The annual start of the school year celebration for Hays Catholic Schools is planned for Aug. 19 from 5:45 to 9 p.m. The event, which takes place on Thomas More Prep-Marian's campus at 1701 Hall, is chock full of fun events and treats. 

Not only are the students and families of Hays Catholic Schools invited, but also alumni and members of the community.

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 </figure>TMP-MThe annual start of the school year celebration for Hays Catholic Schools is planned for Aug. 19 from 5:45 to 9 p.m. The event, which takes place on Thomas More Prep-Marian's campus at 1701 Hall, is chock full of fun events and treats. Not only are the students and families of Hays Catholic Schools invited, but also alumni and members of the community.

Hays Catholic Schools Back 2 School Bash set for Aug. 19

NORTON COUNTY —A California man died in an accident just before 8p.m. Monday in Norton County.&nbsp;

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 1997 Freightliner semi driven by Ronald D.&nbsp;Steelsmith, 41, Phillipsburg, was westbound on U.S. 36 six miles west of Kansas 383 Highway.

The semi rear-ended a bicycle ridden by 68-year-old Robert C.&nbsp;Schlange of Sierra City, California.&nbsp;

Schlange was pronounced dead at the scene and transported Plumer-Gobber Funeral Home. Steelsmith was not injured.&nbsp;Schlange was wearing a helmet, according to the KHP.

NORTON COUNTY —A California man died in an accident just before 8p.m. Monday in Norton County.&nbsp;The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 1997 Freightliner semi driven by Ronald D.&nbsp;Steelsmith, 41, Phillipsburg, was westbound on U.S. 36 six miles west of Kansas 383 Highway.The semi rear-ended a bicycle ridden by 68-year-old Robert C.&nbsp;Schlange of Sierra City, California.&nbsp;Schlange was pronounced dead at the scene and transported Plumer-Gobber Funeral Home. Steelsmith was not injured.&nbsp;Schlange was wearing a helmet, according to the KHP.

Bicyclist struck and killed on NW Kansas highway 

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

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

Seeking individuals to fill several open positions. Benefits for all three positions include: &nbsp;Competitive pay based on experience,&nbsp;Mon-Friday work week,&nbsp;Uniforms, paid vacation,&nbsp;Paid Holidays,&nbsp;Health/Dental Insurance,&nbsp;Retirement Plan,&nbsp;Overtime,&nbsp;EOE, air-conditioned shop and heated floors.

Apply in person at dealership, 1980 West 55th, Hays,&nbsp;Kansas&nbsp;or contact Bill Rowe at 620-793-0780 or 785-621-4045.

Qualified candidate would be responsible for opening and closing all shop repair orders, submitting warranty, working closely with technicians scheduling shop work.

Responsibilities include: &nbsp;processing parts order via phone/walk-in customers, shipping/receiving,&nbsp;inventory&nbsp;control. &nbsp;Knowledge of heavy duty trucks is encouraged. &nbsp;Basic computer skills are necessary and possess excellent customer service skills.

Heavy Duty Diesel Truck Technician

Qualified candidate would be responsible for diagnosing, repairs and maintenance of heavy duty Class 7 and 8 diesel powered trucks. &nbsp;Must have own tools.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/8/1659735286130.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Seeking individuals to fill several open positions. Benefits for all three positions include: &nbsp;Competitive pay based on experience,&nbsp;Mon-Friday work week,&nbsp;Uniforms, paid vacation,&nbsp;Paid Holidays,&nbsp;Health/Dental Insurance,&nbsp;Retirement Plan,&nbsp;Overtime,&nbsp;EOE, air-conditioned shop and heated floors.Apply in person at dealership, 1980 West 55th, Hays,&nbsp;Kansas&nbsp;or contact Bill Rowe at 620-793-0780 or 785-621-4045.Service AdviserQualified candidate would be responsible for opening and closing all shop repair orders, submitting warranty, working closely with technicians scheduling shop work.Full Time Parts AdviserResponsibilities include: &nbsp;processing parts order via phone/walk-in customers, shipping/receiving,&nbsp;inventory&nbsp;control. &nbsp;Knowledge of heavy duty trucks is encouraged. &nbsp;Basic computer skills are necessary and possess excellent customer service skills.Heavy Duty Diesel Truck TechnicianQualified candidate would be responsible for diagnosing, repairs and maintenance of heavy duty Class 7 and 8 diesel powered trucks. &nbsp;Must have own tools.

NW Kansas man injured after pickup strikes semi, building.

After a cooler start to the work week, the National Weather Service in Dodge City said intense heat will return by the weekend.

A high of 87 was projected Monday — 20 degrees cooler than the high of 107 recorded Sunday.

Highs of 92 Tuesday and 94 Wednesday are predicted before the mercury begins to inch back toward the triple-digit mark as the weekend approaches.

There is a slight chance of showers or isolated thunderstorms early Tuesday morning after 1 a.m.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/8/1659982623257.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>After a cooler start to the work week, the National Weather Service in Dodge City said intense heat will return by the weekend.A high of 87 was projected Monday — 20 degrees cooler than the high of 107 recorded Sunday.Highs of 92 Tuesday and 94 Wednesday are predicted before the mercury begins to inch back toward the triple-digit mark as the weekend approaches.There is a slight chance of showers or isolated thunderstorms early Tuesday morning after 1 a.m.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">After a break from the heat on Monday, afternoon heat will gradually rebuild during the week. Strong high pressure will return to SW Kansas next weekend and early next week, with triple digit afternoon temperatures returning. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/kswx?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#kswx</a> <a href="https://t.co/iuFGzHR7GF">pic.twitter.com/iuFGzHR7GF</a>&mdash; NWS Dodge City (@NWSDodgeCity) <a href="https://twitter.com/NWSDodgeCity/status/1556603867579572224?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 8, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> </div>

Enjoy it while it lasts: Relief from intense heat won't last long

By COLE REIF <a href="https://greatbendpost.com">Great Bend Post</a>

GREAT BEND — Know of somebody currently not living in Barton County but would be
great for a job in the county? Great Bend Economic Development is still
rewarding citizens able to successfully recruit friends and family members
outside of Barton County to fill advertised positions. 
Economic Development Director Sara Hayden said the first recipient of the
recruiting incentive went to Larissa Graham of Great Bend as she was able to
recruit a family member to Great Bend to take a position at Adams Brown. Graham
was given $250 for her efforts. 
"Those amounts will differ based on the income of the job that they 
successfully recruit for," said Hayden. "We've had several people take 
advantage of this program, but this is the first successful one that's 
resulted in a hire." 
Any employer paying more than county-median wage can advertise their jobs on
the Great Bend Economic Development website. There are currently seven
employers participating in the recruiting incentive.&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;

Find out more about the program at <a href="https://www.gbedinc.com/grow-workforce">gbedinc.com</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/8/1659982052198.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>By COLE REIF <a href="https://greatbendpost.com">Great Bend Post</a>GREAT BEND — Know of somebody currently not living in Barton County but would be
great for a job in the county? Great Bend Economic Development is still
rewarding citizens able to successfully recruit friends and family members
outside of Barton County to fill advertised positions. 
Economic Development Director Sara Hayden said the first recipient of the
recruiting incentive went to Larissa Graham of Great Bend as she was able to
recruit a family member to Great Bend to take a position at Adams Brown. Graham
was given $250 for her efforts. 
"Those amounts will differ based on the income of the job that they 
successfully recruit for," said Hayden. "We've had several people take 
advantage of this program, but this is the first successful one that's 
resulted in a hire." 
Any employer paying more than county-median wage can advertise their jobs on
the Great Bend Economic Development website. There are currently seven
employers participating in the recruiting incentive.&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;Find out more about the program at <a href="https://www.gbedinc.com/grow-workforce">gbedinc.com</a>.

Barton Co. offers cash incentives to residents for recuiting workers

In an effort to connect Fort Hays State University students to a community with high demand for new employees, the university will soon host a part-time job fair.

The event is scheduled from 2:30&nbsp; to 4 p.m., Aug. 24, in the Memorial Union on the FHSU campus.

"We want to invite any businesses and organizations who are trying to hire, especially students for part-time positions to participate," said&nbsp;Lisa Karlin, Fort Hays State University career and internships advisor. "There's no cost to attend, but they do have to register."

She said space will be limited and registration is required by Aug. 19. 

"But I would say registering, the earlier, the better," Karlin said.

For those employers that participate, she recommends having applications and organizational materials ready for students to review.

"If they have any kind of nice display, they can bring that, but they don't have to. They can just bring representatives, and we'll have a table for them," Karlin said.

In the current hiring landscape, full of digital applications and Zoom meetings, she said job fairs remain a great way to find and attract local talent.

&nbsp;"It's just a really good opportunity to interact one on one with students," Karlin said. "And it's great for the students too because they have a chance to find out what jobs are available in the community and have that interaction without kind of that scary 'have to go into a business and apply.' "

To register, organizations can use the FHSU student career platform — Handshake.

They can also contact the Career Services office directly at (785) 628-4260 or by email at careers@fhsu.edu.&nbsp;

The Handshake system can be used year-round to connect with students looking for employment.

"It's very easy," Karlin said. "And employers, if they're interested in don't have a Handshake account and contact our office, we can help them get set up.

"Once they've done that, they can actually post jobs themselves, which is nice," she continued. "If an employer does not hire often for permanent positions, maybe just part-time or internships, and they don't really want to have to create an account they can actually just work with our office and we'll post those positions for them."

Along with helping students find potential employers, the office also works to connect businesses with interns.

"We have interns in the community all the time," Karlin said. "In fact, this summer, I think we have about seven in the Hays community. And then we have about 10 outside of Hays through a certain program that we offer throughout the year."

And with numerous other businesses securing internships on their own, it remains a way to recruit future help.

"It's a great way for them to get that hands-on experience and to make connections," Karlin said. "And so if an employer is interested in hosting a student intern, certainly contact career services because we can help them get connected."

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/8/1659382922756.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>By JAMES BELL Hays PostIn an effort to connect Fort Hays State University students to a community with high demand for new employees, the university will soon host a part-time job fair.The event is scheduled from 2:30&nbsp; to 4 p.m., Aug. 24, in the Memorial Union on the FHSU campus."We want to invite any businesses and organizations who are trying to hire, especially students for part-time positions to participate," said&nbsp;Lisa Karlin, Fort Hays State University career and internships advisor. "There's no cost to attend, but they do have to register."She said space will be limited and registration is required by Aug. 19. "But I would say registering, the earlier, the better," Karlin said.<div><iframe title="FHSU job fair connects area business to potential workforce" allowtransparency="true" height="315" 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=tezd2-128fe98-pb&from=pb6admin&share=1&download=1&rtl=0&fonts=Arial&skin=3267a3&font-color=auto&logo_link=podcast_page&btn-skin=3267a3&size=315" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div>For those employers that participate, she recommends having applications and organizational materials ready for students to review."If they have any kind of nice display, they can bring that, but they don't have to. They can just bring representatives, and we'll have a table for them," Karlin said.In the current hiring landscape, full of digital applications and Zoom meetings, she said job fairs remain a great way to find and attract local talent.&nbsp;"It's just a really good opportunity to interact one on one with students," Karlin said. "And it's great for the students too because they have a chance to find out what jobs are available in the community and have that interaction without kind of that scary 'have to go into a business and apply.' "To register, organizations can use the FHSU student career platform — Handshake.They can also contact the Career Services office directly at (785) 628-4260 or by email at careers@fhsu.edu.&nbsp;The Handshake system can be used year-round to connect with students looking for employment."It's very easy," Karlin said. "And employers, if they're interested in don't have a Handshake account and contact our office, we can help them get set up."Once they've done that, they can actually post jobs themselves, which is nice," she continued. "If an employer does not hire often for permanent positions, maybe just part-time or internships, and they don't really want to have to create an account they can actually just work with our office and we'll post those positions for them."Along with helping students find potential employers, the office also works to connect businesses with interns."We have interns in the community all the time," Karlin said. "In fact, this summer, I think we have about seven in the Hays community. And then we have about 10 outside of Hays through a certain program that we offer throughout the year."And with numerous other businesses securing internships on their own, it remains a way to recruit future help."It's a great way for them to get that hands-on experience and to make connections," Karlin said. "And so if an employer is interested in hosting a student intern, certainly contact career services because we can help them get connected."

🎙 FHSU job fair connects area business to potential workforce

The Hays Public Library Foundation will host the second&nbsp;annual Wine &amp; Cheese Fundraiser at 6:30 p.m. Sept. 17 at the Hays Public Library.&nbsp;

The event will begin with a wine and cheese social hour, followed by a fascinating, inspiring and fun presentation from Kansas Sampler Foundation Executive Director Marci Penner. The evening also will include a raffle.

The Hays Public Library Foundation was established in 2001 to&nbsp;serve as a source for funding emergent and unexpected needs and events associated with the library. In the past the Foundation has raised private donations to fund the exterior of the 2004 remodel, and most recently, the Foundation contributed to the purchase of the bookmobile and to the project to remodel the library. More information about the Foundation and ways to contribute is available at&nbsp;<a href="http://hayslibrary.org/foundation">hayslibrary.org/foundation</a>.&nbsp;

&nbsp;Tickets cost $30 and can be purchased at the library or online at&nbsp;<a href="http://hayslibrary.org/event">hayslibrary.org/event</a>. There are a limited number of tickets. Businesses interested in sponsoring the event or providing raffle items are encouraged to contact Callie Kolacny at<a href="mailto:ckolacny@hayslibrary.org">ckolacny@hayslibrary.org</a>.

You can find out more about this and other library programs online at&nbsp;<a href="http://hayslibrary.org/">hayslibrary.org</a>&nbsp;or by calling 785-625-9014.

HPLThe Hays Public Library Foundation will host the second&nbsp;annual Wine &amp; Cheese Fundraiser at 6:30 p.m. Sept. 17 at the Hays Public Library.&nbsp;The event will begin with a wine and cheese social hour, followed by a fascinating, inspiring and fun presentation from Kansas Sampler Foundation Executive Director Marci Penner. The evening also will include a raffle.The Hays Public Library Foundation was established in 2001 to&nbsp;serve as a source for funding emergent and unexpected needs and events associated with the library. In the past the Foundation has raised private donations to fund the exterior of the 2004 remodel, and most recently, the Foundation contributed to the purchase of the bookmobile and to the project to remodel the library. More information about the Foundation and ways to contribute is available at&nbsp;<a href="http://hayslibrary.org/foundation">hayslibrary.org/foundation</a>.&nbsp;&nbsp;Tickets cost $30 and can be purchased at the library or online at&nbsp;<a href="http://hayslibrary.org/event">hayslibrary.org/event</a>. There are a limited number of tickets. Businesses interested in sponsoring the event or providing raffle items are encouraged to contact Callie Kolacny at<a href="mailto:ckolacny@hayslibrary.org">ckolacny@hayslibrary.org</a>.You can find out more about this and other library programs online at&nbsp;<a href="http://hayslibrary.org/">hayslibrary.org</a>&nbsp;or by calling 785-625-9014.— Submitted

Fundraiser to benefit Hays Public Library Foundation

During an add-on day in conjunction with the annual Noyce Summer Summit in June, former Fort Hays State University Noyce Teacher Leaders received training on air quality initiatives thanks to a National Science Foundation grant.

The “Learning Where We Live: A Focus on Air” Workshop, held on the FHSU campus, provided air quality initiative training to math and science teachers from rural districts in Kansas. The training, facilitated by Dr. Paul Adams, FHSU GLOBE Partner Lead and Trainer and Dean of the College of Education, included air quality experts via Zoom. Dr. Kevin Czajkowski, University of Toledo, and Dr. Margaret Pippin, NASA Researcher, focused on the interconnectedness between the air we breathe and events taking place hundreds of miles away. &nbsp;

<a></a>PM2.5 Purple Air Sensors, the first to be provided to schools in the state of Kansas, were provided to six former FHSU math and science majors who currently teach in high-need Kansas middle and high schools. Teachers included Katie Flax, Lakin Werth, Kole Clarke, Nicole Voss, and Karisma Vigerney. The sensors, located in Oakley, Colby, Ransom, Lyons, Pratt, and the FHSU campus, are used to observe particulate matter.&nbsp;

With the launch of the NASA TEMPO satellite on air quality scheduled for December 2022, NASA is engaging professors, teachers, and students from the U.S. to learn more about air quality issues. Sensor data collected by Noyce Teacher Leaders will be used in conjunction with the satellite mission.

During the workshop, Czajkowski and Pippin discussed how data from the Purple Air Sensors could be used to engage students in the classroom. Key to the benefits of the data is understanding how measurements are related to weather events, clouds, wildfires, and other environmental issues.&nbsp;

“Learning about the Earth as a system provides our teachers with the tools to enrich the world of their students as they research what is happening in their backyard,” Adams said.&nbsp;

“Our Noyce teachers are leaders in their schools,” Stramel said. “As math and science teachers, they have formed this special bond. I always think science and math are all around us. We don’t just do it in isolation.”

The Noyce Teacher Leaders will meet again during the fall semester to share ideas about how the sensors and the data collected have been used in their classrooms.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/8/1659712157906.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>FHSU University CommunicationsDuring an add-on day in conjunction with the annual Noyce Summer Summit in June, former Fort Hays State University Noyce Teacher Leaders received training on air quality initiatives thanks to a National Science Foundation grant.The “Learning Where We Live: A Focus on Air” Workshop, held on the FHSU campus, provided air quality initiative training to math and science teachers from rural districts in Kansas. The training, facilitated by Dr. Paul Adams, FHSU GLOBE Partner Lead and Trainer and Dean of the College of Education, included air quality experts via Zoom. Dr. Kevin Czajkowski, University of Toledo, and Dr. Margaret Pippin, NASA Researcher, focused on the interconnectedness between the air we breathe and events taking place hundreds of miles away. &nbsp;<a></a>PM2.5 Purple Air Sensors, the first to be provided to schools in the state of Kansas, were provided to six former FHSU math and science majors who currently teach in high-need Kansas middle and high schools. Teachers included Katie Flax, Lakin Werth, Kole Clarke, Nicole Voss, and Karisma Vigerney. The sensors, located in Oakley, Colby, Ransom, Lyons, Pratt, and the FHSU campus, are used to observe particulate matter.&nbsp;With the launch of the NASA TEMPO satellite on air quality scheduled for December 2022, NASA is engaging professors, teachers, and students from the U.S. to learn more about air quality issues. Sensor data collected by Noyce Teacher Leaders will be used in conjunction with the satellite mission.During the workshop, Czajkowski and Pippin discussed how data from the Purple Air Sensors could be used to engage students in the classroom. Key to the benefits of the data is understanding how measurements are related to weather events, clouds, wildfires, and other environmental issues.&nbsp;“Learning about the Earth as a system provides our teachers with the tools to enrich the world of their students as they research what is happening in their backyard,” Adams said.&nbsp;“Our Noyce teachers are leaders in their schools,” Stramel said. “As math and science teachers, they have formed this special bond. I always think science and math are all around us. We don’t just do it in isolation.”The Noyce Teacher Leaders will meet again during the fall semester to share ideas about how the sensors and the data collected have been used in their classrooms.

Noyce Teacher Leaders collect air quality data

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 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/8/1659766245002.jpeg" alt="080822.jpg" />
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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>

I am sharing some wise words from a fellow 4-H agent today and it is a great follow up to the county fair and in preparation for the Kansas State Fair.

Growing up I was quick to hide any ribbons that were not purples! Yes, we all have those purple ribbons, buckles or duffle bags in our goals to win…but what about the “other” ribbons. 

She shared a photo with all ribbons represented because, as she notes, they all matter! 

4-H is about youth development and helping build the next generation. We hope that those who started as Cloverbuds will be in the stands as market buyers someday.

In life, not everyone wins every time and that’s OK, but it’s important to learn so you can grow. 4-H teaches youth valuable lessons that will be essential in this world such as commitment, responsibility, dedication, punctuality, organization, and those are just listing a few! There is no surprise that 4-H youth excel when it comes to job searches as these traits are exactly what businesses are looking for. 

Sarah’s favorite question to ask youth is “what did you fail at?” This can sometimes be a hard question because we are taught failing is bad…but if we never fail how would we learn and grow as human beings? FAILING IS NOT BAD!! Just because you got a red ribbon, it is not bad; instead ask yourself how can we learn from this? Maybe it is seeking out an upperclassman, volunteer, breeder or agent and asking questions. Maybe it's learning more about animal husbandry and being more aggressive with wormer or learning how to read your feed labels to understand protein better. 

There is always knowledge and personal growth to gain. We just need the right mind set to be open to it. So this year, show all your ribbons proudly because you accomplished that! It takes a lot to prepare your projects and present them to the judge! Recognize what did you do well at? What did you fail at? And what are you going to work on? 

Imagine a world of adults who were taught as children their short comings opened the door for opportunity. 

Many thanks to Cowley County 4-H agent, Sarah LaGrone, for sharing her perspective!

Keep learning. Keep showing grace and kindness.

Michelle Beran is the 4-H and youth development agent in the Cottonwood Extension District – Barton County office. For more information on this article or other 4-H and Youth Development related questions, email Michelle at mberan@ksu.edu or call 620-793-1910.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/1/1579114162620.jpeg" alt="Michelle Beran is the 4-H and youth development agent in the Cottonwood Extension District . " />
 <figcaption>Michelle Beran is the 4-H and youth development agent in the Cottonwood Extension District . </figcaption>
 </figure>I am sharing some wise words from a fellow 4-H agent today and it is a great follow up to the county fair and in preparation for the Kansas State Fair.Sarah states: Growing up I was quick to hide any ribbons that were not purples! Yes, we all have those purple ribbons, buckles or duffle bags in our goals to win…but what about the “other” ribbons. She shared a photo with all ribbons represented because, as she notes, they all matter! 4-H is about youth development and helping build the next generation. We hope that those who started as Cloverbuds will be in the stands as market buyers someday.In life, not everyone wins every time and that’s OK, but it’s important to learn so you can grow. 4-H teaches youth valuable lessons that will be essential in this world such as commitment, responsibility, dedication, punctuality, organization, and those are just listing a few! There is no surprise that 4-H youth excel when it comes to job searches as these traits are exactly what businesses are looking for. Sarah’s favorite question to ask youth is “what did you fail at?” This can sometimes be a hard question because we are taught failing is bad…but if we never fail how would we learn and grow as human beings? FAILING IS NOT BAD!! Just because you got a red ribbon, it is not bad; instead ask yourself how can we learn from this? Maybe it is seeking out an upperclassman, volunteer, breeder or agent and asking questions. Maybe it's learning more about animal husbandry and being more aggressive with wormer or learning how to read your feed labels to understand protein better. There is always knowledge and personal growth to gain. We just need the right mind set to be open to it. So this year, show all your ribbons proudly because you accomplished that! It takes a lot to prepare your projects and present them to the judge! Recognize what did you do well at? What did you fail at? And what are you going to work on? Imagine a world of adults who were taught as children their short comings opened the door for opportunity. Many thanks to Cowley County 4-H agent, Sarah LaGrone, for sharing her perspective!Keep learning. Keep showing grace and kindness.Michelle Beran is the 4-H and youth development agent in the Cottonwood Extension District – Barton County office. For more information on this article or other 4-H and Youth Development related questions, email Michelle at mberan@ksu.edu or call 620-793-1910.

Beran: All ribbons count

<a href="https://dsnwk.e3applicants.com/careers">Click HERE to apply.</a>

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/8/1659367796358.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/8/1659367779215.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure><a href="https://dsnwk.e3applicants.com/careers">Click HERE to apply.</a>

Hays school board votes to prohibit satanism in dress code

GREAT BEND -&nbsp; The Kansas Wetlands Education Center (KWEC),&nbsp;located northeast of Great Bend on K-156 Highway, is gearing up for its annual “Out of this World” Perseid Meteor Shower Watch Party.

The public is invited to join the KWEC staff for this free, family-friendly activity. Each year, as the Earth passes through the dust and debris of the Swift-Tuttle comet, the Kansas Wetlands Education Center celebrates the end of summer with our guests by watching the meteors or shooting stars as they burn in our atmosphere.

This event coincides with the anticipated peak in meteor shower activity for the month on Aug. 12, from 8:30-10:30 p.m. Stargazers may be able to spot from 60-100 meteors per hour during this time. While we anticipate some potential light pollution from the last Supermoon (a full moon that occurs when the moon is closest to the Earth) of the calendar year that will peak the night before, the show will go on regardless of the conditions.

Guests at the meteor show watch party can also take advantage of an opportunity to learn about the science behind the remarkable images recently delivered by the James Webb Space Telescope.

The Webb telescope is the successor of the Hubbell Space Telescope. It uses giant mirrors to create infrared images. Those in attendance can learn how this infrared energy works through a hands-on experiment. Event participants will also be able to walk through a massive star's life cycle while creating a take-home reminder of the process.

Other hands-on activities include creating a spiral galaxy with a spin and paint machine, building&nbsp;a solar-powered moon base welcome sign, enjoying a view of the night sky, and listening to stories about the constellations in an inflatable planetarium. 

Guests are encouraged to bring lawn chairs and blankets and munch on s’mores as they scan the night skies.

More information about the KWEC can be found at&nbsp;<a href="http://link.mediaoutreach.meltwater.com/ls/click?upn=AzU7JuM9gNoo13mIpsUPJFc7vEqe7DS7B3ss6a93outtocafAwUBsUvyMro9tPazV9Bs_r-2BDMsuWuYVmb7-2F1Mu1QL1I-2FJ8-2BHR91nNNNGTTc38Ah0CWayiZL-2BkhdmA3sx0XGnG-2FN1jk6rVQRO9vN7U5rFC-2BcXi909IOPAdkr3SvXFdyn3Ag1h6-2F-2B6atf0vMUKxRgZ-2BTai2JW0-2BEfkelhn7KNzSe5g-2Fe6vVLNPiWqb5Pqkk-2BWlELOOJbE6ATwNZ7-2BOBAIA5tg7-2BBrNLmOy-2Fu5V6OqLSX55-2FMJKzRNyj-2FqyA9Yvi0qhe6ZdO8O3umMvYM7wICBceZfr-2F3QObqkh0bPrfThdpdg9mN7GIEpo-2FvcAKpIBhG-2FmOCXpxcp04jiVINuYg0l1b6IPcQ22ghyCl8E3vGmIUXT3b3J3EaQMeb4xK68kRUGeOszKOpdTMyPtCTrsU2uL2" target="_blank">www.wetlandscenter.fhsu.edu</a>&nbsp;or by calling 1-877-243-9268.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/8/1659645570574.jpeg" alt="Perseid meteor shower File photo courtesy NASA/Bill Ingalls)" />
 <figcaption>Perseid meteor shower File photo courtesy NASA/Bill Ingalls)</figcaption>
 </figure>FHSU University CommunicationsGREAT BEND -&nbsp; The Kansas Wetlands Education Center (KWEC),&nbsp;located northeast of Great Bend on K-156 Highway, is gearing up for its annual “Out of this World” Perseid Meteor Shower Watch Party.The public is invited to join the KWEC staff for this free, family-friendly activity. Each year, as the Earth passes through the dust and debris of the Swift-Tuttle comet, the Kansas Wetlands Education Center celebrates the end of summer with our guests by watching the meteors or shooting stars as they burn in our atmosphere.This event coincides with the anticipated peak in meteor shower activity for the month on Aug. 12, from 8:30-10:30 p.m. Stargazers may be able to spot from 60-100 meteors per hour during this time. While we anticipate some potential light pollution from the last Supermoon (a full moon that occurs when the moon is closest to the Earth) of the calendar year that will peak the night before, the show will go on regardless of the conditions.Guests at the meteor show watch party can also take advantage of an opportunity to learn about the science behind the remarkable images recently delivered by the James Webb Space Telescope.The Webb telescope is the successor of the Hubbell Space Telescope. It uses giant mirrors to create infrared images. Those in attendance can learn how this infrared energy works through a hands-on experiment. Event participants will also be able to walk through a massive star's life cycle while creating a take-home reminder of the process.Other hands-on activities include creating a spiral galaxy with a spin and paint machine, building&nbsp;a solar-powered moon base welcome sign, enjoying a view of the night sky, and listening to stories about the constellations in an inflatable planetarium. Guests are encouraged to bring lawn chairs and blankets and munch on s’mores as they scan the night skies.More information about the KWEC can be found at&nbsp;<a href="http://link.mediaoutreach.meltwater.com/ls/click?upn=AzU7JuM9gNoo13mIpsUPJFc7vEqe7DS7B3ss6a93outtocafAwUBsUvyMro9tPazV9Bs_r-2BDMsuWuYVmb7-2F1Mu1QL1I-2FJ8-2BHR91nNNNGTTc38Ah0CWayiZL-2BkhdmA3sx0XGnG-2FN1jk6rVQRO9vN7U5rFC-2BcXi909IOPAdkr3SvXFdyn3Ag1h6-2F-2B6atf0vMUKxRgZ-2BTai2JW0-2BEfkelhn7KNzSe5g-2Fe6vVLNPiWqb5Pqkk-2BWlELOOJbE6ATwNZ7-2BOBAIA5tg7-2BBrNLmOy-2Fu5V6OqLSX55-2FMJKzRNyj-2FqyA9Yvi0qhe6ZdO8O3umMvYM7wICBceZfr-2F3QObqkh0bPrfThdpdg9mN7GIEpo-2FvcAKpIBhG-2FmOCXpxcp04jiVINuYg0l1b6IPcQ22ghyCl8E3vGmIUXT3b3J3EaQMeb4xK68kRUGeOszKOpdTMyPtCTrsU2uL2" target="_blank">www.wetlandscenter.fhsu.edu</a>&nbsp;or by calling 1-877-243-9268.

Wetlands Education Center schedules meteor shower watch party

🎥 Green & Growing: Sexing plants

A friend and I were at a restaurant earlier this week having an end-of-summer-vacation celebration, when my friend mentioned to the waitress that she teaches high school in Wichita. “How great,” said the waitress. “Thank you for being a teacher.” 

This small appreciation meant a lot to my friend who’s facing another hard school year, partly because this fall teachers and substitute teachers will be in short supply.

In July, the Kansas State Department of Education reported around 4 percent or about 1,400 teaching positions were unfilled, and the vacancies are expected to grow as fall start dates come closer. 

Teacher and staff shortages are a long-building, national problem. In a July study, EdWeek Research Center found almost 75 percent of the 535 principals and district leaders surveyed said the number of applicants this year for teacher, para-professional, bus driver, food service worker and custodian is not adequate. 

Teachers’ salaries have not kept pace with other careers that require university preparation. However, the current competitive job market offers teachers opportunities for better pay that helps them deal with record inflation and threats of recession. 

Educators say recent shortages are compounded by demands on personnel brought about by COVID induced school disruptions which also created student learning loss and problems with student social interactions.

In a July Kahn Academy national study nearly 70 percent of 639 teachers surveyed chose “student behavioral issues” as a barrier to addressing unfinished learning and 57 percent chose “student mental health.” 

Educator burn-out is aggravated by worries about school safety amid rising numbers of school shootings. There is also increased stress about what teachers feel important to teach and what they feel safe to teach amid increasing pressure from politicians and parents motivated by social media.

Despite shortages and reasons thereof, school will go on.

Short term vacancy solutions include pushing upper-grade classrooms to as many as 38 students in larger schools, dropping elective courses to ensure classes required for graduation, asking current employees to take on additional duties and hiring long-term substitute-teachers when they can be found. 

State Board of Education members have authorized retired teachers who previously had a Kansas teaching license that has been expired for six months to receive a license for the 2022-2023 school year. The board also relaxed requirements for substitutes.

KSDE will be holding discussions this fall to go beyond stop-gap measures and address the current education environment. 

The challenge will be to attract a diverse population of dedicated teachers without lowering the criteria for rigorous teacher preparation and licensure.  Ideas from my interviews include:   

	•	Tuition support for education majors who commit to five-year teaching contracts in Kansas public schools.

	•	Tuition support for teachers who are teaching outside their licensure area to become licensed in their current teaching area.

	•	Repurposing funds for unfilled para-professional positions to create paid internships for education majors in their final semester of student teaching. 

	•	Redirecting COVID relief funding and other federal and state resources to cover expanding teacher preparation costs.

	•	Reviewing current licensure requirements to eliminate waiting periods, fees and other non-skills or knowledge-based requirements.

KSDE will consider a range of options to build back the full complement of highly qualified Kansas teachers.

In the meantime, if you encounter a teacher who is returning to students this fall, just say thanks. 

Dr. Sharon Hartin Iorio is dean emerita Wichita State University College of Education.

A friend and I were at a restaurant earlier this week having an end-of-summer-vacation celebration, when my friend mentioned to the waitress that she teaches high school in Wichita. “How great,” said the waitress. “Thank you for being a teacher.” This small appreciation meant a lot to my friend who’s facing another hard school year, partly because this fall teachers and substitute teachers will be in short supply.In July, the Kansas State Department of Education reported around 4 percent or about 1,400 teaching positions were unfilled, and the vacancies are expected to grow as fall start dates come closer. <figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/7/1593719779701.jpeg" alt="Sharon Hartin Iorio is Dean Emerita Wichita State University College of Education." />
 <figcaption>Sharon Hartin Iorio is Dean Emerita Wichita State University College of Education.</figcaption>
 </figure>Teacher and staff shortages are a long-building, national problem. In a July study, EdWeek Research Center found almost 75 percent of the 535 principals and district leaders surveyed said the number of applicants this year for teacher, para-professional, bus driver, food service worker and custodian is not adequate. Such shortages should not be surprising.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/12/1575913663048.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Teachers’ salaries have not kept pace with other careers that require university preparation. However, the current competitive job market offers teachers opportunities for better pay that helps them deal with record inflation and threats of recession. Educators say recent shortages are compounded by demands on personnel brought about by COVID induced school disruptions which also created student learning loss and problems with student social interactions.In a July Kahn Academy national study nearly 70 percent of 639 teachers surveyed chose “student behavioral issues” as a barrier to addressing unfinished learning and 57 percent chose “student mental health.” Educator burn-out is aggravated by worries about school safety amid rising numbers of school shootings. There is also increased stress about what teachers feel important to teach and what they feel safe to teach amid increasing pressure from politicians and parents motivated by social media.Despite shortages and reasons thereof, school will go on.Short term vacancy solutions include pushing upper-grade classrooms to as many as 38 students in larger schools, dropping elective courses to ensure classes required for graduation, asking current employees to take on additional duties and hiring long-term substitute-teachers when they can be found. State Board of Education members have authorized retired teachers who previously had a Kansas teaching license that has been expired for six months to receive a license for the 2022-2023 school year. The board also relaxed requirements for substitutes.KSDE will be holding discussions this fall to go beyond stop-gap measures and address the current education environment. The challenge will be to attract a diverse population of dedicated teachers without lowering the criteria for rigorous teacher preparation and licensure. Ideas from my interviews include: 	•	Tuition support for education majors who commit to five-year teaching contracts in Kansas public schools.	•	Tuition support for teachers who are teaching outside their licensure area to become licensed in their current teaching area.	•	Repurposing funds for unfilled para-professional positions to create paid internships for education majors in their final semester of student teaching. 	•	Redirecting COVID relief funding and other federal and state resources to cover expanding teacher preparation costs.	•	Reviewing current licensure requirements to eliminate waiting periods, fees and other non-skills or knowledge-based requirements.KSDE will consider a range of options to build back the full complement of highly qualified Kansas teachers.In the meantime, if you encounter a teacher who is returning to students this fall, just say thanks. Dr. Sharon Hartin Iorio is dean emerita Wichita State University College of Education.

INSIGHT KANSAS: Kansas school districts feel staffing crisis

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/8/1659765414720.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>

I’ve mentioned we encourage birds to share our yard. Several American Robin pairs have accepted our invitation and raised multiple broods this summer. I met&nbsp;Grumpy Pot,&nbsp;one of the newest fledglings,&nbsp;the other morning between a pumpkin and tomato vine. While the disoriented little guy pretended to be invisible, I raced&nbsp;to&nbsp;the house for my camera.&nbsp;

Once outside, I&nbsp;knelt to his level and zeroed in for a picture.&nbsp;It&nbsp;clearly was not happy to get launched from&nbsp;a&nbsp;nest where parents delivered regular hot meals and then have some lady, even if she planted the garden&nbsp;that sort of hid&nbsp;it, point a lens in his face and say, “Smile!” In fact, if I had to compare his demeanor to someone most of us have heard of, I’d say he looked a lot like a stern Winston Churchill telling the free world,&nbsp;“Never, Never, Give Up!”

Once we’d met, I needed to&nbsp;learn&nbsp;more about this&nbsp;new&nbsp;neighbor. I abandoned&nbsp;The Attitude&nbsp;to hunt bugs in my garden as its parents flitted from clothesline to tree branch, singing encouragement. I headed&nbsp;inside&nbsp;to google&nbsp;robins. At the click of a button, I promptly discovered I could&nbsp;appropriately&nbsp;call the little&nbsp;saucy&nbsp;one a turd as&nbsp;its&nbsp;bird family is Turdidae and its genus is Turdus.&nbsp;

This little&nbsp;song bird&nbsp;is one of — if not — the most common birds in North America. According to Partners in Flight Database, 370,000,000 robins call this continent home. More robins claim&nbsp;its&nbsp;real estate and air space than do&nbsp;huge numbers of&nbsp;redwing blackbirds, finches, or mourning doves. Proportionally, our backyard census confirms these statistics.&nbsp;Robins&nbsp;may be common, butthey&nbsp;are engaging&nbsp;as all get out&nbsp;to watch as they build nests, search for food, and come to water for drinks and&nbsp;splashathons.

Watching robins construct nests exhausts me even though they do the work! They&nbsp;busily&nbsp;gather twigs, coarse grasses, feathers, and bits of paper&nbsp;for&nbsp;their nurseries. We&nbsp;devoted a morning to watching&nbsp;a pair&nbsp;assemble&nbsp;a nest in&nbsp;less than&nbsp;half a day in&nbsp;the&nbsp;branches&nbsp;hanging&nbsp;over our patio,&nbsp;only&nbsp;feet above our heads. Obviously,&nbsp;this species&nbsp;doesn’t mind living close to humans. &nbsp;We’ve watched&nbsp;robins, upon completing nests,&nbsp;visit&nbsp;our&nbsp;just-watered garden to&nbsp;gather&nbsp;mud to daub into the nest bowls. In short time, mom lays 3 to 5 blue eggs&nbsp;and so begins the next generation. &nbsp;

She incubates&nbsp;the eggs&nbsp;for two weeks&nbsp;and then nurtures her hatchlings with&nbsp;masticated&nbsp;worms, insects, and berries she and her mate forage&nbsp;til offspring fledge&nbsp;after&nbsp;another two weeks.&nbsp;Upon&nbsp;leaving&nbsp;their nest, it takes&nbsp;additional&nbsp;two weeks before youngsters fly&nbsp;reliably. That’s where the&nbsp;Grumpy&nbsp;Pot in my garden comes in.&nbsp;That little one is&nbsp;strengthening its wings and learning to find its own food.

This particular&nbsp;fledgling&nbsp;is lucky. We’ve watched its parents&nbsp;hunt food&nbsp;like pros all summer. They wander the yard and garden, cocking heads to listen for insects and worms&nbsp;or perhaps&nbsp;they feel vibrations. Anyway, in no time, that beak stabs&nbsp;repeatedly at&nbsp;the ground&nbsp;until,&nbsp;Eureka, up comes fresh meat. We make finding water easy with our&nbsp;always full&nbsp;bird baths. I’m sure mom and dad will provide bathing instructions that&nbsp;detail&nbsp;how to splash&nbsp;enough to make humans laugh.

Based on my observations, raising babies is&nbsp;endless&nbsp;labor for adult robins. The bad news is that some statistics say only a quarter of&nbsp;these offspring&nbsp;hatched live to maturity. That explains&nbsp;naked bird bodies I find&nbsp;littering the yard. For those that reach adulthood, most live an average of two years. &nbsp;I hope Grumpy Pot beats these&nbsp;statistics and returns to raise its own young next summer.&nbsp;I know we’ll&nbsp;enjoy&nbsp;seeing it&nbsp;and hearing&nbsp;its song as it raises its own young.

Karen is a retired teacher, writer, photographer, outdoors lover, and sixth-generation Kansan. After a time away, she’s glad to be home.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/8/1659711777234.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>By KAREN MADORINI’ve mentioned we encourage birds to share our yard. Several American Robin pairs have accepted our invitation and raised multiple broods this summer. I met&nbsp;Grumpy Pot,&nbsp;one of the newest fledglings,&nbsp;the other morning between a pumpkin and tomato vine. While the disoriented little guy pretended to be invisible, I raced&nbsp;to&nbsp;the house for my camera.&nbsp;Once outside, I&nbsp;knelt to his level and zeroed in for a picture.&nbsp;It&nbsp;clearly was not happy to get launched from&nbsp;a&nbsp;nest where parents delivered regular hot meals and then have some lady, even if she planted the garden&nbsp;that sort of hid&nbsp;it, point a lens in his face and say, “Smile!” In fact, if I had to compare his demeanor to someone most of us have heard of, I’d say he looked a lot like a stern Winston Churchill telling the free world,&nbsp;“Never, Never, Give Up!”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/7/1658158605319.jpeg" alt="Karen Madorin" />
 <figcaption>Karen Madorin</figcaption>
 </figure>Once we’d met, I needed to&nbsp;learn&nbsp;more about this&nbsp;new&nbsp;neighbor. I abandoned&nbsp;The Attitude&nbsp;to hunt bugs in my garden as its parents flitted from clothesline to tree branch, singing encouragement. I headed&nbsp;inside&nbsp;to google&nbsp;robins. At the click of a button, I promptly discovered I could&nbsp;appropriately&nbsp;call the little&nbsp;saucy&nbsp;one a turd as&nbsp;its&nbsp;bird family is Turdidae and its genus is Turdus.&nbsp;This little&nbsp;song bird&nbsp;is one of — if not — the most common birds in North America. According to Partners in Flight Database, 370,000,000 robins call this continent home. More robins claim&nbsp;its&nbsp;real estate and air space than do&nbsp;huge numbers of&nbsp;redwing blackbirds, finches, or mourning doves. Proportionally, our backyard census confirms these statistics.&nbsp;Robins&nbsp;may be common, butthey&nbsp;are engaging&nbsp;as all get out&nbsp;to watch as they build nests, search for food, and come to water for drinks and&nbsp;splashathons.Watching robins construct nests exhausts me even though they do the work! They&nbsp;busily&nbsp;gather twigs, coarse grasses, feathers, and bits of paper&nbsp;for&nbsp;their nurseries. We&nbsp;devoted a morning to watching&nbsp;a pair&nbsp;assemble&nbsp;a nest in&nbsp;less than&nbsp;half a day in&nbsp;the&nbsp;branches&nbsp;hanging&nbsp;over our patio,&nbsp;only&nbsp;feet above our heads. Obviously,&nbsp;this species&nbsp;doesn’t mind living close to humans. &nbsp;We’ve watched&nbsp;robins, upon completing nests,&nbsp;visit&nbsp;our&nbsp;just-watered garden to&nbsp;gather&nbsp;mud to daub into the nest bowls. In short time, mom lays 3 to 5 blue eggs&nbsp;and so begins the next generation. &nbsp;She incubates&nbsp;the eggs&nbsp;for two weeks&nbsp;and then nurtures her hatchlings with&nbsp;masticated&nbsp;worms, insects, and berries she and her mate forage&nbsp;til offspring fledge&nbsp;after&nbsp;another two weeks.&nbsp;Upon&nbsp;leaving&nbsp;their nest, it takes&nbsp;additional&nbsp;two weeks before youngsters fly&nbsp;reliably. That’s where the&nbsp;Grumpy&nbsp;Pot in my garden comes in.&nbsp;That little one is&nbsp;strengthening its wings and learning to find its own food.This particular&nbsp;fledgling&nbsp;is lucky. We’ve watched its parents&nbsp;hunt food&nbsp;like pros all summer. They wander the yard and garden, cocking heads to listen for insects and worms&nbsp;or perhaps&nbsp;they feel vibrations. Anyway, in no time, that beak stabs&nbsp;repeatedly at&nbsp;the ground&nbsp;until,&nbsp;Eureka, up comes fresh meat. We make finding water easy with our&nbsp;always full&nbsp;bird baths. I’m sure mom and dad will provide bathing instructions that&nbsp;detail&nbsp;how to splash&nbsp;enough to make humans laugh.Based on my observations, raising babies is&nbsp;endless&nbsp;labor for adult robins. The bad news is that some statistics say only a quarter of&nbsp;these offspring&nbsp;hatched live to maturity. That explains&nbsp;naked bird bodies I find&nbsp;littering the yard. For those that reach adulthood, most live an average of two years. &nbsp;I hope Grumpy Pot beats these&nbsp;statistics and returns to raise its own young next summer.&nbsp;I know we’ll&nbsp;enjoy&nbsp;seeing it&nbsp;and hearing&nbsp;its song as it raises its own young.Karen is a retired teacher, writer, photographer, outdoors lover, and sixth-generation Kansan. After a time away, she’s glad to be home.

MADORIN: A little guy with a big attitude

By GERARD WELLBROCK Hays Post

WICHITA – Traditionally there are fireworks at the end of
the NBC World Series championship game. Saturday night Santa Barbara started the
show early scoring six runs in the first two innings and cruised to a 12-1 win
over the Hays Larks to win their 10th title and denying the Larks their first
crown in six trips to the title game.

The Foresters (31-12) used two singles and took advantage of a couple of Larks errors to score two runs in the bottom of the first inning. They added four more runs in the
second after back-to-back walks to open the frame and were on their way to a third-straight NBC title.

The Larks would get their only run in the fifth on a Hunter Rosson who finished with two hits giving him a team-high
12 in the tournament.

Santa Barbara starting pitcher Parker Smith (7-0) pitched seven innings and picked up the
win. The Rice sophomore struck out five and walked one and
allowed the one run on four hits.

Larks starter Hunter Marshall (4-1) suffered the loss going
one inning and allowing six runs on five hits with three walks and one
strikeout.

Santa Barbara has now won 10-straight NBC World Series title
games and this is their 10th NBC World Series championship. They became the
third team in NBC World Series history to win three straight joining Fort Wayne
(IN) in 1947-50 and Fairbanks (AK) in 1972-74. 

The Foresters have won 15-straight games overall at the NBC
World Series which ties the record set by the Boulder Collegians for the most
consecutive wins.

The Larks are now 0-6 in NBC World Series championship
games. They are tied with Fairbanks (AK) and Anchorage (AK) for the second most
runner-up finishes, one behind Liberal who has seven.

This was the 40th appearance by a Kansas team in the championship
game. Kansas team are now 19-21 in the NBC World Series finals.

By GERARD WELLBROCK Hays PostWICHITA – Traditionally there are fireworks at the end of
the NBC World Series championship game. Saturday night Santa Barbara started the
show early scoring six runs in the first two innings and cruised to a 12-1 win
over the Hays Larks to win their 10th title and denying the Larks their first
crown in six trips to the title game.<div><iframe width="100%" height="300" scrolling="no" frameborder="no" allow="autoplay" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/1319367823&color=%23ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&show_teaser=true&visual=true"></iframe><div style="font-size: 10px; color: #cccccc;line-break: anywhere;word-break: normal;overflow: hidden;white-space: nowrap;text-overflow: ellipsis; font-family: Interstate,Lucida Grande,Lucida Sans Unicode,Lucida Sans,Garuda,Verdana,Tahoma,sans-serif;font-weight: 100;"><a href="https://soundcloud.com/user-814667509" title="Eagle Radio" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">Eagle Radio</a> · <a href="https://soundcloud.com/user-814667509/hays-larks-coach-interview-08-06-22" title="Frank Leo Postgame vs. Santa Barbara (Aug 6, 2022)" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">Frank Leo Postgame vs. Santa Barbara (Aug 6, 2022)</a></div></div>The Foresters (31-12) used two singles and took advantage of a couple of Larks errors to score two runs in the bottom of the first inning. They added four more runs in the
second after back-to-back walks to open the frame and were on their way to a third-straight NBC title.The Larks would get their only run in the fifth on a Hunter Rosson who finished with two hits giving him a team-high
12 in the tournament.Santa Barbara starting pitcher Parker Smith (7-0) pitched seven innings and picked up the
win. The Rice sophomore struck out five and walked one and
allowed the one run on four hits.<div><iframe width="100%" height="300" scrolling="no" frameborder="no" allow="autoplay" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/1319367823&color=%23ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&show_teaser=true&visual=true"></iframe><div style="font-size: 10px; color: #cccccc;line-break: anywhere;word-break: normal;overflow: hidden;white-space: nowrap;text-overflow: ellipsis; font-family: Interstate,Lucida Grande,Lucida Sans Unicode,Lucida Sans,Garuda,Verdana,Tahoma,sans-serif;font-weight: 100;"><a href="https://soundcloud.com/user-814667509" title="Eagle Radio" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">Eagle Radio</a> · <a href="https://soundcloud.com/user-814667509/hays-larks-coach-interview-08-06-22" title="Frank Leo Postgame vs. Santa Barbara (Aug 6, 2022)" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">Frank Leo Postgame vs. Santa Barbara (Aug 6, 2022)</a></div></div>Larks starter Hunter Marshall (4-1) suffered the loss going
one inning and allowing six runs on five hits with three walks and one
strikeout.DOMINANTSanta Barbara has now won 10-straight NBC World Series title
games and this is their 10th NBC World Series championship. They became the
third team in NBC World Series history to win three straight joining Fort Wayne
(IN) in 1947-50 and Fairbanks (AK) in 1972-74. The Foresters have won 15-straight games overall at the NBC
World Series which ties the record set by the Boulder Collegians for the most
consecutive wins.SHORT AGAINThe Larks are now 0-6 in NBC World Series championship
games. They are tied with Fairbanks (AK) and Anchorage (AK) for the second most
runner-up finishes, one behind Liberal who has seven.KANSAS STRONGThis was the 40th appearance by a Kansas team in the championship
game. Kansas team are now 19-21 in the NBC World Series finals.

⚾ Larks come up short in NBC title game

WICHITA - The Hays Larks used another strong pitching performance and a couple of late home runs to push past the Liberal Bee Jays 6-2 in the semifinals of the 88th National Baseball Congress World Series Friday night at Eck Stadium.

Garrett Gruell hit a two-run homer off the light pole in left field to break a 2-2 tie in the top of the eighth inning. Palmer Hutchison hit his second homer of the tournament, also a two-run shot to left in the ninth, to give the Larks some insurance.

The Larks (38-9), who entered the game with the lowest ERA in this year's tournament, got another great start this time from Ben Baker-Livingston. The New Mexico freshman allowed the two runs on two hits with three strikeouts and two walks over 5 2/3 innings. Sam Hendon (4-1) followed with a scoreless 1 1/3 innings and picked up the win. Ben McLaughlin, who missed Thursday's quarterfinal round game due to food poisoning, recorded the final six outs for his first save. McLaughlin struck out three of the final four Liberal to send the Larks to Saturday night's title game.

Liberal grabbed the lead in the second on a home run from Tyse Armstrong.

The Larks scored two in the fourth to take the lead.&nbsp; Dylan Dreiling was hit by pitch with one out then scored on a Garrett Gruell double. Leo Jiminian drove in Gruell with a two-out liner to center field.

The Bee Jays (34-6) answered with a run in the bottom of the inning on a groundout following a leadoff single and wild pitch to tie the game 2-2. They would only get two runners in scoring position the rest of the way.

Ben McLaughlin opened the decisive eighth inning with a walk but was forced out at second on a ground ball to second by Dreiling. Gruell followed with his third home run of the season to give Hays the lead for good.

Jack Torosian doubled with two outs in the top of the ninth then scored on Hutchison's team-leading 11th blast.

RUBBER GAME The Larks win the season series with Liberal 3-2. Each went 1-1 on their home field during the regular season with the Bee Jays clinching the Rocky Mountain Baseball League title in the final meeting at Larks Park July 22nd.

The Larks and Bee Jays are now 2-2 in games played at the NBC World Series. The Larks won in 1996 but lost in the 2000 title game and in 2008.

SIXTH TIME IS A CHARM The Larks will face the Santa Barbara Forester's in Saturday's title game at 7:00 p.m. Santa Barbara, who has won the last two titles, beat the Seattle Studs 9-2 in Friday's second semifinal.

This is the Larks sixth trip to the NBC World Series title game, losing in 2016, 2007, 2001, 2000 and 1995.

By GERARD WELLBROCK Hays PostWICHITA - The Hays Larks used another strong pitching performance and a couple of late home runs to push past the Liberal Bee Jays 6-2 in the semifinals of the 88th National Baseball Congress World Series Friday night at Eck Stadium.<div><iframe width="100%" height="300" scrolling="no" frameborder="no" allow="autoplay" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/1318840744&color=%23ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&show_teaser=true&visual=true"></iframe><div style="font-size: 10px; color: #cccccc;line-break: anywhere;word-break: normal;overflow: hidden;white-space: nowrap;text-overflow: ellipsis; font-family: Interstate,Lucida Grande,Lucida Sans Unicode,Lucida Sans,Garuda,Verdana,Tahoma,sans-serif;font-weight: 100;"><a href="https://soundcloud.com/user-814667509" title="Eagle Radio" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">Eagle Radio</a> · <a href="https://soundcloud.com/user-814667509/larks-coach-interview-08-05-22" title="Frank Leo Postgame vs. Liberal (Aug 5, 2022)" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">Frank Leo Postgame vs. Liberal (Aug 5, 2022)</a></div></div>Garrett Gruell hit a two-run homer off the light pole in left field to break a 2-2 tie in the top of the eighth inning. Palmer Hutchison hit his second homer of the tournament, also a two-run shot to left in the ninth, to give the Larks some insurance.The Larks (38-9), who entered the game with the lowest ERA in this year's tournament, got another great start this time from Ben Baker-Livingston. The New Mexico freshman allowed the two runs on two hits with three strikeouts and two walks over 5 2/3 innings. Sam Hendon (4-1) followed with a scoreless 1 1/3 innings and picked up the win. Ben McLaughlin, who missed Thursday's quarterfinal round game due to food poisoning, recorded the final six outs for his first save. McLaughlin struck out three of the final four Liberal to send the Larks to Saturday night's title game.<div><iframe width="100%" height="300" scrolling="no" frameborder="no" allow="autoplay" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/1318840729&color=%23ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&show_teaser=true&visual=true"></iframe><div style="font-size: 10px; color: #cccccc;line-break: anywhere;word-break: normal;overflow: hidden;white-space: nowrap;text-overflow: ellipsis; font-family: Interstate,Lucida Grande,Lucida Sans Unicode,Lucida Sans,Garuda,Verdana,Tahoma,sans-serif;font-weight: 100;"><a href="https://soundcloud.com/user-814667509" title="Eagle Radio" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">Eagle Radio</a> · <a href="https://soundcloud.com/user-814667509/08-05-22-hays-larks-vs-liberal-highlights" title="Hays Larks vs. Liberal Bee Jays Highlights (Aug 5, 2022)" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">Hays Larks vs. Liberal Bee Jays Highlights (Aug 5, 2022)</a></div></div>Liberal grabbed the lead in the second on a home run from Tyse Armstrong.The Larks scored two in the fourth to take the lead.&nbsp; Dylan Dreiling was hit by pitch with one out then scored on a Garrett Gruell double. Leo Jiminian drove in Gruell with a two-out liner to center field.The Bee Jays (34-6) answered with a run in the bottom of the inning on a groundout following a leadoff single and wild pitch to tie the game 2-2. They would only get two runners in scoring position the rest of the way.Ben McLaughlin opened the decisive eighth inning with a walk but was forced out at second on a ground ball to second by Dreiling. Gruell followed with his third home run of the season to give Hays the lead for good.Jack Torosian doubled with two outs in the top of the ninth then scored on Hutchison's team-leading 11th blast.RUBBER GAME The Larks win the season series with Liberal 3-2. Each went 1-1 on their home field during the regular season with the Bee Jays clinching the Rocky Mountain Baseball League title in the final meeting at Larks Park July 22nd.The Larks and Bee Jays are now 2-2 in games played at the NBC World Series. The Larks won in 1996 but lost in the 2000 title game and in 2008.SIXTH TIME IS A CHARM The Larks will face the Santa Barbara Forester's in Saturday's title game at 7:00 p.m. Santa Barbara, who has won the last two titles, beat the Seattle Studs 9-2 in Friday's second semifinal.This is the Larks sixth trip to the NBC World Series title game, losing in 2016, 2007, 2001, 2000 and 1995.

⚾ Larks use longball to advance to NBC World Series title game

By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays Post

The Hays school board voted Friday to let bonds for its <a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/129101d8-dc2b-43bf-a698-58ccdabed924">$143.5 million building project approved by voters in May</a>.

Dustin Avey, managing director of Piper Sandler, the district's bond counsel, told the board Friday the school board had secured a 4.12 percent interest rate for the full term of the 30-year bonds.

This saved the district about $6 million from the height of the bond market a few months ago and will mean the district will be able to keep the mill levy at what it estimated during the bond election.

"It think it starts the project out on the right foot relating to meeting the commitments that we communicated to voters during the project," Avey said.

The main project under the bond will be the construction of a new high 
school, which will include an auditorium. The bond will also <a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/2a94d25d-ba77-49d6-9665-2651a7667965">renovate
 the current high school into a middle school and renovate the current 
middle school into an elementary school. Roosevelt and O'Loughlin 
elementary schools also will be renovated.</a>

Lincoln Elementary School and Rockwell Administration Center will be closed. The Westside school program will be relocated.

The district received an A+ bond rating, which Avey said was very good considering the district had not issued any bonds in 30 years.

By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays PostThe Hays school board voted Friday to let bonds for its <a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/129101d8-dc2b-43bf-a698-58ccdabed924">$143.5 million building project approved by voters in May</a>.Dustin Avey, managing director of Piper Sandler, the district's bond counsel, told the board Friday the school board had secured a 4.12 percent interest rate for the full term of the 30-year bonds.This saved the district about $6 million from the height of the bond market a few months ago and will mean the district will be able to keep the mill levy at what it estimated during the bond election. "It think it starts the project out on the right foot relating to meeting the commitments that we communicated to voters during the project," Avey said.The main project under the bond will be the construction of a new high 
school, which will include an auditorium. The bond will also <a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/2a94d25d-ba77-49d6-9665-2651a7667965">renovate
 the current high school into a middle school and renovate the current 
middle school into an elementary school. Roosevelt and O'Loughlin 
elementary schools also will be renovated.</a>Lincoln Elementary School and Rockwell Administration Center will be closed. The Westside school program will be relocated.The district received an A+ bond rating, which Avey said was very good considering the district had not issued any bonds in 30 years.In addition, Avey said the school board should be able to invest part of the bond money during the term of construction, which could net $5 million.The bond projects are not anticipated to be complete until 2025. The district will also be paying off the bonds with a half-cent city sales tax. Piper Sandler figured no growth in sales tax revenue when developing the bond issue. Avey said this means that a growth in sales tax revenue, which is likely, would allow the district to pay off the bonds early. The sales tax will go into affect as of Oct. 1. The property tax increase will be included on property tax statements received by patrons in November 2022.

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