program applications, they can contact the school district office for assistance. The cost of a school lunch will be the same as it was pre-COVID.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/7/1657662582246.png" alt="Hays USD 489 school lunch student prices for 2022-23 " />
 <figcaption>Hays USD 489 school lunch student prices for 2022-23 </figcaption>
 </figure>Food costs have increased significantly, Younker said. However, she said the nutrition program accumulated some funds during COVID that it plans to use to offset the cost of meals for the coming year to ease the economic burden on families."We didn't want to make our families struggle more than they already are," Younker said. "Going from free to $2.70 a meal is going to be a shock for some of our families."The number of students who receive free and reduced-cost lunches also affects the amount of funding the school district receives from the state. School districts receive extra funding based on their student populations' income levels. "There is no harm in filling out the application," Younker said. The applications are confidential, she said.If families have further questions, they can contact Younker at <a href="mailto:jyounker@usd489.com" target="_blank">jyounker@usd489.com</a>

Families urged to apply for reduced lunches as free meals end

A heat advisory is in effect from 1 to 7 p.m. Friday, with a high temperature of up to 109 degrees possible in the Hays area.

The high Thursday is predicted to hit 105 degrees, with triple-digit days expected through next week.

Skies will be clear aside from Saturday evening, when there is a 20 percent chance of showers or thunderstorms.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/7/1657818329073.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>A heat advisory is in effect from 1 to 7 p.m. Friday, with a high temperature of up to 109 degrees possible in the Hays area.The high Thursday is predicted to hit 105 degrees, with triple-digit days expected through next week.Skies will be clear aside from Saturday evening, when there is a 20 percent chance of showers or thunderstorms.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Temperatures will climb into the 100 to 105 degree range today (7/14). Tomorrow (7/15) the afternoon temperatures are expected to range from 104 to near 110. The Record High for Dodge City on Friday 7/15 is 108 set in 2011. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/kswx?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#kswx</a> <a href="https://t.co/hhBIIXRBLo">pic.twitter.com/hhBIIXRBLo</a>&mdash; NWS Dodge City (@NWSDodgeCity) <a href="https://twitter.com/NWSDodgeCity/status/1547567778659348482?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 14, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> </div>

Heat advisory: Triple-digit days projected into next week

The Morning Blend's Summer Music Showdown is underway! Listen in Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 8:30 a.m. on&nbsp;<a href="https://radio.securenetsystems.net/cwa/KAYS">94.3 FM/1400 AM KAYS</a> to hear today's selections

Each Friday through the month of July, one lucky voter will win a Date Night package, including an appetizer, two dinners and a dessert to share from the&nbsp;<a href="https://paisleypear.net/">Paisley Pear Wine Bar, Bistro and Market.</a>

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/6/1687537524742.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Which song is best!?</h2>The Morning Blend's Summer Music Showdown is underway! Listen in Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 8:30 a.m. on&nbsp;<a href="https://radio.securenetsystems.net/cwa/KAYS">94.3 FM/1400 AM KAYS</a> to hear today's selections <h2>Vote for your favorites below</h2><div>  <script src="https://embed-994678.secondstreetapp.com/Scripts/dist/embed.js" data-ss-embed="promotion" data-opguid="f70c2c39-bfb5-45a5-b4f7-bf19d5e91c2e" data-routing="hash">/**/</script></div>Each Friday through the month of July, one lucky voter will win a Date Night package, including an appetizer, two dinners and a dessert to share from the&nbsp;<a href="https://paisleypear.net/">Paisley Pear Wine Bar, Bistro and Market.</a><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/2/1677604672856.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>

KAYS Summer Music Showdown underway

Photo courtesy of Ken's Photography of Hays

<div><div itemscope itemtype="https://schema.org/VideoObject"><meta itemprop="uploadDate" content="Thu Jun 23 2022 15:45:48 GMT-0500 (Central Daylight Time)"/><meta itemprop="name" content="Tanner Rice"/><meta itemprop="duration" content="P0Y0M0DT0H0M15S" /><meta itemprop="thumbnailUrl" content="https://cdn.jwplayer.com/thumbs/oP1Npt9W-720.jpg"/><meta itemprop="contentUrl" content="https://content.jwplatform.com/videos/oP1Npt9W-25NauLGk.m4a"/><div style="position:relative; overflow:hidden; padding-bottom:56.25%"><iframe src="https://cdn.jwplayer.com/players/oP1Npt9W-oVs1oZUT.html" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" scrolling="auto" title="Tanner Rice" style="position:absolute;" allowfullscreen></iframe></div></div></div>Photo courtesy of Ken's Photography of Hays

⚾ MEET THE LARKS: Tanner Rice

By AMANDA RUPP&nbsp;&nbsp; ECHS&nbsp;

The Ellis County Historical Society plans an access ramp for
entry to the 143-year-old limestone church located at 100 W. Seventh in
downtown Hays. 

This project is funded in part by a grant from the Dane G.
Hansen Community Grant Fund of the Heartland Community Foundation.

 As we
passionately work toward restoring and utilizing our main campus building, it
is imperative that our limited gallery space of the historic stone church be
accessible to all in our community. 

The access ramp at this entrance will
ensure that the history we share and display may continue to be viewed,
treasured and relevant to generations young and old. 

Currently on display in
the gallery is the Sternberg Firearm Collection which is open Saturdays and
Sundays 1 to 4 p.m. 

The Historical Society looks to have more general hours of
weekday operations in 2023. 

By utilizing generous grants like those from the
Heartland Foundation, ECHS can reach towards ambitious goals while continuing
to be mindful of a nonprofit budget. 

The society’s staff and board are excited
and grateful for the growing support in the efforts of Save Our Past’s Future.

By AMANDA RUPP&nbsp;&nbsp; ECHS&nbsp; The Ellis County Historical Society plans an access ramp for
entry to the 143-year-old limestone church located at 100 W. Seventh in
downtown Hays. This project is funded in part by a grant from the Dane G.
Hansen Community Grant Fund of the Heartland Community Foundation. As we
passionately work toward restoring and utilizing our main campus building, it
is imperative that our limited gallery space of the historic stone church be
accessible to all in our community. The access ramp at this entrance will
ensure that the history we share and display may continue to be viewed,
treasured and relevant to generations young and old. Currently on display in
the gallery is the Sternberg Firearm Collection which is open Saturdays and
Sundays 1 to 4 p.m. The Historical Society looks to have more general hours of
weekday operations in 2023. By utilizing generous grants like those from the
Heartland Foundation, ECHS can reach towards ambitious goals while continuing
to be mindful of a nonprofit budget. The society’s staff and board are excited
and grateful for the growing support in the efforts of Save Our Past’s Future.

Ellis County Historical Society plans access ramp at church 

TOPEKA&nbsp;–&nbsp;Gov. Laura Kelly&nbsp;has awarded $4.1 million in Community Service&nbsp;Tax&nbsp;Credits to&nbsp;bolster&nbsp;the fundraising efforts of&nbsp;29&nbsp;nonprofit organizations across&nbsp;Kansas&nbsp;that improve&nbsp;local&nbsp;access&nbsp;to quality&nbsp;child&nbsp;care, healthcare,&nbsp;education, arts,&nbsp;and housing.&nbsp;The administration&nbsp;continued its&nbsp;ongoing&nbsp;commitment&nbsp;to&nbsp;addressing the&nbsp;child care&nbsp;shortage&nbsp;by including&nbsp;almost&nbsp;$1&nbsp;million&nbsp;specifically&nbsp;for nonprofits that boost the supply&nbsp;of child&nbsp;care options.&nbsp;

“It’s no surprise that the best solutions to the issues facing Kansas communities often come from local nonprofits rooted in those very communities,”&nbsp;said Kelly.&nbsp;“That’s why we’re doing everything possible to lift up the work of our nonprofits through programs like the Community Service Tax Credits.”&nbsp;

CSP tax credits have been issued in the Sunflower State since 1994. The program provides a 70% tax credit to qualified donors in rural communities (populations less than 15,000) and a 50% tax credit in larger communities. The credits are a direct deduction from the donor’s state tax obligation. For example,&nbsp;a donor making a $1,000 gift in a rural community receives a $700 tax credit when they file their state taxes, making the net cost to the donor only $300.&nbsp;

This year,&nbsp;CSP will assist five different counties with building new or upgrading existing childcare facilities.&nbsp;Communities&nbsp;statewide&nbsp;will&nbsp;be assisted in their efforts to&nbsp;improve&nbsp;healthcare&nbsp;facilities&nbsp;or&nbsp;purchase&nbsp;new diagnostic&nbsp;equipment;&nbsp;create&nbsp;housing options for low-income&nbsp;or homeless&nbsp;Kansans;&nbsp;update&nbsp;libraries;&nbsp;expand access to the arts&nbsp;and cultural attractions;&nbsp;provide&nbsp;new&nbsp;shelters&nbsp;for&nbsp;foster children&nbsp;and&nbsp;victims of domestic and sexual violence;&nbsp;and&nbsp;design&nbsp;innovative public&nbsp;gathering spaces.&nbsp;

“The ingenuity&nbsp;displayed by this year’s awardees&nbsp;working&nbsp;to improve the quality of life&nbsp;in&nbsp;their communities is impressive,” said Lieutenant Governor and Commerce Secretary David Toland.&nbsp;“Supporting these local&nbsp;initiatives allows&nbsp;the state to continue attracting&nbsp;new businesses to invest in Kansas. Strong communities provide a stable workforce, which&nbsp;benefits&nbsp;the entire economy.”&nbsp;

Awarded nonprofits were chosen through a&nbsp;highly&nbsp;competitive, score-based selection process.&nbsp;This year, 29&nbsp;of the&nbsp;55&nbsp;requested projects received CSP funding.&nbsp;

CSP funding is being awarded to the following organizations:&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/6/1655846601604.jpg" alt="(Photo by Pixabay)" />
 <figcaption>(Photo by Pixabay)</figcaption>
 </figure>Office of Governor TOPEKA&nbsp;–&nbsp;Gov. Laura Kelly&nbsp;has awarded $4.1 million in Community Service&nbsp;Tax&nbsp;Credits to&nbsp;bolster&nbsp;the fundraising efforts of&nbsp;29&nbsp;nonprofit organizations across&nbsp;Kansas&nbsp;that improve&nbsp;local&nbsp;access&nbsp;to quality&nbsp;child&nbsp;care, healthcare,&nbsp;education, arts,&nbsp;and housing.&nbsp;The administration&nbsp;continued its&nbsp;ongoing&nbsp;commitment&nbsp;to&nbsp;addressing the&nbsp;child care&nbsp;shortage&nbsp;by including&nbsp;almost&nbsp;$1&nbsp;million&nbsp;specifically&nbsp;for nonprofits that boost the supply&nbsp;of child&nbsp;care options.&nbsp;“It’s no surprise that the best solutions to the issues facing Kansas communities often come from local nonprofits rooted in those very communities,”&nbsp;said Kelly.&nbsp;“That’s why we’re doing everything possible to lift up the work of our nonprofits through programs like the Community Service Tax Credits.”&nbsp;CSP tax credits have been issued in the Sunflower State since 1994. The program provides a 70% tax credit to qualified donors in rural communities (populations less than 15,000) and a 50% tax credit in larger communities. The credits are a direct deduction from the donor’s state tax obligation. For example,&nbsp;a donor making a $1,000 gift in a rural community receives a $700 tax credit when they file their state taxes, making the net cost to the donor only $300.&nbsp;This year,&nbsp;CSP will assist five different counties with building new or upgrading existing childcare facilities.&nbsp;Communities&nbsp;statewide&nbsp;will&nbsp;be assisted in their efforts to&nbsp;improve&nbsp;healthcare&nbsp;facilities&nbsp;or&nbsp;purchase&nbsp;new diagnostic&nbsp;equipment;&nbsp;create&nbsp;housing options for low-income&nbsp;or homeless&nbsp;Kansans;&nbsp;update&nbsp;libraries;&nbsp;expand access to the arts&nbsp;and cultural attractions;&nbsp;provide&nbsp;new&nbsp;shelters&nbsp;for&nbsp;foster children&nbsp;and&nbsp;victims of domestic and sexual violence;&nbsp;and&nbsp;design&nbsp;innovative public&nbsp;gathering spaces.&nbsp;“The ingenuity&nbsp;displayed by this year’s awardees&nbsp;working&nbsp;to improve the quality of life&nbsp;in&nbsp;their communities is impressive,” said Lieutenant Governor and Commerce Secretary David Toland.&nbsp;“Supporting these local&nbsp;initiatives allows&nbsp;the state to continue attracting&nbsp;new businesses to invest in Kansas. Strong communities provide a stable workforce, which&nbsp;benefits&nbsp;the entire economy.”&nbsp;Awarded nonprofits were chosen through a&nbsp;highly&nbsp;competitive, score-based selection process.&nbsp;This year, 29&nbsp;of the&nbsp;55&nbsp;requested projects received CSP funding.&nbsp;CSP funding is being awarded to the following organizations:&nbsp;<ul>
 <li>Allen County:&nbsp;Hope&nbsp;Unlimited&nbsp;Inc.&nbsp;–&nbsp;Construction of a new&nbsp;emergency&nbsp;shelter facility to serve victims of domestic and sexual violence in Allen, Anderson, Neosho and Woodson counties.&nbsp;</li><li>Butler County: Butler Community College Foundation&nbsp;–&nbsp;Construction of a new&nbsp;Culinary Arts &amp; Hospitality Education Center&nbsp;for Butler Community College students.&nbsp;</li>
 </ul><ul>
 <li>Chase County: Camp Wood YMCA –&nbsp;Relocate and expand its health center to better serve a diverse child population with chronic and more severe disabilities.&nbsp;</li><li>Cheyenne County: Cheyenne Center for Creativity, CC4C&nbsp;– Renovation and repurposing of the 202 on Washington Project with a gallery, community event center and community kitchen.&nbsp;</li><li>Crawford County: Colonial Fox Theatre Foundation –&nbsp;Construction of the Colonial Fox Theatre Pavilion joined to the theatre.&nbsp;</li><li>Dickinson County: Discovery Childcare Learning Center –&nbsp;Building an addition to more than double the capacity of the childcare center.&nbsp;</li><li>Doniphan County: Doniphan Darlings, Inc. –&nbsp;Energy efficiency upgrades and capital improvements for the nonprofit childcare facility.&nbsp;</li>
 </ul><ul>
 <li>Douglas County: GoodLife Innovations, Inc. –&nbsp;Construction of a professional family home at GoodLife’s Midnight Farm to support persons with&nbsp;intellectual and developmental disabilities&nbsp;in a rural setting.&nbsp;</li><li>Ellis County: Developmental Services of Northwest Kansas, Inc. –&nbsp;Revitalization of outdated buildings to improve energy efficiency, access and connectivity.&nbsp;</li><li>Finney County: Garden City Community College Endowment Association–&nbsp;Addition to the college’s fine arts building to expand programs and create new gallery space and a community event center.&nbsp;</li><li>Geary County: Friends of Dorothy Bramlage Public Library –&nbsp;Construction of new, 30,000-square-foot facility to enhance the services provided to better serve the community.&nbsp;</li><li>Greenwood County: Greenwood Preservation Society –&nbsp;Renovation of the Red Owl Building Multi-Purpose Community Center to provide a creative, entrepreneurial, retail and meeting space.&nbsp;</li>
 </ul><ul>
 <li>Harper County: Hospital District No. 6 of Harper County–&nbsp;Operation of the Bringing Your Care Home mobile clinic to provide healthcare in the county and surrounding areas.&nbsp;</li><li>Harvey County: Central Kansas Community Foundation –&nbsp;Assistance to the Newton Public Library and Foundation to build a modern library.&nbsp;</li><li>Johnson County: KidsTLC, Inc. –&nbsp;Expansion of the Psychiatric Residential Treatment Facility and re-engineering of the existing campus.&nbsp;</li><li>Kiowa County: True North Inc. –&nbsp;Renovation of the Haviland House to provide housing and assistance for foster youth.&nbsp;</li><li>Leavenworth County: Leavenworth Attainable Housing, Inc. –&nbsp;Rehabilitation of one house and purchase of five additional houses for the homeless or those on the verge of homelessness.&nbsp;</li>
 </ul><ul>
 <li>Lyon County: Mental Health Center of East Central Kansas –&nbsp;Purchase and renovation of two buildings to consolidate services into a campus setting.&nbsp;</li><li>McPherson County: Marquette Learning Center –&nbsp;Purchase of a new HVAC system for the center.&nbsp;</li><li>Nemaha County: Nemaha Valley Health Care Foundation –&nbsp;Renovation and expansion of Nemaha Valley Community Hospital to replace mechanical systems, enlarge the ER and add new patient rooms.&nbsp;</li><li>Neosho County: The Foundation of Neosho Memorial Regional Medical Center, Inc. –&nbsp;Construction of the SEK Impact Center for Wellness that will house a regional conference center, orthopedic center, and occupational, physical and speech therapy center for children.&nbsp;</li><li>Norton County: Norton Regional Health Foundation –&nbsp;Purchase of a Computed Tomography (CT) Scanner to improve care delivery and quality of care for patients.&nbsp;</li>
 </ul><ul>
 <li>Russell County:&nbsp;Russell PRIDE, Inc. –&nbsp;Creation of the Russell Community Maker Space for people to get exposure to and training on highly technical equipment such as a CNC router, CNC plasma cutter and laser engravers.&nbsp;</li><li>Saline County:&nbsp;Greater Salina Community Foundation –&nbsp;Working with the Central Plains Childcare Network, renovation of a classroom in Wilson and new building in Claflin to address the shortage of childcare options.&nbsp;</li><li>Sedgwick County: HumanKind Ministries Inc. –&nbsp;Construction of HumanKind’s Homeless Service &amp; Recovery Center to help reduce the area’s homeless population.&nbsp;</li><li>Sedgwick County: Heartspring, Inc. –&nbsp;Provide a 24/7 childcare facility, Child and Family Learning Center, to support Heartspring employees and community shift workers.&nbsp;</li><li>Sheridan County: Sheridan County Hospital –&nbsp;Renovation and expansion of the Emergency Department to make it code compliant.&nbsp;</li>
 </ul><ul>
 <li>Sumner County: Caldwell Area Hospital and Health Foundation –&nbsp;Expansion of the hospital to accommodate modern technology and services and update existing technology.&nbsp;</li><li>Wabaunsee County: Kansas Rural Communities Foundation –&nbsp;Installation of safe, durable surfacing under new playground equipment at Eskridge Park Playground.&nbsp;</li>
 </ul>

Ellis Co. nonprofit, other NWKS groups receive state tax credits 

<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/2022/7/1657738553314.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

TOPEKA — The Kansas Department of Health and Environment has rescinded a boil water advisory for&nbsp;the&nbsp;city of Smith Center&nbsp;public water supply system.&nbsp;The advisory was issued&nbsp;because of a water line break resulting in a loss of pressure in the distribution system.&nbsp;Failure to&nbsp;maintain adequate pressure could lead to a loss of chlorine residuals and result in bacterial contamination.&nbsp;

Public water suppliers in Kansas take all measures necessary to notify customers quickly after a system failure or shutdown. Regardless of whether it’s the supplier or KDHE that announces a boil water advisory, KDHE will issue the rescind order following testing at a certified laboratory.&nbsp;

Laboratory testing samples collected from the city of Smith Center&nbsp;indicate no evidence of bacteriological contamination and all other conditions that placed the system at risk of contamination are deemed by KDHE officials to be resolved.  &nbsp;

KDHETOPEKA — The Kansas Department of Health and Environment has rescinded a boil water advisory for&nbsp;the&nbsp;city of Smith Center&nbsp;public water supply system.&nbsp;The advisory was issued&nbsp;because of a water line break resulting in a loss of pressure in the distribution system.&nbsp;Failure to&nbsp;maintain adequate pressure could lead to a loss of chlorine residuals and result in bacterial contamination.&nbsp;Public water suppliers in Kansas take all measures necessary to notify customers quickly after a system failure or shutdown. Regardless of whether it’s the supplier or KDHE that announces a boil water advisory, KDHE will issue the rescind order following testing at a certified laboratory.&nbsp;Laboratory testing samples collected from the city of Smith Center&nbsp;indicate no evidence of bacteriological contamination and all other conditions that placed the system at risk of contamination are deemed by KDHE officials to be resolved.  &nbsp;

Boil order rescinded for city of Smith Center

The Kansas Department of Health and Environment on Wednesday reported 47 new COVID-19 cases had been identified in Ellis County from July&nbsp; 2 to 8.

KDHE reports updated case numbers weekly on Wednesdays.

Several northwest Kansas counties, including Ellis County, (see map below) were included among those with high incidence of coronavirus.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.ellisco.net/97/Health">CLICK HERE</a>&nbsp;for information on how to receive a COVID-19 vaccination.

Since reporting began, there have been 7,397 cases of COVID-19 identified in Ellis County, including 79 coronavirus-related deaths as of April 1. KDHE has also discontinued county-by-county death totals.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/7/1657734891507.png" alt="KDHE" />
 <figcaption>KDHE</figcaption>
 </figure>The Kansas Department of Health and Environment on Wednesday reported 47 new COVID-19 cases had been identified in Ellis County from July&nbsp; 2 to 8.KDHE reports updated case numbers weekly on Wednesdays.Several northwest Kansas counties, including Ellis County, (see map below) were included among those with high incidence of coronavirus.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ellisco.net/97/Health">CLICK HERE</a>&nbsp;for information on how to receive a COVID-19 vaccination.Since reporting began, there have been 7,397 cases of COVID-19 identified in Ellis County, including 79 coronavirus-related deaths as of April 1. KDHE has also discontinued county-by-county death totals.&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/7/1657734925012.png" alt="KDHE" />
 <figcaption>KDHE</figcaption>
 </figure>

KDHE: 47 new COVID cases in Ellis Co. in past week

&nbsp; Get your DUCKS now at <a href="https://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.haysduckderby.net%2F%3Ffbclid%3DIwAR1cllA4e_AiOPtYmpFABKVgHUXM3Eav4P5I8lv79h0RSgYwVB7Rj2hfYZU&amp;h=AT1LsAZZ8XwXaVmMccdSwTsDXrZncBF1XOhQ6bniY6qYtuCJomeqGF7LCCx17Zsn1YTS9Y0LZM-wF7jxWAc4KSW80zCMEgj6k5keHb-P4dWamHg9TRSAglkunekphKiFt0vE&amp;__tn__=-UK-R&amp;c[0]=AT0VigmghdJDGtWwyX9DgoCaqEhVN4NBQKy7KaHFsUVMXcj9IDqxfc24UfE38NCprd4U4JkJL3g3_MNUxua8q4rka1rVnTLzmEk6GImF03h-g4p7kI0RkbrFIlfBNACfAsuTwY-b4Cpu1wxxRO5e3cq9miTT8obGY3PV0HImaJkvMzGCPRnEkfbeGx1cVJ_Dz-GM-SNu" target="_blank">www.haysduckderby.net!</a>

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Annual Duck Derby to benefit Ellis County Big Brothers Big Sisters

K-State Research and Extension news service

MANHATTAN, Kan. – Twenty students from across Kansas and beyond came 
together to build their knowledge and leadership skills in the livestock
 industry during the 13th annual K-State Animal Science Leadership 
Academy June 22-25 at Kansas State University.

Hosted by the <a href="https://www.asi.k-state.edu">K-State Department of Animal Sciences and Industry</a>
 and sponsored by the Livestock and Meat Industry Council Inc., academy 
director Sharon Breiner said the academy’s goal is to develop young 
leaders within the livestock industry and prepare them for a successful 
future in the field.

Breiner said students participated in interactive leadership 
development and educational lab sessions led by faculty members from 
across the K-State campus. KASLA included several livestock industry 
tours, with off-campus stops at Hildebrand Farms Dairy (Junction City) 
and the Kansas Department of Agriculture (Manhattan). Students also were
 given tours of university farms and department facilities.

For their final project, the students were divided into groups to 
focus on current issues in the livestock industry, assisted by K-State 
faculty mentors. Using information they learned throughout the academy, 
the groups were asked to present their subject as part of the closing 
reception on the final day.

More information about the academy and future programs is available on the <a href="https://www.ksre.k-state.edu/news/stories/2022/07/asi.ksu.edu/youthlivestock">K-State youth livestock program website</a>. Additional questions can be directed to Breiner at <a href="mailto:sbreiner@ksu.edu">sbreiner@ksu.edu</a>,or 785-532-6533.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/7/1656705441874.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>July 1, 2022K-State Research and Extension news serviceMANHATTAN, Kan. – Twenty students from across Kansas and beyond came 
together to build their knowledge and leadership skills in the livestock
 industry during the 13th annual K-State Animal Science Leadership 
Academy June 22-25 at Kansas State University.Hosted by the <a href="https://www.asi.k-state.edu">K-State Department of Animal Sciences and Industry</a>
 and sponsored by the Livestock and Meat Industry Council Inc., academy 
director Sharon Breiner said the academy’s goal is to develop young 
leaders within the livestock industry and prepare them for a successful 
future in the field.Breiner said students participated in interactive leadership 
development and educational lab sessions led by faculty members from 
across the K-State campus. KASLA included several livestock industry 
tours, with off-campus stops at Hildebrand Farms Dairy (Junction City) 
and the Kansas Department of Agriculture (Manhattan). Students also were
 given tours of university farms and department facilities.For their final project, the students were divided into groups to 
focus on current issues in the livestock industry, assisted by K-State 
faculty mentors. Using information they learned throughout the academy, 
the groups were asked to present their subject as part of the closing 
reception on the final day.This year’s class included:<ul>
 <li>Madison Baker, Union City, Michigan.</li><li>Hailey Butler, Wamego.</li><li>Creed Caldwell, Parker.</li><li>Emma Deghand, Mayetta.</li><li>Nick Doering, Basehor.</li><li>Jenna DeRouchey, Wamego.</li><li>Carly Dreher, Iola.</li><li>Trinadee Fetters, Council Grove.</li><li>Adelle Higbie, Overbrook.</li><li>Bryce Hoeltzel, Olsburg.</li><li>Brianna Hula, Manhattan.</li><li>Kaylen Langhofer, Plains.</li><li>Strid Loudon, Goodland.</li><li>Kaylee Noll, Oskaloosa.</li><li>Paisley Palmer, Satanta.</li><li>Ainsley Pecenka, Spring Hill.</li><li>Lacey Rust, Hartford.</li><li>Grace Schmeidler, Hays.</li><li>Katrina Turner, Derby.</li><li>Kaden Weltmer, Smith Center.</li>
 </ul>More information about the academy and future programs is available on the <a href="https://www.ksre.k-state.edu/news/stories/2022/07/asi.ksu.edu/youthlivestock">K-State youth livestock program website</a>. Additional questions can be directed to Breiner at <a href="mailto:sbreiner@ksu.edu">sbreiner@ksu.edu</a>,or 785-532-6533.

NW Kan. students take part in K-State animal science leadership academy

ELLIS — A new fiscal year has begun for area school districts and the Ellis USD 388 Board of Education used the opportunity to look ahead to a year filled with potential while reflecting on last year.

Opening the meeting, the board selected leadership for the year.

Randy Honas was unanimously voted to serve as president of the board, a role he served in during the last year.

Brian Shannon was unanimously voted to serve as vice-president.&nbsp;

Along with the board leadership, the board unanimously approved Connie Waldschmidt to serve as board clerk, Theresa Thomas as deputy clerk and Linda Pfeifer as board treasurer.

The board next heard a bond update from new Superintendent Janice Wilson.

"There has been moving and shaking like you wouldn't believe," Wilson said.&nbsp;

She said a town hall meeting schedule had been set, and an information booth was planned for the Ellis Jr. Free Fair.

"We have speakers that will be at several other places," Wilson said. 

As the meeting and discussions continue she said a question and answer document was being compiled, noting a website for the bond issue is in the works.

"So if you have questions, you can take questions to the website," Wilson said. "And then we will have a facilitator that will work on answering them."

Additional work to inform the public about the bond issue is also underway, including a Facebook page, signs, shirts and flyers.

As these efforts&nbsp; continue, she said she had heard positive feedback from the community.

"Everybody has done a great job," Wilson said.

"It will start to get really active in&nbsp;probably about two weeks," Honas said. "We'll start seeing stuff come out, as far as sort of literature and some of that stuff. ... The first part of August is ... the first public meeting. So that's kind of a start."

He added the bond committee has been very active and has done a lot so far.

"We titled it Care for Kids," said board member Cindy&nbsp; Hertel. "Jared (Schiel) came up with the logo, so that's been developed, and we'll be utilizing that on our messaging."

As the work to spread information about the bond issues continues by the committee, Honas noted the next few weeks will be critical.

As the board during the meeting considered the future, they also looked back at the results of a survey from last year.

"This year, the participation of the climate survey was 56 responses," Wilson said.

Last year, around 70 surveys were collected. 

"So we've dropped a little bit in the participation," Wilson said.

Looking back at the previous survey, she said the results were similar to last year in many regards.

She said district communications were ranked highly, as well as staff availability and student extracurricular activities.

But as school resumes in August, she said the survey highlighted the need to&nbsp;look at relationships and student social and emotional needs. 

"Those are some of the areas that were not as strong," Wilson said.

Honas shared his concern from the survey showing that 30 percent of respondents disagreed that the district welcomes parent input, and 29 percent disagreed the district takes parents' concerns seriously.

"I don't know where that's coming from," Honas said. "But I mean ... it's been at 80 percent. It was over 20 percent. So, I don't know if that's a communication thing or just the perception."

Schiel noted that with the low survey return rate and some respondents who marked everything about the district negatively, the result might not truly reflect the opinions of most parents.

"We have 56 responses. If you have 12 to 16 people that are going to answer it negatively, it's going to skew results," he said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/7/1657651362117.jpeg" alt="Ellis Board of Education votes to approve Randy Honas as board president for the 2022-2023 academic year. Photo by James Bell/Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>Ellis Board of Education votes to approve Randy Honas as board president for the 2022-2023 academic year. Photo by James Bell/Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure>By JAMES BELL Hays PostELLIS — A new fiscal year has begun for area school districts and the Ellis USD 388 Board of Education used the opportunity to look ahead to a year filled with potential while reflecting on last year.Opening the meeting, the board selected leadership for the year.Randy Honas was unanimously voted to serve as president of the board, a role he served in during the last year.Brian Shannon was unanimously voted to serve as vice-president.&nbsp;Along with the board leadership, the board unanimously approved Connie Waldschmidt to serve as board clerk, Theresa Thomas as deputy clerk and Linda Pfeifer as board treasurer.The board next heard a bond update from new Superintendent Janice Wilson."There has been moving and shaking like you wouldn't believe," Wilson said.&nbsp;She said a town hall meeting schedule had been set, and an information booth was planned for the Ellis Jr. Free Fair."We have speakers that will be at several other places," Wilson said. As the meeting and discussions continue she said a question and answer document was being compiled, noting a website for the bond issue is in the works."So if you have questions, you can take questions to the website," Wilson said. "And then we will have a facilitator that will work on answering them."Additional work to inform the public about the bond issue is also underway, including a Facebook page, signs, shirts and flyers.As these efforts&nbsp; continue, she said she had heard positive feedback from the community."Everybody has done a great job," Wilson said."It will start to get really active in&nbsp;probably about two weeks," Honas said. "We'll start seeing stuff come out, as far as sort of literature and some of that stuff. ... The first part of August is ... the first public meeting. So that's kind of a start."He added the bond committee has been very active and has done a lot so far."We titled it Care for Kids," said board member Cindy&nbsp; Hertel. "Jared (Schiel) came up with the logo, so that's been developed, and we'll be utilizing that on our messaging."As the work to spread information about the bond issues continues by the committee, Honas noted the next few weeks will be critical.As the board during the meeting considered the future, they also looked back at the results of a survey from last year."This year, the participation of the climate survey was 56 responses," Wilson said.Last year, around 70 surveys were collected. "So we've dropped a little bit in the participation," Wilson said.Looking back at the previous survey, she said the results were similar to last year in many regards.She said district communications were ranked highly, as well as staff availability and student extracurricular activities.But as school resumes in August, she said the survey highlighted the need to&nbsp;look at relationships and student social and emotional needs. "Those are some of the areas that were not as strong," Wilson said.Honas shared his concern from the survey showing that 30 percent of respondents disagreed that the district welcomes parent input, and 29 percent disagreed the district takes parents' concerns seriously."I don't know where that's coming from," Honas said. "But I mean ... it's been at 80 percent. It was over 20 percent. So, I don't know if that's a communication thing or just the perception."Schiel noted that with the low survey return rate and some respondents who marked everything about the district negatively, the result might not truly reflect the opinions of most parents."We have 56 responses. If you have 12 to 16 people that are going to answer it negatively, it's going to skew results," he said.

Ellis school board looks to bond issue, while taking a look back

<a href="https://yorknewstimes.com/news/city-hires-new-ballpark-complex-supervisor/article_e0fb7e2e-fd62-11ec-9bbe-dba597eefcf6.html">Courtesy York (Neb.) News-Times</a>

YORK, Neb. — The City of York has hired David Pratt as the new York Ballpark Complex maintenance supervisor.

City
 officials say he “comes to the job with ballpark complex with 
experience from work in the 2018 and 2019 seasons after he graduated 
from York High School in 2017. Since his work at the ballpark complex in
 York, Pratt worked with the Hays Recreation Commission and managed the 
Bickle Schmidt Sports Complex through a major renovation.

Cheree
 Folts, City of York Director of Parks and Recreation, noted, “We are so
 lucky to be able to bring David’s expertise back to the ballpark 
complex to continue our excellent services to athletes and their 
families.”

Pratt replaced Jake Staehr who managed the complex from 2016 to 2022.

“Jake
 helped York develop the ballpark complex into what it is today and set a
 standard of excellence that has served us well,” said Folts.

Pratt
 is excited to continue the success of the complex, saying, “I’ve been 
wanting this job since I left in 2019 and for all the pieces to fall 
into place with perfect timing seems like it was meant to be. I’m back 
home, doing what I went to college for, at a facility that means a lot 
to me and to the community.”

Pratt graduated from Fort Hays State University with a Bachelor’s Degree with an emphasis in Sports and Recreation Management. Pratt also brings sports journalism skills to the position. While in college, Pratt broadcasted for the school’s media department and has worked alongside Kansas Women’s Basketball Color Analysts. He won an award given out by the Kansas Association of Broadcasters for the Best Collegiate Play-by-Play Commentary.

The York Ballpark Complex provides the 
citizens of York and surrounding areas high quality facilities to play 
their ball games. In the four years prior to 2021, the ballpark complex 
hosted 5,211 batting cage rentals, practices and games.

A
 2019 study by Brian Williams, Ph.D., Nebraska Public Power District 
economist, estimated that the ballpark complex attracts more than 35,000
 visitors annually, which provides an economic impact to the city of 
York that tops $4.56 million per year.

The city added camper hook-ups to the facilities this year. The addition has been well received by the visiting teams.

The
 complex is the home facility for York High School softball, York 
College softball and fall baseball, York Knights baseball, York Fusion 
softball, Optimist baseball and T-ball along with multiple weekend 
tournaments.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/7/1657546691381.png" alt="David Pratt / Photo by Naomy Snider, York (Neb.) News-Times" />
 <figcaption>David Pratt / Photo by Naomy Snider, York (Neb.) News-Times</figcaption>
 </figure><a href="https://yorknewstimes.com/news/city-hires-new-ballpark-complex-supervisor/article_e0fb7e2e-fd62-11ec-9bbe-dba597eefcf6.html">Courtesy York (Neb.) News-Times</a>YORK, Neb. — The City of York has hired David Pratt as the new York Ballpark Complex maintenance supervisor.City
 officials say he “comes to the job with ballpark complex with 
experience from work in the 2018 and 2019 seasons after he graduated 
from York High School in 2017. Since his work at the ballpark complex in
 York, Pratt worked with the Hays Recreation Commission and managed the 
Bickle Schmidt Sports Complex through a major renovation.Cheree
 Folts, City of York Director of Parks and Recreation, noted, “We are so
 lucky to be able to bring David’s expertise back to the ballpark 
complex to continue our excellent services to athletes and their 
families.”Pratt replaced Jake Staehr who managed the complex from 2016 to 2022.“Jake
 helped York develop the ballpark complex into what it is today and set a
 standard of excellence that has served us well,” said Folts.Pratt
 is excited to continue the success of the complex, saying, “I’ve been 
wanting this job since I left in 2019 and for all the pieces to fall 
into place with perfect timing seems like it was meant to be. I’m back 
home, doing what I went to college for, at a facility that means a lot 
to me and to the community.”Pratt graduated from Fort Hays State University with a Bachelor’s Degree with an emphasis in Sports and Recreation Management. Pratt also brings sports journalism skills to the position. While in college, Pratt broadcasted for the school’s media department and has worked alongside Kansas Women’s Basketball Color Analysts. He won an award given out by the Kansas Association of Broadcasters for the Best Collegiate Play-by-Play Commentary.The York Ballpark Complex provides the 
citizens of York and surrounding areas high quality facilities to play 
their ball games. In the four years prior to 2021, the ballpark complex 
hosted 5,211 batting cage rentals, practices and games.A
 2019 study by Brian Williams, Ph.D., Nebraska Public Power District 
economist, estimated that the ballpark complex attracts more than 35,000
 visitors annually, which provides an economic impact to the city of 
York that tops $4.56 million per year.The city added camper hook-ups to the facilities this year. The addition has been well received by the visiting teams.The
 complex is the home facility for York High School softball, York 
College softball and fall baseball, York Knights baseball, York Fusion 
softball, Optimist baseball and T-ball along with multiple weekend 
tournaments.Republished with permission

FHSU alum takes reins of Nebraska sports complex

<div><div itemscope itemtype="https://schema.org/VideoObject"><meta itemprop="uploadDate" content="Thu Jun 23 2022 15:45:48 GMT-0500 (Central Daylight Time)"/><meta itemprop="name" content="Andy Lewton"/><meta itemprop="duration" content="P0Y0M0DT0H0M15S" /><meta itemprop="thumbnailUrl" content="https://cdn.jwplayer.com/thumbs/pltwVffv-720.jpg"/><meta itemprop="contentUrl" content="https://content.jwplatform.com/videos/pltwVffv-25NauLGk.m4a"/><div style="position:relative; overflow:hidden; padding-bottom:56.25%"><iframe src="https://cdn.jwplayer.com/players/pltwVffv-oVs1oZUT.html" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" scrolling="auto" title="Andy Lewton" style="position:absolute;" allowfullscreen></iframe></div></div></div>Photo courtesy of Ken's Photography of Hays

⚾ MEET THE LARKS: Andy Lewton

By GLENN BRUNKOW Pottawatomie County farmer and rancher

We have turned the calendar to July, and that means different things to different people. For students and teachers July means summer is at the halfway point, and the first day of school is near. For those of us in agriculture it means haying season and watching fall crops grow. In the Farm Bureau world, July is the start of county Farm Bureau annual meetings.

County Farm Bureau meetings in Kansas are as unique as the counties themselves. They are held anytime from July until October; the only stipulation is that they have to be done in time to get the voting delegates for that county registered for the Kansas Farm Bureau annual meeting in December. The meetings vary in the type of meal served – anything from catered affairs to hotdog and hamburger feeds or even ice cream socials. Some have entertainment, others feature educational speakers while some are bare bones, business-only gatherings. Recently some counties have gone with more family friendly activities with their annual meeting tagged on at the end.

Yes, there is no cookie-cutter county Farm Bureau Annual meeting template. That is the beauty of Kansas Farm Bureau, each county organization is its own unique entity. That is what makes me proud to be a member of Kansas Farm Bureau and the Pottawatomie County Farm Bureau specifically. I have never been involved with an organization that was so grassroots driven and responsive to its members.

Every annual meeting reflects the unique personality of an individual county and the members on the board. I have seen traditions developed over many years in some counties and other counties like to mix it up with something new each year. The COVID-19 years saw a lot of change in our county annual meeting with many being held virtual, thank goodness that isn’t the case anymore. One thing that all county annual meetings share is great fellowship among the members.

That is where I want to make the plea to you. If you are a member and you have not been to one of your annual meetings, please change that this year. You should receive notice of the meeting from your respective county. Some will be a simple postcard while others will be a newsletter touting what your county has done during the year. If you have not received your notice yet or think you might have missed it, just call your local office and they will be happy to give you the details.

I hope you will consider attending, this is a good way to get your toes wet and see what your organization has to offer. I don’t know of a single county that isn’t looking for members who want to be active and this is a good way to find out what it is all about. Who knows you might at least have a great meal or some other experience?

"Insight" is a weekly column published by Kansas Farm Bureau, the state's largest farm organization whose mission is to strengthen agriculture and the lives of Kansans through advocacy, education and service.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/12/1576508626397.png" alt="Glenn Bunkow" />
 <figcaption>Glenn Bunkow</figcaption>
 </figure>By GLENN BRUNKOW Pottawatomie County farmer and rancherWe have turned the calendar to July, and that means different things to different people. For students and teachers July means summer is at the halfway point, and the first day of school is near. For those of us in agriculture it means haying season and watching fall crops grow. In the Farm Bureau world, July is the start of county Farm Bureau annual meetings.County Farm Bureau meetings in Kansas are as unique as the counties themselves. They are held anytime from July until October; the only stipulation is that they have to be done in time to get the voting delegates for that county registered for the Kansas Farm Bureau annual meeting in December. The meetings vary in the type of meal served – anything from catered affairs to hotdog and hamburger feeds or even ice cream socials. Some have entertainment, others feature educational speakers while some are bare bones, business-only gatherings. Recently some counties have gone with more family friendly activities with their annual meeting tagged on at the end.Yes, there is no cookie-cutter county Farm Bureau Annual meeting template. That is the beauty of Kansas Farm Bureau, each county organization is its own unique entity. That is what makes me proud to be a member of Kansas Farm Bureau and the Pottawatomie County Farm Bureau specifically. I have never been involved with an organization that was so grassroots driven and responsive to its members.Every annual meeting reflects the unique personality of an individual county and the members on the board. I have seen traditions developed over many years in some counties and other counties like to mix it up with something new each year. The COVID-19 years saw a lot of change in our county annual meeting with many being held virtual, thank goodness that isn’t the case anymore. One thing that all county annual meetings share is great fellowship among the members.That is where I want to make the plea to you. If you are a member and you have not been to one of your annual meetings, please change that this year. You should receive notice of the meeting from your respective county. Some will be a simple postcard while others will be a newsletter touting what your county has done during the year. If you have not received your notice yet or think you might have missed it, just call your local office and they will be happy to give you the details.I hope you will consider attending, this is a good way to get your toes wet and see what your organization has to offer. I don’t know of a single county that isn’t looking for members who want to be active and this is a good way to find out what it is all about. Who knows you might at least have a great meal or some other experience?"Insight" is a weekly column published by Kansas Farm Bureau, the state's largest farm organization whose mission is to strengthen agriculture and the lives of Kansans through advocacy, education and service.

Kansas Farm Bureau Insight: Summits of summer

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/7/1657650598271.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>

THOMAS COUNTY—One person died in an accident just after 1:30p.m. Tuesday in Thomas County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2019 Volvo semi driven by&nbsp; Raley, Steven Hull Raley, 52, Alabaaster, Alabama, was westbound on Interstate 70. sixteen miles west of Colby.

The vehicle left the roadway to the right, traveled through the KDOT fence and continued for a quarter mile. 

The semi turned and came back through the KDOT fence, crossed both eastbound and westbound lanes of Interstate 70 and came to rest in the south ditch.

&nbsp;EMS transported Raley to Citizen's Medical Center where he was pronounced dead. He was properly restrained, according to the KHP.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/6/1592389654778.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>THOMAS COUNTY—One person died in an accident just after 1:30p.m. Tuesday in Thomas County.The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2019 Volvo semi driven by&nbsp; Raley, Steven Hull Raley, 52, Alabaaster, Alabama, was westbound on Interstate 70. sixteen miles west of Colby.The vehicle left the roadway to the right, traveled through the KDOT fence and continued for a quarter mile. The semi turned and came back through the KDOT fence, crossed both eastbound and westbound lanes of Interstate 70 and came to rest in the south ditch.&nbsp;EMS transported Raley to Citizen's Medical Center where he was pronounced dead. He was properly restrained, according to the KHP.

Man dies after semi crash on I-70 in northwest Kansas

Welcome to bullfrog season in Kansas.&nbsp;Now I’m not much of a team sports player, but frog huntin’&nbsp;when we were kids&nbsp;back in Ohio&nbsp;came terribly close to being a team sport. Half the&nbsp;fun of our frog hunts was just being there with our buddies, and the anticipation of what would go&nbsp;wrong.&nbsp;Whenever we went on any kind of foray after dark, the vehicle ended up broken&nbsp;down, stuck in the snow or mud&nbsp;or in the ditch, so the more passengers in the car to help extract us from our predicament the better. Our transportation needs were simple; four wheels, two seats and something that already smelled as badly as we would when the night was over, which&nbsp;was easily accomplished because that perfectly&nbsp;described&nbsp;the old beaters we&nbsp;alldrove.&nbsp;

Near our home in central Ohio was a farm with two ponds, one on each side of the main highway that passed our homestead. One memorable frog hunt took place at these ponds late on a hot steamy Ohio night. I’ve always questioned the landowner’s sanity for allowing us there unsupervised; I&nbsp;figure&nbsp;he hoped we’d all drown and never bother him again. Anyway, Ralph (my rabbit hunting partner) and his brother Mike, Terry and myself, all piled into Terry’s old beater of a car, intent upon harvesting a “mess” of tasty frog legs from these ponds. Terry’s ride was chosen because it easily met the above transportation criteria, plus the radio worked. We had found the best “froggin” attire to be old jeans, and worn-out sneakers, which we wore all the time&nbsp;anyway. Hip boots or waders sound good, but inevitably you’d end up horizontal in the&nbsp;pond&nbsp;before the night was done, and once waders fill with water, it’s like wearing a&nbsp;fifty-gallon&nbsp;barrel around each leg. (Yes, I know this from&nbsp;experience) There are several legal ways to harvest frogs. We chose “gigs;” small pitchfork shaped spears used on the ends of long bamboo poles. These work quite well on frogs, but in the&nbsp;dark,&nbsp;you soon learned to keep a good distance between you and the guy behind you, as an errant “gig” to the butt made the evening go by really slowly! A bright flashlight was shone at the frog’s eyes, blinding them long enough to be speared with the gig. Armed with frog gigs, flashlights and gunnysacks to hold our catch, and clad in ragged jeans and&nbsp;worn-out&nbsp;sneakers, we must have looked like characters from the movie “Huck Finn meets the Grim Reaper.”&nbsp;

The night was soon filled with the deep throbbing “harum” sounds&nbsp;of bullfrogs. As I remember, we split up to conquer the&nbsp;two ponds faster. We slogged slowly along the banks as quietly as possible, each step threatening to suck us deeper into the oozy muck that smelled like rotten eggs. (I was always suspicious that it wasn’t really the mud that smelled.) We&nbsp;stalked along, knee deep in the water, until the glistening skin or gleaming beady eyes of a frog appeared in the beam of the flashlight. The trick was to slowly lower the spear as close to the frog as possible before striking, and hold the light in his eyes to keep it “dazzled,” all the while using Jedi mind games to persuade the frog to give itself up. While this anchored the frog so we could retrieve it, it usually didn’t kill it, so we soon had bags full of squirming amphibians trying to swim away from&nbsp;the frying pan.

We got lots of frogs that night, and decided to clean them at my place on the way home. We had a big circular driveway with a security light on a tall pole in the middle. An empty hay wagon pulled under the light made the perfect butchering table, and we were soon at it. As gunnysacks were emptied, squirming frogs went everywhere and we boisterously went to work.&nbsp;We removed the legs, then skinned them much like skinning a catfish, leaving the big flipper feet attached. They fry up white, sweet and tender, and NO, they do not taste just like chicken! &nbsp;

Half the fun of a frog hunt,&nbsp;besides the obvious frog leg lunch&nbsp;is watching the legs as they fry. In the hot grease, the thick meaty pieces quiver and tremble as if they were still alive, much to the chagrin of anyone trying frog legs for the first time. I remember one particular frog leg feast attended by one&nbsp;of my buddy’s girlfriends who had never tasted frog legs&nbsp;before, and was very apprehensive about ever doing so, let alone with us. I was frying, and when she was out of the room, I found one especially big set of legs and propped them up on the edge of the&nbsp;skillet with the legs crossed, just as if they had climbed out of the skillet and were resting there. I don’t know who was madder at me,&nbsp;her&nbsp;at the sight of&nbsp;them&nbsp;or my buddy because I had done it!&nbsp;

These days I hardly ever hunt frogs anymore. Maybe because it’s not as much fun as it used to be slogging around in some farm pond after dark. Maybe it’s because no one else will go with me because they all feel the same as I do about slogging around in some farm pond after dark. Whatever the reason, I still get to enjoy an occasional mess of frog legs,&nbsp;and they still taste as sweet and tender as they did 50 years ago…&nbsp;Continue to Explore Kansas outdoors.

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>Welcome to bullfrog season in Kansas.&nbsp;Now I’m not much of a team sports player, but frog huntin’&nbsp;when we were kids&nbsp;back in Ohio&nbsp;came terribly close to being a team sport. Half the&nbsp;fun of our frog hunts was just being there with our buddies, and the anticipation of what would go&nbsp;wrong.&nbsp;Whenever we went on any kind of foray after dark, the vehicle ended up broken&nbsp;down, stuck in the snow or mud&nbsp;or in the ditch, so the more passengers in the car to help extract us from our predicament the better. Our transportation needs were simple; four wheels, two seats and something that already smelled as badly as we would when the night was over, which&nbsp;was easily accomplished because that perfectly&nbsp;described&nbsp;the old beaters we&nbsp;alldrove.&nbsp;Near our home in central Ohio was a farm with two ponds, one on each side of the main highway that passed our homestead. One memorable frog hunt took place at these ponds late on a hot steamy Ohio night. I’ve always questioned the landowner’s sanity for allowing us there unsupervised; I&nbsp;figure&nbsp;he hoped we’d all drown and never bother him again. Anyway, Ralph (my rabbit hunting partner) and his brother Mike, Terry and myself, all piled into Terry’s old beater of a car, intent upon harvesting a “mess” of tasty frog legs from these ponds. Terry’s ride was chosen because it easily met the above transportation criteria, plus the radio worked. We had found the best “froggin” attire to be old jeans, and worn-out sneakers, which we wore all the time&nbsp;anyway. Hip boots or waders sound good, but inevitably you’d end up horizontal in the&nbsp;pond&nbsp;before the night was done, and once waders fill with water, it’s like wearing a&nbsp;fifty-gallon&nbsp;barrel around each leg. (Yes, I know this from&nbsp;experience) There are several legal ways to harvest frogs. We chose “gigs;” small pitchfork shaped spears used on the ends of long bamboo poles. These work quite well on frogs, but in the&nbsp;dark,&nbsp;you soon learned to keep a good distance between you and the guy behind you, as an errant “gig” to the butt made the evening go by really slowly! A bright flashlight was shone at the frog’s eyes, blinding them long enough to be speared with the gig. Armed with frog gigs, flashlights and gunnysacks to hold our catch, and clad in ragged jeans and&nbsp;worn-out&nbsp;sneakers, we must have looked like characters from the movie “Huck Finn meets the Grim Reaper.”&nbsp;The night was soon filled with the deep throbbing “harum” sounds&nbsp;of bullfrogs. As I remember, we split up to conquer the&nbsp;two ponds faster. We slogged slowly along the banks as quietly as possible, each step threatening to suck us deeper into the oozy muck that smelled like rotten eggs. (I was always suspicious that it wasn’t really the mud that smelled.) We&nbsp;stalked along, knee deep in the water, until the glistening skin or gleaming beady eyes of a frog appeared in the beam of the flashlight. The trick was to slowly lower the spear as close to the frog as possible before striking, and hold the light in his eyes to keep it “dazzled,” all the while using Jedi mind games to persuade the frog to give itself up. While this anchored the frog so we could retrieve it, it usually didn’t kill it, so we soon had bags full of squirming amphibians trying to swim away from&nbsp;the frying pan.We got lots of frogs that night, and decided to clean them at my place on the way home. We had a big circular driveway with a security light on a tall pole in the middle. An empty hay wagon pulled under the light made the perfect butchering table, and we were soon at it. As gunnysacks were emptied, squirming frogs went everywhere and we boisterously went to work.&nbsp;We removed the legs, then skinned them much like skinning a catfish, leaving the big flipper feet attached. They fry up white, sweet and tender, and NO, they do not taste just like chicken! &nbsp;Half the fun of a frog hunt,&nbsp;besides the obvious frog leg lunch&nbsp;is watching the legs as they fry. In the hot grease, the thick meaty pieces quiver and tremble as if they were still alive, much to the chagrin of anyone trying frog legs for the first time. I remember one particular frog leg feast attended by one&nbsp;of my buddy’s girlfriends who had never tasted frog legs&nbsp;before, and was very apprehensive about ever doing so, let alone with us. I was frying, and when she was out of the room, I found one especially big set of legs and propped them up on the edge of the&nbsp;skillet with the legs crossed, just as if they had climbed out of the skillet and were resting there. I don’t know who was madder at me,&nbsp;her&nbsp;at the sight of&nbsp;them&nbsp;or my buddy because I had done it!&nbsp;These days I hardly ever hunt frogs anymore. Maybe because it’s not as much fun as it used to be slogging around in some farm pond after dark. Maybe it’s because no one else will go with me because they all feel the same as I do about slogging around in some farm pond after dark. Whatever the reason, I still get to enjoy an occasional mess of frog legs,&nbsp;and they still taste as sweet and tender as they did 50 years ago…&nbsp;Continue to Explore Kansas outdoors.Steve Gilliland, Inman, can be contacted by email at stevenrgilliland@gmail.com.

Exploring Outdoors Kansas: The midnight perils of hunting frogs

TREGO COUNTY —One person was injured in an accident just before 2p.m. Tuesday in Trego County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2009 Ford Focus driven by&nbsp;Jefferson M. Gray, 58, Charlottesville, Virginia, was westbound on Interstate 70 just east of U.S. 283. 

The driver lost control of the car. It struck a guardrail and came to rest in the median facing northeast after rotating 150 degrees.

EMS transported Gray to Trego-Lemke Memorial Hospital.&nbsp; He was properly restrained, according to the KHP.

TREGO COUNTY —One person was injured in an accident just before 2p.m. Tuesday in Trego County.The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2009 Ford Focus driven by&nbsp;Jefferson M. Gray, 58, Charlottesville, Virginia, was westbound on Interstate 70 just east of U.S. 283. The driver lost control of the car. It struck a guardrail and came to rest in the median facing northeast after rotating 150 degrees.EMS transported Gray to Trego-Lemke Memorial Hospital.&nbsp; He was properly restrained, according to the KHP.

Man hospitalized after car strikes I-70 guardrail

Fort Hays State University has launched a new centralized advising program with most students enrolling with professional advisers for fall courses.

Departments across campus have rolled out the system differently, but all on-campus freshmen should be using the new system for classes that start in August.

Some departments have also included upperclassmen. Other departments will take a more phased approach to the rollout.

International cross-border and graduate students will still be advised by faculty. Online students were already being advised through a centralized advising system.

Although enrollment advising will no longer be a faculty responsibility under the new system, all students will be assigned a faculty mentor with whom they can discuss professional goals, Jill Arensdorf, FHSU provost, said.

The change will not affect faculty salaries.

The goal of the change is to increase student retention and success, which has been shown in research to be improved with centralized advising, she said.

"We want to keep our students here," Arensdorf said. "We want to make sure they are getting accurate information through to when they graduate and go on to jobs, second majors or graduate degrees."

All but one of the Kansas Board of Regents schools have some sort of centralized advising, although Arensdorf said it varies between campuses.

Grady Dixon, dean of Werth College of Science, Technology and Mathematics, said most of the students in his college have moved to the centralized advising model.

"We've seen faculty responsibilities creep up over the years," he said. "A lot of those responsibilities are areas that they were never really trained in professionally, and this is one of those. ...

"I think one of the advantages is that now we have people that this is their full-time job. They devote 100 percent of their effort to being good at that one thing. That one thing is really valuable for student success."

The FHSU Geosciences Department adopted a single adviser for all its students long before the university moved to adopt centralized advising as a whole.

The students liked the switch because they always knew with whom to discuss advising, Dixon said. The faculty were able to focus more attention on classes and mentoring graduate students. In the first year of the advising change, the department more than doubled the number of graduates from its master's program, Dixon said.

"The driving force behind this is to serve the students better — be better at helping them get the courses they need and understand their progress," he said. 

Coming to campus for the first time can be very intimidating, and centralized advising can help students with answers to the nuts-and-bolts questions, Dixon said.

"It's so disappointing when someone fails out or drops out over those technical details, not over the high-end complex course concepts, but just administration," he said.

All of the professional advisers are on campus and are FHSU employees. An additional five advising employees were added to the already 20-member advising department to accommodate the centralized advising rollout.

Additional training has been provided to advisers so they will be able to better accommodate on-campus students and the new programs with which they will be working.

Advisers will specialize in certain colleges. With a broad knowledge of a college, students should be able to move between majors within a college with the help of their advisers, Arensdorf said.

Officials hope the new system will increase access to advisers.

"We had faculty who were advising 50 to 100 students on top of teaching, on top of research, on top of other service activities," she said. "That was a lot of extra responsibilities on faculty that we hope the professional advisers can supplement some of that work."

A task force studied the move to centralized advising before the rollout. That task force found faculty did not have time to advise on classes and mentor students on their careers, Arensdorf said.

"By giving that responsibility to two people per student," she said, "the student has the adviser who is always up to date on curriculum and system and they also have that faculty mentor that is really familiar with the discipline and career field and the internship and clinical opportunities there might be available for that major and student."

Arensdorf said she has not received any feedback from students on the new systems.

"The university has been talking about it for a long time," Arensdorf said. "It was finally time to implement it, and it dovetailed beautifully with our strategic plan."

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/11/1637699467538.jpeg" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays PostFort Hays State University has launched a new centralized advising program with most students enrolling with professional advisers for fall courses.Departments across campus have rolled out the system differently, but all on-campus freshmen should be using the new system for classes that start in August.Some departments have also included upperclassmen. Other departments will take a more phased approach to the rollout. International cross-border and graduate students will still be advised by faculty. Online students were already being advised through a centralized advising system. Although enrollment advising will no longer be a faculty responsibility under the new system, all students will be assigned a faculty mentor with whom they can discuss professional goals, Jill Arensdorf, FHSU provost, said.The change will not affect faculty salaries.The goal of the change is to increase student retention and success, which has been shown in research to be improved with centralized advising, she said. "We want to keep our students here," Arensdorf said. "We want to make sure they are getting accurate information through to when they graduate and go on to jobs, second majors or graduate degrees."All but one of the Kansas Board of Regents schools have some sort of centralized advising, although Arensdorf said it varies between campuses.Grady Dixon, dean of Werth College of Science, Technology and Mathematics, said most of the students in his college have moved to the centralized advising model."We've seen faculty responsibilities creep up over the years," he said. "A lot of those responsibilities are areas that they were never really trained in professionally, and this is one of those. ..."I think one of the advantages is that now we have people that this is their full-time job. They devote 100 percent of their effort to being good at that one thing. That one thing is really valuable for student success."The FHSU Geosciences Department adopted a single adviser for all its students long before the university moved to adopt centralized advising as a whole.The students liked the switch because they always knew with whom to discuss advising, Dixon said. The faculty were able to focus more attention on classes and mentoring graduate students. In the first year of the advising change, the department more than doubled the number of graduates from its master's program, Dixon said."The driving force behind this is to serve the students better — be better at helping them get the courses they need and understand their progress," he said. Coming to campus for the first time can be very intimidating, and centralized advising can help students with answers to the nuts-and-bolts questions, Dixon said. "It's so disappointing when someone fails out or drops out over those technical details, not over the high-end complex course concepts, but just administration," he said. All of the professional advisers are on campus and are FHSU employees. An additional five advising employees were added to the already 20-member advising department to accommodate the centralized advising rollout.Additional training has been provided to advisers so they will be able to better accommodate on-campus students and the new programs with which they will be working. Advisers will specialize in certain colleges. With a broad knowledge of a college, students should be able to move between majors within a college with the help of their advisers, Arensdorf said.Officials hope the new system will increase access to advisers."We had faculty who were advising 50 to 100 students on top of teaching, on top of research, on top of other service activities," she said. "That was a lot of extra responsibilities on faculty that we hope the professional advisers can supplement some of that work."A task force studied the move to centralized advising before the rollout. That task force found faculty did not have time to advise on classes and mentor students on their careers, Arensdorf said."By giving that responsibility to two people per student," she said, "the student has the adviser who is always up to date on curriculum and system and they also have that faculty mentor that is really familiar with the discipline and career field and the internship and clinical opportunities there might be available for that major and student." Arensdorf said she has not received any feedback from students on the new systems. "The university has been talking about it for a long time," Arensdorf said. "It was finally time to implement it, and it dovetailed beautifully with our strategic plan."

Fort Hays State moves to centralized advising

Alexandra Coveney of Hays recently completed her Eagle Scout project and board of review with Boy Scouts of America. She has appropriately completed the requirements for and exemplifies the characteristics of an Eagle Scout. As of June 23, she is the first female Eagle Scout in not only the Wheatland District but also in the Coronado Area Council, which includes 32 counties in northwest and north-central Kansas. This area includes along Interstate 70 from the Colorado border to Manhattan and extends north to the Nebraska border.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/7/1657559547623.jpeg" alt="Alexandra Coveney" />
 <figcaption>Alexandra Coveney</figcaption>
 </figure>SubmittedAlexandra Coveney of Hays recently completed her Eagle Scout project and board of review with Boy Scouts of America. She has appropriately completed the requirements for and exemplifies the characteristics of an Eagle Scout. As of June 23, she is the first female Eagle Scout in not only the Wheatland District but also in the Coronado Area Council, which includes 32 counties in northwest and north-central Kansas. This area includes along Interstate 70 from the Colorado border to Manhattan and extends north to the Nebraska border.Coveney was a founding member of Wheatland District’s Troop 101G, established in 2019. Since then, Coveney has worked in many different leadership positions as she completed merit badges, nights of camping and volunteer hours to reach the rank of Eagle Scout.&nbsp;To achieve this rank, Coveney also had to complete an Eagle Scout project.&nbsp;Coveney fundraised for the project through donations from businesses in the community, O’Loughlin PTA, O’Loughlin Ambassadors, and O’Loughlin Family and Friends.&nbsp;“For my Eagle Scout project, I restored an old shed behind O’Loughlin Elementary School to give students a place to store playground equipment,” Coveney said. “I also fundraised for playground equipment for students.”Coveney chose this project because it helped the elementary school she and her younger brothers attended.&nbsp;“O’Loughlin is also where I started scouting as a Girl Scout,” Coveney said.&nbsp;Coveney joined Girl Scouts of Kansas Heartland at age 6 and decided to expand her scouting journey with BSA when the opportunity arose.“I joined Troop 101G because I saw my brothers in Boy Scouts doing all these fun campouts and scouting activities,” Coveney said. “I already had experience in scouting, and I wanted to try something new.”Coveney said she has learned much during her time with Troop 101G, including many practical life skills. She also emphasized the community service experience and fun she had with those in her troop.&nbsp;“You get to be really close with your troop members,” Coveney said, “and it’s awesome to have people that are completely different from you and somehow connect with them. It’s just really fun.”Coveney has just graduated from Hays High School and will be attending the University of Kansas in the fall. She plans to major in biology.&nbsp; Coveney is the first of many future female Eagle Scouts for T101G and was the 93rd Eagle scout for T101 of Hays. BSA Troop 101 is accepting new members and volunteers. For more information, go to <a href="http://www.beascout.scouting.org/">www.beascout.scouting.org</a>.

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